Passion Becomes You by Michelle Reid

He wanted nothing more than her love...

From their first meeting, Jemma had known that forever wasn't in Leon Stephanades's vocabulary. She was inexperienced, but the passion between them was so powerful that she cast her doubts aside and agreed to Leon's demand of no-strings affair. Soon Jemma was head over heels in love, and couldn't imagine that she'd ever be the one to end the idyll...

Until she found that her love for Leon was to have a lasting price--and it meant having to let him go...


Another countrygirl-meets-worldly man story. But this one I actually liked. The characters really came out so realistically that I just couldn't help falling in love with them.

Jemma Davis was just living a simple life as a secretary. But that ended when she met Leon Stephanades. Or when he set his eyes on her, whichever way you prefer it. Theirs started as a no-strings affair, which was why when everything was turning "permanent," Jemma had the presence of mind to try to back away. She might have gone to their arrangement as a naive lady but she never assumed that Leon was going to offer her marriage, no matter the consequence that could lead to it.

And when she did find out that she was pregnant, she took the way out. I didn't think it was cowardly, only an honest reaction. Her relationship with him started out as a "faulty" one so I really couldn't blame her for what she did.

But I liked the way Leon took over when he found out about her situation. It might have come off as an overbearing asshole-ish maneuver the moment you get to that part; but when you get to read what he was really planning to do and why he tried to get back with her even before he learned there was a baby, it was kinda sweet. In all honesty, I didn't like Jemma keeping the truth from him at first so I guess she deserved being made to feel that she was "forced" into marriage.

And just when everything was rosy again in their relationship and when they were both adjusting to married life, Jemma had to find out that Leon was given an ultimatum by his father to get married or else he wouldn't be assured of his rightful inheritance. Unfortunately for Leon, he was enjoying his new life with Jemma too much that he kept on delaying telling her that he had decided to marry her even before he learned about her pregnancy and even tell her about his father's ultimatum. She, on the other hand, thought it was a cleverly laid out plan to present Leon's father with a fait accompli--a wife and a baby.

It casted more doubts on their already rocky marriage but Leon refused to ever let Jemma leave him the second time. He had to come clean with everything about the situation. And of course, I don't think you'll have a hard time changing your mind when you have an assurance like this:

"Leon? If I tell you I love you, will you break my heart?

"I will never break your heart. How can I, when it is so precious to me...I love you, Jemma. Please, whatever else you doubt abut me, do not doubt my love."

Final verdict: 8/10. Must read.