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Needed: The World's Most Eligible Billionaires #3
Marriage: To Claim his Twins
A paixão tinha um preço a dobrar...
Alexander Konstantinakos descobriu que aquela noite de paixão em Inglaterra tivera consequê duas, para sermos exatos. Sem aviso prévio, Alexander apresentou-se à porta de Ruby Wareham para levar os seus filhos gémeos para a Grécia.
Ruby ficou espantada ao constatar que ainda se sentia tão atraída por aquele milionário moreno e sensual. Temia perder os seus queridos filhos, que tinha criado com muito esforço, mas talvez houvesse uma solução... Poderia casar-se com Sander, que era praticamente um desconhecido, e partilhar a sua cama?
Alexander Konstantinakos descobriu que aquela noite de paixão em Inglaterra tivera consequê duas, para sermos exatos. Sem aviso prévio, Alexander apresentou-se à porta de Ruby Wareham para levar os seus filhos gémeos para a Grécia.
Ruby ficou espantada ao constatar que ainda se sentia tão atraída por aquele milionário moreno e sensual. Temia perder os seus queridos filhos, que tinha criado com muito esforço, mas talvez houvesse uma solução... Poderia casar-se com Sander, que era praticamente um desconhecido, e partilhar a sua cama?
192 pages, ebook
Published January 1, 1660
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,160 books677 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
romance-covers-i-have-loved
August 25, 2010and by "twins" he means "boobs"
September 22, 2010
I asked karen to send me this book because with a title like this I thought it must be really good. Who knows - maybe even some threesome action.
But no. No threesomes. The twins were his sons. Don't despair though. There was lots of sex anyway.
The main character had sex once in her life when she was 17 or so. But during that one night she climaxed so many times she was all good for the next 6 years of celibate. Then that mysterious stranger reappears in her life and they are at it like rabbits. He makes her come over and over again, all the time every 10 pages. He also happens to be a multimillonaire and a prince on some made up island near Cyprus and wants to buy her lots of clothes and other things. It also turns out he's good and kind to his subjects and an excellent father. Logically, she hates his guts. But luckily towards the end of the book she falls down the stairs and hits herself in the head. In the hospital she realizes that's as good as it gets and if she was hoping for some paranormal lover - a vampire, demon or a werewolf maybe, she is in the wrong book. So she settles for her multimillionaire prince who gives her multiorgasms and they live happily ever after.
But no. No threesomes. The twins were his sons. Don't despair though. There was lots of sex anyway.
The main character had sex once in her life when she was 17 or so. But during that one night she climaxed so many times she was all good for the next 6 years of celibate. Then that mysterious stranger reappears in her life and they are at it like rabbits. He makes her come over and over again, all the time every 10 pages. He also happens to be a multimillonaire and a prince on some made up island near Cyprus and wants to buy her lots of clothes and other things. It also turns out he's good and kind to his subjects and an excellent father. Logically, she hates his guts. But luckily towards the end of the book she falls down the stairs and hits herself in the head. In the hospital she realizes that's as good as it gets and if she was hoping for some paranormal lover - a vampire, demon or a werewolf maybe, she is in the wrong book. So she settles for her multimillionaire prince who gives her multiorgasms and they live happily ever after.
March 7, 2021
3.5 ✨
the hero was an asshole and most of the time I wanted to slap him, but this was so entertaining.
the hero was an asshole and most of the time I wanted to slap him, but this was so entertaining.
May 11, 2013
★★½☆☆☆ I didn’t particularly like this one. The hero was an asshat for too long, especially considering the heroine’s age at the time of their first meeting. Granted, he didn’t know it then, but he did later and continued to think badly of her. And she knew how he felt, but she still “melted” for him. He had enough money to investigate how she’d been living and that she wasn’t a slut. Boo to him. **Lisa Kay blows raspberry**
I agree with Jacqueline’s review: the “secret baby” theme has been done better by other authors, and the only neat thing was twist of her playing the “marriage or else” card.
I agree with Jacqueline’s review: the “secret baby” theme has been done better by other authors, and the only neat thing was twist of her playing the “marriage or else” card.
December 5, 2017
On rereading this it wasn't that bad. He met her at a bar when she was 17 and thought she was a slut and he used her. He kicked her out the next morning and tried to give her money but she thought they fell in love. Remember she was 17 and a virgin and thought sex was love. She ended up pregnant and raised the twins on a very tight budget. She couldn't even afford to buy herself a coat because she spent everything on the boys so they wouldn't suffer. They were really poor. Hero sees a picture his sister took and remembers the ONS girl and knows they're his. He shows up to buy them from her, after all she's a slur but she isn't selling. H was her only lover and she has dedicated her whole life to them. She dares him pretty much to marry her and he does. But he is really mean to her still believing she is a gold digging tramp. She signs a prenup and refuses money but he is still an ass. She gets pregnant And he says it's not his and drama ensues. Just an okay book. Had a cute epilogue but all in all it was not that great.
September 27, 2015
Sander treated Ruby cruelly at times, but underwent significant character development by the time the novel ended. That counts for something in my book. Ruby may have once let Sander use her without impunity at age 17 (he did not know her real age), but she made up it for later by sticking up for herself after reuniting with him. She'd matured, and had children to think of first now.
In addition to Sander's metamorphosis and Ruby's present-day backbone, I also liked the strong chemistry between them. Plus, the twins weren't annoying.
I'd rather be agitated by a book than bored and, thankfully, I was neither while reading this romance.
The best out of the series!
In addition to Sander's metamorphosis and Ruby's present-day backbone, I also liked the strong chemistry between them. Plus, the twins weren't annoying.
I'd rather be agitated by a book than bored and, thankfully, I was neither while reading this romance.
The best out of the series!
April 30, 2013
Asshole alpha hero, lots of sexual tension, cute twin boys! There were so many times I wanted to slap the hero for being so cruel and condescending. But as much as I got annoyed, I was drawn into the story and their emotions! 3.5 stars!
December 2, 2017
Re-reading this one, and I won't be reading the second book in this trilogy. This is the story of the youngest Wareham sister, twenty-three years old Ruby. We already know from the first book that she has two five-year-old twin boys, and that she's living with her sisters.
Alexander (Sander) Konstantinakos, thirty-four years old 'billionaire head of an internationally renowned container shipping line', is staring at a picture of those twin boys at his home in Theopolis, Greece. The picture brought by his sister Elena, accusing their younger brother Nikos of having fathered them.
Hmm...the oldest and the youngest's husband's are Greek while the middle sister has an Italian hubby.
Sander and Ruby had a seedy beginning. They were nothing but a one-night stand in a Manchester club, but - oh, my - she was pregnant with his babies when only seventeen! She was grieving the death of her parents in an accident, while he acted out of his character because of the pressure his grandfather was exerting concerning his marriage and business decisions. Due to her not so desirable behaviour that night six years ago, Sander thinks of Ruby as an unfit mother for his sons. Neither of them are proud of their behaviour that night.
I applaud Ruby for standing up to Sander. She's the one who demands to be Sander's wife in order for him to be the boy's father, where Sander was all about taking them from their mother. Hence, they marry. Not that Sander wanted it. His parents' bitterness was too stark an example for him.
I love stories with identical twins. And Freddie and Harry are sweethearts. With both her sisters gone, Ruby didn't know whom to turn to for advice. The rest of the story is mostly about them trying to make a new life in Greece, while trying to forget the past in which they were involved with each other, most sordidly, and the respective reasons for it. There are certain aspects though that I didn't like at all, the sometimes common no means yes condition and the despicable way Sander behaved with Ruby in the climax.
Now that I've read one other sister's story in this trilogy, I was eager to read the conclusion. As they all come together. Because, all the sisters were busy in their own problems, if I may call it that, almost one after the other, starting with the eldest and going down to the youngest.
Alexander (Sander) Konstantinakos, thirty-four years old 'billionaire head of an internationally renowned container shipping line', is staring at a picture of those twin boys at his home in Theopolis, Greece. The picture brought by his sister Elena, accusing their younger brother Nikos of having fathered them.
Hmm...the oldest and the youngest's husband's are Greek while the middle sister has an Italian hubby.
Sander and Ruby had a seedy beginning. They were nothing but a one-night stand in a Manchester club, but - oh, my - she was pregnant with his babies when only seventeen! She was grieving the death of her parents in an accident, while he acted out of his character because of the pressure his grandfather was exerting concerning his marriage and business decisions. Due to her not so desirable behaviour that night six years ago, Sander thinks of Ruby as an unfit mother for his sons. Neither of them are proud of their behaviour that night.
The truth, in her opinion, was that children thrived best with two parents in a stable relationship—a mother and a father, both committed to their wellbeing. A mother and a father. More than most, she knew the damage that could be done when that stability wasn’t there.
I applaud Ruby for standing up to Sander. She's the one who demands to be Sander's wife in order for him to be the boy's father, where Sander was all about taking them from their mother. Hence, they marry. Not that Sander wanted it. His parents' bitterness was too stark an example for him.
I love stories with identical twins. And Freddie and Harry are sweethearts. With both her sisters gone, Ruby didn't know whom to turn to for advice. The rest of the story is mostly about them trying to make a new life in Greece, while trying to forget the past in which they were involved with each other, most sordidly, and the respective reasons for it. There are certain aspects though that I didn't like at all, the sometimes common no means yes condition and the despicable way Sander behaved with Ruby in the climax.
Now that I've read one other sister's story in this trilogy, I was eager to read the conclusion. As they all come together. Because, all the sisters were busy in their own problems, if I may call it that, almost one after the other, starting with the eldest and going down to the youngest.
February 6, 2016
Wow an almost 30 year old guy gets a 17 year old grieving girl pregnant with twins as a lesson in the consequences that happen when he go with an older guy at a party. Seriously grow up man. He was like a little kid constantly throwing a tantrum. You will go on the pill for there can be no other mistakes!? Wtf!!! Why the hell did he not use a f ing condom if he was truly thinking she was a slut and on what evidence did he base this on. Let's see nothing. Ass! Just a total male dominating ass!!! She was a Virgin and scared and wanted comfort instead she had to pay and pay and pay. While he did whatever he wanted with whoever he wanted plus her. Really not PJ best and he was never sorry enough he ruined her life. No way was he a hero. Does not make the grade for a PJ novel but it was a good read and nightly emotional so 2 stars. If he had actually apologize to her really I would have given it more. But he no grovel scene after pages and pages of treating her like shit and a whore was just too much for me. Not all her books are great one that's for sure.
January 15, 2018
This was a re-read that I will not read again. The hero literally called the heroine a whore and a gold digger right up until the last chapter. At no point did she display any of these qualities. Hello, she kept their twins a secret for 5 years and never once asked for money when she was so obviously struggling financially. I liked the heroine and given how young she was, I can see how she let herself get bullied by the hero. I love alpha heroes but this guy was just an a$$hole. And his threat of “you better not get pregnant” just pissed me off.
Penny Jordan has written some amazing books like “The Demetrios Virgin” but unfortunately this book wasn’t up to that level off work. This was the last book in a trilogy (and it can be read as a stand-alone book) and it felt rushed as if PJ just wanted to be done with it, so she used her usual tropes and relied way too much on inner dialogue. Great premise for the book but there was no follow-through.
Penny Jordan has written some amazing books like “The Demetrios Virgin” but unfortunately this book wasn’t up to that level off work. This was the last book in a trilogy (and it can be read as a stand-alone book) and it felt rushed as if PJ just wanted to be done with it, so she used her usual tropes and relied way too much on inner dialogue. Great premise for the book but there was no follow-through.
October 4, 2010
Secret babies have been better done elsewhere. The plot was thin but cudos to the author for coming up with a twist. Instead of him forcing her to marriage, she forces him.
April 17, 2011
Double Standards.
The hero is feeling pressure by his father to be some upstanding greek traditional guy. As a result he goes to a bar where a lot of football groupies hang out to get it on with some football players. He sees the heroine, who is 17 by the way, and decides to have sex with the little groupie in order to get back at his daddy for trying to plan his life.
Oh yeah, he's great.
Meanwhile, 17 year old heroine of the story recently lost both of her parents and her older sister is now the boss. She's upset and going through rebellion stage. She's not a groupie but her no good rebellion stage friends are and dress her up and drag her there. She sees the hero and being 17 and suffering from all this at home rebellion trauma, she thinks he's a knight in shining armor. He's the answer to everything so when they get together and have sex it's okay because he's 'the one'.
Instead he gets up, drops some money on the table for her and walks out.
Now years later his sister sees these kids at the airport and snaps a picture of them. She goes to show the hero that these children look so much like them as children that they must be the younger brother's kids. The hero recognizes the little groupie so he goes to get his kids from her.
The heroine and her sisters are running into a bunch of financial trouble, all the sisters have their own mediocre books as well. The hero shows up and wants the kids and the heroine basically tells him he'll marry her or else.
The whole story is about him making the heroine feel like crap for sleeping with him.
Okay the dumb 17 year old slept with a guy after weaving fantasies around him because she was emotionally traumatized with all the upheaval in her life. But the hero basically met up with a groupie, that he knew was a groupie, and had sex with her to get back at his father, or grandfather, or whoever, and then paid her for the sex. So the hero thinks of her as a hooker but he's the great guy and she's the nasty little slut.
Maybe if the book had focused on her reasonings and his own shortcomings and failings, it would have been good.
But no, it's all about the terrible thing she did in her youth and the great guy who didn't know about it but is stepping up to the plate for his dear sweet children now.
A strong heroine who realized the mistakes she made but wasn't about to let people put her down, and certainly not someone who made the same if not worse mistakes as her would be asking too much here.
The hero is feeling pressure by his father to be some upstanding greek traditional guy. As a result he goes to a bar where a lot of football groupies hang out to get it on with some football players. He sees the heroine, who is 17 by the way, and decides to have sex with the little groupie in order to get back at his daddy for trying to plan his life.
Oh yeah, he's great.
Meanwhile, 17 year old heroine of the story recently lost both of her parents and her older sister is now the boss. She's upset and going through rebellion stage. She's not a groupie but her no good rebellion stage friends are and dress her up and drag her there. She sees the hero and being 17 and suffering from all this at home rebellion trauma, she thinks he's a knight in shining armor. He's the answer to everything so when they get together and have sex it's okay because he's 'the one'.
Instead he gets up, drops some money on the table for her and walks out.
Now years later his sister sees these kids at the airport and snaps a picture of them. She goes to show the hero that these children look so much like them as children that they must be the younger brother's kids. The hero recognizes the little groupie so he goes to get his kids from her.
The heroine and her sisters are running into a bunch of financial trouble, all the sisters have their own mediocre books as well. The hero shows up and wants the kids and the heroine basically tells him he'll marry her or else.
The whole story is about him making the heroine feel like crap for sleeping with him.
Okay the dumb 17 year old slept with a guy after weaving fantasies around him because she was emotionally traumatized with all the upheaval in her life. But the hero basically met up with a groupie, that he knew was a groupie, and had sex with her to get back at his father, or grandfather, or whoever, and then paid her for the sex. So the hero thinks of her as a hooker but he's the great guy and she's the nasty little slut.
Maybe if the book had focused on her reasonings and his own shortcomings and failings, it would have been good.
But no, it's all about the terrible thing she did in her youth and the great guy who didn't know about it but is stepping up to the plate for his dear sweet children now.
A strong heroine who realized the mistakes she made but wasn't about to let people put her down, and certainly not someone who made the same if not worse mistakes as her would be asking too much here.
September 11, 2021
A very angsty book with an uber alpha H. Sander meets Ruby at a bar where she’s a young teen trolloping in a drunken state. They have a ONS and Sander abandons her right after thinking her to be the image she presented at the bar.
Years later the h’s twins have grown up from being toddlers. The H’s sister meets the h at the airport and notices how the twins look just like her brother. Eventually the H is back asking for his twin sons. There’s a quick moc followed by pretty appalling behaviour from the H.
Sander consistently accuses Ruby of having been around with men all the time. The accusations only grow and nothing the h does can satisfy the H out of his vile contempt.
I liked ruby who was young and yet very tolerant of Sander’s uncalled for contemptible behaviour. Eventually there’s a bit of a mishap in which ruby has a slight fall but thankfully that has Sander get out of his stupofia and take Ruby for the kind sweet girl she actually is!
Glad I got this out of my tbr.
Years later the h’s twins have grown up from being toddlers. The H’s sister meets the h at the airport and notices how the twins look just like her brother. Eventually the H is back asking for his twin sons. There’s a quick moc followed by pretty appalling behaviour from the H.
Sander consistently accuses Ruby of having been around with men all the time. The accusations only grow and nothing the h does can satisfy the H out of his vile contempt.
I liked ruby who was young and yet very tolerant of Sander’s uncalled for contemptible behaviour. Eventually there’s a bit of a mishap in which ruby has a slight fall but thankfully that has Sander get out of his stupofia and take Ruby for the kind sweet girl she actually is!
Glad I got this out of my tbr.
January 20, 2023
In style and tone it didn't read like a PJ to me, but what do I know. It's a bit bland. The h, Ruby is bringing up 5yr old twin boys that resulted from a ONS in a 'loved by footballers' nightclub in Manchester. At the time, she was grieving her dead parents, under the influence of both a rather too grown up friend and alcohol. Oh and she was 17. Quite how losing her virginity in those circumstances allows at least 10 years older, unquestioning angry-sexing Greek despot Sander the moral high ground idk. He takes a bad view of her (supposedly because of his cold gold digger mommy issues) when he rediscovers her and his twins 5 years later completely by chance. (Typical M&B non sequitur: if she's been raising them by herself in poverty for 5 years, how can she be trying to trap him for his money?!) He makes her sign a prenup, go on the pill and whisks his little family off to his Greek island where they will never have to work or worry about money ever again. I guess putting up with his issues has a price. (Although as my dad always said, money doesn't buy you happiness but at least you can be miserable in comfort).
There was quite a lot of sex in this. The h of course has never had sex with anyone but him as only he has a magic penis that unlocks her horniness. Despite living with her 2 older sisters she has been in celibate baby jail ever since their ONS. I mean, I get it, those first five years are knackering (although I'm betting 2 sisters in situ could be a lot more help than some fathers and also up for free babysitting 😂) but even so.
There was quite a lot of sex in this. The h of course has never had sex with anyone but him as only he has a magic penis that unlocks her horniness. Despite living with her 2 older sisters she has been in celibate baby jail ever since their ONS. I mean, I get it, those first five years are knackering (although I'm betting 2 sisters in situ could be a lot more help than some fathers and also up for free babysitting 😂) but even so.
February 17, 2012
Estranho Sedutor - Harlequin Paixão 205 - paperback portuguese edition
February 10, 2016
I enjoyed it. I kind of feel a bit guilty about enjoying after reading some of the other reviews but I'm a Penny Jordan fan. I will excuse her heroes a lot because they are rarely manwhores. In fact we have absolutely no idea if he had affairs in the last six years because it is never explicitly mentioned.
So six years ago, both Sander and Ruby were in really bad places in their lives. His granddad was trying to marry him off to a cheating adulterous widow just like Sander's faithless unloving mother. The boy has issues about women.
Ruby has just lost her parents in an accident and her family home is sold so she's acting out by letting her friend sleaze her up and take her to a club. She immediately regrets it, feeling out of place so when she meets Sander's eyes across a crowded room and there seems to be a connection, she grabs onto it.
Now I'm of the opinion that there was a connection made. Ruby felt it and thought he might come back for her. He felt it but despised himself for it but could never forget her, no matter how hard he tried. In fact he recognises her immediately six years later in tatty clothes with no make-up looking entirely different to the little ho he hooked up with at the club. Nuff said.
He also feels an instant connection with his kids, first in the photograph, next when they first meet. So when Ruby insisted marriage in order to scare him off, he agrees. And he insists on it being a real marriage because he's still feeling that connection that he despises himself for. Considering that he has sworn that he will NEVER marry, this instant turnaround is telling.
So...this being the situation...I'm prepared to forgive Sander for saying mean nasty things to Ruby because they are a reflection of the way he despises himself for wanting a woman who to all appearances is another money hungry gold digger. He has proof of this because he heard her friend at the club talking about why they were there...to catch a rich footballer and become a WAG (wives and girlfriends).
There are ups and downs on the way of course. Something happens to shatter Sander's burgeoning trust of course. He is hot to trot with her right from the start...something he has never experienced with any other woman. I always like it when it's obvious from the get go she's the one even if he's only thinking with his male appendage and fighting it. The ending was sweet and included updates on the other two sisters from the first books in the trilogy.
So six years ago, both Sander and Ruby were in really bad places in their lives. His granddad was trying to marry him off to a cheating adulterous widow just like Sander's faithless unloving mother. The boy has issues about women.
Ruby has just lost her parents in an accident and her family home is sold so she's acting out by letting her friend sleaze her up and take her to a club. She immediately regrets it, feeling out of place so when she meets Sander's eyes across a crowded room and there seems to be a connection, she grabs onto it.
Now I'm of the opinion that there was a connection made. Ruby felt it and thought he might come back for her. He felt it but despised himself for it but could never forget her, no matter how hard he tried. In fact he recognises her immediately six years later in tatty clothes with no make-up looking entirely different to the little ho he hooked up with at the club. Nuff said.
He also feels an instant connection with his kids, first in the photograph, next when they first meet. So when Ruby insisted marriage in order to scare him off, he agrees. And he insists on it being a real marriage because he's still feeling that connection that he despises himself for. Considering that he has sworn that he will NEVER marry, this instant turnaround is telling.
So...this being the situation...I'm prepared to forgive Sander for saying mean nasty things to Ruby because they are a reflection of the way he despises himself for wanting a woman who to all appearances is another money hungry gold digger. He has proof of this because he heard her friend at the club talking about why they were there...to catch a rich footballer and become a WAG (wives and girlfriends).
There are ups and downs on the way of course. Something happens to shatter Sander's burgeoning trust of course. He is hot to trot with her right from the start...something he has never experienced with any other woman. I always like it when it's obvious from the get go she's the one even if he's only thinking with his male appendage and fighting it. The ending was sweet and included updates on the other two sisters from the first books in the trilogy.
September 21, 2017
Alexander Konstantinakos has discovered that one passionate night in England had its consequences: two, to be precise. Out of the blue he's turned up on Ruby Wareham's doorstep--to take his twin sons back to Greece!Ruby's shocked that she's still so attracted to dark, sexy and powerful Alexander. She's afraid she might lose her beautiful boys, whom she's struggled to bring up on her own, but maybe there's a solution.... Can she wed Sander--a virtual stranger--and live as his wife, and in his bed Third book in series
May 26, 2017
It was an ok read. Penny J was not up to her usual standard but I'm still a fan as always. If you haven't read any Penny J before maybe you'll like this one otherwise don't bother, you'll just be disappointed. I thought the way they met and came together was not bad but after that, it barely held my interest maybe because I hate it when heroines are too young (17) when they have babies.
June 15, 2017
heroine made me cry , God that asshole was mean to her , I hated him.
October 8, 2015
Didn't like this one... 1.5
1. h was 17, H 28 when they met and had sex
When they reconnected he was 34. she 23 - they spend 6 years apart.
H didn't know she was so young at the time, but still. She went with a friend to a bar all made up "like a whore" (his words, basically) and looked more adult. They got into the bar, even though they were underage. Though I did Google and see drinking age in the UK is 16 - so maybe they would have had access at 17? I don't really know. In the US, with drinking age 21, it's different.
So I can see how the H would have assumed she was older, but still...why couldn't the author make her just-turned-18? Or him slightly younger? I feel like he should have had a clue she was younger than the other woman at the bar.
Also, she was pretty drunk at the time, they both were, but she was more affected by it. I feel like it was more in the realm of dub-con with the whole thing. I mean, her being naive, emotionally vulnerable, drunk and all...could she really consent at the time?
Though again, I Googled and age of consent in the UK is 16, so maybe he wouldn't have a statutory rape charge? From my US perspective, it's more of a problem and he would have possibly faced criminal charges.
Anyway, I just felt like the age difference put them at in unequal footing and he should have been the more responsible one, being nearly 30 at the time. Plus, he admitted to using her as a release for his anger at the time, so I feel like he took advantage of her, even if she was willing.
2. The hero spent a lot of the book with his harsh judgements of the heroine in the forefront.
Calling her a whore, basically. Implying she was one that night (even though she was a virgin) and even though she was celibate for SIX years after, he implied she was still.
He blamed her for his part in their 1-night-stand - equating her to Eve tricking Adam. So he takes no responsibility in it, even though he was an ADULT - she was 17!
And though he didn't know she was so young that night, when he comes to collect her and his twins, he knows (did research on her) and still holds her actions over her head. I mean, did he ever do something reckless and stupid at 17? I'm sure he did! I don't like how he was taking that one incident and using it to color his total view of her. How would he liked to be held forever for 1 bad or stupid action he did?
The fact that he was 34 at the time of the story and their reunion, I was disappointed that he didn't have better perspective and ability to reason. Step back and look at how things were now. Even if she was everything he thought she was (gold-digger, whore, etc) then, that doesn't mean she still was now. People change. Is inability to take stock of the situation annoyed me as did his constant insults at the heroine's character.
3. It took the heroine injuring herself for him to see the light and realize he loved her.
Right before that though, he basically called her a whore and implied she got pregnant on purpose, etc. He was still acting like a judgmental ass until nearly the end of the book. She told him off and then fell down the stairs. When she comes to in the hospital, he's all I-Love-You and I just didn't believe it. Too quick of a turn and not enough hints throughout the book that he cared anything for her other than sexually. His desire for her was was at the core, sexual. Yes, there were a few times when he questioned if his perception of her were correct and he expressed a bit of emotion, but it wasn't enough for me to believe the HEA at the end.
1. h was 17, H 28 when they met and had sex
When they reconnected he was 34. she 23 - they spend 6 years apart.
H didn't know she was so young at the time, but still. She went with a friend to a bar all made up "like a whore" (his words, basically) and looked more adult. They got into the bar, even though they were underage. Though I did Google and see drinking age in the UK is 16 - so maybe they would have had access at 17? I don't really know. In the US, with drinking age 21, it's different.
So I can see how the H would have assumed she was older, but still...why couldn't the author make her just-turned-18? Or him slightly younger? I feel like he should have had a clue she was younger than the other woman at the bar.
Also, she was pretty drunk at the time, they both were, but she was more affected by it. I feel like it was more in the realm of dub-con with the whole thing. I mean, her being naive, emotionally vulnerable, drunk and all...could she really consent at the time?
Though again, I Googled and age of consent in the UK is 16, so maybe he wouldn't have a statutory rape charge? From my US perspective, it's more of a problem and he would have possibly faced criminal charges.
Anyway, I just felt like the age difference put them at in unequal footing and he should have been the more responsible one, being nearly 30 at the time. Plus, he admitted to using her as a release for his anger at the time, so I feel like he took advantage of her, even if she was willing.
2. The hero spent a lot of the book with his harsh judgements of the heroine in the forefront.
Calling her a whore, basically. Implying she was one that night (even though she was a virgin) and even though she was celibate for SIX years after, he implied she was still.
He blamed her for his part in their 1-night-stand - equating her to Eve tricking Adam. So he takes no responsibility in it, even though he was an ADULT - she was 17!
And though he didn't know she was so young that night, when he comes to collect her and his twins, he knows (did research on her) and still holds her actions over her head. I mean, did he ever do something reckless and stupid at 17? I'm sure he did! I don't like how he was taking that one incident and using it to color his total view of her. How would he liked to be held forever for 1 bad or stupid action he did?
The fact that he was 34 at the time of the story and their reunion, I was disappointed that he didn't have better perspective and ability to reason. Step back and look at how things were now. Even if she was everything he thought she was (gold-digger, whore, etc) then, that doesn't mean she still was now. People change. Is inability to take stock of the situation annoyed me as did his constant insults at the heroine's character.
3. It took the heroine injuring herself for him to see the light and realize he loved her.
Right before that though, he basically called her a whore and implied she got pregnant on purpose, etc. He was still acting like a judgmental ass until nearly the end of the book. She told him off and then fell down the stairs. When she comes to in the hospital, he's all I-Love-You and I just didn't believe it. Too quick of a turn and not enough hints throughout the book that he cared anything for her other than sexually. His desire for her was was at the core, sexual. Yes, there were a few times when he questioned if his perception of her were correct and he expressed a bit of emotion, but it wasn't enough for me to believe the HEA at the end.
December 18, 2022
It's hard to pull off convincingly an ONS that would later on lead to HEA. It hinges on the lasting impression of only a handful of hours h and H have with each other. It have been done in the past and still is, but this book is not one of them. The imbalance of power was off the scale; h was way too young, 17(!) year old schoolgirl and H ( anti H in my view) was 28 year old angry, primitive misogynist. Yeah, PJ threw kitchen sink at this poor h: death of parents, loss of home, company of more experienced girlfriend, drunkenness and to top it all, rampaging misogynist for a ONS. She didn't stand a chance in hell.
Didn't like the story one little bit. This was no romance. Also, I didn't like much the author's tone when describing the Manchester night club scene and her catty remarks about women there. Not cool.
Didn't like the story one little bit. This was no romance. Also, I didn't like much the author's tone when describing the Manchester night club scene and her catty remarks about women there. Not cool.
March 22, 2016
:) welll, um pouco mais do mesmo.
a trama é fraquita, muito elementar e pouco desenvolvida.
o modelo comum que não traz nada de novo. dá para uma horita de "vazio mental" em que nao tem propriamente de se "pensar" basta ler e "visualizar" algumas das cenas um nadita mais gráficas, coisa que vem sendo comum neste tipo de historia.
um bilionario grego (o que nao poderia deixar de ser) e uma mocinha virgem de 17 anos (!!!!).... uma noite de paixao e a cena passa para 5 anos depois onde, já existem uns gemeos amorosos... um encontro imediato e é como se os 5 anos de interregno e de um encontro ocasional nunca tivessem existido.... e instalove! hummmmm
digamos que para quem goste do tema (gregos bilionarios) esta é uma trilogia que cumpre o que promete :)
a trama é fraquita, muito elementar e pouco desenvolvida.
o modelo comum que não traz nada de novo. dá para uma horita de "vazio mental" em que nao tem propriamente de se "pensar" basta ler e "visualizar" algumas das cenas um nadita mais gráficas, coisa que vem sendo comum neste tipo de historia.
um bilionario grego (o que nao poderia deixar de ser) e uma mocinha virgem de 17 anos (!!!!).... uma noite de paixao e a cena passa para 5 anos depois onde, já existem uns gemeos amorosos... um encontro imediato e é como se os 5 anos de interregno e de um encontro ocasional nunca tivessem existido.... e instalove! hummmmm
digamos que para quem goste do tema (gregos bilionarios) esta é uma trilogia que cumpre o que promete :)
January 30, 2013
I must agree with another reviewer, the twins were her boobs! He loveded them boobs...all through the book!
Ok. This is the third and final book in a series about the Wareham sisters. I read all three and I'm glad that's over. I was disappointed in the first two books and I am disappointed in this book as well. I know it's a Harlequin, but this story is just too over the top to have any sense of reality. The hero is just freaking mean to the mother of his kids and she let's him talk down to her, accusing her of all sorts of nonsense. Nah. This one will not get read again.
Ok. This is the third and final book in a series about the Wareham sisters. I read all three and I'm glad that's over. I was disappointed in the first two books and I am disappointed in this book as well. I know it's a Harlequin, but this story is just too over the top to have any sense of reality. The hero is just freaking mean to the mother of his kids and she let's him talk down to her, accusing her of all sorts of nonsense. Nah. This one will not get read again.
May 20, 2015
I don't like it at all. The hero was a major asshole from beginning to end. The epilogue was the only reason why I gave this book a 2 stars.
February 14, 2022
What a crappy book to read on Valentine’s day. I don’t know if I wanna give it 2 stars because I hate him or reduce it to 1 because she pissed me off at the end.
Wtf was his problem. His mommy issues drove me insane. Insane!! His view on women was disgusting and he honestly could only see the world through his mommy issues and nothing else.
Even if what he thought of her was true, that she’d slept around trying to find a rich bf who tf cares. It’s not like wouldve been hiding it. AND the whole fact that she never came after him after getting pregnant disproved that anyway. Plus the fact she’d obviously changed and was an amazing mother should have made him be nice to her from the start. So fuck him for that.
BUT the fact that she wasn’t even that way. And she never once acted that way after he saw he again and he still was thinking she was faking everything and being horrible and boohoo pretending to be not like his mom. Pissed me off again.
And the absolute worst of it? She was 17 to his grand old 28!!! 17!! He’s a grown ass 28 and didn’t think to ask her age given that she looked young. And the fact that she was crazy drunk. She was so drunk in her memories it’s disgusting he slept with her like that. And he hated fucked her. Literally angry fucked her and took out all his anger at his grandfather and his anger at his mom and women on her. While she was drunk and young. And she was just so whimsical and upset about her parents death. And never once, NOT ONCE did he feel bad for what happened and take any of sort of blame. He also wasn’t even sorry he’d gotten a 17 year old pregnant and that she’d worked her ass off to raise her kids. Fuck him again.
And the way he acts years later. 34 and all those mommy issues and rage at women. Not that any age is okay but jeez. I hate him so much.
Her I liked up to the end. I even forgave the stupid falling into his arms whenever he touches me storyline. I loved that she was gonna leave him because of how he treats women and she didn’t want her sons to see that and become that. But he treats her like crap, never eases up and she still decides she’s in love with him. And then she does the most annoying thing.
“Can you forgive me?’
‘I love you, Sander. You know that. What I want now is for you to forgive yourself.”
Barf. Literally will throw up. I don’t forgive him for being a women hating asshole. And then she goes on about him forgiving himself about his mom being a shit mom. The crappest apology scene ever. I didn’t even care about them anymore.
And man they had the most boring sex scenes ever. I didn’t get their connection at all. Just him angry fucking her and her melting with passion whenever he touched her. They were so boring.
Wtf was his problem. His mommy issues drove me insane. Insane!! His view on women was disgusting and he honestly could only see the world through his mommy issues and nothing else.
Even if what he thought of her was true, that she’d slept around trying to find a rich bf who tf cares. It’s not like wouldve been hiding it. AND the whole fact that she never came after him after getting pregnant disproved that anyway. Plus the fact she’d obviously changed and was an amazing mother should have made him be nice to her from the start. So fuck him for that.
BUT the fact that she wasn’t even that way. And she never once acted that way after he saw he again and he still was thinking she was faking everything and being horrible and boohoo pretending to be not like his mom. Pissed me off again.
And the absolute worst of it? She was 17 to his grand old 28!!! 17!! He’s a grown ass 28 and didn’t think to ask her age given that she looked young. And the fact that she was crazy drunk. She was so drunk in her memories it’s disgusting he slept with her like that. And he hated fucked her. Literally angry fucked her and took out all his anger at his grandfather and his anger at his mom and women on her. While she was drunk and young. And she was just so whimsical and upset about her parents death. And never once, NOT ONCE did he feel bad for what happened and take any of sort of blame. He also wasn’t even sorry he’d gotten a 17 year old pregnant and that she’d worked her ass off to raise her kids. Fuck him again.
And the way he acts years later. 34 and all those mommy issues and rage at women. Not that any age is okay but jeez. I hate him so much.
Her I liked up to the end. I even forgave the stupid falling into his arms whenever he touches me storyline. I loved that she was gonna leave him because of how he treats women and she didn’t want her sons to see that and become that. But he treats her like crap, never eases up and she still decides she’s in love with him. And then she does the most annoying thing.
“Can you forgive me?’
‘I love you, Sander. You know that. What I want now is for you to forgive yourself.”
Barf. Literally will throw up. I don’t forgive him for being a women hating asshole. And then she goes on about him forgiving himself about his mom being a shit mom. The crappest apology scene ever. I didn’t even care about them anymore.
And man they had the most boring sex scenes ever. I didn’t get their connection at all. Just him angry fucking her and her melting with passion whenever he touched her. They were so boring.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 15, 2022
I think PJ wrote this down in between coffee runs or something. The plot premise was tropey which is what I wanted, but she executed it poorly with significant plot events happening suddenly, abruptly, and with an inappropriate response by the participants - either too much or too little. The H receives the news of being father to 5 year old twins very casually. The h sees the H walk back into her life with surprise and lust, but sth was missing. The H and h's realization of their love for each other was very abrupt and was told rather than shown. The h's accident and the H's entire suffering arc is wrapped up in barely 1 page, mostly offpage, and we see the head trauma patient (h) recovering from deep sedation and stepping into a therapy session for the H on the hospital bed itself. He bares all the traumas of his youth, the h successfully interprets it for him, and spouts soothing words which instantly heal him. There is an epilogue where they have a baby daughter, and the h's sisters show up out of the blue ( I realized at this point that this was maybe part of a book series lol).
The H was a bad one IMO. He sleeps with an under aged girl - the h- (17 to his 28), has hot angry amazing sex with her while both are drunk, doesn't realize she is a virgin, and comes in like 5 seconds cz of how good it is. The next morning his grandpa dies so he throws money at her and tells her to get outta the hotel so he can fly back. When they reunite, 6 years later, he has insta lust for her and walks around with a hard on, but makes sure the h signs a pre-nup forgoing all his money/assets, and a solemn agreement to make sure she starts contraceptive pills ASAP because he doesn't want more kids with her. I assume this is because he is the sleazy kind of man who wants his pleasure but no responsibility of protection. The only good thing is that he was extremely attracted to the h in her natural state, sans grooming, hair care and luxury outfits, and barely notices when she gets her requisite rich-wife-makeover. He also falls for his twin boys immediately, and is a good father to them once united. Oh, and after they are married they have tons of sex which was either graphically descriptive of her lips and moisture and being a true blonde, or totally glossed over lol. The h is shown to be salivating and wide eyed over the H and wanting to touch and caress him through all their romantic encounters, which is interesting cz he is the first and last man she has ever been with but apparently her lurv makes her a horny expert.
The H was a bad one IMO. He sleeps with an under aged girl - the h- (17 to his 28), has hot angry amazing sex with her while both are drunk, doesn't realize she is a virgin, and comes in like 5 seconds cz of how good it is. The next morning his grandpa dies so he throws money at her and tells her to get outta the hotel so he can fly back. When they reunite, 6 years later, he has insta lust for her and walks around with a hard on, but makes sure the h signs a pre-nup forgoing all his money/assets, and a solemn agreement to make sure she starts contraceptive pills ASAP because he doesn't want more kids with her. I assume this is because he is the sleazy kind of man who wants his pleasure but no responsibility of protection. The only good thing is that he was extremely attracted to the h in her natural state, sans grooming, hair care and luxury outfits, and barely notices when she gets her requisite rich-wife-makeover. He also falls for his twin boys immediately, and is a good father to them once united. Oh, and after they are married they have tons of sex which was either graphically descriptive of her lips and moisture and being a true blonde, or totally glossed over lol. The h is shown to be salivating and wide eyed over the H and wanting to touch and caress him through all their romantic encounters, which is interesting cz he is the first and last man she has ever been with but apparently her lurv makes her a horny expert.
March 28, 2021
3.75 stars
The MCs are strangers who have a ONS after meeting at a club. Six years later, the H discovers he has twins from this encounter and demands access to his children. They agree to enter a MOC but the H thinks the h is a gold digging tramp.
The night that they met is discussed quite a bit. It's the reason the H has such a bad impression of the h (she was drunk, dressed scantily, and she approached him). He slut-shames her most of the book. At one point, she calls out his double standard. I was surprised and proud of her and PJ for calling out how ridiculous it is for the H to label her a slut but feel no sense of shame for his own behavior that night. He too had sex with a stranger from the club. Further flashbacks on this night confirm that the H treated the h quite terribly during sex and the morning after. He had angry, punitive sex with her because she was, in his mind, a skank and he was mad at his grandfather.
The H also has major mommy issues which colors his attitude and behavior towards the h the entire book . Now that I think on it, he sucks. I'm not sure what she loves about him since she's only ever seen him behave like a mean, vindictive woman-hater. She is a typical sort of HP heroine: sacrificing, kind, and a doormat. She's a good mom and doesn't have much of a personality.
This book kept me interested and slightly angry and I finished it in one sitting.
The MCs are strangers who have a ONS after meeting at a club. Six years later, the H discovers he has twins from this encounter and demands access to his children. They agree to enter a MOC but the H thinks the h is a gold digging tramp.
The night that they met is discussed quite a bit. It's the reason the H has such a bad impression of the h (she was drunk, dressed scantily, and she approached him). He slut-shames her most of the book. At one point, she calls out his double standard. I was surprised and proud of her and PJ for calling out how ridiculous it is for the H to label her a slut but feel no sense of shame for his own behavior that night. He too had sex with a stranger from the club. Further flashbacks on this night confirm that the H treated the h quite terribly during sex and the morning after. He had angry, punitive sex with her because she was, in his mind, a skank and he was mad at his grandfather.
The H also has major mommy issues which colors his attitude and behavior towards the h the entire book . Now that I think on it, he sucks. I'm not sure what she loves about him since she's only ever seen him behave like a mean, vindictive woman-hater. She is a typical sort of HP heroine: sacrificing, kind, and a doormat. She's a good mom and doesn't have much of a personality.
This book kept me interested and slightly angry and I finished it in one sitting.
April 7, 2021
I would love to say that the book was great but it was not. One could have a bad time bad judgement bad behavior sometime and it can be forgiven. Sander looked at Ruby with contempt for everything and perceived crimes on a young 17 year old and continues with that almost until the end. He is the more mature worldly with loads of real world experience but I felt his suspicious nature very petty almost like he sees no faults in himself but has a right to judge her. I don’t mind harsh behavior when it’s warranted but here I felt he was terrible. Not very hero like.
August 31, 2024
I'm going to keep this short and sweet, while this book was just short: decent prose or not, I'm pretty sick of Penelope Halsall a.k.a. Penny Jordan writing books about jackasses of muscle-men getting horny at the women they despise and force into some sort of proposition be it business or peersonal. The likable characters are very thin and the unlikable ones only have a little bit of worthwhile development, being the bare essentials needed to progress a short, uneventful, horny and predictable story. In my opinion, this is only slightly better than Man-Hater.
July 9, 2018
I miss Penny Jordan.
Most likely I read this back when it was released as my mum had a m&b subscription where I would frequently half inch the books and replace when read. Penny Jordan was our favourite and I haven't found an author now that matches her for me.
This book is a really nice read. It did take a while but I did see how in love they were.
Most likely I read this back when it was released as my mum had a m&b subscription where I would frequently half inch the books and replace when read. Penny Jordan was our favourite and I haven't found an author now that matches her for me.
This book is a really nice read. It did take a while but I did see how in love they were.
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