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An unwilling desire
Falsely accused--twice in one lifetimeHolly hadn't encouraged the affections of her boss, James Benedict. And she couldn't bear the thought of being held responsible for the final breakup of his marriage to Maxine--not when she already had one ruined marriage on her conscience.To prove her innocence, she went along with Zack Benedict's risky scheme to make his brother jealous enough to overcome his crippling disability and reclaim his estranged wife's love.But when Zack's desire for Holly overshadowed his concern for his brother's happiness, Holly tried desperately to avoid the accusations from her own disabling past.
186 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1984
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,309 books914 followersI have written almost 250 romance novels in contemporary and Regency.
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
I am a USA Today Bestselling Author and recipient of the 2015 RWA Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2014 I received a Pioneer of Romance Award from Romantic Times in the US and in 2012 I was recognised by Queen Elizabeth II for my 'outstanding service to literature'.
I am very happily married to Peter with six sons, and live on the Isle of Man
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
February 27, 2021
"An Unwilling Desire" is another book by Carole i have come to love...
The heroine Holly Macey in this one has once again been trying to survive a dark past,which she avoid all men`s touch...but only til she meets the sexy playboy Zack Benedict,her boss younger brother who by all means strives to win her heart.Just love this book!Zack Benedict is the only hero of Caroles that has ever reminded me of the sexy vampire brother Damon Salvatore from "The Vampire Diaries" his wickedly humor and machoism was so like Damon`s,and how i LOVED IT.The heroine was strong and tough after all she got through and i desperately wanted her to realize her love for Zack,and when she then did SHE STILL REJECTED HIM!!!OH GOD how frustrated i was.But damn was i happy when Zack chased stubbornly after her!
The heroine Holly Macey in this one has once again been trying to survive a dark past,which she avoid all men`s touch...but only til she meets the sexy playboy Zack Benedict,her boss younger brother who by all means strives to win her heart.Just love this book!Zack Benedict is the only hero of Caroles that has ever reminded me of the sexy vampire brother Damon Salvatore from "The Vampire Diaries" his wickedly humor and machoism was so like Damon`s,and how i LOVED IT.The heroine was strong and tough after all she got through and i desperately wanted her to realize her love for Zack,and when she then did SHE STILL REJECTED HIM!!!OH GOD how frustrated i was.But damn was i happy when Zack chased stubbornly after her!
November 22, 2017
Trigger warning - there is a traumatic rape in the heroine's past.
Poor heroine suffered for five years blaming herself for breaking up a family. The way it's written, the reader thinks the heroine cheated at 17 with a married man. She's 22 now and is a secretary to a former race car driver who is in a wheelchair. Her employer's brother (H) thinks she is trying to break up his brother's marriage, so he bullies her into pretending that they are an item.
Poor hero is instantly smitten and the heroine feels an "unwilling desire" to be with him. The heroine is very confused about sex and love and the hero has to work hard to earn her trust. The rape discussion is handled very well, imo.
I was glad the heroine and her mother made up. But I agree that the mother didn't try very hard to be in contact with her daughter. And her stepsister should be drop-kicked into next week. This was 1984, but I wish they had called the cops on this rapist. I doubt she was his only victim.
The reconciliation between the heroine's employer and his wife was nicely done as well.
Poor heroine suffered for five years blaming herself for breaking up a family. The way it's written, the reader thinks the heroine cheated at 17 with a married man. She's 22 now and is a secretary to a former race car driver who is in a wheelchair. Her employer's brother (H) thinks she is trying to break up his brother's marriage, so he bullies her into pretending that they are an item.
Poor hero is instantly smitten and the heroine feels an "unwilling desire" to be with him. The heroine is very confused about sex and love and the hero has to work hard to earn her trust. The rape discussion is handled very well, imo.
I was glad the heroine and her mother made up. But I agree that the mother didn't try very hard to be in contact with her daughter. And her stepsister should be drop-kicked into next week. This was 1984, but I wish they had called the cops on this rapist. I doubt she was his only victim.
The reconciliation between the heroine's employer and his wife was nicely done as well.
June 14, 2021
"An Unwilling Desire" is the story of Holly and Zack.
The heroine works as a PA for the hero's brother who is disabled. When the latter starts falling for her, she is taken aback because she has already been (unfairly) blamed for a broken marriage before. The hero enters, and she enters a "pretend" relationship with him. There's a lot of drama with the brother and wife, but the best part of the book is the latter half- when we have the hero initiating lovemaking, realize what happened in the past (which is very sad) and the mending of an old relationship.
Unexpectedly good.
SWE? Safe for me
3.5/5
The heroine works as a PA for the hero's brother who is disabled. When the latter starts falling for her, she is taken aback because she has already been (unfairly) blamed for a broken marriage before. The hero enters, and she enters a "pretend" relationship with him. There's a lot of drama with the brother and wife, but the best part of the book is the latter half- when we have the hero initiating lovemaking, realize what happened in the past (which is very sad) and the mending of an old relationship.
Unexpectedly good.
SWE? Safe for me
3.5/5
November 22, 2015
Re An Unwilling Desire - Kudos to CM on this one, she finally addresses the subject of rape in a responsible and appropriate matter. I was glad to see this, especially after the disaster that was Love Unspoken. (which means that CM gets that rape is bad, as long as it isn't the H - but to be fair the number of CM books after this that use the H rape trope is pretty low)
The h in this one is a live in secretary to a married writer who is in a wheelchair. He has a wife, but their relationship appears to be very fractured and the h likes her boss, but feels pretty sorry for him. She meets the H when she walks into her work area and thinks he is her boss but he is walking. She realizes her mistake when he comes closer, he indicated that he has shown up with her boss's wife and the way acts makes her think that he is the wife's lover. They have an exchange of words and the h walks out.
She meets the H again at dinner when she finds out that he is the boss's brother, although the wife does her best to give the impression that the H and she are an item. The wife and boss have a big argument and both storm out of the room. The H accuses the h of trying it on with the boss and then tries to kiss the h. She is very resistant and when the H won't back off, she knees him where it hurts and leaves the room.
The next day the boss tries to tell the h that he is into her and the h manages to avert any confessions, the H overhears this and then he gets the h to agree to go out on a picnic. The H explains that he and the wife aren't lovers, they used to date before she married the boss, but after the accident, the boss rejected his wife and the H was trying to make him jealous enough to chase after his wife by insinuating a relationship. It turns out the only reason the boss is in wheelchair is because he has a mental block about walking. There is nothing medically wrong.
The h did not know this and the H realizes she isn't romantically interested in the boss. He does know his brother is romantically interested in her, so he thinks if they pretended to be involved this would spur the brother into walking. The h agrees to think about it and eventually agrees after she finds the wife in the H's bedroom.
The H is a record producer and decides to have the h come up for the weekend. The wife decides she and the boss need to go to, and the boss agrees as neither one of them want their potential new love interests to be alone with each other. As the h and H spend more time together and get to know each other, the h is unwillingly very attracted. They wind up having sex al fresco but later that night, at a promotional party for a new singer, they run into the h's ex-stepsister ( the new singer) and the stepsis accuses the h of breaking up a marriage because of an affair.
The h doesn't deny it and the H is pretty shocked. She leaves the H in London to go back with her boss and his wife and then turns in her resignation when the boss proposes. The wife walks in on them as the boss is kissing the h and runs off with the intention of leaving. The h goes to the wife and tells her she quit, the boss loves her and nothing was going on. The wife finally believes her and goes to talk to her hubby but finds him collapsed halfway across the floor from his wheelchair. It is then confirmed that he can walk with some physical therapy.
The h and wife become friends and the boss and wife are reconciled. The h leaves them happy and goes back to London. She runs into the stepsister again and more words are exchanged. Eventually the H tracks the h down via the step sis and he confesses he is totally in love, even when she says she is guilty of breaking up a marriage. Turns out the 17 year old h had a bit of a crush on her 24 year old stepbrother, he encouraged it and then one night drank too much and raped her. The h's stepfather walked in on them and the step bro lied his head off, calling her a skank and putting out all over. The h's mum came in and did not say anything to the h, she just sent the h back to boarding school.
As time went on the h's mum divorced, came to school to take the step-sister out and never had contact with the h. The h has avoided men ever since as she thinks she is a slut and unable to control herself around men and that she encouraged the rape. The H is very quick to reassure and insist that teenage crushes are common, but the step brother raped her - she was a victim and did nothing wrong. He also helps her figure out the step brother lied about her being wanton, she isn't out sleeping with millions of people, just the stepbro - who she did not want and the H because she loves him.
The h figures it out finally, realizes she isn't a nympho in the making, and decides to marry the H as he is absolutely as mad about her as she is about him. They go to get married and the H has invited her mother. The mum explains that she always believed the h about the rape and she divorced her husband because he wouldn't ban the son. The stepsis doesn't know what happened and she never associated with the h in school because the h did not answer her letters. The h and mum reconcile and the H and h are preggers and happy for the HEA.
I liked how CM had a great H response to the h's rape, I did not like the whole mum part. However I gave it a pass because by the time we get the mum's explanation, there was only two pages left and we still needed the baby HEA.
I do have a HUGE problem with a mum not getting the skillet out right away for the step bro, and I also have a HUGE problem with the mum sending the h back to school after a violent rape with no counseling and not even taking her to the hospital or making a police report.
The mum and the step sis should have been dropped in the abyss of eternal night and the step bro should have gone to jail. Aside from that, this was a pretty good story and the H was really sweet and supportive when he needed to be, so overall this one is a win.
The h in this one is a live in secretary to a married writer who is in a wheelchair. He has a wife, but their relationship appears to be very fractured and the h likes her boss, but feels pretty sorry for him. She meets the H when she walks into her work area and thinks he is her boss but he is walking. She realizes her mistake when he comes closer, he indicated that he has shown up with her boss's wife and the way acts makes her think that he is the wife's lover. They have an exchange of words and the h walks out.
She meets the H again at dinner when she finds out that he is the boss's brother, although the wife does her best to give the impression that the H and she are an item. The wife and boss have a big argument and both storm out of the room. The H accuses the h of trying it on with the boss and then tries to kiss the h. She is very resistant and when the H won't back off, she knees him where it hurts and leaves the room.
The next day the boss tries to tell the h that he is into her and the h manages to avert any confessions, the H overhears this and then he gets the h to agree to go out on a picnic. The H explains that he and the wife aren't lovers, they used to date before she married the boss, but after the accident, the boss rejected his wife and the H was trying to make him jealous enough to chase after his wife by insinuating a relationship. It turns out the only reason the boss is in wheelchair is because he has a mental block about walking. There is nothing medically wrong.
The h did not know this and the H realizes she isn't romantically interested in the boss. He does know his brother is romantically interested in her, so he thinks if they pretended to be involved this would spur the brother into walking. The h agrees to think about it and eventually agrees after she finds the wife in the H's bedroom.
The H is a record producer and decides to have the h come up for the weekend. The wife decides she and the boss need to go to, and the boss agrees as neither one of them want their potential new love interests to be alone with each other. As the h and H spend more time together and get to know each other, the h is unwillingly very attracted. They wind up having sex al fresco but later that night, at a promotional party for a new singer, they run into the h's ex-stepsister ( the new singer) and the stepsis accuses the h of breaking up a marriage because of an affair.
The h doesn't deny it and the H is pretty shocked. She leaves the H in London to go back with her boss and his wife and then turns in her resignation when the boss proposes. The wife walks in on them as the boss is kissing the h and runs off with the intention of leaving. The h goes to the wife and tells her she quit, the boss loves her and nothing was going on. The wife finally believes her and goes to talk to her hubby but finds him collapsed halfway across the floor from his wheelchair. It is then confirmed that he can walk with some physical therapy.
The h and wife become friends and the boss and wife are reconciled. The h leaves them happy and goes back to London. She runs into the stepsister again and more words are exchanged. Eventually the H tracks the h down via the step sis and he confesses he is totally in love, even when she says she is guilty of breaking up a marriage. Turns out the 17 year old h had a bit of a crush on her 24 year old stepbrother, he encouraged it and then one night drank too much and raped her. The h's stepfather walked in on them and the step bro lied his head off, calling her a skank and putting out all over. The h's mum came in and did not say anything to the h, she just sent the h back to boarding school.
As time went on the h's mum divorced, came to school to take the step-sister out and never had contact with the h. The h has avoided men ever since as she thinks she is a slut and unable to control herself around men and that she encouraged the rape. The H is very quick to reassure and insist that teenage crushes are common, but the step brother raped her - she was a victim and did nothing wrong. He also helps her figure out the step brother lied about her being wanton, she isn't out sleeping with millions of people, just the stepbro - who she did not want and the H because she loves him.
The h figures it out finally, realizes she isn't a nympho in the making, and decides to marry the H as he is absolutely as mad about her as she is about him. They go to get married and the H has invited her mother. The mum explains that she always believed the h about the rape and she divorced her husband because he wouldn't ban the son. The stepsis doesn't know what happened and she never associated with the h in school because the h did not answer her letters. The h and mum reconcile and the H and h are preggers and happy for the HEA.
I liked how CM had a great H response to the h's rape, I did not like the whole mum part. However I gave it a pass because by the time we get the mum's explanation, there was only two pages left and we still needed the baby HEA.
I do have a HUGE problem with a mum not getting the skillet out right away for the step bro, and I also have a HUGE problem with the mum sending the h back to school after a violent rape with no counseling and not even taking her to the hospital or making a police report.
The mum and the step sis should have been dropped in the abyss of eternal night and the step bro should have gone to jail. Aside from that, this was a pretty good story and the H was really sweet and supportive when he needed to be, so overall this one is a win.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2017
One of the best HP's that I have read.
I love Holly but absolutely adore Zack!
It's a story about Holly, whose life was forever changed after a horrific incident that left her with no one on her side.
Then she meets Zack and he brings color and laughter back into her life. Their interactions are sharp, cutting and witty. They are both attracted to each other but Holly feels she has to protect herself so she tried to keep him at a distance. Stubborn Zack refuses to allow that to happen and Holly finds herself falling for him even when she doesn't want to.
Also in the book are Maxine and James - Zack's brother and sister-in-law, and how they fight for their marriage.
This book is exquisitely written and Holly's situation beautifully handled as is James and Maxine's storyline.
This is a keeper that I will certainly read again
I love Holly but absolutely adore Zack!
It's a story about Holly, whose life was forever changed after a horrific incident that left her with no one on her side.
Then she meets Zack and he brings color and laughter back into her life. Their interactions are sharp, cutting and witty. They are both attracted to each other but Holly feels she has to protect herself so she tried to keep him at a distance. Stubborn Zack refuses to allow that to happen and Holly finds herself falling for him even when she doesn't want to.
Also in the book are Maxine and James - Zack's brother and sister-in-law, and how they fight for their marriage.
This book is exquisitely written and Holly's situation beautifully handled as is James and Maxine's storyline.
This is a keeper that I will certainly read again
May 20, 2011
Really liked this book. Holly is beautiful but naive in all aspects of life. She's been raped by her charming step brother as a teenager. Her step sister blamed Holly for the break up of the marriage between Holly's mother and her father. Holly, disillusioned by the betrayal of her beloved step brother, turned inward and severed contact with her mother.......
Years later she's working for James. He's in a wheelchair and experiencing marital troubles with his gorgeous ex model wife Maxine. James believes himself infatuated, in love with Holly. Suddenly Zach blows into town and proposes that he and Holly pretend to be dating in order to make James jealous. the doctors see no reason James isn't walking and out of the wheelchair.
Holly reluctantly goes along w/ Zach's plan. The problem is, she's VERY aware of Zach as a man. She's unwillingly attracted to him and eventually succumbs to his lethal charm. And, that's when the story really kicks into high gear! Holly, thinking she's a total wanton.... (told you the girl was naive) flees and returns to corporate work in London. Zach tracks her down. He somehow manages to make her realize he LOVES her and she agrees to marry him. There's a lovely scene dedicated to Holly and her mother having a break through and making amends.
Marvelous read! Love this book! another brilliant effort by Ms. Mortimer. :)
Years later she's working for James. He's in a wheelchair and experiencing marital troubles with his gorgeous ex model wife Maxine. James believes himself infatuated, in love with Holly. Suddenly Zach blows into town and proposes that he and Holly pretend to be dating in order to make James jealous. the doctors see no reason James isn't walking and out of the wheelchair.
Holly reluctantly goes along w/ Zach's plan. The problem is, she's VERY aware of Zach as a man. She's unwillingly attracted to him and eventually succumbs to his lethal charm. And, that's when the story really kicks into high gear! Holly, thinking she's a total wanton.... (told you the girl was naive) flees and returns to corporate work in London. Zach tracks her down. He somehow manages to make her realize he LOVES her and she agrees to marry him. There's a lovely scene dedicated to Holly and her mother having a break through and making amends.
Marvelous read! Love this book! another brilliant effort by Ms. Mortimer. :)
January 28, 2015
Normally this would have been a three for me, but I had to give it that extra star because I was so impressed with how this old school HQ addressed the issue of rape.
Big kudos to CM for keeping my faith in good HQ alive:)
Big kudos to CM for keeping my faith in good HQ alive:)
March 1, 2021
A lot of high drama ... some angst ... a traumatic past for the h to overcome ...
Secretary h believes her wheelchair ridden boss's wife treats him poorly ... and then she makes a lot of assumptions about the boss's wife's relationship with boss's brother who is the H
to be honest, I seriously disliked her for her holier than thou attitude ... and believe she was very spineless where the boss was concerned
h needed saving from herself; I was afraid she was going to find herself in a lukewarm marriage with the boss out of pity ... and I was so happy H dived in and saved her from her own foolishness ...
But then the story picked up and by the end, I liked the h a lot ...
I liked the H from the beginning; but he upset me at the end when he brought her mother in
Because honestly, the mother didn't deserve the h ...
Also, the mother needed to tell her stepdaughter, who is a total bitch, the reality about her precious stepbrother ...
All in all, an enjoyable read ...
Secretary h believes her wheelchair ridden boss's wife treats him poorly ... and then she makes a lot of assumptions about the boss's wife's relationship with boss's brother who is the H
to be honest, I seriously disliked her for her holier than thou attitude ... and believe she was very spineless where the boss was concerned
h needed saving from herself; I was afraid she was going to find herself in a lukewarm marriage with the boss out of pity ... and I was so happy H dived in and saved her from her own foolishness ...
But then the story picked up and by the end, I liked the h a lot ...
I liked the H from the beginning; but he upset me at the end when he brought her mother in
Because honestly, the mother didn't deserve the h ...
Also, the mother needed to tell her stepdaughter, who is a total bitch, the reality about her precious stepbrother ...
All in all, an enjoyable read ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2017
When I first read the book, I was just going to give it a three. But as I analyzed the story and how the author played out the plot, the conflict, and the characters, I started to appreciate it more. The heroine started out a bit difficult to relate to, but she developed well into the story. The hero's initial reaction to the conflict was a bit unreasonable. However, he more than made up for things in the end.
I've always enjoyed CM's HP books. I'm glad I discovered yet another one that I liked reading.
I've always enjoyed CM's HP books. I'm glad I discovered yet another one that I liked reading.
October 14, 2012
Loved it!!
April 5, 2019
A good one. Sufficiently melodramatic, good chemistry between the leads. The hero is just rogue enough to be a hit with the reader ;)
Girl is a secretary to wheelchair bound elder brother. The younger brother vows to pull him out of his morose existence. So he teams up his secretary, pretending to be an item.
Why should that bother the elder fellow, when he has a wife of his own ? Simple, the married couple aren't getting any action between the sheets since the accident. So both are bitter and are bickering all the time. The brother decides that the secretary is a tame little thing who won't mind his being 'half a man' !!??? So he is hoping to make a play for her. But he still carries a torch for the bitchy wife.
Coming back to the hero and the secretary heroine, the pretend relationship was never going to work. Because the hero is forever flirting with the girl. She likes it too. But she has a back story that makes her wary of men.
In the mean time, the hero also has a back story with the brother's wife. Nothing sinister, just that she dumped him in order to marry the elder guy.
Now we have a royal foursome. Enough fodder to fill 100 pages !!!!!
When the hero tries real hard to get into the girls bed, she reveals her miserable past experience. Her step brother took advantage of her adolescent hero worship and raped her. The hero brings out this sob story from the girl. And then adds the healing touch before proposing marriage.
The other couple are also reconciled by now. How, you may ask ? I told you already, get your bed room action going and all will be well. That's the million dollar solution to all marital problems in HP land !!!!! He also manages to start walking with crutches, but that's only secondary ....
Over all, fun read. I was even tempted to rate it 5 stars. But then my sensible side overtook my melodramatic side. And I settled for a respectable 4 stars :)
Girl is a secretary to wheelchair bound elder brother. The younger brother vows to pull him out of his morose existence. So he teams up his secretary, pretending to be an item.
Why should that bother the elder fellow, when he has a wife of his own ? Simple, the married couple aren't getting any action between the sheets since the accident. So both are bitter and are bickering all the time. The brother decides that the secretary is a tame little thing who won't mind his being 'half a man' !!??? So he is hoping to make a play for her. But he still carries a torch for the bitchy wife.
Coming back to the hero and the secretary heroine, the pretend relationship was never going to work. Because the hero is forever flirting with the girl. She likes it too. But she has a back story that makes her wary of men.
In the mean time, the hero also has a back story with the brother's wife. Nothing sinister, just that she dumped him in order to marry the elder guy.
Now we have a royal foursome. Enough fodder to fill 100 pages !!!!!
When the hero tries real hard to get into the girls bed, she reveals her miserable past experience. Her step brother took advantage of her adolescent hero worship and raped her. The hero brings out this sob story from the girl. And then adds the healing touch before proposing marriage.
The other couple are also reconciled by now. How, you may ask ? I told you already, get your bed room action going and all will be well. That's the million dollar solution to all marital problems in HP land !!!!! He also manages to start walking with crutches, but that's only secondary ....
Over all, fun read. I was even tempted to rate it 5 stars. But then my sensible side overtook my melodramatic side. And I settled for a respectable 4 stars :)
August 5, 2021
I really liked this and found CM's exploration of Holly's feelings about her step brother raping her sensitive and accurate. Holly knew she'd encouraged step bro to kiss her and from that felt she had been responsible for him raping her, that she had led her on. Yes, girls do feel like that, especially when they are 17 and the man lies and says that's what happened. Holly then felt she couldn't control herself and avoided men rather than risk another affair.
Hero Zak was great. Holly and the two minor characters, James and his wife Maxine were good, well characterized.
Hero Zak was great. Holly and the two minor characters, James and his wife Maxine were good, well characterized.
January 22, 2023
This is alright. So glad we and the hero know that what happened to the heroine was anything but her fault. Even though it was patched together in the last chapter. But the hero and heroine didn't really fall in love in my opinion. Still say skip.
May 6, 2017
Highly recommend this book.
May 9, 2021
A nice light easy going book quite a good story to it
August 14, 2024
This story was so much more enjoyable (than the last two I read from CM). I really got into it. A lovely read. 4☆
January 21, 2025
It wasn't bad, but I think it would have been a better TV movie. Also, too many toxic characters not getting their comeuppance.
January 21, 2021
"Υποψίες" - Κάρολ Μόρτιμερ, Συλλογή 593, έτος έκδοσης: 1984.
January 31, 2020
This rapist got pissed at the woman for being raped by someone else essentially. The woman was a fool in need of serious therapy and the was not a single likable character in this. JFC I loathe them all.
March 26, 2010
Very romantic story!! I really-really liked it..
July 8, 2010
Extremely engaging plot!
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews