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Windfall: Impulse / Temptation
Impulse
For once in her life, Rebecca Malone decided to follow her impulses, jettison the familiar and head to Greece to find adventure! So when a sexy stranger began to romance her, she couldn't resist playing the sophisticated, well-traveled woman. However, falling in love with Stephen Nickodemus was not part of the plan! How on earth could she explain to the man she'd given her heart to that she wasn't the woman he'd believed her to be? And then convince him that she was still the woman he loved….
Temptation
Socialite Eden Carlborough didn't expect running a girls' camp to be easy, but she never thought she'd literally be run up an apple tree by the little monsters. She was equally surprised to come crashing down into the capable arms of orchard owner Chase Elliot. While her handsome neighbor's overbearing ways were highly irritating, his touch ignited feelings she'd never known. She never imagined she'd be so very…tempted!
For once in her life, Rebecca Malone decided to follow her impulses, jettison the familiar and head to Greece to find adventure! So when a sexy stranger began to romance her, she couldn't resist playing the sophisticated, well-traveled woman. However, falling in love with Stephen Nickodemus was not part of the plan! How on earth could she explain to the man she'd given her heart to that she wasn't the woman he'd believed her to be? And then convince him that she was still the woman he loved….
Temptation
Socialite Eden Carlborough didn't expect running a girls' camp to be easy, but she never thought she'd literally be run up an apple tree by the little monsters. She was equally surprised to come crashing down into the capable arms of orchard owner Chase Elliot. While her handsome neighbor's overbearing ways were highly irritating, his touch ignited feelings she'd never known. She never imagined she'd be so very…tempted!
297 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
22 people are currently reading
730 people want to read
About the author
Nora Roberts
1,227 books60.3k followersNora Roberts is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including Hideaway, Under Currents, Come Sundown, The Awakening, Legacy, and coming in November 2021 -- The Becoming -- the second book in The Dragon Heart Legacy. She is also the author of the futuristic suspense In Death series written under the pen name J.D. Robb. There are more than 500 million copies of her books in print.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews
May 29, 2012
Impulse had the feel of a Harlequin romance novel. It should be titled something like The Greek Billionaire's Summer Fling. I don't know, it just felt like that kind of story. I liked Rebecca and Stephen but at a few different points I wanted to hit Rebecca. I felt like if she was so smart she should have been able to put a few more things together and realize that Stephen was more than what she believed him to be, but *shrug* such is the case with romances.
I liked Temptation a little bit more. Eden and Chase were really great. These two felt more like the Nora Robert's characters that I love. They fight each other and themselves before finally admitting they care for each other. I prefer a battle to the female running away. I really like that Eden goes full steam ahead in her new life and embraces the challenges of working/running a summer camp.
I liked Temptation a little bit more. Eden and Chase were really great. These two felt more like the Nora Robert's characters that I love. They fight each other and themselves before finally admitting they care for each other. I prefer a battle to the female running away. I really like that Eden goes full steam ahead in her new life and embraces the challenges of working/running a summer camp.
September 5, 2021
First story: Impulse
Nora Roberts insisted in The idea of impulse a lot, maybe too much. I’ve realized with this part of the book that unrealistic romances that you can’t buy are not my type of books. Also, Nora Roberts’s style of writing was boring for me there was a lots of rhetorical questions, long description, lots of adjectives. In general, I didn’t liked it.
Pd: Their fight as a “couple” (because they barely knew each other) were stupid and their love was exclusively physic and platonic.
Second story: temptation
At this point of the book I was sick of it. However I decided to continued only because of pride. Anyways I couldn’t do it. Got bored at the page 150, cause of the same things than the other story but now I didn’t have that much patient.
My host family gave me this book now I really don’t know what to tell them because it was a torture reading it.
Final opinion:
I’m not reading another book of this author. I’m not reading adult romance with a happy development and end again.
Nora Roberts insisted in The idea of impulse a lot, maybe too much. I’ve realized with this part of the book that unrealistic romances that you can’t buy are not my type of books. Also, Nora Roberts’s style of writing was boring for me there was a lots of rhetorical questions, long description, lots of adjectives. In general, I didn’t liked it.
Pd: Their fight as a “couple” (because they barely knew each other) were stupid and their love was exclusively physic and platonic.
Second story: temptation
At this point of the book I was sick of it. However I decided to continued only because of pride. Anyways I couldn’t do it. Got bored at the page 150, cause of the same things than the other story but now I didn’t have that much patient.
My host family gave me this book now I really don’t know what to tell them because it was a torture reading it.
Final opinion:
I’m not reading another book of this author. I’m not reading adult romance with a happy development and end again.
April 20, 2010
No surprises here. Both stories were pretty straight forward romance. Girl trying to change her life falls in love with dashing hero and lives happily ever after.
Nice quick sweet romance. 2 stars
Nice quick sweet romance. 2 stars
November 10, 2017
Two cute stories that aren’t completely about sex. I love Nora Roberts but some of her newer books get a little too descriptive. These books are a fun, cozy read. Easily read in a day (for me) and a nice little escape.
November 23, 2017
Oldies but goodies
March 22, 2025
As expected, I didn't enjoy this. Not a Nora Roberts fan, but it fit multiple Goodreads challenges, one where I had to specifically read a Nora Roberts *shudders*. I used to adore simple Harlequin romances when I was growing up, although I've gotten out of them mainly. One of the things I enjoyed about them most was the drama queen stuff and the tension in some of them where there was a major issue before they fell in love/lust/whatever/happy baby kingdom eventually.
This book is two stories. Unlike juicy sometimes harlequins, these are the most basic bones romance, insta-love both times, very little issues, simplistic halmark moments to the extreme.
Second story first as it was better than Windfall and saved it to 2 instead of 1 - summer camp, reasonable heroine, wealthy apple orchard owner next door. Was okay. Again, very simple and unrealisically insta-love without much plot, it serviced at what it described itself to be.
On the other hand - the first story? Dreadful bollucks. No story at all. A 23 year old who made it to the top of her agency in Philadelphia at a top accounting firm of the city who already owned a condo (yes, really), sold everything and quit everything so she could travel and live life for awhile. While in Greece, she immediately meets the love of her life who immediately approaches her, and everything is gaga-gaga perfect forevermore, blah blah blah.
Anyway, you also get great writing like this that made me pause to appreciate the prose:
"The champaigne was making her head swim and the moonlight felt as soft as rain."
Now -- I had no idea light could feel like rain. Rain can actually feel pretty hard and harsh. Perhaps she's trying to say light mist, but again, Greece must have very special moonlight beams indeed.
This book is two stories. Unlike juicy sometimes harlequins, these are the most basic bones romance, insta-love both times, very little issues, simplistic halmark moments to the extreme.
Second story first as it was better than Windfall and saved it to 2 instead of 1 - summer camp, reasonable heroine, wealthy apple orchard owner next door. Was okay. Again, very simple and unrealisically insta-love without much plot, it serviced at what it described itself to be.
On the other hand - the first story? Dreadful bollucks. No story at all. A 23 year old who made it to the top of her agency in Philadelphia at a top accounting firm of the city who already owned a condo (yes, really), sold everything and quit everything so she could travel and live life for awhile. While in Greece, she immediately meets the love of her life who immediately approaches her, and everything is gaga-gaga perfect forevermore, blah blah blah.
Anyway, you also get great writing like this that made me pause to appreciate the prose:
"The champaigne was making her head swim and the moonlight felt as soft as rain."
Now -- I had no idea light could feel like rain. Rain can actually feel pretty hard and harsh. Perhaps she's trying to say light mist, but again, Greece must have very special moonlight beams indeed.
June 27, 2025
I picked up Windfall at my library's Used Book Sale for 25 cents... unfortunately that's about what it was worth. This book is actually a collection of 2 short novels by Nora Roberts -- "Impulse" and "Temptation". While I enjoyed the first story, I found the second one very lame.
"Impulse" is a basic love story (of course), but I enjoyed the characters and the locales, and it was enjoyable to read. Nothing particularly memorable, but fine nonetheless when you're in the mood for some light reading entertainment.
"Temptation", however, is by far my least favorite Nora Robert books that I've read to date. The story centers on the "love at first sight" story of Eden (former Philadelphia socialite whose father died with substantial debt -- leading her fiancee to ditch her as well -- so she has to sell everything and reinvent herself by investing in and running a summer camp in the Poconos) and Chase (handsome single tycoon who owns the "nation's best apple orchard", which is adjacent to the summer camp). Sounds plausible, right? OK, I was willing to go along with that setup. What I had a lot of trouble with was the Chase character -- the "meet cutes" were far more alarming than they were charming. His actions were borderline stalking, and he was clearly someone who does not respect a woman's boundaries. I found him creepy! The story became somewhat more palatable once the relationship became consensual, but even then it was still questionable (for example, making moves on Eden in front of the summer campers she was supposed to be supervising).... Ugh.
"Impulse" is a basic love story (of course), but I enjoyed the characters and the locales, and it was enjoyable to read. Nothing particularly memorable, but fine nonetheless when you're in the mood for some light reading entertainment.
"Temptation", however, is by far my least favorite Nora Robert books that I've read to date. The story centers on the "love at first sight" story of Eden (former Philadelphia socialite whose father died with substantial debt -- leading her fiancee to ditch her as well -- so she has to sell everything and reinvent herself by investing in and running a summer camp in the Poconos) and Chase (handsome single tycoon who owns the "nation's best apple orchard", which is adjacent to the summer camp). Sounds plausible, right? OK, I was willing to go along with that setup. What I had a lot of trouble with was the Chase character -- the "meet cutes" were far more alarming than they were charming. His actions were borderline stalking, and he was clearly someone who does not respect a woman's boundaries. I found him creepy! The story became somewhat more palatable once the relationship became consensual, but even then it was still questionable (for example, making moves on Eden in front of the summer campers she was supposed to be supervising).... Ugh.
October 2, 2024
I liked it when we were told about the FMC’s and their background that lead to them being where they are in the story, but I just didn’t enjoy that for a romance book of girl wants to rediscover herself only to find love and then lives HEA both of the main male characters felt like walking red flags and it was ignored.. they had some nice moments but they were both extremely pushy (at least to me) and would basically take without consent and think it was fine because they knew the FMC was attracted to them even if they sensed fear or nervousness in them. It just bothered me that they acted that way and got away with it, if they’d been held accountable for their actions then sincerely changed their actions I’d have enjoyed it more as the light romance I thought it’d be. This is my first book by this author though, so maybe she has books others would recommend more than this one
April 1, 2020
Sometimes you just need some old-fashioned late 80's Silhouette romances in your life...or at least I do. Impulse and Temptation are the two novellas in this book. Temptation > Impulse; both follow the pattern of: girl meets boy, they fall in love, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Impulse: 111 pages - characters are minimally fleshed out
Temptation: 182 pages - more developed characters and a stronger story
Impulse: 111 pages - characters are minimally fleshed out
Temptation: 182 pages - more developed characters and a stronger story
May 13, 2021
I literally have no idea when or how I got this book but it’s probably been on my bookshelf TBR for years and I’m trying to knock some of them out. Not for me, no substance. Boy meets girl, boy wants girl, some kind of problem, they admit they love each other and live happily ever after. While I love that as much as the next person there wasn’t any story like or character development. Literally the same story twice once in Europe and once at summer camp.
July 29, 2021
Sometimes you just need some old-fashioned late 80's Silhouette romances in your life...or at least I do. Impulse and Temptation are the two novellas in this book. Temptation > Impulse; both follow the pattern of: girl meets boy, they fall in love, and everyone lives happily ever after.
Impulse: 111 pages - characters are minimally fleshed out
Temptation: 182 pages - more developed characters and a stronger story
Impulse: 111 pages - characters are minimally fleshed out
Temptation: 182 pages - more developed characters and a stronger story
October 20, 2025
Impulse was a quick fun read. Rebecca and Stephen were a wonderful couple and I wish I had the guts to pull a Rebecca!
Temptation was also a quick fun read. I loved that Eden was trying to break out of her mold and become a new person. I love how Chase went right along for the ride!
I'd definitely recommend.
Temptation was also a quick fun read. I loved that Eden was trying to break out of her mold and become a new person. I love how Chase went right along for the ride!
I'd definitely recommend.
April 6, 2019
The first story, Impulse, felt like just the outline of an idea. It wasn't fleshed out enough. The second story, Temptation, was the kind of simple, old-fashioned Harlequin I got hooked on when my Great Aunt Alice gave me a big box of books at age 17.
August 30, 2019
An older Nora Roberts romance with two stories from the 1980's that were really good stories.
April 8, 2020
I loved Impulse, but Temptation was a little harder for me because of how pushy Chase was.
September 30, 2020
I liked temptation a little more than impulse but impulse certainly feed my wanderlust for a bit. Over all they were both delightful reads, happy to finally read the books on my bookshelf.
April 27, 2021
This one was so so boring!!!!! I Norma like Nora roberts but this took me twice as long to finish 😕
July 30, 2022
I can’t believe I read this in 9th grade.
The men in these two stories are walking red flags, and the women seem to be attracted to red flags so it works for them.
The men in these two stories are walking red flags, and the women seem to be attracted to red flags so it works for them.
March 5, 2024
This is one of the worst books that I have ever read. If this is about love, I wouldn't want any part of it. It is about an overbearing egotistical male dominating a weak, confused woman. I won't read any of Ms. Roberts books again.
August 6, 2024
2 short romantic stories. Both enjoyable and easy reads. I didn't want to put the book down.
February 7, 2026
I did enjoy reading these two stories. They were both about women taking charge of their lives after different circumstances, and finding love.
May 7, 2020
4/19/19 - Finished Impulse, the first book in this bind-up. It was decent. Certainly a book of its time, or maybe a little ahead of its time since there were lots of hints at consent that you wouldn't necessarily find in the "alpha" males of romance in the late 80s. Of course, I haven't read that many, so maybe I would find that. I liked this story, I didn't love it. I would give this one probably a 3.5/5.
#stayhomereadingrush: Read a book set somewhere you wish you could go: Corfu/Greece
#OWLs - Defense Against the Dark Arts - Grindylows: read a book set at the sea/coast - Corfu/Greece
5/6/20 - Finished Temptation, the second book in this bind-up. This was good, maybe a tad better than the first one. Again, a book of its time, but there was consent as well as the "alpha" male in this one. Probably a 3.75/5. I think overall, I'm going to give this one a 3/5 overall. They were both good, escapist novels but nothing spectacular.
#stayhomereadingrush: Read a book set somewhere you wish you could go: Corfu/Greece
#OWLs - Defense Against the Dark Arts - Grindylows: read a book set at the sea/coast - Corfu/Greece
5/6/20 - Finished Temptation, the second book in this bind-up. This was good, maybe a tad better than the first one. Again, a book of its time, but there was consent as well as the "alpha" male in this one. Probably a 3.75/5. I think overall, I'm going to give this one a 3/5 overall. They were both good, escapist novels but nothing spectacular.
February 18, 2012
impulse -5 stars!
ok so take me to greece now!!!! haha. ok apparently i have to take myself in order to meet the man of my dreams in one the of the most beautiful countries ever, but it seems like a fair bargain. except for the part where i sell all my possesions (oh wait, i don't have any of my own and live at my parents house...) haha still worth it!
the other book tempation
pretty cute but Chase was way too unrealistically persistant of eden. some stuff just didn't make sense. they met maybe 5 times in total before his proposing at the end...sorry but i didn't understand the chemistry there, it was hott but not understandable. her denial of him was ridiculous and his pursuit of her after those harsh denials made no sense. anyway the story was a cute one and love the whole idea of running a sleepaway camp. so 4 stars!
ok so take me to greece now!!!! haha. ok apparently i have to take myself in order to meet the man of my dreams in one the of the most beautiful countries ever, but it seems like a fair bargain. except for the part where i sell all my possesions (oh wait, i don't have any of my own and live at my parents house...) haha still worth it!
the other book tempation
pretty cute but Chase was way too unrealistically persistant of eden. some stuff just didn't make sense. they met maybe 5 times in total before his proposing at the end...sorry but i didn't understand the chemistry there, it was hott but not understandable. her denial of him was ridiculous and his pursuit of her after those harsh denials made no sense. anyway the story was a cute one and love the whole idea of running a sleepaway camp. so 4 stars!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2016
This Nora Roberts book contains two short stories. In IMPULSE... Rebecca suddenly , after the death of her Aunt, sells all she owns and quits her job and sets off to see places she only dreamed of. While in Greece she meets Stephen and her plans and world takes a whole different path.
In TEMPTATION..Eden's life is turned upside down with the death of her beloved father and being jilted by her fiance. Having to sell everything to pay off her father's debts and changing the way she had lived, she finds herself entering into a partnership with her life long friend Candy to run a girls camp. She is questioning not only if she can make a go of the camp but if she can trust her emotions after a chance meeting with Chase who owns the land next to the camp.
In TEMPTATION..Eden's life is turned upside down with the death of her beloved father and being jilted by her fiance. Having to sell everything to pay off her father's debts and changing the way she had lived, she finds herself entering into a partnership with her life long friend Candy to run a girls camp. She is questioning not only if she can make a go of the camp but if she can trust her emotions after a chance meeting with Chase who owns the land next to the camp.
June 5, 2013
Theses were two older (1987,1989) stories written by the author. Both are interesting tales of women who have changed their lives by choice. One is affected by the death of her aunt and decides to live life to the fullest and take an exciting vacation which she has never done before. The other is affected by the death of her father. She has lived of the 'rich' girl and now must make a living to survive after debts created by her father before he died has left her with no choice to start over. She becomes a partner in a camp for girls which she once attended herself as a camper.
January 10, 2016
1.) I wanted to see what all the hype about "romance" novels was about
2.) I like Nora
3.) This is how I came to read this book.
I found the first story "Impulse" not very impressive but thankfully "Temptation" sort of redeemed itself for me. I understand why this is a romance novel and why people may be drawn to it. As for me, I'd rather read about real life "romance" (more Nicholas Sparks type) and not the fantasy where some rich man comes and saves me (whether I want to be or not) and makes all my dreams eventually come true... Bottom line... Not sold... yet ;)
2.) I like Nora
3.) This is how I came to read this book.
I found the first story "Impulse" not very impressive but thankfully "Temptation" sort of redeemed itself for me. I understand why this is a romance novel and why people may be drawn to it. As for me, I'd rather read about real life "romance" (more Nicholas Sparks type) and not the fantasy where some rich man comes and saves me (whether I want to be or not) and makes all my dreams eventually come true... Bottom line... Not sold... yet ;)
January 4, 2013
I was a bit disappointed by these books because of the men in them. The story lines were great and had amazing potential, but the men were not men I could fall in live with. They seemed a bit on the possessive side and I kept thinking to myself "Wow, that's a warning sign. Possible abusive relationship following" The guy from the second book was much better, but he was still a bit different than what I look for in a fictional man.
May 29, 2012
the book with the apple orchids was better than the other story in here.but not by much. in
the other story,love came extremely fast.&i wasnt buying it at all.idk why nora completely rushed the story,so fast there wasnt a story at all.they had just met and he was flipping out because she "left him" which is good in a book if they had known eachother for quite a while, instead of like a day.
the other story,love came extremely fast.&i wasnt buying it at all.idk why nora completely rushed the story,so fast there wasnt a story at all.they had just met and he was flipping out because she "left him" which is good in a book if they had known eachother for quite a while, instead of like a day.
May 17, 2014
Although described as unforgettable stories, I hardly recall reading them. Impulse, especially is not clear to me. It was a sweet story with a happy ending. It was entertaining, short, sweet.
Temptation I recall better, perhaps because I have been a camp nurse. I could relate to her caring relationship with certain kids, even the rascals. It is also an entertaining, short and sweet story.
Temptation I recall better, perhaps because I have been a camp nurse. I could relate to her caring relationship with certain kids, even the rascals. It is also an entertaining, short and sweet story.
November 19, 2009
These were cheesy romance stories. Two novellas in one book. I thought the premise behind both books were interesting, but because they were so short, it was too much about the sex. Also, both books were like "love at first sight" and I am not a big fan of so many romance books being like that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 69 reviews