Customer Reviews

Cruellest Lie (Harlequin Presents)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Susan Napier has done it again: She's taken an implausible situation and made it believable, suspenseful, and sexy. The story begins with a bang, Morgan Stone knocking on a pregnant Claudia's door to warn her off his college-age son. Unlike most Harlequin heroines, she shacked up with a man for several years and is expecting. The man was a race car driver and had been planning to marry her, but he died in a crash. Claudia is merely allowing this young man to rent a room from her, but dear old dad leaps to all the wrong conclusions.

Morgan thinks she's a money-grubbing hussy and tells her he'll cut off his son without a cent if she tries to marry her boy toy. He assumes her baby is that of Mike, his son. She miscarries and, insane with grief, strikes out at the only one available: Morgan, telling him he's killed his grandchild.

Years later, Claudia is working in public relations at a hotel and meets Mike and his father once again. The sparks fly, Claudia wants to avoid Morgan, but he won't let her. I'll leave a little to your imagination regarding this romance. You will probably guess as the story goes along what's happening, but I won't ruin your discovery. I enjoyed this story so much.

Any time an author can wring anxiety, laughter, sighs and cheers from a reader, she's outdone herself. Susan Napier does this just about every time. Also, check out "Counterfeit Secretary" and "Secret Admirer" by her if you haven't already read those.

From the back cover: Lovers and liars. Two years before, in a moment of anguish, Claudia had told Morgan Stone that the baby she'd lost had been his son's - and she'd let Morgan believe that his harsh words had been responsible for the loss. Now Morgan was back in her life - and her lie was about to catch up with her. While his business proposition was strictly aboveboard, his unspoken caress intoxicated her senses with the warmth of half-forgotten sensations. Was this a calculated act of revenge? And if it wasn't, what was keeping Claudia from telling Morgan the truth?

MY THOUGHTS: I bought this book because of the positive reviews. This definitely had a very interesting plot to me so I just had to read it. Even the beginning of the book grabbed me right away. Now though I enjoyed the book, there was a little something about it that made me take away the 1 1/2 stars. SPOILERS!!! Aside from the fact that the word "condom" is mentioned again, the one that really got me semi-turned off was close to the ending, the big ultimate reveal/dilemna was revealed. And the hero was SOOOOO mad - understandably so of course... but the way the hero got mad, whoa, his words were just so... biting and hurtful!! But I guess I "could" understand - the heroine made the hero think that he was a "murderer of babies" for two long years... But god, the hero's barrage of insults: calling her a sadistic, calculating, vindictive bitch, I could almost kill you, but the most hurtful: "you were a good lay" etc. etc. I almost felt the heroine's heartbreak! I dont think she deserved it!!! The hero was the one who first made the incorrect assumptions! So then I was like, oh man! It's close to the ending already, how ever are they gonna make up??? This is page 177 already! But yeah, of course there is a happy ending, and of course the hero does apologize - they both do but I felt it was a little too rushed, and the super short epilogue just felt rushed to me. Of course after all that outpouring of emotion, and limited pages what else can be done? But that is why I took of the 1 1/2 stars. The hero's outburst of nasty words just shocked me. It is still a very good read, and I plan to keep this book in my bookshelf.

Two years before, in a moment of anguish, Claudia had told morgan Stone that the baby she had lost was his son's- and she let morgan beleve that his harsh word's had been responsible for the loss.

Now morgan was back in her life - and her lies were catching up with her.

I loved this book personly and trust me i am very picky.

Yeah the other reviewers hit the nail on the head. The book wasn't bad but come on he immediately jumped to conclusions not knowing all the facts. He even says something like, people making assumptions from the barest facts, yet he NEVER once admitted that he was one of those people. He made his assumptions from tabloids and just plain assumptions!!

Also found it a bit sick that he would be desiring a woman that he thought was with his son, yeah I know you find out later that he realized the truth later on, yet he didn't tell her instead he manipulated her.
By the way how did she lie about the baby's parentage, when he was the one assuming things? She just let him continue to assume. Why couldn't he take the blame for that?

The confrontation that one of the previous reviewers mentioned was every bit as harsh as she stated. How in the world could he get her medical records? A bit farfetched even for someone with money and the pulling of strings, more like lying and manipulating. Morgan didn't change at all. He manipulated his son and he was doing the same to Claudia.

Yes the ending was rushed, just as they always seem to be. Seems to be the common thread in these type of books. Wish they would make it so that there was a bit better grovelling and closure in the book!

Hotel PR-employee tries to avoid 40yo businessman Hero & his 20yo son when she sees them again at a hotel function. She feels guilty for accusing Hero of causing her miscarriage 2 years ago & not correcting him about his mistaken belief that his son fathered her baby. She struggles with her strong attraction to him. His persistence on being part of her life & even temporarily living in his company's hotel suite where she works makes avoiding him tough. She fears that his knowing the complete truth will make him hate her.

Napier's overall writing made this book exciting & quick to read. It had good emotional pull with dramatic moments & strong characterization. Sexual chemistry & love scenes were passionate. What I didn't care for was some of heroine's behaviors. I understood her vindictiveness & lashing out her pain & anger from her miscarriage by falsely accusing Hero of causing the miscarriage. But I didn't like her selfishness & cowardice in not confronting him with the truth much sooner than she did. I also didn't like her tendency to be dependent(financially & emotionally) with lovers. She basically drops everything for them. She left her thriving career she worked hard on just b/c Hero thought it would be better for her to stay home when she gets pregnant again & she wasn't even pregnant yet! There's also the incestuous tone re: father & son going after same woman. It made me uneasy that Hero would pursue his supposed son's ex-lover & would've-been-mother of his grandchild.

Provisionally recommended.