365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #94

Bedded, or Wedded? - Julia James
Harlequin Presents
Harlequin, 2007
ISBN: 9780373126842

N.B. The above details relate to the North America release of this book


My rating





From the back cover:

"He'll bed her, expose her, then destroy her...
Lissa works hard to help her sister...even if that means having to put on false eyelashes and flatter wealthy men... Xavier Lauran has pursued Lissa from the moment he walked into the Soho casino. The last thing she needs is the dark, lethal sexuality of the Frenchman. But she can't resist...
Xavier has woven a web of deceit to catch her! And now he's trapped her - he'll ruin her!"

I bought this for my Kindle as it came up on my recommendations, I have read quite a few Julia James books in the past but not this one. I really liked it.

When the hero Xavier learns that his half brother is supposedly in love and plans to marry he is immediately suspicious of the woman in question. He arranges to have his brother investigated and discovered this woman to be Lissa, the heroine. He sees her as a gold digger and completely unsuitable to be part of the family. He plans to expose her for what he believes she is in order to save his brother from humiliation. Lissa is actually nothing like what Xavier thinks, instead she is working herself to exhaustion to try and pay for treatment for her sister. When Xavier and Lissa meet, orchestrated by Xavier, they are immediately attracted to one another and Xavier is shocked by Lissa's gentle nature. He pursues her for an affair and she initially turns him down but eventually succumbs to her desire. They spend two seemingly blissful weeks together but they are both keeping secrets.

One thing I have found with Julia James's books is that they are always very emotional right from the beginning. This is certainly the case in this book as well. I really liked how the author hinted at Lissa's story and revealed it in tiny bits, it kept me reading and wondering what was going to be revealed, and this was executed perfectly. Both characters are really well developed; Lissa is very honest but not at all a martyr and Xavier was wonderfully arrogant and powerful. The conflict between them was so intense I almost had tears in my eyes. And that made the HEA much more special.

This is a beautifully written romance with some really deep emotional moments. A perfect Modern/Presents!

Xx