Terms of Engagement (Harlequin Desire) [Englisch] [Taschenbuch]

I'm sorry to say, but this was not one of Ann Major's better stories.

Quinn Sullivan is a billionaire who is used to getting what he wants, whether it's a business deal, a woman, or his current goal--revenge. He's out for revenge against a man he feels is responsible for his father's death. His plan, to take over his enemy's company by marrying his enemy's youngest daughter, Jaycee.
However, his plans are thwarted when Jaycee's older sister, Kira, begs him not to marry Jaycee since he doesn't love her. She doesn't want Quinn to ruin Jaycee's life. He agrees to set aside his wedding plans for something in return, Kira. Quinn sees her as a challenge, & yes, he does enjoy a challenge, & of course winning.

Quinn & Kira's emotions are all over the place. While, to a point, it is understandable--Quinn's seen & experienced the loss of love. His dad loved his mom so much that when she left it devastated his dad. Quinn witnessed his dad's misery & decline. Then when Quinn's dad died, Quinn was devastated--he loved his dad very much. So, he turned off any feelings of love. He never wanted to hurt like that again.
Kira has some self-esteem issues. She's always felt like an outsider. She feels that her parents love & praise Jaycee more than her. Jaycee is smart & blond, therefore, people are more attracted to her. Kira's desire is for someone to love, protect & fight for her & only her. So, when Quinn expresses interest in her, considering how she feels about herself, & knowing the type of women that Quinn usually dates, she refuses to believe him.

The problem for me was that the story didn't flow easily. First off--when Kira approaches Quinn & begs him not to marry Jaycee he quickly agrees (because he's now attracted to Kira). He then talks her into going out to dinner with him, drinking alcohol that she claims she doesn't want, then to his loft where they become intimate, more than once during the night, & the first time without protection. Then comes morning & she has regrets. He senses it & becomes irritated. Before she leaves his loft, she overhears a phone conversation of his that causes further regret & doubt.
Quinn decides he's going to marry Kira whether she likes it or not. Kira fixes that--she disappears for several weeks without telling even her family where she's at.
Of course, she returns, refuses to marry him. Way to go girl! You tell him!
Oh, wait, I got excited too soon...Her family pressures her into marrying him, & of course, she will because, "for the first time ever her family really needed her". Well, there went her backbone!
So now we have a marriage that is "strictly business". At least, that's what he said, no wait, she said, no wait, he said, no wait she said.... Get the picture?

There were too many times when Kira sounded like she was a little girl instead of a grown woman. She was fickle--one minute she wanted Quinn, & the next she was pushing him away. When he respected her wishes about not wanting to be intimate with him she got upset because he didn't come to her in the night. HUH!?? As Quinn put it, "If I give you space, it's wrong. If I push myself on you, it's wrong". That's tellilng her! Aah, but of course, she has an excuse for her hot & cold behavior.

Quinn got a little too mushy at times, then came on strong again. No, he doesn't love her, but he's obsessed with her. He's just got to have her, but he doesn't want to want her so much. He doesn't want her to know how much he wants her because that will give her too much power over him. But he doesn't understand why she still wants a "strictly business" marriage. DUH! You gotta give a little to get a little.

Overall, I think the story line was good, but the characters actions & conversations left something to be desired. Quinn's high-handed attitude irritated me, but Kira, well, I really wanted to slap her a few times. If you want to have backbone & stand up to someone, then do it! GEE! The woman really got on my nerves! I mean, with the way she went back & forth with her treatment of Quinn, well, it's no wonder he was leary of love. I would be too.

I thought the scenes of imtimacy were written fairly well. I just feel that the overall language of the story could use some improvement, especially for Kira.

Will I keep this story & re-read it? Definitely not. Should you read it? Ultimately, the decision to read or not is entirely up to you. Everyone's tastes are different. What bother's me may not bother you. But, what I will say is that you should try to find it in your library. I don't think that's it's worth investing your money in.

From the firt sentence to the last sentence this story was horrible! The plot was horrible. The characters were horrible. There really was NO story line. There was no character developement. There was no beginning. There was no end. There was no crecendo. There was nothing! I went to the end hoping it would get better. I skipped paragraphs (just reading the first line of each). The entire book was about what she said and he mistook and then about what he said and she mistook! This book was just horrible - I can't give it any stars, but it says I have to!!!!!!!!!!!