Member Reviews
A real page turner, with believable characters and oodles of passion and romance. I would recommend this.
Thank you to Mills & Boon Insiders and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
A fast paced, typical story in the Tycoon series. A polished tale from a prolific writer. The characters are engaging and believable. The story is hot and spicy. A book that it’s difficult to put down.
Blake and Kate story feels rushed. I love the story line and i fell in love with the characters. I didn't want to put the book down.
A complete miss for me
1 star
I love a Mills and Boon. I love any kind of love story. I’m even partial to a tycoon, a billionaire, a sheikh or any other similar hero.
I’m just telling you that so you know where I’m coming from when I say that I hated this book.
And I don’t say that lightly as I appreciate that an author can put their heart and soul into their work - but this book just didn’t do it for me at all.
When we’re first introduced to Kate she comes across as a whiny, self-absorbed drama queen. She’s in love with her friend - who happens to be marrying her sister - and is barely controlling her juvenile angst as she participates in the pair’s wedding. To make matters worse, her internal ramblings tell us that the last 10 months of her life have been consumed with feeling sorry for herself due to said friend and said sister ruining Kate’s life. This is despite the fact that Kate never mentioned her feelings to anyone and the friend never expressed one iota of interest in Kate herself.
Then a “scary looking” man smiles at her and suddenly she realises she’s been wasting her life pining after a man she can never have a chance with. Really? I could not roll my eyes hard enough at her ridiculousness.
As the story moves on (very slowly, I might add), Kate proves herself to be more and more juvenile, immature and very, very young (despite her being 25). Her thoughts, her actions, even the way she is described (fragile, delicate, vulnerable etc) - it became increasingly uncomfortable to read. I felt a massive ick factor. I didn’t much care for the cover of the book because the heroine looked so innocent. Now I realise it’s quite a good likeness of Kate and her character.
Blake didn’t fare much better in my eyes. He was arrogant - which is par for the course - but he took it too far and he wasn’t nearly as smart or charming as he thought himself to be. He also claimed that he hadn’t had sex in a few weeks because he was waiting for someone like Kate. Sorry - I didn’t realise that a fortnight was such a terribly long time. What control he must have to be celibate so long.
At least he didn’t take advantage of Kate when she’d drunk too much - but even that was overshadowed by Kate throwing a fit and bursting into tears because “he doesn’t like her after all”! Sigh.
As I mentioned, I found the book really slow going and every minute detail drawn out. The first scene - at the wedding - took up 41% and 11 chapters of the book. And I’ve never in my life read a book where people continually go to the loo. I know it’s natural and true to life but I don’t want to read about peeing and full bladders. TMI.
But then the rest of the book rushes in after the wedding and suddenly they’re living together and declaring love after having sex maybe once and knowing each other 3 or so days.
I just didn’t believe in their love. It felt more like an old man (yet he’s only 32) taking advantage of a naive young girl.
And while I might not consider myself a staunch feminist, I was extremely riled by the naive and childish depiction of what a strong woman acts like. Lines like “She loved this man who set her free - free to be the woman she’s always wanted to be”. Eh - how about you set yourself free? This isn’t the 1800s after all. Kate was the epitome of a woman that needs a man’s attention and affection to feel good about herself and that’s just not my bag.
And there was head swapping mid-paragraph. Hate that.
I like my heroines to have a strong sense of self. To be strong women who know what they want. They can be shy, quiet, bold, loud, brash, they can want to be president of the USA or the PTA - whatever - but they have to know their own minds. Kate was so far from this kind of woman that it made me very uncomfortable. And that’s what I took from the whole book - a creepy, unsettling feeling that left a bad taste in my mouth. 1 star from me.
The Tycoon's Scandalous Proposition is part of Mills and Boon Modern series and is written by Miranda Lee. Billionaire film producer Blake Randall meets Kate Holiday, a struggling actress, at her sister's Maddie, wedding. Maddie has always been the golden child and Kate has always had a massive crush on Maddie's new husband, Lachlan. He sees Kate looks upset at the wedding and makes it his mission to cheer her up. They have a one night stand and he offers her an acting job in his new film. She travels to Hollywood and moves in with him straight away. Will the relationship last?
This story could have so easily slipped into a casting couch/ uneven power relations novel. It doesn't m, and instead it focuses on their relationship - she won't just sleep with him in exchange for an acting job. Kate makes Blake grow up and consider marriage and babies whilst he makes her realise she is not the second best sister. This book is a love at first sight romance even if the characters didn't realise it.
I received this book via Netgalley and Mills and Boon in exchange for an honest review. I am a #MillsAndBoonInsider #netgalley
Another Must Read From Ms. Lee, 4 Stars 🌟
Ms. Miranda Lee’s latest book (Book 3 in the Marrying a Tycoon series), The Tycoon's Scandalous Proposition is a modern twist on a classic fairytale with unrequited love, sibling favouritism and impossible parents!
When Blake Randall agrees to be best man for his lead actor, Lachlan, he doesn't expect to end the day comforting broken-hearted bridesmaid Kate Holiday. Kate has always been second best to her younger sister Maddie, so is surprised when she catches the attention of Australia's most successful writer/producer/director. Blake is immediately drawn to Kate despite seeing her at her worst and wants to help her and make her “happy”! Since Blake’s divorce he has enjoyed his bachelor lifestyle and gained quite the ruthless reputation with women but there is something about Kate that brings out the gentleman in him, and has him thinking about marriage and babies, but can Blake convince Kate they can have their own HEA!
Ms. Miranda Lee is a prolific writer of over 75 books and is one of my go to authors; Her books are well written with witty engaging characters and The Tycoon’s Scandalous Proposition doesn't disappoint. The characters plain honest dialogue makes them relatable and realistic and the secondary characters just as entertaining, if you loved them as much as I did then I recommend Byron and Cleo’s story in The Tycoon's Outrageous Proposal, Book 2 of Ms. Lee's Marrying a Tycoon Series, another must read from Ms. Lee.
I received my copy from Netgalley and Mills and Boon via Mills and Boon Insiders, but this does not influence my opinions as all opinions are my own.
A very good Mills and Boon Romance with emotionally sexy and tender moments. Just what you expect from quality author Miranda Lee.
Kate Holiday, aspiring actress needs to use her acting skills to the full in order to get through her sister's wedding. She is marrying the man Kate has been in love with for years! Despite being a good actress one person who could see something was upsetting her was Blake Randall, the best man. Attracted to her stoicism in the face of something unknown to him, and also to her beauty, Blake makes it his mission to cheer Kate up. If that also means that she ends up in his bed, all the better.
Blake is a movie producer and when he discovers that Kate is an actress who has graduated from one of the best acting schools that there is, he is sure that it would benefit them both if he offers her a supporting role in a film that he has in the works. Again, if that cheers her up enough to end up in his bed as well then he's all for it. Will this just be a casting couch call, or is Blake genuine with his offer?
To begin with, I was a bit concerned with where the story was heading. From the start, I didn't like Blake because it did very much seem as if the only thing he was concerned about was getting Kate into bed. I was just hoping that Kate wouldn't end up the type to accept the opportunity because that would make me dislike both characters.
As it happens I was pleasantly surprised with the depth there was to Kate and to Blake. She wasn't willing to do 'anything' to get a great job, and he wasn't offering her one in return for her favours. Although this was a short book there was enough time to learn about both characters and to see that they were perfect for each other. They both have integrity and it was good to see. Their sex was for all the right reasons and was steamy hot, (so not for a person who likes a nice sweet book), and their romance as it happened was believable. Some say that a week is too soon to know you love somebody. I disagree, I believe in love at first sight, so a week is like a lifetime when you are with the right person!
I really enjoyed this story and happily recommend it.