desire has no mercy (Harlequin Presents, Volume 300)
Wow! Didn't realize it took me that long to read this one (six months). So you already know that it doesn't exactly grab you by the jugular.
This is the story of a couple who knew each other as children. She was the spoiled granddaughter of a haughty old lady who grew to be a haughty prig herself. The hero was the housekeeper’s son who grew up angry when the little twit got his mother fired from her job because he dumped ice cream on her shoes. The H was emotionally devastated from watching his mother lower herself and begging for her job and grows up determined to give her a better life.
Fast forward and we meet the H&h years later. He owns a casino and she’s a snooty hoity toity art salesperson or something. She saves her little sister from the consequences of her own mistakes and end up preggo by the H (casino/debts/h pays...you know the deal). She hates it (the baby) and wants to stay in her cold, emotionless existence with her equally cold and emotionally void boyfriend, but the H wouldn't hear of it and insists they get married at least until the baby is born, then he'll take the baby and she can go on her merry way.
He turns out to be a nice guy (he does things like gets on the floor to play with a train set. Awww!) who tries like hell to please the h and melt her icy cold heart but fat chance. She remains a screeching harpy through the entire story, throwing his every nice deed in his face (once, literally), talking down to him, and making sure he knew that she hated him and the baby for taking her away from the life she should be living with the other man.
I kept hoping that a hot mistress would turn up and she'd have her nose rubbed in it good. Unfortunately, after she almost loses the baby and their love is expressed (Feh! My ass!) they get their HEA, the most undeserved one in harley history if you ask me. And her declarations at the end? Double feh! As if I'd believe she felt anything above freezing her whole adult life.
Not many where I've hated the heroine through the whole story. Sound like your deal? Have at it.
