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Stormy Relationship
A matter of time
Jordan Quest was a man to whom power was everything. He expected his employees to jump at his beck and call, and Hannah understood why no secretary had ever stayed with Jordan long. She was about to continue that revolving-door tradition.
Nothing came before her son, Danny, or the cherished memories of her husband. And Hannah had made it clear from the start that her private life was her own. Jordan, however, had other ideas. His notorious charm had won over Danny, her friends...and, despite her best defenses, was coining perilously close to storming Hannah's heart!
Jordan Quest was a man to whom power was everything. He expected his employees to jump at his beck and call, and Hannah understood why no secretary had ever stayed with Jordan long. She was about to continue that revolving-door tradition.
Nothing came before her son, Danny, or the cherished memories of her husband. And Hannah had made it clear from the start that her private life was her own. Jordan, however, had other ideas. His notorious charm had won over Danny, her friends...and, despite her best defenses, was coining perilously close to storming Hannah's heart!
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
1 person is currently reading
44 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Mayo
352 books46 followersThere is more than one author with this name
For Children's writer see Margaret Mayo
Jessica R. Mayo was born on February 7, 1936 in Staffordshire, England, and has remained within the county all of her life. It was never her ambition to become a writer, although she always loved reading, even to the extent of reading comics out loud to her twin brother when she was eight years old. In fact her only writing experience was in letters to various pen pals around the world. She unfortunately lost touch with them now and often wonders whether any of them have ever discovered that her chatty letters were the forerunner to her writing career.
She left school to become a secretary, taking a break to have her two children, Adrian and Tina. Once they were at school she started back to work and planned to further her career by becoming a bi-lingual secretary. Unfortunately she couldn't speak any languages other than her native English, so she began evening classes. It was at this time that she got the idea for a romantic short story - to this day she doesn't know where the idea came from or why, but she thanks her lucky stars because it kick-started her career. Margaret, and her mother before her, had always read Mills & Boon romances, and to actually be writing one excited her beyond measure.
'My life began at forty' is another one of her favourite sayings - because that is when her first book was published - two and a half years after she first set pen to paper (that first book was written long before she felt confident enough to send it off).Having those books accepted was the happiest and most exciting day of her life. She waltzed her husband around the room and their two children thought they'd gone mad, until they were told the good news.
Her first two submitted novels were accepted simultaneously, and now she has over sixty-five to her credit. When she looks at them lined up on her bookshelf she wonders how she has managed to write all those millions of words. She is a hopeless romantic who loves writing. She falls in love with every one of her heroes and likes to boast about how many 'love affairs' she's had.
Margaret gets so immersed in her writing that one day - before she made writing her full-time career and did most of her writing at the office (!!) - her daughter phoned to ask whether she could come and meet her out of work. Margaret told her not to be silly because it was foggy. Her daughter said 'But it's sunny here.' And when Margaret looked out of the window the sun was shining. Her hero and heroine were lost out in a sea of fog!
Before she became a successful author Margaret was extremely shy and found it difficult to talk to strangers. For research purposes she forced herself to speak to people from all walks of life and now says her shyness has gone forever - to a certain degree. She is still happier pouring her thoughts out on paper.
Copied from Fantastic Fiction
For Children's writer see Margaret Mayo
Jessica R. Mayo was born on February 7, 1936 in Staffordshire, England, and has remained within the county all of her life. It was never her ambition to become a writer, although she always loved reading, even to the extent of reading comics out loud to her twin brother when she was eight years old. In fact her only writing experience was in letters to various pen pals around the world. She unfortunately lost touch with them now and often wonders whether any of them have ever discovered that her chatty letters were the forerunner to her writing career.
She left school to become a secretary, taking a break to have her two children, Adrian and Tina. Once they were at school she started back to work and planned to further her career by becoming a bi-lingual secretary. Unfortunately she couldn't speak any languages other than her native English, so she began evening classes. It was at this time that she got the idea for a romantic short story - to this day she doesn't know where the idea came from or why, but she thanks her lucky stars because it kick-started her career. Margaret, and her mother before her, had always read Mills & Boon romances, and to actually be writing one excited her beyond measure.
'My life began at forty' is another one of her favourite sayings - because that is when her first book was published - two and a half years after she first set pen to paper (that first book was written long before she felt confident enough to send it off).Having those books accepted was the happiest and most exciting day of her life. She waltzed her husband around the room and their two children thought they'd gone mad, until they were told the good news.
Her first two submitted novels were accepted simultaneously, and now she has over sixty-five to her credit. When she looks at them lined up on her bookshelf she wonders how she has managed to write all those millions of words. She is a hopeless romantic who loves writing. She falls in love with every one of her heroes and likes to boast about how many 'love affairs' she's had.
Margaret gets so immersed in her writing that one day - before she made writing her full-time career and did most of her writing at the office (!!) - her daughter phoned to ask whether she could come and meet her out of work. Margaret told her not to be silly because it was foggy. Her daughter said 'But it's sunny here.' And when Margaret looked out of the window the sun was shining. Her hero and heroine were lost out in a sea of fog!
Before she became a successful author Margaret was extremely shy and found it difficult to talk to strangers. For research purposes she forced herself to speak to people from all walks of life and now says her shyness has gone forever - to a certain degree. She is still happier pouring her thoughts out on paper.
Copied from Fantastic Fiction
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 21, 2020
Office romance turns into marriage of convenience between workaholic, bossy, arrogant, gigantic manwhore H and classy, strong and smart widow heroine with cute eight year old plot moppet. Patricia Wilson did it better with her Perilous Refuge but this wasn't bad.
Normally, I'd be annoyed at a heroine who is so standoffish with the hero, mentioning her dead husband's name in every breath, with the same chilling effect as anyone whispering "Voldemort" at Hogswart.
However, in this case, the hero was such an arrogant manwhore that I feel like it was his just desserts to suffer like that, plus honestly he would have been bored and moved on if she hadn't made him jump through hoops.
I believed in their HEA in the end and they made a cute family, though the author kind of left the issue of the mother in law from hell dangling. However, since the hero clearly showed he would rather cut his mother from hell from their lives rather than let her be outright rude, and the heroine was too steel-spined to let anyone walk all over her, I don't think mom-in-law will amount to anything more than an annoying buzzing sound from a fly and just as easy to swat.
Normally, I'd be annoyed at a heroine who is so standoffish with the hero, mentioning her dead husband's name in every breath, with the same chilling effect as anyone whispering "Voldemort" at Hogswart.
However, in this case, the hero was such an arrogant manwhore that I feel like it was his just desserts to suffer like that, plus honestly he would have been bored and moved on if she hadn't made him jump through hoops.
I believed in their HEA in the end and they made a cute family, though the author kind of left the issue of the mother in law from hell dangling. However, since the hero clearly showed he would rather cut his mother from hell from their lives rather than let her be outright rude, and the heroine was too steel-spined to let anyone walk all over her, I don't think mom-in-law will amount to anything more than an annoying buzzing sound from a fly and just as easy to swat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2020
"Stormy Relationship" is the story of Hannah and Jordan.
Totally my cup of tea!
Heroine works an agency job and is the moody hero's temporary secretary. She is a widow and works part time so she can spend more time and take care of her eight year old son. The hero asks her to stay on full time, but she refuses citing family commitments. However, he refuses to take no for an answer, offering financial incentives and is deeply attracted to the heroine. Soon he entwines himself in her life, forming a sweet relationship with her son and being jealous of any man who takes interest in her. He also "dumps" his long standing mistress for her. As they find themselves married, the hero has to deal with the heroine's "love" for her dead ex husband, and the heroine has to face the super jealous OW. After loads of drama, misunderstandings and lovemaking, we get our HEA.
I enjoyed it! Recommended!
Safe
3.5/5
Totally my cup of tea!
Heroine works an agency job and is the moody hero's temporary secretary. She is a widow and works part time so she can spend more time and take care of her eight year old son. The hero asks her to stay on full time, but she refuses citing family commitments. However, he refuses to take no for an answer, offering financial incentives and is deeply attracted to the heroine. Soon he entwines himself in her life, forming a sweet relationship with her son and being jealous of any man who takes interest in her. He also "dumps" his long standing mistress for her. As they find themselves married, the hero has to deal with the heroine's "love" for her dead ex husband, and the heroine has to face the super jealous OW. After loads of drama, misunderstandings and lovemaking, we get our HEA.
I enjoyed it! Recommended!
Safe
3.5/5
April 18, 2018
Re Stormy Relationship - Margaret Mayo's May 1994 HP is her last HP for about 12 years. She will taking a long hiatus in HP Subscriptoria and she also has a few HP Extra outings until she makes an exceedingly bad HP reappearance in 2006.
This one takes on the May '94 mini sub theme of boss/secretary romance. In this one, the h is a 26 yr old widow with a small son and her boss is the womanizing playboy tycoon that wants what he can't have.
The h married her first very beloved husband, a nice and mild farm worker, when she was 18. Their lives were very simple and they both worked hard. Her husband was killed when he was hauling supplies for his boss and he got into a bad accident. The h's husband was young too and they never thought to take out life insurance, so the h was forced to dust off her office skills and go back to work.
However, it is a huge struggle for her. She is working for a temp office service and the wages are low and her son always seems to need a new pair of shoes. She is temping in the H's office and when his 27th secretary, who made a record by lasting a whole two days, storms out, the h is slotted in as the H's new permanent secretary.
The h isn't too happy about this, for one the H is an outright slime sewer tyrant who puts everything important off until the very last minute and then expects everyone to stay for all hours and complete the tasks that he feels are imperative to do. He is also rude, a workaholic, a womanizer and pretty much an office donkey butt. The h is the only one in the office that is willing to stand up to the H, she has strict hours because she is devoted to her son and she only works when her son is in school.
So it is with some serious reservations that the h starts working for the H, they have many, many confrontations when the H thinks she should stay and work and she cannot because her son has no after school care that she wouldn't want him to have to go to anyway.
The H compromises and lets her bring her son into the office and the h has a neighbor who doesn't mind watching her son for a short time after school lets out. Right away the son thinks the H is the best thing since sliced bread and the H makes no bones about how the h interests him - despite the fact that he is a frequent lady buffet sampler and has a particularly aggressive sample coming around regularly - the woman tries to warn the h off repeatedly.
The h really loved her husband tho, and she is very leery of spoilt womanizer evil bosses who think a widow is fair game. The H soon realizes that the h is pretty implacable about socializing or an affair with the boss, so he sets out to capture the h through her son instead.
The little boy is missing a fatherly influence in his life and between the H's sports car and his offer to have the child's birthday party at his huge house, complete with clown entertainment and beefburgers and a pool, the h is soon pressured into spending more time outside of work with the H.
The h resists the H's attempts at seduction in spite of being attracted, she is still mourning her husband and the H is not the type of man she wants. She is also outraged that the H is using his money to influence her son, so when the H pulls out the roofie kisses Lurve Force moves, the h is firmly resistant even after kissing him back.
The H goes off to sulk and flaunt his aggressive OW in the h's face. Then the H's little brother shows up and he is all charm and banter and HE tries to get the h to go out with him. The h refuses, but the H is furiously jealous when his lil' brother keeps giving the h a ride home from work, so the H comes up with an ingenious plan.
His aunt died and left her English estate to the H's brother. Who really is only interested in spending money and having a good time. The aunt knew this and left the H as lil' brother's trustee until he was 30. The Estate is badly run down and needs immediate attention to it. So the H's plan is that he and the h marry, move to the Estate and get it running again as caretaker's for the H's brother and the H pays the brother an allowance to go do whatever.
The H wins the argument for an MOC because the h's son is very attached to him and the h is sure that the country will be better for her child than a cramped London flat where he can't even have a pet.
The h agrees to marry the H, she thinks she might love him, but she is sure that he only wants her body and a workhorse to help him sort out the estate. She also believes the H will carry on with his aggressive OW and is doubly sure of that when the H's own mother indicates that the OW is her preference for the H.
The H obviously wants to get one over on his mother, cause he insists the h is the woman he is marrying, even when the h wants to delay consummation of the marriage and the mother is making really stern disapproving of the h noises. The H is ready to walk out on his mother, but the mother relents and the H and h marry.
The h then gets to spike the guns of the H's OW, who is shamelessly calling the h all sorts of names and insisting that the H will still keep seeing her. The h tells the OW that she and the H are in love and he won't stray from the straight and narrow and the H overhears this and backs her up.
After moving to the H's brother's estate and getting things sorted out there, the h and H have their fiery moment of consummation. The h is overwhelmed by the joy of it all and thinks maybe the H is coming to love her a little too. To her utter shock, the H is horrible to her the next morning and things slowly deteriorate over the next day or so.
The h's son is bullied at school and the H intervenes and tells the h to stay out of it. Then the H takes the child to buy him a pony, much against the h's wishes, cause she feels the H is buying her son's affection and she has raised him to work hard for the things he wants. The pony bolts with the h's son on his back and the h jumps in to stop the horse.
She gets really injured when the pony drags her between a narrow set of fence poles and the h is livid at the H's behavior. The H isn't sorry, until he sees where the skin is ripped off the h's shoulders from being dragged around. He tenderly cares for the injury and the h can't figure out why the H is treating her wounds gently, but being such a jerk the rest of the time and cutting her out except to order her to do secretarial work.
Then the H's mother and the OW show up and the h has some really snappy words for the H during those visits. The H admits he won't be seeing the OW anymore and that his mother can go jump for all he is concerned - the H will never divorce the h, but she is free to leave if she wishes.
Then the H blasts the h for calling out her husband's name while she is sleeping during their big night of love. The H's ego is shattered, cause he can't believe that her dead husband was better in bed than the H is. The h admits that he was not and then explains that she was dreaming her husband was wishing her well and happy that she found a new love going forward in life and she was learning to let her dead husband go.
The h confesses that she loves the H and he confesses he loves her back, cause she stands up to him and he quite likes being a dad. The two decide that maybe they will buy the estate from his little brother and fill it with children for the big HEA.
This one was okay, the h was pretty firm in her resistance of the H and his womanizing ways and the H was pretty nematodish, but he did back her up in deterring the OW. I wasn't sure the HEA was a long lasting one, mainly cause the H seemed to be more interested in chasing things he couldn't have. But for a regular tropey HP outing, you could read a lot worse than this.
This one takes on the May '94 mini sub theme of boss/secretary romance. In this one, the h is a 26 yr old widow with a small son and her boss is the womanizing playboy tycoon that wants what he can't have.
The h married her first very beloved husband, a nice and mild farm worker, when she was 18. Their lives were very simple and they both worked hard. Her husband was killed when he was hauling supplies for his boss and he got into a bad accident. The h's husband was young too and they never thought to take out life insurance, so the h was forced to dust off her office skills and go back to work.
However, it is a huge struggle for her. She is working for a temp office service and the wages are low and her son always seems to need a new pair of shoes. She is temping in the H's office and when his 27th secretary, who made a record by lasting a whole two days, storms out, the h is slotted in as the H's new permanent secretary.
The h isn't too happy about this, for one the H is an outright slime sewer tyrant who puts everything important off until the very last minute and then expects everyone to stay for all hours and complete the tasks that he feels are imperative to do. He is also rude, a workaholic, a womanizer and pretty much an office donkey butt. The h is the only one in the office that is willing to stand up to the H, she has strict hours because she is devoted to her son and she only works when her son is in school.
So it is with some serious reservations that the h starts working for the H, they have many, many confrontations when the H thinks she should stay and work and she cannot because her son has no after school care that she wouldn't want him to have to go to anyway.
The H compromises and lets her bring her son into the office and the h has a neighbor who doesn't mind watching her son for a short time after school lets out. Right away the son thinks the H is the best thing since sliced bread and the H makes no bones about how the h interests him - despite the fact that he is a frequent lady buffet sampler and has a particularly aggressive sample coming around regularly - the woman tries to warn the h off repeatedly.
The h really loved her husband tho, and she is very leery of spoilt womanizer evil bosses who think a widow is fair game. The H soon realizes that the h is pretty implacable about socializing or an affair with the boss, so he sets out to capture the h through her son instead.
The little boy is missing a fatherly influence in his life and between the H's sports car and his offer to have the child's birthday party at his huge house, complete with clown entertainment and beefburgers and a pool, the h is soon pressured into spending more time outside of work with the H.
The h resists the H's attempts at seduction in spite of being attracted, she is still mourning her husband and the H is not the type of man she wants. She is also outraged that the H is using his money to influence her son, so when the H pulls out the roofie kisses Lurve Force moves, the h is firmly resistant even after kissing him back.
The H goes off to sulk and flaunt his aggressive OW in the h's face. Then the H's little brother shows up and he is all charm and banter and HE tries to get the h to go out with him. The h refuses, but the H is furiously jealous when his lil' brother keeps giving the h a ride home from work, so the H comes up with an ingenious plan.
His aunt died and left her English estate to the H's brother. Who really is only interested in spending money and having a good time. The aunt knew this and left the H as lil' brother's trustee until he was 30. The Estate is badly run down and needs immediate attention to it. So the H's plan is that he and the h marry, move to the Estate and get it running again as caretaker's for the H's brother and the H pays the brother an allowance to go do whatever.
The H wins the argument for an MOC because the h's son is very attached to him and the h is sure that the country will be better for her child than a cramped London flat where he can't even have a pet.
The h agrees to marry the H, she thinks she might love him, but she is sure that he only wants her body and a workhorse to help him sort out the estate. She also believes the H will carry on with his aggressive OW and is doubly sure of that when the H's own mother indicates that the OW is her preference for the H.
The H obviously wants to get one over on his mother, cause he insists the h is the woman he is marrying, even when the h wants to delay consummation of the marriage and the mother is making really stern disapproving of the h noises. The H is ready to walk out on his mother, but the mother relents and the H and h marry.
The h then gets to spike the guns of the H's OW, who is shamelessly calling the h all sorts of names and insisting that the H will still keep seeing her. The h tells the OW that she and the H are in love and he won't stray from the straight and narrow and the H overhears this and backs her up.
After moving to the H's brother's estate and getting things sorted out there, the h and H have their fiery moment of consummation. The h is overwhelmed by the joy of it all and thinks maybe the H is coming to love her a little too. To her utter shock, the H is horrible to her the next morning and things slowly deteriorate over the next day or so.
The h's son is bullied at school and the H intervenes and tells the h to stay out of it. Then the H takes the child to buy him a pony, much against the h's wishes, cause she feels the H is buying her son's affection and she has raised him to work hard for the things he wants. The pony bolts with the h's son on his back and the h jumps in to stop the horse.
She gets really injured when the pony drags her between a narrow set of fence poles and the h is livid at the H's behavior. The H isn't sorry, until he sees where the skin is ripped off the h's shoulders from being dragged around. He tenderly cares for the injury and the h can't figure out why the H is treating her wounds gently, but being such a jerk the rest of the time and cutting her out except to order her to do secretarial work.
Then the H's mother and the OW show up and the h has some really snappy words for the H during those visits. The H admits he won't be seeing the OW anymore and that his mother can go jump for all he is concerned - the H will never divorce the h, but she is free to leave if she wishes.
Then the H blasts the h for calling out her husband's name while she is sleeping during their big night of love. The H's ego is shattered, cause he can't believe that her dead husband was better in bed than the H is. The h admits that he was not and then explains that she was dreaming her husband was wishing her well and happy that she found a new love going forward in life and she was learning to let her dead husband go.
The h confesses that she loves the H and he confesses he loves her back, cause she stands up to him and he quite likes being a dad. The two decide that maybe they will buy the estate from his little brother and fill it with children for the big HEA.
This one was okay, the h was pretty firm in her resistance of the H and his womanizing ways and the H was pretty nematodish, but he did back her up in deterring the OW. I wasn't sure the HEA was a long lasting one, mainly cause the H seemed to be more interested in chasing things he couldn't have. But for a regular tropey HP outing, you could read a lot worse than this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 26, 2019
This was heart warming story in the end! The relationship between Daniel and Jordan was sweet it was obvious the hero was smitten from beginning but had hard time dealing with dead husband.
January 8, 2014
ah emmm......I give this one an "ok" rating. I'm just not buying into their HEA. Both characters were too self-absorbed to ever be able to sustain a long term healthy relationship.
The heroine expects to be loved and is surprised when she doesn't get it. Even though, most of the time she acts like a shrew and doesn't show one once of caring or understanding. She continues to throw her first husband into the conversation holding him as the model lover and husband. But when you peeled back the layers, there wasn't much to their relationship. I actually found nothing to like about her. The hero was just as bad, always looking for his next convenient "lay" . He reminded me of the little boy who wants a toy just because he can't have it.
In spite of all this, it was entertaining. However, there were times when I could have cared less if they got their HEA. I actually thought it more deserving if they just tortured each other for the rest of their lives. Of course, that wouldn't be fair to her son Danny, who happened to be the best thing going in the story.
The heroine expects to be loved and is surprised when she doesn't get it. Even though, most of the time she acts like a shrew and doesn't show one once of caring or understanding. She continues to throw her first husband into the conversation holding him as the model lover and husband. But when you peeled back the layers, there wasn't much to their relationship. I actually found nothing to like about her. The hero was just as bad, always looking for his next convenient "lay" . He reminded me of the little boy who wants a toy just because he can't have it.
In spite of all this, it was entertaining. However, there were times when I could have cared less if they got their HEA. I actually thought it more deserving if they just tortured each other for the rest of their lives. Of course, that wouldn't be fair to her son Danny, who happened to be the best thing going in the story.
January 6, 2014
This was a gem! It is sad that it is doesn't have a higher rating because it certainly deserves one. There is nothing new about the story but it was quite well written. I enjoyed the fall of the mighty Jordan. When the mighty fall, they fall spectacularly! A very good book.
November 22, 2018
The H has a girl friend but coerces his secretary to have a relationship with him. h is a 20 something widow with a 8 yr old kid and lives in near poverty condition and is dependent on the job with H for basic needs. He bribes her son with car rides and bday parties in his house. The H sounds like a creep who is sexually harassing her in this book so far in chapter 5 before I gave up on this book.
July 19, 2024
The h talks back all the time in a bad sort of way, not in a hot or reserved and subdued way. I couldn’t stand her annoying talk for another second.. reminded me of our local ice cream store Karen who never gives you a full scoop.
Eitherways, boring and slow. I was looking for hot pursuit, this is just the h telling off the H in a despicable way. Don’t know why he wanted to have her anyways!
Also the cover.. ambiguous untidy hair and an Adam’s Apple on the h ?
Eitherways, boring and slow. I was looking for hot pursuit, this is just the h telling off the H in a despicable way. Don’t know why he wanted to have her anyways!
Also the cover.. ambiguous untidy hair and an Adam’s Apple on the h ?
July 15, 2022
Ok, a little dull. I skimmed most of it.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews