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The Russian's Pleasure Proposition

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Member Reviews

Thank you Netgalley and the Publisher for my ARC in exchange for my honest review. This was an enjoyable book.

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I've read other books by the author and liked them, but this one was a miss for me. There were long pages of descriptions that broke up the story. Although I liked the hero, I never warmed up to the heroine and her back and forth. This appears to be the 2nd book about a family of adopted brothers, but it reads well as a standalone.

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Hannah and Sergei are from two very different worlds but boy do opposites attract. It was a fun and heartfelt story watching these two wary souls come together against the beautifully described Greek island backdrop.

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The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition is the second book in the Greek Island series. This book can be read as a stand-alone book. I recommend reading the first book in this series. I love the Greece setting.

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Hannah meets and kisses Sergei, the Russian Rake, at the wedding of her best friend and his brother. Months later she runs into Sergei when she moves to Greece to work with her friend as a property manager. Sergei's strong attraction to Hannah surprises him. The timing is all wrong. He is taking time to work on himself and not hurt any other women with his fear of commitment. The more Hannah pushes him away, because of her own issues with sex, the more he wants her. Can the Russian Rake be the kind of gentle caring man to help Hannah over come her fears once and for all? Good read.

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Light and sexy, this story was perfect escapist reading. It’s not too deep nor overly complicated, which I found pleasantly relaxing. Set in the gorgeous Greek islands, the story is filled with flirty sundresses, clear blue skies and inviting beaches. Second in Joanne Walsh’s Greek Island Millionaire series, this book also works well as a stand-alone.

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Beware of hot scenes and a sexy male lead in this novel! Sergei is known as the Russian Rake: love ‘em and leave ‘em satisfied. Then he meets Hannah and everything starts to change. His resolve after a surprising break up to leave women until he figures out his lack of commitment flies out the window. Sergei has to find the right pathway to Hannah minus all his animal magnetism. Hannah has her own issues that keep her away from romance or love. Sergei has a lot of work to do.
I voluntarily read and reviewed and advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition by Joanne Walsh
Hannah’s excited to be working for Frankie Kontarinis’s property company in the Greek island resort of Agia Kalamaros. And determined to impress her first client. Even if he’s millionaire music mogul, Sergei Alkaev, who’s well known as the Russian Rake, is a heartless playboy who changes girlfriends as often as his socks.
Tired of dating greedy, fickle women, Sergei’s not looking for another relationship—until Hannah has him thinking again. But her opinion of him is that he’s heartless, so how can he change her mind and persuade her to be his lover? When Hannah lets slip she’s inexperienced, Sergei makes her a proposition: let him teach her about love-making until she’s ready to find a man who will give her the happy-ever-after she deserves…
This Hannah and Sergei Alkaev's story.
Her name is Hannah Oliver. I’ve invited her to the wedding next month.”
“Fantastika!” Sergei nodded at his soon-to-be sister-in-law, the current owner of Ionian Villas. “I will look out for Hannah, introduce myself, and show her how nice we are on this island.”
“Hey, she’s a decent girl. Don’t frighten her off before I’ve had a chance to put the job proposition to her.”
“Only joking. I promise I will be on my best behavior.” He held up the villa’s keys, rattling them. “Thank you for letting me have these. I appreciate the chance to check things over.”
“Are you ready, milaya? Do not be afraid. Let me guide you, and you’ll be fine.”
She darted a glance at her high-heeled pumps, so pleasingly pink and pointy-toed, chosen to match the Lana Turner dress and to take her first steps toward being the brave new her. She’d not shown them to her mum, who would have condemned them as too tarty. Taking a deep breath, she followed Sergei’s lead, first stepping sideways, then backward, and forward and sideways again. It wasn’t as difficult as she’d imagined. Beginning to relax, she started moving in time with the music. She could see Dimitri maneuvering his elderly partner—whose head came only to his mid-chest—around the floor at a snail’s pace.
“Hey, that is it,” Sergei encouraged, his gaze recapturing hers as they swayed and stepped. “You have got it. It is fun, is it not?”
The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition by Joanne Walsh is a 3 star book.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Joanne's Books with Tule:
The Unexpected Bride
Great Wedding Giveaway
The Italian’s Christmas Bride
Christmas Around the World
The Great Wedding Giveaway
The Italian’s Passion
The Greek’s Bedroom Bargain
Greek Island Millionaires
The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition
Greek Island Millionaires

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Frankie told her future brother-in law-Sergei she was doing well enough to hire an assistant and she knew who she was going to ask -Hannah Oliver. She currently lived in England but Frankie had invited her to come to her wedding to Nik and she hoped she gets Hannah to move to Kothos. Sergei was moving from Athens to Kathis for a quieter simpler existence. He was over being called the Russian Rake. He was tired inside when it came to relationships. The last few months he had been feeling guilty about how he tried the women he dated. True he had a deep rooted need for affairs he could conduct at arms length. During his early years in the Moscow slums he’d been well conditioned to shy away from getting close to anybody. His last affair -Olympia- made him realize it was time to review how he lived his life. He was not going to get involved romantically with any women for the next few months. Instead he would focus on getting his head together. He’d been commissioned to write the music for Greece’s entry into the annual Euro Songfest and he was determined to come up with the winning melody. Hannah was thrilled Frankie found the man of her dreams. But Hannah wondered if she would ever do the same. She’d pushed away thoughts of what she’d been concealing from the world-secrets don't make friends or win dates. She’d had to build a barrier around her heart but she was stronger now. She had to learn to start trusting her body. Sergie was a millionaire movie moingel and very attractively striking. Sergie asked Hannah to dance with him for the bride’s dance. Hannah had vowed to be a little more daring even if she wasn’t much of a dancer and said yes. After Hannah went out on the balconied deck for some air and her feet were killing her. Sergei came out looking for her and to make sure she was O K. Today was the first time in four years Hannah had been physically close to a man. There was no discomfort only the awareness of the hard heat of Sergei’s body and how she longed to drown in it. The warmth and scent of Sergei disturbed yet comforted Hannah. He seemed kind and strong. Then he kissed Hannah and his mouth on hers had been searing, molten, every kind of hot she had always dreamed of but never experienced. Four months later- When Hannah entered the villa Lemoni she heard running water. She thought a pipe had burst until Sergei came out wrapped in a towel. He was supposed to have arrived tomorrow. Hannah had busted her butt the last couple of weeks to make sure the villa was ready for his arrival to move in. The next day hannah went to pick up the emerald that had fallen out of the ring her grandmother had left her. She also had the paperwork for Sergei on the upkeep of the villa and who to contact. While there Hannah had kissed Sergei than pushed him away and left quickly. Sergei thought she had been hurt badly in her past. Friday Sergei was the first at the weekly meeting with his brothers, he already had their drinks on the table including one for Marco who had disappeared twenty years ago. They talked about his experience with Hannah and NIk giessed hannah’s identity when Sergei hadn’t given her name. The next day Sergei ernt to Allisons to give Hannah the emerald she had forgotten. He told Hannah a little of his early years. He offered to take her to a cafe the next day and tell her stories about his times with the gypsies that had started when he was eight years old.
Excellent Book. I loved Sergei and Hannah together and how they interacted. I loved how patient Sergei was with Hannah, and how he was always trying to do what he thought was best for her and not try to hurt her. I loved how Hannah finally opened up to Sergei about being a virgin and Adam and her medical issue. I loved how close the three adopted brothers were. I loved how Sergei shared his childhood with Hannah about his mother and grandmother, taking her to meet his gypsy family and about….rats. I loved how close Hannah and frankie were. I loved the pace and the plot of this book. I advise you to read the first book of this series for a smoother and more knowledgeable read. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

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After reading the first book in Joanne Walsh’s Greek Island Millionaires, I stated, “The story is simply a pure escapism read.” I stand by that statement after reading the second book in the series, The Russian's Pleasure Proposition, except to add it is well -written, entertaining and fun escapism reading.

The story of Sergei and Hannah has the elements of fantasy, even Sergei mentions Cinderella, but it also has depth especially with the character of Sergei. Hannah is young with a health problem that is uncommon. Her character deals with this which also hinders her in relationships. Perhaps this is why her character did not seem to be as complex as Sergei.

The plot is solid with Sergei’s adoptive family making up most of the supporting characters. It was interesting to see their interactions and views on Sergei as well as his own change of perspective and insight into his life. I found that I was invested in see these two lone souls connecting and finding a loving future together.

An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley which I voluntarily chose to read and reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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An enjoyable romance story with a bit of a twist.

This is the second book in the Greek Island Millionaires series and it was just as good as the first. The story opens with a wedding and Hannah and Sergei sharing an unforgettable kiss. Four months later, Hannah moved to Greece to work with her friend, Frankie, as a property manager. Hannah didn’t plan on meeting a man or running into music mogul, Sergei, again. But when Frankie put Hannah in charge of managing Sergei’s house, she had no choice but to see him again. Though Hannah tried to fight her feelings and the memory of the kiss, she had a hard time with it. But Hannah knew Sergei was a playboy and she didn’t want anything romantic with him. She knew she was no match for him, but they could be friends. Hannah has a medical condition that she let rule her love life. When Hannah confides in Sergei about her condition, Sergei offers to help her through it. He just got out of a bad break up and isn’t looking for anything serious. So, a little temporary thing with no strings attached just might do the trick for them both. But when emotions get involved, anything can happen.

This was a quick easy read for me. I enjoyed Hannah and Sergei’s story. They were both a bit stubborn, but when they finally let go, it worked out perfectly. It just took some time for them to get there. The backdrop of Greece made the book visually stimulating as well. I really liked how the author added a pregnant cat to the story. It brought out Sergei’s softer side. I would recommend reading the books in this series in order as there is an ongoing story about a missing brother imbedded throughout the series.

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Very enjoyable. This is the 2nd book I’ve read by author Joanne Walsh & it was a very good read. I enjoyed how both characters were damaged, one physically & emotionally & the other emotionally. Both characters grew a lot during the story, with Sergei’s character growing the most. Dubbed the Russian Rake for his history with women, he meets Hannah at his brothers wedding & instantly feels something but pushes it away to continue his growth & celibacy. Hannah physical & personal turmoil have her second guessing everything & her interaction with Sergei at her friends wedding changes something in her. Their on again off again friendship is wrought with questions & second guesses & mistakes & definite desires. As the author takes them through one personal conflict after another we see them a little clearer & root for them more. I liked the way the author ended this book, with the opportunity to continue their story in future books. Definitely recommend.

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I have to say, based on the premise, I was looking forward to this book. I've always found myself drawn to books where either of the main characters is scarred in some way (emotionally, physically, etc.) only to have their true significant other break down the walls around his/her heart. Unfortunately, I had a hard time with this one. Between the multiple nicknames and the ping-ponging relationship, I almost found myself skimming in order to get to the end.

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There was way too much details and it made the book drag. It was hard to really get into the book, it just couldn’t keep my attention. The couple just didn’t have the chemistry and kissing on day two and then determining they were in love?! Just not for me.

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The Russian's Pleasure Proposition
by Joanne Walsh

Expected publication: July 15th 2019



Goodreads synopsis:
Hannah’s excited to be working for Frankie Kontarinis’s property company in the Greek island resort of Agia Kalamaros. And determined to impress her first client. Even if he’s millionaire music mogul, Sergei Alkaev, who’s well known as the Russian Rake, is a heartless playboy who changes girlfriends as often as his socks.

Tired of dating greedy, fickle women, Sergei’s not looking for another relationship—until Hannah has him thinking again. But her opinion of him is that he’s heartless, so how can he change her mind and persuade her to be his lover? When Hannah lets slip she’s inexperienced, Sergei makes her a proposition: let him teach her about love-making until she’s ready to find a man who will give her the happy-ever-after she deserves…


***

4.5 Stars

After reading two books that were not for me, I picked up this book to get my taste of feel good romance. And it didn’t disappoint.

Sergei is called the Russian Rake, a ladies man to the max. But he wants to mend his lover boy ways and moves to Agia Kalamaros to find a new direction in his love life. Something with more meaning.

Hannah has a problem. She has a medical problem with having sex and her previous lover pretty much scared her emotionally when she couldn’t perform. He was more about satisfying himself than her.

Hannah has a pretty explosive reaction to the Russian Rake when they meet at his brother’s wedding. But he is a notorious lover boy. Definitely not for her.

But soon she realizes that to get over her “problem” she may need a ladies man to make her feel all woman.

I liked this book. There was a lot of will they/won’t they? There were a lot of emotions and pushing feelings to the side. It was all super sweet, lovable and awesome. Loved it! Just what I needed to get out of my bad book reading slump.

I received this as an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) in return for an honest review. I thank NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this title.

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The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition by Joanne Walsh is the next addition to The Great Island Millionaires series. I enjoyed the story and the location of the story. The characters were not as well developed as they should have been, and they were both a bit too undecisive. The pace of the book was good, and it was an easy read.

I received this advanced copy from NetGalley for my honest review.

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I received a copy from netgalley as an ARC for an honest review.
To be honest , I had a hard time staying interested in this one. There was way too much story going on that IMO was unnecessary.

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4 Stars for The Russian’s Pleasure Proposition by Joanne Walsh

ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my own & have not been influenced in any way !

If you are looking for a sweet love story this is it !! Loved Sergei & Hannah’s story. ❤️

Sergei is a disillusioned playboy ( aka The Russian Rake ) his reputation certainly precedes him as he is known for going from one beautiful supermodel to the next . Hannah is your gorgeous & down to earth girl next door - she has had a few bad relationships & comes to Greece to work for Ionian Villas as a property manager for her friend Frankie.

The two meet at a wedding & sparks fly but Hannah has heard the gossip about “The Rake “ & decides it’s just best for her ( & her heart ) to stay clear of Sergei. Circumstances keep throwing the two together as Hannah assumes the responsibility of managing Sergei’s home the Villa Lemoni. He is also one of Ionian Villas most important customers.

What I really liked about this book is that both characters are flawed with some issues they need to sort out from their pasts. I’m glad that they do & their HEA is delightful.

Great story with great characters !! Also loved that this book was set in Greece !!

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*ARC received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
The Russian's Pleasure Proposition by Joanne Walsh is an easy, enjoyable read. The main characters could be developed a bit more but overall a solid 3 stars from this reviewer.

#TheRussiansPleasureProposition #NetGalley

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I thought that the story for this one was ok but I thought that there was too much detail and a lot of that was unnecessary and it really detracted from the main plotline. The characters were a little flimsy for me and I prefer them to be more developed. It was an ok read for me but I did not feel that there was really enough story to give it any more than 3 stars sadly.

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