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Ruthless Awakening
The grandeur of Penvarnon House in Cornwall is where Rhianna Carlow spent her lonely childhood as the housekeeper's unwanted niece. Now she's a guest returning for a wedding at Penvarnon—and billionaire Diaz Penvarnon is back, too, seemingly as arrogant and ruthless as ever!
Diaz has one aim—to keep gold digger Rhianna away from the house. He's also the descendant of a Spanish pirate! So he kidnaps Rhianna and she finds herself captive on his luxurious yacht…where her inexperience is no match for his merciless desire!
Diaz has one aim—to keep gold digger Rhianna away from the house. He's also the descendant of a Spanish pirate! So he kidnaps Rhianna and she finds herself captive on his luxurious yacht…where her inexperience is no match for his merciless desire!
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
22 people are currently reading
372 people want to read
About the author
Sara Craven
492 books266 followersAnne Bushell was born on October 1938 in South Devon, England, just before World War II and grew up in a house crammed with books. She was always a voracious reader, some of her all-time favorites books are: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, "Gone With the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell and "The Code of the Woosters" by P. G. Wodehouse.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
September 7, 2010
This is a very good one if you like the old school Harlequin Presents. Ms. Craven has written Rhianna in such a way that you feel a lot of sympathy for her. Rhianna definitely got a raw deal in her young life. Her mother is reviled because of her affair with Ben Penarvon, who had an invalid wife, and her mother was hired to be her nurse. When her parents died, she ended up living with an aunt who never loved her, and treated her like a burden the whole time. She grew up as the child of the hired help on the Penarvon estate. Diaz was nice to her, and she fell in love with him as a young girl, but he catches her in a compromising position which makes her look like she's definitely following in her mother's footsteps. Her aunt puts her out and she has to make her own way in life.
Years later, Rhianna has made a name for herself playing the femme fatale on a television drama. It's pretty ironic that she has taken a role of the scheming, low-moraled vixen on the show, and in real life, some people see her that way, particularly Diaz. You see, Diaz believes she is having an affair with her best friends fiance', and has gotten pregnant by him. When she arrives to attend her friend's wedding, Diaz is keeping a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't try to destroy things for his cousin, who is Rhianna's best friend. He even kidnaps her onto his yacht the night before the wedding to ensure she can't ruin his cousin's day.
Rhianna is playing yet another role in real life. She's hiding some very ugly secrets, secrets which paint her harlot red. I asked myself why she didn't just speak up, but Rhianna had her reasons. Plus, she was afraid to follow through on her long-held feelings for Diaz. It was better for them to stay enemies than to give her heart to him. She thinks Diaz hates the sight of her, but she is very, very wrong. Diaz is an enigmatic figure. You get tantalizing glimpses of his feelings for Rhianna, but his troubled family life has caused him to play his cards very close to his chest. In the end, you truly see how much he always loved Rhianna. In that sense, he stayed sympathetic for me, even though Rhianna saw his actions in a very different light, due to the fact that she was used to feeling disliked and unwanted.
This book is yet another multi-layered story by Sara Craven. She is very good at writing stories that show you different sides of the story, and slowly assembling the pictures, so that you either confirm your suspicions, or end up with a big surprise. I thought I had this one figured out, and I did in part. But, things were even more complicated than I thought. The puzzle pieces were there, as I read, but I had no clue how the final picture would look when fully assembled. I feel like I got a very intense, involving romance, but also a dramatic story full of old secrets. These secrets kept by the parents cause a lot of pain for the children. But fortunately, they find solace and love together.
This is classic Sara Craven, and it was very well done.
Years later, Rhianna has made a name for herself playing the femme fatale on a television drama. It's pretty ironic that she has taken a role of the scheming, low-moraled vixen on the show, and in real life, some people see her that way, particularly Diaz. You see, Diaz believes she is having an affair with her best friends fiance', and has gotten pregnant by him. When she arrives to attend her friend's wedding, Diaz is keeping a close eye on her to make sure she doesn't try to destroy things for his cousin, who is Rhianna's best friend. He even kidnaps her onto his yacht the night before the wedding to ensure she can't ruin his cousin's day.
Rhianna is playing yet another role in real life. She's hiding some very ugly secrets, secrets which paint her harlot red. I asked myself why she didn't just speak up, but Rhianna had her reasons. Plus, she was afraid to follow through on her long-held feelings for Diaz. It was better for them to stay enemies than to give her heart to him. She thinks Diaz hates the sight of her, but she is very, very wrong. Diaz is an enigmatic figure. You get tantalizing glimpses of his feelings for Rhianna, but his troubled family life has caused him to play his cards very close to his chest. In the end, you truly see how much he always loved Rhianna. In that sense, he stayed sympathetic for me, even though Rhianna saw his actions in a very different light, due to the fact that she was used to feeling disliked and unwanted.
This book is yet another multi-layered story by Sara Craven. She is very good at writing stories that show you different sides of the story, and slowly assembling the pictures, so that you either confirm your suspicions, or end up with a big surprise. I thought I had this one figured out, and I did in part. But, things were even more complicated than I thought. The puzzle pieces were there, as I read, but I had no clue how the final picture would look when fully assembled. I feel like I got a very intense, involving romance, but also a dramatic story full of old secrets. These secrets kept by the parents cause a lot of pain for the children. But fortunately, they find solace and love together.
This is classic Sara Craven, and it was very well done.
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April 14, 2018Holy moly. I can't even rate this as GR doesn't have a rating I could handle for this.
Waaaayyyyyy too angsty for me and way, way too many horrible, nasty, vicious characters.
Waaaayyyyyy too angsty for me and way, way too many horrible, nasty, vicious characters.
October 9, 2017
Lie #1 Heroine's mother was mistress to the hero's father, thus breaking up his parent's marriage.
Lie #2 Heroine was the OW to her best friend's fiance.
How these lies came to being and how the truth is discovered is the scope of this story. The hero kidnaps the heroine on the night before the wedding of her best friend and her "lover." He invites her to dinner on his yacht and they set sail to Spain from Cornwall.
It's a complicated story with the backstory dropped in that clumsy Sara Craven fashion, but it kept me guessing and I liked that.
Lie #2 Heroine was the OW to her best friend's fiance.
How these lies came to being and how the truth is discovered is the scope of this story. The hero kidnaps the heroine on the night before the wedding of her best friend and her "lover." He invites her to dinner on his yacht and they set sail to Spain from Cornwall.
It's a complicated story with the backstory dropped in that clumsy Sara Craven fashion, but it kept me guessing and I liked that.
February 4, 2018
The shunned h is kidnapped by H when he thinks she is going to ruin his sister's wedding and she has been having an affair with the groom.
She hasn't as she has always been in lurve with H.
Pretty good story, the h has been treated badly by H and H's family all her life but becomes a successful actress in spite of them and when the H realizes his mistakes, he is very suitably penitent. There is a decent grovel.
She hasn't as she has always been in lurve with H.
Pretty good story, the h has been treated badly by H and H's family all her life but becomes a successful actress in spite of them and when the H realizes his mistakes, he is very suitably penitent. There is a decent grovel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 14, 2022
Not bad for the Harlequin version of a soap opera. Secrets, lies, and betrayals played a big role in the narrative but the romance could have been stronger. I wanted to see more passion and interaction between Rhianna and Diaz, who appeared to be more of a supporting character than the hero of the story.
There was one plot development I knew was a twist, but it still had me shaking my head because it made Rhianna look sleazy. Then there was another twist that I didn't see coming.
Still, I couldn't put the book down. There were poignant moments (told in frequent flashbacks, a Sara Craven trademark) where I felt so bad for adolescent Rhianna. Her aunt? What a b*tch! As someone who grew up feeling a little like an outsider herself I completely understood the isolation and pain felt by Rhianna, who continued to pay for the sins of others into adulthood.
As much as I sympathized with young Rhianna her current problems could have been avoided if she'd just told the truth. It was admirable yet frustrating to see her play martyr. I guess Rhianna just took the method-acting technique to heart by living her life melodramatically: she's an actress in a popular British soap after all.
I must have jinxed myself because I had a recent conversation with a friend, Jasbell76, saying that I didn't mind the lack of epilogues in books written by Sara Craven. Well, I spoke too soon because the story ended abruptly. An epilogue would have compensated for the unsatisfying ending.
A mixed bag that is higher on the drama and angst than the romance.
There was one plot development I knew was a twist, but it still had me shaking my head because it made Rhianna look sleazy. Then there was another twist that I didn't see coming.
Still, I couldn't put the book down. There were poignant moments (told in frequent flashbacks, a Sara Craven trademark) where I felt so bad for adolescent Rhianna. Her aunt? What a b*tch! As someone who grew up feeling a little like an outsider herself I completely understood the isolation and pain felt by Rhianna, who continued to pay for the sins of others into adulthood.
As much as I sympathized with young Rhianna her current problems could have been avoided if she'd just told the truth. It was admirable yet frustrating to see her play martyr. I guess Rhianna just took the method-acting technique to heart by living her life melodramatically: she's an actress in a popular British soap after all.
I must have jinxed myself because I had a recent conversation with a friend, Jasbell76, saying that I didn't mind the lack of epilogues in books written by Sara Craven. Well, I spoke too soon because the story ended abruptly. An epilogue would have compensated for the unsatisfying ending.
A mixed bag that is higher on the drama and angst than the romance.
April 6, 2020
Angst fest!
The way this book unraveled was quite a surprise. Nevertheless I enjoyed it to maximum. There was more antagonists than protagonists in this story. And I loved how courageous and brave heroine was. You could say from the beginning itself that hero had feelings for her and was quite smitten and jealous.
Recommended.
The way this book unraveled was quite a surprise. Nevertheless I enjoyed it to maximum. There was more antagonists than protagonists in this story. And I loved how courageous and brave heroine was. You could say from the beginning itself that hero had feelings for her and was quite smitten and jealous.
Recommended.
December 16, 2014
It is impossible to approach a novel with that title and not know you’re in for some fairly dramatic virginity breeching.
Rhianna plays a villain on a popular soap, and she’s sadly in a fictional world that doesn’t treasure bad girls and celebrate their awesomeness. She can’t be cool and funny about it, or even indifferent when people confuse her with her character. Instead, just about everyone in this book thinks that she’s a wicked nasty thing, and she’s not much into correcting their opinions.
Once upon a time, Rhianna was orphaned at 12 and went to live with her horrible aunt who was the housekeeper at a lovely big country manor in Cornwall. Everyone at the big house was direly awful to her, except for Carrie, the daughter of the house, and she and Rhianna became best friends. Carrie was in love with Simon, and the three of them used to hang out together and Rhianna had a bit of a crush on Simon as well.
Then one day, Diaz, the real owner of the big country manor turned up, and he was not direly awful to Rhianna. Why he’s the owner and the people living in the house aren’t is all a bit of convoluted backstory that doesn’t matter all that much. The point is: he’s hot and rich and not a snob. Rhianna saw him swimming naked! He took her out to dinner for her 13th birthday! It’s a great schoolgirl crush, but I spent a lot of time trying to work out the age gap between Diaz and Rhianna, and suspecting that it was actually pretty big. I’m hoping that it was only about ten years, and that at 13 Rhianna just lumped everyone over 20 into the ‘adult and old’ category, but I suspect that it was a lot more than a ten year gap and Diaz should have been more mature about some stuff.
The story is all about the flashback, and opens with Rhianna travelling to Carrie and Simon’s wedding, although she has been warned to on no account attend. The flashbacks deal with the how and why of everyone in Cornwall hating her, and why she was told to stay away from the wedding, and having dealt with that, moves on to Rhianna and Diaz getting it on, even though Diaz is all about her perfidy too. But, you know, also about desiring her and unable to control it, and having feelings he must crush deep down into his soul.
To love this kind of story, you have to be on board with Rhianna as the seriously good and noble girl suffering under the crushing weight of undeserved censure. You really have to be ok with that, and not spend half the book thinking that she should have stood up for herself a bit more, or that it wouldn’t have been so terrible if she’d actually not been quite as good all the time. That attitude is simply not going to work, and defeats any enjoyment of a good ‘all the world is against me’ wallow. If only ‘they’ knew what she was really like, they would be sorry and would love her, but she will never tell them the secrets because then others would suffer. Oh woe! If only someone could magically discover the truth without her having to say stuff!
The virginity breeching is the plot device to incontrovertibly prove to Diaz that Rhianna is not a bad girl. If everybody in Cornwall and everyone who watched her on TV could also have taken her virginity they could also have known as well, but unless you want to film it, you can only surprise one person at a time with your virginity, and only the once. And it is such an overwhelming surprise for Diaz that he immediately pulls out and leaps off her. It’s not really so much ruthless as rude. Just finish the job, and do it properly, and then deal with the implications.
They do manage to sort the sex thing out to their mutual satisfaction, but they can’t be in bed all the time, so they also have to get on with not talking sensibly about whether the sex thing has any sort of future (clearly it’s all hopeless because everyone and the Public will hate the idea of an actress and a rich guy going out) or is maybe tied to some deeper intimate feelings.
This is a fun book, but I’ve now twice had virgin surprises and immediate dismounts from Sara Craven, and it’s really disconcerting. I hope she didn’t make a big habit of it.
Rhianna plays a villain on a popular soap, and she’s sadly in a fictional world that doesn’t treasure bad girls and celebrate their awesomeness. She can’t be cool and funny about it, or even indifferent when people confuse her with her character. Instead, just about everyone in this book thinks that she’s a wicked nasty thing, and she’s not much into correcting their opinions.
Once upon a time, Rhianna was orphaned at 12 and went to live with her horrible aunt who was the housekeeper at a lovely big country manor in Cornwall. Everyone at the big house was direly awful to her, except for Carrie, the daughter of the house, and she and Rhianna became best friends. Carrie was in love with Simon, and the three of them used to hang out together and Rhianna had a bit of a crush on Simon as well.
Then one day, Diaz, the real owner of the big country manor turned up, and he was not direly awful to Rhianna. Why he’s the owner and the people living in the house aren’t is all a bit of convoluted backstory that doesn’t matter all that much. The point is: he’s hot and rich and not a snob. Rhianna saw him swimming naked! He took her out to dinner for her 13th birthday! It’s a great schoolgirl crush, but I spent a lot of time trying to work out the age gap between Diaz and Rhianna, and suspecting that it was actually pretty big. I’m hoping that it was only about ten years, and that at 13 Rhianna just lumped everyone over 20 into the ‘adult and old’ category, but I suspect that it was a lot more than a ten year gap and Diaz should have been more mature about some stuff.
The story is all about the flashback, and opens with Rhianna travelling to Carrie and Simon’s wedding, although she has been warned to on no account attend. The flashbacks deal with the how and why of everyone in Cornwall hating her, and why she was told to stay away from the wedding, and having dealt with that, moves on to Rhianna and Diaz getting it on, even though Diaz is all about her perfidy too. But, you know, also about desiring her and unable to control it, and having feelings he must crush deep down into his soul.
To love this kind of story, you have to be on board with Rhianna as the seriously good and noble girl suffering under the crushing weight of undeserved censure. You really have to be ok with that, and not spend half the book thinking that she should have stood up for herself a bit more, or that it wouldn’t have been so terrible if she’d actually not been quite as good all the time. That attitude is simply not going to work, and defeats any enjoyment of a good ‘all the world is against me’ wallow. If only ‘they’ knew what she was really like, they would be sorry and would love her, but she will never tell them the secrets because then others would suffer. Oh woe! If only someone could magically discover the truth without her having to say stuff!
The virginity breeching is the plot device to incontrovertibly prove to Diaz that Rhianna is not a bad girl. If everybody in Cornwall and everyone who watched her on TV could also have taken her virginity they could also have known as well, but unless you want to film it, you can only surprise one person at a time with your virginity, and only the once. And it is such an overwhelming surprise for Diaz that he immediately pulls out and leaps off her. It’s not really so much ruthless as rude. Just finish the job, and do it properly, and then deal with the implications.
They do manage to sort the sex thing out to their mutual satisfaction, but they can’t be in bed all the time, so they also have to get on with not talking sensibly about whether the sex thing has any sort of future (clearly it’s all hopeless because everyone and the Public will hate the idea of an actress and a rich guy going out) or is maybe tied to some deeper intimate feelings.
This is a fun book, but I’ve now twice had virgin surprises and immediate dismounts from Sara Craven, and it’s really disconcerting. I hope she didn’t make a big habit of it.
June 30, 2021
I've been on a Sara Craven kick--love her angst, although her big misunderstandings and the self-immolating decisions her heroines sometimes make can get irritating. But overall, she was one of Harlequin's best and wrote highly dramatic and often complicated tales with lots of minor but key players who add to the drama.
RA is such a soap opera, showing the full range of SC's love of drama! Old passions and family skeletons underlie this very angsty tale of an orphaned heroine who was punished for the sins of the previous generation and grew up lonely and isolated, with only the friendship of the daughter of the manor and the occasional kindness of the hero to leaven a bleak existence. Five years after her horrible aunt threw her out, she's become a successful actress, playing the femme fatale in a soapy historical drama. She returns home, against the hero's warnings, to attend her bestie's wedding to a louse, knowing some terrible secrets about him that she is reluctant to reveal (making her pretty much the worst friend ever, albeit with good intentions). And so the drama begins...
Kidnappings! Hopeless, star-crossed love! The scandals of the past keeping the hero and heroine apart even after they succumb to their mutual feelings and desires! Craven parcels out the backstory slowly, laying red herrings and hints in a way that worked for me (even though we know, this being a Harlequin, that the heroine can't be guilty of the betrayals laid at her door). The drama continues to the very end, culminating in a typically abrupt Craven ending that wraps up loose ends and leaves our hero and heroine a united force against some hurdles yet to be surmounted but assured of a HEA.
Lots of twists and turns on the way to that HEA, but in the hands of this skillful writer, it didn't detract from the main romance. Good, soapy, vintage stuff!
RA is such a soap opera, showing the full range of SC's love of drama! Old passions and family skeletons underlie this very angsty tale of an orphaned heroine who was punished for the sins of the previous generation and grew up lonely and isolated, with only the friendship of the daughter of the manor and the occasional kindness of the hero to leaven a bleak existence. Five years after her horrible aunt threw her out, she's become a successful actress, playing the femme fatale in a soapy historical drama. She returns home, against the hero's warnings, to attend her bestie's wedding to a louse, knowing some terrible secrets about him that she is reluctant to reveal (making her pretty much the worst friend ever, albeit with good intentions). And so the drama begins...
Kidnappings! Hopeless, star-crossed love! The scandals of the past keeping the hero and heroine apart even after they succumb to their mutual feelings and desires! Craven parcels out the backstory slowly, laying red herrings and hints in a way that worked for me (even though we know, this being a Harlequin, that the heroine can't be guilty of the betrayals laid at her door). The drama continues to the very end, culminating in a typically abrupt Craven ending that wraps up loose ends and leaves our hero and heroine a united force against some hurdles yet to be surmounted but assured of a HEA.
Lots of twists and turns on the way to that HEA, but in the hands of this skillful writer, it didn't detract from the main romance. Good, soapy, vintage stuff!
October 21, 2017
3.5 stars ???
I can't remember because I read it a month ago and you know I'm Dory...
The details I can't remember, and could alter the rating, are:
- Was he celibate after they were dating and broke up because the OM intervened?
- Did he grovel enough?
What I can remember is that he was attracted to her when she was 14 and I don't remember his age but it was definitely more than 18, which makes it a bit disturbing but at least he didn't try anything dubious (?)
“And he was here with her now only because of this nameless, inexplicable thing between them that had burst into life that night in the stable yard, subjecting her to the torments of the damned ever since.
Something apparently that he’d not been able to forget either, even as he lived his life, made his money and slept with other women."
So much for that inexplicable thing...
I was not satisfied by the aunt Kezia's death, that heart attack should have waited a bit longer until she saw how much her niece was succeeding. Yes, I'm so evil.
Also I couldn't believe how cruel was SC to have Mr. Francis married to the horrible Moira. Obviously then I found out Mr. Francis wasn't such an angel...
I know this doesn't make much sense so here's Dianna's review
I can't remember because I read it a month ago and you know I'm Dory...
The details I can't remember, and could alter the rating, are:
- Was he celibate after they were dating and broke up because the OM intervened?
- Did he grovel enough?
What I can remember is that he was attracted to her when she was 14 and I don't remember his age but it was definitely more than 18, which makes it a bit disturbing but at least he didn't try anything dubious (?)
“And he was here with her now only because of this nameless, inexplicable thing between them that had burst into life that night in the stable yard, subjecting her to the torments of the damned ever since.
Something apparently that he’d not been able to forget either, even as he lived his life, made his money and slept with other women."
So much for that inexplicable thing...
I was not satisfied by the aunt Kezia's death, that heart attack should have waited a bit longer until she saw how much her niece was succeeding. Yes, I'm so evil.
Also I couldn't believe how cruel was SC to have Mr. Francis married to the horrible Moira. Obviously then I found out Mr. Francis wasn't such an angel...
I know this doesn't make much sense so here's Dianna's review
May 12, 2017
Above Average . 3.5
Unlike Sara Craven's other books its not that romantic from chapter one itself . There are more secrets , lies , sacrifices , self blames and what not .
And I hate how the author carried the mystery almost throughout the book . I wish things cleared out much earlier at least some of them could have been . Too much of hiding drama .
I will never understand this 13 yr girl going on a date thing tho.
But then its Harlequin after all , you MUST fall in love with the couple and their chemistry which of course I loved too .
Unlike Sara Craven's other books its not that romantic from chapter one itself . There are more secrets , lies , sacrifices , self blames and what not .
And I hate how the author carried the mystery almost throughout the book . I wish things cleared out much earlier at least some of them could have been . Too much of hiding drama .
I will never understand this 13 yr girl going on a date thing tho.
But then its Harlequin after all , you MUST fall in love with the couple and their chemistry which of course I loved too .
February 7, 2017
A good read.
Secrets......secrets....so many secrets! What Joy!
Secrets from long ago get exposed when Rhianna goes back go her childhood home to attend her BFF's wedding. Warned not to come, she braves it anyway come what may. She is determined to be there for her one true bestie. Life gets more complicated when she is kidnapped the night before the wedding by the sexy cousin of the bride.
Diaz is determined to keep her greedy paws and slutty ways off the bridegroom and save the wedding. Finding out that she is not a vamp, nor pregnant, or having an affair turns Diaz upside down trying go mesh the past and present together amissed all the lies. But nothing changes his desire for Rhianna.
Rhianna worried that old secrets will destroy Diaz and his mother, is determined to throw herself on the fire to save her love. Coming to terms with his love for her means all secrets mean nothing without her......sweet!
A well written entertaining read. Their love was sweet. I didn't like how she never tried to change what peole thought of her....maybe other people didn't count but then she didn't need to whine about it either. The hero was sexy and rich but determined to think badly of her just so that he would keep his distance....kind of wimpy but finally he puts his head on right to give us a happy ending.
Secrets......secrets....so many secrets! What Joy!
Secrets from long ago get exposed when Rhianna goes back go her childhood home to attend her BFF's wedding. Warned not to come, she braves it anyway come what may. She is determined to be there for her one true bestie. Life gets more complicated when she is kidnapped the night before the wedding by the sexy cousin of the bride.
Diaz is determined to keep her greedy paws and slutty ways off the bridegroom and save the wedding. Finding out that she is not a vamp, nor pregnant, or having an affair turns Diaz upside down trying go mesh the past and present together amissed all the lies. But nothing changes his desire for Rhianna.
Rhianna worried that old secrets will destroy Diaz and his mother, is determined to throw herself on the fire to save her love. Coming to terms with his love for her means all secrets mean nothing without her......sweet!
A well written entertaining read. Their love was sweet. I didn't like how she never tried to change what peole thought of her....maybe other people didn't count but then she didn't need to whine about it either. The hero was sexy and rich but determined to think badly of her just so that he would keep his distance....kind of wimpy but finally he puts his head on right to give us a happy ending.
August 5, 2013
I realized shortly into this book that I had read it before -- a sign of a good Harlequin, since I've reread some with no memory of them whatsoever. I actually enjoyed it more this time around, though the hero's behavior did not improve on further acquaintance. He's a lot less rapey than many a Craven hero, but his general ethics are confounding.
July 8, 2021
This book should have been titled "Ruthless Flashbacks" instead because whew! The entire story was told in flashbacks with very few moments in between that were in the present.
I mean, it was not really that bad because the author successfully managed to still make it interesting and not tedious because of the numerous flashbacks. If I had not read a couple of reviews before starting the book I would have been put off by the heroine because her inner monologues definitely kinda made her look bad and completely like an OW.
However, the truth prevailed at the end as everything was revealed and it kind of felt like a little mystery since you had to piece stuff together from the flashbacks and the heroine's internal thoughts.
I found myself thinking of ways the author could have used less flashbacks to tell the story and still make it work which distracted me from the story sometimes. Other than that, it was a pretty enjoyable read which had a vintage feel to it and I may check out more books from this author.
I mean, it was not really that bad because the author successfully managed to still make it interesting and not tedious because of the numerous flashbacks. If I had not read a couple of reviews before starting the book I would have been put off by the heroine because her inner monologues definitely kinda made her look bad and completely like an OW.
However, the truth prevailed at the end as everything was revealed and it kind of felt like a little mystery since you had to piece stuff together from the flashbacks and the heroine's internal thoughts.
I found myself thinking of ways the author could have used less flashbacks to tell the story and still make it work which distracted me from the story sometimes. Other than that, it was a pretty enjoyable read which had a vintage feel to it and I may check out more books from this author.
March 17, 2025
A martyr tstl h who was an actress and played victim so gracefully and readily that she never thought 2 cents about how many lives she plundered with her selfish silence. Every time someone rained accusation and slut shaming on her, she stood there silently, receiving her atonement and adding poison to it so it left no doubt to her being a vicious calculating conniving little B.
A good few hours of my time wasted flipping pages but all it was, was a tale bearing story of what happens in the past and how it catches up to the present. There is NO ROMANCE in this book. If you’re good with reading a sob tale of a martyr h then go ahead, this is your book. Suicidal for anyone coming here to get away from real life and for sweet indulgence.
Rhianna has to be the most martyr toxic h I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. There are plots and twists and turns but Rhianna bears the gauntlet for all situations and the story just goes from one misunderstanding to another, all jarring at you without ever being cleared. And they could all be cleared by just one person, the h, Rhianna. But of course she stood by mutely while people almost died, yelling and begging for justice but being the actress she was, sure she took some sadistic pleasure out of each situation. Hateful h.
Try another review sorry for a neutral opinion if you like SC. I’m screaming bloody murder here in my insides. Very forgettable reading that got no where.
A good few hours of my time wasted flipping pages but all it was, was a tale bearing story of what happens in the past and how it catches up to the present. There is NO ROMANCE in this book. If you’re good with reading a sob tale of a martyr h then go ahead, this is your book. Suicidal for anyone coming here to get away from real life and for sweet indulgence.
Rhianna has to be the most martyr toxic h I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. There are plots and twists and turns but Rhianna bears the gauntlet for all situations and the story just goes from one misunderstanding to another, all jarring at you without ever being cleared. And they could all be cleared by just one person, the h, Rhianna. But of course she stood by mutely while people almost died, yelling and begging for justice but being the actress she was, sure she took some sadistic pleasure out of each situation. Hateful h.
Try another review sorry for a neutral opinion if you like SC. I’m screaming bloody murder here in my insides. Very forgettable reading that got no where.
July 12, 2019
Diaz Penvarnon figured Rhianna Carlow for a calculating seductress, a woman who could shatter the happiness surrounding the upcoming nuptials in a single moment of indiscretion. So, Diaz spirited her away aboard his yacht, certain he’d averted a family disaster.
Unfortunately, life aboard ship threw them into close proximity with each other and the more Diaz knew about Rhianna, the more appealing she became. What a rude awakening he had when he discovered she was an innocent! If Rhianna was hardly the accomplished vixen he’d assumed her to be, what else in her past might be in doubt? Those who lived in Penvarnon House have also left a legacy for their descendants, too, the mystery and romance of this Ruthless Awakening.
Unfortunately, life aboard ship threw them into close proximity with each other and the more Diaz knew about Rhianna, the more appealing she became. What a rude awakening he had when he discovered she was an innocent! If Rhianna was hardly the accomplished vixen he’d assumed her to be, what else in her past might be in doubt? Those who lived in Penvarnon House have also left a legacy for their descendants, too, the mystery and romance of this Ruthless Awakening.
November 13, 2009
I was in just the mood for a cruel hero/misunderstood heroine story, so I enjoyed this one. (The hero is actually not half bad, by Harlequin Present standards.) Would have rated it higher but the plot was kind of confusing and it really overdid the flashbacks.
February 23, 2011
This was just ok. Much of the plot was told by way of reminiscences and back story. Effectively the heroine grows up living with the hero's family with a cloud over her head and she is treated as a Cinderella / second class citizen.
She is eventually thrown out by her heartless aunt and makes a name for herself as a famous actress. She has remained friendly with the daughter of the house and returns for her wedding to a real cad. there are a number of misunderstandings whereby the hero seems to think that he h is involved with the cad. He kidnaps her and sails away with her on his yacht and speaks very cruelly to her. However within a day or two is overcome with passion, beds the h and realises it's all been a big mistake. There is a further problem involving the press, his mother and the bride to be but this is soon resolved.
Really - why did the h not explain at the outset- it would have saved a lot of time and bother. Fairly pointless
She is eventually thrown out by her heartless aunt and makes a name for herself as a famous actress. She has remained friendly with the daughter of the house and returns for her wedding to a real cad. there are a number of misunderstandings whereby the hero seems to think that he h is involved with the cad. He kidnaps her and sails away with her on his yacht and speaks very cruelly to her. However within a day or two is overcome with passion, beds the h and realises it's all been a big mistake. There is a further problem involving the press, his mother and the bride to be but this is soon resolved.
Really - why did the h not explain at the outset- it would have saved a lot of time and bother. Fairly pointless
September 17, 2010
I really enjoyed this book, I'm sometimes in the mood for a 'hero who believes the absolute worst about the innocent heroine and then is forced to eat his words upon finding out, in the only true way, she couldn't possibly have done the things he'd charged her with' book. This one delivered. And though some people had problems with the flash-backs I thought they absolutely worked for this story, they were thoughtful and not superfluous and they added a weight to the story we'd have missed without them.
Will probably read again in the future.
Will probably read again in the future.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 30, 2012
The heroine was coming back to her childhood 'home' for a wedding when the hero kidnaps her. For the hero believes she is nothing but a gold digger and out for money no matter which way she can get it. What the hero doesn't know until he takes her for himself is she is not who he thought she was...
I thought this was a great read but I have some complaints about the passion, it seemed to be lacking compared to others.
I thought this was a great read but I have some complaints about the passion, it seemed to be lacking compared to others.
August 5, 2015
This is super-duper-Presents-y in the best of all possible ways.
Neglected orphan sent to a house where no one wants her? Check.
Grows up friends with the quasi-daughter of the manor? Check.
Ends up in a something is going on there relationship with the lord of the manor? Check.
Terrible backstory as to why they can never be there? Check.
Misunderstandings galore? Check and check.
I was very into this. I am who I am.
Neglected orphan sent to a house where no one wants her? Check.
Grows up friends with the quasi-daughter of the manor? Check.
Ends up in a something is going on there relationship with the lord of the manor? Check.
Terrible backstory as to why they can never be there? Check.
Misunderstandings galore? Check and check.
I was very into this. I am who I am.
October 8, 2011
I liked this one pretty well. Had a little too much back story and not enough romantic action going on for my taste, but I was attached to the characters and I liked that the hero had loved the heroine for so long.
January 5, 2013
5 stars definitely! My review in spanish is at www.facebook.com/NoveleraRomantica
October 23, 2025
4.2 stars. I really loved the tropes in this story but some of the way the story was told was a letdown..overall an enjoyable read.
tropes are that h grew up in H's mansion as servant but whole town and H hated her because they said she was trashy like her late mom. now adults, H thinks h is a promiscuous hussy not just because of her mom's supposedly running off with his dad in way past but also because he now thinks h is sleeping with the fiancé of his beloved cousin who also happens to be h's childhood best friend. but H is hot for h and thinking she's a heartless hussy desperate to steal a scummy guy he hates makes H resent h even more... But he wants to protect his cousin who is desperate to marry her beloved scumbag, so H threatens that h better stay away from wedding. Then bestie-bride begs h to come to her wedding, so what is a h to do? she decides to support her girlfriend and turns up in Cornwall for wedding weekend. H then conspires to abduct h away before wedding to his luxury yacht...
anyway, the chemistry was hot between them, and the pre-sex scenes were quite well told. the actual sex scene fades to black which was an odd choice since other stuff was detailed enough...
SPOILERS:
what I really didn't like was:
1. lots of maudlin introspection by the h bogged down the story making me impatient
2. maudlin introspection included backflashes from childhood past and recent past to explain characters history that led to current scenario.uttrr dullest. I hate prolonged backflashes, esp if one paragraph would have done.
3. fake bs at start of the story where author build fake tension by trying to make it look like h was the one having an affair with her besties fiancee and being preggers..this added nothing to the story. hello, we wanna see her pine for the H, and not make it look like she was sleeping around, even though reader probs knows this can't be true
4. both MC's choices to 'protect' the cousin/bestie by letting her marry a serial cheating scumbag who got another woman preggers because she supposedly loved scumbag since childhood. for real? this central core of the story was utter bs and made both H and h look like terrible friends and utter morons.
the tropes aren't really maximised. the angst isn't maximised, the servant storyline is throwaway gimmick to raise pity, the kidnapping plot is brief, even the whole thing of him thinking she's pregnant mistress of scumbag is weak and not maximised because so little time is spent on it in the present. all those backflashes to explain past stuff means we don't see enough angst and interaction in the present. which makes the story feel weak and without enough emotion or space for romance development. they don't grow or get to know each other better much or do anything significant for each other, although she does sacrifice her reputation to save him some greif in the end, which was good to see
despite the utterly annoying things above, this was still an above average read and I mostly enjoyed it.
tropes are that h grew up in H's mansion as servant but whole town and H hated her because they said she was trashy like her late mom. now adults, H thinks h is a promiscuous hussy not just because of her mom's supposedly running off with his dad in way past but also because he now thinks h is sleeping with the fiancé of his beloved cousin who also happens to be h's childhood best friend. but H is hot for h and thinking she's a heartless hussy desperate to steal a scummy guy he hates makes H resent h even more... But he wants to protect his cousin who is desperate to marry her beloved scumbag, so H threatens that h better stay away from wedding. Then bestie-bride begs h to come to her wedding, so what is a h to do? she decides to support her girlfriend and turns up in Cornwall for wedding weekend. H then conspires to abduct h away before wedding to his luxury yacht...
anyway, the chemistry was hot between them, and the pre-sex scenes were quite well told. the actual sex scene fades to black which was an odd choice since other stuff was detailed enough...
SPOILERS:
what I really didn't like was:
1. lots of maudlin introspection by the h bogged down the story making me impatient
2. maudlin introspection included backflashes from childhood past and recent past to explain characters history that led to current scenario.uttrr dullest. I hate prolonged backflashes, esp if one paragraph would have done.
3. fake bs at start of the story where author build fake tension by trying to make it look like h was the one having an affair with her besties fiancee and being preggers..this added nothing to the story. hello, we wanna see her pine for the H, and not make it look like she was sleeping around, even though reader probs knows this can't be true
4. both MC's choices to 'protect' the cousin/bestie by letting her marry a serial cheating scumbag who got another woman preggers because she supposedly loved scumbag since childhood. for real? this central core of the story was utter bs and made both H and h look like terrible friends and utter morons.
the tropes aren't really maximised. the angst isn't maximised, the servant storyline is throwaway gimmick to raise pity, the kidnapping plot is brief, even the whole thing of him thinking she's pregnant mistress of scumbag is weak and not maximised because so little time is spent on it in the present. all those backflashes to explain past stuff means we don't see enough angst and interaction in the present. which makes the story feel weak and without enough emotion or space for romance development. they don't grow or get to know each other better much or do anything significant for each other, although she does sacrifice her reputation to save him some greif in the end, which was good to see
despite the utterly annoying things above, this was still an above average read and I mostly enjoyed it.
April 17, 2024
I like it! Finally, a good Sara Craven! (To be fair, I've been exhausting my "Sara Craven list", so let's just say I've seen the good, the better, and the worse ones). The blurb doesn't do justice to the story, though.
Despite it being published in 2009, it feels very 70s/80s-ish to me. But off with that, it's Sara Craven's anyway. What I really like is the back-and-forth pacing. The flashbacks are suitably placed, it blends well with the storytelling. I've read several of Ms Craven's books and I get that she seems to be quite fond of incorporating flashbacks in her storytelling, but this one is *chef's kiss*! As a reader, I love how the flashbacks reveal things little by little. Just when you thought you get the whole story, there was more. The whole story itself didn't just start on page one but it went waaaaaaay back, and it takes the reader to delve deeper into the characters' past. I also like that the hero and heroine To me, this book gives off more romance novel vibe rather than harlequin (but sadly, still a HQ).
The main characters are at least believable to some point. While there are many instances I felt annoyed by heroine's self-sabotaging decisions, somehow I understand WHY she acted the way she did, knowing her backstory. The hero is among Ms Craven's decent heroes, although a bit of a mysoginist sometimes (oh well, it's HQ). One thing that keep disturbing me is the age gap. Nowhere in the book is it stated. My bet is that it's at least 10-12 years difference between hero and heroine. Which made it a bit yucky since they've known each other since the heroine was 13. (Oh well, many of Sara Craven's couples have large age gaps. One aspect I dislike from her work). However, the hero's actions gave me this impression that he wasn't that old.
Overall, this is definitely a worthy purchase (they don't have a digital version of this novel except manga version, so I got to purchase the hardcopy novel. duh.)
Despite it being published in 2009, it feels very 70s/80s-ish to me. But off with that, it's Sara Craven's anyway. What I really like is the back-and-forth pacing. The flashbacks are suitably placed, it blends well with the storytelling. I've read several of Ms Craven's books and I get that she seems to be quite fond of incorporating flashbacks in her storytelling, but this one is *chef's kiss*! As a reader, I love how the flashbacks reveal things little by little. Just when you thought you get the whole story, there was more. The whole story itself didn't just start on page one but it went waaaaaaay back, and it takes the reader to delve deeper into the characters' past. I also like that the hero and heroine To me, this book gives off more romance novel vibe rather than harlequin (but sadly, still a HQ).
The main characters are at least believable to some point. While there are many instances I felt annoyed by heroine's self-sabotaging decisions, somehow I understand WHY she acted the way she did, knowing her backstory. The hero is among Ms Craven's decent heroes, although a bit of a mysoginist sometimes (oh well, it's HQ). One thing that keep disturbing me is the age gap. Nowhere in the book is it stated. My bet is that it's at least 10-12 years difference between hero and heroine. Which made it a bit yucky since they've known each other since the heroine was 13. (Oh well, many of Sara Craven's couples have large age gaps. One aspect I dislike from her work). However, the hero's actions gave me this impression that he wasn't that old.
Overall, this is definitely a worthy purchase (they don't have a digital version of this novel except manga version, so I got to purchase the hardcopy novel. duh.)
December 28, 2020
Really enjoyable read. A virgin h and a jealous, besotted H.
I would have given it 5 stars, but there are so many flashbacks in the book that it was sometimes confusing. It kept going from past to present, past to present, past to present.
The first time they made love, I thought I was still reading about the past because she was thinking about the past. But then I realized that it happened in the present, so I went back a few pages to read it with a different perspective.
The many flashbacks in between complicated the reading. Most writers write about the past in a separate chapter (or chapters).
The plot is also a bit complicated for my liking. There was so much to do about their families. I’m a lazy reader. I read HP to relax and unwind.
It’s a really romantic romance. You can see how jealous and crazy in love with her he is. Definitely worth 4 stars.
I would have given it 5 stars, but there are so many flashbacks in the book that it was sometimes confusing. It kept going from past to present, past to present, past to present.
The first time they made love, I thought I was still reading about the past because she was thinking about the past. But then I realized that it happened in the present, so I went back a few pages to read it with a different perspective.
The many flashbacks in between complicated the reading. Most writers write about the past in a separate chapter (or chapters).
The plot is also a bit complicated for my liking. There was so much to do about their families. I’m a lazy reader. I read HP to relax and unwind.
It’s a really romantic romance. You can see how jealous and crazy in love with her he is. Definitely worth 4 stars.
November 13, 2017
It has a good start, which is very important since it was what made me finish the book and I like that you had to keep reading to figure out what had happened but the end? Dear God! That ending was so rushed and forced.
It made everything completely black and white. Only bad people do bad stuff because good people can never do anything wrong! And the main character was son unbelievable bland and again “good” that she didn’t had the courage to stand up and actually do the right thing.
In conclusion is not the worse book I read but I don’t think that I’ll be reading anything else of Sara Craven any time soon.
It made everything completely black and white. Only bad people do bad stuff because good people can never do anything wrong! And the main character was son unbelievable bland and again “good” that she didn’t had the courage to stand up and actually do the right thing.
In conclusion is not the worse book I read but I don’t think that I’ll be reading anything else of Sara Craven any time soon.
April 26, 2021
Un bellissimo libro.
Una delle mie storie preferite.
Lei mi è piaciuta ed è un ottima amica.
Lui un pizzico geloseto ma non lo vuole dimostrare a lei, ma a noi invece non è sfuggito per niente.
Lui pensa male di lei , e sbaglia, ma lo stesso ne è attratto.
Alla fine però un bel finale. Ma avrei preferito che lui baciasse la terra su cui cammina lei😂
Un bel pugno in faccia alla zia di lei
Una delle mie storie preferite.
Lei mi è piaciuta ed è un ottima amica.
Lui un pizzico geloseto ma non lo vuole dimostrare a lei, ma a noi invece non è sfuggito per niente.
Lui pensa male di lei , e sbaglia, ma lo stesso ne è attratto.
Alla fine però un bel finale. Ma avrei preferito che lui baciasse la terra su cui cammina lei😂
Un bel pugno in faccia alla zia di lei
September 17, 2019
Mercy! This book read like script for a soap opera! I even had to read some of the more melodramatic scenes to my husband. It was about a soap opera actress so maybe that was supposed to be expected but parts of it were over the top. I liked it anyway! LOL!
July 27, 2020
Plot is a little more complex than some but we are left with many questions about minor characters' actions and motives. Why did her aunt hate her so much? How had she realized what a sleaze the other man was?
November 24, 2021
Classic Sara Craven.
Though I did feel the reasons for their being apart wore a little thin by the end. The first half of the book is good.
The romance between them is built up well. Specially the stable scene.
The ending was a bit of a let down though. To me.
Though I did feel the reasons for their being apart wore a little thin by the end. The first half of the book is good.
The romance between them is built up well. Specially the stable scene.
The ending was a bit of a let down though. To me.
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