A Passionate Protector

by Maggie Cox

Charming, wealthy and smoldering, attractive Kyle Hytner could have an international playboy lifestyle -- and any woman he wants. So why has he set his sights on Megan Brand?

Megan is rebuilding her life, step-by-step. But the frighteningly intense passion she shares with Kyle is more like a giant leap! And she's not sure she has the courage to take it...

Kyle needs this beautiful woman by his side and in his bed. He knows he can help set her free from the past, but he has to persuade Megan that her future lies with him!

Genres: Harlequin, Harlequin Presents

192 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

About the author

Maggie Cox loved to write almost as soon as she learned to read. Her favorite occupation was daydreaming and making up stories in her head, and this particular pastime has stayed with her through all the years of growing up, starting work, marrying and raising a family. No matter what was going on in her life, whether joy, happiness, struggle or disappointment, she'd go to bed each night and lose herself in her imagination. Through all the years of her secretarial career she kept on filling exercise books and the "joy oh joy" her word processor with her writing, never showing anyone what she wrote and basically keeping her stories for her own enjoyment alone.

It wasn't until she met her second husband and the "love of her life" that she was persuaded to start sharing those stories with a publisher. She settled on Mills & Boon (Harlequin) as she had loved romance novels since she was a teenager and read at least one or two paperbacks a week. After several rejections, the letters that were sent back from the publisher started to become more and more positive and encouraging, and in July 2002 she sold her first book A Passionate Protector. Since then she has continued written.

The fact that she is being published is truly a dream come true; however, each book she writes is still a journey in "courage and hope," and a quest to learn and grow and be "the best writer she can." Her advice to aspiring authors is: "Don't give up at the first hurdle, or even the second, third or fourth, but keep on keeping on until your dream is realized because if you are truly passionate about writing and learning the craft, as Paulo Coehlo states in his book The Alchemist: "The Universe will conspire to help you make it a reality."

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

3 1/2 Stars ~ Maggie Cox's debut with Harlequin is an emotional story of a young woman recovering from an abusive marriage. Her husband had swept her off her feet when she'd barely began her college courses in Fine Art. Megan had given up her dream of becoming an artist and slowly Nick had worn away all sense of her self worth. He'd controlled every aspect of her life, pushing her into a dull boring job, and belittling her every effort to think for herself. After nine years, he'd gone too far, and in a drunken stupor he'd pushed her down the stairs, leaving Megan forever maimed in one leg. It was her friend Penny who'd come to her rescue and seen that she got the medical attention she needed, and had taken her into her own home, where Megan finally set about divorcing the bastard.

It's a year now since Nick, and Penny still can't seem to bring Megan back into the light. Reading an advert for art tuition as therapy, Penny insists that Megan give it a try. Kyle is a world renown artist but he's finding the society lifestyle jaded and so he sets on a new path. When he answers the door to Megan, he's immediately taken by her beauty, and suddenly finds his protective instincts roaring up when he sees how nearly broken her spirit is. He pushes her to confide her secrets and a deep rage fills him at her ex-husband's cruelty. It's when he puts a paint brush into her hands and leaves her with a blank canvas and a complete paint pot, that he truly sees the passionate woman crying to emerge.

From the first pages, I found myself emotionally involved with Ms. Cox's Megan. Even in her most cowering moments, her spirit wanted to fight back. Kyle has a need to protect her and a tremendous desire to make love to her, show her how precious she really is. While he's prepared to protect her always, he's smart enough to let her go when she insists that she needs to be able to look after herself. Lovely HEA, and I loved the epilogue.

3 1/2 Stars ~ This is my second reading of Ms. Cox's debut. My first reading was in 2015. This story is emotional and heart wrenching. Megan's rebirth to the young vibrant woman she had once been is down to Kyle's tender coaxing and his need to protect her. From the moment they meet, they are propelled on journey of insatiable passion and everlasting love.

[Vali · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story, a tortured heroine that gradually learns to stand on her feet and a great hero, whose love for the heroine shines through.
Harlequin novels tend to repeat themselves and might become.boring if you read your share, as I have. This story was definately not one of the boring ones and this was an excellent book in its kind.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

The heroine Megan is persuaded by her best friend to attend an art therapy session as her friend feels she needs a little help to move on from recent events in her life. Megan spent 10 years in an abusive relationship, which resulted in her being left with permanent damage to her leg after her ex husband pushed her down the stairs. Now divorced, she is trying to regain her life but is struggling to do so. She agrees to go to the art therapy session where she meets the hero Kyle. Kyle is a well known artist who has given up the art 'scene', after realising her wanted more from life, to offer art therapy. When he meets Megan he immediately feels a connection with her, and after encouraging her to talk about her experience he wants to protect her. Megan had dreams of becoming an artist but was forced to give this up by her ex husband, Kyle recognises her talent and supports her to help increase her confidence. As they spend time together both develop feelings for one another.

The pace of this story was actually quite slow, but I feel this really helped to set the mood and aid the development of the relationship. Megan's trauma and experiences were written with sensitivity as was a really great part of this book. I really liked how Megan's confidence grew as the story progressed, she went from being afraid and damaged to strong and confident. Kyle is also a good character, really caring and never overbearing. Both of them were really well written.

This was quite and emotional story at times and I really enjoyed reading it.

Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....

[Missy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good read....so sensual and romantic.

[Ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a truly beautiful story!

I just love this story. I continue to read it over and over. Please take the opportunity and read this by Maggie Cox you will not regret the time.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved that Megan wanted to find herself before committing to a relationship with Kyle. Wonderful sense of a woman not needing a man, but choosing to have one.