365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #219

For Pleasure... Or Marriage? - Julia James
Mills & Boon Modern
In 'Passion & Pleasure' Mills & Boon By Request
Harlequin Mills & Boon, 2009
ISBN: 9780263871425


My rating





From the back cover:

"A mistress is for pleasure, not for marriage...
Tycoon Markos Makarios thinks he has the perfect woman in Vanessa: she's beautiful, adoring, living only to please him. In fact, she's the best mistress he's ever had. Until he has to warn her not to think of marriage; a mistress is only for pleasure, after all.
But Vanessa had believed she was his partner - not merely a plaything. Now Markos is about to learn the true price of the woman he's obsessed with...and to discover there's something even his billions can't buy!"


This is the second book in the By Request omnibus as above, and yet another Julia James book. A a bit of a disappointing one though...

The heroine Vanessa and the hero Markos meet in Paris, Markos is immediately attracted to her and soon discovers that she is perfect for him. Vanessa has spent most of her life sheltered and is a little flustered by Markos's attentions, yet she quickly falls for him. Six months on and Vanessa feels blissfully happy and has more or less devoted herself to him. Markos is also happy with things the way they are with Vanessa, and even the pressure from his father to marry suitably doesn't get to him. Vanessa is shocked and hurt when Markos lets it slip that he only considers her as his mistress, and will never offer her more. Initially Vanessa thinks that it is a mistake, but his actions show her the truth. She leaves without a word and with a secret and begins to build a new life for herself. Until Markos tracks her down and confronts her with his angry accusations.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn't stand either of the characters. The hero was such an ass, he seemed to have so little respect for the heroine and that always frustrates me beyond belief (why do authors write hero's like this!). And the heroine is literally the definition of doormat, even worse than the hero's lack of respect for the heroine is the heroine's complete lack of self respect. Although she did manage to find her backbone eventually, when she finally stood up for herself were some of the best moments in the books, so she is slightly redeemed.
The story is also a little similar to other Julia James books, and while some of those worked, this one just did not.

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