Customer Reviews

Italian Boss, Housekeeper Bride (Harlequin Presents)

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

 

 

This story started out with promise and fell apart somewhere....

Midway through this book I had mixed feeling about the characters Rafe and Natasha. I felt as though the author had setup the plot and background to really spring board a good story, where the hero and heroine had history. And I set myself up for what I believed would be a good book, but it was mediocre at best. The storyline simply is that Rafe asks his housekeeper Natasha to pose as his fiancee to get the heat and public eye off of his younger sister who was put in a treatment center because she had basically a nervous breakdown after breaking up with a boyfriend.

Enters big brother Rafe to the rescue, he talks Natasha into this ludicrous plan of playing the "pretend-fiancee" This is where the ugly duckling turns into a swan-cinderella aspect comes in. Of course Rafe NEVER notices Natasha as a "woman" until she gets herself all dolled up to play the part of his fiancee, even though she has been his housekeeper for 5 years. It takes Natasha to slap some paint on her face and get into some exspensive "glad rags" for Rafe to take any notice of her. Although Natasha has been in love with him for years and watched him date and entertain numerous women throughout that time. I believed her love for him was more hero worship, but anyway I digress. I really couldn't swallow the whole mutual love between these two, because throughout the story Rafe made it as if Natasha should have been greatful to him for taking an interest in her, when in fact he should have been greatful for her help. Also the way that Rafe "fell in love" with Natasha only after they went to bed together was so shallow I didn't see that his feeling were honest.

The only reason I gave it three stars is because of the fact Rafe seems to have a genuine caring relationship with Natasha's young son.

I shouldn't be giving review to this book or rate this book, since I haven't read it but I have my reason, please bear with me.
From the book cover description, I found that the plot was so familiar except for the names of the main characters. After checking my library, I found that I had a mini-book 'The Boss's Bought Mistress', also by this author.
I read the first chapter of this full length book on-line (sample reading), I am not sure I like the female character, being an employee and/or in love with the boss doesn't have to act like a doormat. All in the name of love?!
I didn't buy this book, because the plot of the mini-book & this full length one is almost identical, down to the housekeeper's son and his age, the lawyer's advice, sister (step-sister) in re-hab .... The mini-book was okay, pleasant reading to kill time, I'd give it 3 stars, so I give this book 3 stars (because I am required to give it a rating).
I wouldn't mind if the mini-book is part of a series; but changing names of characters, putting in more words to make it up to a 180-pages of book is not right. Could this is be the publisher's or editor's error? If so, 0 star to them.