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Sister Brides #3
The Heiress Bride
Business tycoon and infamous playboy Alexio Christoulakis wasn't the marrying kind. Then one of the most powerful and wealthy men in Greece offers Alexio his daughter's hand in marriage, and Alexio decides that maybe a wife especially one as compelling as Ione Gakis might not be a bad idea after all.
Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the Gakis family, Ione was adopted and has been fostered in an abusive and neglectful environment a desperate prisoner on her tyrannical father's luxurious island. Marriage to Alexio can mean only one thing: escape. And if that means marrying a complete stranger and fleeing to England to find her real family, then the sooner Ione can get that wedding ring on her finger, the better.
But despite his compassion for Ione, Alexio won't tolerate a runaway wife. And he's going to make damn sure Ione never leaves his side or his bed!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published November 1, 2002
115 people are currently reading
613 people want to read
About the author
Lynne Graham
1,763 books1,448 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
Lynne Graham was born on July 30, 1956 of Irish-Scottish parentage. She has livedin Northern Ireland all her life. She grew up in a seaside village with herbrother. She learnt to read at the age of 3, and haven't stopped since then.
Lynne first met her husband when she was 14. At 15, she wrote her firstbook, but it was rejected everywhere. Lynne married after she completed adegree at Edinburgh University. She started writing again when she was athome with her first child. It took several attempts before she sold herfirst book in 1987 and the delight of seeing that first book for sale in thelocal newsagents has never been forgotten. Now, there are over 10 million ofher books in print worldwide.
Lynne always wanted a large family and has five children. Her eldest and heronly natural child is 19 and currently at university. Her other fourchildren, who are every bit as dear to her heart, are adopted. She has two9-year-olds adopted from Sri Lanka and a 5- and a 3-year-old adopted fromGuatemala. In Lynne's home, there is a rich and diverse cultural mix, whichadds a whole extra dimension of interest and discovery to family life. Thefamily lives in a country house surrounded by a woodland garden, which iswonderfully private. The family has two pets. Thomas, a very large andaffectionate black cat, bosses the dog and hunts rabbits. The dog is Daisy,an adorable but not very bright white West Highland terrier, who loves beingchased by the cat. At night, dog and cat sleep together in front of thekitchen stove. Lynne loves gardening, cooking, collects everything from oldtoys to rock specimens and is crazy about every aspect of Christmas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 91 reviews
July 5, 2017
This is an arranged marriage story with an abused heroine who has to learn to trust her new husband. The heroine has an almost feral fear of being trapped in yet another abusive relationship after the hell she lived through with her adopted father. She has been taught to lie, to keep secrets, and to hide her feelings if she is going to survive.
Luckily, the hero is a good guy, attracted to the heroine and curious enough to wonder what the hell is going on with a wife who tries to escape from Paris to London with a suitcase full of money within 24 hours of marrying him. The hero dribbles out bits and pieces of her story as the action moves along. Each time she does something to disappoint him and each time he forgives her.
Hero is great. He flies off the handle and has a lot of wounded pride, but he is predictable and steady compared to the fight or flight heroine. I was glad that LG explained that the heroine, while born English, thinks like a Greek. I think this is what helps these two very different people find common ground.
I agree with many of the reviews that felt the adopted sister angle took away from the H/h. This was such a different dynamic of a relationship to explore and the last two chapters of the sisters chatting on the phone and uncovering the mystery of their mother wasn't all that interesting. I also can't believe that the heroine's abusive adopted father and mean aunt didn't get any sort of comeuppance. Ah, well. The bones of this story were very good and the heroine had a lot to overcome.
Luckily, the hero is a good guy, attracted to the heroine and curious enough to wonder what the hell is going on with a wife who tries to escape from Paris to London with a suitcase full of money within 24 hours of marrying him. The hero dribbles out bits and pieces of her story as the action moves along. Each time she does something to disappoint him and each time he forgives her.
Hero is great. He flies off the handle and has a lot of wounded pride, but he is predictable and steady compared to the fight or flight heroine. I was glad that LG explained that the heroine, while born English, thinks like a Greek. I think this is what helps these two very different people find common ground.
I agree with many of the reviews that felt the adopted sister angle took away from the H/h. This was such a different dynamic of a relationship to explore and the last two chapters of the sisters chatting on the phone and uncovering the mystery of their mother wasn't all that interesting. I also can't believe that the heroine's abusive adopted father and mean aunt didn't get any sort of comeuppance. Ah, well. The bones of this story were very good and the heroine had a lot to overcome.
February 8, 2018
Very sweet LG story. Somewhat of a game changer as the heroine climbs out a window to escape her MOC, runs from the hero twice, and doesn’t say “I love you” first. So 4 star heroine.
The hero is a keeper as, I think, he sees himself ready and eager, as a white knight to rescue the hero from the rock in the Aegean Sea she lives on under heavy arm of a despotic dad. 4 star hero.
Over the course of the marriage, great sex helps them fall for each other. The H is very sweet and quite taken with his little bride despite the fact she gets the jump on him: previously mentioned climb out the window, abandoning him at a hint of infidelity, and, SHOCK, refuses to slot her fortune into a trust for her kids. In an I defy you moment she avoids answering him and simply takes off her nightie. So nice to know that big bad alpha Greek tycoons are as susceptible as their heroines to S.E.X.
So why not four stars? I don’t know. It didn’t jell.
However, I do love his foray into the “I love you” stakes….
’Kanavos said that all that mattered to him was that you be happy and I could have happily killed the pious little jerk!’ Alexio ground out with raw resentment. ‘I want you to be happy too, but I want you to be happy only with me. I’m your husband. And if you’re not happy with me, I want you to work at being happy. You don’t belong with a guy like that. He wouldn’t have any time for diamond-heeled shoes and teddy bears.’
Swoon!
The hero is a keeper as, I think, he sees himself ready and eager, as a white knight to rescue the hero from the rock in the Aegean Sea she lives on under heavy arm of a despotic dad. 4 star hero.
Over the course of the marriage, great sex helps them fall for each other. The H is very sweet and quite taken with his little bride despite the fact she gets the jump on him: previously mentioned climb out the window, abandoning him at a hint of infidelity, and, SHOCK, refuses to slot her fortune into a trust for her kids. In an I defy you moment she avoids answering him and simply takes off her nightie. So nice to know that big bad alpha Greek tycoons are as susceptible as their heroines to S.E.X.
So why not four stars? I don’t know. It didn’t jell.
However, I do love his foray into the “I love you” stakes….
’Kanavos said that all that mattered to him was that you be happy and I could have happily killed the pious little jerk!’ Alexio ground out with raw resentment. ‘I want you to be happy too, but I want you to be happy only with me. I’m your husband. And if you’re not happy with me, I want you to work at being happy. You don’t belong with a guy like that. He wouldn’t have any time for diamond-heeled shoes and teddy bears.’
Swoon!
August 25, 2018
Sister brides is definitely working for me, thank you LG!!
This one is a fav of mine (I know, I've got many favs!): a child-like heroine, yes, she's clueless about the world because she's only known girl's school and home (her most recent years in an island) but still she knows pain for daddy is not a nice person. Ione (loved her name) tried to scape before so now daddy has her watched even more closely.
The H's dad persuades him to accept a MOC with the h, more because he wants his son to move on from his hussy dead fiancée than the millions from the h's daddy. . Alexio is curious when he realized that he's met the h before (and fell in lust with her) but thought she was a maid. So he goes to meet h's daddy and see what the MOC was about, not that he seriously thought about going through with that crazy idea, he wasn't ready for marriage, heaven forbid.
Alexio spends time with Ione and guess what? He's taking the MOC. He never saw Ione coming, she had him wrapped around her little finger. Oh but she did learn from daddy's lady-friends! The locker picture lie was just brilliant and she knew it.
While he is anxious waiting for the weddingnight, dear h is plotting her scape, she wants to find her lost twin. Imagine his surprise when she flees on her wedding night!
To be continued at the spoilers...
This one is a fav of mine (I know, I've got many favs!): a child-like heroine, yes, she's clueless about the world because she's only known girl's school and home (her most recent years in an island) but still she knows pain for daddy is not a nice person. Ione (loved her name) tried to scape before so now daddy has her watched even more closely.
The H's dad persuades him to accept a MOC with the h, more because he wants his son to move on from his hussy dead fiancée than the millions from the h's daddy. . Alexio is curious when he realized that he's met the h before (and fell in lust with her) but thought she was a maid. So he goes to meet h's daddy and see what the MOC was about, not that he seriously thought about going through with that crazy idea, he wasn't ready for marriage, heaven forbid.
Alexio spends time with Ione and guess what? He's taking the MOC. He never saw Ione coming, she had him wrapped around her little finger. Oh but she did learn from daddy's lady-friends! The locker picture lie was just brilliant and she knew it.
While he is anxious waiting for the wedding
To be continued at the spoilers...
November 20, 2019
2.5 MEH STARS
Eager to escape the confines of the island her brutal father has kept her trapped on since she was a child, Ione leaps at his plan to arrange her marriage with tycoon and infamous playboy Alexio Christoulakis. Marriage to Alexio will allow her to escape the harsh grasp of her father, but also give her the freedom to go and find her biological family, what she doesn’t count on his her feelings for her husband and his determination to not let her go.
Intensity in passion and heat was lacking despite the fact Alexio spent a lot of time finding himself jealous and feeling possessive due to the gazes of others on Ione. I also found myself disappointed with how Ione’s relationship/interactions with her aunt ending, things felt unfinished and the shift in their interactions not natural.
Eager to escape the confines of the island her brutal father has kept her trapped on since she was a child, Ione leaps at his plan to arrange her marriage with tycoon and infamous playboy Alexio Christoulakis. Marriage to Alexio will allow her to escape the harsh grasp of her father, but also give her the freedom to go and find her biological family, what she doesn’t count on his her feelings for her husband and his determination to not let her go.
Intensity in passion and heat was lacking despite the fact Alexio spent a lot of time finding himself jealous and feeling possessive due to the gazes of others on Ione. I also found myself disappointed with how Ione’s relationship/interactions with her aunt ending, things felt unfinished and the shift in their interactions not natural.
February 8, 2018
I like heroine’s who are not afraid of physical labour and who’re athletic.
Heroine escaping via window = athletic.
Me like her, despite the later not so smart behaviour!
Me at the hero: I’ll make sure you lose your balls if you don’t keep this one. She’s a keeper. Hero: can I at least be a little of an asshole because of “dented ego and appearances as per HP hero requirements”? I need to keep my job. *fidgets nervously looking at my knife collection* Me: you say ILY first. Hero: *running out as fast as he can* deal!
Heroine escaping via window = athletic.
Me like her, despite the later not so smart behaviour!
Me at the hero: I’ll make sure you lose your balls if you don’t keep this one. She’s a keeper. Hero: can I at least be a little of an asshole because of “dented ego and appearances as per HP hero requirements”? I need to keep my job. *fidgets nervously looking at my knife collection* Me: you say ILY first. Hero: *running out as fast as he can* deal!
November 4, 2014
Very well written and mostly gripping story... Would have been 4 stars but it became a bit long-winded as it tried to tie in the sisters stories. Honestly would have been better as a stand alone as the plot was unique and the telling strong enough. I enjoyed the suspense about heroine breaking free but their relationship was a bit contrived.
A real stretch to believe that a major womanizer suddenly settles into being a faithful husband with a virginal wife that he didn't really choose. Basically, Alexio meets the sheltered heiress Ione (after first rejecting his parents' idea of an arranged marriage to a billionaire's daughter), he instantly wants her and can't wait for their wedding...I guess because he thinks she had a teenage crush on him. In fact, he wanted Ione when he thought she was a servant the last time he visited (no real explanation as to why he was such a jerk as to make a woman he thought was a housekeeper change his sheets from satin at 2 am...what a prima donna). Ione is desperate to escape the (literal) prison of her life on her father's island, and this arranged marriage is her way to escape off the island. But when she runs on the wedding night, he catches up to her and she decides he's hot so she'll give their marriage a shot. So she just gives up her plan to enjoy life and freedom and actually have a few boyfriends.
But they have lots of obstacles, like his insistence she give up all her resources and be financially dependent on him (which is about his pride but, like the sheet changing incident, just points out that he can be a selfish jerk). Or after finding his deceased ex-fiance's picture in their bedroom, her following him to London and finding his latest ex-mistress in his apt, and her belief that of course he'll be unfaithful (pretty logical, actually).
And his fidelity speech is sort of pathetic "I didn’t marry you to play around with other women. I’ve had years and years of total freedom to do whatever I liked and I did and I’m ready for something different now." So marital fidelity is "something different"? I get that this is the way this author likes to justify pairing slutty men with virginal women, so if a man has been a wild and indiscriminate womanizer he gets it out of his system, while the heroine has no variety or experience at all because she's been held captive and now hero is all she'll ever know, and the heroine has essentially bought his fidelity with her hymen (there should be a label "don't try this at home" because according to all studies it is the least likely pairing to result in a faithful marriage!). But it was hard to buy his insta love for her. Maybe his loving and stable home life was an influence....but then why didn't it keep him from being a womanizer? I have a hard time with the portrayal of the manslut as a normal state for an emotionally well-adjusted guy....would prefer to see it only in a messed up, abused guy.
A decent and interesting read. But some stereotyping got repetitive. At least her virginity was believable, since she'd been a captive for years.
A real stretch to believe that a major womanizer suddenly settles into being a faithful husband with a virginal wife that he didn't really choose. Basically, Alexio meets the sheltered heiress Ione (after first rejecting his parents' idea of an arranged marriage to a billionaire's daughter), he instantly wants her and can't wait for their wedding...I guess because he thinks she had a teenage crush on him. In fact, he wanted Ione when he thought she was a servant the last time he visited (no real explanation as to why he was such a jerk as to make a woman he thought was a housekeeper change his sheets from satin at 2 am...what a prima donna). Ione is desperate to escape the (literal) prison of her life on her father's island, and this arranged marriage is her way to escape off the island. But when she runs on the wedding night, he catches up to her and she decides he's hot so she'll give their marriage a shot. So she just gives up her plan to enjoy life and freedom and actually have a few boyfriends.
But they have lots of obstacles, like his insistence she give up all her resources and be financially dependent on him (which is about his pride but, like the sheet changing incident, just points out that he can be a selfish jerk). Or after finding his deceased ex-fiance's picture in their bedroom, her following him to London and finding his latest ex-mistress in his apt, and her belief that of course he'll be unfaithful (pretty logical, actually).
And his fidelity speech is sort of pathetic "I didn’t marry you to play around with other women. I’ve had years and years of total freedom to do whatever I liked and I did and I’m ready for something different now." So marital fidelity is "something different"? I get that this is the way this author likes to justify pairing slutty men with virginal women, so if a man has been a wild and indiscriminate womanizer he gets it out of his system, while the heroine has no variety or experience at all because she's been held captive and now hero is all she'll ever know, and the heroine has essentially bought his fidelity with her hymen (there should be a label "don't try this at home" because according to all studies it is the least likely pairing to result in a faithful marriage!). But it was hard to buy his insta love for her. Maybe his loving and stable home life was an influence....but then why didn't it keep him from being a womanizer? I have a hard time with the portrayal of the manslut as a normal state for an emotionally well-adjusted guy....would prefer to see it only in a messed up, abused guy.
A decent and interesting read. But some stereotyping got repetitive. At least her virginity was believable, since she'd been a captive for years.
July 27, 2016
I loved this book but it was my least favourite of this series.
That does not mean this book is bad... Hell no!
It's great but I just enjoyed the first two and the last one more.
I don't know why just something about it all was more detached and less passionate then the others.
They got married and were resigned to their lot.
It did not scream grand passion to me is all. They had chemistry but it was a slow burning kind mostly.
There were moments when it felt like more but sadly not as intense as the other ones.
In my opinion that is.
3.5 stars.
That does not mean this book is bad... Hell no!
It's great but I just enjoyed the first two and the last one more.
I don't know why just something about it all was more detached and less passionate then the others.
They got married and were resigned to their lot.
It did not scream grand passion to me is all. They had chemistry but it was a slow burning kind mostly.
There were moments when it felt like more but sadly not as intense as the other ones.
In my opinion that is.
3.5 stars.
May 22, 2013
Wow another winner by LG. Even though the heroine got on my nerves lots if times I loved all the angst and intensity. The hero must be one if the most forgiving, romantic and mature heroes I've ever read. He really took his marriage vows seriously and never gave up on it. He is a fully committed man but also a delicious yummy alpha hero!
In the end he also shows his love is unconditional and selfless. He sets his wife free to return to her first love, a local fisherman's son, if this is what will make her happy. His love reminded me of this quote: If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it does not come back, it was never meant to be. Swoon worthy hero!!!
In the end he also shows his love is unconditional and selfless. He sets his wife free to return to her first love, a local fisherman's son, if this is what will make her happy. His love reminded me of this quote: If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it does not come back, it was never meant to be. Swoon worthy hero!!!
April 24, 2012
The Heiress Bride is everything you hope for in an HP read. A great story, great tension, great chemistry, great passion and a wonderful happy ending. But it actually delivers so much more. Alexios is one delicious, wonderful, but still very macho hero! The story is about an arranged marriage between two very unlikely people. Alexios was in love before but tragically lost his fiancee to a swimming accident. Ione comes from a very brutal, abusive environment, subject to the whims of her crazed father having lost her loving mother and brother. The interesting quirk to the story is that Alexios enters the engagement and marriage for all the right reasons. He is willing to work hard and make the sacrifices and commitments necessary for a successful partnership and marriage. Ione, on the other hand, looks at the marriage as a vehicle to escape the tyranny of her father. She even makes all the necessary arrangements to flee her marriage on her wedding night! (suitcase, readily accessible cash, plane tickets, etc.)
Lucky for her, Alexios is one committed husband and tracks her down before she flees. From there, it's all about how they get to know each other, commit to one another, and get to their happy ending.
I only have one small issue with the book... I felt the author spent way too much time trying to connect the other books (sisters stories) making the ending a bit more clunky and lengthy than it should be. Consequently, it didn't have the impact as the rest of the book.
Lucky for her, Alexios is one committed husband and tracks her down before she flees. From there, it's all about how they get to know each other, commit to one another, and get to their happy ending.
I only have one small issue with the book... I felt the author spent way too much time trying to connect the other books (sisters stories) making the ending a bit more clunky and lengthy than it should be. Consequently, it didn't have the impact as the rest of the book.
November 13, 2019
I enjoyed this one where the hero is the one who is not real sure what is going on. He married her in good faith and was looking forward to their making a life together but she wasn't all in at first and was just looking for a way to get out from under her father's control. He was very accepting and forgiving of all of the stuff she got up to. I liked how he protected her and stood up for her. Like one scene before they are married where her father raises his hand to her.
If you lay one finger on her, I swear I'll kill you!" Alexio thundered with raw aggression more than equal to his host's.
She was a bit ditsy, which I enjoy occasionally and he just accepted and indulged her. The ending was sweet.
I would like to look up and read the rest of the sisters' stories.
If you lay one finger on her, I swear I'll kill you!" Alexio thundered with raw aggression more than equal to his host's.
She was a bit ditsy, which I enjoy occasionally and he just accepted and indulged her. The ending was sweet.
I would like to look up and read the rest of the sisters' stories.
August 25, 2018
Read it a couple of years ago and reread it yesterday, loved it !
April 10, 2021
Wasn’t my favourite LG for sure. It was slow and steady and not as intense for my liking. Like my friend Jenny says in her review, this is one mature H here who doesn’t totally act on his impulse but rather thinks over what he must do to be in control of the situation.
The h is psychologically abused and humiliated by her father who is a wealthy Italian but doesn’t himself follow his rules. He’s forever having kinky parties and sleeping around but keeps the h on an extremely suffocating leash. The h looks forward to marriage as an outlet to make a run. She loved someone in the past but her father’s goons totally almost killed him and he had to run away.
They get married in an MOC and just the first night the h is making a run for the hills. She gets caught by the H who is baffled by this and is almost unforgiving to her. Eventually he realizes he has to let go of her for her to realize her way back to security and love is just back in the arms of the man she married.
I might’ve liked the book more if I’d read it in one go but it go slow in the middle and I disconnected with it all.
The h is psychologically abused and humiliated by her father who is a wealthy Italian but doesn’t himself follow his rules. He’s forever having kinky parties and sleeping around but keeps the h on an extremely suffocating leash. The h looks forward to marriage as an outlet to make a run. She loved someone in the past but her father’s goons totally almost killed him and he had to run away.
They get married in an MOC and just the first night the h is making a run for the hills. She gets caught by the H who is baffled by this and is almost unforgiving to her. Eventually he realizes he has to let go of her for her to realize her way back to security and love is just back in the arms of the man she married.
I might’ve liked the book more if I’d read it in one go but it go slow in the middle and I disconnected with it all.
January 28, 2019
***1.5 Stars***
I didn't think much of this story and I'm always troubled when the hero has a dead spouse or fiancee. It was disconcerting because the dead ex came close to spoiling the new marriage, especially for the new wife. How would you feel if you opened the bedside drawer and there on your new husband's side is a picture of his ex that he took himself.
That just threw me out of the story because she was mentioned way too much for my reading enjoyment. Their relationship was so up and down that it was easy to get lost in trying to figure out if they were on or off.
For me, this story lacked direction. It was more of a meandering story line that made it hard to follow and unsure where it was taking you.
I cannot recommend!
I didn't think much of this story and I'm always troubled when the hero has a dead spouse or fiancee. It was disconcerting because the dead ex came close to spoiling the new marriage, especially for the new wife. How would you feel if you opened the bedside drawer and there on your new husband's side is a picture of his ex that he took himself.
That just threw me out of the story because she was mentioned way too much for my reading enjoyment. Their relationship was so up and down that it was easy to get lost in trying to figure out if they were on or off.
For me, this story lacked direction. It was more of a meandering story line that made it hard to follow and unsure where it was taking you.
I cannot recommend!
January 31, 2018
2.5 stars
I wanted to be good..but no.. its actually kinda bad.. plain and boring sometimes. The h was too childish.. and not in the good way..and the H suffers from double personality disorder.. one of them is dr. Freud and another version of him is someone who needs anger management therapy...
For me nothing clicked the story, the writing of this characters..at the end we still dont know them(and 98% LG didnt also.. some plots and traits trown in a word document that got printed and named a book)... and the lost sister angle...stolen page space from the leads and their story.
I wanted to be good..but no.. its actually kinda bad.. plain and boring sometimes. The h was too childish.. and not in the good way..and the H suffers from double personality disorder.. one of them is dr. Freud and another version of him is someone who needs anger management therapy...
For me nothing clicked the story, the writing of this characters..at the end we still dont know them(and 98% LG didnt also.. some plots and traits trown in a word document that got printed and named a book)... and the lost sister angle...stolen page space from the leads and their story.
August 21, 2019
Giving it a higher rating this time around!
January 28, 2022
I love this author, I've been reading her for over thirty years! I'll never forget the subtle sensuality and harem intrigue in An Arabian Courtship. This book was really one of the best I've ever read as well. Alexios is so much more than the usual LG hero. Yes, he has golden eyes and long tanned fingers. (Are there no romance heroes with stubby little fingers?) But what matters is that he's vulnerable and patient and gentle in ways you don't usually see in this type of book. I really liked how much time he gives Ione to accept their marriage and how willing he is to let her go if she wants her freedom.
Ione was amazing too, even when she's running away from home carrying a teddy bear. There was a very heavy Lolita vibe in a lot of this book, and sometimes it was too much for me. But Lynne Graham is old school. When she writes a kinky setup or throws naughty hints about certain tastes it's because she's genuinely excited by the forbidden and the incorrect. She's not like certain modern authors (looking at you, Tessa Dare) who make every sex scene an exercise in political correctness.
That's why Lynne Graham is still the greatest, even after all these years.
Ione was amazing too, even when she's running away from home carrying a teddy bear. There was a very heavy Lolita vibe in a lot of this book, and sometimes it was too much for me. But Lynne Graham is old school. When she writes a kinky setup or throws naughty hints about certain tastes it's because she's genuinely excited by the forbidden and the incorrect. She's not like certain modern authors (looking at you, Tessa Dare) who make every sex scene an exercise in political correctness.
That's why Lynne Graham is still the greatest, even after all these years.
May 18, 2015
From 1 to 10: 7.5 (My personal rating scale)
Another book that wasn't memorable... :(
Another book that wasn't memorable... :(
December 29, 2018
I loved when she tried to run away. I remember that about the book the most. He was stunned.
April 18, 2025
It’s a solid book. I was entertained 🤷🏼♀️
I think I was hoping for more drama … or maybe this had the wrong drama?
LG once again puts the innocent traumatized heroine in the wrong at the end and that bugs the sh*t out of me. I didn’t see how the “cheating” misunderstanding was a failing on her part. The b*tch told her that she was his mistress. Why would the h assume the OW was lying?? He should have been angry at the b*tch OW and kicked her out of his home. In my opinion HE was in the wrong for allowing the woman to stay at his home in the first place. I don’t know why LG loves to blame the h. It drives me crazy. And also… All the OW who make the heroines life more angsty and difficult are turned into innocent angels or go on without any repercussions. 🙄
Anyway… It was good despite being from the early 2000s - harlequins weren’t great during this time period.
I think I was hoping for more drama … or maybe this had the wrong drama?
LG once again puts the innocent traumatized heroine in the wrong at the end and that bugs the sh*t out of me. I didn’t see how the “cheating” misunderstanding was a failing on her part. The b*tch told her that she was his mistress. Why would the h assume the OW was lying?? He should have been angry at the b*tch OW and kicked her out of his home. In my opinion HE was in the wrong for allowing the woman to stay at his home in the first place. I don’t know why LG loves to blame the h. It drives me crazy. And also… All the OW who make the heroines life more angsty and difficult are turned into innocent angels or go on without any repercussions. 🙄
Anyway… It was good despite being from the early 2000s - harlequins weren’t great during this time period.
January 28, 2022
I love both of them.
The hero is brooding and intense.
Heroine is spoilt and thinks there’s nothing wrong in wearing diamond studded heels. Also she has been so protected that she doesn’t know how much money is needed to pay for something at the airport. She carries a briefcase full of money and jewellery around with her to feel secure.
But she’s the poor little rich girl. She grew up in luxury but was treated her like dirt by her father.
She was traded like a commodity during a merger and acquisition to the hero.
The hero treasures her. Loved how she threw a tantrum and ran away and he follows her to where she is.
In fact on the first day of the honeymoon she escapes from a window on a top floor of the hero’s house.
He finds her at the airport wearing clothes a teen would wear holding a teddy bear and immediately covers her with a large raincoat!
The teddy bear was a gift from her dead brother.
This was a fun read.
They were young and sweet.
The hero is brooding and intense.
Heroine is spoilt and thinks there’s nothing wrong in wearing diamond studded heels. Also she has been so protected that she doesn’t know how much money is needed to pay for something at the airport. She carries a briefcase full of money and jewellery around with her to feel secure.
But she’s the poor little rich girl. She grew up in luxury but was treated her like dirt by her father.
She was traded like a commodity during a merger and acquisition to the hero.
The hero treasures her. Loved how she threw a tantrum and ran away and he follows her to where she is.
In fact on the first day of the honeymoon she escapes from a window on a top floor of the hero’s house.
He finds her at the airport wearing clothes a teen would wear holding a teddy bear and immediately covers her with a large raincoat!
The teddy bear was a gift from her dead brother.
This was a fun read.
They were young and sweet.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 1, 2018
"The Heiress Bride" is the story of Alexio and Ione.
Alexio our hero is an infamous playboy, tired of drowning his sorrows of his ex fiancee's death in women- and decides to agree to an arranged marriage to a Greek tycoon's daughter. The daughter is our heroine Ione, who was adopted in the Gakis family as a baby and since then has lived her days filled with abuse and fear- until the marriage proposal gives her a much needed route of escape!
This was an exhuasting read- I felt the characters couldnt make up their mind about anything and every second page there was a new explosive revelation threatening their hapiness.
Yes we feel bad for the abuse the h went through, but then suddenly shes overcome by sexual attraction, then next page, overcome by passion she's forgotten everything even her quest to escape, then shes remembered it, then shes back into saving her marriage..this cycle continues throughout the book- and onto the very end- when we get escape from their lies and secrets.
I feel this could have been so much better with a tender hero and a trusting heroine who came out stronger instead of the hotchpotch I read.
Egh
SWE
2.25/5
Alexio our hero is an infamous playboy, tired of drowning his sorrows of his ex fiancee's death in women- and decides to agree to an arranged marriage to a Greek tycoon's daughter. The daughter is our heroine Ione, who was adopted in the Gakis family as a baby and since then has lived her days filled with abuse and fear- until the marriage proposal gives her a much needed route of escape!
This was an exhuasting read- I felt the characters couldnt make up their mind about anything and every second page there was a new explosive revelation threatening their hapiness.
Yes we feel bad for the abuse the h went through, but then suddenly shes overcome by sexual attraction, then next page, overcome by passion she's forgotten everything even her quest to escape, then shes remembered it, then shes back into saving her marriage..this cycle continues throughout the book- and onto the very end- when we get escape from their lies and secrets.
I feel this could have been so much better with a tender hero and a trusting heroine who came out stronger instead of the hotchpotch I read.
Egh
SWE
2.25/5
June 8, 2021
Business tycoon and infamous playboy. Alexio Christoulakis wasn't the marrying kind. Then one of the most powerful and wealthy men in Greece offers Alexio his daughter's hand in marriage, and Alexio decides that maybe a wife--especially one as compelling as Ione Gakis--might not be a bad idea after all. Unbeknownst to anyone outside of the Gakis family, Ione was adopted and has been fostered in an abusive and neglectful environment--a desperate prisoner on her tyrannical father's luxurious island. Marriage to Alexio can mean only one thing: escape. And if that means marrying a complete stranger and fleeing to England to find her real family, then the sooner Ione can get that wedding ring on her finger, the better. But despite his compassion for Ione, Alexio won't tolerate a runaway wife. And he's going to make damn sure Ione never leaves his side--or his bed!
July 19, 2016
At some point I got bored. Heroine told lie after lies and every time hero forgive her, I get that she is not used to trusting anyone but heroine didn't give any chance which hero deserves. Overall the book is not bad.
August 25, 2018
LG is my favorite author. I like the older books more. This one is modern enough but still a good one.
September 6, 2015
For me it's more like Ione's journey to maturity. Alexio's nice hero, if a bit arrogant, and he came to the marriage with good intention so there's not really a problem from him except from usual missed presumption and double standards.
So, it's Ione's trying to face her feelings to Alexio, about their marriage, being honest about her past and rise from her old self.
She annoyed me for being so meek sometimes, but then I remembered how she was raised and treated by her father and aunt it's amazing she didn't have more psychological wounds.
So, it's Ione's trying to face her feelings to Alexio, about their marriage, being honest about her past and rise from her old self.
She annoyed me for being so meek sometimes, but then I remembered how she was raised and treated by her father and aunt it's amazing she didn't have more psychological wounds.
November 9, 2016
Ione and Alexios's story is the best of the series so far. Loved them! He's just the sweetest alpha male and her insecurities make their new marriage a serious challenge. Alexios steps up to the challenge though, and fights for his woman.
Another winner from Lynne Graham. Her classic HP's are just delicious. :D
Another winner from Lynne Graham. Her classic HP's are just delicious. :D
May 23, 2021
I didn’t think I would have liked it, but I did. LG deals a very strong issue that is physical and psychological abuse and she does it very well. The heroine is an adopted child of a Greek billionaire who is an awful and violent man and hits her and everyone he doesn’t like. He forces her to marry the hero, another Greek billionaire, a playboy she met only once and who thought she was a maid. She plans to run soon after their marriage because she wants to be free and to meet her long lost twin, who wrote her a letter some time before. The hero is fascinated by her and very attracted by her innocence and is looking forwards to marrying her. He was engaged some time before but his fiancée died and he was devastated. For most of the book we are under the impression that he was shattered because she was the love of his life, since to marry her he was ready to defy his parents. This book was different because it’s the heroine who is on the run, and the hero who pursues her. I thought I could hate her but she is an abused young woman, a scared and vulnerable person who tried to protect herself from the ugliness of the world that was the only thing she knew. She has a low self confidence and she has trust issues. She’s in love with the hero but she’s afraid he will hurt her and betray her like her father did. The hero was a womanizer before meeting her but he was immediately smitten by her and he understood very well her issues, and he did his best to help her. Eventually he will reveal the truth of his relationship with his late fiancé, the row they had before her death and his feelings of guilt. I loved the scene where the hero meets the heroine at the airport where she was running from him: the description of her in a miniskirt, skimpy top, jeweled pumps and a teddy bear in her hand is unparalleled! A modern Lolita with all the men in the airport salivating over her! I was floored! What I didn’t like: the hero was a womanizer and had one of his exes still roaming around with the keys of one of his apartment. Not so cool. And not so cool his explanation of his commitment to his wife, when he says he already had his fill of women and he doesn’t need others in the future. Woa... most romantic statement ever! Wasn’t it better if he said he would never cheat on her because he loved her very much? In my experience I didn’t realize that men who had in their past multiple partners are faithful husbands, maybe the opposite... whatever... as for his late fiancée I wonder why former wives, girlfriends, are always so nasty. This doesn’t bode well for the hero’s personality and his iq, he should be smart and intelligent but actually he’s not able to understand anything about character or a person’s values? Not good indeed. Anyway a good book, fun and never boring.
September 30, 2020
Ga sebagus cerita dua kakaknya. Ione dibesarkan dalam keluarga Yunani yang kaya raya. Ione diadopsi oleh keluarga Gakis dengan harapan kehadirannya bisa memancing lahirnya putra kedua bagi keluarga Gakis. Tapi sampai ibu adopsinya meninggal bayi yang diharapkan tidak kunjung hadir. Ione tidak pernah mendapatkan kasih sayang dari ayahnya. Bahkan dia sering mendapat perlakuan kasar dari ayahnya.
Alexio dijodohkan dengan Ione dengan harapan agar Alexio nantinya mengambil alih bisnis keluarga Gakis. Ione melihat pernikahan ini sebagai tiketnya untuk meninggalkan ayahnya. Sampai pernikahan itu terjadi, Ione menjalani rencananya meninggalkan Alexio, meski sempat digagalkan oleh pengawal Ione.
Hubungan Ione dan Alexio sebenarnya aman-aman saja, apabila mereka jujur satu sama lain. Alexio adalah suami penyayang dan setia, meski awalnya dia juga tidak yakin dengan pernikahan mereka.
Ohya, Ione juga melakukan pencarian keluarganya dan akhirnya bisa bertemu dengan Misty. Ternyata masih ada saudara keempat.
Alexio dijodohkan dengan Ione dengan harapan agar Alexio nantinya mengambil alih bisnis keluarga Gakis. Ione melihat pernikahan ini sebagai tiketnya untuk meninggalkan ayahnya. Sampai pernikahan itu terjadi, Ione menjalani rencananya meninggalkan Alexio, meski sempat digagalkan oleh pengawal Ione.
Hubungan Ione dan Alexio sebenarnya aman-aman saja, apabila mereka jujur satu sama lain. Alexio adalah suami penyayang dan setia, meski awalnya dia juga tidak yakin dengan pernikahan mereka.
Ohya, Ione juga melakukan pencarian keluarganya dan akhirnya bisa bertemu dengan Misty. Ternyata masih ada saudara keempat.
February 12, 2022
Could it be more "harlequin-ly"? Rich, beautiful people, with a tragic past. Passion, misunderstandings in each chapter. The unrealistic story.
Often, starting such a book I am entertained. To the point when all the setting is made. Then it goes boring with only (more or less) brutal passion and "slamming-door" misunderstandings. Still, this kind of mind resetting reading I sometimes need.
It would have been much better without one or two last "quarrels" between the main pair. For it, I lower the rating from 3 to 2 stars. Nonetheless, if you look for Harlequin romance I can recommend it.
Often, starting such a book I am entertained. To the point when all the setting is made. Then it goes boring with only (more or less) brutal passion and "slamming-door" misunderstandings. Still, this kind of mind resetting reading I sometimes need.
It would have been much better without one or two last "quarrels" between the main pair. For it, I lower the rating from 3 to 2 stars. Nonetheless, if you look for Harlequin romance I can recommend it.
February 2, 2023
I quite enjoyed this book. Hero had to 'chase' heroine at the end because of the suspicions heroine had that her husband was cheating on her. She had all the wrong assumptions about him - top that with her own self doubt = voila; we had a runaway wife.
Loved this trope.
In this harlequin book, we found ourselves a Hero who was a womanizer ... but no more.
We also found a Hero who had to trail down his wife to another country to confront her.
A very nice and short read.
Loved this trope.
In this harlequin book, we found ourselves a Hero who was a womanizer ... but no more.
We also found a Hero who had to trail down his wife to another country to confront her.
A very nice and short read.
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