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Holding the Tigress
Jessica Meredith, acting CEO of the shipping company founded by her grandfather, strives to prevent its hostile takeover by Brazilian shipping magnate Rafael Castelar. During their meeting in Rio, she is incensed by his refusal to negotiate. Later, she attends an upscale carnaval party where the lights go out and the merrymaking turns into something much more steamy. Thankfully, she is rescued by a modern-day Zorro and whisked away to a dark patio. The comfort of the masked gallant’s arms soothes her fears—until gratitude becomes love to a samba beat.
Back in New Orleans, resentment and jealousy seethe beneath the surface of the family empire. Facing lethal threats both within her family enclave and outside it, Jessica prepares to fight tooth and nail to hold onto her heritage—even if she must embrace the man determined to possess it…and her.
Back in New Orleans, resentment and jealousy seethe beneath the surface of the family empire. Facing lethal threats both within her family enclave and outside it, Jessica prepares to fight tooth and nail to hold onto her heritage—even if she must embrace the man determined to possess it…and her.
360 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1996
25 people are currently reading
149 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Blake
172 books543 followersA pseudonym used by Patricia Maxwell.
Jennifer Blake has been called a “pioneer of the romance genre”, and an “icon of the romance industry.” A New York Times and international best selling author since 1977, she is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, member of the RWA Hall of Fame, and recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Rita. She holds numerous other honors, including two “Maggies”, two Holt Medallions, multiple Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine, and the Frank Waters Award for literary excellence. She has written over 60 books with translations in 20 languages and more than 30 million copies in print worldwide.
Jennifer and her husband reside in a lakeside Caribbean-style retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain family and friends. Always a gardener, she spends much of her time encouraging her garden to bloom with her favorite daylilies and antique roses. She also enjoys walking her two dogs, Buffy and Lucky, and indulging in needlework, painting, and travel.
Jennifer Blake has been called a “pioneer of the romance genre”, and an “icon of the romance industry.” A New York Times and international best selling author since 1977, she is a charter member of Romance Writers of America, member of the RWA Hall of Fame, and recipient of the RWA Lifetime Achievement Rita. She holds numerous other honors, including two “Maggies”, two Holt Medallions, multiple Reviewer’s Choice Awards, the Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times BookReviews Magazine, and the Frank Waters Award for literary excellence. She has written over 60 books with translations in 20 languages and more than 30 million copies in print worldwide.
Jennifer and her husband reside in a lakeside Caribbean-style retreat in North Louisiana where they often entertain family and friends. Always a gardener, she spends much of her time encouraging her garden to bloom with her favorite daylilies and antique roses. She also enjoys walking her two dogs, Buffy and Lucky, and indulging in needlework, painting, and travel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 3, 2017
Old Favorite
Good read and very classic. The characters were well developed and plot was decent. I would read it again and again.
Good read and very classic. The characters were well developed and plot was decent. I would read it again and again.
July 4, 2013
I quit reading this book about half way. I was totally lost and didn't really get into it. This just wasn't a book for me. Sorry.
January 28, 2018
The third book in a boxed set of three, this one was not quite as boring as the other two, although it had its parts I as a reader just glanced over. Just an example: our protagonists go into the library for a very important talk. The fact that the library was a refuge for the female character, and makes her feel a bit more confident, I accept as an important part for the story. However, why do I as the reader have to know the quality or age of the books, or how many antique items are in this library, with a detailed description of them, and having no impact whatsoever on the plot, the characters or anything else, at least as far as I could see? And that for a full page? That is just one of numerous examples of descriptions of items or landscapes, or even feelings with no bearing on the storyline. So - yes - I did skip pages. Lots of them. Otherwise the book would have been too boring.
The plot itself, though the least probable one of all three books, actually was the only thing that kept me reading to the end.
Personally, I had the feeling the stories were to be a mix of "whodunits" and romances, but never quite hit either of them. Some authors brilliantly are able to combine the two and weave an interesting and captivating tale, in this case, I am afraid, although I think the author is on the right way, the combination is not as yet as it should - or could - be. Add to that lots of boring superfluous descriptions (and dialogues), and you have something that made reading a task and not an enjoyment for me. I have the habit of finishing what I started, otherwise I would have stopped reading in the middle of the first book.
The plot itself, though the least probable one of all three books, actually was the only thing that kept me reading to the end.
Personally, I had the feeling the stories were to be a mix of "whodunits" and romances, but never quite hit either of them. Some authors brilliantly are able to combine the two and weave an interesting and captivating tale, in this case, I am afraid, although I think the author is on the right way, the combination is not as yet as it should - or could - be. Add to that lots of boring superfluous descriptions (and dialogues), and you have something that made reading a task and not an enjoyment for me. I have the habit of finishing what I started, otherwise I would have stopped reading in the middle of the first book.
December 10, 2021
Awe, I loved it
Jennifer Blake writes complicated romances. I find them fun and interesting and intelligent! I look forward to her next book!
Jennifer Blake writes complicated romances. I find them fun and interesting and intelligent! I look forward to her next book!
December 29, 2025
Why did everyone in their families keep telling them they were perfect for each other when not one of them truly knew Jessica and Rafael as a couple....because they really weren't one and therefore there was no couple, no relationship, to see. Jessica didn't trust him, with good reason, and Rafael never respected her EVER, and therefore they never freaking COMMUNICATED. Everyone else had to do it for them. They're both also super unlikable. She's wishy-washy, pathetic, and gives in every time he sexy smolders or whatever. Remember how I said she didn't trust him? And with good reason? So much of what happens in the story points to him being an underhanded, integrity-lacking a**hole and she's rightly sickened by him, but then when he tries to kiss her she just melts *GAG*.
And he is an a**hole with too much pride and takes advantage of her every single chance he gets, both in business and personally. My biggest gripe was when she asked him to hand over the stuff he stole from her grandfather's safe, and he refuses to do so even though he knows how distraught and ashamed she is by them. All she wanted was to get rid of them so they can't hurt her anymore and like a pig he throws them in her face and taunts her with them.
All they ever did was hurt each other. They are quite literally horrible for each other, and even though it ended all happily ever after, without a single conversation talking about how they hurt each other and how to be better, if they were a real couple their marriage would end in divorce.
Also, everyone in her family is messed up with incestuous feelings. Both male cousins thought about kissing/dating/touching her (some of that happening between a 19yo and a 13yo) and she got touchy with one and actually kissed the other because she wanted to find out which one was the mystery man she slept with. They are FIRST cousins people, not fifth or distant relatives but first cousins!!!!! It's icky and creepy and gross.
And he is an a**hole with too much pride and takes advantage of her every single chance he gets, both in business and personally. My biggest gripe was when she asked him to hand over the stuff he stole from her grandfather's safe, and he refuses to do so even though he knows how distraught and ashamed she is by them. All she wanted was to get rid of them so they can't hurt her anymore and like a pig he throws them in her face and taunts her with them.
All they ever did was hurt each other. They are quite literally horrible for each other, and even though it ended all happily ever after, without a single conversation talking about how they hurt each other and how to be better, if they were a real couple their marriage would end in divorce.
Also, everyone in her family is messed up with incestuous feelings. Both male cousins thought about kissing/dating/touching her (some of that happening between a 19yo and a 13yo) and she got touchy with one and actually kissed the other because she wanted to find out which one was the mystery man she slept with. They are FIRST cousins people, not fifth or distant relatives but first cousins!!!!! It's icky and creepy and gross.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2025
Really well rounded characters who are layered and human. The book was like a smart Sara Craven novel that met up with a Karen Robards thriller. The mystery was well- concealed. The ending was a bit too over dramatic for my taste but the MCs made up for it. They were so mature and collected. There were very few displays of emotional angst and so they actually fit in. I do like Blake’s heroines. Except for not realizing when the guy loves them they are quite good at seeing through other characters’ garbage and they usually don't jump into dangerous situations.
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May 24, 2024I can't say I've actually read it because I tossed it 50 pages in. It was just awful! The dialogues were so boring and I couldn't even tell what the hell they were talking about half of the time. I hope I find at least one book worth keeping from the 4 jennifer blake novels I bought.
May 15, 2008
Someone gave this to me for my birthday in high school. It was okay. I wasn't really into contemporary romances back then.
December 16, 2021
Puiki, nesenstanti istorija prie kurios vis grįžtu
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews