Customer Reviews

The Good Greek Wife? (Harlequin Presents Extra)

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The Good Greek Wife? by author Kate Walker was an intriguing romance which addressed piracy on the high seas. It made this reader wonder how one would feel if your husband's vessel had been boarded like those incidents which have appeared recently in the news? I would be devastated to think of the person I loved being threatened , killed or missing in action and gone for two years. And that was the case with shipping magnate Zarek Michaelis. All he physically suffered and then not remembering who he was or if he had a family.

After pirates boarded his yacht the Troy, he was injured and thrown overboard and left for dead. However, he was rescued by a wealthy man from Malta and suffered amnesia for over two years. However, even though he didn't know his identity, he was troubled during the day and night because for some reason embedded in his heart and head he knew their was someone else in his life. Some one of importance . So when he finally remembered his identity, he sent an investigator to his Greece homeland to investigate the lay of things with his stepmother and brothers, his shipping empire and his wife. And then as planned, he walked in on his family during a board meeting in which they were going to declare him legally dead. Shocking them all with the fact that he was alive! Can you imagine the impact that would have had on his greedy family and his grieving wife?

Penny Michaelis for the past two years since her husband had disappeared had been running his company and maintaining his estate. From the first moment she met him, she fell instantly fell in love with him and when they consummated their love on their wedding night she knew she loved him even more. And then over the months she realized it was a dream, that he really lusted after her and wanted an heir. Love was not involved and they argued, especially when he found out she was taking the pill and told him she didn't want a baby. They argued the night he sailed away on the Troy and now he was presumably dead and she wanted to move on. But could she? For the past two years she left everything in his bedroom the same, the clothes in his closets and drawers, had taking up caring for his beloved dog, had learned to cook his favorite dishes. That didn't sound to me like a woman who didn't love nor miss her husband.

The majority of The Good Greek Wife, addressed their issues of what each of them expected from each other. However, they really didn't talk about those issues, they danced around them. It was like being on a seesaw, each one accusing the other but there was one thing for sure, the sexual attraction was so strong and Penny fought it while Zarek wanted to act upon it. They so didn't understand each others feelings and all I could think of was they needed a referee.

The conflict kept building until I wondered if they would ever get their second chance. Kate Walker's building up to the ending had me twisting my hands because I wondered if one of them would give up and walk out. The Good Greek Wife was just that because the heroine in the end knew she couldn't live with her husband. But hold on to your hat, because Zarek, the hero shows and makes a miraculous declaration, giving this roller coaster romance a very happy ending. It was very clever how the author tied in Greek mythology to the ending of her "classic modern love story".

Behind the Book: [...]

The Good Greek Wife? (Harlequin Presents Extra: the Greek Tycoons)

The story started with the heroine, Penny, a widow and her late husband's family after her to sell the business. They want her to agree to a sellout as they said the business needed a man at the helm and not a woman. With this tension and conflict facing Penny, you start rooting for her immediately. And then when the whole family gathers for the board meeting in the morning to declare Zarek, Penny's husband legally dead, who should appear, but Zarek himself after the absence of two years!

The conflict and tension in this story by author Kate Walker is very profound. One minute you're rooting for Penny and the next you're all the way with Zarek. Despite being an alpha hero, Zarek is a very sensitive guy, and Penny is a fiesty heroine who stands out in her husband's Greek family and takes over the business, while believing him to be dead!

Okay so if you've ever read my previous reviews - you'll probably guess I am very careful about what books I read in the HP line.

So I decided to pick this book on the premise that it sounded good and was glad to say it was.

The H is not abusive,yes he goes away and doesn't tell his wife and is careful to spy before he arranges his return but considering the past I could understand that. His interaction with his wife is laced with misunderstandings but he's not emotionally abusive, if anything he's cautious and wanting to work things out. More importantly he's faithful during his absence - even though he doesn't know why. You can tell this H cared for his wife during their whole marriage and was dumbfounded as to what was the problem - I can allow for a little male ignorance. The h's character was also a strong one, in the absence of the H she took care of his company and possessions even though she thought he didn't care, wasn't the doormat that you'd expect either considering how much she loved him.

Kate Walker has in the past managed to put me off reading her books - but her more sensitive H in this book has me thinking I may cautiously pick up another of her books. He's arrogant, assertive and a little domineering but doesn't fall into the trap of - "if he's Greek he must be abusive storyline".

I'd recommend, didn't blow me away but its good.