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Picture of Innocence
She refuses to give in to himLucy Steadman refuses to be intimidated by brooding Italian Lorenzo Zanelli. He may hold the fate of her familys business in his iron fist, but she will not submit to his more personal demands.As a talented artist, Lucy can see the truth in beauty; Lorenzo may be devastatingly handsome, but he has a soul blackened by his desire for revenge. And to give in to such a man, even for a single kiss, would be to lose her head and her heart for ever
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
51 people are currently reading
188 people want to read
About the author
Jacqueline Baird
277 books259 followersJacqueline Baird was born on the 1st of April at home in a small village Northumbria, England, UK, where she raised. She went to the local village school, and later an all-girls' grammar school where she passed the University of Oxford General Certificate of Education in various subjects. On leaving school she joined the civil service in the then Post Office department.
She met her husband Jim, when she was only eighteen. Eight years later, after working as a hotel receptionist in a five-star hotel in Scotland and traveling abroad for a few years, she came home and married him. They still live in Northumbria and have two grown sons.
Her number one love is writing. She has always been an avid reader, and she had her first success as a writer at the age of eleven, when she won the first prize in the Nature Diary of the Year competition at school. But she always felt a little guilty because her diary was more fiction than fact. Apart from a spell as a hopeful painter in oils, when she actually did have a painting accepted for the Federation of Northern Artists' annual exhibition her real passion was for romance novels. When her sons went to school all day she thought she would try writing one. Jacqueline Baird's been writing for Mills & Boon since 1988, and she still gets a thrill every time a new book is published.
When Jacqueline is not busy writing she likes to spend her time traveling, reading and playing cards. She was a keen sailor until a knee injury ended her sailing days, but she still enjoys swimming in the sea. She visits a gym twice a week now and has made the surprising discovery that she gets some good ideas while doing the mind-numbingly boring exercises on the cycling and weight machines.
She met her husband Jim, when she was only eighteen. Eight years later, after working as a hotel receptionist in a five-star hotel in Scotland and traveling abroad for a few years, she came home and married him. They still live in Northumbria and have two grown sons.
Her number one love is writing. She has always been an avid reader, and she had her first success as a writer at the age of eleven, when she won the first prize in the Nature Diary of the Year competition at school. But she always felt a little guilty because her diary was more fiction than fact. Apart from a spell as a hopeful painter in oils, when she actually did have a painting accepted for the Federation of Northern Artists' annual exhibition her real passion was for romance novels. When her sons went to school all day she thought she would try writing one. Jacqueline Baird's been writing for Mills & Boon since 1988, and she still gets a thrill every time a new book is published.
When Jacqueline is not busy writing she likes to spend her time traveling, reading and playing cards. She was a keen sailor until a knee injury ended her sailing days, but she still enjoys swimming in the sea. She visits a gym twice a week now and has made the surprising discovery that she gets some good ideas while doing the mind-numbingly boring exercises on the cycling and weight machines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
April 21, 2020
3.5 stars rounded up. Jerk hero alert! This is not a drill! Our hero is an old skool asshat who does not have a horrible childhood or a woman who done him wrong as an excuse. He is a jerk on his own merits. He sustains his utter asshattery until the last chapter. What makes it even more entertaining is that he *knows* his words and actions are illogical, but he can't help himself. When he finally, finally realizes that this new and uncomfortable feeling is "love" he has to wake the heroine up in the middle of the night to grovel. He's that self-centered and ridiculous.
*Happy sigh*
So what's this story about? It takes place in one summer of madness. Hero knows of the heroine because his younger brother used to talk about her. H's brother and h's brother were BFFs and spent their gap year together traveling the world. Tragedy struck when they went mountain climbing and the h's brother had to cut the H's brother loose. H's brother didn't survive the time it took for the rescue crews to arrive. The hero blamed the h's brother who died of natural causes only a few years later.
The heroine has no family left and she is stuck with the family business. She's a successful portrait artist and doesn't need the business, but she has loyalty to the town and the employees. She travels to Italy to ask the hero (who inherited his brother's shares) to vote with her against a third shareholder who wants to sell the building to developers. Hero says no because he is irrationally attracted to the heroine (who is wearing a borrowed baggy black suit) and he wants some revenge for his brother's death.
Heroine shrugs it off because what can she do? She has another errand in Italy, delivering a portrait to a countess who lives in an exclusive building. When the hero sees her there he tries to get her thrown out and the heroine enjoys seeing him embarrassed in front of the countess. (A great character who gives the h her 1960's white mini-dress with bell sleeves. The front is covered in silver sequins)
Heroine has to hurry back to Cornwall to be chief bridesmaid in a wedding that the hero also attends. The hero sees her in a strapless dress and is relieved to know that his attraction was not irrational or the beginning of a mid-life crisis. Hero decides to seduce her for the weekend since he's in between woman and it will be further revenge when he dumps her. He sweetens the deal by giving the heroine two more months to find a solution to the shareholder impasse. Heroine is attracted to the hero and is grateful he's coming around to sweet reason about the company, and they embark on an affair.
Then it gets good.
This is one that is fun to hate. The hero is just awful and the heroine knows it. The minor characters are great as are the little touches like the vintage mini-dress. Read this one if you're in the mood for some old skool craziness.
*Happy sigh*
So what's this story about? It takes place in one summer of madness. Hero knows of the heroine because his younger brother used to talk about her. H's brother and h's brother were BFFs and spent their gap year together traveling the world. Tragedy struck when they went mountain climbing and the h's brother had to cut the H's brother loose. H's brother didn't survive the time it took for the rescue crews to arrive. The hero blamed the h's brother who died of natural causes only a few years later.
The heroine has no family left and she is stuck with the family business. She's a successful portrait artist and doesn't need the business, but she has loyalty to the town and the employees. She travels to Italy to ask the hero (who inherited his brother's shares) to vote with her against a third shareholder who wants to sell the building to developers. Hero says no because he is irrationally attracted to the heroine (who is wearing a borrowed baggy black suit) and he wants some revenge for his brother's death.
Heroine shrugs it off because what can she do? She has another errand in Italy, delivering a portrait to a countess who lives in an exclusive building. When the hero sees her there he tries to get her thrown out and the heroine enjoys seeing him embarrassed in front of the countess. (A great character who gives the h her 1960's white mini-dress with bell sleeves. The front is covered in silver sequins)
Heroine has to hurry back to Cornwall to be chief bridesmaid in a wedding that the hero also attends. The hero sees her in a strapless dress and is relieved to know that his attraction was not irrational or the beginning of a mid-life crisis. Hero decides to seduce her for the weekend since he's in between woman and it will be further revenge when he dumps her. He sweetens the deal by giving the heroine two more months to find a solution to the shareholder impasse. Heroine is attracted to the hero and is grateful he's coming around to sweet reason about the company, and they embark on an affair.
Then it gets good.
This is one that is fun to hate. The hero is just awful and the heroine knows it. The minor characters are great as are the little touches like the vintage mini-dress. Read this one if you're in the mood for some old skool craziness.
April 22, 2020
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
StMargarets has the real scoop on this one, and it’s a fun one and pretty light-hearted for Jacqueline Baird.
I'm not going to redo the plot as StM's does far too good of a job, and I need to exercise.
We have a feisty heroine and a big fat zero hero. For a supposedly brilliant and staid business man he is one hot-headed, over-emotional idiot. He flies hither and thither just to foil the heroine at every cost knowing full well they will end up in bed. His irrationality and a pretty darn good love confession/grovel are the only two things that redeem him as the things he says and does to the heroine are awful. He calls her morals into question every time and, worse, blackmails her into prostituting herself because he’s peeved about her end run around his spiteful business tactics. The sex for business issue really creeped me out, but what do I know.
Lucy holds her own as much as any HP heroine is able to...
Never mind the fact he could not trust Lucy, or that she had slapped him, or that she had insulted him with the sketch. What really enraged him was that she actually had the colossal nerve to think for a second she could outsmart him in a business deal.
The end is pretty funny as he is spouting one confession of love after another to the confused and rather cynical (at this point) heroine. He offers to marry her even though he knows she doesn’t love him, but at least he can offer her great sex until she does. I was really, really hoping she would leave it at that to keep him on his toes, but she reverts to HP h-ness and tells him she loves him too.
StMargarets has the real scoop on this one, and it’s a fun one and pretty light-hearted for Jacqueline Baird.
I'm not going to redo the plot as StM's does far too good of a job, and I need to exercise.
We have a feisty heroine and a big fat zero hero. For a supposedly brilliant and staid business man he is one hot-headed, over-emotional idiot. He flies hither and thither just to foil the heroine at every cost knowing full well they will end up in bed. His irrationality and a pretty darn good love confession/grovel are the only two things that redeem him as the things he says and does to the heroine are awful. He calls her morals into question every time and, worse, blackmails her into prostituting herself because he’s peeved about her end run around his spiteful business tactics. The sex for business issue really creeped me out, but what do I know.
Lucy holds her own as much as any HP heroine is able to...
Never mind the fact he could not trust Lucy, or that she had slapped him, or that she had insulted him with the sketch. What really enraged him was that she actually had the colossal nerve to think for a second she could outsmart him in a business deal.
The end is pretty funny as he is spouting one confession of love after another to the confused and rather cynical (at this point) heroine. He offers to marry her even though he knows she doesn’t love him, but at least he can offer her great sex until she does. I was really, really hoping she would leave it at that to keep him on his toes, but she reverts to HP h-ness and tells him she loves him too.
January 18, 2016
The only thing I didn't like about the book was that the author decided not to make the heroine a virgin. Her first and only sexual experience was a qui**y with a college's friend and the worst of that obviously... she said the hero the first time she has sex with him, that she didn't enjoyed that experience and she didn't try to do it again. WHY???? The author should had wrote a virgin heroine instead of that sad, bad experience.
March 3, 2011
This is one of THOSE crappy Harlequins where the hero is a raging a-hole who treats the h like a whore thruout the whole bk but all is forgiven at the end because he said the magic words ILY.
Trope: older man (he's 38, she's 24)
Trope: older man (he's 38, she's 24)
June 14, 2020
"Picture of Innocence" is the story of Lucy and Lorenzo.
One of the worst heroes I've ever read!
I am appalled by the insensitivity and grossness of the hero. He seduces the heroine only to dump her the next day. Continuously slut shames her. Blackmails her for his benefit and deliberately spoils her life and business when his ego gets hurt. Threatens her on every turn. The heroine tries her best to "resist" him but falls flat on his dick. I wish he was stabbed by the end of the book. I didn't believe his realization and the heroine deserved much, much better.
Nope.
Unsafe
1/5
One of the worst heroes I've ever read!
I am appalled by the insensitivity and grossness of the hero. He seduces the heroine only to dump her the next day. Continuously slut shames her. Blackmails her for his benefit and deliberately spoils her life and business when his ego gets hurt. Threatens her on every turn. The heroine tries her best to "resist" him but falls flat on his dick. I wish he was stabbed by the end of the book. I didn't believe his realization and the heroine deserved much, much better.
Nope.
Unsafe
1/5
February 27, 2020
This could have been a 5 star if it hadn't ended so abruptly and if the h had made him suffer just a bit for his assumptions.
August 25, 2011
The heroine Lucy is all alone in the world, the only thing she had left of her family is a small share in the families business. One of the other shareholder planning to redevelop the area and Lucy goes to see the hero Lorenzo, the other shareholder, to try and convince him not to vote on the redevelopment. Lorenzo has no time for Lucy as he still blames her brother for the death of his brother many years back, all of which he takes great pleasure in telling her. However his initial reaction to her changes when he sees her again at the wedding of a mutual friend, and he decides to pursues her for an affair. Lucy tries to resist him but she is drawn to his brooding personality, and when they do get together she is excited and happy that this could be the start of something special for them. But Lorenzo brutally crushed her hopes when he tells her he wanted nothing but an affair and he still doesn't really like her. She moves on and managers to make plans for her family business with the other partner, but once again Lorenzo crushes her hopes when he returns after getting pressure from his mother and hearing about Lucy's plans.
I really wanted to like this book, and at times I did, but for the majority of it I found it very difficult to read. In my opinion the author has taken the alpha-male concept WAY too far, there's a difference between a dominating male and a controlling bastard, and unfortunately the hero of the book falls into the latter (He calls the heroine fat, for goodness sake). I also think there are too many conflicts in this story, it got a little frustrating. I did like the heroine though, she is feisty and independent.
The story idea is good but, in my opinion, it is overcomplicated and poorly executed.
Disappointing.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
I really wanted to like this book, and at times I did, but for the majority of it I found it very difficult to read. In my opinion the author has taken the alpha-male concept WAY too far, there's a difference between a dominating male and a controlling bastard, and unfortunately the hero of the book falls into the latter (He calls the heroine fat, for goodness sake). I also think there are too many conflicts in this story, it got a little frustrating. I did like the heroine though, she is feisty and independent.
The story idea is good but, in my opinion, it is overcomplicated and poorly executed.
Disappointing.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
March 30, 2024
قرأتها بعنوان جراح الماضي
ترجمة منتدى روايتي
ممتعه حبيتها
انتقام و حب
ترجمة منتدى روايتي
ممتعه حبيتها
انتقام و حب
July 13, 2020
I did not like the hero very much- very cruel and calculating (and I'm generally fond of JB's heroes). Also why I couldn't really appreciate this romance. However, it does deserve 3 stars for being as well written as it is.
July 2, 2012
I really liked the angst in this one!
Lucy goes to Lorenzo seeking his help in saving her family business, but not for her – for the townspeople. Lorenzo and Lucy’s family have a past. One in which his younger brother died and he believes it is all because of Lucy’s older brother. Lorenzo was just reminded of the accident that claimed his younger brother’s life five years previous and handed pictures that seemed to corroborate what he thought happened, when Lucy visits his office. Lorenzo is a real jack-a-napes to Lucy and surprisingly finds himself attracted to the “plump, brainless, badly dressed, mousy woman.” He can’t understand it and chalks it up to being w/out for so long. However, he then comes across Lucy in something more becoming and quickly changes his tune – she will do for a weekend affair and then a quick dump to the curb. Shouldn’t hurt the artist anyway as that is his belief of her normal lifestyle – free love! Well Lucy soon talks herself into feeling more for the “arrogant, opinionated, bleep” banker and is devastated when she is given her swift kick to the curb. However, Lorenzo promised her some time for her family business and Lucy holds him to that bargain. Soon Lorenzo finds himself trapped in a situation he doesn’t like and is back for more from Lucy and a bit of deception for mommy dearest is no skin off this manipulative man’s back!
This one kept me tuned in from beginning to end, a real achievement for me recently! Lorenzo was a POW, but it seemed that Lucy gave as good as she got, until he held her over a barrel and she had no choice, but to capitulate. I truly enjoyed their bantering and trying to one-up the other for a bit. I didn’t like the quick about face of her so called co-worker though.
As for the HEA, I felt that it was way too quick and convenient for Lorenzo. There was no real sign of that before. Yes, you know where it is headed as they are the h/H, but to have him believing the worst of her up until someone else lets him in on something…irksome. I’m not even sure that he completely responded to her claim of innocence, instead remarking on a rumor of him w/ OW. I could see that some of his behavior was very unexpected, because even I didn’t expect that kiss when he first met her and perhaps it was rather telling that he remembered her from years ago while he didn’t make that impression on her. This man had no problem lying to his own mother to get what he wanted either and he drug Lucy along for the ride. Even when she protested he still refused to see her in another light. As far as her brother was concerned it was all black and white and he refused to see any other avenue.
When he discovered something showing her true character suddenly it is okay for him to love her – just like when he discovered she wasn’t what she appeared to me during the office visit it was suddenly okay for him to want her. Where does this man get off? Can he not look below what he sees? Maybe that is the crux of his entire problem even w/ the tragic death of his brother. He doesn’t look past the black and white and see the other shades of grey (not 50 btw).
It does make sense his explanation at the end, I just wished that she would have made him work a bit harder for that HEA. However, given Lucy’s compassion and selflessness I suppose….she had to give it to him. For angst this is a great read w/ a stand-up h who tries so VERY hard to fight back ... I liked it :) I do wish that the potential partner for h had put up more of a fight instead of giving in so quickly though.
Lucy goes to Lorenzo seeking his help in saving her family business, but not for her – for the townspeople. Lorenzo and Lucy’s family have a past. One in which his younger brother died and he believes it is all because of Lucy’s older brother. Lorenzo was just reminded of the accident that claimed his younger brother’s life five years previous and handed pictures that seemed to corroborate what he thought happened, when Lucy visits his office. Lorenzo is a real jack-a-napes to Lucy and surprisingly finds himself attracted to the “plump, brainless, badly dressed, mousy woman.” He can’t understand it and chalks it up to being w/out for so long. However, he then comes across Lucy in something more becoming and quickly changes his tune – she will do for a weekend affair and then a quick dump to the curb. Shouldn’t hurt the artist anyway as that is his belief of her normal lifestyle – free love! Well Lucy soon talks herself into feeling more for the “arrogant, opinionated, bleep” banker and is devastated when she is given her swift kick to the curb. However, Lorenzo promised her some time for her family business and Lucy holds him to that bargain. Soon Lorenzo finds himself trapped in a situation he doesn’t like and is back for more from Lucy and a bit of deception for mommy dearest is no skin off this manipulative man’s back!
This one kept me tuned in from beginning to end, a real achievement for me recently! Lorenzo was a POW, but it seemed that Lucy gave as good as she got, until he held her over a barrel and she had no choice, but to capitulate. I truly enjoyed their bantering and trying to one-up the other for a bit. I didn’t like the quick about face of her so called co-worker though.
As for the HEA, I felt that it was way too quick and convenient for Lorenzo. There was no real sign of that before. Yes, you know where it is headed as they are the h/H, but to have him believing the worst of her up until someone else lets him in on something…irksome. I’m not even sure that he completely responded to her claim of innocence, instead remarking on a rumor of him w/ OW. I could see that some of his behavior was very unexpected, because even I didn’t expect that kiss when he first met her and perhaps it was rather telling that he remembered her from years ago while he didn’t make that impression on her. This man had no problem lying to his own mother to get what he wanted either and he drug Lucy along for the ride. Even when she protested he still refused to see her in another light. As far as her brother was concerned it was all black and white and he refused to see any other avenue.
When he discovered something showing her true character suddenly it is okay for him to love her – just like when he discovered she wasn’t what she appeared to me during the office visit it was suddenly okay for him to want her. Where does this man get off? Can he not look below what he sees? Maybe that is the crux of his entire problem even w/ the tragic death of his brother. He doesn’t look past the black and white and see the other shades of grey (not 50 btw).
It does make sense his explanation at the end, I just wished that she would have made him work a bit harder for that HEA. However, given Lucy’s compassion and selflessness I suppose….she had to give it to him. For angst this is a great read w/ a stand-up h who tries so VERY hard to fight back ... I liked it :) I do wish that the potential partner for h had put up more of a fight instead of giving in so quickly though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2022
This won’t come as a shock to many JB readers, but the hero in this story is a jerk.
Lorenzo, 38 year old super wealthy Italian banker who works hard. He keeps his emotions close to his chest. He relaxes by bedding beautiful career minded women and tooling around in his yacht. Both his father and brother are dead, but he has a loving mother who longs to see him married with a family. He is sour on women as he was ready to ask a woman to marry him once only to find her in bed with a man she deemed wealthier. Plus, his father’s many mistresses probably reinforced his idea that women can be and want to be bought at the right price. I hate to disillusion the H but men sell their souls all the time(Hellloooo Politcs!) Anyhoo, he is still holding a grudge over his brother’s death in a mountain climbing incident. He believes the heroine’s brother is responsible for his brother’s death and since her brother is no longer alive she gets to inherit the grudge.
Heroine: 24 year old “virginesque” artist. So, although she is technically not a virgin, she had “comfort” sex once, with most of her clothing still intact when she got news of her brother and his best friend’s mountain climbing accident. She was 19 at the time. Suffice it to say the experience didn’t rock her world and she has never felt the need for a repeat performance…well that is until she meets the hero. Leave it to our heroine to be attracted to the one man that will trample her heart and self worth. So without going into details she has to approach the hero for monetary reasons. Basically it won’t affect his bottom line at all, but without his assistance the workers from her home village will be left jobless. She really has nothing to gain from this, but helping people out. She shows up at his office wearing a boxy suit and scraped back hair as a way to look professional. He arrived late after meeting with someone that reminded him about why he hates the heroine’s family. He tells her he is unwilling to help her out and being frustrated proceeds to grab her in a mind blowing kiss. She gets all the squirmies in her stomach region and he pushes her away. However, he does leave her with this little nugget: “I want nothing to do with your business or you. Plump, brainless, badly dressed and mousy women have no appeal to me....
So this is basically a set up for things to come.
*He thinks she is following him and tries to have her kicked out of an apartment building, when actually she is there for a client who paid her to do a portrait. When he realizes his mistake he is embarrassed.
Unfortunately there aren’t too many more times the h gets the upper hand. Shortly after this incident they end up at a wedding together. All dolled up, the h doesn’t appear to be plump and mousy anymore(although he had a reaction to what he thought was a mousy Lucy too!) She tries to avoid the pull to the H, but they end up hooking up and for her the world was shook off its axis. The H experienced it as well, but being the asshat he is, he refuses to acknowledge it. He thinks he can sate himself of the h in a weekend and then leave or convince her to be his English lover. When she brings up saving the village again, warning bells go off in his head and he sees her as a mercenary. Even though it was obvious that her sexual experience was almost nil and in fact she had a twinge of pain, the H has determined that being the artist type makes her free and easy with her affections. He basically tells her that for services rendered, he will give her a 2 month extension to see if she can save her village factory. Our h is a little gobsmacked as she is 1/2 in love with the H. He leaves with the intention of never seeing her again.
She actually finds another way to save the village. Take that arsehole!
So here I am reading this and getting super excited that our h has solved the problems on her own. Of course since I am at the 1/2 way mark, I know that our h doesn’t have a chance of pulling it off.
In an effort to appease his mom, he blackmails the h into a sexual relationship. He tells her not to worry as his relationships never least more than six months and will most likely be less with her giving the type of woman she is.
Me thinks the H is projecting his own lifestyle on the h! So the story continues and JB lets us know that these 2 have sex whenever and wherever they can. Finally, the h goes to Italy to meet the H’s mom. This is also going to be the big kiss off. The h is ready for things to end. She recognizes that not only is her heart being shredded but it is affecting her own self worth. Our hero never lets up on his assault of her, and in fact it gets worse as he tries to fight/deny what he is feeling.
Her last night in Italy the mom(who is a lovely woman) throws a party for the h. She tries to avoid the H and he doesn’t waste time playing mind games with her. She finally decides enough is enough, leaves him to the guests, goes upstairs, packs her bags and climbs into bed. She will be ready to leave in the morning as planned.
The last guest of the evening has some inside information on the h. He shares it with the H and he gets a whole new perspective on the accident that took his brother. He also realizes that if there were ever a woman to fall in love with, then you really couldn’t do much better than the heroine. The things revealed further reiterate that the h is a giving soul who will never betray the H. At this point he has his Harry moment(as in Harry met Sally)
“I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”-Harry
He goes to her bedroom and wakes her up. He professes his love and does his grovel. She is a little skeptical at first. Our h is holding all the cards! She can and probably should tell him to shove off.
But she loves him and it would be to her detriment to let him go. His declaration is very convincing and results in a marriage proposal followed by sex which is discovered by both the maid and mom in the morning.
JB does a nice wrap up and gives us a lovely epilogue!
So overall, a nice read if you are into cruel heroes. Our h is not totally spineless, and although she can’t help herself falling in love with the hero, she is also aware that he comes with some toxicity. There is a very brief appearance from an ow wannabe. She is married to one of the hero’s friends. At no point is he interested in her and he even realizes she is a bitch!
Lorenzo, 38 year old super wealthy Italian banker who works hard. He keeps his emotions close to his chest. He relaxes by bedding beautiful career minded women and tooling around in his yacht. Both his father and brother are dead, but he has a loving mother who longs to see him married with a family. He is sour on women as he was ready to ask a woman to marry him once only to find her in bed with a man she deemed wealthier. Plus, his father’s many mistresses probably reinforced his idea that women can be and want to be bought at the right price. I hate to disillusion the H but men sell their souls all the time(Hellloooo Politcs!) Anyhoo, he is still holding a grudge over his brother’s death in a mountain climbing incident. He believes the heroine’s brother is responsible for his brother’s death and since her brother is no longer alive she gets to inherit the grudge.
Heroine: 24 year old “virginesque” artist. So, although she is technically not a virgin, she had “comfort” sex once, with most of her clothing still intact when she got news of her brother and his best friend’s mountain climbing accident. She was 19 at the time. Suffice it to say the experience didn’t rock her world and she has never felt the need for a repeat performance…well that is until she meets the hero. Leave it to our heroine to be attracted to the one man that will trample her heart and self worth. So without going into details she has to approach the hero for monetary reasons. Basically it won’t affect his bottom line at all, but without his assistance the workers from her home village will be left jobless. She really has nothing to gain from this, but helping people out. She shows up at his office wearing a boxy suit and scraped back hair as a way to look professional. He arrived late after meeting with someone that reminded him about why he hates the heroine’s family. He tells her he is unwilling to help her out and being frustrated proceeds to grab her in a mind blowing kiss. She gets all the squirmies in her stomach region and he pushes her away. However, he does leave her with this little nugget: “I want nothing to do with your business or you. Plump, brainless, badly dressed and mousy women have no appeal to me....
So this is basically a set up for things to come.
*He thinks she is following him and tries to have her kicked out of an apartment building, when actually she is there for a client who paid her to do a portrait. When he realizes his mistake he is embarrassed.
Unfortunately there aren’t too many more times the h gets the upper hand. Shortly after this incident they end up at a wedding together. All dolled up, the h doesn’t appear to be plump and mousy anymore(although he had a reaction to what he thought was a mousy Lucy too!) She tries to avoid the pull to the H, but they end up hooking up and for her the world was shook off its axis. The H experienced it as well, but being the asshat he is, he refuses to acknowledge it. He thinks he can sate himself of the h in a weekend and then leave or convince her to be his English lover. When she brings up saving the village again, warning bells go off in his head and he sees her as a mercenary. Even though it was obvious that her sexual experience was almost nil and in fact she had a twinge of pain, the H has determined that being the artist type makes her free and easy with her affections. He basically tells her that for services rendered, he will give her a 2 month extension to see if she can save her village factory. Our h is a little gobsmacked as she is 1/2 in love with the H. He leaves with the intention of never seeing her again.
She actually finds another way to save the village. Take that arsehole!
So here I am reading this and getting super excited that our h has solved the problems on her own. Of course since I am at the 1/2 way mark, I know that our h doesn’t have a chance of pulling it off.
In an effort to appease his mom, he blackmails the h into a sexual relationship. He tells her not to worry as his relationships never least more than six months and will most likely be less with her giving the type of woman she is.
Me thinks the H is projecting his own lifestyle on the h! So the story continues and JB lets us know that these 2 have sex whenever and wherever they can. Finally, the h goes to Italy to meet the H’s mom. This is also going to be the big kiss off. The h is ready for things to end. She recognizes that not only is her heart being shredded but it is affecting her own self worth. Our hero never lets up on his assault of her, and in fact it gets worse as he tries to fight/deny what he is feeling.
Her last night in Italy the mom(who is a lovely woman) throws a party for the h. She tries to avoid the H and he doesn’t waste time playing mind games with her. She finally decides enough is enough, leaves him to the guests, goes upstairs, packs her bags and climbs into bed. She will be ready to leave in the morning as planned.
The last guest of the evening has some inside information on the h. He shares it with the H and he gets a whole new perspective on the accident that took his brother. He also realizes that if there were ever a woman to fall in love with, then you really couldn’t do much better than the heroine. The things revealed further reiterate that the h is a giving soul who will never betray the H. At this point he has his Harry moment(as in Harry met Sally)
“I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”-Harry
He goes to her bedroom and wakes her up. He professes his love and does his grovel. She is a little skeptical at first. Our h is holding all the cards! She can and probably should tell him to shove off.
But she loves him and it would be to her detriment to let him go. His declaration is very convincing and results in a marriage proposal followed by sex which is discovered by both the maid and mom in the morning.
JB does a nice wrap up and gives us a lovely epilogue!
So overall, a nice read if you are into cruel heroes. Our h is not totally spineless, and although she can’t help herself falling in love with the hero, she is also aware that he comes with some toxicity. There is a very brief appearance from an ow wannabe. She is married to one of the hero’s friends. At no point is he interested in her and he even realizes she is a bitch!
June 17, 2022
There was no romance. She jumps almost immediately into his bed while she hardly knows him.
But she did know that he was cold and rude and she still slept with him. She wasn’t a virgin by the way.
I don’t think he’s cruel or a jerk for dismissing her after the sex. It’s just what most people do after a ONS with people they hardly know: they leave.
The first time he sees her, he thought she was plump and he warned her to stay away from him. Then at a wedding he saw she wasn’t plump and that same night he slept with her.
I would have liked it if the writer had left her plump. And also if he didn’t suddenly have a change of heart when he saw she was actually slender.
“I want nothing to do with your business or you. Plump, brainless, badly dressed and mousy women have no appeal to me....”
He never had to eat his harsh words about plump women. Disappointing.
But she did know that he was cold and rude and she still slept with him. She wasn’t a virgin by the way.
I don’t think he’s cruel or a jerk for dismissing her after the sex. It’s just what most people do after a ONS with people they hardly know: they leave.
The first time he sees her, he thought she was plump and he warned her to stay away from him. Then at a wedding he saw she wasn’t plump and that same night he slept with her.
I would have liked it if the writer had left her plump. And also if he didn’t suddenly have a change of heart when he saw she was actually slender.
“I want nothing to do with your business or you. Plump, brainless, badly dressed and mousy women have no appeal to me....”
He never had to eat his harsh words about plump women. Disappointing.
August 11, 2023
H should have groveled through the book alas it was an oldie!
June 19, 2020
I'm a sucker for older jerk heroes and Lorenzo fits the bill. At 38, Lorenzo is 14 years older than the heroine Lucy. Lorenzo is a cool-headed, serious banker who is driven by misguided revenge. His younger brother died in a mountain climbing accident and he blames Lucy's brother (who also passed away a few years after). Lorenzo uses his position and power to cause financial issues for Lucy, and demands payment in his bed. He is persistently cold-hearted towards her. For only being 24, Lucy is fairly level-headed and holds her ground with the hero. Eventually Lorenzo has an "Aha!" moment and realizes that he loves Lucy. He does at least grovel a little, admitting to being a jerk and acting crazy and also asking for her forgiveness.
October 18, 2021
H is a douchebag....
November 26, 2017
Mills & Books is quintessential when it comes to picking up a classy romance. I have been reading M&B since teens. Of course, there was a phase when I stopped going back to them. But just yesterday I had an urge to read one. Without much thought I dived my hand in my cupboard and pulled out the first M&B that I could. Picture Of Innocence by Jacqueline Baird falls under Modern romance category of M&B. It is a short read and can be completed in an hour.
The novella follows the story of Lucy Steadman who has been vying to save her family heirloom upon which depends the life of poor labourers but Lorenzo Zanelli is an arrogant, selfish Banker who will stop at nothing to make Lucy's life sufferable. Damien, Lucy's brother had been in an unfortunate mountaineering accident where Zanelli's brother Antonio died. Zanelli holds Damien responsible for the death. Will these two opposites, Lucy and Lorenzo, ever be one?
Well, in M&B they will. However, one cannot say about a similar real life situation.
Talking about the plot, it is engaging. One gets drawn in the Zanelli-Steadman world quite effortlessly. And Jacqueline comes across as a seasoned writer. The writing is lucid and racy. It ably evokes the love-hate feelings for Zanelli. The conclusion is likely to leave you amused.
I rate it 3 stars and on the scale of readability it stands a 8 on 10.
The novella follows the story of Lucy Steadman who has been vying to save her family heirloom upon which depends the life of poor labourers but Lorenzo Zanelli is an arrogant, selfish Banker who will stop at nothing to make Lucy's life sufferable. Damien, Lucy's brother had been in an unfortunate mountaineering accident where Zanelli's brother Antonio died. Zanelli holds Damien responsible for the death. Will these two opposites, Lucy and Lorenzo, ever be one?
Well, in M&B they will. However, one cannot say about a similar real life situation.
Talking about the plot, it is engaging. One gets drawn in the Zanelli-Steadman world quite effortlessly. And Jacqueline comes across as a seasoned writer. The writing is lucid and racy. It ably evokes the love-hate feelings for Zanelli. The conclusion is likely to leave you amused.
I rate it 3 stars and on the scale of readability it stands a 8 on 10.
May 8, 2022
I couldn’t buy into the h falling in live with the Hero. He was so cruel, treated her like a paid whore and constantly controlled the outcome of her life and business. He continually talked down to her and treated her with disrespect. He was able to forcibly seduce her due to being experienced with seducing women and using his power and money to get what he wanted. Knowing that she was only being used for his sexual and power fulfillment, how could the h possible fall in love? I wanted her to decide to enjoy the sex, since she felt she had to agree to the arrangement for the benefit of her hometown, but to then end up to be as ruthless and emotionless as when he started the deal.
“So what had happened to her? Lorenzo had happened, and she didn’t know herself any more. Worse, she no longer liked herself. She had become one of those weak-willed women she normally pitied—a slave to her senses because of a man. In that moment Lucy knew she could not go on like this.”
In the end, she did harden her resolve, but never had to go through with dumping his sorry…self. She believed his change of heart and forgave him too easily. There was no reason to trust his change of heart so quickly. I would have liked to see him have to eat crow a little and prove she was more to him than sexual fulfillment.
“So what had happened to her? Lorenzo had happened, and she didn’t know herself any more. Worse, she no longer liked herself. She had become one of those weak-willed women she normally pitied—a slave to her senses because of a man. In that moment Lucy knew she could not go on like this.”
In the end, she did harden her resolve, but never had to go through with dumping his sorry…self. She believed his change of heart and forgave him too easily. There was no reason to trust his change of heart so quickly. I would have liked to see him have to eat crow a little and prove she was more to him than sexual fulfillment.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 19, 2022
JB never usually lets me down but to be honest this is not one of my faves of hers. Mainly because the H is such a staid and uptight buttmunch who the h calls right saying he is just totally black and white.
The h is a proper do gooder to be fair I am surprised she didn't have forest creatures doing her housework.
The H is a stick up the butt workaholic who thinks he is right ALL the time and everyone around him has to do his bidding. It is really fun when the h bests him on several occasions and he doesn't know what hits him. He really does show himself to be a bore.
It is only when a Dr breaks his oath and tells tales on the h's medical history that he relents and goes for a half assed grovel and declared his love for the h. You get the feeling it would have taken him MUCH longer to get there if not for that little betrayal and his grovel is only a 5/10. He is lucky the h doesn't make him beg too much but the epilogue is pretty cute. I do wish her original pic of him was displayed in his office for them to laugh over though.
The h is a proper do gooder to be fair I am surprised she didn't have forest creatures doing her housework.
The H is a stick up the butt workaholic who thinks he is right ALL the time and everyone around him has to do his bidding. It is really fun when the h bests him on several occasions and he doesn't know what hits him. He really does show himself to be a bore.
It is only when a Dr breaks his oath and tells tales on the h's medical history that he relents and goes for a half assed grovel and declared his love for the h. You get the feeling it would have taken him MUCH longer to get there if not for that little betrayal and his grovel is only a 5/10. He is lucky the h doesn't make him beg too much but the epilogue is pretty cute. I do wish her original pic of him was displayed in his office for them to laugh over though.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2022
Bad:
Poor copy editing with bad grammar from highly educated articulate characters, e.g., “with you and I” and incorrect words, “contemptuous” in place of “contemptible” and “inferred” instead of “implied”.
Horrible hero who decides his bad behavior must be a symptom of love. Isn’t this what third graders do?
Horrible hero who in his pseudo grovel is still all about himself. “I need. I want.”
Heroine who falls for the jerk H.
Good:
Except for the grammar all the bad points make this a compelling delightful read!
Poor copy editing with bad grammar from highly educated articulate characters, e.g., “with you and I” and incorrect words, “contemptuous” in place of “contemptible” and “inferred” instead of “implied”.
Horrible hero who decides his bad behavior must be a symptom of love. Isn’t this what third graders do?
Horrible hero who in his pseudo grovel is still all about himself. “I need. I want.”
Heroine who falls for the jerk H.
Good:
Except for the grammar all the bad points make this a compelling delightful read!
January 6, 2024
Hero was too mean to be liked
I never really got into the romance of this book despite usually liking an alpha male. This one just wasn’t very endearing and said so many demeaning and cruel things to the woman that it almost made me sick that she let him use her like that. His redemption was too sudden and hard to believe.
I never really got into the romance of this book despite usually liking an alpha male. This one just wasn’t very endearing and said so many demeaning and cruel things to the woman that it almost made me sick that she let him use her like that. His redemption was too sudden and hard to believe.
December 15, 2019
Ella prácticamente se prostituyo. No se valoró lo suficiente
April 24, 2020
The hero is way to over the top, obnoxious just to be obnoxious.
May 3, 2020
I really like it, despite the heroine being a bit of a goody two shoes. The hero was mean enough to bring out her mean side!
July 5, 2020
Well written
Loved the descriptions of the scenery
Found the story very interesting and intriging.
The characters were strong and amusing . Very entertaining.
Loved the descriptions of the scenery
Found the story very interesting and intriging.
The characters were strong and amusing . Very entertaining.
September 6, 2024
Odiar a Lorenzo es poco 😑
July 23, 2014
This book had only just enough within it to make it mostly enjoyable. At times the hero was awful - telling the heroine she was fat and unattractive due to her outfit, but then when seeing her well dressed later at a wedding she was suddenly really desirable to him so it was okay for him to use her for sex. But ok, the heroine was enjoying a no strings moment with him at this point.
If she hadn't had some backbone to take control of her life at various points in the book I would have called the story borderline abusive. Fortunately she had more to her backstory - but the 'I actually love you' ending was still a touch glib. Liked some secondary characters the setting and the heroine's job however.
If she hadn't had some backbone to take control of her life at various points in the book I would have called the story borderline abusive. Fortunately she had more to her backstory - but the 'I actually love you' ending was still a touch glib. Liked some secondary characters the setting and the heroine's job however.
March 21, 2016
This book was just disappointing. Lorenzo was an a**hole and Lucy was a weak heroine. After all the hell and insults the "hero" put her through, and forgave him so easily without any groveling. For God's sake, the a hole put her through hell and all of a sudden he realises he loves her and she just forgives him. Nobody is that forgiving. If there was a 1/2 star I would give this book. Lorenzo should never be called a hero and Lucy was just pathetic. First book I read by the author, hope this is not her best.
Terrible book, terrible hero, pathetic heroine.
Terrible book, terrible hero, pathetic heroine.
January 21, 2016
Swift kick in the nuts of the "hero" (using the term loosely) would have solved a lot of heroine's problems, but then again, the book would have been a lot shorter.
Nothing much to say. Abominable hero, heroine, while Harlequin's heroines tend to be weak and useless, wasn't so bad, but really - is it that hard to write a heroine that has self-respect and doesn't succumb to lust so easily?
Bleagh.
Nothing much to say. Abominable hero, heroine, while Harlequin's heroines tend to be weak and useless, wasn't so bad, but really - is it that hard to write a heroine that has self-respect and doesn't succumb to lust so easily?
Bleagh.
June 3, 2021
Lucy Steadman refuses to be intimidated by brooding Italian Lorenzo Zanelli. He may hold the fate of her family's business in his iron fist, but she will not submit to his more personal demands.
As a talented artist, Lucy can see the truth in beauty; Lorenzo may be devastatingly handsome, but he has a soul blackened by his desire for revenge. And to give in to such a man, even for a single kiss, would be to lose her head— and her heart—forever....
As a talented artist, Lucy can see the truth in beauty; Lorenzo may be devastatingly handsome, but he has a soul blackened by his desire for revenge. And to give in to such a man, even for a single kiss, would be to lose her head— and her heart—forever....
Read
June 24, 2019To be kind, this book failed to provide any textual support for the woman choosing to be with the man, or for falling in love with him. There was no hint of the man being anything other than the misogynistic sadist that his actions showed him to be. Then at literally the last chapter he has an epiphany and all of a sudden everything is better? IDK, even for this sort of story this was not good.
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