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A Man Worth Knowing
Kate smelled a rat -- a big blond American one.
"Take it from me," Kate's boss told her sheepishly as he packed to leave London, "Van Fitzgerald is a man worth knowing." This after having advised Kate to avoid his American friend like the plague.
Kate supposed she should be grateful to Van for putting a stop to her boss's crude advances toward her, the insinuations that he'd purchased more than Kate's secretarial services. But whoever believed that women were the changeable sex had never encountered Van Fitzgerald's erratic behavior.
He was no man to get involved with, Kate decided. As if the choice were hers to make!
"Take it from me," Kate's boss told her sheepishly as he packed to leave London, "Van Fitzgerald is a man worth knowing." This after having advised Kate to avoid his American friend like the plague.
Kate supposed she should be grateful to Van for putting a stop to her boss's crude advances toward her, the insinuations that he'd purchased more than Kate's secretarial services. But whoever believed that women were the changeable sex had never encountered Van Fitzgerald's erratic behavior.
He was no man to get involved with, Kate decided. As if the choice were hers to make!
187 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
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February 22, 2016
Re A Man Worth Knowing - AF brings us an interesting tale of an orphaned 23 yr old trying to make a living to support her younger brother and a 37 yr old Vietnam vet, former war correspondent, and now aspiring author. The h has an unusual backstory, her parents were killed when someone planted a bomb in their hotel room.
Turns out her dad was an international arms dealer and angered the wrong people. The first the h knew about it was when MI5 shows up at her home to find out how involved she really was, she couriered things around for her father. It was soon proven that she did nothing wrong, her dad used her as a decoy.
Since she did not have a close relationship with her parents, it wasn't as traumatic as it could have been, but since her dad either hid or spent all his money and the last gun shipment got lost, (which her father had borrowed a huge sum of money to pay for,) the h is forced to sell all her things to keep her brother in boarding school and find a job, as they are now penniless and her parent's estate owes huge sums of money.
(Unlike most HP h's, this h was not content to just idle around on her father's money - she wanted to get training to get a real job, which is how she wound up working for her father.) Fortunately the h does have some secretarial skills, only she winds up working for this awful American and even that job is ending as the Awful American is going home. He has promised to give her a bonus if she hostesses a party for him and introduce her to another author friend who needs a secretary/researcher while he is in London.
The h needs the money and she needs another job, school fees are coming up and she lied to her brother about there being a small trust to pay for his education. Her lil' bro is a computer genius and she wants to give him the best education she can. She goes to the party but the AA is truly awful and keeps trying to proposition her. The h is very practiced at the icy dismissal, but she needs a breather and goes out to the balcony to escape AA.
There she runs into a man she had met once before. They collided outside the AA's house and he grabbed her and kissed her and she was not happy about it. They banter a bit back and forth and the unknown man asks her out. She declines and goes back into the party, he tries it on again and she kicks him. Then she notices he has a limp and finds out the H was in some kind of accident.
The h is ready to leave and calls a cab but AA intercepts her and makes it look like she is a prostitute for hire when he pays her what he owes her. The H is very angered by this and follows her out. He accosts her and she drops the money and then he gets really pushy and she pushes him into the trash and jumps into her waiting cab.
She takes her brother to the park the next day and while he is off wandering, the h and H meet again. He starts harassing her and checks her arms to make sure she isn't a junkie. He asks her if she is meeting her john and she is surprised he knows about her brother (whose name is really John), then she figures out what he means and the verbal sparing begins.
He offers her £1000 if she will sleep with him and when she angrily refuses, he offers her £50 to kiss him. He won't let her go until she does and he demands that she be responsive. She complies and he starts yelling all over again. She drops the money and goes off to her brother.
The h then has to worry about a job and also getting a tax certificate. AA hired her under the table and she can't go to a future employer without a current tax cert and she doesn't have the money to pay her back taxes to get it, she also needs a reference from AA, but she figures she is just stuck. She has some disappointing job interviews and the girl who lives in the flat below her tells her about a Soho casino where she works while waiting for her big modeling break.
The h is thinking about asking her to get her a job at the casino when the H calls and is very apologetic. AA finally confessed that he had set the h and H up with the prostitution implication, he did not want the H to make off with the h before he got a chance in, but the h doesn't want to hear it. She hangs up on him and once she figures out he doesn't have her address, she just lets the phone ring. The H tries to call her for 20 minutes but the h won't give in and answer it.
AA calls her the next day and asks her to lunch, he will give her a reference and fix the tax certificate. He also begs the h to meet the H, the H is really interested in her but she says NO WAY. Then he tells her about another writer who wants to give her a job. He tells her the name and she agrees to go, they part ways and the AA is finally out of her hair.
She goes to interview with the new writer, his housekeeper opens the door and doesn't recognize the name, but then she does and the h is relieved she got the right place. The housekeeper is staunchly Catholic Irish and she is a very nice but moral person. Then the H walks in and the h realizes she has been had. She starts yelling and the H is very sheepish and apologetic and the housekeeper is having a word or two for the H as well. He really does need a secretary/researcher and the h makes it a point to make him verbalize that he understands that is all she to be.
Thus starts a little ongoing battle between the two of them. He buys her a word processor, she has to figure out how to use it and taunts him with him not being able to. The h treats him with professional courtesy, until he comes and taunts her and she loses her patience and yells at him. She sees another side to him though, as she is typing out his manuscript, the book is really moving and good. She also finds out he limps because he was badly shot and left for dead, that is why he quit war corresponding.
She isn't winning the little skirmishes but she isn't losing either. Things are perking along nicely, the h's attraction for the h is growing, until the H takes her home after an awards dinner where she fiercely defends his book, and starts kissing her and she cuts him off. She explains that she is a virgin and the H is really nice about not pressuring her, until he finds her brother's school tie and sees his clothes and starts being really mean and accuses her of lying.
She assumes the job is over and starts work at the casino, but the H calls her up and she asks for her job back. He tells her okay, and then proceeds to be really mean to her for a whole week, until she starts crying from his meanness. Then he is really sorry and apologizes and goes back to being nice again.
Her little brother comes home for the weekend and the H figures out that lil' bro is the guy she lives with. They do male bonding while the h lies and says she has a date with another guy. The brother is confused cause when he got home the H was kissing the h and the brother tried to defend her until the h sorted it out. The h is really going to her casino job, but doesn't want the brother to know, cause then he would figure out that there isn't an education fund.
The h is working her two jobs and when her friend from downstairs gets her big modeling contract and leaves the casino, the h decides to stay on to have enough money to buy her brother a computer. The school fees are paid but she wants to give him a nice Christmas present.
She doesn't like the job, but it pays well and then the H shows up at her table and irks one of the underworld customers she deals cards to. The H gets himself beat up and the h winds up quitting and taking the injured H back to his home. The H tries to convince her to let him help her with finances but it leads to another skirmish. The h wins tho, when she locks him in his room so he and his bandages can continue their aloneness together.
They wind up in bed the next morning after the h feels bad about locking him in, and though nothing happens, the housekeeper walks in. The housekeeper is outraged and the H lies and says he and the h are getting married. The h is set to have a go at convincing the housekeeper nothing is going on and they are not engaged, but fails miserably.
Then the housekeeper tells the H's sister about the nuptials when she calls, so now the h is committed to meeting the H's family at Christmas. His sister is married to an Earl and the h doesn't want to go, but the H maneuvers her into it by telling her brother about the invitation.
The H doesn't get along with his father at all, the father is another Awful Senator American and when he shows up for Christmas at the sister's, the ASA is horrible and snide. The h serves him back until ASA corners her with a file on her father and starts making threats. The h is packing to leave and the H is telling his ASA father off big time.
The H comes to find the h and tells her he doesn't care, he loves her and wants to marry her, his father is as bad as her's ever was. The h loves him back and they wind up in bed and on the way to the big HEA. The ASA father is completely foiled as the H has no intention of leaving England for politics in the US and another HPLandia true love ending strikes again.
This one was nice, the h was feisty and no doormat and it was pretty obvious the H would have married her even if she had been a prostitute. He was totally gone over her and the age difference really did not seem to be big issue as there temperaments seemed to be well matched. Not a lot of angst in this one but it did have some nice banter as well as some funny scenes. The H had a habit of jumping to conclusions, but he apologized nicely, so this one proves to be a nice little outing for an HPlandia adventure.
Turns out her dad was an international arms dealer and angered the wrong people. The first the h knew about it was when MI5 shows up at her home to find out how involved she really was, she couriered things around for her father. It was soon proven that she did nothing wrong, her dad used her as a decoy.
Since she did not have a close relationship with her parents, it wasn't as traumatic as it could have been, but since her dad either hid or spent all his money and the last gun shipment got lost, (which her father had borrowed a huge sum of money to pay for,) the h is forced to sell all her things to keep her brother in boarding school and find a job, as they are now penniless and her parent's estate owes huge sums of money.
(Unlike most HP h's, this h was not content to just idle around on her father's money - she wanted to get training to get a real job, which is how she wound up working for her father.) Fortunately the h does have some secretarial skills, only she winds up working for this awful American and even that job is ending as the Awful American is going home. He has promised to give her a bonus if she hostesses a party for him and introduce her to another author friend who needs a secretary/researcher while he is in London.
The h needs the money and she needs another job, school fees are coming up and she lied to her brother about there being a small trust to pay for his education. Her lil' bro is a computer genius and she wants to give him the best education she can. She goes to the party but the AA is truly awful and keeps trying to proposition her. The h is very practiced at the icy dismissal, but she needs a breather and goes out to the balcony to escape AA.
There she runs into a man she had met once before. They collided outside the AA's house and he grabbed her and kissed her and she was not happy about it. They banter a bit back and forth and the unknown man asks her out. She declines and goes back into the party, he tries it on again and she kicks him. Then she notices he has a limp and finds out the H was in some kind of accident.
The h is ready to leave and calls a cab but AA intercepts her and makes it look like she is a prostitute for hire when he pays her what he owes her. The H is very angered by this and follows her out. He accosts her and she drops the money and then he gets really pushy and she pushes him into the trash and jumps into her waiting cab.
She takes her brother to the park the next day and while he is off wandering, the h and H meet again. He starts harassing her and checks her arms to make sure she isn't a junkie. He asks her if she is meeting her john and she is surprised he knows about her brother (whose name is really John), then she figures out what he means and the verbal sparing begins.
He offers her £1000 if she will sleep with him and when she angrily refuses, he offers her £50 to kiss him. He won't let her go until she does and he demands that she be responsive. She complies and he starts yelling all over again. She drops the money and goes off to her brother.
The h then has to worry about a job and also getting a tax certificate. AA hired her under the table and she can't go to a future employer without a current tax cert and she doesn't have the money to pay her back taxes to get it, she also needs a reference from AA, but she figures she is just stuck. She has some disappointing job interviews and the girl who lives in the flat below her tells her about a Soho casino where she works while waiting for her big modeling break.
The h is thinking about asking her to get her a job at the casino when the H calls and is very apologetic. AA finally confessed that he had set the h and H up with the prostitution implication, he did not want the H to make off with the h before he got a chance in, but the h doesn't want to hear it. She hangs up on him and once she figures out he doesn't have her address, she just lets the phone ring. The H tries to call her for 20 minutes but the h won't give in and answer it.
AA calls her the next day and asks her to lunch, he will give her a reference and fix the tax certificate. He also begs the h to meet the H, the H is really interested in her but she says NO WAY. Then he tells her about another writer who wants to give her a job. He tells her the name and she agrees to go, they part ways and the AA is finally out of her hair.
She goes to interview with the new writer, his housekeeper opens the door and doesn't recognize the name, but then she does and the h is relieved she got the right place. The housekeeper is staunchly Catholic Irish and she is a very nice but moral person. Then the H walks in and the h realizes she has been had. She starts yelling and the H is very sheepish and apologetic and the housekeeper is having a word or two for the H as well. He really does need a secretary/researcher and the h makes it a point to make him verbalize that he understands that is all she to be.
Thus starts a little ongoing battle between the two of them. He buys her a word processor, she has to figure out how to use it and taunts him with him not being able to. The h treats him with professional courtesy, until he comes and taunts her and she loses her patience and yells at him. She sees another side to him though, as she is typing out his manuscript, the book is really moving and good. She also finds out he limps because he was badly shot and left for dead, that is why he quit war corresponding.
She isn't winning the little skirmishes but she isn't losing either. Things are perking along nicely, the h's attraction for the h is growing, until the H takes her home after an awards dinner where she fiercely defends his book, and starts kissing her and she cuts him off. She explains that she is a virgin and the H is really nice about not pressuring her, until he finds her brother's school tie and sees his clothes and starts being really mean and accuses her of lying.
She assumes the job is over and starts work at the casino, but the H calls her up and she asks for her job back. He tells her okay, and then proceeds to be really mean to her for a whole week, until she starts crying from his meanness. Then he is really sorry and apologizes and goes back to being nice again.
Her little brother comes home for the weekend and the H figures out that lil' bro is the guy she lives with. They do male bonding while the h lies and says she has a date with another guy. The brother is confused cause when he got home the H was kissing the h and the brother tried to defend her until the h sorted it out. The h is really going to her casino job, but doesn't want the brother to know, cause then he would figure out that there isn't an education fund.
The h is working her two jobs and when her friend from downstairs gets her big modeling contract and leaves the casino, the h decides to stay on to have enough money to buy her brother a computer. The school fees are paid but she wants to give him a nice Christmas present.
She doesn't like the job, but it pays well and then the H shows up at her table and irks one of the underworld customers she deals cards to. The H gets himself beat up and the h winds up quitting and taking the injured H back to his home. The H tries to convince her to let him help her with finances but it leads to another skirmish. The h wins tho, when she locks him in his room so he and his bandages can continue their aloneness together.
They wind up in bed the next morning after the h feels bad about locking him in, and though nothing happens, the housekeeper walks in. The housekeeper is outraged and the H lies and says he and the h are getting married. The h is set to have a go at convincing the housekeeper nothing is going on and they are not engaged, but fails miserably.
Then the housekeeper tells the H's sister about the nuptials when she calls, so now the h is committed to meeting the H's family at Christmas. His sister is married to an Earl and the h doesn't want to go, but the H maneuvers her into it by telling her brother about the invitation.
The H doesn't get along with his father at all, the father is another Awful Senator American and when he shows up for Christmas at the sister's, the ASA is horrible and snide. The h serves him back until ASA corners her with a file on her father and starts making threats. The h is packing to leave and the H is telling his ASA father off big time.
The H comes to find the h and tells her he doesn't care, he loves her and wants to marry her, his father is as bad as her's ever was. The h loves him back and they wind up in bed and on the way to the big HEA. The ASA father is completely foiled as the H has no intention of leaving England for politics in the US and another HPLandia true love ending strikes again.
This one was nice, the h was feisty and no doormat and it was pretty obvious the H would have married her even if she had been a prostitute. He was totally gone over her and the age difference really did not seem to be big issue as there temperaments seemed to be well matched. Not a lot of angst in this one but it did have some nice banter as well as some funny scenes. The H had a habit of jumping to conclusions, but he apologized nicely, so this one proves to be a nice little outing for an HPlandia adventure.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2016
This was a cute story, with the plot being driven by misunderstandings and the secrets the heroine felt she had to conceal from the very smitten hero. Boogenhagen wrote a thorough plot description below, so I won't go into all the details. Suffice it to say, there's a lot going on and the action moves at a nice clip.
I really enjoyed all the 80's technological details, including the heroine's triumphant assembly of the computer and printer. (All those cables! And floppy disks - that she put in upside down on the first try).
This probably shouldn't have worked for me because misunderstandings as the only source of conflict can be so annoying - but I think the author overcame my prejudice with the banter between the H/h and the fact that there wasn't one big misunderstanding, but a series of small misunderstandings that led to the next misunderstanding, etc and this continued on for a genuine comedy of errors. These two were well-matched and I smiled at their happy ending.
I really enjoyed all the 80's technological details, including the heroine's triumphant assembly of the computer and printer. (All those cables! And floppy disks - that she put in upside down on the first try).
This probably shouldn't have worked for me because misunderstandings as the only source of conflict can be so annoying - but I think the author overcame my prejudice with the banter between the H/h and the fact that there wasn't one big misunderstanding, but a series of small misunderstandings that led to the next misunderstanding, etc and this continued on for a genuine comedy of errors. These two were well-matched and I smiled at their happy ending.
December 3, 2019
"A Man Worth Knowing" is the story of Kate and Van.
A very enjoyable and banter filled romance between a judgmental and apologetic hero who is utterly obsessed with this sweet heroine who is both strong and fierce. Their first meeting is a collision, the second leads to the hero accusing her of prostitution. However, it is their third that sets a pattern of chase between a reluctant heroine who was born in luxury, and now works hard to provide a better life for her brother- and a privileged yet scarred hero, who is a secret author and open admirer of the heroine.
I really enjoyed the back and forth between the couple. Their misunderstandings were silly, but it was very obvious how utterly smitten the hero was with her. They were both impulsive but apologetic, yet stubborn at the same time. It did get exhausting once or twice, but ends in a nice confession and chance of HEA.
Safe
3/5
A very enjoyable and banter filled romance between a judgmental and apologetic hero who is utterly obsessed with this sweet heroine who is both strong and fierce. Their first meeting is a collision, the second leads to the hero accusing her of prostitution. However, it is their third that sets a pattern of chase between a reluctant heroine who was born in luxury, and now works hard to provide a better life for her brother- and a privileged yet scarred hero, who is a secret author and open admirer of the heroine.
I really enjoyed the back and forth between the couple. Their misunderstandings were silly, but it was very obvious how utterly smitten the hero was with her. They were both impulsive but apologetic, yet stubborn at the same time. It did get exhausting once or twice, but ends in a nice confession and chance of HEA.
Safe
3/5
January 23, 2022
This was an okay read for me. The hero was an incredible hunk, but the heroine left a lot to be desired - always making issues where they didn't exist. Toddlers have more sense. (I thought the hero was too good for her)
The whole premise is set around one misunderstanding after another caused by the heroine's need to mislead. Again, my point about a toddler. :D
The whole premise is set around one misunderstanding after another caused by the heroine's need to mislead. Again, my point about a toddler. :D
March 31, 2023
Even if both MCs were foolish enough it was sweet and definitely H was A man worth knowing, a man worth loving.
April 10, 2017
3.5★s
A Man Worth Knowing is the fourth romance novel by British author, Alison Fraser. Kate Gregory desperately needed a job. Since her parents died, leaving Kate and her younger brother virtually penniless, she had been able to achieve only basic office skills, and Johnny’s schooling depended on her alone. Her current job was only temporary, but before Howard, her (rather sleazy) boss returned to America, he recommended her to a colleague. Only trouble was, that colleague turned out to be former foreign correspondent turned author, Michael Sullivan Fitzgerald: just call me Van.
Kate had already encountered Van, yet another arrogant American, and firmly rejected his advances. He seemed to think her duties in Howard’s employ had extended beyond the typewriter. Eventually, his apologies and his promises to maintain decorum, together with a generous salary saw her accepting a position as his secretary, but the gaze she sometimes caught made it plain he wanted more.
Fraser is a deft hand at creating the heroine who disdains the brash, arrogant (and often, American) hero and is unmoved by his good looks, his charm and his wealth. Her heroes are confident, sexy and persistent. While this romance, published in 1985, may be a little dated (Kate has never used a computer and mobile phones are a long way into the future), Fraser’s romances are strong on characters and their interaction. Their dialogue, including some marvellously good insults, is always a strong point. Definitely an improvement on Fraser’s earlier novels, this one is an enjoyable read.
A Man Worth Knowing is the fourth romance novel by British author, Alison Fraser. Kate Gregory desperately needed a job. Since her parents died, leaving Kate and her younger brother virtually penniless, she had been able to achieve only basic office skills, and Johnny’s schooling depended on her alone. Her current job was only temporary, but before Howard, her (rather sleazy) boss returned to America, he recommended her to a colleague. Only trouble was, that colleague turned out to be former foreign correspondent turned author, Michael Sullivan Fitzgerald: just call me Van.
Kate had already encountered Van, yet another arrogant American, and firmly rejected his advances. He seemed to think her duties in Howard’s employ had extended beyond the typewriter. Eventually, his apologies and his promises to maintain decorum, together with a generous salary saw her accepting a position as his secretary, but the gaze she sometimes caught made it plain he wanted more.
Fraser is a deft hand at creating the heroine who disdains the brash, arrogant (and often, American) hero and is unmoved by his good looks, his charm and his wealth. Her heroes are confident, sexy and persistent. While this romance, published in 1985, may be a little dated (Kate has never used a computer and mobile phones are a long way into the future), Fraser’s romances are strong on characters and their interaction. Their dialogue, including some marvellously good insults, is always a strong point. Definitely an improvement on Fraser’s earlier novels, this one is an enjoyable read.
June 29, 2021
Rating: **2 stars**
The apt title should have been "A Book Worth Skimming". I never knew I could fly through a book this fast, this one opened my eyes to such an ability.
So the crux here was misunderstanding->manhandling and forced kisses->apology-> and rinse repeat. The FL was obstinate and vague and not in the right manner. She kept giving wrong impressions to ML and bashed him then for believing it. And with the ML gonna be honest I did not understand him myself. His role was just to manhandle and misunderstand the FL.
This is what happens when you have DNFed your share of books and stubborn pride comes in the middle to not leave them half way through anymore. Lesson learned I'll keep my pride aside in the future...
The apt title should have been "A Book Worth Skimming". I never knew I could fly through a book this fast, this one opened my eyes to such an ability.
So the crux here was misunderstanding->manhandling and forced kisses->apology-> and rinse repeat. The FL was obstinate and vague and not in the right manner. She kept giving wrong impressions to ML and bashed him then for believing it. And with the ML gonna be honest I did not understand him myself. His role was just to manhandle and misunderstand the FL.
This is what happens when you have DNFed your share of books and stubborn pride comes in the middle to not leave them half way through anymore. Lesson learned I'll keep my pride aside in the future...
June 16, 2011
Song for the story here. Rating 4.25
I think I'm fast becoming a fan of AF. Her strong h and H pull me into the story. The side characters are not too shabby either. She does angst very well. The only tiny bit of advise I'd give her would be to not put too many angsty moments in a single book but I guess it doesn't matter now cuz the book's been long written and read (1986, I think).
So...what does the story read like? You know when the H is super charming and the h is disillusioned and keeps putting him down and yet the H still manages to corner her using verbal retorts and word play? That's what AF does so well. The h stands up well for herself but the H plays it so she's so flustered by what he says, she finds herself in a corner and has to give in despite her best efforts. Also, she makes him work for every single victory which I find simply divine!
The sense of humor is obvious as is the fact that AF obviously is fond of intercontinental romances.
I think I'm fast becoming a fan of AF. Her strong h and H pull me into the story. The side characters are not too shabby either. She does angst very well. The only tiny bit of advise I'd give her would be to not put too many angsty moments in a single book but I guess it doesn't matter now cuz the book's been long written and read (1986, I think).
So...what does the story read like? You know when the H is super charming and the h is disillusioned and keeps putting him down and yet the H still manages to corner her using verbal retorts and word play? That's what AF does so well. The h stands up well for herself but the H plays it so she's so flustered by what he says, she finds herself in a corner and has to give in despite her best efforts. Also, she makes him work for every single victory which I find simply divine!
The sense of humor is obvious as is the fact that AF obviously is fond of intercontinental romances.
April 2, 2023
I like that she didn’t just melt in his arms and just gotten oops- pregnant like the h’s in more recent HP’s do.
But her silly lies became a bit too much at a certain point. She not only lied to the H but also to her 15-year old brother.
Nice to have a h with black hair and a very smitten, blonde H.
But her silly lies became a bit too much at a certain point. She not only lied to the H but also to her 15-year old brother.
Nice to have a h with black hair and a very smitten, blonde H.
February 12, 2019
I think I have said all there is to say about Alison Fraser's romances (here links to my previous reviews: Tainted Love, Time To Let Go and His Mistress's Secret). This one wasn't any different, so... yeah, I have enjoyed it. Meet my weak side ;-)
I can add/stress out:
If you consider reading her books you shouldn't take them seriously. You must turn a blind eye to a few things, like
--> a rather abusive heroes' behaviour (all those grabbing, spinning around, backing against the wall/door/tree etc. - you get the picture - that behaviour would be considered as molesting in these days),
--> more or less hysterical heroine's behaviour (that is offensive to women),
--> the idea that HEA starts when the hero tells 'I love you', like it was all, every woman needs/wants or
--> annoying/stupid misunderstandings.
For me, Fraser's stories are a charming rest. And I like that they are so short (but not too short, there is a place for the story).
I can add/stress out:
If you consider reading her books you shouldn't take them seriously. You must turn a blind eye to a few things, like
--> a rather abusive heroes' behaviour (all those grabbing, spinning around, backing against the wall/door/tree etc. - you get the picture - that behaviour would be considered as molesting in these days),
--> more or less hysterical heroine's behaviour (that is offensive to women),
--> the idea that HEA starts when the hero tells 'I love you', like it was all, every woman needs/wants or
--> annoying/stupid misunderstandings.
For me, Fraser's stories are a charming rest. And I like that they are so short (but not too short, there is a place for the story).
February 6, 2025
The American senator's son falls for a mysterious English girl. And huge misunderstandings follow. As for a war journalist he’s really obtuse and jumps to wrong conclusions too quickly. At first the H believes the h is a prostitute, then that she’s living with a man. Still it doesn’t stop him from running after her.
June 21, 2023
3.80 Stars
The only point that was little positive it is at the beginning he didn't want to believe that she was a hooker, he should stick to his earlier assessment.
The bully H called her a little frigid bitch just because she didn't want to respond his kiss while thinking she was a hooker and slut. I always hate when they called tthe hs bitch and worse insults. In my book if a girl didn't want to respond is because she is protecting her virtue and didn't want any kind of touching, it's her choice. It's a ofense that he only offered a 100 pounds to have sex with her and after she refused he raised to 1000 pounds when I bet he like all the other Hs of HP gave hundreds of thousands worth of jewelry and other pricey itens to their tarts and treat them like a princess and never insulted them, while all the insulting its only reserved to the virginal heroines like I always pointed out. He isn't the type to hire hooker, but I bet that his tastes ran to pricey gold-diggers that gets a fortune in gifts as a payment.
I had fun when she fought him and pushed him in the garbage previously, he deserved worst. The bastard made her loose the money that she deserved after putting up working for the slime OM. She should do the same to Howard, the slime creep, they both deserved to put in a trash bin. I'm glad that the H hit Howard, it is one of the few things that he did right.
One of the first times that she saw her baby brother in the crib she didn't like him and thought him ugly, I adore babies, I think 99.99% of babies are cute. Luckly she changed her mind when she had him in her arms, I think she was 7 years back then, and started to love the poor baby. She raised her baby brother and she was a sister and parent to him when she saw how selfish, uncaring and unfeeling their parents are towards their offspring. She tried to honor the debts that her nasty parents did but her primary concern it was for her brother, she was amazing. She tried hard to find any kind of jobs and took courses between shifts to improve herself and give a better life for her brother and her, most for him. It was very difficult. I love that Johnny was a wonderful and protective brother.
Van gave a half apologize after the OM put it straight, in my book is not enough.
I was happy that once justice was served, when the authorities took action on her father dealings, that they didn't sent her to jail and the police believed in her innocence, she and her brother didn't deserve to have so rotten parents.
Van didn't learn his lesson, he got suspicion again at her flat when he tried to seduce her and saw her brother clothing, hurling accusations that she was giving a virgin act. She should kick him and not forgive him this time. He didn't have the right to question even if she were living with another man because he certainly wasn't a monk, with his list of the OWs before his war correspont job and I bet during he that time that he had affairs while working. They always do.
At least he stopped to be suspicious of her after he met her brother. But later when he went to the nightclub/casino he got beated because of the h I felt bad for him this time, he was one of the few Hs that there treat roughly in the books, a lot of the Hs deserves a beating much more than him.
I liked Van's sister Ellen, she was very warming towards Kate. His father was a weasel and a piece of work. And I do believe that Van truly loved her after what he said to his father and he didn't care about her parents by then he learned not to jump in hasty conclusions and got to really know her character, as he should. I hope that he will give her an engagement ring at least, it is sad that only the OWs get the gifts. Van should give her the moon, jewelry is a paltry token if he used to gift his former OWs.
I'm glad that she only recognized that she loved him almost at the end of the book, that he knew his feelings and acknowledge to himself his feelings for her. I'm tired that 90% of the heroines knew that they loved the Hs since the beginnig or the first time. While 90% of the Hs, just want to screw and use the heroines.
The only point that was little positive it is at the beginning he didn't want to believe that she was a hooker, he should stick to his earlier assessment.
The bully H called her a little frigid bitch just because she didn't want to respond his kiss while thinking she was a hooker and slut. I always hate when they called tthe hs bitch and worse insults. In my book if a girl didn't want to respond is because she is protecting her virtue and didn't want any kind of touching, it's her choice. It's a ofense that he only offered a 100 pounds to have sex with her and after she refused he raised to 1000 pounds when I bet he like all the other Hs of HP gave hundreds of thousands worth of jewelry and other pricey itens to their tarts and treat them like a princess and never insulted them, while all the insulting its only reserved to the virginal heroines like I always pointed out. He isn't the type to hire hooker, but I bet that his tastes ran to pricey gold-diggers that gets a fortune in gifts as a payment.
I had fun when she fought him and pushed him in the garbage previously, he deserved worst. The bastard made her loose the money that she deserved after putting up working for the slime OM. She should do the same to Howard, the slime creep, they both deserved to put in a trash bin. I'm glad that the H hit Howard, it is one of the few things that he did right.
One of the first times that she saw her baby brother in the crib she didn't like him and thought him ugly, I adore babies, I think 99.99% of babies are cute. Luckly she changed her mind when she had him in her arms, I think she was 7 years back then, and started to love the poor baby. She raised her baby brother and she was a sister and parent to him when she saw how selfish, uncaring and unfeeling their parents are towards their offspring. She tried to honor the debts that her nasty parents did but her primary concern it was for her brother, she was amazing. She tried hard to find any kind of jobs and took courses between shifts to improve herself and give a better life for her brother and her, most for him. It was very difficult. I love that Johnny was a wonderful and protective brother.
Van gave a half apologize after the OM put it straight, in my book is not enough.
I was happy that once justice was served, when the authorities took action on her father dealings, that they didn't sent her to jail and the police believed in her innocence, she and her brother didn't deserve to have so rotten parents.
Van didn't learn his lesson, he got suspicion again at her flat when he tried to seduce her and saw her brother clothing, hurling accusations that she was giving a virgin act. She should kick him and not forgive him this time. He didn't have the right to question even if she were living with another man because he certainly wasn't a monk, with his list of the OWs before his war correspont job and I bet during he that time that he had affairs while working. They always do.
At least he stopped to be suspicious of her after he met her brother. But later when he went to the nightclub/casino he got beated because of the h I felt bad for him this time, he was one of the few Hs that there treat roughly in the books, a lot of the Hs deserves a beating much more than him.
I liked Van's sister Ellen, she was very warming towards Kate. His father was a weasel and a piece of work. And I do believe that Van truly loved her after what he said to his father and he didn't care about her parents by then he learned not to jump in hasty conclusions and got to really know her character, as he should. I hope that he will give her an engagement ring at least, it is sad that only the OWs get the gifts. Van should give her the moon, jewelry is a paltry token if he used to gift his former OWs.
I'm glad that she only recognized that she loved him almost at the end of the book, that he knew his feelings and acknowledge to himself his feelings for her. I'm tired that 90% of the heroines knew that they loved the Hs since the beginnig or the first time. While 90% of the Hs, just want to screw and use the heroines.
March 12, 2020
Cover Blurb:
She had been told that Van Fitzgerald was a man worth knowing. But at their first meeting he thought she was a high-class prostitute, at their second he blackmailed her into kissing him, and their third meeting only took place because he had tricked her! So, as far as Kate was concerned, he was not a man she wanted to get to know any better. Only Van seemed to want to get to know her — and Van, beneath his mocking humour and easy-going manner was, she discovered, a very determined man when he wanted something — even if it was only to make amends for his original behaviour...
When Kate first met Van, it didn’t end very well. Neither did their second meeting. Their third meeting went a little better, and from that point on, this charming vintage romance details how they really begin to know each other.
Actually, the cover blurb says it so well!
So many of the Harlequin/Mills & Boon vintage romances are in this vein, which makes them worthwhile to pick up.
The romance, despite the page count, is often a slow burn one, and the things that need to be ‘overcome’, are simple hurdles that are resolved by the eventual communication between hero and heroine.
This one reminded me a little of a Betty Neels romance, only slightly spicier.
A delightful romp into the past!
She had been told that Van Fitzgerald was a man worth knowing. But at their first meeting he thought she was a high-class prostitute, at their second he blackmailed her into kissing him, and their third meeting only took place because he had tricked her! So, as far as Kate was concerned, he was not a man she wanted to get to know any better. Only Van seemed to want to get to know her — and Van, beneath his mocking humour and easy-going manner was, she discovered, a very determined man when he wanted something — even if it was only to make amends for his original behaviour...
When Kate first met Van, it didn’t end very well. Neither did their second meeting. Their third meeting went a little better, and from that point on, this charming vintage romance details how they really begin to know each other.
Actually, the cover blurb says it so well!
So many of the Harlequin/Mills & Boon vintage romances are in this vein, which makes them worthwhile to pick up.
The romance, despite the page count, is often a slow burn one, and the things that need to be ‘overcome’, are simple hurdles that are resolved by the eventual communication between hero and heroine.
This one reminded me a little of a Betty Neels romance, only slightly spicier.
A delightful romp into the past!
March 30, 2023
He's an American. Son of a senator and an injured former war correspondent turned novelist. He's called Michael Sullivan Fitzgerald and goes by the name Van. He's a pretty cute H: charm, humour, a touch of temper and seemingly a fine kisser. She's Kate, orphaned daughter of a wealthy man of dubious activity and uncaring mother now paying off debts/earning school fees for 15 yr old brother. She first meets the H at a party thrown by her writer boss/creep and misunderstandings over her status ensue. In fact there are more misunderstandings than would be strictly necessary if she was more open and mature but hey ho. That's a HP for you.
I do like this author so I did enjoy it. I was glad the H and h stood up to Van's horrible overbearing father.
I do like this author so I did enjoy it. I was glad the H and h stood up to Van's horrible overbearing father.
March 7, 2023
Great writing style but poor characters & habits. Sunny, easygoing blond hero but honestly the hero has no business treating the heroine like that even if her profession was less than honorable in his eyes. He overly jumps to his own conclusion. It was kind of silly for a grown man. This is one of those story where they never let the other person speak, always cutting the person off mid-sentence & jumping to their own conclusion instead. It was the common strategy used to create misunderstanding/angst. Could be better… The plot was packed, there were a shift of things happening to help the story to glide along although everything felt too long & eventually became a chore to finish.
February 19, 2022
Besotted at first sight H who spends the rest of the novel trying to get the h. Just a teeny tiny more grabbing and holding her arms against a wall then I like, but oh well. HEA. He's a Boston Brahmin millionaire and his sister is married to an Earl in England.
July 12, 2020
Quite different. I enjoyed the main characters' growing enjoyment of each other as they work together and the secondary characters were good.
June 8, 2019
Kate smelled a rat -- a big blond American one .
"Take it from me," Kate's boss told her sheepishly as he packed to leave London, "Van Fitzgerald is a man worth knowing." This after having advised Kate to avoid his American friend like the plague.
Kate supposed she should be grateful to Van for putting a stop to her boss's crude advances toward her, the insinuations that he'd purchased more than Kate's secretarial services. But whoever believed that women were the changeable sex had never encountered Van Fitzgerald's erratic behavior.
He was no man to get involved with, Kate decided. As if the choice were hers to make!
"Take it from me," Kate's boss told her sheepishly as he packed to leave London, "Van Fitzgerald is a man worth knowing." This after having advised Kate to avoid his American friend like the plague.
Kate supposed she should be grateful to Van for putting a stop to her boss's crude advances toward her, the insinuations that he'd purchased more than Kate's secretarial services. But whoever believed that women were the changeable sex had never encountered Van Fitzgerald's erratic behavior.
He was no man to get involved with, Kate decided. As if the choice were hers to make!
November 29, 2023
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews