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The Game Is Played
"But you don't even know me," she whispered hoarsely. "I will," he replied, silencing her protests with a kiss that left her trembling. He had to be mad, barging into her life, making his proposal so bluntly that it stunned her.
Beautiful, brilliant, and aloof, Dr. Helen Cassidy had worked hard and gotten what she wanted. It didn't include a brazen bully like Marshall Kirk. Even as his hard, possessive arms closed around her, she shuddered to recall the past. If he wanted to play fire to her ice, let him try it. Once burned was enough. Surely she could beat him at his own arrogant game.
Beautiful, brilliant, and aloof, Dr. Helen Cassidy had worked hard and gotten what she wanted. It didn't include a brazen bully like Marshall Kirk. Even as his hard, possessive arms closed around her, she shuddered to recall the past. If he wanted to play fire to her ice, let him try it. Once burned was enough. Surely she could beat him at his own arrogant game.
- GenresRomance
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
March 6, 2022
- “What is this stupid hang-up you have about our ages? You are not my elder. You will not speak to me as if I were a naughty boy. A naughty man maybe, but not a naughty boy.” -
She is 5 years older than he is. She is 35, he is 30. She makes a big deal out of their age difference, while he doesn’t care about it.
This is a truly besotted, intense, determined H. He declares his love for her the same day they meet. His pursuit is relentless.
He’s a nice guy with a nice family and nice friends who all are nice to her. They date for months and months without having sex after she told him that she’s a virgin and that she once had been assaulted by another man.
It’s a very romantic read because he says and does the most romantic things. Old-skool from 1981, so that’s great.
But I take one star off the rating because the h was annoying and I don’t believe that she really loves him. Poor guy.
So 4 stars.
She is 5 years older than he is. She is 35, he is 30. She makes a big deal out of their age difference, while he doesn’t care about it.
This is a truly besotted, intense, determined H. He declares his love for her the same day they meet. His pursuit is relentless.
He’s a nice guy with a nice family and nice friends who all are nice to her. They date for months and months without having sex after she told him that she’s a virgin and that she once had been assaulted by another man.
It’s a very romantic read because he says and does the most romantic things. Old-skool from 1981, so that’s great.
But I take one star off the rating because the h was annoying and I don’t believe that she really loves him. Poor guy.
So 4 stars.
avoid
May 19, 2023self note
35 yr old virgin h...HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA...
35 yr old virgin h...HAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA...
October 17, 2018
True Persistence in love
This is a lovely story which I have now re-read. I remembered from first reading it years ago and I searched for it. Meet Dr Helen Cassidy and Kirk Marshall. Helen is older than Kirk and finds it a problem. Not Kirk whose declaration almost from the beginning of their relationship that he loved her instantly and was going to marry her. Don’t hesitate to read. You won’t be disappointed
This is a lovely story which I have now re-read. I remembered from first reading it years ago and I searched for it. Meet Dr Helen Cassidy and Kirk Marshall. Helen is older than Kirk and finds it a problem. Not Kirk whose declaration almost from the beginning of their relationship that he loved her instantly and was going to marry her. Don’t hesitate to read. You won’t be disappointed
July 27, 2021
Nice enough!
Helen is a doctor who takes pride in her career and shies away from any physical relationships. She meets a brother of her patient and he makes no secret of his attraction. In fact, he confesses his love and proposes after knowing her for a few hours.
Helen is a doctor who takes pride in her career and shies away from any physical relationships. She meets a brother of her patient and he makes no secret of his attraction. In fact, he confesses his love and proposes after knowing her for a few hours.
April 29, 2021
2.5 ⭐️⭐️. This was the most annoying book! I finished it, just barely. The heroine was ridiculous and the hero's insta love bugged me too. He should have dropped her like a hot potato!
March 9, 2025
Golden retriever Hero + ‘i don’t need a man’ heroine + aggressive persuasion + reverse age gap = i found a hidden gem in harlequin world 👏👏👏
⚠️ maybe there’s spoilers ⚠️
Like:
- our h is ‘i don’t need a man’ kind of woman. She openly said she never wants kids. She’s 35 but a virgin, poor fmc seemed ashamed of that :( she doesn’t have to. Only a sick person would care about when a woman use their 🐱! There’s some angst too. h beat up by her ex fiancé. He actually slap her and beat her head with his fist because she didn’t want to have sex before marriage. Good thing someone interrupted him when he tried to rape her. If not, this book would have different genre :(
h becomes workaholic and have trust issues with man. The trauma part wasn’t done well, but yeah 😅
- H… gosh he’s sooooo persistent. He’s not only ‘she’s mine’ kind of guy (on the first day they met), but he actually drag her around his friends, his family and introduced h as his future wife. And when h talked about their age gap, this is what he said: "You want a taste of the man, Helen?" Whoooooaa 😩 he even agreed for not have kids if h doesn’t want it. He basically agree with everything she wants as long as she comes back to him at the end of the day.
Don’t like:
- h suddenly want kids at the very end 😑
⚠️ maybe there’s spoilers ⚠️
Like:
- our h is ‘i don’t need a man’ kind of woman. She openly said she never wants kids. She’s 35 but a virgin, poor fmc seemed ashamed of that :( she doesn’t have to. Only a sick person would care about when a woman use their 🐱! There’s some angst too. h beat up by her ex fiancé. He actually slap her and beat her head with his fist because she didn’t want to have sex before marriage. Good thing someone interrupted him when he tried to rape her. If not, this book would have different genre :(
h becomes workaholic and have trust issues with man. The trauma part wasn’t done well, but yeah 😅
- H… gosh he’s sooooo persistent. He’s not only ‘she’s mine’ kind of guy (on the first day they met), but he actually drag her around his friends, his family and introduced h as his future wife. And when h talked about their age gap, this is what he said: "You want a taste of the man, Helen?" Whoooooaa 😩 he even agreed for not have kids if h doesn’t want it. He basically agree with everything she wants as long as she comes back to him at the end of the day.
Don’t like:
- h suddenly want kids at the very end 😑
March 13, 2013
Just (barely) an ok read.
Gave it 2 stars because -
a) he wasn't trying to sex another woman while obsessing over the heroine (unlike her other book - While the Fire Rages)
b) there's no forced seduction/rape (unlike her other book - Moments Harsh, Moments Gentle)
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews