Trahie par son amant (Azur (3962))

Mistress to Wife #1

by Julia James

Il a suffi d’un regard... Eloïse vit un conte de fées depuis que Vito Viscari lui a proposé de le suivre à travers toute l’Europe, de Lisbonne à Saint-Pétersbourg. Ce voyage d’affaires s’est vite transformé en escapade amoureuse. Chaque nuit, dans les chambres des plus luxueux hôtels, son amant lui fait découvrir des délices insoupçonnés. Chaque jour, à ses côtés, elle goûte au bonheur. Mais c’est à Rome que s’achève cette parenthèse enchantée. Alors qu’Eloïse se prend à rêver que Vito puisse être l’homme de sa vie, elle apprend qu’il est sur le point d’en épouser une autre… Le cœur en miettes, elle quitte l’Italie et l’homme qui l’a trahie – mais comprend bientôt qu’être la maîtresse de Vito n’a pas été sans conséquence…

Genres: Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Contemporary, Romance, Contemporary Romance

160 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2018

About the author

Julia lives in England with her family. Mills and Boon novels were Julia's first "grown up" books she read as a teenager ("Alongside Georgette Heyer and Daphne du Maurier."), and she's been reading them ever since.

Julia adores the English countryside ("And the Celtic countryside!"), in all its seasons, and is fascinated by all things historical, from castles to cottages. She also has a special love for the Mediterranean ("The most perfect landscape after England!") — she considers both are ideal settings for romance stories! In between writing she enjoys walking, gardening, needlework and baking "extremely gooey chocolate cakes" — and trying to stay fit!

Reviews

[Brenda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I do not like to give low ratings and bad review of any book, but sadly, I had quite a few issues with this book.

Firstly, when I pick up a book with such titles, I expect that the pregnancy to take place early in the book --even half way through is fine-- but this is the second HP book I've read in two days where the hero does not find out about the pregnancy until almost toward the end.

Secondly, for most part of the book, whatever transpires between the couple we only get to hear of it through their respective thought process. We do not get to see the real action between the couple, except for the occasional sex-tumble.

They both run into each other at the airport. She falls, he helps her up. She misses her flight to Paris, so he invites her to go with him. So she takes off with this complete stranger and only through the heroine's reflections (pasted below) we get to know he wooed her thereafter, and she got wooed, and has been spending weeks with him.

Her reflection: He had been heading for Brussels. He’d swapped his destination to Paris for one reason and one reason only, he’d openly admitted to her, with a caressing, bone-melting smile. To woo her. And win her. And he had succeeded. Succeeded quite effortlessly. She hadn’t put up even a token reluctance at being wooed and won by Vito Viscari. In fact, Eloise thought with rueful admission, she had participated in the process with every sign that being whisked away to Paris and romanced in the most romantic city in the world by the most gorgeous, devastating man she had ever met was in the nature of a dream come true! And it still felt that way all these weeks later. Weeks that had passed in a complete haze, her feet hardly touching the ground, as Vito had whisked her across Europe from one luxurious hotel to another—each and every one a Viscari Hotel, one of the world’s great hotel chains, owned by his family. He had told her he was making an inspection of all his European hotels, of which it seemed there were a great many, situated in Europe’s most beautiful, vibrant and historic cities from Lisbon to St Petersburg. And as Eloise had travelled with him, cocooned in a haze of romantic bliss, all thoughts of returning to the UK to start work again had begun to fade. How could she think of giving up Vito? Being with him was as intoxicating as champagne.

Thirdly, and the main reason for me to abandon the book (I never like to abandon a book half-way) is the fact that I just couldn't relate to the heroine at all. And, I'm really sorry to say this, but I've never came across a more pathetic heroine than Eloise. She seemed very flaky. Everything went on in her head and these were some of her thoughts :
Oh, Vito—be the one for me! Be the one man for me!

I mustn’t make the same mistake. It would be so easy to tell myself I’m in love with Vito! Especially when I’m living this kind of dream existence...one gorgeous hotel after another!
(The mistake here being her mother's mistake of falling head over heels in love, committed herself in marriage on a whirlwind of romance, only to find out too late how deeply incompatible she and her husband were on matters that were of profound importance to them both)

I don’t want him to finish with me!

I don’t want us to be over! I don’t! I don’t!

But I don’t want to let him go! I don’t want this to end. I want to stay with him.

Vito was a nice guy who was silently fighting his own personal family battle. He's being blackmailed by his uncle's widow to marry her daughter from her first marriage if he wanted the fifty percent shares of the hotel business that he'd promised his father on his death-bed, that he'd do whatever needed to be done to get it back. But, he didn't want to marry his step-cousin at all and was looking for a solution to get out of it, but the step-cousin gets him to tell Eloise that they were engaged. An angry and upset Eloise leaves him and goes to New York and resumes her work as a nanny

On the wedding day, just before he could say I do, Vito realizes he couldn't marry the cousin and calls off the wedding, thereby losing the shares to his competitor and also breaking the death-bed promise to his father. He then goes in search of Eloise and when he finds her she sends him packing even before he could put forth his explanations. He leaves hurt and only after Eloise's employer tells her what all Vito has lost does she decide to go meet him. They make up, he tells her he wants to make his future with her. But, Eloise asks for time. Again, she does not want to get married like her mother did and regret it later. She also doesn't tell Vito she was pregnant. When he makes that shocking discovery himself, he gets furious.

By then I had enough of Eloise and her thought process. I had no more interest in knowing how they came around. I've read books by Julia James before and liked them. But, this one just didn't go down well with me.

[StMargarets · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up because heroine's mother saved the day with her hedge fund. Heroine hinted that her mother was more interested in her career than her child, but she came through for the H/h at the end.

So this isn't JJ's best. The story is a rather flimsy - pregnant mistress- to-wife tale. The hero was smitten with the heroine and planning on marrying her, but then was forced into marriage to a step cousin to keep shares of the business in the family.

Heroine was hurt by this betrayal and so was the hero, since she didn't give him a chance to explain.

Hero jilted the bride at the altar, so he earned this reader's forgiveness. But then he messed up again by being angry at the heroine for not telling him about her pregnancy.

Mom-in-law rides to the rescue with the shares (bought through a proxy) and hero can breathe deep knowing he has fulfilled his father's deathbed wish by keeping the business in the family for an HEA.

I read this on the heels of a Caitlin Crews story and was struck by how different their inner monologues are. CC goes on and on and on with deep thoughts. JJ exclaims her characters thoughts. "Oh no! How can I tell her that I must marry my step cousin?" "I don't know how he will feel about this pregnancy." It's like a silent movie with subtitles. LOL

Still, I like this trope and I like Julia James! Extra exclamation points free of charge!!!!

[lily · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring to death
misleading title ( the baby was not scandalous! !)
2 much f....ing internal dialogue!
what the hell is wrong with this author she used to write good stuff!

[Rgreader · Rating 1 out of 5]

I gave up reading on page 46 because the hero was so weak and I don't like weak heroes.
My other negative issues with this book was the romance was shallow. I read the hero & heroine first meeting then bam they're in a relationship. I was like wut, I need to know how they got to that point. So much of the sexy times was left to the readers imagination and with the chemistry so shallow I just didn't feel the romance.
What really bothered me was the hero wasn't possessive of the heroine and didn't even love her. He admits she's just another lover. Well, that didn't work for me. I need a hero to see the hero as the ONE even if he must fight that feeling. And the heroine, she didn't even love the hero. She hooked up with the hero and was in a sexmance not a romance.
I wanted to like Claiming His Scandalous-Love Child but the storytelling was so lightweight and the romance so shallow I got too annoyed to let those issues go and enjoy.

[iamGamz · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why, oh why didn’t I read the reviews for this book before I bought it?!?! Lesson learned!

I forced myself to finish this book, not because I wanted to see what happened to the characters, but to see if the H recovers the shares in the his family’s company that he lost when he refused to give in to blackmail.

That was the best part of the story.

Then there was the OW and her mother. The Blackmailers. The OW was bitter and nasty cause her man dumped her to marry someone else. It was also the intro of that character for the next book in this series.

I will politely miss that one, thank you. She was a horrible cow in this book, willing to ruin other people’s life to prove a point to the man that dumped her. She deserves to wallow in her bitterness.

I didn’t like either protagonist. I found them both irritating. There was also waaay too much internal dialogue, as another reviewer mentioned in her review. It was tedious.

This book was not worth the time or money I invested.

[RomanceLover99 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of angst. A lot of internal dialogue which is common for Julia James. Readers are privy to the hero and heroine's backstory and their feelings for each other. The one thing that was clear was the love the hero and heroine have for each other. To move The story along we are given a brief recap of how the H and h were introduced, which I was fine with. There's an OW and her vindictive mother in this book as well (I love this trope). It was a good but not great read. We didn't get to see the H and h spend a lot of time together, which I didn't like. A lot happened that we didn't get to see. The hotel scene in Rome was heartbreaking for the heroine and I was so shocked at how stupid the hero was to leave her in the hotel and go off with the OW and expect for the heroine to wait for him. To be so smart, that was really dumb of the hero. Nice little surprise at the end in regards to the heroine's mother. I know we are told she is a really sweet person but I was not a fan of the hero's mother and was glad she didn't get a lot of dialogue in the book.

The OW from this book is the heroine in the next book "Carrying His Scandalous Heir" and I'm going to find it hard to cheer for her based off of her behavior in this book. She shows glimpses of being a good person however, I hated how she had the hero "introduce" her to the heroine in this book and I really want her mom put in her place.

This was 2.75 Stars ( gotta use that decimal system ☺) for me but I gave it 3 Stars since I'm a Julia James fan.

[Shevaun Morvan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Waste of time.

This book was to fanciful to be believed. Completely unreadable. A complete miss. I enjoyed the excerpts of the other books more than this.

[Shatarupa Dhar · Rating 2 out of 5]

A chance bumpety-bump (can you guess who fell down?) at an airport leads to our two main characters, Vito Viscari and Eloise Dean, to meet. As a result, she misses her flight to Paris, and he takes her with him on a European tour of his various hotels (haha, can I bump into someone like that?) As the tour draws to a close, Vito, the only child of much-in-love parents, is left wondering if he can give a grandchild to bring his mother out of the lonliness she is facing after his father passed away recently. On the other hand, Eloise, who is in a happy daze, and on a break from her nanny job, is apprehensive of this beautiful dalliance coming to an end.

But the inevitable happens, and Vito, under pressure, has to announce his engagement to his step cousin sister (they are not related, at all). Apparently, alpha males (HPland term, not mine) can sometimes be coerced, and here he did have a deathbed promise to fulfil! The step cousin sister has her own issues and her own book (Carrying His Scandalous Heir). What happens when Eloise comes to know about this, and later finds out that she is pregnant?

A well thought-out story, part I of a duology. I was specifically impressed with Vito for being sensitive and considerate of Eloise's feelings. Written partly in first and third narration, Vito's desperation for Eloise just won me over. In spite of being unemotional, Eloise's mother's deeds in the end were really surprising! The story was a bit depressing towards the end, what with both the main characters discussing over and over the has beens. Overall, it was an okay read.

[April Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars

This one was a dud

[Geraldine Sadiku · Rating 5 out of 5]

A passionate read with a hero who has made a promise that he feels duty bound to keep and a heroine who has been rejected in the past by her own father. A wonderful passionate read ensues, loved it.

[MaryD · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have believed the other reviews. It's not that this was really bad, but it had some flaws, one of which is the title. It's not a spoiler to say that the title was very misleading. In fact after Eloise and Vito separated, the rest of the book was about the "big secret", which anyone could tell by the title and the blurb! I don't know why the author went out of her way to try to "hint" at the pregnancy when both the title and the description gave it away to everyone!

Add to that, the "big misunderstandings" which could have been solved by talking- not screeching, not running away. In a way I can understand Eloise's decision, but it was ill-advised. I also thought the ending was over-the-top Eloise's mother saves the day- her company had enabled Vito's enemy to buy Vito's uncle's shares of the family business through it. Eloise's mother purchased the shares from the company and then deeds them to Eloise's unborn son. Kind of out-of-the-blue ending.

[Raffaella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hero has a penchant for blondes. Heroine is his blonde for the present. She is besotted and hopes he loves her but his step cousin one day turns up and tells her to pack because Hero is betrothed to her. Hero doesn’t deny, heroine leaves him. She is pregnant. He looks for her, eventually he finds her out, after some drama they are HEA. Oh the h was a good guy maybe a little dumb but you can’t have everything. He is blackmailed by his step cousin that has half his company’s shares. He never meant to marry her and even if he goes on with the plan he cannot marry her eventually. He looks for heroine so much and realizes he loves her so much and I found he was really in love with her and sorry for the predicament with his SC. There’s too much drama between them, I find that they couldn’t communicate like two adults and instead they are always playing drama queen, shouting and leaving and then coming back and then shouting and leaving and so repeat. Too much indeed.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I should have read the reviews! The blurp enticed me and I weakened. Good storyline and editing. BUT...the shear amount of thoughts for both the H and h became boring. Eventually I just skipped over these parts because they became unnecessary to the plot.

Both characters were carrying a lot of baggage and anxieties. These seemed to enhance their insecurities and their lack of communication. But realistically, jilting (even an unwanted bride) at the alter is dishonorable! He definitely could have addressed his decision prior to this moment. Yes, marrying someone through blackmail and a lack of love is also dishonorable, but the H waited too long to step away in my opinion.

If the h had verbalized everything that she was thinking....the book would have never finished.

[Ashton Vale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Claiming His Scandalous Love-Child by Julia James is a typical romance novel with themes that fans of the genre love: a charismatic, wealthy hero, an innocent heroine, and a secret that changes both their lives. Eloise Dean's story begins when she meets Vito Viscar, a confident Italian tycoon who almost immediately turns her world upside down. Their relationship is full of passion and emotion, but it ends just as quickly when Vito's responsibilities force him to leave.

The most interesting part of the story begins a few months later when the characters meet again. Vito cannot forget Eloise, and his return to her life reveals a shocking truth – she is carrying his child. This discovery makes Vito see the whole situation differently and he decides to take responsibility for his actions. The “secret child” motif adds drama to the story and makes the characters' relationship more complicated.

The book is written in a light style and is a quick read – perfect for one or two evenings. The author does a good job of building emotional tension between the characters, although at times the plot can be predictable, which is quite typical for romances in this series. Vito is a classic hero of this type of story – dominant, confident, and used to controlling everything, while Eloise gradually shows her strength and character.

Despite its formulaic plot, the book provides plenty of romantic excitement and a satisfying ending. If you like short, intense romances featuring an Italian millionaire, a secret child, and a healthy dose of drama, you should enjoy this story. It's a pleasant, light read, perfect for a moment of relaxation.

[Stacey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Both of the MCs are TSTL. Plus the language is quite melodramatic. I want to make a drinking game out of this. A drink for every time one of the MC's names appear (usually in italics) with an exclamation point.
Vito!
Eloise!
Plus the language is repetitive. Another drink for every time one of the MCs thinks "I've got to know."
So Eloise is a nanny who is on her way to Paris and is swept into a romance with Vito. They tour all his hotels.
Vito made a promise to his father on his deathbed to keep the family business together and that is threatened by a wicked relative and her daughter who is a bit cray cray and wants to marry the H (the only way for him to get the shares) to get back at her ex. Eye roll.
There are several times when a simple convo would have saved the situation, but nope... poor Eloise has to go after Vito like three times to apologize. Vito could have had the dang conversation the night he found out about the crazy shenanigans of his relative, but NOPE! He chooses to keep the h in the dark and just... gah.
That poor baby.
Eloise's mom was awesome, though. A woman who runs a successful company and saves the day. She knows what she wants and goes for it. Too bad her daughter apparently takes after the dad.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book about a Italian Vito Viscari who family's owns a chain of hotels around the world and Elosie Dean who is a live in nanny and I just love the romance between Vito and Elosie and I love the plot in the book but I wasn't a fan of Carla and his ucles widower but overall this was a really good romance and I cried while reading a few chapters and I love little Johnny that Elosie nanny's since he is adorable and loves cars and I read this book in a day

[RCJ94 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sé que no se debe esperar mucho de un libro de Harlquin, pero los leo más por entretenerme un rato y tener una lectura rápida que otra cosa. Pero este aún en ese estándar me desilusionó bastante, la manera en la que está escrita es bastante mala, siempre contándote las cosas de la manera más rápida posible y el conflicto del libro entero se basa en la mala comunicación y es algo que no me gusta en las historias. No me gustó.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claiming His Scandalous Love-Child

He made her is mistress. But in order to get some shares back from his uncle's wife he had to marry his step cousin. But when she finds out it is after she reads the local newspaper. Devastated she leaves. Does he marry the other woman? What will he do when he finds out that she is pregnant?

[Mey Reseña · Rating 1 out of 5]

Demasiado drama por nada

Sin duda ya no seguire leyendo mas este tipo de historias, creo que este fin de semana pasado tuve mi ansiedad por ellas, pero llego a su fin me aburrio bastante y estaba harta del drama, solo esperando que se terminara de una vez.

[Terri Hebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great love story. I just really loved it. Terrific for all romance readers out there.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok but I'm not fond of reading almost an entire book with most of it in inner dialogue.

[Mia Mesfin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Confused

This book seems to jump from story to story. I had a hard time time following it and was bored to tears. This story could have been amazing with a few changes.

[Tigger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story!

[Adelyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

love this book.

[Kesha · Rating 2 out of 5]

The constant back and forth, I'm sorry its my fault, with the hero and heroine got annoying. I wish the heroine's mother had more of a role in the book.

[Klynn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Way to much internal dialogue

[Ginny Rodenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read

[William Eischens · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not worth the price of time

This book is extremely short for a Harlequin. The last 30% of the book download is an episode of a serial series. Very disappointed!

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed theirs twists and turns to it. Wasn’t expecting some of it.

[Javi Arancibia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5