Customer Reviews

Taken By The Highest Bidder (Harlequin Presents)

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

 

 

Taken by the Highest Bidder, isn't that bad of a book! It's got this great chemistry between two people that are completely opposite. I love the love story between Christiano and Sam. As different as they are, they have one thing in common..and that's their love for "Gabby".

Christiano may seem like a complete bad guy, because it's one of those "macho-guy" that doesn't like showing his weakness, but whenever Sam is around, she's able to knock down that wall Christiano's built up. In time, Christiano realizes he needs Sam, not just for his "needs", but for his heart.

The story has a lot of twist and turns. For my part, I felt there were 2 shockers. And they play well into the story.

All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone that likes a great romance story between two different class of people.

As always, Jane Porter takes her readers to the most beautiful places, this time it was Montecarlo.

Samantha is a beautiful woman that has lived through many difficult situations. The most dramatic of all loosing unexpectedly the people she had loved the most. For the sake of a child, she got married by convenience to Johann and he turned out to be the most terrible gambler who even dared to wager his wife and daughter!

Unbeknownst to us, Christiano shares a special relationship with Gaby, but he is showing a lot of interest towards Samantha.

Wait and see the change of direction in this story and please be ready to read the most heart-wrenching drama typical of Mrs. Porter.
I strongly recommend it.

From the very beginning the reader is intrigued by the handsome Christiano who has definitely set his sights on Samantha. As this story continues you can't help but be drawn to Sam and her lovely step-daughter Gabby. One feels sorry for both as they have been taken advantage of by Johann whom all believe to be Gabby's father.

Johann, the evil man that he is, wagers both Sam and Gabby in a card game in Monte Carlo and of course, looses. From there on, the storyline takes twists and turns and keeps the reader on the edge of her seat.

This is just another example of how Jane Porter takes her readers to beautiful countries and entertains her readers with a very powerful story.

Book Summary:

Sold in Monte Carlo: a beautiful English baroness!

Samantha van Bergen has been wagered and won by the highest bidder: dark and sexy Italian, Cristiano Bartolo.

Did he buy her to bed her?

Innocent Sam is scared Cristiano will seduce her! But she quickly finds out he has his own reason for wanting her - bedding her is just a bonus!

"TAKEN BY THE HIGHEST BIDDER is poignant yet sensual romance that stimulates the heart and enthralls the senses. Jane Porter has an unerringly beautiful talent for developing unique plots with deep drama that delve into the hearts of readers and leave a mark. Superbly written with detailed characterization and gripping emotional intensity, this romance is yet another reason why Jane Porter is one of the brightest stars on the Harlequin Presents horizon. Bravo, Ms. Porter!"
~Leena Hyat - Senior Editor, The Best Reviews

A well written story with good character development. Jane Porter allows the readers to get to know the characters, and both are likable and their actions/reactions believable. There really wasn't too much romance in it. I thought it was weird it is being sold under the guise of a Harlequin pocketbook ... it almost felt like the love story was secondary to what was actually happening in the book. Nevertheless, I enjoyed it.

FIRST OFF wasn't Gabby the cutiess thing, LOVE the story, EXCELLENT story telling. I JUST STARTED TO READ JANE PORTER and she has talent alot of it i like her novels...

Both the characters have a great chemistry and what it come down to is that they both love that little girl....

A friend recommended this author due to her new novels; Odd Mom Out and Mrs. Perfect and while I was waiting for those novels I check out her earlier work. In this book Samantha married Count Van Bergen because she loved his daughter but now is gambling all their money away. Cristiano hates Count Van Bergen and when the Count bets his wife - Cristiano agrees. Lots of twist and turns - I did skim a little Samantha had to grow up ALOT.

I liked the story but I didn't care too much for the beginning. I thought it was a contemporary but I also believed that something that came down to white slavery was frowned upon. Yet that is what it seemed like when Cristano admitted that Samantha's husband gambled her away.

How could her husband block Van Bergen legally so many times for so many years when he really didn't have any money? Cristano had tons of money which would therefore mean that no legal road would be closed to him!

Towards the end it got a bit much again. The whole fear thing. Yeah I could buy that but I could buy Cristano giving in to a separation so easily. Not someone who fought for years for something that he wanted; someone who claimed that he always got what he wanted. Just didn't seem to wash that if he wanted her so much that he would through in the towel for something that he obviously appeared to want more.