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Secret Passions #1
A Secret Vengeance
A secret mistress, a secret revenge!
It's been the most shocking moment of Luke Freeman's life. He's discovered that his late father had a mistress! The information Luke receives about the identity of this secret lover leads him to a beautiful young woman....
Celia is not actually the woman Luke's been looking for. However, he is instantly smitten by a physical attraction to her so powerful that he decides he must have her -- whatever the cost. But what a cost! As Luke is about to find out, the price of passion is revenge!
It's been the most shocking moment of Luke Freeman's life. He's discovered that his late father had a mistress! The information Luke receives about the identity of this secret lover leads him to a beautiful young woman....
Celia is not actually the woman Luke's been looking for. However, he is instantly smitten by a physical attraction to her so powerful that he decides he must have her -- whatever the cost. But what a cost! As Luke is about to find out, the price of passion is revenge!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 2001
10 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
815 books235 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
January 10, 2022
The title should be: history repeating.
The hero has just lost his parents in an accident. His solicitor lets him know his father had a lady staying in one of his houses. The hero thinks she’s a charity case and his father wanted to help her, so he plans to give her the deeds of this property to honor his father’s wish, and decides to go and see this lady.
When he arrives at the house he finds a beautiful sexy young woman and he nearly has a stroke, thinking she’s his father’s mistress.
The heroine is his father’s mistress’ daughter.
The hero and the heroine have a sad moment together and are both struck with sudden lust disorder, a rare syndrome who makes people falling in insta lust and insta love and insta having sex together.
Yes, they have sex together just half an hour after their meeting.
Talking about not wasting time.
Sex of course is cataclysmic, especially for the heroine that, far from being a virgin, has not yet been able to have an orgasm with her partners. We may say that even if she’s no innocent she’s got some kind of naivety and after this wonderful sex she wants to repeat the experience. At once.
Already.
The hero though has a big problem. He’s engaged to be married in a fortnight.
So, my title. History repeats itself.
The heroine is appalled but anyway thinks that what they have is too precious to be lost and wants to fight for him.
The hero is not so sure and would like to forget the experience and go back to his fiancée. He’s not in love with her but he likes her enough and doesn’t want to jeopardize everything for a ons.
The heroine is almost giving up but eventually the hero decides he won’t marry his fiancée and he will be back to her.
Lil drama with an accident and happy ending for everyone.
The story has a time frame of about two days, that is from the moment the hero meets the heroine until he jilts his fiancée.
There’s little drama but a big trigger, that is his cheating.
The hero wouldn’t be a bad man, he’s quite a family man and not selfish or cruel, that makes what he did, sleep with a stranger 15 days before his marriage, even more inconsistent and unacceptable.
But the author plays with the fact that their love is somehow destiny and retribution for their parents’ failed love story.
It’s a matter of insta lust, and they can’t resist their attraction.
Cheating is never a nice thing, even if there is no love between the hero and his fiancée, but this book seems to view the cheating as something that sometimes is impossible to avoid.
As in his father’s case. The old man had an affair with the heroine’s mother for 20 years but he never left his wife. This was wrong, because the heroine’s mother suffered a lot and there wasn’t any need for him to stay with his wife.
The man wrote his mistress a letter where he declares his love for her and everyone is happy and thinks he loved her but I think he didn’t.
Those kind of men are cowards and always choose the easiest way, not caring about other people’s feelings and all they can do is find pitiful excuses.
Thank god his son has more guts and left his fiancée to be with his real love.
But I wonder if he would have done the same thing if he was married… he was ready to marry his fiancée after having sex with the heroine…
His fiancée was a nice girl too, and next book will be about her, so hopefully she will find her true love.
The hero has just lost his parents in an accident. His solicitor lets him know his father had a lady staying in one of his houses. The hero thinks she’s a charity case and his father wanted to help her, so he plans to give her the deeds of this property to honor his father’s wish, and decides to go and see this lady.
When he arrives at the house he finds a beautiful sexy young woman and he nearly has a stroke, thinking she’s his father’s mistress.
The heroine is his father’s mistress’ daughter.
The hero and the heroine have a sad moment together and are both struck with sudden lust disorder, a rare syndrome who makes people falling in insta lust and insta love and insta having sex together.
Yes, they have sex together just half an hour after their meeting.
Talking about not wasting time.
Sex of course is cataclysmic, especially for the heroine that, far from being a virgin, has not yet been able to have an orgasm with her partners. We may say that even if she’s no innocent she’s got some kind of naivety and after this wonderful sex she wants to repeat the experience. At once.
Already.
The hero though has a big problem. He’s engaged to be married in a fortnight.
So, my title. History repeats itself.
The heroine is appalled but anyway thinks that what they have is too precious to be lost and wants to fight for him.
The hero is not so sure and would like to forget the experience and go back to his fiancée. He’s not in love with her but he likes her enough and doesn’t want to jeopardize everything for a ons.
The heroine is almost giving up but eventually the hero decides he won’t marry his fiancée and he will be back to her.
Lil drama with an accident and happy ending for everyone.
The story has a time frame of about two days, that is from the moment the hero meets the heroine until he jilts his fiancée.
There’s little drama but a big trigger, that is his cheating.
The hero wouldn’t be a bad man, he’s quite a family man and not selfish or cruel, that makes what he did, sleep with a stranger 15 days before his marriage, even more inconsistent and unacceptable.
But the author plays with the fact that their love is somehow destiny and retribution for their parents’ failed love story.
It’s a matter of insta lust, and they can’t resist their attraction.
Cheating is never a nice thing, even if there is no love between the hero and his fiancée, but this book seems to view the cheating as something that sometimes is impossible to avoid.
As in his father’s case. The old man had an affair with the heroine’s mother for 20 years but he never left his wife. This was wrong, because the heroine’s mother suffered a lot and there wasn’t any need for him to stay with his wife.
The man wrote his mistress a letter where he declares his love for her and everyone is happy and thinks he loved her but I think he didn’t.
Those kind of men are cowards and always choose the easiest way, not caring about other people’s feelings and all they can do is find pitiful excuses.
Thank god his son has more guts and left his fiancée to be with his real love.
But I wonder if he would have done the same thing if he was married… he was ready to marry his fiancée after having sex with the heroine…
His fiancée was a nice girl too, and next book will be about her, so hopefully she will find her true love.
October 4, 2017
This whole review is going to be one big spoiler.
Virgins need not apply.
So if you don't like experienced heroines or infidelity then do not read.
Virgins need not apply.
So if you don't like experienced heroines or infidelity then do not read.
September 19, 2010
I must admit, I'm a die hard idealist but even I couldn't swallow this love at first sight romance.
My main issue with the story was that, the whole plot seemed pretty flaky without much substance (the whole book is told within 2-3 days tops). It also didn't help that both the hero and the heroine came across as amoral, sex crazed cheaters.
I didn't find this book all that satisfying emotionally or other wise.
My main issue with the story was that, the whole plot seemed pretty flaky without much substance (the whole book is told within 2-3 days tops). It also didn't help that both the hero and the heroine came across as amoral, sex crazed cheaters.
I didn't find this book all that satisfying emotionally or other wise.
May 4, 2013
very funny the hero thought coinciding orgasms did not exist n most women faked orgasms. hw absurd !! even more absurd they fell in love in one day n decided 2 marry LOL. very entertaining though n u shud not 4get it's fiction
February 16, 2022
Secret yes, but no vengeance of any sort.
In fact , all the OWs in the story are rather sweet, simple women !
The story is quite bizarre and comically unreal if you decide to apply your mind to it. So my advice is simple - switch off and enjoy the crazy joy ride !!
Luke is getting married in 15 days. To a woman of the world. Both of them are skeptical about love you see, so they are getting ready for a sensible, practical marriage of mutual benefit!
His parents died in an accident a few days back. So he is busy settling all his daddy's property and business affairs. Luke's lawyer informs him about a property in some remote location. And discloses that Luke's daddy wanted to leave that property to some unknown woman.
May be just a simple charity gesture. But may not! Luke is intrigued , wants to go check out the property. And when he gets there and rings the bell, a sexy redhead opens the door! Luke is tongue tied. My dad and this bombshell !@#?#@?#?@#
But no, daddy dear wasn't getting cosy with this one. His choice was the girl's mummy !!! Mind you, Luke's dad had a squeaky clean public image, he was this paragon of a husband, blah blah.
And Luke discovers that daddy was enjoying domestic bliss simply because he had a hidden sweetheart to soothe away his tensions !!!
Ok, now the one who opened the door is Celia. She isn't thrilled about her single mom living her entire life as a devoted mistress of a rich man. So she is burning with resentment too.
When and Luke and Celia meet, they yell at each other for precisely 3 minutes. And quickly realise that both of them are helpless victims of a weird situation. My daddy was secretly DOING IT with your mummy for 20 years !@!@@##$$
Now that the awkward thing is out in the open, tempers cool down. She cries, he cuddles. AHEM AHEM. They realise that both of them have the HOTs for each other too. Right, so within half an hour of setting sight on each other, they are tearing apart each other' clothes and jumping into bed.
The daddy & mummy thing - forgotten, the sensible fiance waiting back at home - forgotten. Just a roller coaster weekend full of sex and discoveries ... Fun to read , however incredible it sounds.
Then they meet her mummy. And Luke realises that she is a sweet lady, who has been genuinely supportive of his dad. His mom had some stress issues, we won't go into that. Before leaving the lady, he gifts the love nest that daddy dear had built to Celia's mum. And the lady is thrilled! Oh, Luke is such a sweet boy, she gushes :)
Right, now the only loose thread left to tie up is the 'hanging in the balance' fiance. Its just a marriage of mutual benefit anyway. So Luke settles with the fiance amicably. Very amicably. So amicably that you will be left goggling at their polite conversation after he cheats and returns to inform her of the called off wedding.
He simply gifts her another property, as compensation for all the inconvenience caused. And the lady accepts without a bit of fuss. Smart, sensible woman I tell you ;) The OW Isabel who lost out on a HEA in this story gets a story of her own too - The secret love child.
All OWs happy, Luke is rushing back to his 24 hour old lover. But there must be some drama somewhere atleast. So he promptly meets with an accident. Some anxiety, some doubts, some confrontations. And then the HEA. With a few doubts about "Do whirlwind romances last?". But happily brushed aside ...
Good raunchy racy read. ZERO chance of working in real life. But who cares, I had my fun !
In fact , all the OWs in the story are rather sweet, simple women !
The story is quite bizarre and comically unreal if you decide to apply your mind to it. So my advice is simple - switch off and enjoy the crazy joy ride !!
Luke is getting married in 15 days. To a woman of the world. Both of them are skeptical about love you see, so they are getting ready for a sensible, practical marriage of mutual benefit!
His parents died in an accident a few days back. So he is busy settling all his daddy's property and business affairs. Luke's lawyer informs him about a property in some remote location. And discloses that Luke's daddy wanted to leave that property to some unknown woman.
May be just a simple charity gesture. But may not! Luke is intrigued , wants to go check out the property. And when he gets there and rings the bell, a sexy redhead opens the door! Luke is tongue tied. My dad and this bombshell !@#?#@?#?@#
But no, daddy dear wasn't getting cosy with this one. His choice was the girl's mummy !!! Mind you, Luke's dad had a squeaky clean public image, he was this paragon of a husband, blah blah.
And Luke discovers that daddy was enjoying domestic bliss simply because he had a hidden sweetheart to soothe away his tensions !!!
Ok, now the one who opened the door is Celia. She isn't thrilled about her single mom living her entire life as a devoted mistress of a rich man. So she is burning with resentment too.
When and Luke and Celia meet, they yell at each other for precisely 3 minutes. And quickly realise that both of them are helpless victims of a weird situation. My daddy was secretly DOING IT with your mummy for 20 years !@!@@##$$
Now that the awkward thing is out in the open, tempers cool down. She cries, he cuddles. AHEM AHEM. They realise that both of them have the HOTs for each other too. Right, so within half an hour of setting sight on each other, they are tearing apart each other' clothes and jumping into bed.
The daddy & mummy thing - forgotten, the sensible fiance waiting back at home - forgotten. Just a roller coaster weekend full of sex and discoveries ... Fun to read , however incredible it sounds.
Then they meet her mummy. And Luke realises that she is a sweet lady, who has been genuinely supportive of his dad. His mom had some stress issues, we won't go into that. Before leaving the lady, he gifts the love nest that daddy dear had built to Celia's mum. And the lady is thrilled! Oh, Luke is such a sweet boy, she gushes :)
Right, now the only loose thread left to tie up is the 'hanging in the balance' fiance. Its just a marriage of mutual benefit anyway. So Luke settles with the fiance amicably. Very amicably. So amicably that you will be left goggling at their polite conversation after he cheats and returns to inform her of the called off wedding.
He simply gifts her another property, as compensation for all the inconvenience caused. And the lady accepts without a bit of fuss. Smart, sensible woman I tell you ;) The OW Isabel who lost out on a HEA in this story gets a story of her own too - The secret love child.
All OWs happy, Luke is rushing back to his 24 hour old lover. But there must be some drama somewhere atleast. So he promptly meets with an accident. Some anxiety, some doubts, some confrontations. And then the HEA. With a few doubts about "Do whirlwind romances last?". But happily brushed aside ...
Good raunchy racy read. ZERO chance of working in real life. But who cares, I had my fun !
October 30, 2011
A Secret Vengeance is the 59th romance novel by Miranda Lee, and first of the Secret Passions series. When Lionel Freeman and his wife die in a car accident, he leaves behind his son Luke, who idolised him, and a very secret, not very wealthy and very heartbroken mistress, Jessica Gilbert. Celia, her daughter, had come to hate Lionel for the way he used her mother for twenty years, so she was surprised when Luke turned up on the doorstep of the lakeside cottage her mother had lived in, rent-free, to gift the cottage to Jessica. What surprised her even more was her fierce attraction to Luke. And despite the fact that he was engaged, Luke acted on his own attraction to Celia: was this to turn into a repeat of his father’s behaviour? Another excellent Miranda Lee romance with a great plot and realistic characters and dialogue. Some hot bedroom scenes too.
February 27, 2009
First in the Secret Passions trilogy by the author.
September 9, 2021
Awful. I’ve tried several books by this author and haven’t liked them. This is the last one for me. Did not finish, skimmed last chapter and it was awful too
September 21, 2018
Sí, sí, otra h mal f*llada, que debía montar pepinos y por eso se ruboriza como virgen. Y otra historia que realza a tramposos.
Aunque si tenemos en cuenta a la prometida de Luke (Isabel, protagonista del libro 2 de la serie) una no sabe si decir que salió ganando con el cambio. Y para decir esto, imaginad que clase de personaje es Isabel... U.u
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Aunque si tenemos en cuenta a la prometida de Luke (Isabel, protagonista del libro 2 de la serie) una no sabe si decir que salió ganando con el cambio. Y para decir esto, imaginad que clase de personaje es Isabel... U.u
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2020
The most unfeminist books I've read. Completely unbelievable. Probably was trying to be a one act play at one point. Nope. Don't believe it. Not fun. And no one interesting to root or care about. Skip.
August 29, 2023
Highlights include: ridiculous relationships and the most unpleasant sounding sex scenes! Not sure how many people want to hear about being splintered by wine bottles...?
September 13, 2023
Meh. Luke's not really a very nice guy.
December 12, 2013
The only reason I did not flounce this book was because I was stuck in the doctors with nothing else to read. This book is terrible. Basically, Luke finds out his father had a mistress that he strung along for twenty years, so he goes to find her, meets her daughter, Celia, and then ends up having an affair with her. It's basically saying that it's okay to cheat on your wife/fiancee as long as you find another woman sexy. It also says that if you sleep with a man and then find out he's engaged/married, that it's totally acceptable to think that he's given you an orgasm so you're in love with him and you should totally then try to steal him from his current partner. The character's are vile, the story's ridiculous, and I did not enjoy reading this at all.
1 star.
1 star.
July 7, 2011
I read the English e-book ver in a night. I love the romanticism, really. But if you are an outsider, I doubt you'll understand their reasons. Gosh, love. I think the most understandable is Luke's choice. Still, he made love to Celia first then understood that he love her. Can you do it in reverse order, pleeeasse? Marry her first, Dude!!
September 18, 2012
The history continue in same pattern again? hm.. maybe a little bit is ok, but the whole story, a little bit unbelievable...
November 15, 2013
This book was stupid. They have sex and then suddenly are in love? What? No.
April 25, 2014
Weird, but interesting. More interesting title would have been His father's mistress's daughter. Don't really understand why everyone had to be a nice person. Not all that true to life, but cute.
June 10, 2016
HAS THE MAKING OF AN EVERGREEN LOVE STORY
December 28, 2017
Storia come sempre quelle di Miranda Lee che ti colpiscono al cuore, finale dolcissimo e tante lacrime!!!!
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September 2, 2008A Secret Vengeance (Harlequin Presents) (Harlequin Presents) by Miranda Lee (2002)
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews