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Passion from the Past
He wanted her…for revenge! Becoming handsome Gideon Maitland's secretary is overwhelming for office assistant, Laura. She didn't think Gideon had ever even noticed her, but soon learns she is very wrong. Gideon has more than seen her; he wants her…in his bed! As she gets to know this complex widower – whose motives defy analysis – Laura finds her inexperienced feelings growing for her powerful boss. But will she feel the same when she discovers that Gideon has only gained her affections for revenge? Originally published in 1983
188 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 1, 1983
About the author
Carole Mortimer
1,307 books913 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 - 23 of 23 reviews
May 30, 2023
"Ask me in, damn you!," he advised with a growl, "unless you want to be raped in the back seat of a car!"
If that charming example of hero's romantic wooing of the heroine has convinced you to pick up Carole Mortimer's Passion from the Past, please don't forget to fasten your seat belts because you are about to embark an Old Skool train wreck!
The 19 year old heroine has been working at her junior secretary job for a mere three weeks when she instantly falls in love with the boss's widowed son-in-law and his cute, plot moppet of a daughter. Though she is weary of his womanizing ways, she can't help shaking and stammering (every single sentence she utters stars with "Er-I-no-yes-I mean...") whenever she is in his ultra-sexy, ultra-masculine vicinity. On her first day at work, she lets him fondle her breasts! This, knowing he has literally just flown in from a three-week sex vacation in Bermuda with his gorgeous, Oscar-winning girlfriend. When, later, he demands a dinner date with her, she threatens to resign because she won't be a rich man's play thing. Hilarious!
The actress girlfriend fades into the mist to be replaced by the real threat, a sexy, redheaded live-in nanny who has been stalking the hero since their college days and continued her obsession with him even after he married someone else. Now that he is widowed, she has successfully inserted herself into his life via caring for his daughter and warns the heroine off sharply from "her" man.
If that wasn't enough to contend with, heroine's mom is dating her boss, and heroine's brother returns from America to confess that he had an affair with hero's wife. Apparently, the hero's late wife was an insatiable nympho who liked to hide behind the respectability of marriage to the hero in order to have multiple affairs, and the heroine’s brother was her last boy-toy before she died. Heroine's brother claims hero went after heroine simply as revenge against the heroine's brother for diddling his wife. Oh, Lord!
Heroine promptly breaks up with the hero, refusing to hear him out. However, she refuses to resign her post at the company, which leads to mopey moments and jealous rages for the hero when heroine starts dating the bland head of personnel OM.
Yadi, yadi, yada, the h and H reconcile and avow their twu luv. They are getting ready to marry when the OW (sexy red-headed nanny) and the heroine’s bitter brother try to throw a last minute wrench into their HEA (cue drumrolls): The two villains reveal that hero's little daughter (memba' her?) is NOT the hero's natural daughter, she “belongs” to the heroine's brother who is her biological father.
The hero has become celibate early on when he found out his wife was carrying affairs left and right. He was getting so fed up with his nympho, adulterous wife that he was finally ready to divorce her ass. When wifey found out her meal ticket was about to escape from her clutches, she deliberately conceived a baby with her latest fling, heroine's brother, to prevent the divorce, figuring that the hero would want to avoid the scandal of a custody battle and adulterous allegations. Then she died and hero was left to raise “his” daughter alone.
Despite the villainous OW/OM team's intentions, this shocking revelation does not break up the hero and heroine. The OW is told off and sent packing off the page but the heroine gives a very direct and very scathing set-down to her brother on page, vowing that she will not only go ahead with her marriage plans with the hero, but they will legally adopt the plot moppet, and fight tooth and nail against the brother for custody. She reads him like a used-up library book, telling him he is unworthy of his innocent daughter, a pathetic, serial womanizer who has no stability or responsibility, and no inkling of the meaning of fatherhood. Plus the plot moppet will be traumatized at being ripped from the only father she's ever known so h and H will go to any length to protect her.
The brother sheepishly agrees with heroine's brutal assessment of his character and his lifestyle. He and the OW fade into the mist, leaving the coast clear for h and H's HE A.
I will remember this one for the incredibly frustrating, non-stop stammering from the heroine, which only disappeared when she was goaded into anger, during which she gave very entertaining set-downs to all and sundry; the hero's fashion choice of wearing a black silk shirt to take his two year old daughter to the zoo; and, of course, the above-noted sweet nothing hero whispered tenderly into the heroine's ear when he got all hot and heavy from a make-out session in his car :)
If that charming example of hero's romantic wooing of the heroine has convinced you to pick up Carole Mortimer's Passion from the Past, please don't forget to fasten your seat belts because you are about to embark an Old Skool train wreck!
The 19 year old heroine has been working at her junior secretary job for a mere three weeks when she instantly falls in love with the boss's widowed son-in-law and his cute, plot moppet of a daughter. Though she is weary of his womanizing ways, she can't help shaking and stammering (every single sentence she utters stars with "Er-I-no-yes-I mean...") whenever she is in his ultra-sexy, ultra-masculine vicinity. On her first day at work, she lets him fondle her breasts! This, knowing he has literally just flown in from a three-week sex vacation in Bermuda with his gorgeous, Oscar-winning girlfriend. When, later, he demands a dinner date with her, she threatens to resign because she won't be a rich man's play thing. Hilarious!
The actress girlfriend fades into the mist to be replaced by the real threat, a sexy, redheaded live-in nanny who has been stalking the hero since their college days and continued her obsession with him even after he married someone else. Now that he is widowed, she has successfully inserted herself into his life via caring for his daughter and warns the heroine off sharply from "her" man.
If that wasn't enough to contend with, heroine's mom is dating her boss, and heroine's brother returns from America to confess that he had an affair with hero's wife. Apparently, the hero's late wife was an insatiable nympho who liked to hide behind the respectability of marriage to the hero in order to have multiple affairs, and the heroine’s brother was her last boy-toy before she died. Heroine's brother claims hero went after heroine simply as revenge against the heroine's brother for diddling his wife. Oh, Lord!
Heroine promptly breaks up with the hero, refusing to hear him out. However, she refuses to resign her post at the company, which leads to mopey moments and jealous rages for the hero when heroine starts dating the bland head of personnel OM.
Yadi, yadi, yada, the h and H reconcile and avow their twu luv. They are getting ready to marry when the OW (sexy red-headed nanny) and the heroine’s bitter brother try to throw a last minute wrench into their HEA (cue drumrolls): The two villains reveal that hero's little daughter (memba' her?) is NOT the hero's natural daughter, she “belongs” to the heroine's brother who is her biological father.
The hero has become celibate early on when he found out his wife was carrying affairs left and right. He was getting so fed up with his nympho, adulterous wife that he was finally ready to divorce her ass. When wifey found out her meal ticket was about to escape from her clutches, she deliberately conceived a baby with her latest fling, heroine's brother, to prevent the divorce, figuring that the hero would want to avoid the scandal of a custody battle and adulterous allegations. Then she died and hero was left to raise “his” daughter alone.
Despite the villainous OW/OM team's intentions, this shocking revelation does not break up the hero and heroine. The OW is told off and sent packing off the page but the heroine gives a very direct and very scathing set-down to her brother on page, vowing that she will not only go ahead with her marriage plans with the hero, but they will legally adopt the plot moppet, and fight tooth and nail against the brother for custody. She reads him like a used-up library book, telling him he is unworthy of his innocent daughter, a pathetic, serial womanizer who has no stability or responsibility, and no inkling of the meaning of fatherhood. Plus the plot moppet will be traumatized at being ripped from the only father she's ever known so h and H will go to any length to protect her.
The brother sheepishly agrees with heroine's brutal assessment of his character and his lifestyle. He and the OW fade into the mist, leaving the coast clear for h and H's HE A.
I will remember this one for the incredibly frustrating, non-stop stammering from the heroine, which only disappeared when she was goaded into anger, during which she gave very entertaining set-downs to all and sundry; the hero's fashion choice of wearing a black silk shirt to take his two year old daughter to the zoo; and, of course, the above-noted sweet nothing hero whispered tenderly into the heroine's ear when he got all hot and heavy from a make-out session in his car :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2022
Carole Mortimer certainly knows how to swindle you up into her fantasy world.I felt the electric sparks between the innocent adorable Laurie Jamison and the rugged handsome businessman Gideon Maitland. I just love the their relationship progress and how cute and wonderfully adorable they are together.There are many secrets from the past that opens up and a great deal of misunderstandinga but as always it ends up with a happy romantic ending!
***
'Gideon, please!' She ran to him, her hand on his arm preventing him from leaving. One look at his hard unrelenting face was enough to tell her that she had better find the right words this time or lose Gideon for ever.
She wet her lips nervously. 'Gideon, you admitted to love,' God, she could hardly believe that! 'And need,' this she found even harder to believe, never imagining Gideon needing anyone.
'Well, I admit to love and need too.' She looked up at him pleadingly.
His eyes glazed over like chips of ice, his mouth firm. 'I'm sure Nigel is very happy about that.'
Temper rose within her at his lack of understanding.
'You stupid, stupid man!' she snapped angrily, facing him defiantly as his face darkened. "I would hardly want to see you just to tell you I'm in love with Nigel."
-Laurie & Gideon
***
'Gideon, please!' She ran to him, her hand on his arm preventing him from leaving. One look at his hard unrelenting face was enough to tell her that she had better find the right words this time or lose Gideon for ever.
She wet her lips nervously. 'Gideon, you admitted to love,' God, she could hardly believe that! 'And need,' this she found even harder to believe, never imagining Gideon needing anyone.
'Well, I admit to love and need too.' She looked up at him pleadingly.
His eyes glazed over like chips of ice, his mouth firm. 'I'm sure Nigel is very happy about that.'
Temper rose within her at his lack of understanding.
'You stupid, stupid man!' she snapped angrily, facing him defiantly as his face darkened. "I would hardly want to see you just to tell you I'm in love with Nigel."
-Laurie & Gideon
October 31, 2018
"Passion from the Past" is the story of Laura and Gideon.
We have
-An OTT hella innocent heroine, who falls head over heels for the hero the minute she sees him
-A widower hero, who soon becomes the heroine's boss due to conspiratory circumstances
-Heavy lust and perseverance
-Many moments of almost seduction
-A sudden (predictable) reveal of the past
-Some pushing away and pursuit
-Crazy OW
-Many sweet moments, especially with the hero's daughter and their respective parents
-HEA
A pretty good read!
Safe
3/5
We have
-An OTT hella innocent heroine, who falls head over heels for the hero the minute she sees him
-A widower hero, who soon becomes the heroine's boss due to conspiratory circumstances
-Heavy lust and perseverance
-Many moments of almost seduction
-A sudden (predictable) reveal of the past
-Some pushing away and pursuit
-Crazy OW
-Many sweet moments, especially with the hero's daughter and their respective parents
-HEA
A pretty good read!
Safe
3/5
November 27, 2012
Wow. This novel was all sorts of crazy. I mean I couldn't believe that these characters could really all fuck up their lives to that extent. I was thankful that they eventually fixed the issues. Oh ad I wanted to punch Lisa, she's a bitch.
May 9, 2018
Problem with Carole Mortimer`s some books is that her characterizations are weak. They are here and there and deeply disconcerting. Certain character`s one action oppose another and makes the reader get confused about what type of person s/he is.
For example; at the beginning of the book h's mother is so self-promoting and ambitious that she suggest her daughter to have an affair with her boss to better her position at work! Later the same hard-cracker 50 year old behaves as if she is an unsure shy youngish woman who is indecisive in chance of getting married to an ultra rich, handsome and distinguished guy.!
As for h, her characterization was all over place too. She started as shaking in her boots, unsure, in tears most of the time young teenager and progressed in short a few days being argumentative, disrespectful, unreasonable who didn't allow any one who talked to her to finish one full sentence.
Scientist says the most of character traits are innate and the rest are set in in the first 3 years of life. It is almost impossible to change them. What could be changed and modifies are behaviors not really the character traits such as being open, conscientious, extrovert, agreeable, neurotic.
CM`s characters` not only behaviors even their thought processes changes in a short time.
For example; at the beginning of the book h's mother is so self-promoting and ambitious that she suggest her daughter to have an affair with her boss to better her position at work! Later the same hard-cracker 50 year old behaves as if she is an unsure shy youngish woman who is indecisive in chance of getting married to an ultra rich, handsome and distinguished guy.!
As for h, her characterization was all over place too. She started as shaking in her boots, unsure, in tears most of the time young teenager and progressed in short a few days being argumentative, disrespectful, unreasonable who didn't allow any one who talked to her to finish one full sentence.
Scientist says the most of character traits are innate and the rest are set in in the first 3 years of life. It is almost impossible to change them. What could be changed and modifies are behaviors not really the character traits such as being open, conscientious, extrovert, agreeable, neurotic.
CM`s characters` not only behaviors even their thought processes changes in a short time.
March 29, 2009
I found the "love" story a bit puerile but I probably would have loved it if i was still 12.
Trope: Older man (he's 35, she's 19)
Trope: Older man (he's 35, she's 19)
January 7, 2011
Older man/younger woman story that missed the mark. Even for a book set in HP land, it was pretty unbelievable.
February 25, 2023
I really loved reading this 2015 story. Yes, it was a bit topsy-turvy, and a lot of readers didn't like it or didn't understand it - and I can see why. I just love reading anything and everything from Carole Mortimer.
Loved the characters. 5☆
Loved the characters. 5☆
April 2, 2021
She had fallen for him at first sight...
When Laura learned she was to work for the handsome Gideon Maitland, she was overwhelmed. Since she was a very junior secretary, he would never otherwise have noticed her.
But he had more than seen her. He desired her "I just hope you don't get hurt," her mother had warned.
Gideon, Laura discovered, was a complex man whose motives defied analysis. She had given him her heart and soul before she realized her attraction for him was revenge
When Laura learned she was to work for the handsome Gideon Maitland, she was overwhelmed. Since she was a very junior secretary, he would never otherwise have noticed her.
But he had more than seen her. He desired her "I just hope you don't get hurt," her mother had warned.
Gideon, Laura discovered, was a complex man whose motives defied analysis. She had given him her heart and soul before she realized her attraction for him was revenge
May 17, 2016
I didn't understand this book. Everything seemed very abrupt, very jerky. There was an obvious lack of editing and I had trouble keeping up with the characters and their motivations. It was like read the book on fast forward, everything loved so quickly and incoherently. The lack of editing is also very obvious.
June 20, 2012
Pretty dumb older HP. Hero and heroine each blowing hot and cold like 2-year-olds for most of it. Kind of pointless twist at the end. It was readable if you like older HPs, where the characters fall in love on sight and then act like idiots until the end.
March 1, 2021
Lots of high drama ...
Young h falls for her boss's older, widowed, son-in-law ...
later finds there is a connection between H's dead wife and her brother ...
As I said, lots of drama ...
Young h falls for her boss's older, widowed, son-in-law ...
later finds there is a connection between H's dead wife and her brother ...
As I said, lots of drama ...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2016
2008 review: MY THOUGHTS: I only gave it 3 1/2 stars because I'm not sure if I liked either of the characters. First of I thought Gideon, the hero seemed too aloof. In the beginning of the story, I didn't really see him "fall" for the heroine, and why. The heroine, Laura, was the one who was super making a fool of herself over him and he was just kinda remote. She seemed pretty naive in my opinion and too young to immediately fall for Gideon. (She's 19 and Gideon is 35 if I'm not mistaken) Although at the about the end/close to the end, Gideon does explain all his actions, as to why he acted a certain way but in my opinion, because he acted a bit like an aloof semibastard in the first half of the book, my opinion of him already formed so I was unable to forgive his actions. As for Laura, she just seemed too young to be immediately married and going to be taking care of a young child. I think she needs to see the world first, etc. before making such a big commitment and having a ready made family. But this is Harlequin. Anyhoo, the main characters didn't really charm so that is why I gave it 3 1/2 stars. However, storywise, the plot did flow and I was entertained.
August 29, 2020
Honestly, when I blanked out some of the 'facts' about this story, it was much more enjoyable. First, the h was 19....nope that did not work for me so mentally I made her 27 in my mind. The insta-love at first sight...nope, inst-lust. Then there was the 19 year old's first job with the company's CEO and she mouths off at him. Can you say unemployment? The OW wanna be was never addressed and I wanted to read about her smack-down...gleefully (didn't happen).
Seriously, when I had mentally edited this story to address my mental issues, the story became very entertaining.
Seriously, when I had mentally edited this story to address my mental issues, the story became very entertaining.
February 4, 2019
I started this year out reading some old Harlequin Presents I came across on Hoopla. I remember a time and these older Harlequins have it where we can still get the feelings, without all the explicitness we have in books now. This was well done and I thoroughly enjoyed the story of a 19 year old working as the CEO's secretary and having to fill in for the 2nd in charge. The charged atmosphere was enough to evoke the little bit of sexual tension that is good in a book. Good story.
July 27, 2022
On the good side:
Clean
Two romances. Mom’s romance was the more believable.
Heroine stands up for herself.
Bad side:
Big age gap, about 15 years
She acts like a little kid
OW gets her comeuppance off page
H calls h “you adorable child.” Huge ick.
Clean
Two romances. Mom’s romance was the more believable.
Heroine stands up for herself.
Bad side:
Big age gap, about 15 years
She acts like a little kid
OW gets her comeuppance off page
H calls h “you adorable child.” Huge ick.
August 15, 2023
Mid-thirties widower falls insta love for 19/yr old secretary, misunderstandings ensue. Saw the “twist” coming a mile away. Secondary romance between the h’s mom and H’s father-in-law/CEO was way more interesting.
July 27, 2021
Me gusta porque tiene intriga y emoción
February 22, 2024
I didn't like the hero nor his actions .. he never showed the heroine his love for her well .. I didn't like his wife betrayal also and the fact he never wanted to divorce her in any time
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
July 27, 2011I like it, the pacing is a little wonky but I like the story
October 15, 2012
Loved it!!
October 30, 2023
Laura is leery of becoming Gideon Maitland's temporary secretary as she finds him intimidating but their mutual attraction is obvious.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews