Customer Reviews

The Greek's Innocent Virgin (Harlequin Presents No. 2464)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I recently discovered Harlequin Presents books, and I have to say they're pretty good - short, juicy stories with a foreign flair. Lucy Monroe's books are no exception. In "The Greek's Innocent Virgin," we have the story of Sebastian Kouros and Rachel Long aka Rachel Newman. Rachel is a sweet young woman who has had a longtime crush on Sebastian. Their relationship, however, seems doomed from the start. Sebastian can't seem to separate Rachel from her catty and promiscuous mother. As such, Sebastian is conflicted toward Rachel. A part of him knows that Rachel is nothing like her mother, but her mother has done so much damage to the Kourus family that he can't help but believe the worst of Rachel. Of course, like in all romances, the star-crossed lovers end up together, and all is well. "The Greek's Innocent Virgin," is an enjoyable read that I devoured in just a few hours.

From Back Cover:
Greek tycoon Sebastian Kouros thinks he knows all about Rachel Long: as far as he's concerned, she's a scheming money-grabber who deserves nothing from him or his family.

But the Searing sexual chemistry between them can't be denied. Sebastian sees an opportunity to seduce this girl who plays it so sweet and innocent. He'll discard her when he sees fit...

Comments:
This book was a pleasure to read. Sebastian has known Rachel for several years due to her mother's marriage to his beloved uncle. Sebastian dislikes Rachel's late mother because he saw her as a gold digger and opportunist, who destroyed his uncle's life and caused his death. Sebastian knows in his heart that Rachel is nothing like her mother but allows his grieve to cloud his judgment. Sebastian and Rachel spend one night together, but all is destroyed by Sebastian's hurtful accusations.

Rachel finds out that she is pregnant, the doctor also discovers a few medical problems, so to protect her child's future she contacts Sebastian. Sebastian regrets the way he treated Rachel and works hard to make it up to her, but not without some resistance from her.

The book flowed well it didn't have the annoying, interfering ex-girlfriend\want-a-be girlfriend and allowed the hero and heroine to work out their problems, with some help from his mother.

I know that this is outside of the HP format, but more pages on this story would have been nice.

Lucy Monroe blends another beautiful story of passion and seduction.

Rachel Long has returned to Greece to bury her estranged mother and stepfather. Rachel never fit in with her mother's larger then life lifestyle. One bright spot in her mom's marriage was Sebastian Kouros, her stepfather's nephew. Sebastian was always protective and a good friend to Rachel.

Sebastian has watched Rachel grow and blossom into an enchanting young woman. He tries not to let his negative feelings about her mother cloud his judgment. Sebastian takes Rachel to his island home to help her grieve. What happens is a night of passion that neither will forget. But doubts rear their ugly head and Rachel flees. When her health is at risk Rachel reaches out to Sebastian.

Lucy Monroe writes such delicious alpha males and Sebastian is one to a T. But once he realizes his mistake he sets out to make things right. Rachel is a delightful heroine, you can feel her pain and sorrow. She may be shy and quiet but she can hold her own with her Greek tycoon.

I am a big fan of Lucy Monroe and her HP books. Of course, my favorite Harlequin Presents books in general tend to be ones with Greek heroes. There is just something about them. I will pick an HP book up with Greek in the title before I will one with Sheikh, Prince, Italian, etc. in the title. And I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one, The Greek's Innocent Virgin, by Lucy Monroe.

Rachel Long returns to Greece for her mother's and her stepfather's funeral. She meets up with her teenage crush, Sebastian Kouros, who is also her stepfather's nephew. Rachel's mother was a terrible gold-digger, and Sebastian fears that Rachel is too, all while trying to deny his attraction to her as well. They have a one-night stand which leaves Rachel pregnant and hurt because Sebastian reveals what he believes Rachel to be.

Not too soon after, Sebastian realizes he has made a mistake and goes looking for Rachel. Not knowing that she has changed her last name. Rachel has to contact him though because she is experiencing some medical problems that place her and her baby in jeopardy, and she needs Sebastian's help. The whole added medical problem added a different dimension for me that you don't usually see in an HP book. So I enjoyed that different aspect of this story. This is one of the more sweet and tender HP stories, and I give it 4 1/2 stars!

Sebastian Kouros thinks he knows all about Rachel long. After all she is just like her mother a convining scheming gold digger. But she isn't and the chemistry between them is anything but milD, seducing her was no diffcult feat which makes sebastian sick with himself because he see himself going down the same road as his beloved uncle. Only rachel isn't a gold digger she was a virgin and sebastian won't be able to live with himself if she doesn't take him back because as sure as he is greek he will never let her go again.

Rachel was truly the innocent virgin. She'd been in love with Sebastian since her early teens. However, years later circumstances of her mother's and step-fathers death bring her back to Greece to face her past and this Greek alpha who is mourning his Uncle's death.
Their mutual attraction is strong and they come together. However, this Greek mistrusts her and her motives. He hurts her badly causing Rachel to return to the States.

Theirs is a love story with many lessons to learn. When Rachel learns she is not only pregnant and suffers from an illness, she must contact Sebastian. Their lives take on a new meaning because of the baby and their relationship takes many twists and turns.

I'm astonished at the depth Lucy puts into her characters. I could feel Rachel's pain through the entire story as well as Sebastian's pride and passion. It's a love story you won't want to miss.

Presents Book Summary:
Greek tycoon Sebastian Kouros thinks he knows all about Rachel Long: as far as he's concerned, she's a scheming money-grabber who deserves nothing from him or his family.
But the searing sexual chemistry between them can't be denied. Sebastian sees an opportunity to seduce this girl who plays it so sweet and innocent. He'll discard her when he sees fit....
Only Rachel isn't a gold digger at all - she is innocent and she's a virgin....

This is yet another beautiful book by Monroe. Her style of writing is so heart touching that it's almost as if you're living in a true romance. The hero is very proud and sexy and yet when he realizes his mistake, he does everything to make it up to her and the heroine is very sweet and innocent but when he hurts her, she gives him a hard time before eventually giving in. Very good read!

This book was a waste of my time and money. Neither the characters nor the story line was believable. There is nothing romantic in this book. This book is filled with too much cliché and not enough reality check. Don't waste your money and time! The title and summary about the book is misleading. Negative 5 stars, if such rating existed, but it doesn't AND the rating system wouldn't let me make it zero so it is showing up as one star.

I guess I have to be the odd woman out this time. I saw nothing likeable about either character, finding both one-dimensional and uninteresting. Every horry old Harlequinism is here: the unredeemably bad mother, the misunderstood heroine, the fabulously wealthy alpha-alpha-alpha hero, the exotic locale, the bad dialogue. I know the author wanted to show the hero's growth from chauvinist to sensitive good guy and the heroine's spine by running away from a bad situation until the hero changed. But the author couldn't sell me on either. I bought this book on the strength of other books by Lucy Monroe. I know LM is capable of much better storytelling than this formulaic, uninspired nonsense.

The story line was really good....but I believe the writer could have done better.

Rachel Long returns to Greece to bury her estrange mother and stepfather after they died in car crash. She had always loved Sebastian from afar, but on this last visit she decided to share an intimate relationship with him. After one night of passion, and the next morning of misunderstanding, she leaves and goes back to America only to learn about two life altering news: 1. she is pregnant; 2. she has a heart problem! Desperate to give her unborn child the opportunity of knowing its father (a luxury she didn't have) she contacts Sebastian to take care of the child in case something happens to her.

Sebastian was devastated after the death of his great-uncle and blamed Andrea, Rachel's mother for causing it. He always had a tender spot for Rachel, calling her "little one" but after his great-uncle's death, he directed his anger and frustration on the one who carried Andrea's bad gene: Rachel. He believed her to the carbon copy of Andrea and treated her thusly. But once he realized his mistake, it was too late and Rachel was gone from his life for ever.

As I said before, the storyline was REALLY good and thoughtful, but it was too short for my taste. What the author wrote is acceptable, but she could have expanded it more with more depths on the hurt and longing felt by both sides. Some parts were heartbreaking which is sure to bring tears in your eyes. Overall, it wasn't so bad and I'll deem it to be a draft rather than a total finished copy.