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Savage Surrender
Her secret saved her from Alex's charms
Sophie loved Crete. Working there as secretary to Madame Lefkas was like a dream come true. It was far away from England and the secret, impossible love for Simon that she had to forget.
When Alex, Madame's playboy son, began a campaign to add Sophie to his list of casual conquests, she was merely indifferent. No one could replace Simon anyway.
Or so Sophie thought... until the night Alex found her in Simon's arms. Then began a campaign of a different sort-one Alex was determined to win.
Sophie loved Crete. Working there as secretary to Madame Lefkas was like a dream come true. It was far away from England and the secret, impossible love for Simon that she had to forget.
When Alex, Madame's playboy son, began a campaign to add Sophie to his list of casual conquests, she was merely indifferent. No one could replace Simon anyway.
Or so Sophie thought... until the night Alex found her in Simon's arms. Then began a campaign of a different sort-one Alex was determined to win.
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
27 people are currently reading
982 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Lamb
261 books313 followersSheila Ann Mary Coates Holland
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
aka Sheila Holland, Sheila Coates, Charlotte Lamb, Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Woolf, Laura Hardy
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
February 25, 2021
I really do understand why quite a few people gave this book 1 or 2⭐s. I really
do😅.
There are a lot of wonderful reviews that pretty much outlined all the problematic aspects of the story as well as the appealing quality it might have for some of us.
I'm here just to drop a little laudation of the heroine. Only the last shreds of sanity prevented me from standing up with a mobile in my hand at random (for surrounding people *winks*) moments and applauding for some fictional chick's actions. This Sophie girl was fierce and I was there for it. If she were real person I would have suggested her to write a book on 1000 classy ways to show an asshole his place because you know what? Sophie is a fucking expert on that.
Her intolerance for bullshit, her maintaining a calm and cool facade in the face of one of the biggest and fattest jerks in romancelandia, her smiling when she remembered his look of fury?
'I hope I didn't offend him too much,' Sophie said.
Madame met her green eyes and laughed down at her. 'I believe you don't care if you did or not!'
Sophie hesitated, then her eyes lit with laughter. 'Not much,' she agreed.
*Standing ovation*
Like plsss can I have more smart heroines like this one who think with their brains and not their lady parts?
Her principles, ethics, love for work and the ability to cut the bullshit? She is like a unicorn or something similarly rare (aka practically nonexistent in romance books).
The hero, god bless his deranged soul, takes craziness to the next level. He was obsessed with Sophie to the point of no return. If you prefer seeing a perfectly normal, sane, relatable, in other words decent human being as a hero in the books you read... just RUN😂.
That being sad, I must admit that the events at nearly the very end of the book were so fucking anticlimactic that I seriously considered giving this book 1 frustrated star but then I remembered how it kept me up nearly all night (and how I'm an angst ho for that matter) and oh well.
Trigger: rape scene (not graphic).
Generally speaking, the book is an old school bodice-ripper.
P. S. Special thanks to my GR friend Azet for recommending me this book✨✨✨
do😅.
There are a lot of wonderful reviews that pretty much outlined all the problematic aspects of the story as well as the appealing quality it might have for some of us.
I'm here just to drop a little laudation of the heroine. Only the last shreds of sanity prevented me from standing up with a mobile in my hand at random (for surrounding people *winks*) moments and applauding for some fictional chick's actions. This Sophie girl was fierce and I was there for it. If she were real person I would have suggested her to write a book on 1000 classy ways to show an asshole his place because you know what? Sophie is a fucking expert on that.
Her intolerance for bullshit, her maintaining a calm and cool facade in the face of one of the biggest and fattest jerks in romancelandia, her smiling when she remembered his look of fury?
'I hope I didn't offend him too much,' Sophie said.
Madame met her green eyes and laughed down at her. 'I believe you don't care if you did or not!'
Sophie hesitated, then her eyes lit with laughter. 'Not much,' she agreed.
*Standing ovation*
Like plsss can I have more smart heroines like this one who think with their brains and not their lady parts?
Her principles, ethics, love for work and the ability to cut the bullshit? She is like a unicorn or something similarly rare (aka practically nonexistent in romance books).
The hero, god bless his deranged soul, takes craziness to the next level. He was obsessed with Sophie to the point of no return. If you prefer seeing a perfectly normal, sane, relatable, in other words decent human being as a hero in the books you read... just RUN😂.
That being sad, I must admit that the events at nearly the very end of the book were so fucking anticlimactic that I seriously considered giving this book 1 frustrated star but then I remembered how it kept me up nearly all night (and how I'm an angst ho for that matter) and oh well.
Trigger: rape scene (not graphic).
Generally speaking, the book is an old school bodice-ripper.
P. S. Special thanks to my GR friend Azet for recommending me this book✨✨✨
November 9, 2019
Heroine Sophie (who is working in hero Alex Lefkas's company) gets a job as an assistant/secretary to his mother. Sophie is in love with a man called Simon. Alex takes a shine to Sophie and must have her...
I totally disliked "hero" Alex Lefkas. Sophie tells Alex she loves another man but he can't believe it. He can't get it through his head she isn't interested in him. Alex ends up forcing Sophie to marry him. He rapes her, he yells at her. He acts like a child with a temper tantrum through most of the book. He never does anything romantic so I couldn't figure out why she would love him? But by the end (unbelievably) it is true love.
An awful read by Charlotte Lamb. I do love jealous possessive heroes, but this one went too far.
I totally disliked "hero" Alex Lefkas. Sophie tells Alex she loves another man but he can't believe it. He can't get it through his head she isn't interested in him. Alex ends up forcing Sophie to marry him. He rapes her, he yells at her. He acts like a child with a temper tantrum through most of the book. He never does anything romantic so I couldn't figure out why she would love him? But by the end (unbelievably) it is true love.
An awful read by Charlotte Lamb. I do love jealous possessive heroes, but this one went too far.
July 22, 2012
I know that Charlotte Lamb is a very respected author of HP romances and she has an absolutely wonderful writing style, but somehow I was very shocked by her view of romance. Of course, I was totally mesmerized by the story...and couldn't put it down, but there were some incidents that really appalled me.
Sophie is a lovely young woman who is working for Alex's company. By accident she meets his mother and is given a position as her personal assistant on the island of Crete. Sophie is ecstatic with the job and her new employer.
Alex can't seem to keep away from Sophie and makes numerous overtures to her. However, Sophie is madly in love with another man, who happens to be married. The other man cannot divorce, so we have a passionate, unrequited love story. I really liked the way the author carefully unfolded this dynamic and my heart went out to both Sophie and Simon.
One night, Alex propositions Sophie when they are back in England, thinking that no woman in their right mind could possibly refuse him. But Sophie does. She is so disgusted by Alex's indecent proposal, she leaves to go visit her family. Alex follows to apologize and try to put things right between them, only to uncover the true reason behind her lack of interest. He walks in on Sophie and Simon while they are passionately kissing each other.
Unfortunately, this is where things go haywire. Alex basically accuses her of lying to him and being a two timing b@#$h. He decides they are going to marry so that he can make the rest of her life miserable. He threatens her with dire consequences if she so much as tries to tell his mother or her family they aren't really engaged. Given Sophie never made overtures or encouraged Alex, I couldn't help but scratch my head as to why he felt so outraged by her behavior, nor why she felt so afraid to go tell him to hit the bricks!
Second major issue is on their honeymoon (her first time given she is a virgin), he rapes her, slaps her AND then blames her for his actions. Those of you that have worked with abused women will recognize these actions as the classic signs of domestic violence. Of course, later that night they have dinner, she drinks to numb herself and they end up having happy, happy sex all night. Again, I had to scratch my head on this. Who in their right mind has happy sex with the man who just raped you.
Of course, Sophie falls in love with Alex and they have their HEA. However, once again I am scratching my head, because by the end of this story I have decided that Alex is nothing more than an egotistical, spoiled, sadistic, rapist.
I know that this is typical of an older HP read....and that many readers assume that this is okay given it is an older HP. But honestly I can assure you this was not acceptable behavior even back then. I know because I was there. In fact, Sophie and I are almost the same age. Had Alex done to me what he did to Sophie, my family would have taken him out back to the woodshed and strung him up. His amorous rapist days would have been over.
Sophie is a lovely young woman who is working for Alex's company. By accident she meets his mother and is given a position as her personal assistant on the island of Crete. Sophie is ecstatic with the job and her new employer.
Alex can't seem to keep away from Sophie and makes numerous overtures to her. However, Sophie is madly in love with another man, who happens to be married. The other man cannot divorce, so we have a passionate, unrequited love story. I really liked the way the author carefully unfolded this dynamic and my heart went out to both Sophie and Simon.
One night, Alex propositions Sophie when they are back in England, thinking that no woman in their right mind could possibly refuse him. But Sophie does. She is so disgusted by Alex's indecent proposal, she leaves to go visit her family. Alex follows to apologize and try to put things right between them, only to uncover the true reason behind her lack of interest. He walks in on Sophie and Simon while they are passionately kissing each other.
Unfortunately, this is where things go haywire. Alex basically accuses her of lying to him and being a two timing b@#$h. He decides they are going to marry so that he can make the rest of her life miserable. He threatens her with dire consequences if she so much as tries to tell his mother or her family they aren't really engaged. Given Sophie never made overtures or encouraged Alex, I couldn't help but scratch my head as to why he felt so outraged by her behavior, nor why she felt so afraid to go tell him to hit the bricks!
Second major issue is on their honeymoon (her first time given she is a virgin), he rapes her, slaps her AND then blames her for his actions. Those of you that have worked with abused women will recognize these actions as the classic signs of domestic violence. Of course, later that night they have dinner, she drinks to numb herself and they end up having happy, happy sex all night. Again, I had to scratch my head on this. Who in their right mind has happy sex with the man who just raped you.
Of course, Sophie falls in love with Alex and they have their HEA. However, once again I am scratching my head, because by the end of this story I have decided that Alex is nothing more than an egotistical, spoiled, sadistic, rapist.
I know that this is typical of an older HP read....and that many readers assume that this is okay given it is an older HP. But honestly I can assure you this was not acceptable behavior even back then. I know because I was there. In fact, Sophie and I are almost the same age. Had Alex done to me what he did to Sophie, my family would have taken him out back to the woodshed and strung him up. His amorous rapist days would have been over.
November 23, 2021
this book is on another level🙊
therapy needed💨
therapy needed💨
April 27, 2021
what the hell this was the least romantic romance book i think ive ever read 😂 it was also my first harlequin and man it went swell ;) thank you irunía for recommending it and warning// this review will have spoilers. so i think the introduction to the most rational🤡softhearted🤡 hero i've ever had the pleasure of reading can be condensed into this line:
bold start bold start, but ill admit you have my attention
i mean can you think of a more sought-after trait in a romance hero than deeply-rooted misogyny🥰? what else would we ever want out of a husband other than him thinking we're subhuman 😍
the fuckery (cough cough the great time) commences when sophie(h) gets a job as alex's (H) mothers secretary. alex is a wealthy, arrogant man who makes several passes at sophie and refuses to understand her motivations or rationale when she remains aloof and disinterested. he is convinced she is torturing him on purpose by playing hard to get, and it never crosses his mind that she might genuinely just be uninterested. so instead of i don't know, leaving her the fuck alone, or becoming her friend, wooing her, getting on her good side; alex's chaste courtship proceeds as follows:
THIS MAN LOVES CALLING HER A LITTLE BITCH AND IDK WHY IT WAS SENDING MEEEE
even in the last chapter when they were in a falling-in-love montage, the only affectionate words spoken were:
like what the fuck 😂😂😭 can someone who reads a lot of HPs pls tell me if this is the norm bc my dude just kept whipping out 'little bitch' like there was no tomorrow. eventually it comes out that sophie isn't interested in romance because she is head over heels in love with a married man, which alex finds out by catching them together. who wants to take a guess at his response
after catching them alex decides the natural course of action is to force her to marry him so he can make the rest of her life miserable. this book rly shat on every decent thing about romance. the amount of times he told her he wanted to kill her had even ME concerned. the man would say it with his whole ass chest. eventually i was just grasping at straws like 'well at least he doesn't force himself on her'
and then once that happened i was like 'well at least he doesn't hit her'
by the time they said i love you at 99.9% i was just cackling. this book was so textbook toxic, im going to hell. not only did these two not love each other for this entire book, they didn't even like each other. alex's obsession was amazing to witness but it was an angry obsession. he was so mad she was making him feel, and he dragged my girl sophie along for the ride. the feminism most surely exited my body with this one and honestly, im gonna go do something nice for someone to ease my karma a bit from reading it
“Like most Greek men, Alex firmly believes women are a second-class race.”
bold start bold start, but ill admit you have my attention
i mean can you think of a more sought-after trait in a romance hero than deeply-rooted misogyny🥰? what else would we ever want out of a husband other than him thinking we're subhuman 😍
the fuckery (cough cough the great time) commences when sophie(h) gets a job as alex's (H) mothers secretary. alex is a wealthy, arrogant man who makes several passes at sophie and refuses to understand her motivations or rationale when she remains aloof and disinterested. he is convinced she is torturing him on purpose by playing hard to get, and it never crosses his mind that she might genuinely just be uninterested. so instead of i don't know, leaving her the fuck alone, or becoming her friend, wooing her, getting on her good side; alex's chaste courtship proceeds as follows:
"Well, I refuse to let you play games with me, you provocative little bitch.”
“Listen, you obstinate female,”
“I've worked you out, Miss Bryant. You're just a frigid little bitch with ice-water in her veins.”
“What else do you want, you greedy little bitch?”
“I did it for you, you lying little bitch,' he said in a low bitter voice.
THIS MAN LOVES CALLING HER A LITTLE BITCH AND IDK WHY IT WAS SENDING MEEEE
even in the last chapter when they were in a falling-in-love montage, the only affectionate words spoken were:
“Impudent little bitch,' he whispered, his lips brushing her nose.
like what the fuck 😂😂😭 can someone who reads a lot of HPs pls tell me if this is the norm bc my dude just kept whipping out 'little bitch' like there was no tomorrow. eventually it comes out that sophie isn't interested in romance because she is head over heels in love with a married man, which alex finds out by catching them together. who wants to take a guess at his response
His mouth parted on a cold sneer. 'Oh, no, not yet, you cheating little bitch.”
after catching them alex decides the natural course of action is to force her to marry him so he can make the rest of her life miserable. this book rly shat on every decent thing about romance. the amount of times he told her he wanted to kill her had even ME concerned. the man would say it with his whole ass chest. eventually i was just grasping at straws like 'well at least he doesn't force himself on her'
and then once that happened i was like 'well at least he doesn't hit her'
by the time they said i love you at 99.9% i was just cackling. this book was so textbook toxic, im going to hell. not only did these two not love each other for this entire book, they didn't even like each other. alex's obsession was amazing to witness but it was an angry obsession. he was so mad she was making him feel, and he dragged my girl sophie along for the ride. the feminism most surely exited my body with this one and honestly, im gonna go do something nice for someone to ease my karma a bit from reading it
July 30, 2018
Harold Mongrelpup and I salute the late great Charlotte Lamb for this fabulous, angsty, intense and drama filled vintage romance story with a super obsessed hero and a heroine who makes him work for it ! I'm not gonna write a long review on the storyline because St. Margaret's, Vintage and Naksed have already done spectacular jobs. All I will do is write a few points about what fascinated me so much about this novel.
First of all, the H Alex is a manwhore of supreme proportions; in fact, he probably wrote the book on how to get women:
Alex thinks Sophie is gonna be an easy conquest, but I guess he forgot that sometimes even bestselling authors of self help books need to conduct current research to update their old books. Lol. Sophie is attracted to him but she's in love with her bitchy, evil cousin's husband. I won't go into that issue but it's this "love" that makes her relatively immune to all of the H's skilled sexual advances. Sophie keeps telling Alex that he needs to leave her alone because she'll never be his mistress, but his ego is too large to compute her rejection and he responds like this:
And sooooo... you're probably wondering, sarcastically:
But, the thing is this: Charlotte Lamb does such a spectacular job of crafting this storyline and shaping her plot that it does turn out to be a most spellbinding and unusual love story ! It's all about how possessive and obsessed Alex becomes with Sophie, as time passes and she continues to be elusive to his manly charms. I know it's politically incorrect in certain feminist circles to say this, but I do love a possessive and obsessed alpha male hero who pursues the heroine ardently and cannot even fall for the charms of another woman. But I don't honestly give a flying F about what certain other women think I should and should not like, in my choice of reading material. And, Alex was one jealous, possessive and obsessed hero; he was like a spoilt doggy who refuses to share his fav toy:
I loved the story, enjoyed the all the jealousy, passion and angst and admired the way the heroine stood up for herself, even when he came after her:
'Did you think I was in love with you?' she whispered.
Alex stared at her with icy hostility. 'Yes,' he said.
'Oh.' Sophie shivered. 'But why?'
'I thought you loved me because you wouldn't let me make love to you,' Alex said, and Sophie shook her head as though her brain were full of buzzing insects.
'You're crazy,' she said again.
'When you started to cry that morning in London, after having been so passionate in my arms the night before, I was fool enough to begin to think you really cared. It was the only thing that made sense. Why do you think I came down here after you? I was going to start again with you, find out if the way I felt was serious. I thought I might even fall in love with you. The first time in my life I ever felt I might actually believe love could be possible for me, and then I find out you'd lied and cheated me, like all the others. Women are born liars. I must have been nuts to let you fool me into thinking you might be different. But knowing what a damned little bitch you are doesn't stop me wanting your body, and you're going to pay for having pulled the wool over my eyes. I told you, nobody makes a fool of me and gets away with it.'
'I didn't make a fool of you!'
'You did,' he said through his teeth.
This book was a wild, roller coaster ride indeed ! You will either love it or hate it. There were parts I didn't like but by the end of it all, I can honestly say that I totally enjoyed it. It's wonderful to escape into a fictional romantic world with intense and passionate characters especially when the storytelling is superb. What's even better in the end, was the way the heroine was able to tame the wild beast of a hero. He was so besotted with Sophie that he had eyes for no other woman and their passionate happy ending scene was intense and hot, for a vintage old school story:
'Oh, God, my darling,' Alex whispered, pulling her into his arms. His lips moved over her hair as she clung to him, her hands stroking his long back. 'I love you desperately,Sophie.'
She closed her eyes, unable to speak, happiness making her tremble and feel almost sick.
Alex's arms tightened. 'You've got to learn to love me. I can't live without you. I need you.'
Her voice issued so drily from her lips that it was scarcely audible. 'I do love you.'
He held her away, searching her face with leaping, in- tent eyes. 'Sophie?'
Sophie's eyes looked passionately at him. Her mouth trembled. 'Alex darling,' she whispered. 'Oh, Alex darling!'
His mouth moved down urgently and she met it with unhidden eagerness, her arms laced round his neck, holding his head as the kiss deepened to a hungry passion which threatened to flare beyond their control. Alex's hands moved tremblingly over her. His heart pounded. He was breathing with thick excitement.
If you love a little of the intense, politically incorrect, old school romances with the obsessed alpha male H then try this. If you're the type to analyze and evaluate every action and reaction, of the characters, from a radical feminist perspective then please avoid this.
This is the heroine, Sophie:
This is the hero, Alex:
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 28, 2022
3.5 stars
I decided the best way to approach anything written by Charlotte Lamb is by having an out of body experience.
I will abandon all hopes of having a likeable hero, proper romance and sane characters (note that my defitions of those words are VERY loose) and just try to enjoy this book for the absurdity that it is.
And I'll be damned, it fucking worked.
My initial reluctance was due to the fact that I absolutely hated the hero in Seduction. He was a piece of shit who acted oblivious and always blamed the heroine for all of his wrongdoings.
Was Alex better? No. He was probably worse.
🛑SPOILERS? I think🛑
Alex basically considered women on the same level of importance as an empty stapler.
When I tell you, I fell off my chair in laughter. This fucking man👏👏called her👏👏a female👏👏AN OBSTINATE FEMALE👏👏
TJ also mentioned in her review about the hero's use of "little bitch" and it was seriously cracking me the fuck up. What is it about this insult that is so affective?
Call her a bitch? BORRRINGGG
Call her a little bitch?😏
Besides that he was also extremely controlling, manipulative, completely delusional, highly egotistical, selfish and truly the king of pettiness. Dude outpettied ME.
With that being said, all my chipmunk brain was thinking of doing is tickling him. I literally don't know why that was the first thing I pictured. He's like a little kid with tantrums. I wanted to take his cheeks and wobble them.
This book is essentially about Sophie, who starts working for Madame Lefkas. Through her, she meets her other boss, Alex Lefkas, Madame's son. Alex starts pursuing Sophie, but she is absolutely not having it.
I loved when Alex continuously tried to make her jealous but she dismissed him like a useless piece of furniture she only just noticed💀
No seriously, the hero's behaviour was despicable and would've been impossible to read had the heroine not been the way she is. She was so unbothered by him, it was stimulating every sadistic bone in my body. I could only wish to reach that level of nonchalance.
One of the main reasons Sophie was so disinterested is because she is passionately in love with another man. A married man. A married man who's wife also happens to be her cousin. A MARRIED MAN WITH A DAUGHTER. A DAUGHTER WHO IS DEAF.
Alex catches Sophie sharing a passionate kiss with the OM, and because in his delusional mind they are basically already in a committed relationship with 3 kids, he loses his shit.
She is forced to marry him as punishment and for the hero's own greed.
Here's where the trigger patrol chimes in: He forces himself on her for their first time.
I just wonna talk about the absolute audacity of this guy. No not because he basically raped her, but for the way he acted after.
She was just violated and slapped across the face by him . Now she's crying, in a state of confusion & fear and what do you think this man tells her?
Now obviously the heroine still thinks she's in love with the OM. She's worried about what he might think of the sudden marriage and Alex.... Oh Alex you undiscovered comedian. He swoops in and reassures her completely and wholeheartedly with just three beautiful words.
God bless him. And people say men aren't funny.
Anywho, what I'm trying to get at is...the romance was pretty unromantic if you ask me. There was literally only one scene (apart from the ending) that could be considered cute:
We have this push and pull between H & h the entire book, and then suddenly she is in love with him, AFTER he raped her. That was the reason I lowered my rating. Up until the first sex scene it was bordering on being 5 stars, after that it kinda had the same shit as in Seduction. The hero started blaming the heroine but thank fuck he didn't play the victim card. He didn't try to justify his actions or act as if he was the raped one.
Fuck, I'm reading what I'm writing and this guy is truly awful huh😭
Alex: *Insults, controls, manipulates, sexually assaults, slaps the heroine*
Also Alex: *doesn't even APOLOGISE*
Me: "It's just some relationship drama. Nothing a little therapy can't fix."
Alex: *Glances at another woman*
Me:
------------------------------------------
But in other news tonight......
*TJ, Irunía and I celebrating a 3.4 average rated book*
Thank you Irunía & TJ for making me read this beaut.
I decided the best way to approach anything written by Charlotte Lamb is by having an out of body experience.
I will abandon all hopes of having a likeable hero, proper romance and sane characters (note that my defitions of those words are VERY loose) and just try to enjoy this book for the absurdity that it is.
And I'll be damned, it fucking worked.
My initial reluctance was due to the fact that I absolutely hated the hero in Seduction. He was a piece of shit who acted oblivious and always blamed the heroine for all of his wrongdoings.
Was Alex better? No. He was probably worse.
🛑SPOILERS? I think🛑
Alex basically considered women on the same level of importance as an empty stapler.
He put both hands on her desk and bent towards her, his hard mouth tight. "Listen, you obstinate female,"
When I tell you, I fell off my chair in laughter. This fucking man👏👏called her👏👏a female👏👏AN OBSTINATE FEMALE👏👏
TJ also mentioned in her review about the hero's use of "little bitch" and it was seriously cracking me the fuck up. What is it about this insult that is so affective?
Call her a bitch? BORRRINGGG
Call her a little bitch?😏
Besides that he was also extremely controlling, manipulative, completely delusional, highly egotistical, selfish and truly the king of pettiness. Dude outpettied ME.
With that being said, all my chipmunk brain was thinking of doing is tickling him. I literally don't know why that was the first thing I pictured. He's like a little kid with tantrums. I wanted to take his cheeks and wobble them.
This book is essentially about Sophie, who starts working for Madame Lefkas. Through her, she meets her other boss, Alex Lefkas, Madame's son. Alex starts pursuing Sophie, but she is absolutely not having it.
"Just try to get it through your thick head that I'm not interested in your proposition," Sophie snapped. "Keep your hands and your eyes to yourself!"
I loved when Alex continuously tried to make her jealous but she dismissed him like a useless piece of furniture she only just noticed💀
No seriously, the hero's behaviour was despicable and would've been impossible to read had the heroine not been the way she is. She was so unbothered by him, it was stimulating every sadistic bone in my body. I could only wish to reach that level of nonchalance.
One of the main reasons Sophie was so disinterested is because she is passionately in love with another man. A married man. A married man who's wife also happens to be her cousin. A MARRIED MAN WITH A DAUGHTER. A DAUGHTER WHO IS DEAF.
Alex catches Sophie sharing a passionate kiss with the OM, and because in his delusional mind they are basically already in a committed relationship with 3 kids, he loses his shit.
She is forced to marry him as punishment and for the hero's own greed.
She shuddered. Marry Alex Lefkas? Only a blind idiot would be dumb enough. He'd deceive you left and right with other women. He would neglect you, order you around, treat you as a possession rather than a person.
Here's where the trigger patrol chimes in: He forces himself on her for their first time.
I just wonna talk about the absolute audacity of this guy. No not because he basically raped her, but for the way he acted after.
She was just violated and slapped across the face by him . Now she's crying, in a state of confusion & fear and what do you think this man tells her?
Now Alex had her body and her mind and her heart was lost in a troubled limbo of confused emotions.
The door snapped open. "What the hell are you doing sulking in here?"
Now obviously the heroine still thinks she's in love with the OM. She's worried about what he might think of the sudden marriage and Alex.... Oh Alex you undiscovered comedian. He swoops in and reassures her completely and wholeheartedly with just three beautiful words.
"But I don't want him to think I lied to him, hid anything from him. What must he be feeling at this moment? I told him there was nothing between you and me- and then for him to see you kissing me, to be told we're going to be married." Her voice broke on a sob. "Oh, god, he must be miserable !"
"Isn't that tough?" Alex's voice was savage
God bless him. And people say men aren't funny.
Anywho, what I'm trying to get at is...the romance was pretty unromantic if you ask me. There was literally only one scene (apart from the ending) that could be considered cute:
"You like Greek music?"
"I love everything Greek" Sophie said, smiling.
"You've forgotten something, haven't you?" Alex murmured in a low, husky voice.
"What?" she asked in surprise.
"I'm greek"
We have this push and pull between H & h the entire book, and then suddenly she is in love with him, AFTER he raped her. That was the reason I lowered my rating. Up until the first sex scene it was bordering on being 5 stars, after that it kinda had the same shit as in Seduction. The hero started blaming the heroine but thank fuck he didn't play the victim card. He didn't try to justify his actions or act as if he was the raped one.
Fuck, I'm reading what I'm writing and this guy is truly awful huh😭
Alex: *Insults, controls, manipulates, sexually assaults, slaps the heroine*
Also Alex: *doesn't even APOLOGISE*
Me: "It's just some relationship drama. Nothing a little therapy can't fix."
Alex: *Glances at another woman*
Me:
------------------------------------------
But in other news tonight......
*TJ, Irunía and I celebrating a 3.4 average rated book*
Thank you Irunía & TJ for making me read this beaut.
April 12, 2017
-"Let me take care of you. I want to look after you, Sophie."
Sophie blazed into white-hot rage, turning on him with contempt.
-"You want to do what? Don't use euphemisms to me! What you really mean is that you want to make me one of your whores for a while until you're tired of me. What happens then? Do I get passed on to one of your executives?"
-"For God's sake," he muttered hoarsely, his face dark red. He looked at the door. "[Someone] will hear you."
-"Good," Sophie said aggressively. "Why not open the door? Let a little honesty into this goldfish bowl."
Oh. My. The set-downs that this Charlotte Lamb heroine slapped the hero with again and again throughout the story of Savage Surrender were EPIC. She was more brutal than Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield combined, and I loved every bit of it.
Sophie is the typical CL heroine, the icy, remote, English girl with "hair like Golden fire", holding A Big, Mysterious, Secret, in her past. That secret is what allows her to build up impenetrable defenses against the numerous assaults that the ruthless, womanizing, Greek tycoon, Alex perpetrates against her. He tries everything. Threats, charm, jealousy, envy, greed, lust, everything but love and honour. Sophie is not having any of it. She is a middle-class working girl with a good family, a decent education, and a serious work ethic. The people in Alex's jet-set life don't give her envy, they make her sick.
It's an artificial world where big fish prey on little fish and everyone wants to grab something from everyone else.
Look at their beautiful, gleaming faces and ask yourself: are they human? Each night they peel them off, and in the morning put on a new one. They are not faces...they are beautiful, unreal masks which hide something ugly and selfish and small-minded. Their teeth are so white they dazzle you, but it is not a natural whiteness. Their high-paid dentists keep them like that, capping their rotten teeth with porcelain. Their bodies are sleek and smooth and they indulge them without compunction.
But under all this...are minds and hearts which are so empty they terrify you. The only emotions they know are greed and lust. The only thoughts they have are ones of self. Tiny stunted minds and tiny shriveled hearts are all you'll find in those beautiful bodies.
With a worldview like that, it isn't a wonder that Sophie finds Alex's oozy attempts at seduction revolting and she has no qualms shouting in his face that he is a phoney and she would not touch him with a ten foot bargepole. Bravo, Sophie! She was by far the best HPlandia heroine that I have ever encountered.
Unfortunately, because this IS, after all, HPlandia, the fiery, crazed, mine-mine-mine, Alpha must win in his quest for domination over the female he covets. This happens here when Alex finally finds out Sophie's Big, Mysterious, Secret of Her Past and naturally takes the opportunity to blackmail her into marriage and...ahem...force his attentions on her. This is standard, trashtastic, HP fare, as Alex takes quite a revenge on Sophie now that the tables are turned.
I enjoyed every moment of Savage Surrender but I have to warn readers that this is as non p.c. and disturbing as it gets, so please take heed of my bookshelves and get off this Crazy Train if the ride is going to give you motion sickness. Otherwise, cheers, and enjoy!
Sophie blazed into white-hot rage, turning on him with contempt.
-"You want to do what? Don't use euphemisms to me! What you really mean is that you want to make me one of your whores for a while until you're tired of me. What happens then? Do I get passed on to one of your executives?"
-"For God's sake," he muttered hoarsely, his face dark red. He looked at the door. "[Someone] will hear you."
-"Good," Sophie said aggressively. "Why not open the door? Let a little honesty into this goldfish bowl."
Oh. My. The set-downs that this Charlotte Lamb heroine slapped the hero with again and again throughout the story of Savage Surrender were EPIC. She was more brutal than Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield combined, and I loved every bit of it.
Sophie is the typical CL heroine, the icy, remote, English girl with "hair like Golden fire", holding A Big, Mysterious, Secret, in her past. That secret is what allows her to build up impenetrable defenses against the numerous assaults that the ruthless, womanizing, Greek tycoon, Alex perpetrates against her. He tries everything. Threats, charm, jealousy, envy, greed, lust, everything but love and honour. Sophie is not having any of it. She is a middle-class working girl with a good family, a decent education, and a serious work ethic. The people in Alex's jet-set life don't give her envy, they make her sick.
It's an artificial world where big fish prey on little fish and everyone wants to grab something from everyone else.
Look at their beautiful, gleaming faces and ask yourself: are they human? Each night they peel them off, and in the morning put on a new one. They are not faces...they are beautiful, unreal masks which hide something ugly and selfish and small-minded. Their teeth are so white they dazzle you, but it is not a natural whiteness. Their high-paid dentists keep them like that, capping their rotten teeth with porcelain. Their bodies are sleek and smooth and they indulge them without compunction.
But under all this...are minds and hearts which are so empty they terrify you. The only emotions they know are greed and lust. The only thoughts they have are ones of self. Tiny stunted minds and tiny shriveled hearts are all you'll find in those beautiful bodies.
With a worldview like that, it isn't a wonder that Sophie finds Alex's oozy attempts at seduction revolting and she has no qualms shouting in his face that he is a phoney and she would not touch him with a ten foot bargepole. Bravo, Sophie! She was by far the best HPlandia heroine that I have ever encountered.
I enjoyed every moment of Savage Surrender but I have to warn readers that this is as non p.c. and disturbing as it gets, so please take heed of my bookshelves and get off this Crazy Train if the ride is going to give you motion sickness. Otherwise, cheers, and enjoy!
April 12, 2017
Wow – really enjoyed this one. The hero was so obviously smitten and frustrated with his inability to seduce the heroine that he had to resort to a public marriage announcement to finally get his gal. His money, his looks, his roofie kisses, his threats, his dangling other women in front of her – nothing worked on this heroine. When he finally cracked the code – she was in love/infatuation with a married man – he leapt into action not five minutes after seeing them kiss and declare their love.
That might seem cruel and unfair – but as the heroine later acknowledges, the hero had been increasingly in her thoughts. And finally having sex (after being forced) she realizes that what she felt for the married man was a pale imitation to the lust/love she feels for the hero.
The heroine was a very strong-minded character, without being stubborn. She was flexible enough to evolve in her feelings and CL did a great job of showing this without resorting to the traitorous body trope. And this was no 180 turn for the heroine – the seeds of love for the hero were planted in her mind (and ours) throughout the story.
The hero’s grovel/explanation was satisfying. And I’m glad the heroine gave the married man the heave-ho. That was a thread that needed to be tied off. This is definitely one I’ll re-read to pick up the nuances.
That might seem cruel and unfair – but as the heroine later acknowledges, the hero had been increasingly in her thoughts. And finally having sex (after being forced) she realizes that what she felt for the married man was a pale imitation to the lust/love she feels for the hero.
The heroine was a very strong-minded character, without being stubborn. She was flexible enough to evolve in her feelings and CL did a great job of showing this without resorting to the traitorous body trope. And this was no 180 turn for the heroine – the seeds of love for the hero were planted in her mind (and ours) throughout the story.
The hero’s grovel/explanation was satisfying. And I’m glad the heroine gave the married man the heave-ho. That was a thread that needed to be tied off. This is definitely one I’ll re-read to pick up the nuances.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2020
When it comes to Dangerous and Dynamic Love-Stories full of slap-kiss,passion and hard-core angst with Ruthless and Dominant Alpha-Male Heroes who does everything to win the heroine..seduction,blackmail,forced marriage...the whole FREAKING PACKAGE!
I knew the point (before starting reading this book) that heroine are in love with another man other than hero..i was like ok ok i can deal with this.But knowing that this is written by Charlotte Lamb and that the hero HAD TO BE A FREAKING GREEK ALPHA made me SHIT-CRAZED of fright...JEzzus CL did you have to choose A GREEK of all...just gosh!And it had to be the arrogant and savage-hearted Alex Lefkas!
How i anyway came to love this book (i love all CL books) and the intensity of angst between Sophie Bryant and Alex Lefkas.I was with them the whole time and when the trigger was pulled i actually cringed when Alex was making her his in any means possible and letting NOTHING and NO ONE stop him (there is a revealing event in this story that made me break apart).How relieved i also was when Sophie FINALLY realized her love for him,but miserably decided to keep it secret,thinking that he only feels passion for her,Jeez woman he would never be that hot in pursuit and angry AS OVERLY HELL with jealousy,and even forced her to marry him if he didn`t love or care about her.That man was...LOCA MAD about her!Overall a incredible keeper that deserves the 5 Loving stars i gave it.The dynamic and dark..but somehow exotic romance between Alex and Sophie completely baffled me..ah i love it!
2019.03.03 Re-read
I knew the point (before starting reading this book) that heroine are in love with another man other than hero..i was like ok ok i can deal with this.But knowing that this is written by Charlotte Lamb and that the hero HAD TO BE A FREAKING GREEK ALPHA made me SHIT-CRAZED of fright...JEzzus CL did you have to choose A GREEK of all...just gosh!And it had to be the arrogant and savage-hearted Alex Lefkas!
How i anyway came to love this book (i love all CL books) and the intensity of angst between Sophie Bryant and Alex Lefkas.I was with them the whole time and when the trigger was pulled i actually cringed when Alex was making her his in any means possible and letting NOTHING and NO ONE stop him (there is a revealing event in this story that made me break apart).How relieved i also was when Sophie FINALLY realized her love for him,but miserably decided to keep it secret,thinking that he only feels passion for her,Jeez woman he would never be that hot in pursuit and angry AS OVERLY HELL with jealousy,and even forced her to marry him if he didn`t love or care about her.That man was...LOCA MAD about her!Overall a incredible keeper that deserves the 5 Loving stars i gave it.The dynamic and dark..but somehow exotic romance between Alex and Sophie completely baffled me..ah i love it!
2019.03.03 Re-read
April 23, 2009
Classic compelling dramatic unPC Lamb.
We have a jealous, possessive playboy hero. We have unrequited love. We have heroine slapping. We have rape. We have the hero blaming the heroine for forcing him to rape her.
We am so embarrassed that we love this novel but its damn good crack. If it wasnt so well-written, it wouldnt be nearly as addictive.
We have a jealous, possessive playboy hero. We have unrequited love. We have heroine slapping. We have rape. We have the hero blaming the heroine for forcing him to rape her.
We am so embarrassed that we love this novel but its damn good crack. If it wasnt so well-written, it wouldnt be nearly as addictive.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2017
Since this has floated up to the top of the GR reading pool, time to torture myself with a petulant Greek asshat.
Someone should have either been spanked more as a child or sent to bed without his supper. It’s a sad state of affairs when the H’s loving but exasperated mother thinks he’s bad news. Mothers of boys and young men,
is a cautionary tale.
Our Greek drama king is a spoiled mama’s boy through and through. He wants the heroine and he will stoop at nothing to get her: cajoling, bribery, jealousy, scorn, snobbery, and finally blackmail.
The heroine, on the other hand, is a cool drink of water and has no time for Greek alpha asshats, mama's boys or any of that ilk. Time and time again she shoots him down, all of which he assumes is just a ploy to interest him. He makes charming and complimentary offers to set her up with an apartment in New York with a even a contract to protect her, but he can not and will not marry her. She's divinely unimpressed with both the offer of sidepiece of the the North Atlantic or as his Greek Hera to his Zeus. We all now what great husband material Zeus was.
I think my favorite foray he has with the totally awesome heroine is when he accuses her of holding out for the biggest prize of all: marriage with the top Olympian god of manwhores. Dad nab it, he can’t marry her as he has to marry one of two Greek paragons. Mama's boy is not sure which Greek virgin to pick and will let his mother choose. The h is not too impressed with that statement.
Sadly, her stonewall comes to an end after a trip back to ye olde England and the family homestead. There she meets the secret love of her life who is saddled with one of the finer bitches in HarleyLand as she combines both the evil woman status and worst mother in the world into one gigantic twofer. Even our Greek alpha asshat is appalled at what a bitch she is. She actually hates her daughter because she's deaf, and the lesser h has to hire nannies to watch the daughter from the MOTHER.
OnceZeus the hero finds out about the heroine and her non-contact swain, all bets are off. He goes from bad to worse. I think all readers gave a heavy sigh when he strong arms her into marriage. Honestly, what are dads for, but to help rescue you from these kind of situations. Her parents are vaguely annoying, but in a rather clueless way as this Greek hero is sooooo outside their wheelhouse. Rescuing their darling daughter from a wealthy, handsome tycoon just doesn't seem necessary.
He rapes her on the honeymoon. No other word for it. The next night and subsequent nights they schmex it up.
Eventually she realizes she is in love Kyrios Kapélo Kólo (Mr. Ass Hat). The only thing I could think is that the rape and/or the Olympian sex the next night broke her feelings for Simon. I dunno!!!!! It wasn't Stockholm syndrome this time, more like the Chinese water torture treatment.
I am reluctantly leaving it at 3 stars as, heck, I read it twice and it's well done, but I really wish CL had twisted this in some other evil direction rather than the rape mode.
We'll always have the h's cool putdowns though.
Someone should have either been spanked more as a child or sent to bed without his supper. It’s a sad state of affairs when the H’s loving but exasperated mother thinks he’s bad news. Mothers of boys and young men,
is a cautionary tale.Our Greek drama king is a spoiled mama’s boy through and through. He wants the heroine and he will stoop at nothing to get her: cajoling, bribery, jealousy, scorn, snobbery, and finally blackmail.
The heroine, on the other hand, is a cool drink of water and has no time for Greek alpha asshats, mama's boys or any of that ilk. Time and time again she shoots him down, all of which he assumes is just a ploy to interest him. He makes charming and complimentary offers to set her up with an apartment in New York with a even a contract to protect her, but he can not and will not marry her. She's divinely unimpressed with both the offer of sidepiece of the the North Atlantic or as his Greek Hera to his Zeus. We all now what great husband material Zeus was.
I think my favorite foray he has with the totally awesome heroine is when he accuses her of holding out for the biggest prize of all: marriage with the top Olympian god of manwhores. Dad nab it, he can’t marry her as he has to marry one of two Greek paragons. Mama's boy is not sure which Greek virgin to pick and will let his mother choose. The h is not too impressed with that statement.
Sadly, her stonewall comes to an end after a trip back to ye olde England and the family homestead. There she meets the secret love of her life who is saddled with one of the finer bitches in HarleyLand as she combines both the evil woman status and worst mother in the world into one gigantic twofer. Even our Greek alpha asshat is appalled at what a bitch she is. She actually hates her daughter because she's deaf, and the lesser h has to hire nannies to watch the daughter from the MOTHER.
Once
He rapes her on the honeymoon. No other word for it. The next night and subsequent nights they schmex it up.
Eventually she realizes she is in love Kyrios Kapélo Kólo (Mr. Ass Hat). The only thing I could think is that the rape and/or the Olympian sex the next night broke her feelings for Simon. I dunno!!!!! It wasn't Stockholm syndrome this time, more like the Chinese water torture treatment.
I am reluctantly leaving it at 3 stars as, heck, I read it twice and it's well done, but I really wish CL had twisted this in some other evil direction rather than the rape mode.
We'll always have the h's cool putdowns though.
July 5, 2018
Let me make this clear.
He rapes her. There is no sugarcoating. Unless of course you are one of those people who do believe it is a husband's right to take a wife forcefully whenever he wants and she belongs to him.
So let's look at the facts:
1. he wants to set her up as a mistress. tells her bluntly he can never marry her as his mama will choose "good" greek girls for him.
2. Then when she tells him to stuff it, he thinks she's playing hard to get, and since that's the only way he can get into her pants, he decided to give her marriage.
3. Finds out she REALLY deosn't care shit about him, now he's mad because how dare she not feel the manwhore's charm, so he forced her to marry him in most callous fashion so that he can rape her from now on.
4. he doesn't care that she has NEVER encouraged him, rather discouraged him. he's attracted to her, therefore it's her fault, it's her SIN now that she has feelings for someone else and didn't tell him (why should she is beyond me), so now she should pay for fueling his libido by simply being an attractive woman. that is clearly her fault.
5. she FAINTS out of fear when he starts raping her on their wedding night.
6. he loves her SO much that she once fainted in fear of him raping her does nothing to him, and now he violently rapes her, then tells her it was her fault that he raped her and threatens to rape her in future.
7. then when she's traumatized by being raped tells him she needs a shower, he SLAPS her. he does. and once again tells her it's her fault.
8. after ALL of the above, it wasn't enough for him that she was physically and mentally exhausted, he demands she must not sulk, and should have a romantic evening with him.
9. he NEVER apologised for the rape. EVER. not for hitting her. EVER.
10. throughout the whole book he talks exactly like a rapist. i.e. "i'll hurt you more if you fight me"
I am sorry, but I'm trying to read a romance book. Except I ended up reading about a rapist and his wife with Stockholm syndrome. With ZERO grovelling.
I have been sick throughout the whole book, and I think I need time to recover now.
He rapes her. There is no sugarcoating. Unless of course you are one of those people who do believe it is a husband's right to take a wife forcefully whenever he wants and she belongs to him.
So let's look at the facts:
1. he wants to set her up as a mistress. tells her bluntly he can never marry her as his mama will choose "good" greek girls for him.
2. Then when she tells him to stuff it, he thinks she's playing hard to get, and since that's the only way he can get into her pants, he decided to give her marriage.
3. Finds out she REALLY deosn't care shit about him, now he's mad because how dare she not feel the manwhore's charm, so he forced her to marry him in most callous fashion so that he can rape her from now on.
4. he doesn't care that she has NEVER encouraged him, rather discouraged him. he's attracted to her, therefore it's her fault, it's her SIN now that she has feelings for someone else and didn't tell him (why should she is beyond me), so now she should pay for fueling his libido by simply being an attractive woman. that is clearly her fault.
5. she FAINTS out of fear when he starts raping her on their wedding night.
6. he loves her SO much that she once fainted in fear of him raping her does nothing to him, and now he violently rapes her, then tells her it was her fault that he raped her and threatens to rape her in future.
7. then when she's traumatized by being raped tells him she needs a shower, he SLAPS her. he does. and once again tells her it's her fault.
8. after ALL of the above, it wasn't enough for him that she was physically and mentally exhausted, he demands she must not sulk, and should have a romantic evening with him.
9. he NEVER apologised for the rape. EVER. not for hitting her. EVER.
10. throughout the whole book he talks exactly like a rapist. i.e. "i'll hurt you more if you fight me"
I am sorry, but I'm trying to read a romance book. Except I ended up reading about a rapist and his wife with Stockholm syndrome. With ZERO grovelling.
I have been sick throughout the whole book, and I think I need time to recover now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2018
My first M&B ever - gifted to me by my aunt. And for that alone, I give this 5 stars. The quintessential Greek hero and the prim English heroine had me hooked from the beginning and the credit goes entirely to the author Charlotte Lamb of course. Had her writing not been so very compelling, I doubt I would have progressed beyond my first harlequin read. So she started it all, and I'm still hooked.
I was going through the reviews and i know there's a lot of controversy about the 'rape/forced seduction' scene. And while I don't condone violence against women; I wasn't really bothered by it in this instance. Playing the devil's advocate here, but this book is a product of it's time and the forced seduction routine was a major part of M&B plot lines of the 70/80/90s. Besides, it seemed that Alex (the hero)- being the passionate Greek guy - was only acting in character when he realised the woman he was madly in love with (and made his wife) was actually in love with another man and may even be thinking of him while He was making love to her. Just saying. I mean, he is the ultimate possessive/jealous hero (who's also violently besotted) and so his reactions are a little extreme and therefore, in my eyes forgivable. And I think most people reading these books want the heroes to be Alpha/dominant/ruthless, don't they? I mean I haven't seen too many fans of the 'beta hero' type here.
What's more, these guys are a lot safer than the Christian Greys of the literary world. I have no objections to BDSM, but given the choice I'd choose a harlequin alpha who knows how to grovel well over an emotionally damaged dude with commitment issues, who can only feel pleasure through pain of some sort. Now that's screwed up.... but hey, that's just me. I'm old fashioned and times are changing!
So even though, this may not tick all the right boxes in the feminist or modern thought sections; I'm still going to endorse it. Loved it and I hope you enjoy it too, simply for the writing, if not for the admittedly archaic ideas and situations presented in it.
I was going through the reviews and i know there's a lot of controversy about the 'rape/forced seduction' scene. And while I don't condone violence against women; I wasn't really bothered by it in this instance. Playing the devil's advocate here, but this book is a product of it's time and the forced seduction routine was a major part of M&B plot lines of the 70/80/90s. Besides, it seemed that Alex (the hero)- being the passionate Greek guy - was only acting in character when he realised the woman he was madly in love with (and made his wife) was actually in love with another man and may even be thinking of him while He was making love to her. Just saying. I mean, he is the ultimate possessive/jealous hero (who's also violently besotted) and so his reactions are a little extreme and therefore, in my eyes forgivable. And I think most people reading these books want the heroes to be Alpha/dominant/ruthless, don't they? I mean I haven't seen too many fans of the 'beta hero' type here.
What's more, these guys are a lot safer than the Christian Greys of the literary world. I have no objections to BDSM, but given the choice I'd choose a harlequin alpha who knows how to grovel well over an emotionally damaged dude with commitment issues, who can only feel pleasure through pain of some sort. Now that's screwed up.... but hey, that's just me. I'm old fashioned and times are changing!
So even though, this may not tick all the right boxes in the feminist or modern thought sections; I'm still going to endorse it. Loved it and I hope you enjoy it too, simply for the writing, if not for the admittedly archaic ideas and situations presented in it.
December 23, 2023
Reread 12.22.2023 - still a great read. 😍😍
—————————-
What can I say? Ms Lamb and I love an arrogant asshat.
Particularly when said asshat can't quite figure out why the woman he's set his sights on doesn't fall at his feet immediately after he uses his manly mojo on her. I mean, how can she resist the kind of *Prince* who calls her a bitch and stomps away like a child every time she politely turns him down. AmIright???
This book was gold. I loved that the h hardly gave the jackass the time of day because she was pining after someone else completely. And when the H finds out why she wasn't interested?? That scene is DRAMA-RAMA GLORIOUS. Glorious, I tell you.
Dude doubles down on asshatery (is that a word? I'm making it a word)... and moves on to manipulation, bulldozing, and Forced Seduction to win his Fair Maiden. 🤡
Bottom Line? This was a lot of fun. I loved the way the h handled the H, and I loved our confused yet determined H. 4.5 stars.
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - the H tries to make the h jealous when all his other seduction techniques don’t work
- OM drama - the h is in love with a married a man - the H is out of his mind jealous
- dubcon/noncon
- the H slaps the h during an argument
- h is 24 yr old virgin
- the H is an older manwhore
—————————-
What can I say? Ms Lamb and I love an arrogant asshat.
Particularly when said asshat can't quite figure out why the woman he's set his sights on doesn't fall at his feet immediately after he uses his manly mojo on her. I mean, how can she resist the kind of *Prince* who calls her a bitch and stomps away like a child every time she politely turns him down. AmIright???
This book was gold. I loved that the h hardly gave the jackass the time of day because she was pining after someone else completely. And when the H finds out why she wasn't interested?? That scene is DRAMA-RAMA GLORIOUS. Glorious, I tell you.
Dude doubles down on asshatery (is that a word? I'm making it a word)... and moves on to manipulation, bulldozing, and Forced Seduction to win his Fair Maiden. 🤡
Bottom Line? This was a lot of fun. I loved the way the h handled the H, and I loved our confused yet determined H. 4.5 stars.
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - the H tries to make the h jealous when all his other seduction techniques don’t work
- OM drama - the h is in love with a married a man - the H is out of his mind jealous
- dubcon/noncon
- the H slaps the h during an argument
- h is 24 yr old virgin
- the H is an older manwhore
December 20, 2021
Pure bat shit craziness. 🤷🏻♀️
- h in love with a married other man.
- h too busy pining for the OM to pay attention to the poor H.
- crazy jealous H, who’s obsessed and infatuated with the h, but she won’t pay him any mind!
- H trying to make h jealous, which never worked.😂
- h still not interested in the H.
- force marriage.
- rape & angry sex
- slapping around.
- all of sudden the h loves the H😂. & HEA.🤭
- h in love with a married other man.
- h too busy pining for the OM to pay attention to the poor H.
- crazy jealous H, who’s obsessed and infatuated with the h, but she won’t pay him any mind!
- H trying to make h jealous, which never worked.😂
- h still not interested in the H.
- force marriage.
- rape & angry sex
- slapping around.
- all of sudden the h loves the H😂. & HEA.🤭
October 1, 2014
This has been reviewed many, many times - so I won't say much. Charlotte Lamb's writing is engaging and intense, but her heroes are old skool crazy and not for everyone. Today, most of her heroines could easily get a restraining order.
April 23, 2014
Love this book so nice to read about a female who is not all gaga over the male read!
May 16, 2018
Totally un-PC and shamefully enjoyable to read.
December 11, 2017
"Savage Surrender" is the story of Sophie and Alex.
When Sophie is hired as Alex's mother's assistant, she is warned of his charms and to stay away from him. Her heart however, belongs to another, and she fiercely resists him- while he relentlessly pursues her, throws OW in her face, stalks her, blackmails her, abuses her, hits her, rapes her..you get where I am going?
If you like obsessed heroes- to an extent that they are actual psychos and do not respect consent- even when the heroine repeatedly and clearly says NO- A heroine who doesnt mind having an affair with a married man- brusing kisses so much that blood is always drawn- THIS one is for you.
The saddest part is, I actually felt the hero beat her spirit down to make the demure heroine we saw in the end.
This made me extremely uncomfortable.
Unsafe
1/5
When Sophie is hired as Alex's mother's assistant, she is warned of his charms and to stay away from him. Her heart however, belongs to another, and she fiercely resists him- while he relentlessly pursues her, throws OW in her face, stalks her, blackmails her, abuses her, hits her, rapes her..you get where I am going?
If you like obsessed heroes- to an extent that they are actual psychos and do not respect consent- even when the heroine repeatedly and clearly says NO- A heroine who doesnt mind having an affair with a married man- brusing kisses so much that blood is always drawn- THIS one is for you.
The saddest part is, I actually felt the hero beat her spirit down to make the demure heroine we saw in the end.
This made me extremely uncomfortable.
Unsafe
1/5
February 18, 2014
Classic HP.
Dark, Stockholm Romance.
Hero and heroine need therapy.
Compelling read.
Etc.
Felt sad for Simon. Stuck in marriage with a psycho bitch.
Dark, Stockholm Romance.
Hero and heroine need therapy.
Compelling read.
Etc.
Felt sad for Simon. Stuck in marriage with a psycho bitch.
March 25, 2011
I'm not sure what to make of this save to say that it is very much a book of it's time.
the plot involves the heroine, Sophie, taking up a post as a secretary to a Greek multi millionaire's mother in Crete.
From the outset the 'hero' Alex tries to manipulate her. He starts off being obnoxious, he then tries charm, he tries to get her drunk so that he can make a pass. He gets jealous if she pays any attention to another man yet flaunts his affairs in front of her.
For a large part of the book Sophie is genuinely immune to Alex and regards his efforts to seduce her as annoying. It emerges that she thinks she is in love with Simon, her cousin's husband, who is at least 15 years older than her, and inveigled her into an emotional affair when she was 18 and he was 35 ( what a creep). He can not divorce his wife because they have a deaf daughter.
Alex makes a further pass at Sophie in London and for once she starts to respond but this upsets her considerably. He offers to make her his mistress but she will have none of it. She goes to visit her family. Alex follows and apologises. They go to a party at the evil cousin's house and Alex catches Sophie in an amorous embrace with Simon. Alex confronts her and forcibly kisses her. Elaine and Simon walk in in the middle of this. In order to protect her from spite he says that they are getting married.
Alex is furious with Sophie for lying to him and cheating him- this is despite the fact that they are not in a relationship and to date Sophie had rejected all his romantic overtures. He tells Sophie that she will marry him or else...
Somehow she feels compelled to o along with this- again despite the fact it is not clear how he could make good on his threats. She is fearful as she worries that he hates her and will take it out on her once they are married.
She goes through the 3 months in a fugue state. They marry and go on honeymoon. He rapes her pretty violently in the afternoon and then hits her afterwards. No apology given. They have dinner and he makes sure she drinks wine and then gives her a double brandy to make her compliant. They have more sex which she enjoys in an alcohol sozzled way. Sophie eventually falls in love with Alex ( not clear why).
They go and live in new York, they have don't really talk to each other but make love every night.
Her father has a heart attack and she returns to England to be with her mum whilst he is in hospital. She sees Simon and he kisses her but she feels nothing. Alex has also come and sees the interlude. There is a confrontation and then they declare their love....
This book is filled with angst. My over riding impression was that it was pretty cold and bleak. I did not understand why the characters acted as they did and they certainly appeared emotionally stunted.
Alex came across as a self centred pig who seemed to feel entitled to have any woman he wanted and took it as a personal challenge when the h didn't fall over herself in enthusiasm at his attentions.
The heroine came across as an annoying self satisfied prig who also was fairly unlikeable.
It was hard to accept the premise that he painfully rapes and hits her in the afternoon, feels no remorse but only a sense of entitlement but that by the same evening they are at it like bunnies...
I am taking a break from the 1980 s harlequins as a lot of them are in This vein and it is hard to empathise as thank goodness times have changed.
the plot involves the heroine, Sophie, taking up a post as a secretary to a Greek multi millionaire's mother in Crete.
From the outset the 'hero' Alex tries to manipulate her. He starts off being obnoxious, he then tries charm, he tries to get her drunk so that he can make a pass. He gets jealous if she pays any attention to another man yet flaunts his affairs in front of her.
For a large part of the book Sophie is genuinely immune to Alex and regards his efforts to seduce her as annoying. It emerges that she thinks she is in love with Simon, her cousin's husband, who is at least 15 years older than her, and inveigled her into an emotional affair when she was 18 and he was 35 ( what a creep). He can not divorce his wife because they have a deaf daughter.
Alex makes a further pass at Sophie in London and for once she starts to respond but this upsets her considerably. He offers to make her his mistress but she will have none of it. She goes to visit her family. Alex follows and apologises. They go to a party at the evil cousin's house and Alex catches Sophie in an amorous embrace with Simon. Alex confronts her and forcibly kisses her. Elaine and Simon walk in in the middle of this. In order to protect her from spite he says that they are getting married.
Alex is furious with Sophie for lying to him and cheating him- this is despite the fact that they are not in a relationship and to date Sophie had rejected all his romantic overtures. He tells Sophie that she will marry him or else...
Somehow she feels compelled to o along with this- again despite the fact it is not clear how he could make good on his threats. She is fearful as she worries that he hates her and will take it out on her once they are married.
She goes through the 3 months in a fugue state. They marry and go on honeymoon. He rapes her pretty violently in the afternoon and then hits her afterwards. No apology given. They have dinner and he makes sure she drinks wine and then gives her a double brandy to make her compliant. They have more sex which she enjoys in an alcohol sozzled way. Sophie eventually falls in love with Alex ( not clear why).
They go and live in new York, they have don't really talk to each other but make love every night.
Her father has a heart attack and she returns to England to be with her mum whilst he is in hospital. She sees Simon and he kisses her but she feels nothing. Alex has also come and sees the interlude. There is a confrontation and then they declare their love....
This book is filled with angst. My over riding impression was that it was pretty cold and bleak. I did not understand why the characters acted as they did and they certainly appeared emotionally stunted.
Alex came across as a self centred pig who seemed to feel entitled to have any woman he wanted and took it as a personal challenge when the h didn't fall over herself in enthusiasm at his attentions.
The heroine came across as an annoying self satisfied prig who also was fairly unlikeable.
It was hard to accept the premise that he painfully rapes and hits her in the afternoon, feels no remorse but only a sense of entitlement but that by the same evening they are at it like bunnies...
I am taking a break from the 1980 s harlequins as a lot of them are in This vein and it is hard to empathise as thank goodness times have changed.
December 19, 2020
We're going off the rails on the crazy train, and what a ride it is. Classic CL crazed alpha hero, driven mad by luuurve/lust by our equally insane h to the point where he passes all bounds of civilized behavior. Lots of crazy-old-school triggers in this one, but appreciate it for the times in which it was written and the hot-mess H and h. I skimmed the first half; the second half moves fast and our poor h stumbles through it in a daze for the most part, until the H's harsh methods wake the sleeping beauty and they fall into a HEA that I hope will tame his darker impulses and her tendency to fall for complete aholes.
May 17, 2015
Vintage harlequins are the best. Crazy, angsty and entertaining!
September 1, 2014
What did I think, Goodreads? Two words. Stockholm syndrome. I like the heroine in the beginning, but I cannot help to dislike her more and more towards the end. How can one so strong-willed like her be... be like wet towel? This heroine gives me indigestion.
And the hero? He makes my gastric reflux return. FULL FORCE. The most apt designation for him is RAPIST with all-caps.
There is a bold line between determination and blind ego, persistent coaxing and plain rape. What happens in this book are the latter of those two different things. Does the author really expect the reader to cheer for the unification of the hero (at least, the man the author meant to be the hero. In my eyes, he isn't) and heroine? The man who made our sharp-tongued, quick-witted heroine to be a heap of self-pity, dumb passiveness, and, well, his sex slave? I felt sheer terror as I continued reading this book. The things that the hero did to the heroine... No woman deserved to experience any of them.
Now, excuse me. I need to dose myself with some antacid and read better novels to erase the memory of this story to oblivion.
And the hero? He makes my gastric reflux return. FULL FORCE. The most apt designation for him is RAPIST with all-caps.
There is a bold line between determination and blind ego, persistent coaxing and plain rape. What happens in this book are the latter of those two different things. Does the author really expect the reader to cheer for the unification of the hero (at least, the man the author meant to be the hero. In my eyes, he isn't) and heroine? The man who made our sharp-tongued, quick-witted heroine to be a heap of self-pity, dumb passiveness, and, well, his sex slave? I felt sheer terror as I continued reading this book. The things that the hero did to the heroine... No woman deserved to experience any of them.
Now, excuse me. I need to dose myself with some antacid and read better novels to erase the memory of this story to oblivion.
August 3, 2014
Why did CL think this would be a wonderful idea for a romance?
Sophie was never attracted to Alex. That, of course, can't go unpunished by our psycho hero. He hounds her, forces her to marry him, attacks her until she faints from fear, rapes her, slaps her, isolates her and finally has her brainwashed into projecting her love for Simon onto him.
There is no trace of the independent, lovely girl we are introduced to at the beginning of the book. Poor thing!
Sophie was never attracted to Alex. That, of course, can't go unpunished by our psycho hero. He hounds her, forces her to marry him, attacks her until she faints from fear, rapes her, slaps her, isolates her and finally has her brainwashed into projecting her love for Simon onto him.
There is no trace of the independent, lovely girl we are introduced to at the beginning of the book. Poor thing!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 12, 2017
Savage is right! This book was intense!
The Hero's torment is what makes this story so fun to read. His feelings are treated like potatoes- boiled, mashed, and stuck in a stew of anguish, rage, frustration, all the good stuff we HP readers find so tasty. He behaves pretty abominably, but in a he's-out-of-his-head-for-her way, not a cheating-with-OW or humiliating-her-publicly way, so for me personally it's all quite forgivable.
The Hero's torment is what makes this story so fun to read. His feelings are treated like potatoes- boiled, mashed, and stuck in a stew of anguish, rage, frustration, all the good stuff we HP readers find so tasty. He behaves pretty abominably, but in a he's-out-of-his-head-for-her way, not a cheating-with-OW or humiliating-her-publicly way, so for me personally it's all quite forgivable.
August 26, 2018
Reread 25/8/18
5🌟 second time round loved just as much. I only reread a book if it special one. This one is a favorite. Another great book by lamb!
5🌟 second time round loved just as much. I only reread a book if it special one. This one is a favorite. Another great book by lamb!
May 5, 2022
I had completely forgotten I'd read this book until I came across some titillating reviews that made me want to read it. So I'm reviewing in case my sieve of a brain forgets once again.
It was really thanks to StMargarets' review that I reread this with a lot more appreciation than I did the first time. Basically what we have here is three versions of the truth, and our very unreliable narrator is a self-possessed girl who's hopelessly in love with someone from her hometown. Because she's caged herself in a wall of ice, she doesn't notice her employer's son's overtures to her and thinks him a playboy who's constantly testing her. She views all his little games as tricks to find out about his mother (through her) or try to get her in bed.
At around the 60% point, Alex speaks up with his version of the truth, as he sees it. The first time I read this, I didn't really see the ingenuousness of this type of layering in romance novels, because it's very expertly done. Everything's from her POV, and she's lived her life so internally (the cage of ice) so that she actually doesn't completely believe him when he confesses his feelings to her.
And actually that's because it's not the whole truth! Because he doesn't know his true feelings either! So he'd been hedging as well, and the actual confession/groveling happens at the very end. There's a lot of internal dialogue that makes this book quite angsty and riddled with yummy drama. I was very surprised how far their relationship had progressed by chapter four, because it seemed as though they'd really gotten to know each other over the course of a year. And that's the genius of vintage authors, but especially Charlotte Lamb. I'm in love with how easily she can segue scenes and time. She genuinely can make you feel as though the heroine is living her life quite apart from the hero and the story (in the beginning) isn't centered around his appearances in her life, and that she was wholly devoted to her life on Crete.
There IS a rape scene after their wedding, and he also slaps her, which happened in all pre-90s romances. Even Judith McNaught had a few slapperific heroes, and more than a few that smoked.
So if you read between the lines while reading the scenes, you can insinuate the TRUE timeline, and extrapolate everything from his actions, reactions, all from Sophie's POV, which I find delicious and fraught with tension. I know that double POV is alllll the rage nowadays, but I still really love reading only one POV, because it jacks up the tension to the breaking point.
I would take off points because there's not enough resolution at the end, and so the ending--Sophie marriage onwards--falls slightly flat. It felt as though Charlotte Lamb had trimmed and edited all the fat off the bone, and as she got closer and closer to the end and thus the word count ceiling, she started to narrate more and more. This is therefore a book I would say is heavy on the exposition and depleted in the denouement. I don't love extensive grovel scenes, and I absolutely abhor epilogues a la Patricia Wilson, whose grovel scenes take up a chunk of the entire plot, but here was something that could have benefited from the climax to be slightly drawn out a little longer.
Still, if one wanted to read oblivious heroine with stormy hero that's in denial and serious pain, look no further. The beginning is delicious.
It was really thanks to StMargarets' review that I reread this with a lot more appreciation than I did the first time. Basically what we have here is three versions of the truth, and our very unreliable narrator is a self-possessed girl who's hopelessly in love with someone from her hometown. Because she's caged herself in a wall of ice, she doesn't notice her employer's son's overtures to her and thinks him a playboy who's constantly testing her. She views all his little games as tricks to find out about his mother (through her) or try to get her in bed.
At around the 60% point, Alex speaks up with his version of the truth, as he sees it. The first time I read this, I didn't really see the ingenuousness of this type of layering in romance novels, because it's very expertly done. Everything's from her POV, and she's lived her life so internally (the cage of ice) so that she actually doesn't completely believe him when he confesses his feelings to her.
And actually that's because it's not the whole truth! Because he doesn't know his true feelings either! So he'd been hedging as well, and the actual confession/groveling happens at the very end. There's a lot of internal dialogue that makes this book quite angsty and riddled with yummy drama. I was very surprised how far their relationship had progressed by chapter four, because it seemed as though they'd really gotten to know each other over the course of a year. And that's the genius of vintage authors, but especially Charlotte Lamb. I'm in love with how easily she can segue scenes and time. She genuinely can make you feel as though the heroine is living her life quite apart from the hero and the story (in the beginning) isn't centered around his appearances in her life, and that she was wholly devoted to her life on Crete.
There IS a rape scene after their wedding, and he also slaps her, which happened in all pre-90s romances. Even Judith McNaught had a few slapperific heroes, and more than a few that smoked.
So if you read between the lines while reading the scenes, you can insinuate the TRUE timeline, and extrapolate everything from his actions, reactions, all from Sophie's POV, which I find delicious and fraught with tension. I know that double POV is alllll the rage nowadays, but I still really love reading only one POV, because it jacks up the tension to the breaking point.
I would take off points because there's not enough resolution at the end, and so the ending--Sophie marriage onwards--falls slightly flat. It felt as though Charlotte Lamb had trimmed and edited all the fat off the bone, and as she got closer and closer to the end and thus the word count ceiling, she started to narrate more and more. This is therefore a book I would say is heavy on the exposition and depleted in the denouement. I don't love extensive grovel scenes, and I absolutely abhor epilogues a la Patricia Wilson, whose grovel scenes take up a chunk of the entire plot, but here was something that could have benefited from the climax to be slightly drawn out a little longer.
Still, if one wanted to read oblivious heroine with stormy hero that's in denial and serious pain, look no further. The beginning is delicious.
July 13, 2021
Uhhh 0 stars. So I’m the one who’s from the ‘hated it’ list. There’s no way I could forgive Sophie for her reckless selfish whoring ways.
Please refer to my friends great reviews. Every one seems to love the reverse angst but I cannot in a million lives accept Sophie and her constant lust for married OM. She’s a young teen when she finds OM who’s married with children. I won’t say more. Feel bad for Alex for marrying a total tramp who might never be honest with him and would always go behind his back seeking kisses with her lover. Beyond disgusted.
Please refer to my friends great reviews. Every one seems to love the reverse angst but I cannot in a million lives accept Sophie and her constant lust for married OM. She’s a young teen when she finds OM who’s married with children. I won’t say more. Feel bad for Alex for marrying a total tramp who might never be honest with him and would always go behind his back seeking kisses with her lover. Beyond disgusted.
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