| Title | : | Innocent Secretary...Accidentally Pregnant |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 0373129475 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9780373129478 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Mass Market Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 192 |
| Publication | : | First published December 1, 2009 |
Now he's standing there offering her a promotion, and she's trying to find the words to tell him...she's pregnant!
Innocent Secretary...Accidentally Pregnant Reviews
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This is the Sunday Dinner of HP.
The ingredients – main course:
Gorgeous, rich man whore hero with a tortured past and a miniature poodle named Pepper
Competent virgin heroine who needs the PA job with the hero so that she can pay for her crotchety father’s nursing home fees. She also has a tortured past.
Selected sides:
Head secretary trying to get pregnant with IVF
Heroine’s father who regrets being so neglectful to the heroine and bitter about the past
Hero’s family who welcome the heroine, but share a dark secret
Starter course:
Heroine’s introduction to her new job, getting to know the hero who is charming. He’s yummy and there is no hope for this heroine.
Main Course:
Hero’s sister’s wedding where the H/h finally become close and the hero pulls away in a hurtful manner. Heroine stiff upper lips it in the weeks after their break up as the hero tries to make her quit.
Delicious Angsty Dessert:
Hero’s father’s funeral and the hero declaring himself in love and then pulling back to “protect her.”
Coffee course where all the angst is savored:
Hero finds out the truth about his parentage *and* goes to counselling. Seeks out the heroine to grovel (not too much – this is a low-cal grovel). Heroine forgives.
After dinner mint:
Heroine gives birth to a girl and realizes she has the confidence to be a mother.
*happy replete sigh*
If virgin/man-who-can’t-commit-is-cruel-in-his-pain is to your taste, you’ll like this one. No slut shamming. No OWs paraded. No recriminations/blame about the pregnancy. -
Worst title ever. This book deserved a much better title, you know like a real novel. With so many Greek/Italian/Sicilian/Tycoons/Billionaires/Mistresses/Virgins/Pregnancy/Revenge/Contracts they all blend together. Bring back the old school titles like Sweet Harvest, Bitter Enchantment, Run for Your Love (love that one), Child of Judas. Of course, along with a great title you often had to put up with heroes that did not just verbally abuse women as so many Harlequin heroes do, but are physically abusive. Anyhoo, back to IS, AP.
Emma starts out pretty sassy and has Luca's womanizing act pegged. A deep dark secret pops out from her past and makes her reconsider her decision to stay away from Luca. Luca, on the other hand, is a callous but charming womanizer with his own deep dark secret.
Suffice to say, both characters are driven by their past as well as their desire for each other. Luca's secret However, he is so verbally abusive and cruel to our little heroine, it's hard to come back from. I, unlike other readers, felt he made the journey although, of course, more groveling could have happened. We could always read more groveling!!!
Tropey, of course, BUT, BUT I was happy to see that his family welcomed Emma when she visited rather than the usual humdrum bummery of "You are no Sicilian." plus Emma does not back down from Luca's last cruel diatribe. When she says she is done, she is done. And, stop for it, Luca actually sees a counselor for his situation rather than simply have rebound sex. -
Really well done Office Romance. Actually!
Yes, a selfish manhoe boss, a full figured virginal 'Innocent Secretary' who thinks she can resist the lure but gives in sooner than later. He warns her, others warn her but does she listen?
Gets 'Accidentally Pregnant' too. He dumps her after some awful sneering and humiliation.*Angst!*
Both have parent issues, his being much worse. Figures!
So yes, all that but still good!
Though the last push-pull and his torment gets dragged too much at the end.
So a 3.65* -
2.5 stars
As my friends have already good reviews, I'll just add...
The H is a manwhore, ok, I can deal with it... but I can't forgive that easily when he sleeps with his employees 🙄 -
First off, what a stupid title. So unworthy of such a wonderfully written book.
Love, love, love this heroine. She is worthy of all the titles of independent, spirited, sweetheart and best of all works hard for her money with all the struggles of the modern woman, juggling the care of an aged parent, demanding career, plus going to night school to learn the trades of her real passion: art. And of course, falling in love with her boss.
Typical alpha male hero with a hard exterior but a gooey soft centre that he can't help showing to a chosen few: mostly his dog and our sweet h. He has an abusive childhood that the writer carefully unveils. This is no typical playboy. I love how the author fleshes out his character. I almost forgot he's in a HP novel.
So many beautiful crafted moments between H and h where they both have to deal with a tainted, childhood continually intruding in the process of them falling in love and each finding a way to be there for each other. So much angst beautifully handled without resorting to token OWs or dumb melodramatic twists.
My only issue is the ending. It was such a cop-out with the doctor character. I won't give it away but I hated that so much, I almost gave it a one-star because it ruined an excellent book for me. I would have preferred the hero to have acknowledged his abusive father and go into therapy knowing he can break the abusive cycle. I'm glad I waited a couple of days to get over my disappoinment. If I can forgive asshat heros in vintage romances, I should be able to get past this minor issue!
This is one couple truly deserving a HEA. Well-worth my time spent reading. -
Dreadfully boring. The H was jumpy and inconsistent in his character. Sometimes he was alpha, other times kinda beta. Also had serious family issues. The h was needy and try hard. Didn’t like either of the mc’s. For anyone wanting to read this book, if you can bear with the first two or three chapters, the book picks up. The H gets flirty and ballsy. The h is also likeable at that point until later, when she gets weepy, needy, clingy and tbh asks the H wayyyy too many personal, uncomfortable questions.
Unfortunately I prefer my h to not act like the H’s mother. The h also had no spunk to her. First time they sleep, she’s kind of begging the H to take her. And she’s also lightly discussing how the first time is supposed to feel like. Umm either you’re bashful and nervous or you’re desperate and dying to get laid. And obv your man of choice for that first time is good looking and wealthy af. Very very convenient. -
Hero finds himself faced with a conundrum. He is attracted to Emma, his personal assistant, but he realizes that it could complicate his work environment by seducing her. So what does he do? He seduces her anyway.
Sadly, Luc is a creep. He grew up in a dysfunctional, traumatic household and is conscious that this has emotionally delayed him and impacted how he conducts his affairs with women. I understand that his childhood was pretty rotten but I don't think it excuses his general sleazy attitude towards women, including Emma, who he claims to genuinely like. And, since it is no secret that Emma becomes "accidentally pregnant," I thought Luc's handling of the situation was downright bizarre.
Towards the end of the book I thought he crossed the line with some of the really horrid things he says to her in order to push her away. HP heroes are known for being "dismissive of their ladies feelings" but Luc is so caught up the gestalt of his misery that his actions lack the alpha grizzly possessiveness and anguish a successful, cruel HP hero needs.
Finally I didn't like the way Luc's family issues were resolved. I thought there was going to be some sort of interesting message about how children do not carry the sins of their parents. Alas the message in this book is that maybe they do?
Still, this was an enjoyable read if you are in the mood for an a$$hat hero who prefers mental games instead of forced seduction. I was in this mood when I read this book, so I enjoyed it despite the aforementioned complications. -
I was in the mood for a Harly, so I gave this one a go. They just don't make innocent virgin secretaries like they used to. Secretary manages to have a night of earth-shattering sex after a lifetime of celibacy, hero manages to be a dickwad until practically the last page of the book, and a baby manages to appear in spite of responsible birth control measures. Harly Power!
Grade: B -
Very emotional book for me. Reading about a hero who is a survivor of abuse touched me deeply. Yes he was cruel to the heroine but he had deep scars and I loved how he dealt with them. Counseling can help and I'm glad author showed that. Heroine was funny, loving and compassionate, a gem!
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My first official translation ! !
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wow wow amazing , they made me cry
so emotional. -
Self note: Fanniny’s reviews
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Loved the story;
Luca is attracted to Emma from the begining - but knows he must never mix business with pleasure.
He falls in love with her after a few weeks, but is afraid to admit his feelings -
but one can understand why he does - his past is scarred by an abusive family
(his father used to abuse his mother and sister; grandfather killed grandmother; uncle killed aunt);
and this scared him to death, because he did not want to hurt Emma in any way.
except that his father really wasn't his father;
Emma is mature (based on facts that she didn't want to get close to him knowing it would hurt her, and by not playing the pregnancy trump card); but also a little silly - after he made it very clear that he didn't do long-terms, she still thought that maybe there could be a chance for her,
she should have just accepted that instead of making a big issue with it, and saying things she really didn't mean. -
Didn't expect much from this book because of the title. However, I was pleasantly surprised because I loved the characters and the storyline was pretty damn good too.
Emma applied for a job as an assistant PA to the gorgeous, wealthy Luca and initially got turned down. But a kindness to Luca's PA and the fact that she could resist Luca's charm got her the job.
She was doing well until she saw Luca undressed as she helped him pack for a trip and then it all went to hell in a hand basket. Ok... that may be taking it too far but once he knew she wanted him, he made up his mind to have her and it was on!
Emma and Luca were both strong, interesting characters and very likable. Emma's sassiness and lessons learned from watching her father and brothers with women helped her put Luca in his place and keep him there.
Luca found her a challenge and a change from his usual simpering, clinging girlfriends. Even so, he was so damn verbally cruel when things were getting too close for comfort. He had the power to devastate her and he used it thinking he was protecting her.
An absolute enjoyable read. Highly recommend! -
Normally I enjoy Carol Marinelli's books but this one didn't really do much for me. One, I didn't really care for the hero. Sure he had his issues but as someone in another review stated so well, he was just a creep. The heroine also was silly. She went in completely aware that their relationship was not permanent and then got upset when Luca asked her to leave, so to speak.
There wasn't the drama I love in HP's in this one. Well, perhaps there is a bit but since I don't really care for the characters it didn't do much for me. -
Heroine went to work for hero, hero started developing feelings for heroine even though he was a playboy, they slept together numerous times and she fell in love with the hero in turn. She got pregnant, never told him, he screwed up the relationship on untrue fact, assuming he would be an abuser like his father, only his father wasn't his father. Begged for her back, explained everything and ta da, happily ever after.
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I like this one. Both h and H have serious issues and a lot happening in their personal lives during this time. The whole book is chock full with emotions.
It is quite obvious right from the beginning that the H feels more for the h than he admitted. As is often the case, it's more showing for a playboy to not want to bed someone but be just around her to show how he really feels. His POV throughout the book also helps us understand more his motive and at times, his desperate need for the h, which is totally endearing considering the fact that I really don't care for some of his actions.
Their first kiss scene is just earth shatteringly romantic and totally memorable. Actually all the love scenes are so very well done that you actually can feel the deeper connection the two have and that it's not just a lust scene, I definitely would like to read more from this author.
What I do have a quibble with is how callous the H seems to want to pursue the weekend getaway thing. I understand though that sex to him provides a mental escape from the emotional cauldron that's always bubbling close to the surface, but considering what the h has told him, I just find it very callous of him to forge ahead. He's also very mean to her not just once, but repeatedly, for her own protection in his mind, but none the less, I find I'm a harder woman to please as I'd have still kicked him to the curb at the reconciliation scene.
The h is a tough cookie that doesn't succumb easily. She's strong in shouldering all the burdens of her family, is implacable and steely when she deals with the mean antics of the H and I really do like to see more of that from Harlequin women. I find it a bit weird though that despite all the pep talk she gave herself and her experience in life, she fell for the H so easily.
All in all though, I really like this one as I can feel the connection between the pair via their everyday dealings, like just a simple look between them filled with understand or a fierce hug that makes one feel the H virtually wants to absorb h into him and never let her go. I find this more poignant and convince me more that they're meant to be together than the heated sexy smutty looks other authors often use instead. -
Leído el 06/11/2010
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Heh, can't believe this story is ten years old!
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3.5 Stars
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4stars
At first I thought about giving this book 3.5 stars at most bcs it could be annoying at times, the characters, the scenes. The h was great for the first few chapters. Keen on not succumb to H's charm but eventually she did. Then she get.. emotional. Started to hope. She was a bit commitment phobic like the H but not as bad as the H since he got a pretty solid reason for being like that. But after the first affair she started to hope for something that they had been sure won't happen.
She got pregnant and didn't tell the H bcs H was being a jerk and said hurtful things to her.. although he didn't mean them but yeah she didn't know that. So things happened and she accompanied him for the last time before resigning and he said he loved her then she was so scared to believe him. Later on that day he said he didn't mean the 3 lil words and he was being emotional bcs of the things that just happened. She was mad and upset and felt betrayed she lashed out then she resigned. Finally got to do sth that she really loved which was art and got to sell 3 of them and could pay for her bills and necessities from it and things just started to fall into places but he showed up.
He groveled. She believed and forgave him. Happily ever after with an epilogue with her giving birth to her daughter and has been his wife for some months.
This was pretty slow at first and I was a bit bored hence 3.5 stars at the beginning. Then it was emotional read for me.. a bit painful and for books that could actually make me feel their pain would get extra stars so.. 4 stars then. -
This book was really great. I liked it a lot. It had a lot of emotion in it, more than most HP books. It is usually the heroine swooning over the hero and pining and all that, but this one was more progressive in that and yeah the hero said some cruel things and there were issues of course, what good HP book doesn't have issues?, but there was actually feeling in this book. And I enjoyed it greatly... I laughed, I cried, I got angry, all the feely good emotions of what is supposed to be a really great romance. However, having said that, I do NOT, absolutely DO NOT agree with it being pushed that abuse is genetic. I also don't agree with it being environmental either, because Luca (the hero) grew up in an abusive household, saw his grandfather do it, his uncle, and his father, but he swore never to be in that position and he wasn't. It is a true choice. You have to choose to hit someone and no matter the excuses nothing makes it right.
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Short and Sweet!
I really enjoyed this!
I loved the characters and how much depth there was to them. Emma,The Heroine, in particular I really liked and felt as if she was someone I knew--she handled situations like i would have. I personally think she picked the right desions most of the time, but I don't think I would have forgiven Luca that easily.No matter how hot he is. But knowing the extent of what he had to go through as a child-watching his mother be beaten by his father, again and again, I think the reader is more understanding because you see why he is so afraid to love and enter into a long term relationship, since he fears being like his Father. Near the end of the book we find something out which makes it all better-well, not really but you see why they can be happy.
Good Book.
4 Stars! -
Tracking through Carol Marinelli's back catalogue and discovered this one. Hate the title but loved the story. Great heroine and hero in Emma and Luca. As always, this author does great dialogue and has a beautifully developed journey to a happy ending. Lots of angst and fabulous love scenes. A really emotionally satisfying read. I would have preferred an epilogue a few years further down the line - so 4.5 stars instead of 5 but I highly recommend this one.
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Very nice quick read. I liked the heroine, who didn't give a victim response to our hero's clear Jerk behaviour. The rationale for this behaviour was a little muddy with the hero misunderstanding some things and not knowing about other elements of his background. He thought he was doomed to follow in his father's footsteps.
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2.5 Stars!
I had so much hope for this book. Yes, I loved the banter and witty/snarky banters between the characters but I was actually expecting more. So this book didn't really stay with me but it was enjoyable nonetheless. I did, for the record like the first few chapters. -
What boss can refuse the one who claims to be immune? A well written book with loads more emotional depth than is typical.
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I really liked some of the non-romantic relationships in this story -- the heroine and her father, the hero and his dog (I'm not a dog person but I wish there were more scenes with Pepper), the hero and his family. The hero's father was physically abusive to his mother throughout his childhood; now he's sick and dying and can't hurt her physically anymore, but of course he can still abusive her verbally and the memories are still there. The hero takes the heroine home with him for his sister's wedding, and there are some great scenes with him struggling to hold it together around his father and act as he's expected to in public, while the heroine tries to figure out what's going on and he slowly opens up. The hero's fear of being like his father was very well done imo, and came across as realistic instead of overblown drama. He behaves badly toward the heroine to drive her away, but (for me) he doesn't cross the line to being too shitty to deserve a happy ending. I also appreciated that he actually went to see a counselor to deal with his issues when he realized that he really did want a relationship with the heroine and their unborn child, though I would have liked to see a scene between him and the counselor instead of just a summarizing paragraph.
The heroine felt a little flat/underdeveloped by comparison with the hero, though I did like her. She has a spine and she stands her ground when the hero is trying to be as unpleasant to her as he can to push her away. What bothered me a lot more is a twist toward the end regarding the hero's family background. It is briefly foreshadowed beforehand, but I thought it was totally unnecessary and I don't love the implications.
