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Lovers in the Afternoon
He was more attentive as a lover
Leonie had a tendency to drop things, knock things over or bump into them, a tendency that had irritated her husband Adam Faulkner when they'd lived together--a tendency that her lover seemed to find endearing.
"I suggest we make another appointment, " Adam asserted easily after Leonie missed their rendezvous when the elevator stuck. "Sometime in the afternoon, " he added.
Leonie found herself forgetting the inhibitions that had made their marriage an agony. Adam was irrepressible--not at all like her husband. How could she resist?
Leonie had a tendency to drop things, knock things over or bump into them, a tendency that had irritated her husband Adam Faulkner when they'd lived together--a tendency that her lover seemed to find endearing.
"I suggest we make another appointment, " Adam asserted easily after Leonie missed their rendezvous when the elevator stuck. "Sometime in the afternoon, " he added.
Leonie found herself forgetting the inhibitions that had made their marriage an agony. Adam was irrepressible--not at all like her husband. How could she resist?
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,301 books911 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
March 28, 2017
Re Lovers in the Afternoon - This is another one of CM's totally whacked plot books, but once again I adore it.
A. Because all the things that happen to the h are hilarious, she has a strange effect on electrical objects - elevators (lifts) mysteriously breakdown when she rides in them, potted plants attack her, she rarely goes out to nice restaurants because other diners are in danger of getting their faces shoved into their plates when she trips onto them, (maître d's everywhere tremble when she books a dinner reservation,) but for all the accidents that happen to her, she is remarkably good humored and self depreciating, she is a really nice person.
B. While the actual romance itself is pretty good, this book boasts the character of Harvey, the h's cat, who is the third greatest Cat Character in HPLandia - right after Marmalade from Lace & Satin with his superior OW tyrannizing skillz, and Oliver the Cat From Hell Who Only Eats Tastee Delights (and don't get it wrong or H's will be sorry) from Not For Sale.
Harvey is a true alley cat for all his upscale living accommodations, and since this is HPLandia and all kittens have good homes, (even those from a Kitty Lothario- Harvey is a sorta feline HP H.) We can only cheer at the heartwarming ending to Harvey's story as the proud dad of three kittens when he gets the H's father's pure bred Siamese preggers and the snooty father gives the butler a cigar.
So with a riotously funny h, a great cat and an H who sneakily plots to get his estranged wife back, LitA is a different but really great addition to HPlandia.
The story starts when the 23 year old h wakes up in bed with a man she met several hours before. She is a bit embarrassed and plots to sneak out. The sex was the best she has ever had, and she isn't a prude, but it was WHO she had it with that is disturbing her equilibrium.
The h's meeting with the man in the bed is described in flash back in all of it's accident laden glory. The h is an interior designer and is hired by the 39 yr old president of an electronic company that she had decorated offices for. The H is a very handsome and rich industrialist and he recently bought the electronic company and liked her work.
She has all sorts of accidents on the way to the new job and when she gets there, she gets stuck in the lift for an hour and a half before she is rescued. The H takes her out to dinner, (with some protest from her,) where more little accidents occur. They wind up going back to his place and fall into bed.
When the h wakes up and recounts the evening's activities and then tries to sneak out, CM drops the bombshell, the man in the bed is the h's estranged husband. He has decided that he was a lousy husband and he wants to take the h's advice that she gave him when she walked out on him. They should have been lovers and not married.
The h is very dubious about his lover proposition. The marriage did not work for several reasons. One the sex was really bad, the h had an imperforate hymen and the H had to order her to the doctor to have surgery after the honeymoon was a disaster. This embarrassment for the h, coupled with the H's demands and extensive prior physical experience, made the h extremely resentful of his manipulation - even tho she really loved him.
The h and H had almost no communication about anything either. They married after knowing each other for about a week, she was 21 and not prepared for the lifestyle he lived or the work schedule he kept. They also lived with the H's father in a huge house with a separate apartment for the two of them.
She tried to cook and go housewifley things, but he and his dad made her so nervous, a lot of her attempts ended up in disaster. The H demanded that they eat with his father, as his dad had a cook and staff, and the father was so contemptuous and dismissive of the h, that every night was a misery around him.
The final straw of the break-up occurs when the h finds out that the H slept with her sister, the h thinks the H is in love with the sister and married the h as a second best substitute. She figures the sister loves him back but can't leave her current husband because they just had a child together, so the h walks out and starts her career and her life over with Harvey and a goldfish named Moby Dick (so Harvey wouldn't eat him.)
Eight months later the H arranges to buy the company where the h had done work at, He figured it was the only way he could get her to see him again, as he knew she wouldn't go anywhere he invited her to and he did not want to meet her at the sister's house. He also moved into an apartment of his own and he is very reassuring that he doesn't love the sister and the sister isn't going to leave her husband for him.
The H begins a very inspired courtship of the h. He starts by recreating their honeymoon with a luxury bridal suite and a hot tub. He says he would have taken her back to the Caribbean, but he couldn't figure out how to get her out of the country. He takes her roller skating. He also abashedly explains that he set a detective on her, he wanted to hurry the divorce along and thought that if he had evidence of adultery, he wouldn't have to wait three years to start pursuing her again.
The h is rather peeved about that and sharply questions him about his own faithfulness, but he denies any involvement with OW. He explains that since she did not seem to be seeing anyone seriously, he just decided to move the h pursuit timetable up and hope for the best. He gives her a really nice eternity ring and when he takes the h to dinner at his father's house, he realizes how horrible the father was to the h. He apologizes for not realizing just how rotten the father was and does an excellent job of telling his father off.
He works really, really hard to make the h feel like part of a couple who talks and shares. The h is thrilled that the H is not doing his dictator and servant behavior and she is falling in love all over again. The only dark spot she has is that she keeps getting these very abusive and frightening sexually deviant phone calls every Friday night. The H answers one and has a conniption fit. He decides to get an investigator involved to figure out who keeps calling, even after she changed her number several times.
The h also finds out from her sister that the sex with the H really was a one-night stand. The sister's hubby had been having an affair, so to build her confidence back up, the sister slept with the H when he was her boss. (I have to say, I had some dubious thoughts about this explanation - the sister took back a cheating husband over the H? Really - that is so not an HPlandia thing to do.) The husband was successfully corralled back into the marriage and then they started a baby on their make-up trip, so that is the sister sorted.
The h and H are getting along famously and enjoying the little loverly romps in various places, when the h gets another obscene phone call. This time it is in the middle of a weekend afternoon and the H is at a meeting. The h is scared and lets one of her co-workers in when he comes knocking on her door right after the call ended. Turns out it is the co-worker who has been calling. His wife is cheating on him and he is very mentally unbalanced and he threatens the h with rape.
Harvey is in his traveling basket, as the h was escaping to the H's apartment, so when the evil coworker gets upset at Harvey's complaints, the h lets Harvey escape to his wanderings out the window. She throws the cat carrier at the evil coworker and goes out the window herself. She winds up standing on a narrow ledge for several hours because she is afraid evil scary guy is waiting inside for her. There are some tense moments when Harvey gets mad 'cause she is blocking his personal cat highway to get inside, and he almost knocks them off the ledge.
Finally the H shows up, they caught the evil scary guy and the H bullies her off the ledge. The h is a bit understandably hysterical, and after some rather funny verbal exchanges where the h lays down the law about how things are going to be from now on, the h declares the H will be her husband again, with no more of this lover nonsense.
The H explains that he really had planned to ask her to be his wife again, after he thought enough time had passed and they worked their problems out, he just wanted her badly and wanted to make up for all the heartache she had from the first time they were together. He also tells her her loves her - he never said it the whole time they were married.
It is HEA's all around and for a final epilogue we find the h is preggers, but she is only having one - it was conceived in a hotel room. Harvey gets his aforementioned HEA and it is love and kitteh's ruling once again in HPlandia.
A. Because all the things that happen to the h are hilarious, she has a strange effect on electrical objects - elevators (lifts) mysteriously breakdown when she rides in them, potted plants attack her, she rarely goes out to nice restaurants because other diners are in danger of getting their faces shoved into their plates when she trips onto them, (maître d's everywhere tremble when she books a dinner reservation,) but for all the accidents that happen to her, she is remarkably good humored and self depreciating, she is a really nice person.
B. While the actual romance itself is pretty good, this book boasts the character of Harvey, the h's cat, who is the third greatest Cat Character in HPLandia - right after Marmalade from Lace & Satin with his superior OW tyrannizing skillz, and Oliver the Cat From Hell Who Only Eats Tastee Delights (and don't get it wrong or H's will be sorry) from Not For Sale.
Harvey is a true alley cat for all his upscale living accommodations, and since this is HPLandia and all kittens have good homes, (even those from a Kitty Lothario- Harvey is a sorta feline HP H.) We can only cheer at the heartwarming ending to Harvey's story as the proud dad of three kittens when he gets the H's father's pure bred Siamese preggers and the snooty father gives the butler a cigar.
So with a riotously funny h, a great cat and an H who sneakily plots to get his estranged wife back, LitA is a different but really great addition to HPlandia.
The story starts when the 23 year old h wakes up in bed with a man she met several hours before. She is a bit embarrassed and plots to sneak out. The sex was the best she has ever had, and she isn't a prude, but it was WHO she had it with that is disturbing her equilibrium.
The h's meeting with the man in the bed is described in flash back in all of it's accident laden glory. The h is an interior designer and is hired by the 39 yr old president of an electronic company that she had decorated offices for. The H is a very handsome and rich industrialist and he recently bought the electronic company and liked her work.
She has all sorts of accidents on the way to the new job and when she gets there, she gets stuck in the lift for an hour and a half before she is rescued. The H takes her out to dinner, (with some protest from her,) where more little accidents occur. They wind up going back to his place and fall into bed.
When the h wakes up and recounts the evening's activities and then tries to sneak out, CM drops the bombshell, the man in the bed is the h's estranged husband. He has decided that he was a lousy husband and he wants to take the h's advice that she gave him when she walked out on him. They should have been lovers and not married.
The h is very dubious about his lover proposition. The marriage did not work for several reasons. One the sex was really bad, the h had an imperforate hymen and the H had to order her to the doctor to have surgery after the honeymoon was a disaster. This embarrassment for the h, coupled with the H's demands and extensive prior physical experience, made the h extremely resentful of his manipulation - even tho she really loved him.
The h and H had almost no communication about anything either. They married after knowing each other for about a week, she was 21 and not prepared for the lifestyle he lived or the work schedule he kept. They also lived with the H's father in a huge house with a separate apartment for the two of them.
She tried to cook and go housewifley things, but he and his dad made her so nervous, a lot of her attempts ended up in disaster. The H demanded that they eat with his father, as his dad had a cook and staff, and the father was so contemptuous and dismissive of the h, that every night was a misery around him.
The final straw of the break-up occurs when the h finds out that the H slept with her sister, the h thinks the H is in love with the sister and married the h as a second best substitute. She figures the sister loves him back but can't leave her current husband because they just had a child together, so the h walks out and starts her career and her life over with Harvey and a goldfish named Moby Dick (so Harvey wouldn't eat him.)
Eight months later the H arranges to buy the company where the h had done work at, He figured it was the only way he could get her to see him again, as he knew she wouldn't go anywhere he invited her to and he did not want to meet her at the sister's house. He also moved into an apartment of his own and he is very reassuring that he doesn't love the sister and the sister isn't going to leave her husband for him.
The H begins a very inspired courtship of the h. He starts by recreating their honeymoon with a luxury bridal suite and a hot tub. He says he would have taken her back to the Caribbean, but he couldn't figure out how to get her out of the country. He takes her roller skating. He also abashedly explains that he set a detective on her, he wanted to hurry the divorce along and thought that if he had evidence of adultery, he wouldn't have to wait three years to start pursuing her again.
The h is rather peeved about that and sharply questions him about his own faithfulness, but he denies any involvement with OW. He explains that since she did not seem to be seeing anyone seriously, he just decided to move the h pursuit timetable up and hope for the best. He gives her a really nice eternity ring and when he takes the h to dinner at his father's house, he realizes how horrible the father was to the h. He apologizes for not realizing just how rotten the father was and does an excellent job of telling his father off.
He works really, really hard to make the h feel like part of a couple who talks and shares. The h is thrilled that the H is not doing his dictator and servant behavior and she is falling in love all over again. The only dark spot she has is that she keeps getting these very abusive and frightening sexually deviant phone calls every Friday night. The H answers one and has a conniption fit. He decides to get an investigator involved to figure out who keeps calling, even after she changed her number several times.
The h also finds out from her sister that the sex with the H really was a one-night stand. The sister's hubby had been having an affair, so to build her confidence back up, the sister slept with the H when he was her boss. (I have to say, I had some dubious thoughts about this explanation - the sister took back a cheating husband over the H? Really - that is so not an HPlandia thing to do.) The husband was successfully corralled back into the marriage and then they started a baby on their make-up trip, so that is the sister sorted.
The h and H are getting along famously and enjoying the little loverly romps in various places, when the h gets another obscene phone call. This time it is in the middle of a weekend afternoon and the H is at a meeting. The h is scared and lets one of her co-workers in when he comes knocking on her door right after the call ended. Turns out it is the co-worker who has been calling. His wife is cheating on him and he is very mentally unbalanced and he threatens the h with rape.
Harvey is in his traveling basket, as the h was escaping to the H's apartment, so when the evil coworker gets upset at Harvey's complaints, the h lets Harvey escape to his wanderings out the window. She throws the cat carrier at the evil coworker and goes out the window herself. She winds up standing on a narrow ledge for several hours because she is afraid evil scary guy is waiting inside for her. There are some tense moments when Harvey gets mad 'cause she is blocking his personal cat highway to get inside, and he almost knocks them off the ledge.
Finally the H shows up, they caught the evil scary guy and the H bullies her off the ledge. The h is a bit understandably hysterical, and after some rather funny verbal exchanges where the h lays down the law about how things are going to be from now on, the h declares the H will be her husband again, with no more of this lover nonsense.
The H explains that he really had planned to ask her to be his wife again, after he thought enough time had passed and they worked their problems out, he just wanted her badly and wanted to make up for all the heartache she had from the first time they were together. He also tells her her loves her - he never said it the whole time they were married.
It is HEA's all around and for a final epilogue we find the h is preggers, but she is only having one - it was conceived in a hotel room. Harvey gets his aforementioned HEA and it is love and kitteh's ruling once again in HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 7, 2020
Another book on which I'm in the minority.
I liked and disliked this book in equal measures as it had some very cute and truly hilarious moments but then also got very icksy because of a trope I strongly dislike. I wish the author had kept the klutzy h with her funny antics in a separate book and not mixed it with the ugly adulterous-sister’s-sloppy-seconds story. I so hate it when sisters share a man. But that’s not all that’s wrong with this book.
I liked and disliked this book in equal measures as it had some very cute and truly hilarious moments but then also got very icksy because of a trope I strongly dislike. I wish the author had kept the klutzy h with her funny antics in a separate book and not mixed it with the ugly adulterous-sister’s-sloppy-seconds story. I so hate it when sisters share a man. But that’s not all that’s wrong with this book.
March 27, 2017
A second chance story that proves not all HPs are cookie cutter. If you can dive in without spoilers, you'll find the clever first chapter invigorating with the punchline coming in the last sentence. This was a re-read for me and I got to anticipate my delight at that last line, rather then being surprised by it.
Not only is there a second chance story between an obviously smitten older H and the Lynne Graham-type heroine, there is a suspense plot line that begins about half way through the narrative. There is also a tom cat named Harvey who tom cats his way into a punchline in the epilogue and there's a gold fish named Moby Dick, who really should hook up with César the goldfish from The Spanish Groom.
There is one spoiler you should know about before deciding to read. The h's sister was the H's personal assistant before the h/H ever met. The heroine has questions about the hero's involvement with her sister and that is one of (many) reasons for their breakup.
This is one my favorite CMs. It's quite a ride with a delightful heroine and a determined hero who has had to grow and change to win back the h.
Not only is there a second chance story between an obviously smitten older H and the Lynne Graham-type heroine, there is a suspense plot line that begins about half way through the narrative. There is also a tom cat named Harvey who tom cats his way into a punchline in the epilogue and there's a gold fish named Moby Dick, who really should hook up with César the goldfish from The Spanish Groom.
There is one spoiler you should know about before deciding to read. The h's sister was the H's personal assistant before the h/H ever met. The heroine has questions about the hero's involvement with her sister and that is one of (many) reasons for their breakup.
This is one my favorite CMs. It's quite a ride with a delightful heroine and a determined hero who has had to grow and change to win back the h.
April 8, 2023
Marriage in trouble-separation-second chance-older Hero-sexual issues-from wife to mistress-besotted Hero-accident prone heroine-Hero's been with heroine's sister.
November 15, 2022
Cute. The poor wife with self esteem and trust issues that thinks her husband cheated on her with her sister.
Aaaaaannnnnd sadly it’s not completely untrue.
The hero had an affair with her sister before knowing her, the slutty sister was also married, so it was her who cheated, eeewwww…
It’s very cute because he is madly in love with her, and always was, but he agrees to a divorce because he wants the heroine to grew up and acquire some self confidence without him, so he becomes her secret lover.
Smitten hero and clumsy heroine and as usual very good book.
If you can get over the fact that the hero screwed both sisters…
Aaaaaannnnnd sadly it’s not completely untrue.
The hero had an affair with her sister before knowing her, the slutty sister was also married, so it was her who cheated, eeewwww…
It’s very cute because he is madly in love with her, and always was, but he agrees to a divorce because he wants the heroine to grew up and acquire some self confidence without him, so he becomes her secret lover.
Smitten hero and clumsy heroine and as usual very good book.
If you can get over the fact that the hero screwed both sisters…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2018
"Lovers in the Afternoon" is the story of Leonie and Adam.
Our h Leonie is a clumsy klutz, always a magnet for disaster..something which jeopardized her marriage. She finds independence after separating from her overbearing husband, and now is finding her footing as an interior designer.
Things take a turn when she encounters their new client Adam, and soon lands up in bed with him. But with a disastrous marriage behind her, and so many insecurities, can she give Adam a chance?
Honestly, the twist at 20% bowled me over and I honestly did NOT see it coming at all.
Overall, a fab read except that one grievance I had with the plot.
Safe
4.25/5
Our h Leonie is a clumsy klutz, always a magnet for disaster..something which jeopardized her marriage. She finds independence after separating from her overbearing husband, and now is finding her footing as an interior designer.
Things take a turn when she encounters their new client Adam, and soon lands up in bed with him. But with a disastrous marriage behind her, and so many insecurities, can she give Adam a chance?
Honestly, the twist at 20% bowled me over and I honestly did NOT see it coming at all.
Overall, a fab read except that one grievance I had with the plot.
Safe
4.25/5
March 22, 2012
I love this book!
Leonie is a klutz who perpetually lives in that day we all have where we should just roll over and go back to bed because nothing good will happen.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong for her.
She is requested at work to do the design of a new office building from the company that just took over, since they really liked some previous work she did.
A lot of bad stuff happens, including the perfectly good lift breaking down only when Leonie is in it. She makes a very bad impression on the boss, but he wants to take her out to dinner supposedly to talk business. So imagine her surprise when she wakes up in his bed!
Leonie had a bad marriage to an older man. He hated her clumsiness and the fact that bad karma follows her around. She also had to live with his father who made her feel completely worthless and found out her husband had slept with her married sister, so she wasn't in to one night stands at all, especially not with her almost ex-husband.
Leonie's husband Adam wants to get a divorce from her, but he doesn't want to leave her. Instead he wants to be her lover. They can't make it as a married couple, but he's determined they will make it as lovers.
So, what I love about this book. Adam doesn't want to lose Leonie so he's basically determined to get her any way he can. He's not a jerk. I know that's shocking, but he's really not. As he says, as a lover he finds all her little foibles delightful, and her husband is obviously an idiot.
They manage to work most of the stuff out because it wasn't just ONE thing that broke up their marriage, it was a LOT of things, and unlike other books, those other things aren't just glossed over. This book goes over everything that broke them apart and fixes it.
This is also
Leonie is a klutz who perpetually lives in that day we all have where we should just roll over and go back to bed because nothing good will happen.
Anything that can go wrong will go wrong for her.
She is requested at work to do the design of a new office building from the company that just took over, since they really liked some previous work she did.
A lot of bad stuff happens, including the perfectly good lift breaking down only when Leonie is in it. She makes a very bad impression on the boss, but he wants to take her out to dinner supposedly to talk business. So imagine her surprise when she wakes up in his bed!
Leonie had a bad marriage to an older man. He hated her clumsiness and the fact that bad karma follows her around. She also had to live with his father who made her feel completely worthless and found out her husband had slept with her married sister, so she wasn't in to one night stands at all, especially not with her almost ex-husband.
Leonie's husband Adam wants to get a divorce from her, but he doesn't want to leave her. Instead he wants to be her lover. They can't make it as a married couple, but he's determined they will make it as lovers.
So, what I love about this book. Adam doesn't want to lose Leonie so he's basically determined to get her any way he can. He's not a jerk. I know that's shocking, but he's really not. As he says, as a lover he finds all her little foibles delightful, and her husband is obviously an idiot.
They manage to work most of the stuff out because it wasn't just ONE thing that broke up their marriage, it was a LOT of things, and unlike other books, those other things aren't just glossed over. This book goes over everything that broke them apart and fixes it.
This is also
May 17, 2016
I liked this book until I found out that Leonie had left Adam because he slept with her sister. And apparently he did so to make her feel more "like a woman" when her husband was having affair. And both Adam, and Leonie's sister thought it was perfectly normal. And by the end of the book, bizarrely, Leonie thought so too. This just seemed such a lazy way to explain away their estrangement.
avoid
November 6, 2021Self note
The h gets her sisters sloppy leftover. H slept with sis first.
The h gets her sisters sloppy leftover. H slept with sis first.
January 28, 2020
Funny and nice but the sister thing and h's understanding is not I want to see in Hplandia.
April 10, 2023
The ow/sister, Liz, thing was
🙄
The H’s take on it:
🙄
It’s been years since I read this book so it felt all new to me. I quite enjoyed it, although I could’ve done without the H . Because I ’m absurdly double-standardy that way.
🙄
MLike so many HP’s, this one has the MC’s dragging out getting to the bottom of things. The way they evade the elephant in the room is frustrating, but because it’s typical of this genre I was expecting it and didn’t mind it. Much….
He’s the real Mills and Boon Man: enigmatic, alpha, gorgeous, sophisticated, successful. Won’t take no for an answer.
She’s clumsy yet feisty, independent and determined, but can’t help herself with when it comes to him. Still, she fought a good fight.
He’s very possessive and jealous so it tees me off that he waited 8 months to seek her out. But he’s made changes within himself during that time so I love forgave him. Plus, he’s simply not giving up on them.
He’s also a dufus:
She: “You did love me?”
‘Yes.’
‘You never once told me that.”
“He frowned. ‘Didn’t I? But surely it must have been obvious,’ he dismissed impatiently.
As a teenager, HP was my introduction to Romance and reading in general, so these authors played a huge part in my love of the English language.
CM is brilliant with words. In this book she even reduces the amount of exclamation marks she’s so fond of.
I love her effortless writing style.
🙄
The H’s take on it:
🙄
It’s been years since I read this book so it felt all new to me. I quite enjoyed it, although I could’ve done without the H . Because I ’m absurdly double-standardy that way.
🙄
MLike so many HP’s, this one has the MC’s dragging out getting to the bottom of things. The way they evade the elephant in the room is frustrating, but because it’s typical of this genre I was expecting it and didn’t mind it. Much….
He’s the real Mills and Boon Man: enigmatic, alpha, gorgeous, sophisticated, successful. Won’t take no for an answer.
She’s clumsy yet feisty, independent and determined, but can’t help herself with when it comes to him. Still, she fought a good fight.
He’s very possessive and jealous so it tees me off that he waited 8 months to seek her out. But he’s made changes within himself during that time so I love forgave him. Plus, he’s simply not giving up on them.
He’s also a dufus:
She: “You did love me?”
‘Yes.’
‘You never once told me that.”
“He frowned. ‘Didn’t I? But surely it must have been obvious,’ he dismissed impatiently.
As a teenager, HP was my introduction to Romance and reading in general, so these authors played a huge part in my love of the English language.
CM is brilliant with words. In this book she even reduces the amount of exclamation marks she’s so fond of.
I love her effortless writing style.
May 22, 2020
3.75 HP Stars
February 9, 2015
I loved the actual theme/background of the book but it was wrongly done. I was not convinced by the author's explanations of why the marriage broke down. leonie did not have any problem responding to adam now while last year she had been disgusted by his touch. what brought this trauma in her!?
September 3, 2012
loved this book!
May 7, 2022
Eek. Started off really well with a hot opening chapter and appealing h/H. Ended with me goggle-eyed in a 'what did I just read?' way. I'm sure it has happened to someone and as I don't have a sister I can't be sure how I would feel if my husband had had her first...(Narrator voice: She is pretty sure she knows how she would feel)
But I was not at all comfortable with that. Even though the h was reassured by the fact that he said he never had feelings for her sister. When he then more or less said "but obviously I did fancy her or I'd never have been able to get it up" (not his exact words but v close) I was like "No. Just, no." Add to this squickyness a horrible stalker-cum rapist/murderer confrontation (which was almost treated humorously) and I was so far out of my category romance comfort zone that I have had to score it low. Which is a shame because the initial premise and the hotness had real potential.
But I was not at all comfortable with that. Even though the h was reassured by the fact that he said he never had feelings for her sister. When he then more or less said "but obviously I did fancy her or I'd never have been able to get it up" (not his exact words but v close) I was like "No. Just, no." Add to this squickyness a horrible stalker-cum rapist/murderer confrontation (which was almost treated humorously) and I was so far out of my category romance comfort zone that I have had to score it low. Which is a shame because the initial premise and the hotness had real potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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August 10, 2022No. Can’t overlook some extreme triggers. First off their role playing was a bit much for an HP. I come here for believable theatrics and not more. The other sister factor. No room for negotiation. I’d be devastated all my life and could never forgive the unforgivable.
I’ve no clue how you can shove this atrocity under the carpet and shut your eyes for the rest of your life. Not rating this epic fail. No no no.
Also the age gap was pretty extreme. I’m pretty sure the h could find a better ending to her HEA than what tarnished leftovers the H offered.
I’ve no clue how you can shove this atrocity under the carpet and shut your eyes for the rest of your life. Not rating this epic fail. No no no.
Also the age gap was pretty extreme. I’m pretty sure the h could find a better ending to her HEA than what tarnished leftovers the H offered.
November 14, 2022
I thought I would like this more than I did. Something was off and I am not sure what. Reading slump or...? I kind of think that hero was a sheep in wolf's clothing. A Beta masquerading as alpha and I didn't like it.
May 8, 2020
"Lovers in the Afternoon" were such a charming pleasure that made me laugh and swoon many times.With its clumsy and adorable heroine and a arrogant and determined hero..with a crazy sex-maniac...this was one 5-STAR-like romantic movie.Loved it!
I was so surprised when i knew that Adam Faulkner (hero) and Leonie Smith (heroine) were actually married couple who seperated 8 months ago!
When they decide that being a married couple didn`t suit them,they decide to become afternoon lovers!
Just love this plot!Love the way Adam fight for her and i love the heroines clumsyness..oh how i want to be friend with a woman like that!She made me laugh so many times!
Their romance were adorable and hot at the same time and the reasons their marriage didn`t work out were understandable.How glad i was of their second-chance of love in this one!
I was so surprised when i knew that Adam Faulkner (hero) and Leonie Smith (heroine) were actually married couple who seperated 8 months ago!
When they decide that being a married couple didn`t suit them,they decide to become afternoon lovers!
Just love this plot!Love the way Adam fight for her and i love the heroines clumsyness..oh how i want to be friend with a woman like that!She made me laugh so many times!
Their romance were adorable and hot at the same time and the reasons their marriage didn`t work out were understandable.How glad i was of their second-chance of love in this one!
April 17, 2016
Loved this book. A different twist on a romance. An estranged married couple become lovers because they are better as lovers than being married to each other. Loved the H - he won me over almost immediately. I will read this one again.
July 13, 2011
3.5'ish. Light hearted enjoyable read.
December 20, 2019
This was a fun quirky, very non-HP read!
April 20, 2021
Wow! The next time someone is asking for a second chance story I’m recommending this! This is unlike any hp I have read before.
Okay, here’s a “Do as I say and not what I do “ recommendation ...don’t read spoiler reviews ahead of time. I did because I’m like a child who looks for the Christmas gifts in November. I read Boogenhagen’s review...I look forward to her summaries and witticisms. I knew it was going to tell me things ahead of time and it was an excellent review. If you don’t care about spoilers, definitely read it. If you care about spoilers, then read the review after you are done with story. StMargarets gives a good non spoiler review. I also totally agreed with what Chitra CJ wrote in regards to the sister comment at end of story.
So what was awesome. The heroine is a total klutz..I can totally relate. My husband says my superpower is the ability to repel technology and break plastic! Anyhoo, the h is a cute klutz! Oh and hero likes a girl with a little meat on her bones(skinny, fat I don’t care just be a good person!!!). She is a size 10 but was a size 14 and he wants to fatten her up! Of course the conversion of UK to US sizes makes her an American size 6 but I can pretend it was US sizes 😂! The arousing sex scenes are by no means graphic, but yet they are hot! Both the hero and heroine grow in the story. They accept some truths and the heroine is a little older and bolder now! There is a surprising mystery in the story. One of the problems in the story may be a dealbreaker for some when reading the story. However I was able to get past the “past”.
There is also an unofficial epilogue and the author spent many pages on the end of the book to deal with the HEA after the framing rescue(read book)...
Oh and there is a cat. 🐈!!!
Okay, here’s a “Do as I say and not what I do “ recommendation ...don’t read spoiler reviews ahead of time. I did because I’m like a child who looks for the Christmas gifts in November. I read Boogenhagen’s review...I look forward to her summaries and witticisms. I knew it was going to tell me things ahead of time and it was an excellent review. If you don’t care about spoilers, definitely read it. If you care about spoilers, then read the review after you are done with story. StMargarets gives a good non spoiler review. I also totally agreed with what Chitra CJ wrote in regards to the sister comment at end of story.
So what was awesome. The heroine is a total klutz..I can totally relate. My husband says my superpower is the ability to repel technology and break plastic! Anyhoo, the h is a cute klutz! Oh and hero likes a girl with a little meat on her bones(skinny, fat I don’t care just be a good person!!!). She is a size 10 but was a size 14 and he wants to fatten her up! Of course the conversion of UK to US sizes makes her an American size 6 but I can pretend it was US sizes 😂! The arousing sex scenes are by no means graphic, but yet they are hot! Both the hero and heroine grow in the story. They accept some truths and the heroine is a little older and bolder now! There is a surprising mystery in the story. One of the problems in the story may be a dealbreaker for some when reading the story. However I was able to get past the “past”.
There is also an unofficial epilogue and the author spent many pages on the end of the book to deal with the HEA after the framing rescue(read book)...
Oh and there is a cat. 🐈!!!
September 9, 2017
An author I have always loved.
And a theme I love- married couples.....and such a novel treatment too. Never have I read such a twist in the tale.
But... A big let down for me was
Borrowing Preeti's shelves
Shelves: he-controlling-manipualtive, grow-a-spine-girl, hero-alpha-hot, emo-unfaithful-or-betrayal, mu_falling-out-and-separation, older-guy-10-yrs-or-more, hero-smitten, disapprovng-troublmakng-family, made-me-smile-or-chuckle, plots-to-get-her-or-him, h-walks-away, dubious-reluctnt-or-non_con, h-meek-to-tough, hero-only-lover, hero-celibate-in-separation, pets-animals, double-entendre, h-ditsy-quirky-cute, 3-plus-stars, great-premise-wasted, eye-roller, he-knows-she-virgin_bfr-act, h-h-separated-estranged, wat-do-i-say_smh, hero-calm-controlled, engineer-architect-builder-realtor, wife-be-my-mistress-now, sex-aftr-wedding, love-at-first-sight_instalove, sexuality-issues, oh-darling-nothing-to-forgive, sloppy-seconds, some-ick-factor, h-chubby-to-slim, history-wid-sib-czn-fren-stp_parnt, weddingnight_mare, hero-sob-to-nice, in-laws-frm-hell, liked-the-ending, good-but-petpeeve-or-sthing-lacking, hero-in-pursuit, details-or-timeframe-unclear, second-chances, grovel_xplanation-passable, hero-adulterous-immoral, h-h-1st-tym-sex-bad-fr-her, wakes-up-in-bed-wid, stalker-villain, evry1-loves-it-but-me
And a theme I love- married couples.....and such a novel treatment too. Never have I read such a twist in the tale.
But... A big let down for me was
Borrowing Preeti's shelves
Shelves: he-controlling-manipualtive, grow-a-spine-girl, hero-alpha-hot, emo-unfaithful-or-betrayal, mu_falling-out-and-separation, older-guy-10-yrs-or-more, hero-smitten, disapprovng-troublmakng-family, made-me-smile-or-chuckle, plots-to-get-her-or-him, h-walks-away, dubious-reluctnt-or-non_con, h-meek-to-tough, hero-only-lover, hero-celibate-in-separation, pets-animals, double-entendre, h-ditsy-quirky-cute, 3-plus-stars, great-premise-wasted, eye-roller, he-knows-she-virgin_bfr-act, h-h-separated-estranged, wat-do-i-say_smh, hero-calm-controlled, engineer-architect-builder-realtor, wife-be-my-mistress-now, sex-aftr-wedding, love-at-first-sight_instalove, sexuality-issues, oh-darling-nothing-to-forgive, sloppy-seconds, some-ick-factor, h-chubby-to-slim, history-wid-sib-czn-fren-stp_parnt, weddingnight_mare, hero-sob-to-nice, in-laws-frm-hell, liked-the-ending, good-but-petpeeve-or-sthing-lacking, hero-in-pursuit, details-or-timeframe-unclear, second-chances, grovel_xplanation-passable, hero-adulterous-immoral, h-h-1st-tym-sex-bad-fr-her, wakes-up-in-bed-wid, stalker-villain, evry1-loves-it-but-me
August 24, 2022
I saw this book recommended by someone I follow on Goodreads and decided to give it a whirl. To say it was written in 1985, I thought this was a clever, imaginative interpretation of the trope. Very young heroine Leonie and older wealthy Adam, meet, fall in love and marry fast and then for all sorts of reasons, the marriage falls apart. Fast forward 8 months and Adam decides they will make better lovers that spouses. And they do.
This story wins because it’s funny and endearing and it sparkles; also because both the hero and heroine are actually decent people who do actually love each other and learn from their mistakes.
At times the heroine is over the top and irritates. But overall a good read.
I felt a little uncomfortable about the ‘sleeping with the sister’ element, until I realised what the background really was but that ickiness made me give it 3 instead of 4. It’s remarkable that a 35 year old Mills and Boon has not dated in the way I might have expected it to. Well worth a read.
This author used to write such fabulous books and I used to thoroughly enjoy them. Now she appears to focus on churning out repetitious tosh. Never mind - her back catalogue holds some interesting finds!
This story wins because it’s funny and endearing and it sparkles; also because both the hero and heroine are actually decent people who do actually love each other and learn from their mistakes.
At times the heroine is over the top and irritates. But overall a good read.
I felt a little uncomfortable about the ‘sleeping with the sister’ element, until I realised what the background really was but that ickiness made me give it 3 instead of 4. It’s remarkable that a 35 year old Mills and Boon has not dated in the way I might have expected it to. Well worth a read.
This author used to write such fabulous books and I used to thoroughly enjoy them. Now she appears to focus on churning out repetitious tosh. Never mind - her back catalogue holds some interesting finds!
June 29, 2014
I thought I missed out on something great but it felt weird. I know CM likes to dabble in the unusual circumstance that usually gives her books a certain flair. I just didn't like it this time. They are like this boring old married couple who wanted to bring kinky back so they pretend to be strangers just so they can feel what's it like to have affairs. Some couples do play pretend, but not to the extent of defining the whole relationship. Can you say dysfunctional? I know it's a 80's thing. I usually don't make it such an issue, but in this book it was for me.
September 8, 2020
Love, love, love this book! If I could give more than a 5 star rating I would. This book has everything: romance, sexual chemistry, a good story and even a sense of humour. There are not many Harlequin books in which both the man and the woman are likable, but this book has it! What I also like is that this woman is independent and intelligent. Oh yeah, did I already say I love this book? :-)
I will re-read this book again and again. Highly recommend.
I will re-read this book again and again. Highly recommend.
September 4, 2012
An enjoyable, fun read. The first HP I have enjoyed in a while.
November 28, 2012
This novel was all to light and silly for me. It wasn't very serious which kind of turned me off of the whole thing. However I did get some epic laughs from the content of the novel.
September 13, 2024
This book started out really strong and I honestly liked the fresh approach to 'working out' their problems. As a second chance romance this was really good. You can tell through Adam's actions that he really regretted the way their marriage unfolded but he recognized his own flaws and was willing to put forth the effort to make it work. Leonie also needed that break to grow as a person and gain confidence in herself.
This is your warning that it's getting spoiler-ish.........
What I could not stand was the plot twist. And not even so much the fact that he slept with her sister before the h (although that does gross me out and no amount of Leonie 'maturing' would be enough for me to get over). But it's the sister herself that irritates me. She admits that she used the H and he was too nice to say no so he kindly loaned her his body for the night to get back at her husband! First of all...why do you want to take back a cheating husband? Second why do you think getting even is even going to work? And thirdly, if any man would do then wth did you chose your boss when he's a friend but also your superior. Adam should have never allowed that line to be crossed regardless of how badly the sister needed to prove she was a 'woman'.
This is your warning that it's getting spoiler-ish.........
What I could not stand was the plot twist. And not even so much the fact that he slept with her sister before the h (although that does gross me out and no amount of Leonie 'maturing' would be enough for me to get over). But it's the sister herself that irritates me. She admits that she used the H and he was too nice to say no so he kindly loaned her his body for the night to get back at her husband! First of all...why do you want to take back a cheating husband? Second why do you think getting even is even going to work? And thirdly, if any man would do then wth did you chose your boss when he's a friend but also your superior. Adam should have never allowed that line to be crossed regardless of how badly the sister needed to prove she was a 'woman'.
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