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My Review:Title: The Desert Sheikh's Captive Wife
Author: Lynne Graham
Series: The Rich the Ruthless and the Really Handsome #1
Published by: Harlequin Presents
Release Date: January 1, 2008
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
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My rating:
Blurb:Captive in the sheikh's harem!
Tilda was living to regret that once she'd had a short--lived romance with Rashad, the Crown Prince of Bakhar. Now, not only had he gained possession of her impoverished family's home, Rashad was also blackmailing her for the huge debt they owed him--and insisting she pay the price...ashis concubine!
Tilda was appalled--but in no position to refuse. Soon she was the arrogant sheikh's captive, ready to be ravished in his faraway desert kingdom. But Rashad slipped up by publicly naming Tilda as his woman...and under the law of Bakhar this meant she and he were bound together forever...as husband and wife!
3.5 stars — I got it into my head that I need to get rid of some of these paperbacks I kept, so I might be rereading them to weed out the winners from the “I’m too woke now”. This one will probably go, but I really do find it surprising how Ms. Graham can take a trope/genre that just inherently has some ickiness, and make it more palatable somehow. This one wasn’t as palatable as the previous book I read by her, but still more than I was expecting.
I think where this book went wrong is the level of hatred and revenge that Rashad had on his side. It’s so weird, b/c there’s a part of me that feels like he got off easy…and there’s another part of me that gets how Tilda just didn’t have the heart to put him through the wringer given how he grew up. I don’t know, I was torn. I got it, but I’m still mad at him.
I really don’t think I can do these “blackmailed into sex” type books anymore… It’s like, they’re playing on the edge of consent, and while I get that there’s fantasies there, I’m not sure it works for me personally.
I did appreciate that in general Tilda didn’t just roll over — that she fought Rashad and pushed him.
My Review:Title: The Greek Tycoon's Defiant Bride
Author: Lynne Graham
Series: The Rich the Ruthless and the Really Handsome #2
Published by: Harlequin Presents
Release Date: February 1, 2008
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
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My rating:
Blurb:He's discovered she's his baby's mother--so now she'll be his bride Maribel was a shy virgin when she and handsome Leonidas Pallis shared a night of passion. She assumed he was inspired by his need for comfort, rather than lust for her. However, unbeknownst to Leonidas... Maribel conceived his child.
Now Leonidas wants what's his: his baby boy and Maribel, available 24/7. But the only way Leonidas will claim her and their son is if he takes her...as his bride
3 stars — Eh, this one didn’t impress me as much. It’s funny, b/c I kinda expected it to be the first book I wouldn’t like as much, but after glimpses of Leonidas interacting with Tilda in the past in the first book, I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised.
Needless to say I’m not a Leonidas fan. He was an arrogant bully, and his turnaround basically just didn’t make enough sense. Oh yeah, all along he felt this way…sure, that’s why when we were in his POV he was thinking about it. *rolls eyes dramatically* *sigh* I sort of see where it’s coming from, but his bullying tactics were just so not attractive, and he never really felt regret or a wanting to change that I could tell, and that’s no bueno.
Maribel was definitely a more flawed heroine. She was so full of self-doubt, I didn’t like what it brought out in her. I couldn’t blame her in some cases, but I don’t know…it got tiring. Also, I’m starting to realize how much I *don’t* miss the sex shaming that these heroines indulge in. God, I miss my sex positive heroines. It’s not slut shaming, it’s self sexual shaming — like I can’t believe I’m feeling this way, etc, etc. Ugh. Now that I can get the positivity, I can’t handle this shit anymore.
Strangely the one star was Elias and Mouse. What an exuberant little boy he was, and I loved how he brought out great things in Leonidas. It was the one area where Leonidas didn’t fail me. And Mouse was just kind of adorable.
So yeah. Maybe even 2.5 stars, but whatever…stick with your gut Lenore!
My Review:Title: The Italian Billionaire's Pregnant Bride
Author: Lynne Graham
Series: The Rich the Ruthless and the Really Handsome #3
Published by: Harlequin Presents
Release Date: March 1, 2008
Format: Paperback
Pages: 192
Genres: Romance, Contemporary
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My rating:
Blurb:A waitress by day and office cleaner by night, Kathy labors to forget her traumatic past. Until the evening when impossibly rich, ruthless and handsome Sergio Torrente takes her virginity.
It doesn't take Sergio long to find out about Kathy's damning history—or that she's carrying his baby. He cannot love her, but he will marry her and be a father to their child!
4 stars — This was definitely better than the previous 2…like almost enough to keep it, but I’m being realistic. It has the same bones as the other stories, but I guess I appreciated both Kathy and Sergio more…
Kathy was a spitfire, and relievingly not ashamed of sex (even if she was a virgin). So already a plus in her column. She also has a really interesting backstory that I had completely forgotten!! It was fascinating, and ends up shining a spotlight on how certain members of our society are treated. And while she was quick to temper, I did appreciate that she stood up to Sergio (even if sometimes she took it too far to assert herself…hey, we all have flaws).
The heroes are never winners in these books…it’s like the authors of Presents books just think he has to be hot, commanding, arrogant and rich, and that will overcome anything. But Sergio had some good points in his favour, some moments where he showed genuine caring, so he was better than most. I always hate the “too proud to explain myself” quality of these heroes though…it’s not emasculating to care about your woman’s feelings. It makes their declaration of love at the end slightly less believable. Or maybe they’re just that selfish. I don’t know. I did like that he appreciated her chess prowess.
So yeah. Definitely the best of the lot, but this is like a 4 star as compared to other Harlequin Presents, not as compared to regular books. I’m still going to love some, but in general I’ve grown out of this phase.
These covers are GEMS!