Wendy the Super Librarian‘s review of Pleasured By The Secret Millionaire by Natalie Anderson
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Presents 1 Jun 09
I tend to be a bit impulsive when selecting Harlequins to read, mostly going by back cover descriptions and authors who, over time, have proven to be consistent for me. I’ll be honest, the back cover copy on most Harlequin Presents leaves me fairly cold. But Natalie Anderson’s latest was different. When I was purchasing June titles, the back cover description for this book actually sounded interesting to me. Also, I’ll admit, I was intrigued by the “millionaire” hero. Only a millionaire? Not a billionaire or a tycoon? Wow. The current state of the economy is even worse that I thought.
Sienna had a childhood filled with doctors, hospitals and constant health issues. She was always told what she could and could not do by her overprotective mother and brother. Well, now she’s in reasonable health and she’s going to have herself a holiday. She’s going to travel, see the sights, have adventures, and leave the “old” Sienna in the dust. While in Sydney, she innocently walks into a bar when she hears a band warming up. It’s there that she locks eyes with drop dead gorgeous Rhys. Sparks fly. Can she do it? Can she really leave the “old” Sienna behind by having a fling with a breathtakingly handsome stranger?
Dr. Rhys Maitland is not only a well-respected doctor, he’s also a millionaire thanks to a successful family business. He’s not as notorious as Paris Hilton, but he’s well-known enough in Sydney that he often finds his personal life splashed across the society pages. He’s taking some time off of work, lying low, and drawing zero attention to himself when he meets Sienna. He’s immediately floored. Whether it’s lust or love at first sight, he doesn’t much care. However he’s determined to keep this fling strictly anonymous. The prospect of a woman being attracted to him, the real him, not his bank account and minor celebrity status is very appealing indeed.
There was quite a bit about this story that I found innovative, refreshing and utterly charming – most of it thanks to Sienna. This is a girl who wants to let go of her baggage and grab life with both hands. She’s also, blessedly, not a virgin and is an active participant in seducing Rhys. Our girl isn’t about to let the guy make all the first moves.
The stumbling block comes in the form of Rhys, who just isn’t as interesting and “fresh” as Sienna. He’s standard HP Alpha Hero. He’s happy to have an affair, until a misunderstanding crops up, and then he’s rather quick to think that Sienna is a gold-digging, lying whore out to sell her story of their affair to the highest bidder. Sigh. Then there are moments where he morphs into HP Protector Hero. Just put yourself in this fluffy little box darling, we want you to stay away from any sharp edges. Sigh.
While Rhys was a bit too stereotypical HP hero for my tastes, I’m thinking hard core HP readers won’t have the same issues with him that I did. And I really enjoyed the author giving readers a heroine like Sienna, who was young, vibrant, and full of life. This story wasn’t enough for me to rush out and buy every single HP title next month, but for fans of the line, it’s probably worth a look.
Grade: C+
Summary:
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Gorgeous millionaire Rhys Maitland is tired of women throwing themselves at him just because his name denotes success. On meeting Sienna, Rhys hides the truth and insists they share one night only….
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But Sienna’s got her own secrets. Dressing carefully to conceal the scar that plagues her life, she doesn’t know she’s been exquisitely pleasured—by a secret millionaire! But when one night isn’t enough, Rhys and Sienna will have to strip themselves bare—in every sense!
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Read an excerpt.
