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The Royal House of Karedes #7
Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress
Princess Lissa Karedes, renowned posh party girl, has been packed off to Australia to learn the meaning of hard work! But billionaire James Black, her wickedly sexy boss, has different ideas.
He won't be treating her any differently just because she's royal. But he is tempted to break his golden rule and bed his assistant! Lissa is dreadful at business and when she nearly costs him his reputation, he issues her an she's banned from the boardroom, but welcome to take a promotion… to his bedroom!
He won't be treating her any differently just because she's royal. But he is tempted to break his golden rule and bed his assistant! Lissa is dreadful at business and when she nearly costs him his reputation, he issues her an she's banned from the boardroom, but welcome to take a promotion… to his bedroom!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 16, 2009
About the author
Natalie Anderson
663 books550 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Natalie Anderson is a USA TODAY bestselling author. She writes emotional contemporary romances full of sparkling banter, sizzling heat and uplifting endings—perfect for readers who love to escape with everyday empowered heroines and arrogant alphas who are too sexy for their own good.
With over five million books sold, her stories are translated into more than a dozen languages, she’s been a Romantic Times Award nominee and a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her wrangling her four fab kids, walking Alfie, the mini schnauzer and laughing with her husband at the end of the day–unless they’ve taken Romeo, the Campervan for a spin. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Natalie Anderson is a USA TODAY bestselling author. She writes emotional contemporary romances full of sparkling banter, sizzling heat and uplifting endings—perfect for readers who love to escape with everyday empowered heroines and arrogant alphas who are too sexy for their own good.
With over five million books sold, her stories are translated into more than a dozen languages, she’s been a Romantic Times Award nominee and a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).
When she’s not writing, you’ll find her wrangling her four fab kids, walking Alfie, the mini schnauzer and laughing with her husband at the end of the day–unless they’ve taken Romeo, the Campervan for a spin. She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
January 21, 2019
So much tacky behavior in this story. But they’re a matched pair. Heroine has no self-respect and hero doesn’t respect her at all.
The heroine is a princess in exile in Australia. Her brother arranged for her to work for the hero and cut off her trust fund as punishment for something. It’s never explained why the hero, independently wealthy and head of a hotel chain, agreed to it. Probably because he was opening a new hotel in the heroine’s country?
Heroine has this jumble of character traits:
Smoking hot
Loves to shop
Loves to party/dance/talk
Is warm and can put people at ease, but has no friends
Wants people to take her seriously, but doesn’t promote her charity work
Can speak many languages, graduated from university but can’t work a phone switchboard or figure out a word processing program.
Wants to do well at this job so she can return to her home country, but stays out dancing every night.
Is broke but buys new shoes on her lunch hour when her boss changes her job assignment from secretary to party planner.
Isn’t promiscuous*, but has an intense sexual affair with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Wants to be loved, but has an intense sexual affair with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Falls in love with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Has been to a million parties and promotional events, but forgets to invite the press.
Takes up the challenge of planning another promotional party, knowing she has no idea how she will do it.
Doesn’t tell her boss what she is doing out late at night – she literally leaves their bed after sex and scours the city nightclubs for djs, lighting people, and other cheap sorts of labor for the promotional party - but expects him to trust her when she comes back in the early hours with no explanation.
Hero has this jumble of character traits:
Smoking hot.
Knows workplace sexual harassment is wrong but does it anyway since he doesn’t respect the heroine.
Gives the heroine an assignment to plan an expensive promotional party but doesn’t oversee any of the details – including how much money she is spending or if the press has been notified.**
The world’s greatest lover begins their affair by copping a feel – many feels – on a commercial airline flight – underneath a blanket with his employee whom he does not respect. Even suggesting a trip to the airplane bathroom.
Tacky.
And gross.
Grossly tacky.
His mother and his girl friend all cheated so he has no respect for women and will never commit to anyone.
He has no respect for the heroine during most of the book. She is an easy sex partner. He’s rich enough to cover her foibles at work, which is why he didn’t bother to check the details for the first party or the second.
Hero automatically assumes heroine is going from their bed to another man’s bed because he has no respect for the heroine.
Hero thinks the second promotional party will be bad because he has no respect for the heroine.
Hero doesn’t bother putting condoms in his tuxedo jacket*** because he’s angry at the heroine.
Hero was planning on dumping the heroine after the second promotional party because he had no respect for her.
After he realizes he was wrong about the heroine, he has sex with her in a side room while the party is going on. He takes her without a condom, standing up in her new silk dress.
Our no commitment hero proposes marriage after the standing up sex, in a store room, while the party is still going on. What a romantic.
*Her words
**It’s his fault she screwed up. Buck stops at the top, buddy.
*** He normally carries condoms for stand up sex? They are only a few floors away from their hotel room if he has to have sex. So tacky. I hated him.
The heroine is a princess in exile in Australia. Her brother arranged for her to work for the hero and cut off her trust fund as punishment for something. It’s never explained why the hero, independently wealthy and head of a hotel chain, agreed to it. Probably because he was opening a new hotel in the heroine’s country?
Heroine has this jumble of character traits:
Smoking hot
Loves to shop
Loves to party/dance/talk
Is warm and can put people at ease, but has no friends
Wants people to take her seriously, but doesn’t promote her charity work
Can speak many languages, graduated from university but can’t work a phone switchboard or figure out a word processing program.
Wants to do well at this job so she can return to her home country, but stays out dancing every night.
Is broke but buys new shoes on her lunch hour when her boss changes her job assignment from secretary to party planner.
Isn’t promiscuous*, but has an intense sexual affair with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Wants to be loved, but has an intense sexual affair with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Falls in love with her boss, knowing he doesn’t respect her.
Has been to a million parties and promotional events, but forgets to invite the press.
Takes up the challenge of planning another promotional party, knowing she has no idea how she will do it.
Doesn’t tell her boss what she is doing out late at night – she literally leaves their bed after sex and scours the city nightclubs for djs, lighting people, and other cheap sorts of labor for the promotional party - but expects him to trust her when she comes back in the early hours with no explanation.
Hero has this jumble of character traits:
Smoking hot.
Knows workplace sexual harassment is wrong but does it anyway since he doesn’t respect the heroine.
Gives the heroine an assignment to plan an expensive promotional party but doesn’t oversee any of the details – including how much money she is spending or if the press has been notified.**
The world’s greatest lover begins their affair by copping a feel – many feels – on a commercial airline flight – underneath a blanket with his employee whom he does not respect. Even suggesting a trip to the airplane bathroom.
Tacky.
And gross.
Grossly tacky.
His mother and his girl friend all cheated so he has no respect for women and will never commit to anyone.
He has no respect for the heroine during most of the book. She is an easy sex partner. He’s rich enough to cover her foibles at work, which is why he didn’t bother to check the details for the first party or the second.
Hero automatically assumes heroine is going from their bed to another man’s bed because he has no respect for the heroine.
Hero thinks the second promotional party will be bad because he has no respect for the heroine.
Hero doesn’t bother putting condoms in his tuxedo jacket*** because he’s angry at the heroine.
Hero was planning on dumping the heroine after the second promotional party because he had no respect for her.
After he realizes he was wrong about the heroine, he has sex with her in a side room while the party is going on. He takes her without a condom, standing up in her new silk dress.
Our no commitment hero proposes marriage after the standing up sex, in a store room, while the party is still going on. What a romantic.
*Her words
**It’s his fault she screwed up. Buck stops at the top, buddy.
*** He normally carries condoms for stand up sex? They are only a few floors away from their hotel room if he has to have sex. So tacky. I hated him.
April 24, 2012
★★★½☆ I liked the heroine, Princess Elissa, better than the Australian billionaire, James Black. Lissa turns the meaning of “Party Girl” on its head and I was rooting for her all the way. Everyone needs to find their forté. He should have had a bit more faith in her, when push came to shove, considering he was sleeping beside her! Dweeb.
October 20, 2012
First Read- 5-6 November 2011
I LOVE this book! It's amazing :) Natalie Anderson has wrote an amazing, fun, flirty, chatting book!
I wouldn't mind working in an office if James Black was my boss . . . apart from that little detail though Natalie Anderson has wrote an amazing book. I was stunned at how much I loved it I couldn't get enough of Lissa.
It took me 5 hours to read Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress and I read it that fast because of two reasons, 1. Natalie truly captured me the whole way through reading it and made me gripping the book wanting and needing more. 2 The characters are so well described you are able to picture them in your head (well I am) and I love books like that.
James and Lissa judge each other continuously through the book and it was good to see how they saw each other to when they actually had taken the time to get to know one another. I also have found a new interest in how the story switches from Lissa and Jame's points of view and the way they see things. I would love to read more about Lissa and James.
I believe they found a true deep connection by the end of the story and that they truly are in love with each other plus right for each other. They suit each other down to the ground. I don't think Natalie could have wrote it any more perfect.
I LOVE this book! It's amazing :) Natalie Anderson has wrote an amazing, fun, flirty, chatting book!
I wouldn't mind working in an office if James Black was my boss . . . apart from that little detail though Natalie Anderson has wrote an amazing book. I was stunned at how much I loved it I couldn't get enough of Lissa.
It took me 5 hours to read Ruthless Boss, Royal Mistress and I read it that fast because of two reasons, 1. Natalie truly captured me the whole way through reading it and made me gripping the book wanting and needing more. 2 The characters are so well described you are able to picture them in your head (well I am) and I love books like that.
James and Lissa judge each other continuously through the book and it was good to see how they saw each other to when they actually had taken the time to get to know one another. I also have found a new interest in how the story switches from Lissa and Jame's points of view and the way they see things. I would love to read more about Lissa and James.
I believe they found a true deep connection by the end of the story and that they truly are in love with each other plus right for each other. They suit each other down to the ground. I don't think Natalie could have wrote it any more perfect.
February 27, 2013
Reading the blogs I receive in my email, I noticed this book and once I read the summary I had to have it. I am so glad I did. This book was amazing. Princess Lissa was basically abandoned as a child. Everyone from her father to now her brother just keeps sending her off. She has no real friends and feels as though she has never been loved. So, love is what she longs for.
James Black was burned by a social butterfly before and promises he will never fall for that again. Once he sees the Princess in person, he's instantly attracted. She puts all his promises to himself to the test.
The couple finally figures everything out and work it all out. It's a beautiful thing to see someone as deserving of love as Lissa to finally receive it.
James Black was burned by a social butterfly before and promises he will never fall for that again. Once he sees the Princess in person, he's instantly attracted. She puts all his promises to himself to the test.
The couple finally figures everything out and work it all out. It's a beautiful thing to see someone as deserving of love as Lissa to finally receive it.
April 14, 2011
This one was just okay for me. I thought the hero was absolutely, totally crummy to the heroine. He never bothered to look deeper just read the tabloids and believed them hook, line, and sinker. Yes they made love and stuff, but I never felt a real deep connection with them or if I did, it was mostly on the heroine's side. The hero was completely implacable and I really didn't like him. To me, she deserved better than someone who was comparing her to the other women who had been in his life (his mother, his ex). And the fact that her friends and family never really took the time to get to know who she really was was just plain sad. She deserved better than all of them.
August 25, 2010
This read a little less like a HP book and more like a normal contemporary book. It wasn't too bad and had a nice ending. I felt some parts of the book were a bit silly and force but not a bad addition to the series.
The H and h didn't blow me away with their relationship but it was still a nice read.
The H and h didn't blow me away with their relationship but it was still a nice read.
August 9, 2011
Enjoyable book that I read in one evening, while kids were both at work and a storm was brewing outside. The princess sub-genre doesn't really appeal to me as much as other heroines do in these serial romances, but the hotel boss hero was definitely right up my alley.
Apparently this is the 47th or something in a series, "The Royal House of Karedes", and normally I read series in order, except this type, where the books are written by different authors. There were a few mentions of characters who I suspect were the hero/heroines of previous books, but I'm not intrigued enough to go back and search them out.
Princess Lissa Karedes is described on the back cover copy as a "renowned posh party girl", and indeed, she does like to spend all her evenings dancing the night away at clubs. Her brother has cut off her money however, and shipped her off to Australia to work as a secretary for James Black, who gives her the job as a favor to his friend. She's horrible at secretarial work, and James is determined not to treat her special just because she's a princess, while she is equally determined to master the job and prove she can handle it. They are drawn to each other of course, but he's been hurt before by a social butterfly, and they both fight the attraction.
There were some pretty well-written and steamy scenes ("She wanted to sit ON him, not next to him."), and both Lissa and James were fully fleshed out characters that I felt like I really got to know. So overall, I quite liked it.
Apparently this is the 47th or something in a series, "The Royal House of Karedes", and normally I read series in order, except this type, where the books are written by different authors. There were a few mentions of characters who I suspect were the hero/heroines of previous books, but I'm not intrigued enough to go back and search them out.
Princess Lissa Karedes is described on the back cover copy as a "renowned posh party girl", and indeed, she does like to spend all her evenings dancing the night away at clubs. Her brother has cut off her money however, and shipped her off to Australia to work as a secretary for James Black, who gives her the job as a favor to his friend. She's horrible at secretarial work, and James is determined not to treat her special just because she's a princess, while she is equally determined to master the job and prove she can handle it. They are drawn to each other of course, but he's been hurt before by a social butterfly, and they both fight the attraction.
There were some pretty well-written and steamy scenes ("She wanted to sit ON him, not next to him."), and both Lissa and James were fully fleshed out characters that I felt like I really got to know. So overall, I quite liked it.
April 26, 2014
this was my first from this author and it was fabulous,fantastic and mind blowing :P I expected the heroine to blow the first party but didn't expect how exactly... they are almost always the finer details that we take for granted. The idea of the second party had me in giggles and I just enjoyed the party preparations.
March 9, 2013
This was a really good read even though James was hard on Lissa. I know it was due to his pass but he needed to let go. Poor Lissa as beautiful inside and out as she was she needed confidence and love.
October 26, 2013
I liked it!
October 20, 2014
I'll admit it, I cried. lol
June 25, 2017
Princess Elissa has been cut off from her family funds and must earn her own living. As a favor to her brother, James Black hires her to work for him. Unfortunately, Liss has very few secretarial skills and messes up everything she does. Still, there is a lot to Liss besides being a "party girl", but James doesn't want to believe she's anything other than a shallow, vain princess.
I struggled with rating this. The first part really dragged for me, but the last part was better. I really don't think James grovelled enough at the end and Liss was too kind-hearted and understanding of his trust issues.
Book #7 of "The Royal House of Karedes" series in the volume that contains #5-8.
I struggled with rating this. The first part really dragged for me, but the last part was better. I really don't think James grovelled enough at the end and Liss was too kind-hearted and understanding of his trust issues.
Book #7 of "The Royal House of Karedes" series in the volume that contains #5-8.
July 9, 2021
I didn't really the hero, he was a jerk and constantly told heroine that she was awful at work and that she needed to grow up (he had a point but yelling at her automatically makes him bad guy and what she did doesn't matter). I did almost like the heroine for something she said to herself near the end (She was not going to go to the ball with red, blotchy cheeks. No man was worth that.). I absolutely loved that she thought that and her turning her hurt in a steel spine. I did like the length of hero realizing how wrong he was, but I think heroine took him back entirely to quickly. Np.
April 13, 2018
THIS WAS IT FOR ME.
March 19, 2013
Been there, done that, learned the lesson.
- Lissa
He was the moth, she the flame.
- Lissa
Some habits are hard to break.
- James
She’d keep her distance—admire from afar.
- Lissa
Sometimes it’s nice to have someone to listen to you. To make a bit of a fuss. Make you feel special.
- Lissa
It’s not a nice feeling knowing you are not wanted.
- Lissa
My shoes are part of my self-expression.
- Lissa
What does the hero always ask of the princess?
- James
I’m not sure you could be called a hero.
- Lissa
A kiss. It’s always a kiss.
- James
All good things must come to an end. She fell back on cliché. Better to have everyone finish on a high rather than overtired and no longer wanting the indulgence.
- Lissa
The truth was irrelevant. When it came to reputation versus reality, people always preferred the juicier option.
- Lissa
She’d discovered the depth of her own strength this last week.
- Lissa
Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?
- Lissa
- Lissa
He was the moth, she the flame.
- Lissa
Some habits are hard to break.
- James
She’d keep her distance—admire from afar.
- Lissa
Sometimes it’s nice to have someone to listen to you. To make a bit of a fuss. Make you feel special.
- Lissa
It’s not a nice feeling knowing you are not wanted.
- Lissa
My shoes are part of my self-expression.
- Lissa
What does the hero always ask of the princess?
- James
I’m not sure you could be called a hero.
- Lissa
A kiss. It’s always a kiss.
- James
All good things must come to an end. She fell back on cliché. Better to have everyone finish on a high rather than overtired and no longer wanting the indulgence.
- Lissa
The truth was irrelevant. When it came to reputation versus reality, people always preferred the juicier option.
- Lissa
She’d discovered the depth of her own strength this last week.
- Lissa
Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?
- Lissa
June 9, 2011
I thought that the start of the book was very good, as I read the book I can feel the awkwardness between the two main characters. Then as I read more of the book, it just lost the feeling of the book that I think it was lacking in the book. But the end was not unexpected, was expected for the two characters.
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March 20, 2012Praticamente mi sto leggendo tutti i libri della saga dei Karedes... nel complesso sono carini, anche se alcune situazioni risultano più credibili in un romance storico che in uno contemporaneo... tra tutti questo che ha per protagonista una giovane principessa paparazzata ovunque va, anche quando non sta facendo nulla di particolare, è abbastanza realistico...
March 20, 2015
-Admítelo, estarías mejor descalza -le dijo con gesto burlón.
-Los zapatos son parte de mi forma de expresarme.
-Hermosos, decorativos y completamente inadecuados para hacer algo práctico.
Sabía que ya estaba ruborizada y la frustración no hizo sino empeorar la situación.
-Prefiero pensar que son distintos, peligrosos y muy atractivos.
Lissa es una genia!!!
Y James...ohhhh James♥
-Los zapatos son parte de mi forma de expresarme.
-Hermosos, decorativos y completamente inadecuados para hacer algo práctico.
Sabía que ya estaba ruborizada y la frustración no hizo sino empeorar la situación.
-Prefiero pensar que son distintos, peligrosos y muy atractivos.
Lissa es una genia!!!
Y James...ohhhh James♥
October 29, 2016
When there is even one scene in a book that makes you feel like your heart is being squeezed, you can tell it is going to be a good one. This was what happened to me with this book. NA wrote a couple of very well-written characters here and I loved how she made the H grovel. The last few chapters of this book really made for good reading.
November 8, 2010
The Royal House of Karedes book - the book was interesting, but the hero's assumptions about the heroine were a little annoying. Also there is no explanation as to why the heroine was exiled from her home and why her brother cut off her money. So the situations seemed a little contrived.
March 8, 2013
Almost a two, but it redeemed itself inthe last third. The h was an idiot. I don't understand the criticism of the H in other reviews. He kept giving her chances and telling her he thought there could be more to her even though all appearances belied this. Just okay.
August 6, 2015
I actually really liked this one. It brought me to tears toward the end there. I loved how his realizations about her came about from himself putting it together and developing his own trust in her without her having to explain herself and provide a bunch of proof.
March 13, 2014
Serviceable story, though why it needed to be linked to a series I don't know.
June 4, 2014
The hero really did nothing for me. I am not sure what was amiss but something. It was sweet at the end.
September 3, 2014
Good book. I enjoyed it and want to give the author a round of applause for never using the word mistress
August 24, 2014
I never seem to like the heroes in these books. le sigh.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews