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A Deal with Demakis
Nikos Demakis heeft zijn hele leven hard gewerkt om CEO van het familiebedrijf te worden. Net nu hij op het punt staat zijn droom te verwezenlijken, stelt zijn grootvader nog één laatste eis: ervoor zorgen dat zijn zus met de juiste man trouwt. De enige die hem daarbij kan helpen, is Lexi Nelson. Omdat hij voorziet dat ze zal weigeren, verzint hij een list om haar over te halen.
Lexi is woedend dat ze geen andere keus heeft dan met Nikos meegaan naar zijn Griekse privé-eiland, waar ze hem nota bene moet helpen een familieprobleem op te lossen. Op het eiland merkt ze tot haar schrik dat de arrogante tycoon naast woede nog heel andere gevoelens in haar losmaakt. Hoe kan ze het hoofd koel houden als haar hart in vuur en vlam staat?
Lexi is woedend dat ze geen andere keus heeft dan met Nikos meegaan naar zijn Griekse privé-eiland, waar ze hem nota bene moet helpen een familieprobleem op te lossen. Op het eiland merkt ze tot haar schrik dat de arrogante tycoon naast woede nog heel andere gevoelens in haar losmaakt. Hoe kan ze het hoofd koel houden als haar hart in vuur en vlam staat?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published June 17, 2014
About the author
Tara Pammi
536 books202 followersTara Pammi can't remember a moment when she wasn't lost in a book, especially a romance which, for a teenager, was much more exciting than mathematics textbook. Before long, she was hiding romance novels within bigger textbooks, smuggling them into the home through her unsuspecting younger cousin’s school bag, and cycling more than a few miles to her favorite library to borrow more.
Through numerous ‘true’ loves :-) and traveling thousands of miles from family and friends, her attachment to books and especially romance novels stayed constant.
One fine day, toiling away as a grad student in a basement lab, Tara started typing the beginning of a story instead of her thesis. But it wasn’t until years later, encouraged by her real life hero, Tara realized what she truly wanted to do was to write.
Tara lives in Texas with her real life hero and her two little girls. When she isn't writing or reading, Tara can be found failing in the kitchen, watching TV or making resolutions to exercise more, or even a little.
Through numerous ‘true’ loves :-) and traveling thousands of miles from family and friends, her attachment to books and especially romance novels stayed constant.
One fine day, toiling away as a grad student in a basement lab, Tara started typing the beginning of a story instead of her thesis. But it wasn’t until years later, encouraged by her real life hero, Tara realized what she truly wanted to do was to write.
Tara lives in Texas with her real life hero and her two little girls. When she isn't writing or reading, Tara can be found failing in the kitchen, watching TV or making resolutions to exercise more, or even a little.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 5, 2014
Don't feel the romance when the heroine is still hung up on ex bf who she had terrible sex with only two times and the now ex is engaged to be married to the hero's sister! eewww!!!and of course the hero's magic salami gives her her first orgasm!Imagine the family get togethers when this group sits at the family dinner table.
July 20, 2014
This is the first book that I have read of Tara Pammi's, and I am proud to say that for me it was a winner, and I really don't have many complaints about it because I thoroughly enjoyed it and found myself really sucked into this world, and I loved following the love story between Nikos and Lexi.
I liked that it had some of the elements and themes that Harlequin Presents usually has, but at the same time there were twists and turns along the way to give it a unique spin and make it something that has never really been done Presents before which made it all the more interesting and fresh and exciting. And I liked that freshness and uniqueness, though I know others who have reviewed this book disagree with me, but I just found it a nice and change and different set of obstacles for Nikos and Lexi to overcome.
One little twist was the fact that Lexi's ex, who left her for another woman, Nikos's sister, who had been in accident had gotten amenesia and didn't remember his current love and only remembered Lexi and was calling out for her. Of coarse this upset Nikos's sister who was in love with Tyler and desperate to get him to remember her, but all he wanted was Lexi and call for her. So Venetia was very upset and Nikos wasn't happy that his sister was so hurt over her lover forgetting that it would resort to anything to make sure his baby sister wouldn't be hurt so he needed Lexi's help. Since he didn't believe in love, Nikos decided to try to get Tyler out of Venetia's life and using Lexi in order to do that, though he didn't tell her that at the time when he summoned her with the information that Tyler was hurt and in need of her in order to regain his memory so he could remember his sister so they could go off into the sunset together. And he expected Lexi to do this even knowing that Tyler had dumped her for his sister and didn't really care if Lexi was hurt or not. So he enlisted her help, and therein the story began.
It was just a very interesting concept of how Lexi and Nikos came together and something that had never been done before. Sure the amnesia theme has been used before but usually it was either the hero or the heroine that would have that not somebody secondary that helped move the plot forward. And it was just an ingenious way to bring Nikos and Lexi together and I thought it was a nice, refreshing change and have to give my nod of approval. It's twists like that, that keep me intrigued and glued to the page and this was no exception.
There was electricity between the pair from the beginning at first from them arguing what should happened in dealing with the situation between Venetia and Tyler, but then soon turned to this sizzling attraction to one another. I liked that they weren't attracted one another right away and took time to develop (as did emotions over time) and just have that build up to their relationship as they got to know each other more and more and learned what to them in their pasts before being attracted to one another then giving in to it. But something was between them from the very beginning, but I liked that they weren't physically attracted, or admitted it, until later on in the story. Some that instant attraction between hero and heroine feel unbelievable in stories and it's this uncontrollable force and they have to give in to it then all sort of problems arise from giving in and yada yada. Sometimes that feels a bit forced and too unrealistic for my liking so I was glad to see in this book that the attraction was acknowledged until later on and they gave into it later than that.
Both hero and heroine I deeply enjoyed and felt for them and what they had gone through in their past and what they were trying to achieve for their future and with the strength of their relationship they were able to overcome some of their obstacles and allow themselves to be love and to love and be in that loving relationship. Their relationship with one another made it each other stronger and it was nice to see each of them grow and change because of their love. It's what I like to see and how much strength they gain because of their love for their other person. I love seeing how love can change a person and make them stronger and that was true in both Nikos and Lexi case especially Lexi who was a bit of a people pleaser, which Nikos pointed out to her.
Speaking of Lexi, I did really like her as a character. I know people don't like her, but I do because I feel bad for her and what she had to go through in her life and despite all that she remained a person who believed in love and was willing to do anything for the people she loved despite her not getting that love in return. She had a hard life. Grew up a foster system and never knowing why her parents gave her up in the first place or whether they thought about her or loved her, etc. and she had live from home to home without any loving parents. Then she lived in this one foster home where the son of her foster parents nearly raped her if Tyler hadn't stopped him then they ran away together and were on the streets starving. She broke into someone's house for food. Then the whole Tyler thing happened with him leaving her for Venetia because he feel in love with her and moved on while he accused her of being selfish for clinging to him like she did, which hurt her and she was left alone. So she had been through a lot and all she really wanted was love but couldn't quite get it. It was no wonder that her self-esteem was in the toilet and let people walk over her. But I liked that she realized how she was devaluing herself and what a fool she had been when Nikos pointed it out to her and told her that she should go after what she wanted for a change. I liked that he was trying to help her as well as the fact that she took his words to heart and realized he was right and she needed to live her life for herself and go after she wanted, meaning Nikos, and she told him she wanted him, but then Venetia and Tyler ran off and Nikos went after them like a shot and she felt dejected and just felt for the girl. She pulled herself up but she was never a miserable person though she did lack self-confidence, but she overcame that thanks to her relationship with Nikos. I also liked the fact that she was a comic book artist and was writing her own graphic novel, which I have never seen from a heroine before but I liked that about her and just liked her and just wished she had suffered a little less pain in her past but that made her the woman she was and made her able to fall in love with Nikos.
Speaking of Nikos, I really liked him as well. He was kind of rough on her in the beginning when she didn't deserve it but once he got to know her more then he was able to see the great woman that she was and he could follow her example and choose love instead of hate, and she taught him that. Once he admitted his attraction to her then it was a game changer and he realized that he wanted her and he wanted her not just sex like he did with other woman. He wanted to hold her, protect her, and pamper her because she was Lexi and not for any other reason. He wanted to treat her to the pleasures of the world and he did and he gave her it as well did his best to make her stronger while she made him stronger as well and realized love was the way to go not hate. It was just really special to see the change in him and see him grow and accept and want love from Lexi. It was enjoyable to see the change in him.
Also another thing I liked from this book was the whole graphic novel theme, which was very interesting and a neat way to parallel the story of what was happening with Lexi and Nikos to what was happening to the characters that Lexi was creating for her novel. I thought it was very cleverly done and just well done to reflect both stories off of each other and how things changed between the characters when things started changing between Lexi and Nikos. I thought Tara did a really good job with that and I liked that it was included in there. Definitely different from any Presents that I have read.
I loved the angst going on in this book and just all those raw emotions that accompanied that, making this a great love story to unfold on the pages. It was just great to see all the tension then later the passion that they gave into. It was just great to see and great to witness. I just love me some angst and this book just had the perfect amount. I just like how angst creates rawness and that deep emotions that are bubbling to the surface and threaten to explode. And that was seen very much here, and that's what I consider a winner and loser in the romance novel game.
I really did love this book and all the uniqueness it brought to the Harlequin Presents name. It was raw and emotional and sexy and just something I thoroughly enjoyed and want see more of in fact I want to see more from this author and hope that her other books are as good as this one was. Because if there are then I found yet another go to author. Just the story had great characters and was very well written by Tara Pammi and I just loved the little twists and turns she put in there to reinvent yet not straying from the Harlequin Present brand. I was just immediately sucked into this book and couldn't put down because I wanted to see the journey of Lexi and sexy Greek Nikos. I look forward to reading more Tara Pammi books in the future because this one was a winner for me.
I liked that it had some of the elements and themes that Harlequin Presents usually has, but at the same time there were twists and turns along the way to give it a unique spin and make it something that has never really been done Presents before which made it all the more interesting and fresh and exciting. And I liked that freshness and uniqueness, though I know others who have reviewed this book disagree with me, but I just found it a nice and change and different set of obstacles for Nikos and Lexi to overcome.
One little twist was the fact that Lexi's ex, who left her for another woman, Nikos's sister, who had been in accident had gotten amenesia and didn't remember his current love and only remembered Lexi and was calling out for her. Of coarse this upset Nikos's sister who was in love with Tyler and desperate to get him to remember her, but all he wanted was Lexi and call for her. So Venetia was very upset and Nikos wasn't happy that his sister was so hurt over her lover forgetting that it would resort to anything to make sure his baby sister wouldn't be hurt so he needed Lexi's help. Since he didn't believe in love, Nikos decided to try to get Tyler out of Venetia's life and using Lexi in order to do that, though he didn't tell her that at the time when he summoned her with the information that Tyler was hurt and in need of her in order to regain his memory so he could remember his sister so they could go off into the sunset together. And he expected Lexi to do this even knowing that Tyler had dumped her for his sister and didn't really care if Lexi was hurt or not. So he enlisted her help, and therein the story began.
It was just a very interesting concept of how Lexi and Nikos came together and something that had never been done before. Sure the amnesia theme has been used before but usually it was either the hero or the heroine that would have that not somebody secondary that helped move the plot forward. And it was just an ingenious way to bring Nikos and Lexi together and I thought it was a nice, refreshing change and have to give my nod of approval. It's twists like that, that keep me intrigued and glued to the page and this was no exception.
There was electricity between the pair from the beginning at first from them arguing what should happened in dealing with the situation between Venetia and Tyler, but then soon turned to this sizzling attraction to one another. I liked that they weren't attracted one another right away and took time to develop (as did emotions over time) and just have that build up to their relationship as they got to know each other more and more and learned what to them in their pasts before being attracted to one another then giving in to it. But something was between them from the very beginning, but I liked that they weren't physically attracted, or admitted it, until later on in the story. Some that instant attraction between hero and heroine feel unbelievable in stories and it's this uncontrollable force and they have to give in to it then all sort of problems arise from giving in and yada yada. Sometimes that feels a bit forced and too unrealistic for my liking so I was glad to see in this book that the attraction was acknowledged until later on and they gave into it later than that.
Both hero and heroine I deeply enjoyed and felt for them and what they had gone through in their past and what they were trying to achieve for their future and with the strength of their relationship they were able to overcome some of their obstacles and allow themselves to be love and to love and be in that loving relationship. Their relationship with one another made it each other stronger and it was nice to see each of them grow and change because of their love. It's what I like to see and how much strength they gain because of their love for their other person. I love seeing how love can change a person and make them stronger and that was true in both Nikos and Lexi case especially Lexi who was a bit of a people pleaser, which Nikos pointed out to her.
Speaking of Lexi, I did really like her as a character. I know people don't like her, but I do because I feel bad for her and what she had to go through in her life and despite all that she remained a person who believed in love and was willing to do anything for the people she loved despite her not getting that love in return. She had a hard life. Grew up a foster system and never knowing why her parents gave her up in the first place or whether they thought about her or loved her, etc. and she had live from home to home without any loving parents. Then she lived in this one foster home where the son of her foster parents nearly raped her if Tyler hadn't stopped him then they ran away together and were on the streets starving. She broke into someone's house for food. Then the whole Tyler thing happened with him leaving her for Venetia because he feel in love with her and moved on while he accused her of being selfish for clinging to him like she did, which hurt her and she was left alone. So she had been through a lot and all she really wanted was love but couldn't quite get it. It was no wonder that her self-esteem was in the toilet and let people walk over her. But I liked that she realized how she was devaluing herself and what a fool she had been when Nikos pointed it out to her and told her that she should go after what she wanted for a change. I liked that he was trying to help her as well as the fact that she took his words to heart and realized he was right and she needed to live her life for herself and go after she wanted, meaning Nikos, and she told him she wanted him, but then Venetia and Tyler ran off and Nikos went after them like a shot and she felt dejected and just felt for the girl. She pulled herself up but she was never a miserable person though she did lack self-confidence, but she overcame that thanks to her relationship with Nikos. I also liked the fact that she was a comic book artist and was writing her own graphic novel, which I have never seen from a heroine before but I liked that about her and just liked her and just wished she had suffered a little less pain in her past but that made her the woman she was and made her able to fall in love with Nikos.
Speaking of Nikos, I really liked him as well. He was kind of rough on her in the beginning when she didn't deserve it but once he got to know her more then he was able to see the great woman that she was and he could follow her example and choose love instead of hate, and she taught him that. Once he admitted his attraction to her then it was a game changer and he realized that he wanted her and he wanted her not just sex like he did with other woman. He wanted to hold her, protect her, and pamper her because she was Lexi and not for any other reason. He wanted to treat her to the pleasures of the world and he did and he gave her it as well did his best to make her stronger while she made him stronger as well and realized love was the way to go not hate. It was just really special to see the change in him and see him grow and accept and want love from Lexi. It was enjoyable to see the change in him.
Also another thing I liked from this book was the whole graphic novel theme, which was very interesting and a neat way to parallel the story of what was happening with Lexi and Nikos to what was happening to the characters that Lexi was creating for her novel. I thought it was very cleverly done and just well done to reflect both stories off of each other and how things changed between the characters when things started changing between Lexi and Nikos. I thought Tara did a really good job with that and I liked that it was included in there. Definitely different from any Presents that I have read.
I loved the angst going on in this book and just all those raw emotions that accompanied that, making this a great love story to unfold on the pages. It was just great to see all the tension then later the passion that they gave into. It was just great to see and great to witness. I just love me some angst and this book just had the perfect amount. I just like how angst creates rawness and that deep emotions that are bubbling to the surface and threaten to explode. And that was seen very much here, and that's what I consider a winner and loser in the romance novel game.
I really did love this book and all the uniqueness it brought to the Harlequin Presents name. It was raw and emotional and sexy and just something I thoroughly enjoyed and want see more of in fact I want to see more from this author and hope that her other books are as good as this one was. Because if there are then I found yet another go to author. Just the story had great characters and was very well written by Tara Pammi and I just loved the little twists and turns she put in there to reinvent yet not straying from the Harlequin Present brand. I was just immediately sucked into this book and couldn't put down because I wanted to see the journey of Lexi and sexy Greek Nikos. I look forward to reading more Tara Pammi books in the future because this one was a winner for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2021
When the devil commands… Nikos Demakis's plan is set. With his eye firmly on the CEO position of his grandfather's business he will finally lay his past to rest. And Lexi Nelson holds the key. She might resist, she'll definitely try to negotiate, but Nikos always gets what he wants.
Lexi has never met anyone like Nikos. The power that he exudes is almost overwhelming. Almost. She's determined to prove that she's more than a match for him. But as the playing field changes from power to passion, it soon becomes a battle of wills that she's not sure she wants to win!
Lexi has never met anyone like Nikos. The power that he exudes is almost overwhelming. Almost. She's determined to prove that she's more than a match for him. But as the playing field changes from power to passion, it soon becomes a battle of wills that she's not sure she wants to win!
July 3, 2014
I received an ARC of Tara Pammi's "A Deal with Demakis" in exchange for an honest review.
Although it was a classic story of a sexy millionaire meets the unsexy (at first) struggling heroin with a rough past, I still enjoyed it. It is definitely a great beach read as it is only 185 pages and the storyline has a great flow. It all wraps up nicely with a happy ending and a confession of love from Demakis that will make you swoon!
Although it was a classic story of a sexy millionaire meets the unsexy (at first) struggling heroin with a rough past, I still enjoyed it. It is definitely a great beach read as it is only 185 pages and the storyline has a great flow. It all wraps up nicely with a happy ending and a confession of love from Demakis that will make you swoon!
September 15, 2014
No, I was so not into this book.
The heroine was totally unlikable and why the hero even wanted her was beyond me!!!
I really did not like her behavior and her ex bf was even worse...what a drip!!!!
The heroine was totally unlikable and why the hero even wanted her was beyond me!!!
I really did not like her behavior and her ex bf was even worse...what a drip!!!!
August 23, 2019
Protagonistas: Nikos & Lexi
Profesiones: Empresario & Ilustradora
Paises: Grecia & USA
Profesiones: Empresario & Ilustradora
Paises: Grecia & USA
August 24, 2018
Okay, it's 2.5 stars.
The heroine is perfect, but she has grit even when she clings to her for too long. The hero is the typical stuff with good looks, stone heart, blah, blah...
Luckily, the book is small so it doesn't take much time to read. The conversations in the last few pages were good. Dialogues and emotions flowed well.
But, the overall effect dimmed. I mean, the heroine needs time to rethink her decisions, her life, her priorities, but here she is falling in love and sleeping with another man (hero).
The secondary characters weren't really likable, sorry.
The heroine is perfect, but she has grit even when she clings to her for too long. The hero is the typical stuff with good looks, stone heart, blah, blah...
Luckily, the book is small so it doesn't take much time to read. The conversations in the last few pages were good. Dialogues and emotions flowed well.
But, the overall effect dimmed. I mean, the heroine needs time to rethink her decisions, her life, her priorities, but here she is falling in love and sleeping with another man (hero).
The secondary characters weren't really likable, sorry.
October 15, 2014
Have been on a kick with this author's books...really like how she portrays her heroines with flaws and with an actual life going on and not just about their love for the hero...
January 10, 2018
I felt like I was reading the second book in a series, but I can't seem to find the first book that would make the situation and the secondary characters anything other than loathsome. The heroine deserved to heal and should have taken the money, changed her name, and moved far, far away from all of these awful people.
May 28, 2017
her x boyfriend was with his sister in a accident. the x lost his memory
the brother didnt want his sister to marry the boyfriend
he tried to get the x girlfriend to get the x away from her, but he fell in love with her
the brother didnt want his sister to marry the boyfriend
he tried to get the x girlfriend to get the x away from her, but he fell in love with her
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2017
A very modern heroine... she writes comic books? A decent enough read, but didn't feel like a HP.
July 15, 2018
Lexi has never met anyone like Nikos. He has paid her to break up his sisters engagement with her former boyfriend/foster brother. Both characters were unlikeable.
January 4, 2019
A good, fast paced story. I really liked the change in Lexington from the beginning to the end.
February 26, 2015
Và bene che questa serie si chiama "FUOCO GRECO" perché dedicata alla passionalità degli uomini greci, ma questo romanzo più che un fuoco greco è stato... UNA TRAGEDIA GRECA !!!! Tra la protagonista, il protagonista ed i suoi familiari... non sò dire chi abbia avuto più drammi d' affrontare ed elaborare : è stato così pesante arrivare alla fine !!
Read
January 12, 2016"Pammi’s romance is a losing (but entertaining!) battle of wills, set on a jewel in the Greek Isles. It stars a know-it-all, emotionally damaged Greek tycoon and a down-but-not-out heroine, whose interludes are meteoric" (RT Book Reviews). 4 1/2 stars
March 17, 2015
After reading 3 books by this author, I've concluded that I like her writing style.
She breaks the usual harlequin pattern and that's really welcome.
Her stories are more adult, low-on-sugar, more complex and occasionally dark and angsty. All fine by me.
She breaks the usual harlequin pattern and that's really welcome.
Her stories are more adult, low-on-sugar, more complex and occasionally dark and angsty. All fine by me.
February 20, 2021
2 Stars!
This was in between for me. Not bad, but not good either. I wasn't blown away, and the characters took a while to grown on me. But I'm still looking forward to reading more from the author.
This was in between for me. Not bad, but not good either. I wasn't blown away, and the characters took a while to grown on me. But I'm still looking forward to reading more from the author.
November 27, 2019
I liked the premise and the general flow of the story even when the execution left something to be desired and I didn't even mind the emotionalness of the ending because it felt balanced somehow? IDK.
October 27, 2014
such a slow start. I thought maybe it was me, but by chapter 7, I decided it was not worth trudging theough this book. premise never worked for me and characters didn't sell it.
April 12, 2015
Heroine is so in love and obsessed with her ex, I just couldn't feel her love for the hero.
Read
January 12, 2016received 4 1/2 stars @ RT Book Reviews
June 23, 2015
Great fast-paced, easy read.
June 13, 2015
Fairly predictable
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews