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Secret Heirs of Billionaires #18
The Baby the Billionaire Demands
Pregnant, she fled…
But she’ll be the Spaniard’s bride!
Lola Price didn’t dare tell Rodrigo Cabrera she was pregnant, after he spurned her. But now that he’s discovered her secret, he’s determined his child will take his name! While their mutual desire in the marriage bed is undeniable, Rodrigo keeps himself at a distance. Yet fiery Lola won’t be pushed away again. She’ll show Rodrigo that their son and their relationship are worth fighting for!
Indulge in this dramatic secret-baby story!
But she’ll be the Spaniard’s bride!
Lola Price didn’t dare tell Rodrigo Cabrera she was pregnant, after he spurned her. But now that he’s discovered her secret, he’s determined his child will take his name! While their mutual desire in the marriage bed is undeniable, Rodrigo keeps himself at a distance. Yet fiery Lola won’t be pushed away again. She’ll show Rodrigo that their son and their relationship are worth fighting for!
Indulge in this dramatic secret-baby story!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
185 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Jennie Lucas
558 books331 followersJennie Lucas had a tragic beginning for any would-be writer: a very happy childhood. Her parents owned a bookstore, and she grew up surrounded by books, dreaming about faraway lands. Her mother read aloud to her in French when she was little; when she was ten, her father secretly paid her a dollar for every classic novel (Jane Eyre, War and Peace) that she read. As a chubby teenager, Jennie covered her bedroom with travel posters and always had her nose in a book.
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
At fifteen, she went to a Connecticut boarding school on scholarship. She took her first solo trip to Europe at sixteen, then put off college and traveled around the U.S., supporting herself with jobs as diverse as gas station cashier and newspaper advertising assistant.
At 22, she met the man who would be her husband. For the first time in her life, she wanted to stay in one place, as long as she could be with him. After their marriage, she graduated from Kent State University with a degree in English, and started writing books a year later.
Jennie was a finalist in the Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart contest in 2003 and won the award in 2005. A fellow 2003 finalist, Australian author Trish Morey, read Jennie’s writing and told her that she should write for Harlequin Presents. It seemed like too big a dream, but Jennie took a deep breath and went for it. A year later, after seven years of writing and eight finished manuscripts, Jennie got the magical call from London that turned her into a published author.
Since then, life has been hectic, juggling a writing career, a sexy husband and two young children, but Jennie loves her crazy, chaotic life. Who needs a clean house? Every day, Jennie gets swept into drama, glamour and passion. Now if she can only figure out how to pack up her family and live in all the places she’s writing about!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
October 3, 2018
This was my favourite book in this trilogy and it's all because I loved the heroine Lola ! I doubt she'll be popular with all readers, though, because most fans prefer the usual conventional, sugary sweet, nice and long suffering Mary Sue. Lola's beautiful, sexy, kind, strong, a wonderful mom to her baby son Jett but she's also practical, smart, not a Mary Sue and she can be a little cold blooded if she needs to be. I love a heroine with the ability to turn off her feelings when the chips are down. Romance novels always portray men as the ones with that ability but there are many strong ladies who share that similar survival instinct. She's made a few mistakes in her life that she regrets, but she hasn't allowed them to incapacitate her in an emotionally unhealthy fashion.
Lola's also the kind of girl who never lets others see how hurt or vulnerable she's feeling because she knows that emotion can sometimes be misconstrued as a weakness. Above all else, she's not ashamed to put her cards on the table where money and financial stability are concerned. This girl will not refuse a million dollar cheque from her unborn child's father ( the H ) because she's not a proud, martyred Mary Sue who's content to live in a dump and buy second hand clothing for her kid while his daddy basks in billionaire glory. HPlandia needs more ladies like this, in my humble, eccentric opinion...
This is the heroine, Lola:
And this is the H, Rodrigo:
Rodrigo is a sexy media billionaire who, on the surface, appears to be a tough alpha male H. However, he's actually a very insecure man who's been hurt by hateful parents and his 3 former cheating fiancees. He's a unique type of H because his youthful dream had always been to get married and have a happy family. After his 3 fiancees had cheated on him, he convinced himself that his happy dream of a family was a thing of the past. I felt a little sorry for Rodrigo, because he was like a sad little puppy who really needed some love:
Lola, on the other hand, was like a smart little cat with lots of street smarts, who will scope out her enemies carefully if she's suspicious of them:
She definitely didn't sit down and let the wannabe OW Marnie ( the H's long time PA ) walk all over her. Most heroines would've just embraced silence and accepted condescension and rudeness from a wannabe OW, because that's the way that "ladies" are supposed to behave in HPlandia. But Lola didn't hold her tongue when Marnie turned on the fakery and pretentious rudeness, even though the gullible H couldn't see it:
“Of course, Mr. Cabrera.” Turning to Lola, she said, “Congratulations.”
Lola glared at her. “You heard what he said. Get going.”
I literally cheered when I read that scene ! It was fantastic ! I know some readers might view Lola as a little bitchy but I totally identified with her...
In fact, the wannabe OW Marnie was a bit of an obsessed stalker psycho who was in love with Rodrigo and had paid 3 men to seduce his 3 former fiancees. The H hadn't been in love with his 3 former fiancees; he'd actually been more in love with the idea of love and the possibility of a happy family. Marnie tried to do the same thing with Lola but this heroine was not an idiot and she sensed something was weird immediately, when this strange hot guy started turning up wherever she went. It was so awesome to read that scene where Lola went ballistic on stalker boy's ass and F him up in a public restaurant ! The conventional dumb Mary Sue heroine would've probably sat down and had lunch with him in an effort to be nice or to try and make a new friend.
This was a second chance/secret baby story just like the previous 2 novels in the trilogy. The MC's had had a passionate love affair that ended when the psycho Marnie found some semi-nude photographs Lola had taken as an uneducated, impoverished and orphaned 18 yr old who'd been struggling to become an actress. Lola had regretted doing that but she'd wanted to make money to take care of her 2 younger sisters. Unfortunately, it all blew up in her face and her sisters were placed in foster care. The H never gave her a chance to explain the photographs because he automatically assumed that she was just another gold digger who would do anything to succeed in Hollywood. Lola was so incensed at the unjust way he'd treated her, especially after she'd told him she loved him, that she cold bloodedly took his cheque for a million dollars and left him. She had already known of her pregnancy and had decided that the money would come in handy for her child's future.
The MC's meet again, at the start of the story about 14 months afterwards, at a charity ball in New York. Lola's date, a middle aged Russian tycoon, asks her to marry him and Rodrigo overhears the proposal. The H is incensed and filled with possessive jealousy and anger. He can't believe that this guy has the audacity to propose to a woman he still wants !
The H learns about his son and the MC's follow the usual song and dance routine where they bicker a little about the need for marriage. Fortunately, the ever practical Lola ensures that the pre-nuptial agreement is ironed out to her satisfaction and doesn't sign it blindly the way other heroines do.
Some of my favourite things about this novel were:
1. The MC's didn't waste time with too much of the usual stupid, tedious crap. The H acted like a jerk right after their wedding but Lola didn't put up with it. When he distanced himself from her, she went on a spending spree and when she got fed up of his behaviour she packed her bags and was ready to leave. This happened just before the middle of the book. And, the H totally started to bend a little and open avenues for communication. That was refreshing.
2. The H was not cruel and nasty, except in one scene when he thought that Lola had cheated on him. He was rather endearing and I knew that it was his inability to trust a woman that made him want to protect his heart from Lola.
3. He was definitely obsessed with Lola, even though he'd broken her heart and left her that first time. He had been celibate during their time apart because, as he himself revealed, early in the novel:
He’d thought he could keep his distance, to make this about their bodies, only about sex. He was wrong. It wasn’t just her body.
It was her face.
Her voice. It was her.
Lola.
The only one he’d wanted. The one he’d dreamed about for the last year, in hot, unwilling dreams. Every morning, he’d woken up, still aching for her.
In fact, I think his feelings for the heroine can be best expressed in Tom Jones' classic song Sex Bomb:
Now you found the secret code
I use to wash away my lonely blues well
So I can't deny or lie cause you're a
Sexbomb sexbomb you're a sexbomb uh, huh
You can give it to me when I need to come along give it to me
Sexbomb sexbomb you're my sexbomb
And baby you can turn me on baby you can turn me on
You know what you're doing to me don't you. ha ha,
I know you do
And here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ32g...
Lola was definitely Rodrigo's Sex Bomb. Lol. I love that song and I love it when the heroine is the only woman who is capable of turning on a H, even when they're apart...
4. They shared sizzling hot sexual chemistry and they were both willing to work at building a healthy marriage, even though they'd not exchanged their I Love You's.
5. Lola was a proactive heroine, who did her own investigative work and figured out that Marnie had been the one who'd been sabotaging Rodrigo's personal life for years.
Things were actually working out quite well for them because it was very obvious that the H was besotted. Then, the nasty psycho Marnie interfered again and convinced the H that Lola was cheating on him. Infidelity was Rodrigo's single big trigger and Marnie, as his long time PA, knew it. Rodrigo had a bit of an angry meltdown and left Lola standing on the side of the road ! Now that bothered me a lot. I enjoyed the resolution and their reconciliation, though because he fired Marnie and grovelled satisfactorily:
“I’m in love with you, Lola.”
Her heart stopped in her chest. “What?”
“I’ve always loved you.” Gently, he moved his hands down her hair, against the bare skin of her shoulders above her party dress. “I loved you so much, it scared the hell out of me. Because I knew I’d someday lose you, just like I lost the others.” He paused. “But now...”
“Now?” she choked out, searching his gaze.
“I’m not scared anymore.” Rodrigo looked down at her, giving her a smile that seemed lit up from within. “After you left, everything fell apart. And I realized nothing else matters. You’re all I want. All I need. You’re everything. Because I love you.” As she stared at him, her heart twisted in her chest. “And I was a fool.” Rodrigo searched her gaze fiercely.
The mini epilogue was also sweet and cute because the author included a scene with the other 2 couples from the previous books: The Secret the Italian Claims and The Heir the Prince Secures. All 3 heroines are pregnant again and everybody's basking in their HEA glow. This novel was my favourite in this trilogy, Lola was my favourite heroine and sexy Stefano from The Heir the Prince Secures ends up being my favourite H. Hallie and Cristiano, from The Secret the Italian Claims were my least favourite MC's in this trilogy. Tess, from The Heir the Prince Secures was a fabulous, sweet, Mary Sue "earth mother" type of heroine but Lola's the one that I preferred the most.
Safety: No cheating and both MC's were celibate during their separation. Rodrigo had not been a citizen of Manwhoria and Lola had been a virgin. There's a wannabe OM who wanted to marry Lola but she had never even kissed him. And, of course, there's a psycho wannabe OW. The H had never even known this woman was attracted to him because he treated her as just a loyal employee.
Lola's also the kind of girl who never lets others see how hurt or vulnerable she's feeling because she knows that emotion can sometimes be misconstrued as a weakness. Above all else, she's not ashamed to put her cards on the table where money and financial stability are concerned. This girl will not refuse a million dollar cheque from her unborn child's father ( the H ) because she's not a proud, martyred Mary Sue who's content to live in a dump and buy second hand clothing for her kid while his daddy basks in billionaire glory. HPlandia needs more ladies like this, in my humble, eccentric opinion...
This is the heroine, Lola:
And this is the H, Rodrigo:
Rodrigo is a sexy media billionaire who, on the surface, appears to be a tough alpha male H. However, he's actually a very insecure man who's been hurt by hateful parents and his 3 former cheating fiancees. He's a unique type of H because his youthful dream had always been to get married and have a happy family. After his 3 fiancees had cheated on him, he convinced himself that his happy dream of a family was a thing of the past. I felt a little sorry for Rodrigo, because he was like a sad little puppy who really needed some love:
Lola, on the other hand, was like a smart little cat with lots of street smarts, who will scope out her enemies carefully if she's suspicious of them:
She definitely didn't sit down and let the wannabe OW Marnie ( the H's long time PA ) walk all over her. Most heroines would've just embraced silence and accepted condescension and rudeness from a wannabe OW, because that's the way that "ladies" are supposed to behave in HPlandia. But Lola didn't hold her tongue when Marnie turned on the fakery and pretentious rudeness, even though the gullible H couldn't see it:
“Of course, Mr. Cabrera.” Turning to Lola, she said, “Congratulations.”
Lola glared at her. “You heard what he said. Get going.”
I literally cheered when I read that scene ! It was fantastic ! I know some readers might view Lola as a little bitchy but I totally identified with her...
In fact, the wannabe OW Marnie was a bit of an obsessed stalker psycho who was in love with Rodrigo and had paid 3 men to seduce his 3 former fiancees. The H hadn't been in love with his 3 former fiancees; he'd actually been more in love with the idea of love and the possibility of a happy family. Marnie tried to do the same thing with Lola but this heroine was not an idiot and she sensed something was weird immediately, when this strange hot guy started turning up wherever she went. It was so awesome to read that scene where Lola went ballistic on stalker boy's ass and F him up in a public restaurant ! The conventional dumb Mary Sue heroine would've probably sat down and had lunch with him in an effort to be nice or to try and make a new friend.
This was a second chance/secret baby story just like the previous 2 novels in the trilogy. The MC's had had a passionate love affair that ended when the psycho Marnie found some semi-nude photographs Lola had taken as an uneducated, impoverished and orphaned 18 yr old who'd been struggling to become an actress. Lola had regretted doing that but she'd wanted to make money to take care of her 2 younger sisters. Unfortunately, it all blew up in her face and her sisters were placed in foster care. The H never gave her a chance to explain the photographs because he automatically assumed that she was just another gold digger who would do anything to succeed in Hollywood. Lola was so incensed at the unjust way he'd treated her, especially after she'd told him she loved him, that she cold bloodedly took his cheque for a million dollars and left him. She had already known of her pregnancy and had decided that the money would come in handy for her child's future.
The MC's meet again, at the start of the story about 14 months afterwards, at a charity ball in New York. Lola's date, a middle aged Russian tycoon, asks her to marry him and Rodrigo overhears the proposal. The H is incensed and filled with possessive jealousy and anger. He can't believe that this guy has the audacity to propose to a woman he still wants !
The H learns about his son and the MC's follow the usual song and dance routine where they bicker a little about the need for marriage. Fortunately, the ever practical Lola ensures that the pre-nuptial agreement is ironed out to her satisfaction and doesn't sign it blindly the way other heroines do.
Some of my favourite things about this novel were:
1. The MC's didn't waste time with too much of the usual stupid, tedious crap. The H acted like a jerk right after their wedding but Lola didn't put up with it. When he distanced himself from her, she went on a spending spree and when she got fed up of his behaviour she packed her bags and was ready to leave. This happened just before the middle of the book. And, the H totally started to bend a little and open avenues for communication. That was refreshing.
2. The H was not cruel and nasty, except in one scene when he thought that Lola had cheated on him. He was rather endearing and I knew that it was his inability to trust a woman that made him want to protect his heart from Lola.
3. He was definitely obsessed with Lola, even though he'd broken her heart and left her that first time. He had been celibate during their time apart because, as he himself revealed, early in the novel:
He’d thought he could keep his distance, to make this about their bodies, only about sex. He was wrong. It wasn’t just her body.
It was her face.
Her voice. It was her.
Lola.
The only one he’d wanted. The one he’d dreamed about for the last year, in hot, unwilling dreams. Every morning, he’d woken up, still aching for her.
In fact, I think his feelings for the heroine can be best expressed in Tom Jones' classic song Sex Bomb:
Now you found the secret code
I use to wash away my lonely blues well
So I can't deny or lie cause you're a
Sexbomb sexbomb you're a sexbomb uh, huh
You can give it to me when I need to come along give it to me
Sexbomb sexbomb you're my sexbomb
And baby you can turn me on baby you can turn me on
You know what you're doing to me don't you. ha ha,
I know you do
And here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZ32g...
Lola was definitely Rodrigo's Sex Bomb. Lol. I love that song and I love it when the heroine is the only woman who is capable of turning on a H, even when they're apart...
4. They shared sizzling hot sexual chemistry and they were both willing to work at building a healthy marriage, even though they'd not exchanged their I Love You's.
5. Lola was a proactive heroine, who did her own investigative work and figured out that Marnie had been the one who'd been sabotaging Rodrigo's personal life for years.
Things were actually working out quite well for them because it was very obvious that the H was besotted. Then, the nasty psycho Marnie interfered again and convinced the H that Lola was cheating on him. Infidelity was Rodrigo's single big trigger and Marnie, as his long time PA, knew it. Rodrigo had a bit of an angry meltdown and left Lola standing on the side of the road ! Now that bothered me a lot. I enjoyed the resolution and their reconciliation, though because he fired Marnie and grovelled satisfactorily:
“I’m in love with you, Lola.”
Her heart stopped in her chest. “What?”
“I’ve always loved you.” Gently, he moved his hands down her hair, against the bare skin of her shoulders above her party dress. “I loved you so much, it scared the hell out of me. Because I knew I’d someday lose you, just like I lost the others.” He paused. “But now...”
“Now?” she choked out, searching his gaze.
“I’m not scared anymore.” Rodrigo looked down at her, giving her a smile that seemed lit up from within. “After you left, everything fell apart. And I realized nothing else matters. You’re all I want. All I need. You’re everything. Because I love you.” As she stared at him, her heart twisted in her chest. “And I was a fool.” Rodrigo searched her gaze fiercely.
The mini epilogue was also sweet and cute because the author included a scene with the other 2 couples from the previous books: The Secret the Italian Claims and The Heir the Prince Secures. All 3 heroines are pregnant again and everybody's basking in their HEA glow. This novel was my favourite in this trilogy, Lola was my favourite heroine and sexy Stefano from The Heir the Prince Secures ends up being my favourite H. Hallie and Cristiano, from The Secret the Italian Claims were my least favourite MC's in this trilogy. Tess, from The Heir the Prince Secures was a fabulous, sweet, Mary Sue "earth mother" type of heroine but Lola's the one that I preferred the most.
Safety: No cheating and both MC's were celibate during their separation. Rodrigo had not been a citizen of Manwhoria and Lola had been a virgin. There's a wannabe OM who wanted to marry Lola but she had never even kissed him. And, of course, there's a psycho wannabe OW. The H had never even known this woman was attracted to him because he treated her as just a loyal employee.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 9, 2020
Me to GR reviewers.
Three alarm skillet for a hero only fit for the fires of Mordor. Die, SOB, die!
The hero, ha, kicks the heroine out of his penthouse because his dweeby PA, his jealous dweeby secretary, gave him the dirt on the h. Pictures of the h in scanty lingerie so she must be an evil bottom-dweller. Let us totally forget that the heroine has been his loyal and best ever PA for over two years AND was a virgin when they had sex (Thank heavens for hymens), apparently she is now a skanky gold-digging slut who won’t defend herself. In order to get a rise out of her he throws a check for a mill which she takes cementing his opinion.
He’s back in town and he finds out about her plot moppet, Jet Rink, I mean Jett whatever the heroine’s name is.
He strong-arms her into a MOC because THEY MUST BE A FAMILY, and he needs luvins. After an insulting DNA test (see hymen) and then, this really chapped me, DENIES her a real wedding with her friends and refuses to wear a wedding ring. Die, SOB, die! Prophetically, they are both dressed in black at the wedding. In fact, he is always dressed in black. He is the Man in Black.
The h is a feisty one, and when she sees the dweeb backstabber back in California, doesn’t meekly say, Thank you wannabe OW, may I have another? No way Jose, she flaunts her ginourmous diamond ring in the dweebs' face then when the H gets a clue that things are tense and tries to hurry the dweeb along...
Lola glared at her. “You heard what he said. Get going.” Biting her lip, Marnie looked at Rodrigo.
Yeah, I loved that.
They consummate the MOC, he has mucho feelings, and so he scarpers for Spain because he apparently forget all about THEY MUST BE A FAMILY and ignores all her calls even the one where she tells him she passed her GED. A fact he knows she is nervous about because she tells him several times. I hate you, you selfish SOB.
They renew their resolve to have a real marriage for Jet Moppet, and he decides he is in.
Trust didn’t come easy for him, it was true. Mostly because every single time he’d trusted someone, they’d betrayed him. But this was different. He’d known Lola for years. He should have given her the benefit of the doubt.
Be still my heart. You trust her, you really trust her!
Then he inner-monologues this…
He’d had her story checked out, of course. Trust, but verify. It was the best he could do. Women had lied to him too often, and though he’d believed her, he’d needed proof. There was knowing, and knowing.
And we are back. I am at the 45% mark, so I am just waiting for the other Ferrragamo to drop, and it does.
Skipping lotso action, let us just say that the billionaire tycoon raises the stupid stakes heretofore unseen even in HPLand which explains why he had three cheating fiancees before the h, each cheated and all was revealed in the exact same fashion with pictures sent to the H anonymously. Hmmmm? He has now lost the h, literally lost her, in an epic, grandiose, OTT, cruel action that must be read. Evidence of stoopid: he thinks the h is going to leave him for another billionaire, an over 50 Russian tycoon. Sure buddy.
She's married to this billionaire tycoon
but he thinks she wants this one instead
Yeah, don't think so, bud.
He gets very sad when the h and Jet Moppet finally leave.
Gets a clue and in a very When Harry Met Sally moment track her down at a New Year’s Eve party.
Cute epilogue where the alpha H’s argue over how to barbecue. The Spaniard wins as he should because, you know, parilla.
A solid 3 stars despite the fact I ground my teeth to nubbins over If-I-only-had-a-brain, alpha numbskull H tycoon. I almost gave an extra star for the mystery/suspense element regarding the THREE cheating fiancees.
P.S.
I now have this little ditty roaming through my head non-stop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLg...
Three alarm skillet for a hero only fit for the fires of Mordor. Die, SOB, die!
The hero, ha, kicks the heroine out of his penthouse because his dweeby PA, his jealous dweeby secretary, gave him the dirt on the h. Pictures of the h in scanty lingerie so she must be an evil bottom-dweller. Let us totally forget that the heroine has been his loyal and best ever PA for over two years AND was a virgin when they had sex (Thank heavens for hymens), apparently she is now a skanky gold-digging slut who won’t defend herself. In order to get a rise out of her he throws a check for a mill which she takes cementing his opinion.
He’s back in town and he finds out about her plot moppet, Jet Rink, I mean Jett whatever the heroine’s name is.
He strong-arms her into a MOC because THEY MUST BE A FAMILY, and he needs luvins. After an insulting DNA test (see hymen) and then, this really chapped me, DENIES her a real wedding with her friends and refuses to wear a wedding ring. Die, SOB, die! Prophetically, they are both dressed in black at the wedding. In fact, he is always dressed in black. He is the Man in Black.
The h is a feisty one, and when she sees the dweeb backstabber back in California, doesn’t meekly say, Thank you wannabe OW, may I have another? No way Jose, she flaunts her ginourmous diamond ring in the dweebs' face then when the H gets a clue that things are tense and tries to hurry the dweeb along...
Lola glared at her. “You heard what he said. Get going.” Biting her lip, Marnie looked at Rodrigo.
Yeah, I loved that.
They consummate the MOC, he has mucho feelings, and so he scarpers for Spain because he apparently forget all about THEY MUST BE A FAMILY and ignores all her calls even the one where she tells him she passed her GED. A fact he knows she is nervous about because she tells him several times. I hate you, you selfish SOB.
They renew their resolve to have a real marriage for Jet Moppet, and he decides he is in.
Trust didn’t come easy for him, it was true. Mostly because every single time he’d trusted someone, they’d betrayed him. But this was different. He’d known Lola for years. He should have given her the benefit of the doubt.
Be still my heart. You trust her, you really trust her!
Then he inner-monologues this…
He’d had her story checked out, of course. Trust, but verify. It was the best he could do. Women had lied to him too often, and though he’d believed her, he’d needed proof. There was knowing, and knowing.
And we are back. I am at the 45% mark, so I am just waiting for the other Ferrragamo to drop, and it does.
Skipping lotso action, let us just say that the billionaire tycoon raises the stupid stakes heretofore unseen even in HPLand which explains why he had three cheating fiancees before the h, each cheated and all was revealed in the exact same fashion with pictures sent to the H anonymously. Hmmmm? He has now lost the h, literally lost her, in an epic, grandiose, OTT, cruel action that must be read. Evidence of stoopid: he thinks the h is going to leave him for another billionaire, an over 50 Russian tycoon. Sure buddy.
She's married to this billionaire tycoon
but he thinks she wants this one instead
Yeah, don't think so, bud.
He gets very sad when the h and Jet Moppet finally leave.
Gets a clue and in a very When Harry Met Sally moment track her down at a New Year’s Eve party.
Cute epilogue where the alpha H’s argue over how to barbecue. The Spaniard wins as he should because, you know, parilla.
A solid 3 stars despite the fact I ground my teeth to nubbins over If-I-only-had-a-brain, alpha numbskull H tycoon. I almost gave an extra star for the mystery/suspense element regarding the THREE cheating fiancees.
P.S.
I now have this little ditty roaming through my head non-stop.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nauLg...
February 13, 2023
***3.25 Stars***
Lola Price was excited to tell the man she loved, Rodrigo, that they were expecting a baby but when she arrived home he brutally cast her away and kicked her out of his home before she could share the news. She wasn't given a chance to give her side of the story so he continues to believe his scheming PA who wants him. (It doesn't sound nice but I was relieved his PA was not exactly attractive.) He hates that Lola took the one million dollars he offered her as she was leaving so sure that she only wanted him for his vast wealth. He just knew for certain that she was a gold digger and a tramp...but she was anything but! (She took the money to provide a home and raise his child without him.)
Unbeknownst to Rodrigo his PA has meddled in his love life for the past ten-fifteen years and broken up three of his engagements by setting up the fiancees in cheating schemes. (The evil one is secretly in love with him and he hasn't a clue even though Lola has pointed this out to him multiple times...typical dumb male.) He has no clue that all of his problems are on his PA's shoulders and believes anything and everything she says, even more than he believes the woman he loves! Marnie, the Evil Witch/Con-Woman/PA/Secretary, finds something that looks a little incriminating concerning Lola and stretches that into horrible lies so Rodrigo kicks Lola to the curb. He has known Lola for several years and should know better than to believe what was said.
He goes to a fund raiser in New York and is shocked when he sees Lola dancing with an older wealthy man and overhears them talking about her baby. Now that he’s discovered they have a son together he blackmails her into marrying him very cruelly with no friends or family present. He brings her home, makes love to her and disappears for a week. He can't handle being around her because he wants her so much and he has sworn to NEVER love anyone...yep...that story-line again!!! Rodrigo keeps himself at a distance. Lola will not put up with being thousands of miles apart from each other. After all, he said he wanted to help raise his son....but all he does is run away. She is packed and ready to head back to New York to her family and friends when he arrives home from his trip. She lets him know in no uncertain terms that she will not put up with him running away and how disappointed she is in him that he took off as soon as the sex was done the day they wed and she was left to spend their honeymoon alone. She is furious and I don't blame her. I loved how she was just in your face. She wasn't afraid to speak up and let him know how she felt. She took no guff from Marnie either. She was not the typical weak heroine we see so much of in Harley Land. What a pleasant surprise.
I enjoyed this book but there was a scene toward the end where his lying secretary/PA sets it up to make it look like Lola may be cheating on him (another set up) and instantaneously he believes the evil secretary all the while knowing it was a near impossibility. Marnie is always throughout the entire story believed over his wife. He even shamed his wife throughout the book for not being kinder and more friendly with his PA (who was trying her best to ruin their marriage) because she is such a devoted wonderful person and he blames Lola for everything and the PA for nothing!!! To be honest, it made the hero look like an idiot! Like he had very little going on upstairs in the brain department...stupidity pure and simple!!! Lola jumps in his vehicle while he is taking off angry and he tells her he never wants to see her again for the umpteenth time (same ole same ole) and just dumps her alone and without a coat or transportation on the side of the road and takes off like a bat out of Hades. That took it down a star for this reader. After that I was no longer able to give this the five-star rating which is where I felt it was headed...for a Harlequin! I also lost respect for the hero and when I have no respect for the H or h the story really loses something pertinent.
He finally figures it out but Marnie never gets served her just desserts...at all, not even a slap on the wrist. He does not call the police or press any charges against her, not even a police report and he just let her get by with everything she had done. (She stole from him all during her employment hiring actors and male porn stars to lure his fiancees/girlfriends away then photographing them in the act and presenting them to Rodrigo.) She has access to all his bank accounts, business accounts, and a key to his home which she makes regular use of. Case in point...when he arrives home with Lola and the baby she is waiting for him at the front door (with no idea he got married and is bringing his family home...and what kind of idiot is he that he has no clue she is trying to move in on him!!! On top of that after all her sins were called out on the carpet She is given a large severance package when firing her for all the 'work' she put in during those years with him. There was no comeuppance except for firing her and handing her a bundle of money for all the time she worked for him.
It really didn't make sense when you measure it. Lola, the love of his life, is pictured in lingerie and he kicks her from his life not listening to her side...even though he knows she was a virgin. Marnie wrecks havoc on his personal life which also affects the women's lives that he was engaged to and his business as well and not even a strong reprimand.
Safety:
Both celibate while apart.
No cheating.
No OM drama.
Some OW drama with Marnie.
Completely faithful couple.
Lola Price was excited to tell the man she loved, Rodrigo, that they were expecting a baby but when she arrived home he brutally cast her away and kicked her out of his home before she could share the news. She wasn't given a chance to give her side of the story so he continues to believe his scheming PA who wants him. (It doesn't sound nice but I was relieved his PA was not exactly attractive.) He hates that Lola took the one million dollars he offered her as she was leaving so sure that she only wanted him for his vast wealth. He just knew for certain that she was a gold digger and a tramp...but she was anything but! (She took the money to provide a home and raise his child without him.)
Unbeknownst to Rodrigo his PA has meddled in his love life for the past ten-fifteen years and broken up three of his engagements by setting up the fiancees in cheating schemes. (The evil one is secretly in love with him and he hasn't a clue even though Lola has pointed this out to him multiple times...typical dumb male.) He has no clue that all of his problems are on his PA's shoulders and believes anything and everything she says, even more than he believes the woman he loves! Marnie, the Evil Witch/Con-Woman/PA/Secretary, finds something that looks a little incriminating concerning Lola and stretches that into horrible lies so Rodrigo kicks Lola to the curb. He has known Lola for several years and should know better than to believe what was said.
He goes to a fund raiser in New York and is shocked when he sees Lola dancing with an older wealthy man and overhears them talking about her baby. Now that he’s discovered they have a son together he blackmails her into marrying him very cruelly with no friends or family present. He brings her home, makes love to her and disappears for a week. He can't handle being around her because he wants her so much and he has sworn to NEVER love anyone...yep...that story-line again!!! Rodrigo keeps himself at a distance. Lola will not put up with being thousands of miles apart from each other. After all, he said he wanted to help raise his son....but all he does is run away. She is packed and ready to head back to New York to her family and friends when he arrives home from his trip. She lets him know in no uncertain terms that she will not put up with him running away and how disappointed she is in him that he took off as soon as the sex was done the day they wed and she was left to spend their honeymoon alone. She is furious and I don't blame her. I loved how she was just in your face. She wasn't afraid to speak up and let him know how she felt. She took no guff from Marnie either. She was not the typical weak heroine we see so much of in Harley Land. What a pleasant surprise.
I enjoyed this book but there was a scene toward the end where his lying secretary/PA sets it up to make it look like Lola may be cheating on him (another set up) and instantaneously he believes the evil secretary all the while knowing it was a near impossibility. Marnie is always throughout the entire story believed over his wife. He even shamed his wife throughout the book for not being kinder and more friendly with his PA (who was trying her best to ruin their marriage) because she is such a devoted wonderful person and he blames Lola for everything and the PA for nothing!!! To be honest, it made the hero look like an idiot! Like he had very little going on upstairs in the brain department...stupidity pure and simple!!! Lola jumps in his vehicle while he is taking off angry and he tells her he never wants to see her again for the umpteenth time (same ole same ole) and just dumps her alone and without a coat or transportation on the side of the road and takes off like a bat out of Hades. That took it down a star for this reader. After that I was no longer able to give this the five-star rating which is where I felt it was headed...for a Harlequin! I also lost respect for the hero and when I have no respect for the H or h the story really loses something pertinent.
He finally figures it out but Marnie never gets served her just desserts...at all, not even a slap on the wrist. He does not call the police or press any charges against her, not even a police report and he just let her get by with everything she had done. (She stole from him all during her employment hiring actors and male porn stars to lure his fiancees/girlfriends away then photographing them in the act and presenting them to Rodrigo.) She has access to all his bank accounts, business accounts, and a key to his home which she makes regular use of. Case in point...when he arrives home with Lola and the baby she is waiting for him at the front door (with no idea he got married and is bringing his family home...and what kind of idiot is he that he has no clue she is trying to move in on him!!! On top of that after all her sins were called out on the carpet She is given a large severance package when firing her for all the 'work' she put in during those years with him. There was no comeuppance except for firing her and handing her a bundle of money for all the time she worked for him.
It really didn't make sense when you measure it. Lola, the love of his life, is pictured in lingerie and he kicks her from his life not listening to her side...even though he knows she was a virgin. Marnie wrecks havoc on his personal life which also affects the women's lives that he was engaged to and his business as well and not even a strong reprimand.
Safety:
Both celibate while apart.
No cheating.
No OM drama.
Some OW drama with Marnie.
Completely faithful couple.
October 5, 2018
Heroine Lola was not your typical JL heroine. She was feisty and she liked money and she had a not so perfect past. Rodrigo had 3 failed engagements and obviously he has trust issues. His affair with Lola is passionate but it ends badly when he finds a sexy photo shoot she did in the past. Months later he discovers she had his son and he proposes marriage.
I loved this book and this couple. I enjoyed the drama and angst, the evil other woman and hero’s jealousy and possessiveness. The ending with all 3 heroines pregnant and their adoring husbands was sweet! Safe: heroine is a virgin and hero is celibate and faithful!
I loved this book and this couple. I enjoyed the drama and angst, the evil other woman and hero’s jealousy and possessiveness. The ending with all 3 heroines pregnant and their adoring husbands was sweet! Safe: heroine is a virgin and hero is celibate and faithful!
November 26, 2018
The last of the secret baby series. This heroine is the hard-boiled, secretive friend who is always giving cynical, pithy life advice to her hapless friends. She won’t tell them the identity of the father of her child.
So, I was interested in her story. Turns out this heroine actually knew the father of her child for more than 10 minutes before sleeping with him. He is a Spanish mogul who invests in movies and other enterprises. Heroine was his assistant for two years. He has betrayal issues because he’s been engaged three times and they all cheated on him, complete with photographic evidence.
Their parting was a bit different. Hero’s psycho secretary found pictures of a topless heroine at 18 and convinced the hero that she was some kind of sex worker? (It’s pretty vague – since the heroine was a virgin when she got together with the hero). Anyhow, the hero *felt * betrayed and that’s all that mattered. Heroine took his check for wrongful dismissal, since she knew she was pregnant at the time.
Hero runs into the heroine at a charity ball where he sees her dancing with her middle-aged Russian ex-boss. He is immediately jealous, cuts in on the dance and somehow has the heroine admitting she had his baby.
He railroads her into marriage the next day – and it’s no fairy tale ceremony. Her friends don’t even know she got married or that she has moved to California until much later.
Glimpses of our hard-boiled heroine from the first two books pop up, but for the most part the heroine goes along with the hero and opens up about her past. She starts to become suspicious of the hero’s secretary when she runs into the hero’s ex-fiancé and hears her story. Then she seeks out the other two and finds a pattern.
Turns out its his psycho secretary was in love with the H and has messed up all of his relationships -including the heroine for the black moment. Hero thought the heroine was meeting her ex-boss at a surprise Christmas party he arranged for her. (Why did he think she could have arranged a meeting with an ex-boss if she didn’t know about the party?) Hero leaves her by the side of the road. Bodyguard picks her up.
Hero finally gets his head out of the whisky bottle and secretary confesses. Hero returns to grove and declare himself on New Years Eve – heroine takes him back too easily.
Problems with this one:
Characterization of heroine is uneven – she’s sweet and kind with the hero and tough and no nonsense with her friends.
Hero lets the crazy secretary off with a gentle speech and good luck in the future. WTH?
Both heroes from the first two books are domesticated and unrecognizable – and are Italian and Spanish heroes really going to enjoy Thanksgiving football and green bean casserole?
I will say, I was glad of the psycho secretary addition. All of this angsting over I love you was getting old. I do love OTT drama and the newer HPs just don’t deliver that much.
Heroine named her son Jett Price - lol - hero is mollified knowing he'll have a different last name.
So, I was interested in her story. Turns out this heroine actually knew the father of her child for more than 10 minutes before sleeping with him. He is a Spanish mogul who invests in movies and other enterprises. Heroine was his assistant for two years. He has betrayal issues because he’s been engaged three times and they all cheated on him, complete with photographic evidence.
Their parting was a bit different. Hero’s psycho secretary found pictures of a topless heroine at 18 and convinced the hero that she was some kind of sex worker? (It’s pretty vague – since the heroine was a virgin when she got together with the hero). Anyhow, the hero *felt * betrayed and that’s all that mattered. Heroine took his check for wrongful dismissal, since she knew she was pregnant at the time.
Hero runs into the heroine at a charity ball where he sees her dancing with her middle-aged Russian ex-boss. He is immediately jealous, cuts in on the dance and somehow has the heroine admitting she had his baby.
He railroads her into marriage the next day – and it’s no fairy tale ceremony. Her friends don’t even know she got married or that she has moved to California until much later.
Glimpses of our hard-boiled heroine from the first two books pop up, but for the most part the heroine goes along with the hero and opens up about her past. She starts to become suspicious of the hero’s secretary when she runs into the hero’s ex-fiancé and hears her story. Then she seeks out the other two and finds a pattern.
Turns out its his psycho secretary was in love with the H and has messed up all of his relationships -including the heroine for the black moment. Hero thought the heroine was meeting her ex-boss at a surprise Christmas party he arranged for her. (Why did he think she could have arranged a meeting with an ex-boss if she didn’t know about the party?) Hero leaves her by the side of the road. Bodyguard picks her up.
Hero finally gets his head out of the whisky bottle and secretary confesses. Hero returns to grove and declare himself on New Years Eve – heroine takes him back too easily.
Problems with this one:
Characterization of heroine is uneven – she’s sweet and kind with the hero and tough and no nonsense with her friends.
Hero lets the crazy secretary off with a gentle speech and good luck in the future. WTH?
Both heroes from the first two books are domesticated and unrecognizable – and are Italian and Spanish heroes really going to enjoy Thanksgiving football and green bean casserole?
I will say, I was glad of the psycho secretary addition. All of this angsting over I love you was getting old. I do love OTT drama and the newer HPs just don’t deliver that much.
Heroine named her son Jett Price - lol - hero is mollified knowing he'll have a different last name.
July 25, 2022
7/24/22
It was still good on reread and I really hated his slimy little assistant Marnie! The heroine deserved better treatment but at least he realized how much he loved her and figured out what happened!
One point off for him leaving her on the side of the road.
You never leave someone you love alone on the side of the road. Ever. But the rest of the story was wonderful. I just loved Lola and I eventually loved Rodrigo. He was very untrusting but a little naive when It came to believing people. I am surprised he didn't believe the heroine when she spelled it out for him. But I guess then there would not be angst for the story. Lola was his secretary for two years before they became lovers. She was a virgin too. When she was younger she went to Hollywood and let someone take pictures of her in lingerie and someone sent the pictures to him so he dumped her.over a year later she is dancing with her new boss trying to fight him off really when Rodrigo stepped in. He then found out he had a son and we're off to the HP races. Same old storyline but I loved it. Quick read and the hero was not interested in another woman while they were apart. Loved that. The ending is simply delightful too. I love seeing love make these billionaires behave so smitten. Perfect ending to the series.
It was still good on reread and I really hated his slimy little assistant Marnie! The heroine deserved better treatment but at least he realized how much he loved her and figured out what happened!
One point off for him leaving her on the side of the road.
You never leave someone you love alone on the side of the road. Ever. But the rest of the story was wonderful. I just loved Lola and I eventually loved Rodrigo. He was very untrusting but a little naive when It came to believing people. I am surprised he didn't believe the heroine when she spelled it out for him. But I guess then there would not be angst for the story. Lola was his secretary for two years before they became lovers. She was a virgin too. When she was younger she went to Hollywood and let someone take pictures of her in lingerie and someone sent the pictures to him so he dumped her.over a year later she is dancing with her new boss trying to fight him off really when Rodrigo stepped in. He then found out he had a son and we're off to the HP races. Same old storyline but I loved it. Quick read and the hero was not interested in another woman while they were apart. Loved that. The ending is simply delightful too. I love seeing love make these billionaires behave so smitten. Perfect ending to the series.
December 29, 2018
HE. LEAVES. HER. ON. THE. SIDE. OF. THE. ROAD.
The bodyguard HE hired was the one to come to her rescue and was SO disgusted with him that decided to give him a piece of his mind and quit.
You know you’re a piece of shit when your bodyguard shows zero loyalty to you.
So he kicks her out of the car and leaves her on the side of the road for a crime she didn’t commit.
But he’s tender and caring when he fires his secretary who pulled the whole stunt. He pays her a severance package and will most likely give her a reference. “I’m sorry marnie, you need to find a new job” he said. You can’t kill everyone who annoys you Kiki they said! 🤬
So you’d expect there would be an adequate grovel? Yes?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
😒 oh wait, you thought there would be? really? No dude, no. There shall be no grovel.
2 stars because it was safety gang safe. She was a virgin and he didn’t seem like a manwhore.
The bodyguard HE hired was the one to come to her rescue and was SO disgusted with him that decided to give him a piece of his mind and quit.
You know you’re a piece of shit when your bodyguard shows zero loyalty to you.
So he kicks her out of the car and leaves her on the side of the road for a crime she didn’t commit.
But he’s tender and caring when he fires his secretary who pulled the whole stunt. He pays her a severance package and will most likely give her a reference. “I’m sorry marnie, you need to find a new job” he said. You can’t kill everyone who annoys you Kiki they said! 🤬
So you’d expect there would be an adequate grovel? Yes?
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
😒 oh wait, you thought there would be? really? No dude, no. There shall be no grovel.
2 stars because it was safety gang safe. She was a virgin and he didn’t seem like a manwhore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2019
slsllsksksks these books r so funny I'm weakkkkk.
Him: tRaGiC cHiLdHoDd!1!1!1!!!! I can't love!!! They will hurt me 😰😰😰😰
Her: I loves u daddy but u break me heart. pls luv me bak 😔😞😞😞😩😣
him: fuk u u lying scum. U hurted me!!1!1!11 u cheater!1!1!1!1!!1 but I wills marry u bc u have my chi-ld
her: smaksjskkskskaksksksksksksksksk nooooooo the system is lying to u!!!!1!1!1!1! Pls baby I wud never 😭😭😭😰😰
To be continued.....
and it's 1 am and this is the best my brain can come up with lmao goodnight.
Him: tRaGiC cHiLdHoDd!1!1!1!!!! I can't love!!! They will hurt me 😰😰😰😰
Her: I loves u daddy but u break me heart. pls luv me bak 😔😞😞😞😩😣
him: fuk u u lying scum. U hurted me!!1!1!11 u cheater!1!1!1!1!!1 but I wills marry u bc u have my chi-ld
her: smaksjskkskskaksksksksksksksksk nooooooo the system is lying to u!!!!1!1!1!1! Pls baby I wud never 😭😭😭😰😰
To be continued.....
and it's 1 am and this is the best my brain can come up with lmao goodnight.
July 8, 2019
I finally read the last book of this trilogy and it had all the angst that I love in my HP romances.
A great read for me.
A great read for me.
November 12, 2018
I loved the feisty heroine. She was more patient than I would have ever been but still had a backbone and smart. It was very good book. However, because H was so dumb, I reduced a star.
April 23, 2019
This story was enjoyable enough. I loved Lola's character, but it was strange reading Lola REPEATEDLY talking about or thinking in her head about how she and her friends were all married to billionaires. It was repeated so many times, it had me rolling my eyes. Even though they married uber rich dudes, I cannot imagine anyone in their situation talking like that.
And Rodrigo had to be the most delusional person when it came to his evil assistant.
When it was all said and done though, I couldn't put this story down and it kept me glued to the very sweet ending, despite the idiotic moments in it.
November 8, 2018
3.5
I thought this was good but not great.
Lola want to Hollywood to become an actress but that didn't come to fruition so she ended up working for our hero, handsome Rodrigo. The two become lovers and he finds out some of her past secrets (risqué pictures from when she was 18 and trying to make cash to save her sisters) and feels used and betrayed. He throws her out along with a million dollar check and she doesn't tell him (or unable to tell him) she's pregnant (money will come in handy for the baby).
They meet again at a party and Rodrigo finds out he's a father. He demands that they marry. Each has hang ups they need to deal with. I found the three cheating storyline kind of lame to be honest along with the loco secretary. Kudos to the heroine for being portray as smart and savvy in figuring out the secretary and having a backbone with the ex's.
It was a nice read and entertaining.
October 9, 2018
The best harlequin I've read in a while!
October 11, 2018
4.5 awesome stars !
Strong, fierce heroine melts the heart of stone cold hero who distrusts all women. Add in the adorable baby, a scheming PA secretly obsessed with the hero, and you get a fantastic story.
Strong, fierce heroine melts the heart of stone cold hero who distrusts all women. Add in the adorable baby, a scheming PA secretly obsessed with the hero, and you get a fantastic story.
October 24, 2019
When Rodrigo Cabrera finds out that he's the father of Lola Price's baby, he instantly demands marriage. Although he kicked Lola out a year previously (she took some topless photos back when she was 18 and trying to break into Hollywood, in keeping with the Modern line's slut-shaming ethic), Lola goes along with the idea, as it will provide their son Jett with everything he would ever need.
Rodrigo can never love anybody, ever ever ever, because his previous three fiances all cheated on him, with photographic evidence to boot, and he has trust issues because mommy was a slut and his father wasn't really his father. It was a bit harder to get a bead on Lola's character. At first she wants nothing to do with Rodrigo, but then decides to fight for her marriage.
And that's the main problem with the story: the inconsistency of the hero and heroine. We're often told that Lola is cynical and logical, but all we're shown of her is her being a sobbing, paranoid mess over whether Rodrigo could possibly love her or not. Her turnaround from not wanting the marriage to insisting that Rodrigo treat it like a marriage was a bit quick. As for Rodrigo, I'm not sure how he became a powerful media mogul, because he's the most gullible H on God's green earth that I've seen for some time. If you told this guy he had ovaries, he'd believe you.
The only way most of the conflict in this book arises depends on Rodrigo believing anything that is told to him. Considering that he has bodyguards following Lola everywhere, I couldn't understand why he didn't track down the man/men who seduced his previous three fiances to get the real truth, as truth is what he seems obsessed with. That also goes for when Lola's former boss (who's hot for her, and who Rodrigo continually thinks Lola is seeing despite all evidence to the contrary), when he rocks up uninvited to a party Rodrigo organised.
Truth be told, I thought there was a better connection between Lola and Rodrigo's driver/bodyguard Tobias! She helps him out with his custody issues, and he's the one she calls when Rodrigo vilely kicks her out of his car! He's the one driving her to the airport and ready to quit his job on her behalf! That's what I like to see in my heroes! Not really Rodrigo, who is manhandling Lola so he can get her phone and look at who she's calling. I've worked in restraining orders, and work in court transcripts now, and I can tell you this for certain: that is generally the behaviour of a man who goes on to assault his partner and get a restraining order against him! I don't know what it's doing in a romance book.
Then we have Marnie, Rodrigo's faithful assistant, and the major source of his gullibility. She's behind all the broken engagements because she's obsessed with Rodrigo and wants him for herself. There's no comeuppance for her: she's simply fired and told to get another job. Um, if she's spent 15 years of her life trying to land the man she wants, she's not just going to give up now! I don't see how that's going to prevent the boiling of bunnies a few years from now, or Marnie picking Jett up from school and taking him on a rollercoaster ride...I fear Rodrigo and Lola are going to be looking over their shoulders until that matter is cleared up.
All ridiculousness aside, I enjoyed it. It wasn't boring, like the last Modern I read, and had a good mix of both internal and external conflict, though Rodrigo's idiocy was infuriating.
Rodrigo can never love anybody, ever ever ever, because his previous three fiances all cheated on him, with photographic evidence to boot, and he has trust issues because mommy was a slut and his father wasn't really his father. It was a bit harder to get a bead on Lola's character. At first she wants nothing to do with Rodrigo, but then decides to fight for her marriage.
And that's the main problem with the story: the inconsistency of the hero and heroine. We're often told that Lola is cynical and logical, but all we're shown of her is her being a sobbing, paranoid mess over whether Rodrigo could possibly love her or not. Her turnaround from not wanting the marriage to insisting that Rodrigo treat it like a marriage was a bit quick. As for Rodrigo, I'm not sure how he became a powerful media mogul, because he's the most gullible H on God's green earth that I've seen for some time. If you told this guy he had ovaries, he'd believe you.
The only way most of the conflict in this book arises depends on Rodrigo believing anything that is told to him. Considering that he has bodyguards following Lola everywhere, I couldn't understand why he didn't track down the man/men who seduced his previous three fiances to get the real truth, as truth is what he seems obsessed with. That also goes for when Lola's former boss (who's hot for her, and who Rodrigo continually thinks Lola is seeing despite all evidence to the contrary), when he rocks up uninvited to a party Rodrigo organised.
Truth be told, I thought there was a better connection between Lola and Rodrigo's driver/bodyguard Tobias! She helps him out with his custody issues, and he's the one she calls when Rodrigo vilely kicks her out of his car! He's the one driving her to the airport and ready to quit his job on her behalf! That's what I like to see in my heroes! Not really Rodrigo, who is manhandling Lola so he can get her phone and look at who she's calling. I've worked in restraining orders, and work in court transcripts now, and I can tell you this for certain: that is generally the behaviour of a man who goes on to assault his partner and get a restraining order against him! I don't know what it's doing in a romance book.
Then we have Marnie, Rodrigo's faithful assistant, and the major source of his gullibility. She's behind all the broken engagements because she's obsessed with Rodrigo and wants him for herself. There's no comeuppance for her: she's simply fired and told to get another job. Um, if she's spent 15 years of her life trying to land the man she wants, she's not just going to give up now! I don't see how that's going to prevent the boiling of bunnies a few years from now, or Marnie picking Jett up from school and taking him on a rollercoaster ride...I fear Rodrigo and Lola are going to be looking over their shoulders until that matter is cleared up.
All ridiculousness aside, I enjoyed it. It wasn't boring, like the last Modern I read, and had a good mix of both internal and external conflict, though Rodrigo's idiocy was infuriating.
December 11, 2018
I was not very pleased with the other books in this friends trilogy but this one restored my faith in Jennie Lucas.
We have the trademark secret baby storyline that JL does very well; H and h have an get together, h imagines she is in love and either H is a nematode who kicks her out the next day or he mistrusts her and kicks her out later.
But this one came with the added bonus of Lola; a strong h. To be honest, in her friends stories, she came across as a bitter and distrustful lady and somewhere inside me I didn't like her all that much. But after reading this book, she has ended up as one of the best h's I have come across.
She is cynical, tough and stands up for herself. She doesn't tolerate the H's stupidity and she doesn't not cry. She is also not naive but very quick on her feet. She is also not a victim and fully believes in herself.
H on the other hand is a good guy; he is not a nematode. He has issues but ultimately its obvious that he loves the h; he is just scared to trust.
My only issue and the reason I didn't give 5 stars ... OW needed to be taught a lesson although I loved when h talked straight to her!
A great read and worth the time spent reading it ...
We have the trademark secret baby storyline that JL does very well; H and h have an get together, h imagines she is in love and either H is a nematode who kicks her out the next day or he mistrusts her and kicks her out later.
But this one came with the added bonus of Lola; a strong h. To be honest, in her friends stories, she came across as a bitter and distrustful lady and somewhere inside me I didn't like her all that much. But after reading this book, she has ended up as one of the best h's I have come across.
She is cynical, tough and stands up for herself. She doesn't tolerate the H's stupidity and she doesn't not cry. She is also not naive but very quick on her feet. She is also not a victim and fully believes in herself.
H on the other hand is a good guy; he is not a nematode. He has issues but ultimately its obvious that he loves the h; he is just scared to trust.
My only issue and the reason I didn't give 5 stars ... OW needed to be taught a lesson although I loved when h talked straight to her!
A great read and worth the time spent reading it ...
November 27, 2018
I enjoyed this one! Will re-read.
October 7, 2018
The final book of the triology , Secret heirs of the billionaires. This was Lola 's story, Even I was curious to find out who was her baby's father. Rodrigo was a tormented H who didn't trust anyone. He was harsh and cold. He threw out Lola the minute her 'mistake ' was revealed, despite her being 'pure' when they slept together.Lola was an orphan at 15 years old with two younger sisters,she tried to keep them but money was an issue.She was forced to quit a school and find a career which would help her make the money. She made a bad choice of an agent and was almost raped. Rodrigo didn't want to hear the truth when she tried to tell him, hence losing the chance to find out and knowing about her pregnancy.
Rodrigo was engaged three times in the past clearly pinpointing he needed love and family and with consistent cheating by each of his fiancee he expected the same from Lola.Talk about a H with trust issues....wow! He later discovered Lola had his child and blackmailed her into marriage.
Ironically,the bride and groom wore black! However they both valued their vows. The marriage was shaky they didn't fully trust reach other. Lola met all of his ex fiancee and with a little detective work found out why they cheated her husband when they were engaged. Lola eventually solved the mystery on what was fuelling her husband's mistrust, Lola was set up by none other than Rodrigo' s assistant who was 'in obsession' with him. However with a setup to cause trouble for the MC the assistant manager to resurrect an old admirer of Lola creating a scene where Rodrigo thought she cheated him also. He again abandon Lola and with the help of his loyal bodyguard,she was reunited with her son and she left Rodrigo for good .
After his got temper cooled and life began again, Rodrigo finally faced reality, Lola was genuine and he chose fear than to believe and trust her. He couldn't go on living without her and his son. The couple reunited in a romantic setting in Time square New York on the brink of New Years Day!!!!I thoroughly enjoyed the series and this one is my favourite..Well done Ms Lucas!!!!
Rodrigo was engaged three times in the past clearly pinpointing he needed love and family and with consistent cheating by each of his fiancee he expected the same from Lola.Talk about a H with trust issues....wow! He later discovered Lola had his child and blackmailed her into marriage.
Ironically,the bride and groom wore black! However they both valued their vows. The marriage was shaky they didn't fully trust reach other. Lola met all of his ex fiancee and with a little detective work found out why they cheated her husband when they were engaged. Lola eventually solved the mystery on what was fuelling her husband's mistrust, Lola was set up by none other than Rodrigo' s assistant who was 'in obsession' with him. However with a setup to cause trouble for the MC the assistant manager to resurrect an old admirer of Lola creating a scene where Rodrigo thought she cheated him also. He again abandon Lola and with the help of his loyal bodyguard,she was reunited with her son and she left Rodrigo for good .
After his got temper cooled and life began again, Rodrigo finally faced reality, Lola was genuine and he chose fear than to believe and trust her. He couldn't go on living without her and his son. The couple reunited in a romantic setting in Time square New York on the brink of New Years Day!!!!I thoroughly enjoyed the series and this one is my favourite..Well done Ms Lucas!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2020
I loved this but I hate hate hated that he and never had to grovel. Walking on broken glass would have been to good for him. The h was fantastic even though she gave in easily for the most part, but forgiving that too easily lost... one star. Maybe even two but the angst was awesome.
February 8, 2024
This was horrible. The hero is not only an utter jerk - he's stupid.
He distrusts Lola for no good reason and despite knowing she was a virgin and despite having bodyguards trailing her, believes everything bad about her, taking the word of the awful Marnie, who is clearly a bunny boiler in waiting.
And to make matters worse, at the end, she gets away scot-free.
It all makes the hero look utterly stupid and unworldly that he can be fooled for so long.
He distrusts Lola for no good reason and despite knowing she was a virgin and despite having bodyguards trailing her, believes everything bad about her, taking the word of the awful Marnie, who is clearly a bunny boiler in waiting.
And to make matters worse, at the end, she gets away scot-free.
It all makes the hero look utterly stupid and unworldly that he can be fooled for so long.
September 21, 2022
An ok HP. This is an office romance/secret baby romance...I didn't really feel the chemistry between the heroine and hero. I did like they spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other. The discovery of the relationship sabotager was good drama. I liked the focus of the story didn't stay long on that drama. There was no epilogue and that was ok because the last chapter showed all the couples in this series together happy with their children...a nice ending!
July 10, 2019
This book is my favourite of the trilogy. Both MCs were not your typical HP type but I liked that they were different. Great emotional read with a no nonsense heroine and a swoonworthy hero. Well done, Jennie Lucas.
February 16, 2020
"The Baby the Billionaire Demands" is the story of Lola and Rodrigo.
This book had a similar plot to a recent JL by coincidence- the book begining with the H realizing his paternity after having impregnated, and subsequently fired the secretary h due to a dubious reason. However, this read took a different route- we had a money loving h who had loads of childhood trauma and yearning, a super judgemental H whose trust issues mounted up to Everest, a psycho OW, loads of conspiracy and a barely satisfying ending. I was kinda disappointed with this one and definitely skimmed over many parts.
SWE
2/5
This book had a similar plot to a recent JL by coincidence- the book begining with the H realizing his paternity after having impregnated, and subsequently fired the secretary h due to a dubious reason. However, this read took a different route- we had a money loving h who had loads of childhood trauma and yearning, a super judgemental H whose trust issues mounted up to Everest, a psycho OW, loads of conspiracy and a barely satisfying ending. I was kinda disappointed with this one and definitely skimmed over many parts.
SWE
2/5
April 10, 2024
Good but so pat with all the loose ends neatly tied in bows and a ping sugary ending. Bleah. H never thought to wonder when three, 3! Engagements ended abruptly? H never wondered how h remained a virgin when she was supposedly sleeping around for movie parts? H just assumed his wife wanted nothing more than an OTT mansion and work party for Christmas based on her sharing an old dream she had to be rich and have a family like the people who owned the mansion. He sure didn’t know her.
March 12, 2019
I liked the heroine yet didn't like the hero. Yeah, I know he had been betrayed by several women (including her mother) in the past. But, come on. How could he be that jerk to dump the heroine twice?! And at the end, there was not enough groveling from the hero. I want more!
Overall, it's a pretty good story. Quite engaging.
Overall, it's a pretty good story. Quite engaging.
August 30, 2020
This is the third and final book that follows three best friends as they hook-up then get knocked-up by different billionaires. #luckybitches. The first book is The Secret the Italian Claims, and second book is The Heir the Prince Secures, all by J. Lucas, but can also be read as standalones.
At first, I was hesitant to read this one, because frankly I found Lola judgmental & bitchy in the other two books, and I’m not a huge fan of prickly h’s. Lola does start out a bit hostile, but she simmers down pretty quickly, and we’re left with a smart AND tough heroine…woohoo! I LOVED how she dressed-down the wannabe OW. So, no worries… there’s no hostile h here!! It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of the “you hurt me so I’m not telling you about your kid” trope, but I did think she was smart for taking the million and cashing it rather than living in squalor with her pride.
Rodigo is a bit of a stupid head, and it takes him a while to get with the program, and open his eyes to his scheming assistant. He’s also a jellybean… hard on the outside with a gooey center, which was a nice change. In the end, insecurities are conquered and HEA’s are obtained.
Bottom Line- This one’s pretty entertaining, and the final “get it together” scene was pretty epic… Lola whipping out that ring was just as good as “you had me at hello” !!
At first, I was hesitant to read this one, because frankly I found Lola judgmental & bitchy in the other two books, and I’m not a huge fan of prickly h’s. Lola does start out a bit hostile, but she simmers down pretty quickly, and we’re left with a smart AND tough heroine…woohoo! I LOVED how she dressed-down the wannabe OW. So, no worries… there’s no hostile h here!! It’s no secret that I’m not a huge fan of the “you hurt me so I’m not telling you about your kid” trope, but I did think she was smart for taking the million and cashing it rather than living in squalor with her pride.
Rodigo is a bit of a stupid head, and it takes him a while to get with the program, and open his eyes to his scheming assistant. He’s also a jellybean… hard on the outside with a gooey center, which was a nice change. In the end, insecurities are conquered and HEA’s are obtained.
Bottom Line- This one’s pretty entertaining, and the final “get it together” scene was pretty epic… Lola whipping out that ring was just as good as “you had me at hello” !!
November 21, 2018
Standalone/Cliffhanger: Standalone
Ages of H and h:
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail: N/A
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: No
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I felt like Marnie (wannabe OW) got off very very lightly considering she'd nearly ruined Rodrigo's life 4 times. I really liked that Lola didn't keep thing a hidden confronted it heads on
Personally, Rodrigo should've begged on his knees for Lola after kicking her out of his in the middle of nowhere.
Ages of H and h:
Multi-Luv'n/Ménages:
Was There Descriptive Sex:
Descriptive Sex &/Or Drama Between H/h With OW/OM:
>>If So, Before or After H/h Hookup:
Contains Cheating:
Amount of Sex In The Book:
HEA/HFN/etc Ending:
Will This Meet My 'Safety Gang' Buddies' Approval:
Any Triggers/Warnings: No
>>Detail: N/A
Do You Recommend This Book: Yes.
Will You Re-read This Book: No
Would You Read More Books By This Author: Yes
My Thoughts
I felt like Marnie (wannabe OW) got off very very lightly considering she'd nearly ruined Rodrigo's life 4 times. I really liked that Lola didn't keep thing a hidden confronted it heads on
Personally, Rodrigo should've begged on his knees for Lola after kicking her out of his in the middle of nowhere.
November 30, 2018
Dang. After reading Ivy's review, I was expecting an awesome angst-filled story, with a strong heroine.
I definitely got the latter: Lola was whip-smart and practical, demonstrated by how she read through the terms of the pre-nuptial agreement until she got what she wanted out of it, and how she valued money above spurning it (especially in light of how she grew up without money). She was also more than capable of standing up for herself in front of men who wanted to own her or do wrong by her (with the exception of the H, Rodrigo, of course).
The former though? I felt it lacking. Instead of a story where both Rodrigo and Lola tried to get to the bottom of what had happened to Rodrigo's last three failed engagements, we were treated instead to Rodrigo, denying his love for Lola in every turn. It's one thing not to recognise it, but it's another thing to not acknowledge it and instead run away from it. EVERY single one of his actions demonstrated his love, but he was too chicken to admit to Lola let alone himself. It got so repetitive I was ready to either tear my hair out or sit him down and talk reason into him!
Then to tie things off, it felt weird to have Marnie completely capitulate and admit to her nefarious actions. I was surprised that she didn't at least stall for time, and try to blame the other fiancées first. Honestly, if you did something "naughty", why would you want to admit to it right off the bat? Meh.
Lola and Rodrigo were rather cute together (not to mention that anytime the wives and husbands from the trilogy appeared in the book as a group, it was really sweet and awesome), but ultimately, because of those two factors, it reduced my enjoyment of the story quite significantly.
I definitely got the latter: Lola was whip-smart and practical, demonstrated by how she read through the terms of the pre-nuptial agreement until she got what she wanted out of it, and how she valued money above spurning it (especially in light of how she grew up without money). She was also more than capable of standing up for herself in front of men who wanted to own her or do wrong by her (with the exception of the H, Rodrigo, of course).
The former though? I felt it lacking. Instead of a story where both Rodrigo and Lola tried to get to the bottom of what had happened to Rodrigo's last three failed engagements, we were treated instead to Rodrigo, denying his love for Lola in every turn. It's one thing not to recognise it, but it's another thing to not acknowledge it and instead run away from it. EVERY single one of his actions demonstrated his love, but he was too chicken to admit to Lola let alone himself. It got so repetitive I was ready to either tear my hair out or sit him down and talk reason into him!
Then to tie things off, it felt weird to have Marnie completely capitulate and admit to her nefarious actions. I was surprised that she didn't at least stall for time, and try to blame the other fiancées first. Honestly, if you did something "naughty", why would you want to admit to it right off the bat? Meh.
Lola and Rodrigo were rather cute together (not to mention that anytime the wives and husbands from the trilogy appeared in the book as a group, it was really sweet and awesome), but ultimately, because of those two factors, it reduced my enjoyment of the story quite significantly.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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December 30, 2018The extent of what Marnie McAdam did, was terrifying, i think, someone like her at large is harmful to the society. I can't even enjoy the HEA because i think when there's a marnie like that, well, i hope his billions can save them before any comebacks passes her crazy head!
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