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Bitter Honey
It was six years since Paige Green had seen her stepbrother, successful financier Declan Stone, and had overheard the conversation that turned her bitterly against him. But an undeniable attraction had existed even then. Now, meeting him again, she wants to fight him at first—only to find herself having to fight him off!
94 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 1993
58 people want to read
About the author
Helen Brooks
407 books121 followersRita Bradshaw was born on 1949 in Northampton, England, where she was educated as a good Christian. She met Clive, her husband, at the age of 16 andnow the magic is still there. They have three lovely children, Cara, Faye, and Benjamin, and have always had a menagerie of animals in the house, which at the present is confined to two endearing and very comical dogs who would make a great double act on TV! The children, friends, and pets all keep the house buzzing and the food cupboards empty but Helen wouldn't have it any other way. She still lives today in Northampton with her family. Although having enjoyed some wonderful holidays abroad she has never been tempted to live anywhere else, although she rather likes the idea of a holiday home close to the sea one day.
Being a committed Christian and fervent animal lover she finds spare time is always at a premium, but long walks in the countryside with her husband and dogs, meals out followed by the cinema or theatre, reading, swimming, and having friends over for dinner are all fitted in somehow. She also enjoys sitting in her wonderfully therapeutic, rambling old garden in the sun with a glass of red wine, (under the guise of resting while thinking of course!)
For years, she was a secretary. She began writing in 1990 as she approached that milestone of a birthday 40! She realized her two teenage ambitions (writing a novel and learning to drive) had been lost amid babies and hectic family life, so set about resurrecting them.
Her first novel was for Mills and Boon and was accepted after one rewrite in 1992 as Helen Brooks, and she passed her driving test (the former was a joy and the latter an unmitigated nightmare!) She has written 50 novels as well as several sagas as Rita Bradshaw.
Since becoming a full-time writer she has found her occupation one of pure joy and often surprised when her characters develop a mind of their own but she loves exploring what makes people tick and finds the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" to be absolutely true. She would love to hear from any readers care of Mills & Boon.
Being a committed Christian and fervent animal lover she finds spare time is always at a premium, but long walks in the countryside with her husband and dogs, meals out followed by the cinema or theatre, reading, swimming, and having friends over for dinner are all fitted in somehow. She also enjoys sitting in her wonderfully therapeutic, rambling old garden in the sun with a glass of red wine, (under the guise of resting while thinking of course!)
For years, she was a secretary. She began writing in 1990 as she approached that milestone of a birthday 40! She realized her two teenage ambitions (writing a novel and learning to drive) had been lost amid babies and hectic family life, so set about resurrecting them.
Her first novel was for Mills and Boon and was accepted after one rewrite in 1992 as Helen Brooks, and she passed her driving test (the former was a joy and the latter an unmitigated nightmare!) She has written 50 novels as well as several sagas as Rita Bradshaw.
Since becoming a full-time writer she has found her occupation one of pure joy and often surprised when her characters develop a mind of their own but she loves exploring what makes people tick and finds the old adage "truth is stranger than fiction" to be absolutely true. She would love to hear from any readers care of Mills & Boon.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 7, 2021
"Bitter Honey" is a short parely 100 pages novella by Helen Brooks.Because of the cover i expected more steam but only got few hot make out sessions between the hardworking Paige Green and her charming step-brother Declan Stone.Paige Green have despised him ever since she heard him talk badly about her in his office to his father.Shocked and hurt she decides to never touch another penny from her step father and becomes a independent businesswoman.After many years Declan returns and sees how beautiful Paige have become.
What i like most about this story is how Declan answered to Paige`s insults and bitter attitude at first-with amusement and charm that slowly cracked over the course of the story. He got to know Paige more everytime he spent time with her,and both fell more in love with each other but thought it was unrequited.The scene where Declan bares his soul to Paige was soooo wonderful to read!It made me so satisfied!
What i like most about this story is how Declan answered to Paige`s insults and bitter attitude at first-with amusement and charm that slowly cracked over the course of the story. He got to know Paige more everytime he spent time with her,and both fell more in love with each other but thought it was unrequited.The scene where Declan bares his soul to Paige was soooo wonderful to read!It made me so satisfied!
nevermind
October 19, 2022DNF pg. 32
One of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the hero messes with the heroine's hair. Like, he randomly releases it from a ponytail or pulls out pins, with no permission or signals whatsoever. He just manhandles the hair just because he feels like it. Because he wants to see it loose, because he thinks that sexier.
Fuck ALL the way off.
I only made it part way through chapter 2 of this short little book, but those few pages were terrible. No context, no character development for Declan. He sees his stepsister after many years and after realizing who she is, decides she's beautiful and he should pursue her for some reason. But she hates him because she overheard him say some things years ago. As someone who has also overheard awful things said about themselves, I think her being such a stickler to her grudge was a touch unrealistic. But this was only 94 pages, so whatever.
BUT THE HAIR THING. God, just eat your lunch and leave her hair alone, you dick.
As far as romantic stepsiblings go, I only stan Nick and Jay.
One of my biggest pet peeves in books is when the hero messes with the heroine's hair. Like, he randomly releases it from a ponytail or pulls out pins, with no permission or signals whatsoever. He just manhandles the hair just because he feels like it. Because he wants to see it loose, because he thinks that sexier.
Fuck ALL the way off.
I only made it part way through chapter 2 of this short little book, but those few pages were terrible. No context, no character development for Declan. He sees his stepsister after many years and after realizing who she is, decides she's beautiful and he should pursue her for some reason. But she hates him because she overheard him say some things years ago. As someone who has also overheard awful things said about themselves, I think her being such a stickler to her grudge was a touch unrealistic. But this was only 94 pages, so whatever.
BUT THE HAIR THING. God, just eat your lunch and leave her hair alone, you dick.
As far as romantic stepsiblings go, I only stan Nick and Jay.
September 17, 2018
This is a really short book, but even then, I DNF'ed after about 20 pages. The h comes across as unhinged. Not that the H is any great shakes, either. No real plot.
April 28, 2014
When I check this book, I wasn't sure to read it because of the low ratings but I thought what the hell.
Surprisingly, I like it a lot. 4.5 stars from me. Paige and Declan really made an enticing story. This book really a page-turner. Logically, I think the plot is silly to be dragged up to a long-full-novel but I found I was constantly curious of what would happen next between them.
The only thing I need was an epilogue! I was kinda thrown up when the ending was "But in the meantime..." Full stop. Just like that. I almost cried. WHYYYYY???!!
It left me hanging. Hence the half star lost.
NB: no sex scenes. only some hot-kisses scenes.
Surprisingly, I like it a lot. 4.5 stars from me. Paige and Declan really made an enticing story. This book really a page-turner. Logically, I think the plot is silly to be dragged up to a long-full-novel but I found I was constantly curious of what would happen next between them.
The only thing I need was an epilogue! I was kinda thrown up when the ending was "But in the meantime..." Full stop. Just like that. I almost cried. WHYYYYY???!!
It left me hanging. Hence the half star lost.
NB: no sex scenes. only some hot-kisses scenes.
September 2, 2022
Ok, so before I go into the ins and outs of this step-sibling story I need to point out that there are 2 versions of this book. There is the Harlequin version which is Novella length and is less than a 100 pages then there is the Mills and Boon version which is a full length size Harlequin (188 pages). Both of them can be found on Open Library, and I was curious at one point to see how they were different. I read parts of the novella and compared it to the parts of the MB book and noticed that the novella cuts out of a lot of the extra thought processes going on and it cuts the dialogue to be more basic, cutting out any extra unnecessary dialogue.
Now on to the review. I waffled between a 3 and 4 on this book. I ultimately rounded up because I do think it is better then the less than 3 rating it has. However, I get why others are not a fan. The h in this book is a little hard to take at times. It seems HB relishes in writing heroines that have a tendency to go on and on, and with that being said maybe the novella works better for readers. I may read it at some point.
Premise: The h, Paige, at 16 overhears the 24 year old H, Declan, tell his father that he is a fool to get engaged to Paige’s mom as he has only known her for 8 weeks and is probably after his money. He ends his conversation with this tidbit that will set the stage for the h’s hate and revenge. ““I don't like her and I don't trust her, and as for that awful daughter!' There was a harsh bark of a laugh. 'Do you seriously expect me to acknowledge that
as my stepsister?”
Harsh? Yes! Especially to an awkward, freckle faced, brace wearing, big glasses h who is in the throes of her first crush. Overhearing this conversation puts her on the path of physically and mentally improving herself. Her easy going manner to the H is now distrusting, hateful, and distant. She sees the H a couple more times as a 16 year old teen, and then makes sure for the next 6 years that she doesn’t have to be in his company. This isn’t too hard to accomplish as the H has made his home base in America AND he is on the outs with his father(this is explained more in depth later).
At her stepdad’s 50th birthday the 22 year old successful designer h shows up with her male date(more friends than paramours) and the 30 year old H answers the door. He doesn’t recognize the h at all, but is blown away by the stunning beauty in front of him. She doesn’t introduce herself and goes to her mom, where the H realizes who she is.
The rest of the story is the commitment phobe H pursuing the h with intense kissing and charm. However, he doesn’t always handle this well, and botches it up so that it ends up looking like he is rejecting the h….again. When she isn’t falling to his charms, then she is pushing him away, sniping at him, sneering at him, and cutting him off before he can explain himself.
He has fallen in love with her. Despite her protestations she has never stopped loving him. During this love affair there are times where they are separated by weeks and weeks, but somehow end up in each other’s orbit. The h believes the H wants her for only sex, as he has stated that marriage is not an institution he is interested in.
Each experience bouts of jealousy as the H has a married ow wannabe that keeps pawing at him(he isn’t interested and she is a piece of work). Meanwhile the H is jealous over the h’s relationship with Mathew the om who is more of a friend.
The H got over the aversion to the h’s mom fairly quick, as the mom is a very nice lady. His problems with his dad were solved with the help of comments made by the h.
The H makes one more attempt at wooing the h and then decides that she would be better off without him. He leaves her flat after telling her he loves her and the h is stunned into silence for the first time. Then she has to rush after him, hoping he isn’t on his way to the airport as he has a commitment for the next 2 years in Canada.
She races to his hotel and assures him that she loves him too! They decide they will apply for a quick license and the story ends with the reader wondering if it might not be a white wedding.
This gives a pretty good dose of angst, but as I said earlier, the h can get a little waring at times. So, if you have the chance maybe the novella is a better bet, but since I didn’t read that I don’t know if it leaves out some of the meaningful parts. I left out a lot of the details that explains why the H acts the way he does. In the end, the h actually has the H to thank for being a success. His comments lit a fire under her butt.
Now on to the review. I waffled between a 3 and 4 on this book. I ultimately rounded up because I do think it is better then the less than 3 rating it has. However, I get why others are not a fan. The h in this book is a little hard to take at times. It seems HB relishes in writing heroines that have a tendency to go on and on, and with that being said maybe the novella works better for readers. I may read it at some point.
Premise: The h, Paige, at 16 overhears the 24 year old H, Declan, tell his father that he is a fool to get engaged to Paige’s mom as he has only known her for 8 weeks and is probably after his money. He ends his conversation with this tidbit that will set the stage for the h’s hate and revenge. ““I don't like her and I don't trust her, and as for that awful daughter!' There was a harsh bark of a laugh. 'Do you seriously expect me to acknowledge that
as my stepsister?”
Harsh? Yes! Especially to an awkward, freckle faced, brace wearing, big glasses h who is in the throes of her first crush. Overhearing this conversation puts her on the path of physically and mentally improving herself. Her easy going manner to the H is now distrusting, hateful, and distant. She sees the H a couple more times as a 16 year old teen, and then makes sure for the next 6 years that she doesn’t have to be in his company. This isn’t too hard to accomplish as the H has made his home base in America AND he is on the outs with his father(this is explained more in depth later).
At her stepdad’s 50th birthday the 22 year old successful designer h shows up with her male date(more friends than paramours) and the 30 year old H answers the door. He doesn’t recognize the h at all, but is blown away by the stunning beauty in front of him. She doesn’t introduce herself and goes to her mom, where the H realizes who she is.
The rest of the story is the commitment phobe H pursuing the h with intense kissing and charm. However, he doesn’t always handle this well, and botches it up so that it ends up looking like he is rejecting the h….again. When she isn’t falling to his charms, then she is pushing him away, sniping at him, sneering at him, and cutting him off before he can explain himself.
He has fallen in love with her. Despite her protestations she has never stopped loving him. During this love affair there are times where they are separated by weeks and weeks, but somehow end up in each other’s orbit. The h believes the H wants her for only sex, as he has stated that marriage is not an institution he is interested in.
Each experience bouts of jealousy as the H has a married ow wannabe that keeps pawing at him(he isn’t interested and she is a piece of work). Meanwhile the H is jealous over the h’s relationship with Mathew the om who is more of a friend.
The H got over the aversion to the h’s mom fairly quick, as the mom is a very nice lady. His problems with his dad were solved with the help of comments made by the h.
The H makes one more attempt at wooing the h and then decides that she would be better off without him. He leaves her flat after telling her he loves her and the h is stunned into silence for the first time. Then she has to rush after him, hoping he isn’t on his way to the airport as he has a commitment for the next 2 years in Canada.
She races to his hotel and assures him that she loves him too! They decide they will apply for a quick license and the story ends with the reader wondering if it might not be a white wedding.
This gives a pretty good dose of angst, but as I said earlier, the h can get a little waring at times. So, if you have the chance maybe the novella is a better bet, but since I didn’t read that I don’t know if it leaves out some of the meaningful parts. I left out a lot of the details that explains why the H acts the way he does. In the end, the h actually has the H to thank for being a success. His comments lit a fire under her butt.
June 9, 2021
The h's childish behaviour was annoying. She was extremely nasty to the H because of something she overheard him say to his father when she was 16. Ever since then, she has not only held a grudge against him, she has nurtured it and built him up into a kind of monster in her mind. She was so rude and unpleasant to the H that I cannot imagine why he fell in love with her. Almost the whole book was spent with her sniping at him, slinging insults at him, and interpreting everything he says in the worst possible light. She was an annoying shrew and would not even tell him why she was so angry with him or loathed him so much.
June 9, 2013
A bhoring showcase for arrested development.
September 2, 2022
Actually I read the longer version of the book and left the review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
September 25, 2017
Actual Rating 3.5 Stars.
I usually switch to these books when I need to cleanse my reading palette. I just came off a book that dragged a little and I wanted something I could read in a few hours before I launched into the next book I have sitting here. A fast read to get me out of that mini-reading slump so to speak.
I remember first reading this book about 25 years ago when it first came out and I thought it was very sweet and I liked the chemistry between the characters even if they are all very 2D and a bit too pure and good to be real.
After all this time, for all its fault, I still think this is a cute little read and so while I am re-reading lots of my books at the moment and putting them in charity bags afterwards, I think this one will make it back on to the shelf to read again on another rainy day.
I usually switch to these books when I need to cleanse my reading palette. I just came off a book that dragged a little and I wanted something I could read in a few hours before I launched into the next book I have sitting here. A fast read to get me out of that mini-reading slump so to speak.
I remember first reading this book about 25 years ago when it first came out and I thought it was very sweet and I liked the chemistry between the characters even if they are all very 2D and a bit too pure and good to be real.
After all this time, for all its fault, I still think this is a cute little read and so while I am re-reading lots of my books at the moment and putting them in charity bags afterwards, I think this one will make it back on to the shelf to read again on another rainy day.
July 14, 2012
ok im gonna save you guys some time and say not to read this.. i thought this would be good with the hole step relationship and forbidden romance but NO!
SPOILERS.
Paige keeps resisting him and not telling him why she hates him - that really bothered me! i mean just tell him already! they had a couple of kisses and both of them kept pulling away every time. it wasn't until the very last page that she tells him and they get together! ahh wish i hadnt wasted my time!
this is my first bad review that i have ever given, i felt compelled to write one.
SPOILERS.
Paige keeps resisting him and not telling him why she hates him - that really bothered me! i mean just tell him already! they had a couple of kisses and both of them kept pulling away every time. it wasn't until the very last page that she tells him and they get together! ahh wish i hadnt wasted my time!
this is my first bad review that i have ever given, i felt compelled to write one.
Read
June 27, 2012step-sibling love. Eww.
September 18, 2012
lol all you need to do is read the back blurb, since you know there will be a HEA the lead characters are both annoying and selfish. They deserve each other. Super fast read.
October 23, 2023
This author works for me, she has some good heroes and some nasty bitches as heroines.
Here we have a stepsibling drama. The hero’s father wants to marry heroine’s mother. She is a very immature and gauche teenager of 16 while he’s in his 20, she looks younger and has braces, lenses, and is underdeveloped so she’s already self conscious about her looks. Of course she’s in awe of the hero, who’s older, mature and very sexy.
Sadly she listens to a conversation between him and his father where he tells him that her mother could be a gold digger and the heroine is awful. The heroine is wounded and holds a grudge.
Of course it’s all very understandable, at that age girls are very sensitive and some nasty comments can cause serious damage to one’s self esteem. The heroine though, since she’s a HB heroine and is a natural born bitch, decides she will turn herself into a beautiful, self confident, successful woman.
Six years later, they haven’t seen since their parents marriage, and the heroine still holds her grudge.
She hates and resents the hero for the only reason that he breaths. They meet again and he doesn’t recognize her, but is immediately attracted by her, and she’s rude and scornful to him.
Sadly she suffers from an incurable case of TBS, and as soon as he kisses her she can’t help but kissing him back. And so it goes on, with the hero who kisses her and she who always gives in, even hating and despising him. The things get worse when they are together again months later, because he tries to resist and isn’t able. The hero is a commitment phobic, since his mother died young and before she died told him that his father never loved her and that love doesn’t matter. So the poor boy is afraid of love.
There’s a cute ow and om banter, but of course hero and heroine only see themselves even if other people are around.
In the end the hero confesses his love for her, and is sure that she doesn’t love him back, until she tells him the real reason why she hated him for years. The hero is really a besotted poor fool,and the heroine is cruel and rude to him, but can’t resist him, so all her bark and spitting was quite pointless im the end.
About celibacy, the hero for years had meaningless affair, but of course he only met the heroine once and she looked a child at 16. After he saw her again it’s not explained, but I think he was celibate because he reveals that he was always thinking of her, night and day, and that he regretted his past behavior, which is commendable since manho heroes never do it.
Interesting, angsty and well paced.
Here we have a stepsibling drama. The hero’s father wants to marry heroine’s mother. She is a very immature and gauche teenager of 16 while he’s in his 20, she looks younger and has braces, lenses, and is underdeveloped so she’s already self conscious about her looks. Of course she’s in awe of the hero, who’s older, mature and very sexy.
Sadly she listens to a conversation between him and his father where he tells him that her mother could be a gold digger and the heroine is awful. The heroine is wounded and holds a grudge.
Of course it’s all very understandable, at that age girls are very sensitive and some nasty comments can cause serious damage to one’s self esteem. The heroine though, since she’s a HB heroine and is a natural born bitch, decides she will turn herself into a beautiful, self confident, successful woman.
Six years later, they haven’t seen since their parents marriage, and the heroine still holds her grudge.
She hates and resents the hero for the only reason that he breaths. They meet again and he doesn’t recognize her, but is immediately attracted by her, and she’s rude and scornful to him.
Sadly she suffers from an incurable case of TBS, and as soon as he kisses her she can’t help but kissing him back. And so it goes on, with the hero who kisses her and she who always gives in, even hating and despising him. The things get worse when they are together again months later, because he tries to resist and isn’t able. The hero is a commitment phobic, since his mother died young and before she died told him that his father never loved her and that love doesn’t matter. So the poor boy is afraid of love.
There’s a cute ow and om banter, but of course hero and heroine only see themselves even if other people are around.
In the end the hero confesses his love for her, and is sure that she doesn’t love him back, until she tells him the real reason why she hated him for years. The hero is really a besotted poor fool,and the heroine is cruel and rude to him, but can’t resist him, so all her bark and spitting was quite pointless im the end.
About celibacy, the hero for years had meaningless affair, but of course he only met the heroine once and she looked a child at 16. After he saw her again it’s not explained, but I think he was celibate because he reveals that he was always thinking of her, night and day, and that he regretted his past behavior, which is commendable since manho heroes never do it.
Interesting, angsty and well paced.
July 9, 2024
This was just too stupid! A h in her 20's holding a grudge and swearing revenge over a silly remark she overheard the H make when she was 16, that hurt her oh-so-sensitive feelings???? She needed to grow a pair of (what's the equivalent of balls, boobs???) and get over it. She becomes a smart businesswoman on the outside, but on the inside she's still a dumb kid. Why the hot, gorgeous H would waste his time with her makes about as much sense as her grudge.
And the fact that they're stepbrother/sister adds a touch of incest to the story. YUCK!!!!!
Don't bother with this one!
And the fact that they're stepbrother/sister adds a touch of incest to the story. YUCK!!!!!
Don't bother with this one!
January 8, 2024
The h was really bad the 2 star is just for the misplaced angst and the H who was way better than the h.
She hated him for a comment he made (as i might add in anger) and forever, judging him , insulting but never ever explaining or letting him know.
Also the angle of the H angry with his father and the way it is related to the H being a playboy i seriously didn't get it.
I didn't know wha the author was trying to achieve in this.
She hated him for a comment he made (as i might add in anger) and forever, judging him , insulting but never ever explaining or letting him know.
Also the angle of the H angry with his father and the way it is related to the H being a playboy i seriously didn't get it.
I didn't know wha the author was trying to achieve in this.
September 21, 2019
It was six years since Paige Green had seen her stepbrother, successful financier Declan Stone, and had overheard the conversation that turned her bitterly against him. But an undeniable attraction had existed even then. Now, meeting him again, she wants to fight him at first—only to find herself having to fight him off!
September 5, 2022
This was the full length version of this book. It was ok, but I think it needed more plot!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews