The Santorini Bride by Anne McAllister (HP 2610)

Reviewed by Janet85 on July 28th, 2008, 1:19am

by Anne McAllister

Format: Print Books

Series: Harlequin Presents

Back Cover:

Billionaire Theo Savas didn't need marriage. He'd been there, done that and he wasn't doing it again. Not that it stopped nearly every single woman on the planet trying. Theo wanted space, maybe even a bit of celibacy. So he was furious when he'd just got himself settled in an isolated house on a Greek island--and came downstairs to discover Martha Antonides letting herself in! But forced together, passion overcame them. Eventually, of course, Theo went back to his bachelor lifestyle…and Martha discovered she was pregnant. She knew she couldn't turn to Theo--he was strictly a no-strings man.    

Spoiler Warning: All my reviews contain spoilers to some degree  

Favourite Scene:

“No.” He was adamant. “I’ve had it. No women. I’m sick to death of them.”
Martha blinked. “So you…prefer men?” Pity, actually, because from a “populating the earth” perspective, Theo Savas had gorgeous genes, definitely worth passing on.
“I do not prefer men!” Theo snapped, then scowled furiously and raked a hand through his hair. “I’m just sick to death of being badgered, of women turning up at all hours.”
Martha gave him another once-over and lied with dripping scorn, “Well, you’re not that gorgeous.”
He grimaced. “Never said I was. It was that damn magazine—all that drivel about ‘world’s sexiest this and world’s sexiest that!’”
Martha laughed in disbelief. “Oh? And you’re what? World’s sexiest pirate? Curmudgeon?” That she could believe.
“Sailor,” he muttered, making her brows arch in surprise. 

Another Fav Scene:

“You don’t have to worry about it,” Theo said abruptly. “I expect you to stay in my room and sleep in my bed. But I don’t expect you to—” He broke off, and Martha was surprised to see something that might have been a flush climb up his neck.
She cocked her head. “Have a no-strings affair with you?”
He nodded curtly.
“What if I want one?”
Jaw dropping, he stared at her. “What!” 

Yet Another Fav Scene: (wow, mature evaluation of relationships coming from the hero)

This is what relationships are about: She made him feel much better.
So much better that he lay awake all night worrying about how much he still wanted her, worrying about how he couldn’t keep his hands off her. And he didn’t just worry about wanting sex with her, he worried about things he wanted to tell her, places he’d seen he wanted to show her, and things he loved to do alone that he began to feel he’d so much rather do with her. 

My Review:

The hero has been named "sexiest sailor" and is in hiding from the publicity/women hounding him.  The heroine is a Greek virgin who just found out her boyfriend was sleeping with someone on the side.  She determines that the "sexiest sailor" is just the man to find out what the big deal is about sex with.  He agrees to a no-strings affair, only to be utterly shocked that she's a virgin.  The hero is adorable.  They have a lovely affair and really get to know each other and be a cute couple.  But the hero gets afraid of his feelings and cuts short their three week affair early, leaving her.  He comes back early hoping to catch her, deciding he still wants her, but she's already gone. 

When he sees her at a Greek family wedding, she's quite pregnant and it's his.  He wants marriage, but she refuses.  She says she doesn't love him, he's kind of hurt by that but he says to himself, fine I don't do love, but I intend to do marriage and Martha better get used to that, with a grim intent.  He tracks her down and shadows her in an adorable way, not insisting on marriage or blackmailing her into it, but just being completely supportive of her and watching her at every step.  He insists on moving in with HER this time, and spends all his time taking care of her. 

The hero is so loving it's sweet.  Yay to the fidelity in this one.  I really thought this was a sweet story, very touching, sensual, but also hilariously funny at times.  Characters you could really identify with.  There are more books by this author about the Savas and Antonides families in this story.  I'm checking them out too. 

My Rating: 4.5/5 stars, very good, very emotional read.