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The Petrakos Bride
Maddie idolized Giannis Petrakos, who hadlavished money on the charity that had caredfor Maddie's twin sister—and was sinfullygorgeous. Now Maddie has a lowly job atPetrakos industries.
Soon Giannis demanded she be his mistress,for as long as he wanted her. Because whenGiannis finally married he wanted a wifemore suited to his wealth and class….
Soon Giannis demanded she be his mistress,for as long as he wanted her. Because whenGiannis finally married he wanted a wifemore suited to his wealth and class….
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2007
About the author
Lynne Graham
1,821 books1,464 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 137 reviews
October 16, 2022
Re-read. I wanted to re-read to see how LG managed to redeem the hero who cheated on his fiance with the heroine. (Heroine didn't have an inkling he was engaged)
I think the opening with the hero's great-grandmother showed that hero had been raised with some values and that he would eventually find his truth. It took a long time - most of the story - for the hero to dial back his alpha caveman businessman ways. I was more intrigued with the hero than the heroine this time - he was the one who had to change in order to have an HEA. OW was also entertaining and awful.
original review:
This is the one where the heroine, as a temporary employee, is pressed into serving tea at the hero's board-meeting. In her excitement at seeing the man whose charity had given her dying sister her final wish, she trips over a wire and sends a laptop crashing to the ground, ruining the presentation. The board-meeting is cancelled. Heroine returns to apologize and find the hero changing in his private quarters. H/h are overcome by lust. Heroine is a virgin but manages to give the H the best sex of his life.
He is haunted by her, but he has Business Things To DO so they don't see each other for a few weeks while the heroine worries about pregnancy. He brings her to his estate in Morocco, where they have another hot night of sex and then heroine finds out he's engaged. Wanting no part of cheating, she leaves, finds out she's pregnant and then hides for a few months.
The rest of the story is the H/h working out wedding plans, building and then losing trust, and dealing with the H's crazy ex. There's a nice bookend with the great-grandmother of the prologue approving of the fertile h.
A typical Lynne Graham story. And that's a compliment.
I think the opening with the hero's great-grandmother showed that hero had been raised with some values and that he would eventually find his truth. It took a long time - most of the story - for the hero to dial back his alpha caveman businessman ways. I was more intrigued with the hero than the heroine this time - he was the one who had to change in order to have an HEA. OW was also entertaining and awful.
original review:
This is the one where the heroine, as a temporary employee, is pressed into serving tea at the hero's board-meeting. In her excitement at seeing the man whose charity had given her dying sister her final wish, she trips over a wire and sends a laptop crashing to the ground, ruining the presentation. The board-meeting is cancelled. Heroine returns to apologize and find the hero changing in his private quarters. H/h are overcome by lust. Heroine is a virgin but manages to give the H the best sex of his life.
He is haunted by her, but he has Business Things To DO so they don't see each other for a few weeks while the heroine worries about pregnancy. He brings her to his estate in Morocco, where they have another hot night of sex and then heroine finds out he's engaged. Wanting no part of cheating, she leaves, finds out she's pregnant and then hides for a few months.
The rest of the story is the H/h working out wedding plans, building and then losing trust, and dealing with the H's crazy ex. There's a nice bookend with the great-grandmother of the prologue approving of the fertile h.
A typical Lynne Graham story. And that's a compliment.
October 14, 2017
I hesitate to give this a 4 star rating, but it was so much fun that YES!
Giannis, the insert eye roll so called hero is such a jerk. He's arrogant, deceitful, manipulative, selfish, arrogant (it needs to be said again) and has the morals of a bad alley cat. I loved him. For every manwhore/ass-hat plot, ploy or maneuver the H tries, the heroine's morals, outrage and dismay over his behavior trumps him. Giannis doesn't know whether he's coming or going.
Anyhoo, Maddie is a quintessential sweet and curvy LG heroine. Sweet, moral and blah blah, blah. She is overwhelmed by Giannis and ends up having a one night stand that leads him to offer her the great jump off spot of mistress. Nope, she's not having any of it and turns him away at every point. She finally agrees to get to know him a little better so flies to Morocco to stay at the castle he renovated. I feel stupid just writing that sentence.
After a discussion on the importance of sexual fidelity where Maddie makes it very clear where she stands, Giannis, sexy snake that he is, shrugs aside that inconvenient entity known as a conscience that allows him to forget all about the blonde hanger he's engaged to back in Greece. Sadly for Maddie's conscience and Giannis' plans to get Maddie entrenched as the eternal side piece, the fiancee calls the next morning and the h answers the phone. Morocco trip is OVER.
Maddie goes home to London to lick her wounds and take a pregnancy test because she's a LG heroine and her fertility is epic. And let's not forget our great big Greek hero and his virility. Yep, it's twins. Giannis tracks her down again to reiterate his offer of mistress. Apparently she just doesn't get it how awesome the offer is as this is how things are done where he's from. Actually she does get it and is hurt because she's now become part of a cheating incident she had no choice in, and, more importantly, because she's not good enough. He doesn't come out and say it, but she reads it between the lines. She does what any sensible h would do. Leaves.
Due to complications, Maddie contacts Giannis again, and they wind down the road to matrimony. He's ditched his fiancee who chooses to throw herself into the mix every chance she gets so we get a little evil OW action. The path to wedded bliss is rocky: the H is miffed as he is doing all the wedding planning, the prenup doesn't go off as he hoped, and the h exhibits a take it or leave it attitude that up until now has been the H's domain.
All is well with out besotted hero, and this is one of few Harlequins where the h gives the H a run for his money. Closest to The Spanish Groom which I loved as well.
Re-read
Just as much fun this time around especially comparing it to another Lynne Graham Reluctant Mistress, Blackmailed Wife that is falling short with a disappearing hero and a heroine with no spine. Petrakos Bride works because the heroine has enough self-respect to say no, and the hero really, really wants her. Plus best prenup negotiation ever.
Giannis, the insert eye roll so called hero is such a jerk. He's arrogant, deceitful, manipulative, selfish, arrogant (it needs to be said again) and has the morals of a bad alley cat. I loved him. For every manwhore/ass-hat plot, ploy or maneuver the H tries, the heroine's morals, outrage and dismay over his behavior trumps him. Giannis doesn't know whether he's coming or going.
Anyhoo, Maddie is a quintessential sweet and curvy LG heroine. Sweet, moral and blah blah, blah. She is overwhelmed by Giannis and ends up having a one night stand that leads him to offer her the great jump off spot of mistress. Nope, she's not having any of it and turns him away at every point. She finally agrees to get to know him a little better so flies to Morocco to stay at the castle he renovated. I feel stupid just writing that sentence.
After a discussion on the importance of sexual fidelity where Maddie makes it very clear where she stands, Giannis, sexy snake that he is, shrugs aside that inconvenient entity known as a conscience that allows him to forget all about the blonde hanger he's engaged to back in Greece. Sadly for Maddie's conscience and Giannis' plans to get Maddie entrenched as the eternal side piece, the fiancee calls the next morning and the h answers the phone. Morocco trip is OVER.
Maddie goes home to London to lick her wounds and take a pregnancy test because she's a LG heroine and her fertility is epic. And let's not forget our great big Greek hero and his virility. Yep, it's twins. Giannis tracks her down again to reiterate his offer of mistress. Apparently she just doesn't get it how awesome the offer is as this is how things are done where he's from. Actually she does get it and is hurt because she's now become part of a cheating incident she had no choice in, and, more importantly, because she's not good enough. He doesn't come out and say it, but she reads it between the lines. She does what any sensible h would do. Leaves.
Due to complications, Maddie contacts Giannis again, and they wind down the road to matrimony. He's ditched his fiancee who chooses to throw herself into the mix every chance she gets so we get a little evil OW action. The path to wedded bliss is rocky: the H is miffed as he is doing all the wedding planning, the prenup doesn't go off as he hoped, and the h exhibits a take it or leave it attitude that up until now has been the H's domain.
All is well with out besotted hero, and this is one of few Harlequins where the h gives the H a run for his money. Closest to The Spanish Groom which I loved as well.
Re-read
Just as much fun this time around especially comparing it to another Lynne Graham Reluctant Mistress, Blackmailed Wife that is falling short with a disappearing hero and a heroine with no spine. Petrakos Bride works because the heroine has enough self-respect to say no, and the hero really, really wants her. Plus best prenup negotiation ever.
December 6, 2018
I have to give 5 stars to this book! The main character is called Giannis like my husband hahaha
This is such a common Greek name, but it is so hard to find it in books.
Other than than I truly enjoyed the story of the manwhore, Giannis, and the curvy girl, Maddie.
This is such a common Greek name, but it is so hard to find it in books.
Other than than I truly enjoyed the story of the manwhore, Giannis, and the curvy girl, Maddie.
March 27, 2018
2.5 stars read.
The cheating and his lack of remorse, understanding and conscience just wouldn’t allow me to round it up.
He actually didn’t understand the need of fidelity on his end, which makes him worse than an alley cat, it only took heroine threatening with the mental image of herself with someone else to FINALLY knock some sense into his otherwise empty skull. But then the fidelity was triggered by jealousy so I’m not sure I believe it’d last through the full duration of marriage.
His dismissal of OW was just callous for lack of better word. Whatever she may have been, his silence has encouraged her behaviour. If he found her nagging and annoying HE needed to speak up and do something about it. She wasn’t a mind reader who can just figure out what you need. Later they made her out to be a villainous character to redeem the hero, which was a fail for me. Because it’s not the honest justification. he DIDN’T know about her vices, he would have acted exactly how he did because it suited him even if she didn’t have violence and drug issues. Because as he didn’t know about it, for all purposes and intents, THAT is exactly what he has done. Cheated on an innocent understanding victim and then discarded her callously. So no, his treatment of the ex was NEVER justified.
Heroine however was definitely a good heroine. For once I understand why she fell in lust with the hero. She had a puppy crush and hero worshipped this tomcat. Except the moment she realised her angel has feet of clay, she took the blinkers off and dealt with reality. She’d have been way more mature and probably would have reformed this hero and teach him couple more lessons without the aide of pregnancy if he didn’t make her an unaware participant of adultery. The best comeuppance the hero got was when she explained WHY she even slept with him (hero worship) and why she’s leaving him (because he in truth is a person not worthy of her respect). That actually cut the hero down his knees. Then she also explained in no uncertain terms that yes, now she understands heroes don’t exist in real life, but mere mortals who are decent, respectful, respectable, trustworthy and faithful do exist, and this tomcat is not one of them.
The third blow was when he was trying to insult her after she came forward with pregnancy by asking her where her morals and principles were now, he realised that she came to him by abandoning them and might settle with him for the sake of the baby, but in that case what does that make him?
However, I still can’t make myself round this up.
The cheating and his lack of remorse, understanding and conscience just wouldn’t allow me to round it up.
He actually didn’t understand the need of fidelity on his end, which makes him worse than an alley cat, it only took heroine threatening with the mental image of herself with someone else to FINALLY knock some sense into his otherwise empty skull. But then the fidelity was triggered by jealousy so I’m not sure I believe it’d last through the full duration of marriage.
His dismissal of OW was just callous for lack of better word. Whatever she may have been, his silence has encouraged her behaviour. If he found her nagging and annoying HE needed to speak up and do something about it. She wasn’t a mind reader who can just figure out what you need. Later they made her out to be a villainous character to redeem the hero, which was a fail for me. Because it’s not the honest justification. he DIDN’T know about her vices, he would have acted exactly how he did because it suited him even if she didn’t have violence and drug issues. Because as he didn’t know about it, for all purposes and intents, THAT is exactly what he has done. Cheated on an innocent understanding victim and then discarded her callously. So no, his treatment of the ex was NEVER justified.
Heroine however was definitely a good heroine. For once I understand why she fell in lust with the hero. She had a puppy crush and hero worshipped this tomcat. Except the moment she realised her angel has feet of clay, she took the blinkers off and dealt with reality. She’d have been way more mature and probably would have reformed this hero and teach him couple more lessons without the aide of pregnancy if he didn’t make her an unaware participant of adultery. The best comeuppance the hero got was when she explained WHY she even slept with him (hero worship) and why she’s leaving him (because he in truth is a person not worthy of her respect). That actually cut the hero down his knees. Then she also explained in no uncertain terms that yes, now she understands heroes don’t exist in real life, but mere mortals who are decent, respectful, respectable, trustworthy and faithful do exist, and this tomcat is not one of them.
The third blow was when he was trying to insult her after she came forward with pregnancy by asking her where her morals and principles were now, he realised that she came to him by abandoning them and might settle with him for the sake of the baby, but in that case what does that make him?
However, I still can’t make myself round this up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2017
A must for all LG fans! I have read this no less than 10 times!
August 12, 2019
"The Petrakos Bride" is the story of Maddie and Giannis.
Oh hell yeah!
A super obsessed and oblivious hero, a witty and strong curvy heroine, loads of hot hot lovemaking, a surprise V card and bun in the oven, some OW drama, a marriage of legitimacy, confessions and HEA!
One of the best LGs out there. I totally adored how fierce the heroine was, and how she called out the hero whenever he did anything wrong- and as for the hero- one look at the heroine and he was a goner.
Great read!
Safe
4/5
Oh hell yeah!
A super obsessed and oblivious hero, a witty and strong curvy heroine, loads of hot hot lovemaking, a surprise V card and bun in the oven, some OW drama, a marriage of legitimacy, confessions and HEA!
One of the best LGs out there. I totally adored how fierce the heroine was, and how she called out the hero whenever he did anything wrong- and as for the hero- one look at the heroine and he was a goner.
Great read!
Safe
4/5
September 15, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. It has enough angst, drama, and passion to keep the readers interested! It hit me in all the right spots!
RE-READ: September 20, 2017
Maddie idolized Gianni ever since the day he made her twin sister happy during her dying days. And when she saw him again, Maddie couldn't help but succumb to Gianni's sexual power without any idea that he was engaged. Gianni didn't sleep around, but whenever he's around the sexy little red-headed Maggie, he can't control himself. He can't get enough of her. Maddie allowed him to sweep her off her feet and accompanied him to Morocco for a sex marathon.
But when she learned of his engagement, she was appalled, hurt, and ashamed of what she had done. So she left him, and when she discovered she was pregnant, Maddie had no choice but to ask for Gianni's help. And she ended up marrying her baby's father. (Aren't they always? That was usually the case whenever the heroine got pregnant, right?)
Gianni Petrakos is your typical standard of an alpha male-incredibly gorgeous, super mega-rich, sexy and virile, domineering, possessive, arrogant, and too full of himself, thinking he's a God gift to women. It's hard to like Gianni at first because I'm not really fond of cheating on a hero, either on the heroine or with the heroine. Before meeting Maddie, Gianni was content with his chosen bride because he knew she would never demand more than he was prepared to give. But that all changed with Maggie. He pursued her while being engaged to another woman. I wouldn't say I like the way he callously disregards his fiancee. I know that he didn't love her, but I think he still should have respected her.
And there are times that I really want to hit him for being such a b*stard, but as the story progressed and I learned about his past, I began to understand him, and I slowly came to love Gianni because, even though he sometimes acted arrogantly, he still had a soft side that won me over. And besides, I liked that he always fought with her but eventually gave in and let Maddie have her way. He's such a softie.
At first, I was kind of irritated with Maddie for being such a weak human being when it came to Gianni. But I still found her sweet and endearing and honestly true. And I liked that she held onto her principles when it came to fidelity and wouldn't tolerate it. So, despite her feelings for Gianni, she walked out on him. *Atta girl!*
Even though I don't like the cheating hero, I still enjoyed The Petrakos Bride. It had its funny, sexy, and poignant moments. There's also strong characterization, great sexual tension, tender but hot, steamy sex scenes, a happily ever after, and an EPILOGUE.
July 15, 2021
Here we have a cheating hero. He cheats with heroine on his girlfriend and thinks it's all right because it is an arranged marriage. He doesn't tell the heroine he's getting married. They have an explosive encounter in his office- she's our usual sl***y virgin LG heroine, who gives up at her first meeting with the hero... no comment...- then he offers her a weekend with him in Greece, and she accepts. There, after two days full of passion, she finds out he's engaged and he doesn't deny. For him it's all regular to have a wife and a mistress, and doesn't think the heroine will leave him. She tells him that she thought of him as a hero since, years ago, he offered money for the charity who paid for her sister's illness. And then leaves him. The hero tries to find her, but she left town and he can't find her. He then breaks his engagement. Months later the heroine finds out she's pregnant and since she's destitute and she knows that now he's free, she calls him and tells him she's pregnant. The hero offers to provide for her, and have her followed so she won't disappear again. He proposes marriage, and she accepts. Then he sends his lawyer with a pre-nup agreement where he will retain custody of their children if the marriage ends. She is very angry because she thinks that he is implying that the marriage will surely end and that he will cheat on her. So she refuses the clause. They quarrel and he refuses to accept her requirements. Afterwards he accepts and tells her they won't need any agreement. They get married and there's some ow drama when his ex in an interview says that they are still lovers.
The heroine confront the hero and he declares that he is madly in love with her. Cute HEA.
The hero was really a basket case, we all understand that he fell hard for her since their first meeting, because he's always looking for her, every time she leaves him he's the one to go back to her, and we all understand that he leaves his fiancee because of the heroine. Everybody but him. Actually he's not very gifted on the intellectually side, and it was really entertaining to see his inability to say the right things to the heroine, he always got wrong and then he had to think very hard about what he said and what he did wrong. Poor heroine, I thought all the time. She will have to tell him everything because he will never be getting there by himself!
He was selfish and annoying in the beginning and I didn't like him cheating on his fiancee.
But what I liked less was how he didn't reassure her when she asked him if he would be faithful. He didn't tell her he would be a faithful husband because he didn't want anybody tell him what to do. What??? They were getting married! It's the minimum required! That was really unpleasant.
I loved the heroine, she was not a doormat and she was infatuated with hero because she remembered that he paid for her twin's cure when she was a teenager so she really viewed him as a hero, then she realized that he's no hero but man and a flawed one! The hero was as hard as a brick but eventually he was cute, because he did all he could to keep her by his side. That was really entertaining!
The heroine confront the hero and he declares that he is madly in love with her. Cute HEA.
The hero was really a basket case, we all understand that he fell hard for her since their first meeting, because he's always looking for her, every time she leaves him he's the one to go back to her, and we all understand that he leaves his fiancee because of the heroine. Everybody but him. Actually he's not very gifted on the intellectually side, and it was really entertaining to see his inability to say the right things to the heroine, he always got wrong and then he had to think very hard about what he said and what he did wrong. Poor heroine, I thought all the time. She will have to tell him everything because he will never be getting there by himself!
He was selfish and annoying in the beginning and I didn't like him cheating on his fiancee.
But what I liked less was how he didn't reassure her when she asked him if he would be faithful. He didn't tell her he would be a faithful husband because he didn't want anybody tell him what to do. What??? They were getting married! It's the minimum required! That was really unpleasant.
I loved the heroine, she was not a doormat and she was infatuated with hero because she remembered that he paid for her twin's cure when she was a teenager so she really viewed him as a hero, then she realized that he's no hero but man and a flawed one! The hero was as hard as a brick but eventually he was cute, because he did all he could to keep her by his side. That was really entertaining!
February 3, 2025
Re-read and still 4 stars. I liked h dumped him when she learned his engagement and when she did not sign prenuptial without reading it.
December 29, 2014
Nothing particularly wrong with this one, just nothing particularly memorable.
At first I was pretty into it, because the sexist, womanizing H seemed to make me think I was heading into gloriously offensive wallbanger territory. However, the 2nd half was kinda blah.
I think I need to take a break from Graham again. She re-uses the same plot over and over again and while that's somewhat expected in HPLandia, it is more pronounced in some authors. Sara Craven is another that I have to space out for the same reasons.
In some cases, Graham books are highly entertaining and with others - using practically the same plot - they are average to boring. It's like she has an outline and tweaks it just enough to make it a new book. Sometimes the tweaks work, sometimes they don't. This one was somewhere in the middle.
Here's my LG checklist.
Heroine spent most of her early years caring for sick relatives, homeless animals, lepers, street urchins or all of the above and is therefore very inexperienced in love.
Heroine is a poor working class English girl with a sunny attitude, old-fashioned morals, and a say it like it is way of speaking. Sort of a Mary Sue, but usually likeable.
Heroine is short and busty.
Heroine inadvertently becomes a womanizing foreign tycoon's mistress.
Heroine is extremely fertile and always panics and runs once the pregnancy test comes up positive.
Shake and stir and add a few different spices (and an evil OW) and viola, she has a new book.
At first I was pretty into it, because the sexist, womanizing H seemed to make me think I was heading into gloriously offensive wallbanger territory. However, the 2nd half was kinda blah.
I think I need to take a break from Graham again. She re-uses the same plot over and over again and while that's somewhat expected in HPLandia, it is more pronounced in some authors. Sara Craven is another that I have to space out for the same reasons.
In some cases, Graham books are highly entertaining and with others - using practically the same plot - they are average to boring. It's like she has an outline and tweaks it just enough to make it a new book. Sometimes the tweaks work, sometimes they don't. This one was somewhere in the middle.
Here's my LG checklist.
Heroine spent most of her early years caring for sick relatives, homeless animals, lepers, street urchins or all of the above and is therefore very inexperienced in love.
Heroine is a poor working class English girl with a sunny attitude, old-fashioned morals, and a say it like it is way of speaking. Sort of a Mary Sue, but usually likeable.
Heroine is short and busty.
Heroine inadvertently becomes a womanizing foreign tycoon's mistress.
Heroine is extremely fertile and always panics and runs once the pregnancy test comes up positive.
Shake and stir and add a few different spices (and an evil OW) and viola, she has a new book.
March 31, 2020
This was another typical Graham romance in terms of themes, plot, and characterization but, hey, she has a formula that works so why fix a wheel that's not broken. One such staple was the hot passion and chemistry simmering between the protagonists.
Maddie, although insecure, seemed less of a doormat than some of the author's other heroines. Even though she succumbed to Giannis's charms quickly, Maddie fought hard afterwards to maintain her moral standards and to prevent Giannis from taking total advantage of her.
In spite of Giannis's protestations that he didn't do emotions like love or ever desired to father children, the man had it b-a-a-d for Maddie. It apparently just took the right woman to change his mind. Gotta' love the power of love!
Maddie, although insecure, seemed less of a doormat than some of the author's other heroines. Even though she succumbed to Giannis's charms quickly, Maddie fought hard afterwards to maintain her moral standards and to prevent Giannis from taking total advantage of her.
In spite of Giannis's protestations that he didn't do emotions like love or ever desired to father children, the man had it b-a-a-d for Maddie. It apparently just took the right woman to change his mind. Gotta' love the power of love!
October 12, 2019
There is something charming about this story, it’s hero and heroine.
I loved hero’s irrational behavior when heroine left him. I loved his pride and the way heroine fought back and took a stand.
She was a typical Lynn Graham heroine except this time I liked her name.
Though it bothered me a great deal in the beginning that hero was engaged when he started a relationship with heroine now I skip that part. It also helped that he was never intimate with the OW and didn’t particularly liked her.
I decided to up the stars as I have reread this many times.
Recommended.
I loved hero’s irrational behavior when heroine left him. I loved his pride and the way heroine fought back and took a stand.
She was a typical Lynn Graham heroine except this time I liked her name.
Though it bothered me a great deal in the beginning that hero was engaged when he started a relationship with heroine now I skip that part. It also helped that he was never intimate with the OW and didn’t particularly liked her.
I decided to up the stars as I have reread this many times.
Recommended.
March 21, 2013
4 stars!
Giannis Petrakos is Maddie's hero. He had visited her twin sister in the hospital before she died and he gave her hope. Since then Maddie has a crush on him, unrequited of course until he finally notices her. She works at Petrakos industries but her job is a lowly job she is not wealthy or glamorous. Their love affair ends too soon when the heroine finds out the hero is engaged to be married. Weeks later she finds herself pregnant which means she has to contact Giannis.
I loved the characters. Maddie seems vulnerable at first but as the relationship evolves she turns into a feisty and independent woman. She is confident and teases the hero constantly which amused me greatly. Giannis is very attentive caring and affectionate. Had he not been that secretive he could save himself all this angst. But then again without drama this book would not be that enjoyable!
Giannis Petrakos is Maddie's hero. He had visited her twin sister in the hospital before she died and he gave her hope. Since then Maddie has a crush on him, unrequited of course until he finally notices her. She works at Petrakos industries but her job is a lowly job she is not wealthy or glamorous. Their love affair ends too soon when the heroine finds out the hero is engaged to be married. Weeks later she finds herself pregnant which means she has to contact Giannis.
I loved the characters. Maddie seems vulnerable at first but as the relationship evolves she turns into a feisty and independent woman. She is confident and teases the hero constantly which amused me greatly. Giannis is very attentive caring and affectionate. Had he not been that secretive he could save himself all this angst. But then again without drama this book would not be that enjoyable!
September 28, 2020
3.5 “Medium Suds” Stars
Let’s address the cheating, because that seems to be the typical hang-up. The H (Giannis) is recently engaged, (major press coverage) and has had two mistresses. (only mentioned) The fiancée (Krista) is portrayed as selfish and vain, and admits that she doesn’t love him. She’s aware and encourages him to seek others for sex, because she’d prefer not to be sweaty or mess up her hair… eyeroll… She’s actually totally fine if G keeps Maddie as a side-piece, as long as she gets to be Mrs. Petrakos. For his part, he doesn’t love her either; they are both planning on living separately. There’s no kissing/sexytime between the two.
Maddie is pretty naïve/clueless, and may be the only person unaware of his engagement, but IMO she’s not a complete doormat. She stands up for her beliefs. (at least until she decides to marry G just so Krista can’t) LOL:) In the end, G sees the light… becomes a changed man, and the couple rides off into the sunset w/ a cute epilogue 18months in the future.
Bottom Line- I found this pretty typical HP. Giannis is the classic chauvinist with his “Greek” ideals, and needs Maddie to show him the way. Thankfully, with her progressive ideas on fidelity, and proven fertility record; she’s the perfect gal for the job. In my head the evil Krista was the OW, so their relationship never really bothered me. I found her an awful and entertaining OW; she has zero redeeming qualities.
Let’s address the cheating, because that seems to be the typical hang-up. The H (Giannis) is recently engaged, (major press coverage) and has had two mistresses. (only mentioned) The fiancée (Krista) is portrayed as selfish and vain, and admits that she doesn’t love him. She’s aware and encourages him to seek others for sex, because she’d prefer not to be sweaty or mess up her hair… eyeroll… She’s actually totally fine if G keeps Maddie as a side-piece, as long as she gets to be Mrs. Petrakos. For his part, he doesn’t love her either; they are both planning on living separately. There’s no kissing/sexytime between the two.
Maddie is pretty naïve/clueless, and may be the only person unaware of his engagement, but IMO she’s not a complete doormat. She stands up for her beliefs. (at least until she decides to marry G just so Krista can’t) LOL:) In the end, G sees the light… becomes a changed man, and the couple rides off into the sunset w/ a cute epilogue 18months in the future.
Bottom Line- I found this pretty typical HP. Giannis is the classic chauvinist with his “Greek” ideals, and needs Maddie to show him the way. Thankfully, with her progressive ideas on fidelity, and proven fertility record; she’s the perfect gal for the job. In my head the evil Krista was the OW, so their relationship never really bothered me. I found her an awful and entertaining OW; she has zero redeeming qualities.
June 28, 2014
Loved it...great heroine, loved her standing up for herself with the prenup and her integrity about fidelity.
March 31, 2015
This was a well written book and I loved it. The part when he finds out about why she loved him so much was awesome. Really he needed to be brought down a few. Good development.
April 28, 2021
OK, after reading this one, finally I think I GET Lynne Graham. It took a while. :-D
Equally insane smitten MCs stricken witless by instalove/lust. To the point where they are completely unable to resist one another--morals go by the wayside, sense and self-protection go out the window. The hero is such a Neanderthal who wants what he wants (the heroine) that he flatly REFUSES to even consider or feel the least bit guilty about the the lengths to which he's prepared to go (including cheating on his "suitable" fiancee). The heroine at least tries to do the right things (once she becomes aware of the wrong things) but it's a wasted effort. There are lies by omission b/c the hero will do anything to have the heroine, a one-shot pregnancy that changes everything, a blockheaded Gorilla Guido hero (I don't care that he's Greek, it still fits) who is gobsmacked by the heroine's pointed and accurate comments about his lack of conscience and morals but who actually seems willing to change to be the "hero" she believed he was at the beginning; a heroine who starts off like a star-struck adolescent and ends up with a typical case of Lynne Graham extreme TBS/instalove that cannot be reasoned away or resisted.
Best of all, with all the implied angst, TPB is FUNNY! There are some genuinely laugh out loud moments with these clueless and helpless two. Funny LG is at her best--it makes her MCs so much more likable when I finally understood how helpless they are in the face of their mutual feelings. They literally cannot help themselves.
One of my fave LG books to date, with all the things that make her readers such fervent admirers.
Equally insane smitten MCs stricken witless by instalove/lust. To the point where they are completely unable to resist one another--morals go by the wayside, sense and self-protection go out the window. The hero is such a Neanderthal who wants what he wants (the heroine) that he flatly REFUSES to even consider or feel the least bit guilty about the the lengths to which he's prepared to go (including cheating on his "suitable" fiancee). The heroine at least tries to do the right things (once she becomes aware of the wrong things) but it's a wasted effort. There are lies by omission b/c the hero will do anything to have the heroine, a one-shot pregnancy that changes everything, a blockheaded Gorilla Guido hero (I don't care that he's Greek, it still fits) who is gobsmacked by the heroine's pointed and accurate comments about his lack of conscience and morals but who actually seems willing to change to be the "hero" she believed he was at the beginning; a heroine who starts off like a star-struck adolescent and ends up with a typical case of Lynne Graham extreme TBS/instalove that cannot be reasoned away or resisted.
Best of all, with all the implied angst, TPB is FUNNY! There are some genuinely laugh out loud moments with these clueless and helpless two. Funny LG is at her best--it makes her MCs so much more likable when I finally understood how helpless they are in the face of their mutual feelings. They literally cannot help themselves.
One of my fave LG books to date, with all the things that make her readers such fervent admirers.
February 19, 2022
Reread 2/19/2022
Bumped up a star on the reread.
Very typical Lynne Graham characters… rich arrogant hero, poor sweet heroine.
He finds nothing wrong with cheating on his fiancé with the heroine; and of course, she’s horrified when she realizes she’s the OW. Add in an unplanned pregnancy, a spiteful ex-fiancé, a poorly worded pre-nup that requires some well done negotiating on her part, and we get a very entertaining tale.
4 stars for an arrogant hero brought to heel.
Bumped up a star on the reread.
Very typical Lynne Graham characters… rich arrogant hero, poor sweet heroine.
He finds nothing wrong with cheating on his fiancé with the heroine; and of course, she’s horrified when she realizes she’s the OW. Add in an unplanned pregnancy, a spiteful ex-fiancé, a poorly worded pre-nup that requires some well done negotiating on her part, and we get a very entertaining tale.
4 stars for an arrogant hero brought to heel.
February 1, 2018
Giannis the misguided and Maddie the sweetheart.
I was a little put off at first because at the start of the book, Giannis is getting engaged to an OW... and Maddie goes on about her extra curvy figure. (kinda tired of h with poor self image). But I think LG was trying to say that she's like the actresses from the 50's and early 60's like Jane Russel. A 'pin up' girl.
Anyways, yes, Giannis is engaged to a selfish vain OW, and she is pretty mean in the story but Giannis knows what she is like. He has just given up on finding someone to love.
... and then he meets Maddie.
At first he wants to set her up as a mistress, and things are going well until she finds out that he is engaged.
I liked both MCs and Giannis just falls all over himself trying to get Maddie to stay with him. He, of course, doesn't realize that it is love at first, but it doesn't take the entire book for him to figure it out. They end up having more in common than they realized at first and unlike the majority of Harlequins, I believed that they were in love and not just lust. The angst is pretty low throughout the book.
Safety was surprisingly good
I was a little put off at first because at the start of the book, Giannis is getting engaged to an OW... and Maddie goes on about her extra curvy figure. (kinda tired of h with poor self image). But I think LG was trying to say that she's like the actresses from the 50's and early 60's like Jane Russel. A 'pin up' girl.
Anyways, yes, Giannis is engaged to a selfish vain OW, and she is pretty mean in the story but Giannis knows what she is like. He has just given up on finding someone to love.
... and then he meets Maddie.
At first he wants to set her up as a mistress, and things are going well until she finds out that he is engaged.
I liked both MCs and Giannis just falls all over himself trying to get Maddie to stay with him. He, of course, doesn't realize that it is love at first, but it doesn't take the entire book for him to figure it out. They end up having more in common than they realized at first and unlike the majority of Harlequins, I believed that they were in love and not just lust. The angst is pretty low throughout the book.
Safety was surprisingly good
July 29, 2011
Really clunky dialogue and narrative - the flow feels chopped up to make everything fit within the page limit or something. Hero is a macho jerk for the vast majority of the book and his transformation into an indulgent husband and father was so unconvincing it just made me roll my eyes. The heroine had some potential, but then it's taken away when she makes a remark about how back when she was showing some spine, that wasn't for real; she was planning to do what he wanted the whole time. Really? The author couldn't let her have some backbone? I like a nice angsty melodrama now and then, but this was not one of Graham's best.
November 13, 2023
This would have been fun if LG had actually let us hate the horribly vain and vicious and shallow OW. Instead she was inadequately and unsatisfactorily written off as a crackhead who was redeemed by rehab 🙄… and the H never had to confront what a horrid bitch she was. That’s not fun. Meh.
December 23, 2017
Giannis beyefendinin küçüğüm ve canım demesine bayıldım efenim.Yazar bu kitapla favorilerim arasına girdi. :D
September 4, 2019
Sejak awal baca novel ini saya ketawa geli terus. Bagus banget? Bukaaaannn... terpukau dgn absurditas yg kental banget di novel ini hahaha....
Seperti tipikal novel ttg orang super kaya, Giannis Petrakos ini digambarkan pria alpha yg super ambisius dan menginginkan kesempurnaan. Jadi dia bertunangan dgn seorang wanita yg sudah dikenalnya sejak kecil dan super shallow yg cuma mementingkan penampilannya sendiri. Giannis sendiri sudah menetapkan mendedikasikan kehidupannya yg playboy walaupun kelak nanti sudah menikah.
Jadi sejak pandangan pertama Giannis melihat Maddie yg berambut merah dan berbody seperti penari erotis, Giannis tidak bisa melepaskan matanya dan birahinya. Jadi saat Maddie mendatanginya dan langsung "menyerahkan" V-card nya, Giannis langsung hakul yakin dia terkoneksi dan kompatibel dgn Maddie di ranjang.
Membaca adegan-adegan ranjang mereka ini laksana menonton film-film porno. Maddie mulutnya bilang No No tapi berakhir Yes-Yes hahahaha....
Dan sudah diduga, Maddie hamil, kabur setelah mengetahui Giannis bertunangan (helloooww.... katanya Maddie penggemar berat Giannis, masa gak ngikutin perkembangan teraktual kehidupan pribadi Giannis sih? #plothole).
Setelah tahu Maddie hamil, Giannis BARU BERPIKIR ULANG, rasanya TIDAK PANTAS DAN SELAYAKNYA dia menikahi tunangannya yg shallow itu. Saya ngekeeeekkk lagi....
Sebenarnya, buang tunangannya dan mengambil Maddie sbg istrinya gak beda-beda amat koq, toh Maddie juga sangat LUGU alias LUcu bin GUoblooookkk banget. Walau suka membantah Giannis, pd dasarnya Maddie ini submissive parah kpd Giannis. Setiap kali melihat Giannis bukan otaknya yg berpikir tapi selalu puncak payudaranya yg menegang (sampai hafal gw kalimat ini di novel hahaha).
Selanjutnya adegan-adegan makin kisruh dan dramatis ala sinetron/telenovela, si tunangan berubah menjadi sosok antagonis. Dia mulai mengancam bahkan memanipulasi seolah-olah dia masih berhubungan dgn Giannis. Dan si bloon Maddie ini termakan hasutannya. Tapi ya Gusti, di ending koq makin parah utk meng-glorifikasi Maddie dgn membuat si tunangan itu kecanduan? Hahahaha.....
Saya pernah baca novel author sebelumnya yg berjudul "Bond of Hatred", ini udah seperti bumi dan langit. BoH jelas lebih berkualitas heroine-nya kemana-mana drpd si Maddie ini. Buktikan saja dgn membaca dua novel ini dan bandingkan!!!
Seperti tipikal novel ttg orang super kaya, Giannis Petrakos ini digambarkan pria alpha yg super ambisius dan menginginkan kesempurnaan. Jadi dia bertunangan dgn seorang wanita yg sudah dikenalnya sejak kecil dan super shallow yg cuma mementingkan penampilannya sendiri. Giannis sendiri sudah menetapkan mendedikasikan kehidupannya yg playboy walaupun kelak nanti sudah menikah.
Jadi sejak pandangan pertama Giannis melihat Maddie yg berambut merah dan berbody seperti penari erotis, Giannis tidak bisa melepaskan matanya dan birahinya. Jadi saat Maddie mendatanginya dan langsung "menyerahkan" V-card nya, Giannis langsung hakul yakin dia terkoneksi dan kompatibel dgn Maddie di ranjang.
Membaca adegan-adegan ranjang mereka ini laksana menonton film-film porno. Maddie mulutnya bilang No No tapi berakhir Yes-Yes hahahaha....
Dan sudah diduga, Maddie hamil, kabur setelah mengetahui Giannis bertunangan (helloooww.... katanya Maddie penggemar berat Giannis, masa gak ngikutin perkembangan teraktual kehidupan pribadi Giannis sih? #plothole).
Setelah tahu Maddie hamil, Giannis BARU BERPIKIR ULANG, rasanya TIDAK PANTAS DAN SELAYAKNYA dia menikahi tunangannya yg shallow itu. Saya ngekeeeekkk lagi....
Sebenarnya, buang tunangannya dan mengambil Maddie sbg istrinya gak beda-beda amat koq, toh Maddie juga sangat LUGU alias LUcu bin GUoblooookkk banget. Walau suka membantah Giannis, pd dasarnya Maddie ini submissive parah kpd Giannis. Setiap kali melihat Giannis bukan otaknya yg berpikir tapi selalu puncak payudaranya yg menegang (sampai hafal gw kalimat ini di novel hahaha).
Selanjutnya adegan-adegan makin kisruh dan dramatis ala sinetron/telenovela, si tunangan berubah menjadi sosok antagonis. Dia mulai mengancam bahkan memanipulasi seolah-olah dia masih berhubungan dgn Giannis. Dan si bloon Maddie ini termakan hasutannya. Tapi ya Gusti, di ending koq makin parah utk meng-glorifikasi Maddie dgn membuat si tunangan itu kecanduan? Hahahaha.....
Saya pernah baca novel author sebelumnya yg berjudul "Bond of Hatred", ini udah seperti bumi dan langit. BoH jelas lebih berkualitas heroine-nya kemana-mana drpd si Maddie ini. Buktikan saja dgn membaca dua novel ini dan bandingkan!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 3, 2023
Lynne Graham shows no variety in her books. It’s not bad but it’s always the same. Before reading, you already know what will happen.
Always a blonde or sometimes redhaired h (except when Graham wants to depict a plain looking h, because then the h has brown hair).
Always the ‘have a one night stand with a guy you’ve just met, run and have a secret baby’ plot.
Always a blonde or sometimes redhaired h (except when Graham wants to depict a plain looking h, because then the h has brown hair).
Always the ‘have a one night stand with a guy you’ve just met, run and have a secret baby’ plot.
July 3, 2017
I read this book 3 or 4 times and each time I read it I love it more .
July 25, 2022
Editing my original review : A let downer after I re-read it. I may be having starry eyes the first time I picked it up. Sadly I found the h to be annoying and argumentative. The H was alright, I’d say pretty forgiving to the h and her incessant need to have the last word. Meh.
~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~~~
straight 5 star read for me! A perfect book imo.. Perfect Mc's, perfect chemistry, perfect plot line.
Maddie is a super adorable, sweet h. I loved her naturally easy going disposition. She meets Giannis when she's younger and has a fateful meeting again when years later she's working as a temp in his company.
Things blossom beautifully right then from their first meeting. Giannis is a gorgeous, extremely possessive and territorial alpha. A bit of a hovering, i-mind-your-business kinda man. If he wanted something, he just relentlessly went after it and just got it. No other option.
I love me a total caveman and Giannis was just that. Maddie was sweet natured, shy and stubborn. I loved their chemistry and this has to be one of the best LGs or even HPs I've read! The way Giannis kept going after Maddie just had me going jelly. I also loved Maddie for being strong and non-needy, and actually pretty sensible for once!!
There was no boring drag by the end of the book. Both Maddie and Giannis are equally head strong and refuse to back out from their demands from their marriage! Giannis was such a sweeeeeeet, caring alpha husband Hero. I can't stop talking about him..or thinking about him.
I will be rereading this a hundred times!!!
~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~<~~~~~~~~~~~
straight 5 star read for me! A perfect book imo.. Perfect Mc's, perfect chemistry, perfect plot line.
Maddie is a super adorable, sweet h. I loved her naturally easy going disposition. She meets Giannis when she's younger and has a fateful meeting again when years later she's working as a temp in his company.
Things blossom beautifully right then from their first meeting. Giannis is a gorgeous, extremely possessive and territorial alpha. A bit of a hovering, i-mind-your-business kinda man. If he wanted something, he just relentlessly went after it and just got it. No other option.
I love me a total caveman and Giannis was just that. Maddie was sweet natured, shy and stubborn. I loved their chemistry and this has to be one of the best LGs or even HPs I've read! The way Giannis kept going after Maddie just had me going jelly. I also loved Maddie for being strong and non-needy, and actually pretty sensible for once!!
There was no boring drag by the end of the book. Both Maddie and Giannis are equally head strong and refuse to back out from their demands from their marriage! Giannis was such a sweeeeeeet, caring alpha husband Hero. I can't stop talking about him..or thinking about him.
I will be rereading this a hundred times!!!
November 29, 2014
A wonderful read.
Maddie had stars in her eyes for Giannis because of a caring thing he did for her dying twin sister when she was 14. She admired him for the nice things he did for charities and believed him to be a good wonderful man. So when she meets him she is overwhelmed by this along with his sexual allure and is unable to resist the passion. Giannis first sees her and is overwhelmed by the passion and wants her. Unable to deny is body and mind he sets out to have her no matter what....but he is keeping a secret that will drive her away.
The passion between these two is hot.....but the love is also strong, which it has to be to survive the paps and jealous greedy exs. The author once again does a great job dealing with the unresistable passion, heartache and finally love between these two making it a lovely steamy read. Love how the author takes such a strong sexy alpha male and makes Giannis realize his faults. But he is strong enough to correct them and admit his love without being coming a wimp. Maddie is a strong moral woman and once she realizes she broke one of her rules, takes the high road and wants nothing to do with him. Love how she sticks to her guns even with loving him.
A lovely read....one of my favorite Harlequin authors.
Maddie had stars in her eyes for Giannis because of a caring thing he did for her dying twin sister when she was 14. She admired him for the nice things he did for charities and believed him to be a good wonderful man. So when she meets him she is overwhelmed by this along with his sexual allure and is unable to resist the passion. Giannis first sees her and is overwhelmed by the passion and wants her. Unable to deny is body and mind he sets out to have her no matter what....but he is keeping a secret that will drive her away.
The passion between these two is hot.....but the love is also strong, which it has to be to survive the paps and jealous greedy exs. The author once again does a great job dealing with the unresistable passion, heartache and finally love between these two making it a lovely steamy read. Love how the author takes such a strong sexy alpha male and makes Giannis realize his faults. But he is strong enough to correct them and admit his love without being coming a wimp. Maddie is a strong moral woman and once she realizes she broke one of her rules, takes the high road and wants nothing to do with him. Love how she sticks to her guns even with loving him.
A lovely read....one of my favorite Harlequin authors.
December 25, 2015
I normally don't like books with cheating, However I really enjoyed this book. Ginnis was engaged to get married. He treated his upcoming marriage like a business proposal. When he met Maddie, everything changed. Maddie showed him what he really wanted out of life. She was kind, sweet, and beautiful. His fiancé on the other hand just wanted to be seen. The more eyes on her the better. she also wanted his money, and his name. She made me sick the way she acted. and the things she did throughout the story.
When Maddie found out he was engaged she left. Ginnis was frantic. He knew then that he had to break off the engagement. You will have to read to see if Maddie, and Ginnis had a second chance. This book is a keeper. I loved it.
When Maddie found out he was engaged she left. Ginnis was frantic. He knew then that he had to break off the engagement. You will have to read to see if Maddie, and Ginnis had a second chance. This book is a keeper. I loved it.
June 11, 2021
Strong Curvy heroine (ow), jerk face zagillion hero who had a fiancée.
Liked the story, liked how she didn’t take his bull shit, actually really loved this heroine all around, but it had my pet peeve - a secret baby- mid way into the book, which then killed all sexual chemistry for me. Wish all babies were kept at the very end of the book.
3.5 stars.
Liked the story, liked how she didn’t take his bull shit, actually really loved this heroine all around, but it had my pet peeve - a secret baby- mid way into the book, which then killed all sexual chemistry for me. Wish all babies were kept at the very end of the book.
3.5 stars.
December 21, 2015
This was a good HP with an decent storyline and interesting characters. The heroine was surprisingly strong and didn't put up with the typical BS found in most Harlequin books. Recommended for fans of HP, I liked it.
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