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Powers-Slater Studio #1
حيرة ابنة
Look - but don't touch!
Carolyn was delighted when her mother married Julian. She waved off the happy couple on their honeymoon and prepared to oversee the renovation of their new home...only to discover that the architect her stepfather had commissioned was Vaughan Slater, the man who'd turned her life upside down 10 years ago.
It seemed that Vaughan wasn't deterred by Carolyn's hostility. To him, those past events were hardly his fault; now he wanted Carolyn in a way he'd never wanted a woman before. Did he mean that this time he would seduce her, make her fall in love with him - and stay?
Unknown Binding
First published September 1, 1992
8 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Miranda Lee
816 books237 followersMaureen Mary was born on 1945 at Port Macquarie, a popular seaside town on the Mid-North Coast of New South Wales, Australia, and is the youngest of four children. Her sister was the novelist Wendy Brennan (Emma Darcy). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. When Miranda was ten, her father was transferred to Gosford, another coastal town in the countryside, much closer to Sydney. After leaving her convent school, she briefly studied the cello before moving to Sydney, where she embraced the emerging world of computers. Her career as a programmer ended after she married, had three daughters and bought a small acreage in a semi-rural community. Following this, she attempted greyhound training, as well as horse and goat breeding, but was left dissatisfied.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
Miranda yearned to find a creative career from which she could earn money. When her sister suggested writing romances, it seemed like a good idea. She could do it at home, and it might even be fun! It took a decade of trial and error before her first romance, After the Affair, was accepted and published. At that time, Miranda, her husband Tony, and her three daughters had moved back to the Central Coast, where they could enjoy the sun and the surf lifestyle once again. Not long into her writing career, Miranda committed herself to writing a six-book series entitled, The Hearts of Fire, with a deadline of just nine short months. Bravely, her husband left his executive position to stay home and support Miranda’s writing career. He learned to cook and to clean, two invaluable household skills. Numerous successful stories followed, each embodying Miranda’s trademark style: pacy and sexy rhythms; passionate, real-life characters; and enduring, memorable story lines. She has one credo when writing romances: Don’t bore the reader! Millions of fans world-wide agree she never does.
Miranda was the sister of the late author, Emma Darcy.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 22, 2021
Why you shouldn't bother with this one:
* The premise - virgin heroine falls for the man that caused her mother's nervous breakdown ten years ago. Oooo taboo. Squicky doesn't equal angst. Sorry, author
*The world-building - in this world her new stepfather has money to hire the hero as an architect/builder, an interior designer with an open expense account to furnish the house down to the fully stocked liquor cabinet, and he leaves the country for two months without ever checking anything Also, it only took two months for a bespoke interior design.
* The fantasy-heroine overate junk food and ended up with a tiny waist and a curvy bombshell figure.
*The characterization - prim heroine poses nude after realizing her junk-food fueled body needs showing off. Rakish hero declares undying love and a dream of babies by the end.
*The depressing note of reality - heroine has to quit her job because of sexual harassment
*The final nail - this was really boring. So much repetitious bickering.
Boogenhagen has more reasons not to bother with this one in her spoiler review.
* The premise - virgin heroine falls for the man that caused her mother's nervous breakdown ten years ago. Oooo taboo. Squicky doesn't equal angst. Sorry, author
*The world-building - in this world her new stepfather has money to hire the hero as an architect/builder, an interior designer with an open expense account to furnish the house down to the fully stocked liquor cabinet, and he leaves the country for two months without ever checking anything Also, it only took two months for a bespoke interior design.
* The fantasy-heroine overate junk food and ended up with a tiny waist and a curvy bombshell figure.
*The characterization - prim heroine poses nude after realizing her junk-food fueled body needs showing off. Rakish hero declares undying love and a dream of babies by the end.
*The depressing note of reality - heroine has to quit her job because of sexual harassment
*The final nail - this was really boring. So much repetitious bickering.
Boogenhagen has more reasons not to bother with this one in her spoiler review.
November 30, 2018
Re A Daughter's Dilemma - Miranda Lee keeps it in the family in a Typhoon of Tackiness with this one. This is a continuation of the Forbidden Series and also a ML mini series that is followed by Maddie's Love Child
The h is a 24 yr old unicorn groomer who has been caretaking her mother for the last ten years. The mother is finally married off to a very nice, but bullying man who guilts the h into overseeing his house refurbishment while he takes his bride off on a honeymoon.
The problem is that the architect for the house is a former tenant of the h's mother, the mother fell in love with him and then had a total nervous breakdown when he dumped her. The h was 14 at the time and has been devotedly taking care of her very fragile mother ever since.
The backstory is that the h's mother was 19 when she fell in love with her married college professor. They had an affair and he left his wife and family for the mother, then died before the divorce was final and he could marry her.
The h and her mother survived by taking in university students as boarders and the H was 24 to her mother's 33 when the big affair happened. The h remembers seeing her mother and the H together, then the H abruptly left and her mother went almost catatonic after having hysterics. The h called the family doctor and then set about figuring out a way to support her mother.
They spent two years on a farm with some family and then the h moved her mother back to the city, got a flat and got a job at a hospital. Since then the h, who has the body and hair of a blonde goddess, has avoided men and devoted herself to a chaste and quiet life.
Now she is thrown into the company of the H as she supervises the house redesign and the Lurve Force Mojo between them is fierce. So naturally the two of them are all about fighting and bickering in the name of hiding the attraction.
The H does the usual uptight prude accusations and the h does the usual accusatory lady buffet sampling remarks. The moderator between the two is the H's female interior designer, a free spirited lady who claims that the H is a incorrigible rake and leaves heaps of ladies on the dung heap of discarded affairs, tho the lady has never slept with the H herself.
The interior designer becomes a friend of sorts, after the h quits her hospital admin job after being sexually harassed by one of the doctors and punching him in the face. The h's new stepfather sends a letter telling the h she should come to live with them and he will help her find a job.
The h, now being unemployed and used to looking after her mother, decides that is what she will do and then she lets the interior designer do a nude painting of her. This leads to the big Unicorn Grooming License revocation moment with the H and we get lots of Purple Passion Moments.
There is a big fight between them the next morning and the h starts to feel she might have been wrong after the H kicks her out and his mother dies. Then the h sees the H with his OW and goes back to thinking she was right the first time.
The H forces his way back into her life again and the h just folds in the face of her massive Treacherous Body Syndrome, tho she isn't sure if the H is lying about not sleeping with her mother, because she saw them partially undressed and making out at 14.
The H and h are lurving it up every chance they get and the h is totally in love. We find out the H also supports several brothers and sisters and then the h's mother comes back from her honeymoon. The h is very worried that seeing the H will set her mother off on another breakdown.
The big confrontation arrives during the housewarming party the h's mother and stepfather host and the mother admits that she never had an affair with the H at all,she tried to seduce him and then life just got to her or something and she totally melted down because she had PTSD over the h's father deciding to leave her to go back to his wife right before his fatal heart attack.
This frees the H and h to lurve it up and they both make big love declarations and decide to get married for the big HEA.
This one squicked me out and I really did not care about any of these people. I guess we can be happy that the h is happy, but really the whole situation was pretty twisted and I am just not a fan of the h's mother being the third part of an h/H triangle, even when nothing really happened.
Still, that is a personal squick bias and the story does have a lot of intensity, it just isn't my idear of a great HP outing. So I will run away screaming if I see it again, but other HP voyagers might have a better time with it.
The h is a 24 yr old unicorn groomer who has been caretaking her mother for the last ten years. The mother is finally married off to a very nice, but bullying man who guilts the h into overseeing his house refurbishment while he takes his bride off on a honeymoon.
The problem is that the architect for the house is a former tenant of the h's mother, the mother fell in love with him and then had a total nervous breakdown when he dumped her. The h was 14 at the time and has been devotedly taking care of her very fragile mother ever since.
The backstory is that the h's mother was 19 when she fell in love with her married college professor. They had an affair and he left his wife and family for the mother, then died before the divorce was final and he could marry her.
The h and her mother survived by taking in university students as boarders and the H was 24 to her mother's 33 when the big affair happened. The h remembers seeing her mother and the H together, then the H abruptly left and her mother went almost catatonic after having hysterics. The h called the family doctor and then set about figuring out a way to support her mother.
They spent two years on a farm with some family and then the h moved her mother back to the city, got a flat and got a job at a hospital. Since then the h, who has the body and hair of a blonde goddess, has avoided men and devoted herself to a chaste and quiet life.
Now she is thrown into the company of the H as she supervises the house redesign and the Lurve Force Mojo between them is fierce. So naturally the two of them are all about fighting and bickering in the name of hiding the attraction.
The H does the usual uptight prude accusations and the h does the usual accusatory lady buffet sampling remarks. The moderator between the two is the H's female interior designer, a free spirited lady who claims that the H is a incorrigible rake and leaves heaps of ladies on the dung heap of discarded affairs, tho the lady has never slept with the H herself.
The interior designer becomes a friend of sorts, after the h quits her hospital admin job after being sexually harassed by one of the doctors and punching him in the face. The h's new stepfather sends a letter telling the h she should come to live with them and he will help her find a job.
The h, now being unemployed and used to looking after her mother, decides that is what she will do and then she lets the interior designer do a nude painting of her. This leads to the big Unicorn Grooming License revocation moment with the H and we get lots of Purple Passion Moments.
There is a big fight between them the next morning and the h starts to feel she might have been wrong after the H kicks her out and his mother dies. Then the h sees the H with his OW and goes back to thinking she was right the first time.
The H forces his way back into her life again and the h just folds in the face of her massive Treacherous Body Syndrome, tho she isn't sure if the H is lying about not sleeping with her mother, because she saw them partially undressed and making out at 14.
The H and h are lurving it up every chance they get and the h is totally in love. We find out the H also supports several brothers and sisters and then the h's mother comes back from her honeymoon. The h is very worried that seeing the H will set her mother off on another breakdown.
The big confrontation arrives during the housewarming party the h's mother and stepfather host and the mother admits that she never had an affair with the H at all,she tried to seduce him and then life just got to her or something and she totally melted down because she had PTSD over the h's father deciding to leave her to go back to his wife right before his fatal heart attack.
This frees the H and h to lurve it up and they both make big love declarations and decide to get married for the big HEA.
This one squicked me out and I really did not care about any of these people. I guess we can be happy that the h is happy, but really the whole situation was pretty twisted and I am just not a fan of the h's mother being the third part of an h/H triangle, even when nothing really happened.
Still, that is a personal squick bias and the story does have a lot of intensity, it just isn't my idear of a great HP outing. So I will run away screaming if I see it again, but other HP voyagers might have a better time with it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2012
Okay...Seriously? I found myself more than a little confused and bewildered when the hero finally fessed up to loving the heroine. Why would he let some woman put his hands on him (and continue to go out with her even platonically) if he had slept with her at one point and was trying to establish a relationship with a woman he KNEW had issues with his lifestyle (her perception of it at least) AND with some stuff that happened with her mother!!
An just, eww, I don't care HOW cute he is...would you really succumb to a man you believed your mother had had sex with?? Heck, for that matter, even passionately kissed. Just...wrong!
An just, eww, I don't care HOW cute he is...would you really succumb to a man you believed your mother had had sex with?? Heck, for that matter, even passionately kissed. Just...wrong!
February 13, 2020
I'm not sure who is more deranged, h or me?
December 17, 2012
This is one of those HPs where the conflict and plot seem to depend on the characters bearing no resemblance to adult humans. The main women are particularly egregious, having nervous breakdowns for unrealistic reasons or engaging in mindless lashing out as an apparent default response. Quite tiresome.
October 24, 2023
A Daughter’s Dilemma by Miranda Lee was my last read for the year 2021. It is February 2022, and it is only now I am able to get my last review for the year in place. I am a firm believer of the philosophy better late than never. Perhaps more applicable here than elsewhere in my life because I have a habit of always running behind on my review schedule.
My book list for 2021 veered in the direction of picking up older Harlequin romances to read because, at the cost of repeating myself, modern watered down versions of the heroes that I come across in books these days just makes me itch, and not in a good way at all. I feel bereft of the emotions that would otherwise run gamut through me when authors just get it all right, with a hero who is brusque, taciturn, and all those qualities that we hate to love and love to hate.
Miranda Lee in this way, is an author whose books teeter on 50-50 line; I either love them or am meh about them. Luckily, this one too passed muster, and I had an enjoyable time with the journey that was 34 year old Vaughan Slater and 24 year old Carolyn McKensie take to their happily ever after.
The story begins with Carolyn sending off her newly wedded mother on her honeymoon cruise, with a promise to her stepfather that she would do what was needed to ensure that their new home was ready to move into upon their return. However, Carolyn gets the shock of her life when she finds out that the architect hired by her stepfather is none other than Vaughan, who basically destroyed her mother all those years ago.
Carolyn’s mother raises her as a single parent, with her father having died even before she was born. All of that had caught up with her mother when Carolyn was fourteen years old, and since then, Carolyn had acted more as a mother than vice versa. Carolyn being fiercely protective of her mother is not ready to forgive and forget what Vaughan is responsible for; having seduced and discarded a woman who was much older than him.
Carolyn’s helpless reaction to the magnetism that Vaughan exudes is however the nail on the coffin so to speak, and even though she is determined not to give in, it proves too much of a challenge to turn away from the heat, especially with Vaughan feeling the same way. Consequently, the attraction between them gives way to passion of the kind that innocent Carolyn had never known, and before she knows it, her heart too is on the line.
But there looms dark clouds on the horizon, casting gloomy shadows on her newfound happiness that is all too fragile, especially when Carolyn has a hard time reconciling with the version of the events that Vaughan stands by and won’t let her shy away from. With Carolyn torn between the man who makes her senses reel and her heart soar, and her mother for whom she would practically do anything for, it is up to Carolyn to gather her courage and face the music, whatever tune it may be playing when all is said and done.
While I found Carolyn a bit tiresome at certain points, overall, I understood where she was coming from. I too would probably have been a bundle of nerves if I were in her place, believing that I have to choose between the love of my life and my own mother who sacrificed her youth to bring me up. That is a tough place to be in.
I loved Vaughan, for being as determined to make Carolyn stand up for what she wants, for giving her that needed push to step out of her comfort zone, without which she would probably have made the wrong choice and ended up being miserable, bitter, and lonely for the rest of her life.
Recommended for fans of Miranda Lee and fans of Harlequin romances.
Final Verdict: A Daughter’s Dilemma delves into what it is like to be caught between a rock and a hard place; it takes courage of the kind not many of us can muster to make that leap of faith.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
My book list for 2021 veered in the direction of picking up older Harlequin romances to read because, at the cost of repeating myself, modern watered down versions of the heroes that I come across in books these days just makes me itch, and not in a good way at all. I feel bereft of the emotions that would otherwise run gamut through me when authors just get it all right, with a hero who is brusque, taciturn, and all those qualities that we hate to love and love to hate.
Miranda Lee in this way, is an author whose books teeter on 50-50 line; I either love them or am meh about them. Luckily, this one too passed muster, and I had an enjoyable time with the journey that was 34 year old Vaughan Slater and 24 year old Carolyn McKensie take to their happily ever after.
The story begins with Carolyn sending off her newly wedded mother on her honeymoon cruise, with a promise to her stepfather that she would do what was needed to ensure that their new home was ready to move into upon their return. However, Carolyn gets the shock of her life when she finds out that the architect hired by her stepfather is none other than Vaughan, who basically destroyed her mother all those years ago.
Carolyn’s mother raises her as a single parent, with her father having died even before she was born. All of that had caught up with her mother when Carolyn was fourteen years old, and since then, Carolyn had acted more as a mother than vice versa. Carolyn being fiercely protective of her mother is not ready to forgive and forget what Vaughan is responsible for; having seduced and discarded a woman who was much older than him.
Carolyn’s helpless reaction to the magnetism that Vaughan exudes is however the nail on the coffin so to speak, and even though she is determined not to give in, it proves too much of a challenge to turn away from the heat, especially with Vaughan feeling the same way. Consequently, the attraction between them gives way to passion of the kind that innocent Carolyn had never known, and before she knows it, her heart too is on the line.
But there looms dark clouds on the horizon, casting gloomy shadows on her newfound happiness that is all too fragile, especially when Carolyn has a hard time reconciling with the version of the events that Vaughan stands by and won’t let her shy away from. With Carolyn torn between the man who makes her senses reel and her heart soar, and her mother for whom she would practically do anything for, it is up to Carolyn to gather her courage and face the music, whatever tune it may be playing when all is said and done.
While I found Carolyn a bit tiresome at certain points, overall, I understood where she was coming from. I too would probably have been a bundle of nerves if I were in her place, believing that I have to choose between the love of my life and my own mother who sacrificed her youth to bring me up. That is a tough place to be in.
I loved Vaughan, for being as determined to make Carolyn stand up for what she wants, for giving her that needed push to step out of her comfort zone, without which she would probably have made the wrong choice and ended up being miserable, bitter, and lonely for the rest of her life.
Recommended for fans of Miranda Lee and fans of Harlequin romances.
Final Verdict: A Daughter’s Dilemma delves into what it is like to be caught between a rock and a hard place; it takes courage of the kind not many of us can muster to make that leap of faith.
Rating = 4/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit A Maldivian's Passion for Romance
April 28, 2012
The heroine thought the hero was responsible for her mothers break down when she was a child. Obviously part of that was true, however not all of it. For the hero once meeting the heroine again had fallen deeply in love with her and would do anything to convince hr of that fact. The heroine was instantly attracted to the hero and once a certain time had past eagerly gave up her virginity. When the hero wanted to marry her, the heroine said yes but there was one big problem, the heroines mother..
I thought the angst and passion were pretty good in this book despite the fact the storyline was unbelievably simple. I wished for a bit more drama.
I thought the angst and passion were pretty good in this book despite the fact the storyline was unbelievably simple. I wished for a bit more drama.
March 26, 2021
Wow what a rollercoaster. Almost halfway through the book I was convinced the ML had slept with the FL's mother. I wouldn't touch books with a bargepole where the ML double dips in the family especially the sister trope let alone the mother but the curiosity bug bit me how the author would contrive to bring the leads together with a history like that.
Apparently it was a misunderstanding thought the FL's mother did try to come on to the ML in the past. Coming to the leads there wasn't much except both leads panting after each other and FL struggling with her attraction and betraying body syndrome.
It got all resolved with HEA but both the ML's antics and the constant conflict of the past made the book draining instead of enjoyable.
Apparently it was a misunderstanding thought the FL's mother did try to come on to the ML in the past. Coming to the leads there wasn't much except both leads panting after each other and FL struggling with her attraction and betraying body syndrome.
It got all resolved with HEA but both the ML's antics and the constant conflict of the past made the book draining instead of enjoyable.
February 15, 2014
Confusing a bit and not the type of characters you could feel a bond to.
February 11, 2018
I put off reading this book for several months because I wasn't sure about the whole..... girl sleeping with the same man as her mother had already slept with. (but it wasn't like that at all.....a misunderstanding by a 14 year old girl.....now a 24 year old.....Carolyn)
I am glad I finally picked it up and read it. The story is wonderful. What a funny guy Vaughn is. He was so determined to see her, when she dead bolted the doors, that he did his version of a James Bond leap. Face it Carolyn you were never going to get away from him........he loved you too much and you know you loved him too. Loved it.
I am glad I finally picked it up and read it. The story is wonderful. What a funny guy Vaughn is. He was so determined to see her, when she dead bolted the doors, that he did his version of a James Bond leap. Face it Carolyn you were never going to get away from him........he loved you too much and you know you loved him too. Loved it.
May 19, 2019
A Daughter's Dilemma
I have had this book for awhile. Started to read it several times. This story revolves around two people knew each other when she was fourteen years ago. She saw him with her mother. Things go down hill from there. Now ten years later they meet again. But things are not going good. She has memories of that time. And his actions now just confirm her beliefs about him. Can two people go from clouded pasts to love?
I have had this book for awhile. Started to read it several times. This story revolves around two people knew each other when she was fourteen years ago. She saw him with her mother. Things go down hill from there. Now ten years later they meet again. But things are not going good. She has memories of that time. And his actions now just confirm her beliefs about him. Can two people go from clouded pasts to love?
Read
June 22, 2021I read this awhile ago and never left a rating or review. Based on reviews from some of my favorite reviewers, I will skip re-reading this for the time being. Thanks to Boogenhagen’s very detailed reviews, I am able to recall books I read before Goodreads! Maybe I will give it a whirl at some point, but ML and I are usually hit, miss, or meh!
Read
July 3, 2022Did Not Read. Refuse to Read. Not My Cuppa. Did not spark interest.
May 1, 2024
Yuck not a fan. Skip it, very messy.
July 27, 2022
I came across this book back in 2013 and fell in love with it. I had borrowed it from the library so it was rather hard for me to give it back.
8 years later and I still couldn't stop thinking about the forbidden romance between the hero and heroine.
If you're a lover of forbidden romance with the old writing of smut moments then this for you. We have our female lead having to deal with choosing between her mom and the man she loves. We have our male lead having to deal with convincing the only woman he's ever loved that he had nothing to do with her mother's breakdown all those years ago-well not directly anyway.
It's a great book but only if you're a lover of forbidden love and age gaps and things like that...otherwise put it down.
8 years later and I still couldn't stop thinking about the forbidden romance between the hero and heroine.
If you're a lover of forbidden romance with the old writing of smut moments then this for you. We have our female lead having to deal with choosing between her mom and the man she loves. We have our male lead having to deal with convincing the only woman he's ever loved that he had nothing to do with her mother's breakdown all those years ago-well not directly anyway.
It's a great book but only if you're a lover of forbidden love and age gaps and things like that...otherwise put it down.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews