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The Australian's Housekeeper Bride
Rhiannon Fairfax believes everything shouldbe calm and orderly. And she's made a careerout of ensuring that other people's livesare perfect.
Then billionaire Lee Richardson hires her.Stormy, complex and autocratic, he needs awife—and he wants Rhiannon! Swept out ofher sensible shoes, Rhiannon agrees. But assecrets begin to emerge, she wonders if shecan trust her new husband….
Then billionaire Lee Richardson hires her.Stormy, complex and autocratic, he needs awife—and he wants Rhiannon! Swept out ofher sensible shoes, Rhiannon agrees. But assecrets begin to emerge, she wonders if shecan trust her new husband….
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
About the author
Lindsay Armstrong
320 books92 followersGillian Smith (alias Lindsay Armstrong) was born in South Africa. She grew up with three ambitions: to become a writer, to travel the world, and to be a game ranger. She didn't achieve the last one, but her fascination for wildlife and that special something about Africa and its big game still remains with her. When she went to work it was in travel, at an agency and an airline, and this started her on the road to seeing the world.
Lindsey met her New Zealand-born husband, who had been working in West Africa, when he was on his way home through Johannesburg. He did go home but in a matter of weeks he was back in South Africa, and six months later they were married. Three of their five children were born in South Africa. Then one in London and one in Australia, after they made the decision to emigrate from South Africa.
It wasn't until her youngest child started school that Lindsay sat down at the kitchen table determined to tackle her other ambition to stop dreaming about writing and do it! She hasn't stopped since. She's not happy unless she has a book under way, and she's discovered she can write through just about anything.
Lindsay and her husband have moved around a lot. They've trained racehorses,farmed, and lived on their boat for six months while they sailed it from the Gold Coast to the Torres Strait and back, an epic voyage! They currently live in Queensland, overlooking the water; they sold their farm, and they're looking around for another boat. She and her husband love to travel and have been back to Africa twice in the past few years. The highlight of one of their trips was a visit to the Serengeti, in Tanzania, where Lindsay did the one thing she swore she would never do: take a ride in a hot-air balloon. She was a nervous wreck as the balloon tottered upright, but will remember it as a unique experience to see the game spreading out on the Serengeti plain beneath her as the sun rose.
"They say you can take someone who was born in Africa out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of someone born there..."
Despite this passion for wildlife and Africa, Lindsay considers Australia her home now and loves the country. She travelled to Sydney to witness the closing weekend of the Olympic Games in September 2000; it made her proud to be an adopted Aussie!
Lindsey met her New Zealand-born husband, who had been working in West Africa, when he was on his way home through Johannesburg. He did go home but in a matter of weeks he was back in South Africa, and six months later they were married. Three of their five children were born in South Africa. Then one in London and one in Australia, after they made the decision to emigrate from South Africa.
It wasn't until her youngest child started school that Lindsay sat down at the kitchen table determined to tackle her other ambition to stop dreaming about writing and do it! She hasn't stopped since. She's not happy unless she has a book under way, and she's discovered she can write through just about anything.
Lindsay and her husband have moved around a lot. They've trained racehorses,farmed, and lived on their boat for six months while they sailed it from the Gold Coast to the Torres Strait and back, an epic voyage! They currently live in Queensland, overlooking the water; they sold their farm, and they're looking around for another boat. She and her husband love to travel and have been back to Africa twice in the past few years. The highlight of one of their trips was a visit to the Serengeti, in Tanzania, where Lindsay did the one thing she swore she would never do: take a ride in a hot-air balloon. She was a nervous wreck as the balloon tottered upright, but will remember it as a unique experience to see the game spreading out on the Serengeti plain beneath her as the sun rose.
"They say you can take someone who was born in Africa out of the bush but you can't take the bush out of someone born there..."
Despite this passion for wildlife and Africa, Lindsay considers Australia her home now and loves the country. She travelled to Sydney to witness the closing weekend of the Olympic Games in September 2000; it made her proud to be an adopted Aussie!
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
May 30, 2024
Hero didn't want to marry his girlfriend so as revenge, she married his father, becoming his stepmother dearest.
After his father's death, hero, afraid of his feelings for his stepmom, manipulates vulnerable housekeeper heroine into a marriage of convenience. He will pay for her dad's surgery if she moves in with him at the family homestead. But he doesn't explain that heroine is to act as a buffer between him and stepmom dearest. Heroine immediately gets pregnant.
Heroine finally finds out about the hero and stepmom's mutual past when she catches them in a compromising position at his father's wake organized on the first anniversary of his death, OF ALL TIMES AND PLACES! She tries to leave him but he hoodwinks her again into staying, at least for the duration of her high risk pregnancy.
Hero and heroine resume a marriage of convenience with separate bedrooms. A storm breaks out on the night she gives birth, stranding them in the house together with no way of getting medical help. Since heroine is helpless to tune hero out during her labour, he takes the opportunity to feed her some more b.s. on how he magically realized he was in love with her and out of love with the stepmom at the precise moment when heroine walked out on him.
Really??? You didn't realize you were out of love when your ex-girlfriend married your dad??? Not even when your dad died??? Not during your marriage proposal to the heroine, or on your honeymoon?
Stepmom decided to move back to South of France after being paid a hefty bribe in exchange for not running to the tabloids with her Escandalo tale of father-son love triangle. But she is going to be back for visits often to dote on her "grandchildren."
Insane in the membrane.
After his father's death, hero, afraid of his feelings for his stepmom, manipulates vulnerable housekeeper heroine into a marriage of convenience. He will pay for her dad's surgery if she moves in with him at the family homestead. But he doesn't explain that heroine is to act as a buffer between him and stepmom dearest. Heroine immediately gets pregnant.
Heroine finally finds out about the hero and stepmom's mutual past when she catches them in a compromising position at his father's wake organized on the first anniversary of his death, OF ALL TIMES AND PLACES! She tries to leave him but he hoodwinks her again into staying, at least for the duration of her high risk pregnancy.
Hero and heroine resume a marriage of convenience with separate bedrooms. A storm breaks out on the night she gives birth, stranding them in the house together with no way of getting medical help. Since heroine is helpless to tune hero out during her labour, he takes the opportunity to feed her some more b.s. on how he magically realized he was in love with her and out of love with the stepmom at the precise moment when heroine walked out on him.
Really??? You didn't realize you were out of love when your ex-girlfriend married your dad??? Not even when your dad died??? Not during your marriage proposal to the heroine, or on your honeymoon?
Stepmom decided to move back to South of France after being paid a hefty bribe in exchange for not running to the tabloids with her Escandalo tale of father-son love triangle. But she is going to be back for visits often to dote on her "grandchildren."
Insane in the membrane.
December 6, 2019
Ok.
I couldn’t connect with the author’s writing style. Some of the dialogues just went right over my head.
Heroine was good. She was strong,matured and capable. I liked some parts of the book very much. But the Ow drama left a bitter after taste.
Recommended.
I couldn’t connect with the author’s writing style. Some of the dialogues just went right over my head.
Heroine was good. She was strong,matured and capable. I liked some parts of the book very much. But the Ow drama left a bitter after taste.
Recommended.
April 26, 2011
That "pearl necklace" he bought her-the one she could only wear while nekkid-I totally went "there" with that while writing this review. Didn't even "go there" while reading, though.
Dirty mind, I know.
This book was ok. I got it at the grocery store for $1.
It was okay, did I mention that? There were some downright sensual scenes within this little book, but I needed MORE: plot, character development, back story.
Maybe I'm just a greedy reader?
Oh, the whole thing with the stepmama ending up being his ex thing was just ew, but it was kinda obvious. Also, I didn't get a real clear understanding of the "longing look" that passed between them at the memorial (weeks after his marriage to the heroine, btw).
What do you think?
Dirty mind, I know.
This book was ok. I got it at the grocery store for $1.
It was okay, did I mention that? There were some downright sensual scenes within this little book, but I needed MORE: plot, character development, back story.
Maybe I'm just a greedy reader?
Oh, the whole thing with the stepmama ending up being his ex thing was just ew, but it was kinda obvious. Also, I didn't get a real clear understanding of the "longing look" that passed between them at the memorial (weeks after his marriage to the heroine, btw).
What do you think?
January 28, 2017
Boring.
March 21, 2017
The Quest for Trash begins!
Grāmatu klubā nolēmām aizmirst par jebkādas bikini sezonas tuvošanos un kārtīgi "atlaist", kā saka. Nekādas kaunināšanas, nekādu noteikumu - lasām trešu (cietiem vārdiem Kontinentu)!
Šis nekas īpašs, Harlequin klasika, kas vīriešiem toletes literatūra, tas vecmeitām guļamistabas. Šī pat īpaši neizcēlās ar trašīgumu. Erotiskās ainas tikai uz puslapu, nekādu anatomisko aprakstu. Varoņu dialogi pat diezgan sakarīgi - lasi - reālistiski. Nepārliecināja sižeta atrisinājums. Patika Austrālija.
Kopumā - korseti pušu nepārrāva.
Grāmatu klubā nolēmām aizmirst par jebkādas bikini sezonas tuvošanos un kārtīgi "atlaist", kā saka. Nekādas kaunināšanas, nekādu noteikumu - lasām trešu (cietiem vārdiem Kontinentu)!
Šis nekas īpašs, Harlequin klasika, kas vīriešiem toletes literatūra, tas vecmeitām guļamistabas. Šī pat īpaši neizcēlās ar trašīgumu. Erotiskās ainas tikai uz puslapu, nekādu anatomisko aprakstu. Varoņu dialogi pat diezgan sakarīgi - lasi - reālistiski. Nepārliecināja sižeta atrisinājums. Patika Austrālija.
Kopumā - korseti pušu nepārrāva.
February 22, 2012
4 Stars! ~ Rhiannon had lived a charmed childhood and adolescence, but when she finished university her life changed and she became the supporter in her family. Using the skills from her upbringing and the culinary ones from school, she teaches the wealthy how to run their homes, both socially and on a personal front. Lee Richardson and his brother have inherited the vast Richardson holdings, including a beautiful Australian estate. Only Lee’s sister-in-law is a disaster at running the household and has botched the first major social event since their parents have died. Rhiannon and Lee have an instant attraction, and Lee sees that there is much, much more to Rhiannon than just her practicality. When it becomes apparent that Lee’s brother and wife will not be able to manage life on the estate, Lee proposes to Rhiannon. It seems that under their father’s will, Lee or his brother must live with their wives on the estate, or the estate will be made available to their stepmother, a woman both brothers blame for their father’s early death.
There is a delightful prologue that just sweeps you into this story, and once begun I didn’t want to put this book down. Both characters have strong personalities that suit wonderfully. Rhiannon doesn’t mince her words and tells it like it is. Because their marriage is based on practicality and that they have much in common, including their sizzling chemistry, both hold back parts of themselves. I liked the way Ms. Armstrong brought these two together and slowly revealed their hearts.
There is a delightful prologue that just sweeps you into this story, and once begun I didn’t want to put this book down. Both characters have strong personalities that suit wonderfully. Rhiannon doesn’t mince her words and tells it like it is. Because their marriage is based on practicality and that they have much in common, including their sizzling chemistry, both hold back parts of themselves. I liked the way Ms. Armstrong brought these two together and slowly revealed their hearts.
January 24, 2021
2.5 stars. The story begins with a trivial meet cute 4 years back was highlighted into an entire prologue. Despite highlighting a slight chemistry it doesn't actually highlight any sense of connection and neither was there an unforgettable kiss just a moment between strangers who when they meet again take some time before they recollect their first meeting.
Both h and H have had previous romantic disillusionment but h shares her history but obviously in keeping with this genre's romances the H doesn't. The readers can see the plot twist coming a mile away with the mentions of H's stepmother turning into an obviously ugly and very convenient plot twist.
Both h and H have had previous romantic disillusionment but h shares her history but obviously in keeping with this genre's romances the H doesn't. The readers can see the plot twist coming a mile away with the mentions of H's stepmother turning into an obviously ugly and very convenient plot twist.
May 15, 2021
Sweet
I enjoyed this one. Sweet story, likeable characters. Rhiannon and Lee fit together really well. The adult content was very discreet, so i could enjoy the story line and it had a lovely one.
I enjoyed this one. Sweet story, likeable characters. Rhiannon and Lee fit together really well. The adult content was very discreet, so i could enjoy the story line and it had a lovely one.
January 9, 2012
An unexpected meeting draws two strangers into a chemistry filled banter only to last the length of the taxi ride. Four years later Rhiannon Fairfax is thrown for a loop when her new boss happens to be the man in the taxi.
Billionaire Les Richardson can't believe his luck when he sees the beauty who has long haunted his dreams before him. Although he should just let her focus on her job as organizer for a party he is hosting, he wants to find out what is behind the stubborn woman who is determined to spar with him.
This was an interesting story, both have been betrayed in their past and have issues with expressing their feelings toward each other. Les is magnetic in his attempt to sweep Rhiannon off her feet, I think at times he assumes she knows how he truly feels but she doesn't. Pretty good story.
Billionaire Les Richardson can't believe his luck when he sees the beauty who has long haunted his dreams before him. Although he should just let her focus on her job as organizer for a party he is hosting, he wants to find out what is behind the stubborn woman who is determined to spar with him.
This was an interesting story, both have been betrayed in their past and have issues with expressing their feelings toward each other. Les is magnetic in his attempt to sweep Rhiannon off her feet, I think at times he assumes she knows how he truly feels but she doesn't. Pretty good story.
September 26, 2016
Good story and I liked the main characters but I'm still not sure what was the deal with the step-mother. She didn't really do anything heinous but she was kind of portrayed as being somewhat evil. And what was the deal with the "look" that Rhiannon running? That whole scene was never really explained although I got the impression that Lee did still have feelings for his ex up to that point.
October 18, 2025
I didn't like it. They did not have that strong of a connection in opinion if the mmc could still have lingering feelings for his ex (also his stepmother) weeks after marrying the fmc.
The mmc's ex girlfriend married his father after he refused to marry her, the father died and she kept popping up to cause issues (or maybe trying to get him back?). He married the fmc so that his ex couldn't live in his childhood home (it was a clause in his father's will that if him or his brother didn't live there with a wife then the stepmother was entitled to live there). The fmc caught them looking at each other in a heated/sexual way (making her realize that he still loved her / was still attracted to her) and so she ran away. He caught her quickly, but she realized she was pregnant and was trapped.
They didn't really talk much in the months after that, they had seperate rooms and she refused to listen to him. When she was in labor he finally explained the look. His explanation for the look was basically she was right that for a moment when he looked at his ex, he was reminded of the past and all that they had done together but that when he saw that fmc had left him he realized he didn't love his ex anymore and that he instead loved the fmc.
That explanation kind of ruins the love story between them because he's basically admitting that whole time he was pursuing the fmc, marrying her and sleeping with her that he still loved his ex. He only wasn't with her because she had married his father, he was still very much attracted to her. Even after marrying the fmc, during his father's memorial he checked out his ex and exchanged looks with her (each knew the other was looking at each other and checked each other out). The realization that she married his father didn't snap him out of it, but the fmc leaving him did? So would he have had an affair with his ex? Based on the look the fmc described seeing between them, I feel like he would have slept with her, probably would have been disgusted with himself afterwards though when he remembered she slept with and married his father.
I felt bad for the fmc, she has to have his ex in their lives for rest of their lives because the ex is friends with the sister in law and his father's will had provisions that means they can't be totally free of her. P.
The mmc's ex girlfriend married his father after he refused to marry her, the father died and she kept popping up to cause issues (or maybe trying to get him back?). He married the fmc so that his ex couldn't live in his childhood home (it was a clause in his father's will that if him or his brother didn't live there with a wife then the stepmother was entitled to live there). The fmc caught them looking at each other in a heated/sexual way (making her realize that he still loved her / was still attracted to her) and so she ran away. He caught her quickly, but she realized she was pregnant and was trapped.
They didn't really talk much in the months after that, they had seperate rooms and she refused to listen to him. When she was in labor he finally explained the look. His explanation for the look was basically she was right that for a moment when he looked at his ex, he was reminded of the past and all that they had done together but that when he saw that fmc had left him he realized he didn't love his ex anymore and that he instead loved the fmc.
That explanation kind of ruins the love story between them because he's basically admitting that whole time he was pursuing the fmc, marrying her and sleeping with her that he still loved his ex. He only wasn't with her because she had married his father, he was still very much attracted to her. Even after marrying the fmc, during his father's memorial he checked out his ex and exchanged looks with her (each knew the other was looking at each other and checked each other out). The realization that she married his father didn't snap him out of it, but the fmc leaving him did? So would he have had an affair with his ex? Based on the look the fmc described seeing between them, I feel like he would have slept with her, probably would have been disgusted with himself afterwards though when he remembered she slept with and married his father.
I felt bad for the fmc, she has to have his ex in their lives for rest of their lives because the ex is friends with the sister in law and his father's will had provisions that means they can't be totally free of her. P.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 12, 2020
The Australian's Housekeeper Bride
In this book Rihanna's been hired to sort out a home and get it ready for a reception. But upon arrival she finds out that the woman she was to help flew out and left many things up in the air, so to speak. Lee is the older brother of the groom, whose bride was supposed to be there. They had met four years but in a shared taxi. Now they are going to try and get the party started. But it comes with other problems that resulted in events that they are to be married. Will they get their own happy ending? Read and find out.
In this book Rihanna's been hired to sort out a home and get it ready for a reception. But upon arrival she finds out that the woman she was to help flew out and left many things up in the air, so to speak. Lee is the older brother of the groom, whose bride was supposed to be there. They had met four years but in a shared taxi. Now they are going to try and get the party started. But it comes with other problems that resulted in events that they are to be married. Will they get their own happy ending? Read and find out.
March 18, 2019
I feel like I was reading about this story, not actually reading the story itself, except for a few bits here and there. It felt very removed from the characters like there was a plexiglass layer between me and them and everything was a bit muffled.
However, this is a great example of the uniquely Australian Harlequin tendency to detail the fashion and decor. So much description of the settings and the clothes. So much. *snort*
However, this is a great example of the uniquely Australian Harlequin tendency to detail the fashion and decor. So much description of the settings and the clothes. So much. *snort*
May 13, 2020
Nothing special
Formula echoes a bit Marriage by Trial. But I liked the other book better. I thought it will be more angst in this book. As it was a bit boring in my opinion I started to skim through until about 70% but even then I was disappointed. I didn’t like “ deliciously curvy” heroine and I’m tired of the pregnancy trop with baby girl ( of course) as the result.
Formula echoes a bit Marriage by Trial. But I liked the other book better. I thought it will be more angst in this book. As it was a bit boring in my opinion I started to skim through until about 70% but even then I was disappointed. I didn’t like “ deliciously curvy” heroine and I’m tired of the pregnancy trop with baby girl ( of course) as the result.
October 27, 2018
Owner of a housekeeping services company goes on to be the maid of a client herself? Ok.....
Ridiculous beginning.
Ridiculous beginning.
August 25, 2020
Guess that happened. Very boring. Very choppy considering the nutzo other woman. Ah well. Skip.
July 27, 2022
Oh honey, no. Just no.
November 26, 2017
Era bastante previsível. Lee é um australiano milionário que contrata Rhiannon para cuidar da casa, mas acaba por se interessar por ela, e quer que ela seja a sua esposa, ela perde a cabeça e aceita, mas vão sabendo dos segredos que existem na família e começa a questionar-se se pode ou não confiar no seu marido. Não foi dos melhores que li, mas também não é dos piores, embora achasse que fosse muito evidente que Lee e a Rhiannon fossem ficar juntos.
http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...
http://aviciadadoslivros.blogspot.pt/...
October 5, 2025
Good but contrived, and having ex marry your dad is icky. Reread about 15 months later, the set up with temporary super housekeeper and a party were familiar but I recalled nothing else. On reread I’ll re-forget again in a few weeks.
Not a bad story just nothing special and the conflicts seemed like she was having a dream, not tangible, not real. Too much happened in her head to rate better.
Story is ok but so slow, nothing much happens and the HEA was convenient and not convincing.
Reread couple years later and like better although there is still a dream-like quality.
Not a bad story just nothing special and the conflicts seemed like she was having a dream, not tangible, not real. Too much happened in her head to rate better.
Story is ok but so slow, nothing much happens and the HEA was convenient and not convincing.
Reread couple years later and like better although there is still a dream-like quality.
March 27, 2015
After living the start of her life as one of the rich and famous Rhiannon finds herself the breadwinner of the family. Four years after their first meeting in the back of a taxi she is hired to be a housekeeper by the man who eventually becomes her husband.
September 25, 2009
Modern
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews