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The Santorini Marriage Bargain
From the Greek's secretary...
When fresh-faced Rhianne Pickering agrees to work for masterful Greek Zarek Diakos she knows it's a mistake - no man has ever made her heart quicken and her body quiver like this! But with her life in tatters she needs a job. To his convenient wife! Zarek thinks Rhianne makes the perfect secretary. But on a business trip to the beautiful island of Santorini he decides her skills are undervalued.
He's in need of a bride, under the warm Mediterranean sun he'll show Rhianne it's a position she can't refuse!
When fresh-faced Rhianne Pickering agrees to work for masterful Greek Zarek Diakos she knows it's a mistake - no man has ever made her heart quicken and her body quiver like this! But with her life in tatters she needs a job. To his convenient wife! Zarek thinks Rhianne makes the perfect secretary. But on a business trip to the beautiful island of Santorini he decides her skills are undervalued.
He's in need of a bride, under the warm Mediterranean sun he'll show Rhianne it's a position she can't refuse!
Paperback
First published August 1, 2011
About the author
Margaret Mayo
348 books46 followersThere is more than one author with this name
For Children's writer see Margaret Mayo
Jessica R. Mayo was born on February 7, 1936 in Staffordshire, England, and has remained within the county all of her life. It was never her ambition to become a writer, although she always loved reading, even to the extent of reading comics out loud to her twin brother when she was eight years old. In fact her only writing experience was in letters to various pen pals around the world. She unfortunately lost touch with them now and often wonders whether any of them have ever discovered that her chatty letters were the forerunner to her writing career.
She left school to become a secretary, taking a break to have her two children, Adrian and Tina. Once they were at school she started back to work and planned to further her career by becoming a bi-lingual secretary. Unfortunately she couldn't speak any languages other than her native English, so she began evening classes. It was at this time that she got the idea for a romantic short story - to this day she doesn't know where the idea came from or why, but she thanks her lucky stars because it kick-started her career. Margaret, and her mother before her, had always read Mills & Boon romances, and to actually be writing one excited her beyond measure.
'My life began at forty' is another one of her favourite sayings - because that is when her first book was published - two and a half years after she first set pen to paper (that first book was written long before she felt confident enough to send it off).Having those books accepted was the happiest and most exciting day of her life. She waltzed her husband around the room and their two children thought they'd gone mad, until they were told the good news.
Her first two submitted novels were accepted simultaneously, and now she has over sixty-five to her credit. When she looks at them lined up on her bookshelf she wonders how she has managed to write all those millions of words. She is a hopeless romantic who loves writing. She falls in love with every one of her heroes and likes to boast about how many 'love affairs' she's had.
Margaret gets so immersed in her writing that one day - before she made writing her full-time career and did most of her writing at the office (!!) - her daughter phoned to ask whether she could come and meet her out of work. Margaret told her not to be silly because it was foggy. Her daughter said 'But it's sunny here.' And when Margaret looked out of the window the sun was shining. Her hero and heroine were lost out in a sea of fog!
Before she became a successful author Margaret was extremely shy and found it difficult to talk to strangers. For research purposes she forced herself to speak to people from all walks of life and now says her shyness has gone forever - to a certain degree. She is still happier pouring her thoughts out on paper.
Copied from Fantastic Fiction
For Children's writer see Margaret Mayo
Jessica R. Mayo was born on February 7, 1936 in Staffordshire, England, and has remained within the county all of her life. It was never her ambition to become a writer, although she always loved reading, even to the extent of reading comics out loud to her twin brother when she was eight years old. In fact her only writing experience was in letters to various pen pals around the world. She unfortunately lost touch with them now and often wonders whether any of them have ever discovered that her chatty letters were the forerunner to her writing career.
She left school to become a secretary, taking a break to have her two children, Adrian and Tina. Once they were at school she started back to work and planned to further her career by becoming a bi-lingual secretary. Unfortunately she couldn't speak any languages other than her native English, so she began evening classes. It was at this time that she got the idea for a romantic short story - to this day she doesn't know where the idea came from or why, but she thanks her lucky stars because it kick-started her career. Margaret, and her mother before her, had always read Mills & Boon romances, and to actually be writing one excited her beyond measure.
'My life began at forty' is another one of her favourite sayings - because that is when her first book was published - two and a half years after she first set pen to paper (that first book was written long before she felt confident enough to send it off).Having those books accepted was the happiest and most exciting day of her life. She waltzed her husband around the room and their two children thought they'd gone mad, until they were told the good news.
Her first two submitted novels were accepted simultaneously, and now she has over sixty-five to her credit. When she looks at them lined up on her bookshelf she wonders how she has managed to write all those millions of words. She is a hopeless romantic who loves writing. She falls in love with every one of her heroes and likes to boast about how many 'love affairs' she's had.
Margaret gets so immersed in her writing that one day - before she made writing her full-time career and did most of her writing at the office (!!) - her daughter phoned to ask whether she could come and meet her out of work. Margaret told her not to be silly because it was foggy. Her daughter said 'But it's sunny here.' And when Margaret looked out of the window the sun was shining. Her hero and heroine were lost out in a sea of fog!
Before she became a successful author Margaret was extremely shy and found it difficult to talk to strangers. For research purposes she forced herself to speak to people from all walks of life and now says her shyness has gone forever - to a certain degree. She is still happier pouring her thoughts out on paper.
Copied from Fantastic Fiction
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
September 20, 2009
Rhianne lost her job and found her fiancee writhing on the LR floor with her best friend. All on the same day. Then she almost gets hit by a car.
However, her luck has just changed because inside that car is Greek gazillionaire Zarek who takes her to his penthouse and generously offers to let her move in with him. Her response? ‘Move in with you—a complete stranger? The man who nearly killed me. Are you insane?’
Undetered, he then offers her a job as his secretary. Jeez, what's with HQNs and car accidents? How come they always involve rich dudes on the other end? I thought rich dudes had chauffeurs. And how come these things never happen to me? I've been involved in 2 car accidents in my life and noone ever made a pass at me or even brought me flowers, much less offered me a penthouse or a job.
Zarek walks a fine line between too-good-to-be-true Samaritan and creepy, obsessive dude in regards to Rhianne. It was a weird mix for me. The rest of the story consisted of Zarek and Rhianne changing their relationship constantly. First, they are Boss & Secretary, then they are marrying in name only so Zarek doesnt lose his company. Then Rhianne decides to consummate the marriage after all and they go at it like rabbits. Then, they dont need to be married anymore and he offers her her old job as Secretary back. Huh?
This is my second Mayo and there is something about her writing that I still like. Probably the fact that she is not ultra-dramatic and does give some indication that she knows how stupid a lot of the tropes found in a HQN are. That's the way I look at it, anyway.
According to the author's note, this is her 75th novel. Congrats to Margaret Mayo.
Grade: C+
Tropes: Terms of the Will
However, her luck has just changed because inside that car is Greek gazillionaire Zarek who takes her to his penthouse and generously offers to let her move in with him. Her response? ‘Move in with you—a complete stranger? The man who nearly killed me. Are you insane?’
Undetered, he then offers her a job as his secretary. Jeez, what's with HQNs and car accidents? How come they always involve rich dudes on the other end? I thought rich dudes had chauffeurs. And how come these things never happen to me? I've been involved in 2 car accidents in my life and noone ever made a pass at me or even brought me flowers, much less offered me a penthouse or a job.
Zarek walks a fine line between too-good-to-be-true Samaritan and creepy, obsessive dude in regards to Rhianne. It was a weird mix for me. The rest of the story consisted of Zarek and Rhianne changing their relationship constantly. First, they are Boss & Secretary, then they are marrying in name only so Zarek doesnt lose his company. Then Rhianne decides to consummate the marriage after all and they go at it like rabbits. Then, they dont need to be married anymore and he offers her her old job as Secretary back. Huh?
This is my second Mayo and there is something about her writing that I still like. Probably the fact that she is not ultra-dramatic and does give some indication that she knows how stupid a lot of the tropes found in a HQN are. That's the way I look at it, anyway.
According to the author's note, this is her 75th novel. Congrats to Margaret Mayo.
Grade: C+
Tropes: Terms of the Will
October 12, 2011
The heroine Rhianne has had an awful morning. First she was made redundant, then came home to discover her fiancé and her best friend having sex, and now she has been hit by a car. The driver of the car is Zarek, the hero, and he takes Rhianne back to his to make sure she is OK. Rhianne opens up to Zarek about everything, and Zarek feels very drawn to her. He offers her a job, which she is extremely grateful for, but he is slightly disappointed when she makes it clear that as she will be working for him then nothing will happen between the,. Despite the attraction between them, Zarek and Rhianne become close friends and when Zarek needs to return home he asks her to go with him as he feels she deserves a holiday. Zarek's father is ill and he tells Zarek that due to a codicil in his will Zarek will not inherit the business unless he is married. Zarek asks Rhianne to marry him, telling the truth about the reason why, and although she is very reluctant she does eventually agree, on the condition that it remains a marriage in name only. Rhianne tries to ignore the desire between them but eventually gives in, even though the marriage is only temporary.
While this book is perfectly enjoyable, it's unfortunately 'same old, same old'. The story is well written with two good characters, some nice sexual tension, and a good ending, but there is nothing new done here. I was reading it waiting for a twist or something, but it didn't come. Not that this makes it a bad book, it's not, it is just a little boring in it's predictability.
I'm sorry, I can't really think of anything else to say about this book because... well, there isn't really anything else to say.
A good book and enjoyable, but a little too samey for me.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
March 6, 2012
3 1/2 Stars! ~ This is the first book I've read written by Ms. Mayo, and I found it to be a delightful treat. Our hero, Zarek, makes a marvelous knight in shining armour with beautiful Rhianne, his tantalizing damsel in distress. I love how both think they can keep their emotions at bay. Though we see clearly from the start that Zarek fully intends to seduce Rhianne, we also see that he's very much afraid of making the wrong move because he realizes that she is truly special. A delightful read!
October 17, 2019
I think my issue with this author is the way her male leads are so paternalistic toward the women. ick
July 24, 2020
Did not like it. I did not the heroine at all she was so bitchy and unappreciative (like when he offers her a job she is such a bitch). His infatuation with her did not make sense to me. Np.
August 1, 2013
Hay libros que no deberían ser publicados.
Éste particularmente no fue horrible, pero tampoco fue revelador.
Estuvo bien.
Punto.
Éste particularmente no fue horrible, pero tampoco fue revelador.
Estuvo bien.
Punto.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews