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A Typical Male!
Sex and power games!
Brett King wanted to possess Tasha.... He craved her body and the passion he knew they could share, so he planned a seduction campaign to drive her out of her mind with desire!
Tasha wanted Brett, but she wasn't interested in sex without commitment. She knew there could be so much more between them, and there was only one way to test Brett's feelings.... How would he respond if he thought Tasha was pregnant with his baby?
Brett King wanted to possess Tasha.... He craved her body and the passion he knew they could share, so he planned a seduction campaign to drive her out of her mind with desire!
Tasha wanted Brett, but she wasn't interested in sex without commitment. She knew there could be so much more between them, and there was only one way to test Brett's feelings.... How would he respond if he thought Tasha was pregnant with his baby?
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
About the author
Sally Wentworth
108 books95 followersDoreen was born on 1936 or 1937 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She married Donald Alfred Hornsblow, with whom she has a son Keith, in 1968. The family lived in Braughing, England.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 22, 2022
I have to put Sally Wentworth's Typical Male in that awkward category of books that are extremely well-written but are a complete emotional downer. I read Harlequins primarily for their escapism and this was a tad too realistic and depressing for my taste.
There wasn't any romanticism in it, as far as I was concerned, just a lot of cynicism about the mating game that males and females play, with all the power trips, the manipulation, the score keeping etc. Neither of the characters were likable and I was glad to leave them on the last page.
What was interesting to me in this book was that the majority of the story was from the male point of view and the author had him act out a lot of the actions and thoughts we typically associate with the female characters in this type of book. He had a lot of insecurities, tended to overthink every single interaction with the heroine, obsess about the status of the relationship, agonize over her sexual past and have many doubts about her present faithfulness. He engaged in very questionable snooping in order to find out more information about the heroine's past and present lovers in order to get more insight into her.
The female character, on the other hand, was painted with the brushstroke that Harlequin heroes are typically portrayed with. I wouldn't call her an Alpha female but she was definitely strong, very aloof with her feelings, able to turn her sensuality on and off seemingly with no difficulty, giving the reins to her brains rather than her libido. She seemed always in control and very much enjoying manipulating the hero, blowing hot and cold, leading him on a string, even being cruel to him, even though she was genuinely interested in him.
We find out about halfway through the book why she is acting the way she is, a pretty typical Great, Big, Traumatic Past in HPlandia that serves as justification for her present actions and motivations. .
There is a pivotal moment in the last quarter of the book where the hero succeeds, temporarily at least, in reverting their positions back into the typical HP mode, with him being the dominant male and she being the vulnerable female. He destroys her self-confidence and she crumbles, becoming the typical subservient female who exists as periphery to her man's life rather than the center of it. Ironic given that it was her independence, aloofness, and strength of character that attracted him in the first place! Yet, as soon as he "conquers" her, he wants to fit her back into the role that he is more comfortable with. Is Sally Wentworth making a point about how love is a compromise where the woman is always the one who needs to give in? Yes, it looks that way, and you can tell she is not too happy about it.
There wasn't any romanticism in it, as far as I was concerned, just a lot of cynicism about the mating game that males and females play, with all the power trips, the manipulation, the score keeping etc. Neither of the characters were likable and I was glad to leave them on the last page.
What was interesting to me in this book was that the majority of the story was from the male point of view and the author had him act out a lot of the actions and thoughts we typically associate with the female characters in this type of book. He had a lot of insecurities, tended to overthink every single interaction with the heroine, obsess about the status of the relationship, agonize over her sexual past and have many doubts about her present faithfulness. He engaged in very questionable snooping in order to find out more information about the heroine's past and present lovers in order to get more insight into her.
The female character, on the other hand, was painted with the brushstroke that Harlequin heroes are typically portrayed with. I wouldn't call her an Alpha female but she was definitely strong, very aloof with her feelings, able to turn her sensuality on and off seemingly with no difficulty, giving the reins to her brains rather than her libido. She seemed always in control and very much enjoying manipulating the hero, blowing hot and cold, leading him on a string, even being cruel to him, even though she was genuinely interested in him.
We find out about halfway through the book why she is acting the way she is, a pretty typical Great, Big, Traumatic Past in HPlandia that serves as justification for her present actions and motivations. .
There is a pivotal moment in the last quarter of the book where the hero succeeds, temporarily at least, in reverting their positions back into the typical HP mode, with him being the dominant male and she being the vulnerable female. He destroys her self-confidence and she crumbles, becoming the typical subservient female who exists as periphery to her man's life rather than the center of it. Ironic given that it was her independence, aloofness, and strength of character that attracted him in the first place! Yet, as soon as he "conquers" her, he wants to fit her back into the role that he is more comfortable with. Is Sally Wentworth making a point about how love is a compromise where the woman is always the one who needs to give in? Yes, it looks that way, and you can tell she is not too happy about it.
February 23, 2022
“Tonight — could we do that from time to time? You know — drive me mad with frustration?,” said this H.
This story has twists and turns. And it’s different. So 4 stars.
It’s different in that it is written mainly from the H’s point of view. That doesn’t happen often.
It is also different because she can say ‘no’ to him while they are making out. It’s extremely rare to see a h without a treacherous body. She lets him wait for it. Good.
She is sexually experienced, but I like a h to be a Cinderella virgin. So 1 star off for that and also for the slow start of the book and for her lack of loving feelings and loving actions towards the H.
He is besotted from the moment they met. But I don’t feel her love for him. She tells her friend that she ‘cares’ for him after spending the weekend with him and having lots of sex with him. Ouch.
This story has twists and turns. And it’s different. So 4 stars.
It’s different in that it is written mainly from the H’s point of view. That doesn’t happen often.
It is also different because she can say ‘no’ to him while they are making out. It’s extremely rare to see a h without a treacherous body. She lets him wait for it. Good.
She is sexually experienced, but I like a h to be a Cinderella virgin. So 1 star off for that and also for the slow start of the book and for her lack of loving feelings and loving actions towards the H.
He is besotted from the moment they met. But I don’t feel her love for him. She tells her friend that she ‘cares’ for him after spending the weekend with him and having lots of sex with him. Ouch.
February 21, 2024
This was unusual. I don't know that I'd want to read it again because I didn't love the characters but it was interesting to have a predominantly H POV and good to see the h (tv producer Tasha) guarding her power. I had mixed feelings about Brett. In some ways it was offputting to be included in his calculating thought processes. The battle of the sexes and the reversals of power dynamics in romantic relationships were well conveyed I thought. Some of it felt very current and frankly- and somewhat depressingly- pretty eternal. Do I buy the hea? I'm not sure. Good luck, Tasha. I will say that.
November 9, 2017
We didn't get any answers. Why was the h the way she was? The thing with the college professor had supposedly traumatised her. But it felt glossed over. The H wondered about her previous lovers, and so did I. At one point I thought she'd never had a lover before, since they were never mentioned(except the one she dumped for the H. We never get to know anything about him either)
But it turned out she was obviously experienced. I would have liked to know more about how she dealt with the supposed trauma. It's never mentioned if the H is the first lover since the college incident. She's only 24 but comes of as older because she's a professional working woman and sophisticated. I thought that would turn out to be a facade.
But it turned out she was obviously experienced. I would have liked to know more about how she dealt with the supposed trauma. It's never mentioned if the H is the first lover since the college incident. She's only 24 but comes of as older because she's a professional working woman and sophisticated. I thought that would turn out to be a facade.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2017
Rating: 1.5 stars
Now, I've read Mills & Boon before, but so far this takes the top of the cake for trashiness. Absolute garbage.
Main characters were total rats, and the main "plot" started at page 160 and lasted for 8 pages. Total letdown (not that my expectations were high, anyway).
I pretty much skimmed half of this book. If you could even call it that.
I read this book for the Read-a-thin Readathon 2017. Challenges covered:
- Read a guilty pleasure read
- Read a book related to your favourite emoji (Heart eyes - romance book - 😍)
Now, I've read Mills & Boon before, but so far this takes the top of the cake for trashiness. Absolute garbage.
Main characters were total rats, and the main "plot" started at page 160 and lasted for 8 pages. Total letdown (not that my expectations were high, anyway).
I pretty much skimmed half of this book. If you could even call it that.
I read this book for the Read-a-thin Readathon 2017. Challenges covered:
- Read a guilty pleasure read
- Read a book related to your favourite emoji (Heart eyes - romance book - 😍)
April 2, 2021
Η δοκιμασία- Sally Wentworth, Συλλογή, 1901
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews