Book Review: The Passion Bargain

Author: Michelle Reid
Title: The Passion Bargain
Publisher: Harlequin Presents
Publish Date: December 1996
Rating: 3 Stars
Book Blurb: Carlo won't take no for an answer. The passionate Italian has set his sights on Francesca, who stirs him with her beauty and innocence more . . . But Francesca is also an heiress, and already engaged to a man whom Carlo believes is a gold-digger. There's only one way he can protect Francesca - and fulfill his desire - and that's to claim her for himself, as his wife. So begins Carlo's slow, but intense, and incredibly sensual, seduction to persuade Francesca to become his bride . . .

Review: Saints preserve me from those 24 year old virgins that exist only in Harlequin Presents authors' minds. Worse still when that virgin is such a fool that you want to slap her. Michelle Reid usually doesn't go that route, but with this one, she traveled all the way down that highway.

I like my heroines to have a little old fashioned gumption. Francesca had none of that. She let her friend walk all over her. She had blind faith in her fiancee and she fell a little too easily for Carlo. Gorgeous rich guy, not wanting to have sex with his soon to be wife? Doesn't make much sense. What does make sense is he's having an affair with her flatmate.

Oh yes, drama drama everywhere.

Carlo on the other hand wants to bed her and wed her. Plus he wants to give her stuff! And she gives him a hard time, because she thinks he's using her. Yet she never really asks about the things she hears, at least not until she's done something rash.

What irks me about this book is that both girls are tour guides in Rome and yet they all end up with wealthy men. How does this happen and where can the rest of us apply? But wait, there's more, Francesca comes from a wealthy family only she thinks she's been disinherited because her mother ran off with a fortune-hunter.

So you know where this is going.

The story was ok. Its a quick read and when they get to the naughty bits...the sex heats up the pages. It doesn't really make up for what just doesn't feel right to me with the story though.