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Pennington #12
Bargaining with the Boss
Moment of truth!
Eleri worked hard at being levelheaded, to make up for one solitary mistake in her teens. But there were times when being sensible was difficult! Take the situation with James Kincaid....
Eleri had been in love with James, her former boss, for ages, and now not only was James begging her to return to the job from which she'd resigned, he made it clear he found her very attractive, too!
Eleri longed to give in to her feelings for James, but forced herself to keep her distance. She had to, because of her secret: what if James discovered that Nico, the boy he thought of as her younger brother, was actually her son?
Eleri worked hard at being levelheaded, to make up for one solitary mistake in her teens. But there were times when being sensible was difficult! Take the situation with James Kincaid....
Eleri had been in love with James, her former boss, for ages, and now not only was James begging her to return to the job from which she'd resigned, he made it clear he found her very attractive, too!
Eleri longed to give in to her feelings for James, but forced herself to keep her distance. She had to, because of her secret: what if James discovered that Nico, the boy he thought of as her younger brother, was actually her son?
- GenresHarlequin Romance
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Catherine George
455 books73 followersDeirdre Matthews was born in a village on the Welsh-English border, where the public library featured largely in her life. Her mother, who looked upon literature as a basic necessity of life, fervently encouraged her passion for reading, little knowing it would one day motivate her daughter into writing her first novel.
At 18, she met a future Engineer, who had set in a pendant a gold sovereign, that his grandmother put in his hand when he was born, and she have never taken off since. After their marriage he swept her off to Brazil, where he worked as Chief Engineer of a large gold-mining operation in the mountains of Minas Gerais, a setting which later provided a very popular background for several of her early novels. Nine happy years passed there before the question of their small son's education decided their return to Britain. Not long afterward a daughter was born, and for a time she lived a fulfilled life as a wife and mother who always made time to read, especially in the bath!
Her husband's job took him abroad again, to Portugal, West Africa, and various countries of the Middle East, but this time she stayed home with the family. And spent a lot of lonely evenings in between the reunions when her husband came home on leave. "Instead of reading other people's novels all the time," he suggested one day, "why not have a shot at writing one yourself?" So she did.
But first she took a creative writing course. Encouraged by the other students' enthusiasm for her contributions, she decided to try her hand at romance, and read countless Mills & Boon novels as research before writing one herself. Her first novel was accepted in 1982 as Catherine George, which Romantic Times voted best of its genre for that year, along with more than sixty written since.
These days son and daughter have fled the nest, but they return with loving regularity to where she and her husband back for good from his travels live, with Prince, the most recent Labrador, in a house built at the end of Victoria's reign in four acres of garden on the cliffs between the beautiful Wye Valley and the River Severn.
At 18, she met a future Engineer, who had set in a pendant a gold sovereign, that his grandmother put in his hand when he was born, and she have never taken off since. After their marriage he swept her off to Brazil, where he worked as Chief Engineer of a large gold-mining operation in the mountains of Minas Gerais, a setting which later provided a very popular background for several of her early novels. Nine happy years passed there before the question of their small son's education decided their return to Britain. Not long afterward a daughter was born, and for a time she lived a fulfilled life as a wife and mother who always made time to read, especially in the bath!
Her husband's job took him abroad again, to Portugal, West Africa, and various countries of the Middle East, but this time she stayed home with the family. And spent a lot of lonely evenings in between the reunions when her husband came home on leave. "Instead of reading other people's novels all the time," he suggested one day, "why not have a shot at writing one yourself?" So she did.
But first she took a creative writing course. Encouraged by the other students' enthusiasm for her contributions, she decided to try her hand at romance, and read countless Mills & Boon novels as research before writing one herself. Her first novel was accepted in 1982 as Catherine George, which Romantic Times voted best of its genre for that year, along with more than sixty written since.
These days son and daughter have fled the nest, but they return with loving regularity to where she and her husband back for good from his travels live, with Prince, the most recent Labrador, in a house built at the end of Victoria's reign in four acres of garden on the cliffs between the beautiful Wye Valley and the River Severn.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
April 16, 2018
In Sarah's Secret, Catherine George gave us a mother who passed her offspring as her sibling. Bargaining with the Boss may as well have been titled Eleri's Secret since it is the story of another mother who passes her offspring as her sibling, once again. An adequate story but if you have read a lot of CG's books, the themes and plots become repetitive.
I will remember this one for
1) the extremely gross scenes of hero making out with heroine while he is disgustingly sick with the flu. Love or not, that was gross.
2) the big fat whopper that the hero gets the heroine to swallow that his steady, annoying girlfriend of the past year was just a "good friend."
3) CG's typical gross attitude to rape. Namely, she describes the elements of a date rape that happened to the heroine when she was 14 years old and she was overpowered by the local football star...only to have heroine deny that it was rape since she had a crush on the boy and accepted his kisses eagerly, causing him to lose control. Blech.
And last but not least:
4) the hero threatens to forcibly impregnate the reluctant heroine to force a commitment out of her, a trope that makes me barf in historical bodice-rippers genre let alone a contemporary romance between seemingly civilized protagonists!
I will remember this one for
1) the extremely gross scenes of hero making out with heroine while he is disgustingly sick with the flu. Love or not, that was gross.
2) the big fat whopper that the hero gets the heroine to swallow that his steady, annoying girlfriend of the past year was just a "good friend."
3) CG's typical gross attitude to rape. Namely, she describes the elements of a date rape that happened to the heroine when she was 14 years old and she was overpowered by the local football star...only to have heroine deny that it was rape since she had a crush on the boy and accepted his kisses eagerly, causing him to lose control. Blech.
And last but not least:
4) the hero threatens to forcibly impregnate the reluctant heroine to force a commitment out of her, a trope that makes me barf in historical bodice-rippers genre let alone a contemporary romance between seemingly civilized protagonists!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 14, 2018
DNF. So very DNF. The line that did it for me:
"I've known quite a few women at one time or another -- most of them more beautiful, and all of them more willing. Why in heaven's name must you be the one I can't live without?"
"I've known quite a few women at one time or another -- most of them more beautiful, and all of them more willing. Why in heaven's name must you be the one I can't live without?"
January 22, 2020
Great
I found this a really good book. Eleri is a great character. She has integrity which is called into question by her boss but he does his best to win her back.
I found this a really good book. Eleri is a great character. She has integrity which is called into question by her boss but he does his best to win her back.
September 29, 2020
It’s a sweet romance. The man is sweet. She is cold, but not a bitch. Just cold.
The man pursues the woman and it is obvious he is in love with her. But I don’t believe that she loves him the way he loves her. I didn’t feel it.
He tells her he loves her and she hardly reacts to that. He tells her he wants to marry her and she keeps him at bay. He puts a ring on her finger and she immediately takes it off.
A man that wants to commit and you tell him off..pff.
And yes, he says he wants to make her pregnant, but it is not said that he would do that with force, like some other readers think. If he had anything mean planned, he would not have warned her about it. He is too sweet, too Mr Nice Guy for a rape or something like that.
She keeps a secret from him, but even with that secret I can’t understand why she refused to commit to him.
The man pursues the woman and it is obvious he is in love with her. But I don’t believe that she loves him the way he loves her. I didn’t feel it.
He tells her he loves her and she hardly reacts to that. He tells her he wants to marry her and she keeps him at bay. He puts a ring on her finger and she immediately takes it off.
A man that wants to commit and you tell him off..pff.
And yes, he says he wants to make her pregnant, but it is not said that he would do that with force, like some other readers think. If he had anything mean planned, he would not have warned her about it. He is too sweet, too Mr Nice Guy for a rape or something like that.
She keeps a secret from him, but even with that secret I can’t understand why she refused to commit to him.
November 15, 2019
The H and h are at cross purposes in the first half of the book due a slight misunderstanding that gets cleared up. Then H and h are in love and making love in the last few chapters with the h not ready for commitment due to a 'secret' she refuses to share until it comes out in the last chapter and then voila, no misunderstanding this time from H who is super supportive and then its HEA. Sweet short romance.
April 9, 2019
Lovely, heartwarming romance.
April 11, 2020
Readable but predictable romance.
May 28, 2013
Eh, I didn't really care for this novel much, unfortunately.
March 4, 2021
This was a sweet romantic story with two very likeable characters. Both characters came from loving families which is quite rare in a Harlequin romance.
It was a sweet read with a great HEA!
It was a sweet read with a great HEA!
November 9, 2023
2/5
Harlequin szef-sekretarka
Harlequin szef-sekretarka
November 5, 2015
Available on Open Library.
I liked this one. Eleri, the heroine, has been in love with her boss, James for the past year, but she sees him as unattainable, besides he seems to be in a relationship and gets calls from his girlfriend. Until one day when there is a spot of insider trading at their company, involving a friend of Eleri's, and James asks her for an explanation. Eleri is upset and hurt since she knows she is innocent, and had expected James to have more faith in her. She hands in her resignation and walks out. She refuses to hear James' pleas that his desire for an explanation was not an accusation of mistrust.
Eleri is very close to her family and her 15year old brother Nico. They own a trattoria in town and her parents have been wanting her to take over, so she has a ready made job to go to. After some weeks, James finds her in the trattoria and asks her out to dinner. At first she refuses, but he insists. She knows he merely wants to ask her back to work for him, but she holds firm and refuses to "forgive" him.
One day there is a food order at the restaurant and Eleri is the one that goes to deliver it. It turns out to be in James' house and was ordered by his girlfriend. There are some awkward moments and James is very apologetic. James shows up again at the Restaurant and tries once more to convince Eleri to come back. When that doesn't work, he invites her to his home for a party, with some office mates, whom she knew from the firm. She finally agrees, but when she arrives, she finds James with a raging fever. He has the flu and had cancelled the party. He left a message with her 15yr old brother Nico, but Nico never passed it on to Eleri. Eleri nurses him that night, and even calls Nico to help out. Eleri is very close to her parents and her brother and they are very supportive of her. In the heat of the fever James kisses her, but she discounts it since he is sick. They seem to get closer to each other as she nurses him and soon he convinces her to go back to work for him.
Eleri goes back to work for James, but insists on treating him very formally. Gone is the closeness they fostered during his illness. James seems frustrated with this attitude of hers but there is nothing he can do. Eleri is scheduled to go to London to visit a friend and since James is going as well, he arranges to give her a ride. She stays with friends and they have a party during which she finds out from her "inside trader" friend, that he had his Godfather (a company VIP) prevail upon James to give her back her job since he was guilty over her losing it on his account. Eleri is miffed since it seems to her that James was merely following the instructions of the VIP and wouldn't have offer her the job otherwise. When he picks her up on the way home, she is a bit cold towards him. However, on the way home they get caught in a snowstorm and have to seek shelter. Since James' cottage is nearer, they go there.
At the cottage, James clears the misunderstanding w regard to the VIP and then suddenly confesses that he is in love with her. He only realized it when she left. Eleri is dumbfounded, she never suspected James felt this way about her. James clears the misconception of the girlfriend, saying that she is a good friend of his and they go out a lot but only on a platonic basis. Eleri also finally confesses her feelings and they spend a few love filled days at the cottage because of the weather. When the weather clears, James is eager to take the relationship to the next step, but Eleri is reluctant. She wants to keep their relationship a secret. Its quite confusing, even to the reader since we all know from the start that she is in love with James.
Since James is very much in love with her, he agrees to court her slowly and make his intentions known to her parents. Eleri's father is very traditional and strict. She still lives with her parents and her 15yr old brother Nico even if she is almost 30. She wont even agree to wear the engagement ring James gives her. James is very frustrated but he agrees. Then as they are together, she gets a call from her mom that Nico has been in an accident and is unconscious. Eleri is extremely distraught, she is in such a state that James drives her to the hospital and stays with her and her parents. Nico soon regains consciousness, but has to stay in hospital.
SPOILERS:
That night, Eleri confess to James, that Nico is not her brother, he is her son. James is shocked since Eleri must have had him when she was barely 15 herself. When she was young there were a couple of exchange students and she used to go out with them, then one day she was alone with her crush in the woods and they both went further than intended. Soon after the boy crashed is motorcycle and died but since she was very sheltered she didn't even realize she was pregnant. Her parents shipped her off to her grandmother in Wales and when the baby was born they claimed it was theirs. So she has been raising her son as her brother, with her parents. They had been telling her that it was time she tell Nico the truth. The reason she was reluctant to ever start a relationship with James, or anyone, was because she wanted Nico to grow up before starting her own life.
The next day she tells Nico and all goes well. He loves her very much and understands. They have a big party for her 30th birthday and her father announces to the clan her engagement to James. Happy Ever After.
I liked this one. Eleri, the heroine, has been in love with her boss, James for the past year, but she sees him as unattainable, besides he seems to be in a relationship and gets calls from his girlfriend. Until one day when there is a spot of insider trading at their company, involving a friend of Eleri's, and James asks her for an explanation. Eleri is upset and hurt since she knows she is innocent, and had expected James to have more faith in her. She hands in her resignation and walks out. She refuses to hear James' pleas that his desire for an explanation was not an accusation of mistrust.
Eleri is very close to her family and her 15year old brother Nico. They own a trattoria in town and her parents have been wanting her to take over, so she has a ready made job to go to. After some weeks, James finds her in the trattoria and asks her out to dinner. At first she refuses, but he insists. She knows he merely wants to ask her back to work for him, but she holds firm and refuses to "forgive" him.
One day there is a food order at the restaurant and Eleri is the one that goes to deliver it. It turns out to be in James' house and was ordered by his girlfriend. There are some awkward moments and James is very apologetic. James shows up again at the Restaurant and tries once more to convince Eleri to come back. When that doesn't work, he invites her to his home for a party, with some office mates, whom she knew from the firm. She finally agrees, but when she arrives, she finds James with a raging fever. He has the flu and had cancelled the party. He left a message with her 15yr old brother Nico, but Nico never passed it on to Eleri. Eleri nurses him that night, and even calls Nico to help out. Eleri is very close to her parents and her brother and they are very supportive of her. In the heat of the fever James kisses her, but she discounts it since he is sick. They seem to get closer to each other as she nurses him and soon he convinces her to go back to work for him.
Eleri goes back to work for James, but insists on treating him very formally. Gone is the closeness they fostered during his illness. James seems frustrated with this attitude of hers but there is nothing he can do. Eleri is scheduled to go to London to visit a friend and since James is going as well, he arranges to give her a ride. She stays with friends and they have a party during which she finds out from her "inside trader" friend, that he had his Godfather (a company VIP) prevail upon James to give her back her job since he was guilty over her losing it on his account. Eleri is miffed since it seems to her that James was merely following the instructions of the VIP and wouldn't have offer her the job otherwise. When he picks her up on the way home, she is a bit cold towards him. However, on the way home they get caught in a snowstorm and have to seek shelter. Since James' cottage is nearer, they go there.
At the cottage, James clears the misunderstanding w regard to the VIP and then suddenly confesses that he is in love with her. He only realized it when she left. Eleri is dumbfounded, she never suspected James felt this way about her. James clears the misconception of the girlfriend, saying that she is a good friend of his and they go out a lot but only on a platonic basis. Eleri also finally confesses her feelings and they spend a few love filled days at the cottage because of the weather. When the weather clears, James is eager to take the relationship to the next step, but Eleri is reluctant. She wants to keep their relationship a secret. Its quite confusing, even to the reader since we all know from the start that she is in love with James.
Since James is very much in love with her, he agrees to court her slowly and make his intentions known to her parents. Eleri's father is very traditional and strict. She still lives with her parents and her 15yr old brother Nico even if she is almost 30. She wont even agree to wear the engagement ring James gives her. James is very frustrated but he agrees. Then as they are together, she gets a call from her mom that Nico has been in an accident and is unconscious. Eleri is extremely distraught, she is in such a state that James drives her to the hospital and stays with her and her parents. Nico soon regains consciousness, but has to stay in hospital.
SPOILERS:
That night, Eleri confess to James, that Nico is not her brother, he is her son. James is shocked since Eleri must have had him when she was barely 15 herself. When she was young there were a couple of exchange students and she used to go out with them, then one day she was alone with her crush in the woods and they both went further than intended. Soon after the boy crashed is motorcycle and died but since she was very sheltered she didn't even realize she was pregnant. Her parents shipped her off to her grandmother in Wales and when the baby was born they claimed it was theirs. So she has been raising her son as her brother, with her parents. They had been telling her that it was time she tell Nico the truth. The reason she was reluctant to ever start a relationship with James, or anyone, was because she wanted Nico to grow up before starting her own life.
The next day she tells Nico and all goes well. He loves her very much and understands. They have a big party for her 30th birthday and her father announces to the clan her engagement to James. Happy Ever After.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews