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The Kissing Game
This wasn't the game she'd signed up to play!
Davina could not have been happier. The position she'd wanted and worked so hard for was hers! As physiotherapist to England's famous Redford Rovers soccer team, she would finally have her own clinic.
A beautiful woman in a man's world, Davina had expected some resistance to her appointment, but not from Maxwell Blair, the youngest member of the board of directors.
Whatever it was he really had against her, Davina could only guess. What she did know was that Max took an interest in her every move--an interest that greatly disturbed her.
Davina could not have been happier. The position she'd wanted and worked so hard for was hers! As physiotherapist to England's famous Redford Rovers soccer team, she would finally have her own clinic.
A beautiful woman in a man's world, Davina had expected some resistance to her appointment, but not from Maxwell Blair, the youngest member of the board of directors.
Whatever it was he really had against her, Davina could only guess. What she did know was that Max took an interest in her every move--an interest that greatly disturbed her.
186 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1986
About the author
Sally Wentworth
108 books95 followersDoreen was born on 1936 or 1937 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She married Donald Alfred Hornsblow, with whom she has a son Keith, in 1968. The family lived in Braughing, England.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
April 16, 2022
"The Kissing Game" is the story of Davina and Max.
The heroine is a sports physiotherapist, who gets a job working for a famous team with much resistance from one of the bosses. The hero is sexist and verbally abusive, harassing and verbally taunting the heroine at every moment. Ofcourse he catches her at every moment accusing her of being a seductress and a gold-digger. This is to hide his attraction which the heroine soon reciprocates, they have sex, then he's like nah fam I don't love you and wont marry you, she's like bye but rest is predictable.
I disliked this.
Safe
1.5/5
The heroine is a sports physiotherapist, who gets a job working for a famous team with much resistance from one of the bosses. The hero is sexist and verbally abusive, harassing and verbally taunting the heroine at every moment. Ofcourse he catches her at every moment accusing her of being a seductress and a gold-digger. This is to hide his attraction which the heroine soon reciprocates, they have sex, then he's like nah fam I don't love you and wont marry you, she's like bye but rest is predictable.
I disliked this.
Safe
1.5/5
April 24, 2016
Re The Kissing Game - SW brings us an h with a backbone this time with no revenge in sight and an H who is pretty rotten but only cause he was so overwhelmed by lurve.
The h is a physiotherapist newly hired to a Premier English football (soccer) team who strongly resembles a real Premier team, (in fact they wear the same colors as Chelsea, so I am sure that was not an accident, and really sure when the team has a game opposite what SW calls Grandchester United, wearing the colors of Manchester U. Technically when this book was written they were in the First Division level of the English Football league, but for our story think Premier although that wasn't formed until 1992.)
She is very happy to be the first female physio for a Premier team and is already to prove herself. Then she runs into one of the Directors of the team and he treats her very, very nastily with some really horrible accusations. He basically tells her he is trying to run her off and he deliberately does things to mess with her and make her quit.
Things like not buying the equipment she wanted to run the physio room, having people rearrange things when she is out, and making sharply sexist comments and accusations ranging from her being a gold-digger to a tart. Since the man is one of her bosses and she is on probation, she doesn't push back too much and tries to avoid him whenever possible.
SW does give us hints that the H is being so mean to cover up a big attraction, but the final nastiness comes when the h gets permanent status and the H tries to bully her and she tells him off soundly. Then he gives her a brutal kiss that the h considers a rape to her mouth. She was NOT liking him at all, though she feels sad for him when she finds out he is a widower.
After the punishing kiss, the h winds up walking towards home in the rain and the H tries to give her a ride, but she won't even acknowledge him and she has finally has had enough. She decides to turn in her resignation, even though she likes her job and has helped one player reconcile with his wife by sending an anonymous letter to the estranged wife that another woman was caring for her injured husband.
The wife came rushing back, but the wife complained to the H too, so the h had to admit she had sent the letter to get the player's wife back so she wouldn't have to run around for the player any more while he was laid up. She helped another player meet his future wife when she invited him out with her friends and the H accused her of trying to attach herself to a player, but the h feels that the H's assault was the limit of her endurance.
She goes in early to turn in her resignation, but the Club Secretary wasn't in and she winds up giving it to the H. He tears it up and promises to leave her alone and he tells her she is doing a good job.
Then the H drops his wallet at the annual Christmas party and the h has to return it. She goes to his big Tudor house outside of town and winds up having to stay the night due to heavy fog. The H makes it clear that he is very attracted to her and they get along well but nothing happens. The next morning one of the groundsmen from the Club shows up and finds the h there. It is now a big rumor that the h and H are having an affair, but the H says to ignore it and let it die away.
The h can't stop thinking about the H though and how nice he is being and she is very attracted back. So she decides to start a relationship with him. They wind up in bed and the h is happy for a little while. Until she notices that the H isn't doing anything to acknowledge their relationship to other people. He won't take her to any of his social events and gets angry when she goes off with her friends. He brings her nice jewelry and things but only takes her to out of the way places in another town so they won't be seen. The h asks if he is ashamed of her and he just tells her not to push him.
Finally after he takes off for a business trip and brings her more gifts that make her feel like a highly paid secret mistress, she breaks up with him and sends all his gifts back. He tells her she will come crawling back and she can't believe he would expect her "to eat dirt and beg to be back with him." She starts looking for another job in Australia ( I was voting for a job with the Wallabies in the RU myself,) and decides to leave the area after the season is over.
We get to the semi-finals of the playoffs for the FA cup and the team has to play in a field of mud. There is one player who was put on the reserve list that the h is worried about when he gets sent in due to multiple injured players. He accidentally put the ball in his own goal and the fans rush the field to beat him up. The h runs out and throws herself on top of the unconscious player to protect him from the kicks and blows the fans are inflicting and the irate fans start kicking and hitting her too.
Then the H shows up and starts throwing people off of the h and she passes out in his arms and everyone goes to hospital. The H tells her he misses her and loves her and the problem was that she messed up his monastic existence after his deceitful first wife killed herself by wrecking her car into a lorry while drinking.
He doesn't trust career women cause his wife failed at two businesses and took money from him behind his back. He loves the h tho and if she wants to continue her career she can. She tells him she will just look after him and is this a declaration and he tells her he just declared for her in front of all of England - they were featured on the nightly news. The h is happy he is marrying her and the H is happy she will quit her job and it is a big HEA all around and no neurotic running off to Africa was necessary.
This one was a good one, the h held her own and the H was suitably mean until he wasn't. The description of him throwing around half a football field of outraged fans was pretty redeeming and SW gave us enough H looking pathetic and sad moments to believe that he really did love her. If you like SW but want to give her usual intense neurotic h's a miss, try this one and you won't be disappointed.
The h is a physiotherapist newly hired to a Premier English football (soccer) team who strongly resembles a real Premier team, (in fact they wear the same colors as Chelsea, so I am sure that was not an accident, and really sure when the team has a game opposite what SW calls Grandchester United, wearing the colors of Manchester U. Technically when this book was written they were in the First Division level of the English Football league, but for our story think Premier although that wasn't formed until 1992.)
She is very happy to be the first female physio for a Premier team and is already to prove herself. Then she runs into one of the Directors of the team and he treats her very, very nastily with some really horrible accusations. He basically tells her he is trying to run her off and he deliberately does things to mess with her and make her quit.
Things like not buying the equipment she wanted to run the physio room, having people rearrange things when she is out, and making sharply sexist comments and accusations ranging from her being a gold-digger to a tart. Since the man is one of her bosses and she is on probation, she doesn't push back too much and tries to avoid him whenever possible.
SW does give us hints that the H is being so mean to cover up a big attraction, but the final nastiness comes when the h gets permanent status and the H tries to bully her and she tells him off soundly. Then he gives her a brutal kiss that the h considers a rape to her mouth. She was NOT liking him at all, though she feels sad for him when she finds out he is a widower.
After the punishing kiss, the h winds up walking towards home in the rain and the H tries to give her a ride, but she won't even acknowledge him and she has finally has had enough. She decides to turn in her resignation, even though she likes her job and has helped one player reconcile with his wife by sending an anonymous letter to the estranged wife that another woman was caring for her injured husband.
The wife came rushing back, but the wife complained to the H too, so the h had to admit she had sent the letter to get the player's wife back so she wouldn't have to run around for the player any more while he was laid up. She helped another player meet his future wife when she invited him out with her friends and the H accused her of trying to attach herself to a player, but the h feels that the H's assault was the limit of her endurance.
She goes in early to turn in her resignation, but the Club Secretary wasn't in and she winds up giving it to the H. He tears it up and promises to leave her alone and he tells her she is doing a good job.
Then the H drops his wallet at the annual Christmas party and the h has to return it. She goes to his big Tudor house outside of town and winds up having to stay the night due to heavy fog. The H makes it clear that he is very attracted to her and they get along well but nothing happens. The next morning one of the groundsmen from the Club shows up and finds the h there. It is now a big rumor that the h and H are having an affair, but the H says to ignore it and let it die away.
The h can't stop thinking about the H though and how nice he is being and she is very attracted back. So she decides to start a relationship with him. They wind up in bed and the h is happy for a little while. Until she notices that the H isn't doing anything to acknowledge their relationship to other people. He won't take her to any of his social events and gets angry when she goes off with her friends. He brings her nice jewelry and things but only takes her to out of the way places in another town so they won't be seen. The h asks if he is ashamed of her and he just tells her not to push him.
Finally after he takes off for a business trip and brings her more gifts that make her feel like a highly paid secret mistress, she breaks up with him and sends all his gifts back. He tells her she will come crawling back and she can't believe he would expect her "to eat dirt and beg to be back with him." She starts looking for another job in Australia ( I was voting for a job with the Wallabies in the RU myself,) and decides to leave the area after the season is over.
We get to the semi-finals of the playoffs for the FA cup and the team has to play in a field of mud. There is one player who was put on the reserve list that the h is worried about when he gets sent in due to multiple injured players. He accidentally put the ball in his own goal and the fans rush the field to beat him up. The h runs out and throws herself on top of the unconscious player to protect him from the kicks and blows the fans are inflicting and the irate fans start kicking and hitting her too.
Then the H shows up and starts throwing people off of the h and she passes out in his arms and everyone goes to hospital. The H tells her he misses her and loves her and the problem was that she messed up his monastic existence after his deceitful first wife killed herself by wrecking her car into a lorry while drinking.
He doesn't trust career women cause his wife failed at two businesses and took money from him behind his back. He loves the h tho and if she wants to continue her career she can. She tells him she will just look after him and is this a declaration and he tells her he just declared for her in front of all of England - they were featured on the nightly news. The h is happy he is marrying her and the H is happy she will quit her job and it is a big HEA all around and no neurotic running off to Africa was necessary.
This one was a good one, the h held her own and the H was suitably mean until he wasn't. The description of him throwing around half a football field of outraged fans was pretty redeeming and SW gave us enough H looking pathetic and sad moments to believe that he really did love her. If you like SW but want to give her usual intense neurotic h's a miss, try this one and you won't be disappointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 19, 2022
Average reading.
The plot is all there.
The heroine is a gorgeous blonde who is employed to be the physiotherapist for a soccer team (yes, you read it correctly).
The hero is one of the manager, and doesn't want her there.
He thinks she only wants to marry some player or to have affair with them.
He's a chauvinist pig, but in this case it can be understandable, maybe a man would have been more suitable.
Am I chauvinist too?
The heroine is good at her job but she's also young, beautiful and unattached, so yes, she could be a nuisance, not even intentionally.
The hero in the beginning is very hard and cruel and treats her as a gold-digging slut, but it's obvious that he's attracted to her, very much attracted.
The heroine finds out he's also a very lonely man and they starts dating.
They soon have an affair but the hero doesn't do commitment and asks her to keep it secret.
The heroine starts pushing for something more, and I found her a lil bit excessive since they are only seeing them for one week and she's already asking him to meet his family.
Woah woman slow down a little!
Men don't like to be hunted like that.
The hero though is really a commitment -phobe and after some weeks she understands he doesn't want to change their situation, ever.
Secret meetings in secret places, the heroine begins to feel like his dirty lil secret, and eventually decides she will leave the country and go to Australia.
And, in the typical SW way, there's an accident in the end where the heroine risks her life to save one of the player and the hero realizes he loves her and wants to stay with her and get married as soon as he can.
I found this last part amusing, when the hooligans try to kill the poor player who lost the ball. Where's the security?
And the heroine is the only one who tries to save the poor man?
Really???
Not much happens here, the hero is chauvinist but he's not a womanizer and he's still also a very lonely and hurt man.
He had a previous marriage but wasn't in love with his wife and she died in a car accident, so now he feels guilty and is afraid of commitment.
Not a bad book and an entertaining reading.
The plot is all there.
The heroine is a gorgeous blonde who is employed to be the physiotherapist for a soccer team (yes, you read it correctly).
The hero is one of the manager, and doesn't want her there.
He thinks she only wants to marry some player or to have affair with them.
He's a chauvinist pig, but in this case it can be understandable, maybe a man would have been more suitable.
Am I chauvinist too?
The heroine is good at her job but she's also young, beautiful and unattached, so yes, she could be a nuisance, not even intentionally.
The hero in the beginning is very hard and cruel and treats her as a gold-digging slut, but it's obvious that he's attracted to her, very much attracted.
The heroine finds out he's also a very lonely man and they starts dating.
They soon have an affair but the hero doesn't do commitment and asks her to keep it secret.
The heroine starts pushing for something more, and I found her a lil bit excessive since they are only seeing them for one week and she's already asking him to meet his family.
Woah woman slow down a little!
Men don't like to be hunted like that.
The hero though is really a commitment -phobe and after some weeks she understands he doesn't want to change their situation, ever.
Secret meetings in secret places, the heroine begins to feel like his dirty lil secret, and eventually decides she will leave the country and go to Australia.
And, in the typical SW way, there's an accident in the end where the heroine risks her life to save one of the player and the hero realizes he loves her and wants to stay with her and get married as soon as he can.
I found this last part amusing, when the hooligans try to kill the poor player who lost the ball. Where's the security?
And the heroine is the only one who tries to save the poor man?
Really???
Not much happens here, the hero is chauvinist but he's not a womanizer and he's still also a very lonely and hurt man.
He had a previous marriage but wasn't in love with his wife and she died in a car accident, so now he feels guilty and is afraid of commitment.
Not a bad book and an entertaining reading.
January 15, 2021
First off : 😬
This book surely got me by surprise. It was a modern plot in a vintage book. I was excited to know that HP back then finally had a book based on a football club with a female physiotherapist. With so much testosterone and this one woman, there had to be some serious burning jealousy and heated dialogues. What I got instead was a crazed psycho H and an h who was really easy.
Davina is a cool modern female of unspecified age. Youngish most likely and works as a physiotherapist. Her boss recommends her to work for a local football team and she braves an interview with 12 men. Except one of them is Max who just keeps throwing juvenile threats at her to make her leave.
Max I have to say was just a total douche. He said the most ridiculous things to Davina and acted like her grandma. If she was attending to a player or just interacting with them, here came Max accusing her of giving them ...
Davina was (is) one of rare and few women I know in my HP reading history who had a sensible backbone. She could hold up each and every argument with Max with keeping her cool except later in the book she gets easy. Max wants sex and Davina readily gives it repeatedly.
Davina was also a tad too modern for my liking. She was not a virgin and had been through several boyfriends. She also went to vacay on her own before taking up the new job and could obviously interact verbally and physically with guys in their various states of duress and/or undress.
Eventually Davina feels like a tramp. You don’t say Davina. She’s wanting marriage and Max doesn’t want that. They get an HEA which was rather forced out of Max tbh. The book was funny though in some places! I hope this writer has better books out there. If she writes conventional plots I might just enjoy her writing. A lot of monologue as well.
This book surely got me by surprise. It was a modern plot in a vintage book. I was excited to know that HP back then finally had a book based on a football club with a female physiotherapist. With so much testosterone and this one woman, there had to be some serious burning jealousy and heated dialogues. What I got instead was a crazed psycho H and an h who was really easy.
Davina is a cool modern female of unspecified age. Youngish most likely and works as a physiotherapist. Her boss recommends her to work for a local football team and she braves an interview with 12 men. Except one of them is Max who just keeps throwing juvenile threats at her to make her leave.
Max I have to say was just a total douche. He said the most ridiculous things to Davina and acted like her grandma. If she was attending to a player or just interacting with them, here came Max accusing her of giving them ...
Davina was (is) one of rare and few women I know in my HP reading history who had a sensible backbone. She could hold up each and every argument with Max with keeping her cool except later in the book she gets easy. Max wants sex and Davina readily gives it repeatedly.
Davina was also a tad too modern for my liking. She was not a virgin and had been through several boyfriends. She also went to vacay on her own before taking up the new job and could obviously interact verbally and physically with guys in their various states of duress and/or undress.
Eventually Davina feels like a tramp. You don’t say Davina. She’s wanting marriage and Max doesn’t want that. They get an HEA which was rather forced out of Max tbh. The book was funny though in some places! I hope this writer has better books out there. If she writes conventional plots I might just enjoy her writing. A lot of monologue as well.
April 4, 2016
GLORIOUS.
It's misogynistic and terrible, and yet - it's splendid.
Davina and Max meet and he's like, HOW DARE YOU HAVE A JOB and she's all BUT I'M AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN AND I LIKE TO WORK and he's like BUT YOU ARE ATTRACTIVE AND I WILL NOT HAVE THIS TOMFOOLERY and she's all BUT I AM GOOD AT MY JOB YOU DICK and he's like WELL LET'S KISS ANYWAY ACTUALLY MAYBE I'LL FORCIBLY KISS YOU OKAY and she's a bit not into it like THAT WAS KINDA RAPEY and he takes a breath BUT YOU LIKED IT NOW COME OVER AT CHRISTMAS AND BE COOL WIT IT and she drives over and is like OKAY COOL
And that's the book.
It's good, btw.
It's misogynistic and terrible, and yet - it's splendid.
Davina and Max meet and he's like, HOW DARE YOU HAVE A JOB and she's all BUT I'M AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN AND I LIKE TO WORK and he's like BUT YOU ARE ATTRACTIVE AND I WILL NOT HAVE THIS TOMFOOLERY and she's all BUT I AM GOOD AT MY JOB YOU DICK and he's like WELL LET'S KISS ANYWAY ACTUALLY MAYBE I'LL FORCIBLY KISS YOU OKAY and she's a bit not into it like THAT WAS KINDA RAPEY and he takes a breath BUT YOU LIKED IT NOW COME OVER AT CHRISTMAS AND BE COOL WIT IT and she drives over and is like OKAY COOL
And that's the book.
It's good, btw.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2018
I'm so angry, I can't write a coherent review :(
September 6, 2023
It took a while for me to warm to this H, widower Max, who really overdid the animosity in the first half. The h, Davina, was very likeable, cracking on with being the football team's first ever female physio. When they got together, theirs was an intensely physical relationship. I could relate to the h, pushing for more from an emotionally guarded man who clearly adored her but couldn't quite take the last, vital step. Congratulations SW for making me enjoy a romance set in the world of football.
July 25, 2021
Davina, a young physiotherapist, gets offered a position with a football (soccer) club. Max, who is the youngest member of the Board of Directors at age 33, is against Davina's appointment and attempts to demean and bully her to leave the job. Davina stands on her ground against him, which leads to an unwanted and punishing kiss by Max.
Davina begins to see a softer side of Max after he dresses as Santa for kids at a work social event. He accidentally leaves his wallet so she takes it to his home, where she finds him to appear lonely in a big house with only his dog as company. Later, Davina makes the first real move and nice gesture for them to come together.
However, Max wants to keep their relationship hidden, making Davina unhappy and ultimately deciding to leave him. The way she does it is so awesome: In the end, Max redeems himself by saving her during a fan riot on the football field.
This story had a contemporary feel. It was not love at first sight for Davina. She is career focused and professional, casually dates another man, does not appear to be a virgin, and holds Max accountable for his poor actions.
It would have been 5 stars for me until the second to last page. Davina asks Max if she should continue her job. He says that it is her decision and to do what makes her happy. Then, it goes down like this:
"In that case," she said firmly, "I'll go on working." Max's face tightened as he strove to hide is disappointment. But then Davina added teasingly, "Until the end of the season. And after we're married I think I'll just devote myself to you - and whatever comes along."
The book flew from my hands and hit the wall. I felt robbed. When she said "I'll go on working", I was so happy to finally see a heroine not quit her career for the guy. But no, a second later, we find out that was just a tease. You got me really good there Sally Wentworth. I know I should have expected that ending for a mid-80s HP, but Davina was so mature and cared about her profession the whole book, it just really seemed out of character for her to just drop her career so easily. Ugh.
Davina begins to see a softer side of Max after he dresses as Santa for kids at a work social event. He accidentally leaves his wallet so she takes it to his home, where she finds him to appear lonely in a big house with only his dog as company. Later, Davina makes the first real move and nice gesture for them to come together.
However, Max wants to keep their relationship hidden, making Davina unhappy and ultimately deciding to leave him. The way she does it is so awesome: In the end, Max redeems himself by saving her during a fan riot on the football field.
This story had a contemporary feel. It was not love at first sight for Davina. She is career focused and professional, casually dates another man, does not appear to be a virgin, and holds Max accountable for his poor actions.
It would have been 5 stars for me until the second to last page. Davina asks Max if she should continue her job. He says that it is her decision and to do what makes her happy. Then, it goes down like this:
"In that case," she said firmly, "I'll go on working." Max's face tightened as he strove to hide is disappointment. But then Davina added teasingly, "Until the end of the season. And after we're married I think I'll just devote myself to you - and whatever comes along."
The book flew from my hands and hit the wall. I felt robbed. When she said "I'll go on working", I was so happy to finally see a heroine not quit her career for the guy. But no, a second later, we find out that was just a tease. You got me really good there Sally Wentworth. I know I should have expected that ending for a mid-80s HP, but Davina was so mature and cared about her profession the whole book, it just really seemed out of character for her to just drop her career so easily. Ugh.
April 28, 2013
3 1/2 Stars ~ Davina was thrilled when her employer had recommended her to the Redford Rovers soccer team as their physiotherapist. From the moment she entered the boardroom for her interview, she knew that one board member disapproved. Hired on a three month trial, Davina could hardly breathe as Max seemed to be watching her every move. Their animosity was wearing her down, and then at a team function, Davina realizes that their sparks are a result of an intense sexual attraction. At moments she can see that Max's hunger for her is barely checked and she feels an answering hunger but refuses to allow them to act on it. They try to stay out of each other's way, but the often haunted look she sees in Max's eyes plays on her and on Christmas Eve she goes to him. Their affair is combustible, neither able to get enough of the other. At first Davina is content to keep their time together private but when Max constantly gives her gifts and only takes her out to places far away from the teams normal hangouts, she realizes she wants more. When Max insists that they continue their relationship in secret, she ends the affair, returning all his gifts, and immediately looks for another job.
While Ms. Wentworth plays up Max's past as if his wife's death held some sort of trauma for him, I didn't feel it held up once the whole truth comes out and I was disappointed. The tension though from their first meeting is kept on such a high level that I found this story very compelling. Davina is a strong heroine and she fights back when Max pushes her. Max is a brooding hero who admits later that he objected to her hire because from the moment she walked in the room, he knew he'd have to have her. There are a few 80's stereotypes here that need to be read with bearing the time written in mind. I enjoyed this angsty read
While Ms. Wentworth plays up Max's past as if his wife's death held some sort of trauma for him, I didn't feel it held up once the whole truth comes out and I was disappointed. The tension though from their first meeting is kept on such a high level that I found this story very compelling. Davina is a strong heroine and she fights back when Max pushes her. Max is a brooding hero who admits later that he objected to her hire because from the moment she walked in the room, he knew he'd have to have her. There are a few 80's stereotypes here that need to be read with bearing the time written in mind. I enjoyed this angsty read
September 2, 2012
Davina has finally reached her goal: to be the physiotherapist to a famous soccer team. But roses have thorns. And the thorn here is the H (Max) the youngest member of the team’s board of directors. When employing her, Max is the only director insisting on a trial term and he goes out of his way to put as many difficulties to her work as possible. So Davina must be better than good if she wants to keep her job. But Davina succeess.
And why Max feels such animosity against her? Because he feels too attracted to Davina. And he is a man that doesn’t suffer to have a weak spot. He is a widower and wants to stay alone, although as a man in his prime, he cannot live without sex. So when he finally gives in to his attraction to Davina, he doesn’t acknowledge their relationship openly and they meet secretly, until Davina feels fed up and decides to break their physical intimacy.
I liked this story as it kept me intrigued until the end. I also liked the high voltage chemistry of H and h.
And why Max feels such animosity against her? Because he feels too attracted to Davina. And he is a man that doesn’t suffer to have a weak spot. He is a widower and wants to stay alone, although as a man in his prime, he cannot live without sex. So when he finally gives in to his attraction to Davina, he doesn’t acknowledge their relationship openly and they meet secretly, until Davina feels fed up and decides to break their physical intimacy.
I liked this story as it kept me intrigued until the end. I also liked the high voltage chemistry of H and h.
April 17, 2013
it was a very good book i loved it i would love to read more books by sally wentworth if they are as good as this one is
August 14, 2023
This was an absolute delight. Davina is a physiotherapist applying for a job with a soccer club (okay, football), and because it's the 1980s the questions they ask her are absolutely horrific. A millionaire businessman on the board of directors is particularly snippy, suggesting that she's a gold digger who plans to seduce the players. Davina perseveres, however, and like a lot of Wentworth heroines proves she has an actual spine over the course of the book - during her many arguments with the hero she stands up for herself (at one point she tells him to shut up and mind his business). There is a very dramatic scene where he forcibly kisses her, an experience Davina describes as a kind of rape; she runs off into the rain to catch the bus home, and repeatedly refuses his attempts to give her a ride, and as she scrambles onto the bus our last image of Max is him standing next to his Rolls Royce in the rain watching her go. It's very evocative.
Anyway, the beats of this are somewhat different because
The actual climactic ending is something of a disappointment because Wentworth uses external forces to bring them together. Over all, I really liked it: Davina is a heroine who really does stand up to the hero and assert herself and her needs, which is usually not the case in an 80s category.
Anyway, the beats of this are somewhat different because
The actual climactic ending is something of a disappointment because Wentworth uses external forces to bring them together. Over all, I really liked it: Davina is a heroine who really does stand up to the hero and assert herself and her needs, which is usually not the case in an 80s category.
August 18, 2023
I'm truly confused. Is it romance?
Davina's boss is intolerable and belittles her at every turn, while having eyes 'filled with raw hunger and need". He brutally kisses her against her will and she feels degraded.
Why does she fall into his bed shortly?
She begs him to keep away from her, sees how gentle he's with kids, spends a night at his house (sees that he is indeed honorauble enough to keep his promise to her) and returns the next day for sex).
They have a physical relationship and she feels like a tramp because she wants true commitment.
The hero admits that she's there for sex only. And I'm bewildered. I expected a love confession at least. But the heroes part ways because the hero refuses to make their relationship public. And why? Can anyone explain?
I'd call the hero verbally abusive.
Davina's boss is intolerable and belittles her at every turn, while having eyes 'filled with raw hunger and need". He brutally kisses her against her will and she feels degraded.
Why does she fall into his bed shortly?
She begs him to keep away from her, sees how gentle he's with kids, spends a night at his house (sees that he is indeed honorauble enough to keep his promise to her) and returns the next day for sex).
They have a physical relationship and she feels like a tramp because she wants true commitment.
The hero admits that she's there for sex only. And I'm bewildered. I expected a love confession at least. But the heroes part ways because the hero refuses to make their relationship public. And why? Can anyone explain?
I'd call the hero verbally abusive.
August 17, 2022
I like this, but it’s predictable.
May 17, 2016
2006 Review: I thought the hero was a bit of an arse. I don't even know what in the holy heck the heroine fell in love with him. In the beginning Maxwell was always disrupting her work and finding fault in everything. Of course he's attracted to her and vice versa, etc. But what an arse! He doesn't want to commit to her or something? Anyway, if I was the heroine I would make him suffer ya know? Of course the typical thing that opens Maxwell's eyes is when she almost gets hurt etc. The book was alright but I wouldn't really re-read this again.
pback-to-read
February 9, 2021This wasn't the game she'd signed up to play!
Davina could not have been happier. The position she'd wanted and worked so hard for was hers! As physiotherapist to England's famous Redford Rovers soccer team, she would finally have her own clinic.
A beautiful woman in a man's world, Davina had expected some resistance to her appointment, but not from Maxwell Blair, the youngest member of the board of directors.
Whatever it was he really had against her, Davina could only guess. What she did know was that Max took an interest in her every move--an interest that greatly disturbed her.
Davina could not have been happier. The position she'd wanted and worked so hard for was hers! As physiotherapist to England's famous Redford Rovers soccer team, she would finally have her own clinic.
A beautiful woman in a man's world, Davina had expected some resistance to her appointment, but not from Maxwell Blair, the youngest member of the board of directors.
Whatever it was he really had against her, Davina could only guess. What she did know was that Max took an interest in her every move--an interest that greatly disturbed her.
November 20, 2014
Interesting setup for a HP. The heroine is a physiotherapist for a professional soccer team and the hero is one of the owners of the team.
The hero is prejudiced against women and the hero is tired of putting up with his shit.
There are misunderstandings fueled by the hero's pissy attitude but somehow they find their way to a HEA.
The hero is prejudiced against women and the hero is tired of putting up with his shit.
There are misunderstandings fueled by the hero's pissy attitude but somehow they find their way to a HEA.
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