The Perfect Lover audiobook

3.5 starsI never thought I'd say this, but there was just too much sex in this book. If we could have cut out some of the 12 page love scenes, we wouldn't have lost anything in the story and I might have enjoyed it a bit more. At one point, I was hoping the couple would get married soon so they'd quit having sex all the time like most married couples.I absolutely LOVED that Simon told Portia he loved her without her having to ask or guess or cajole him into saying. He just spit it right out and he said it first :) That was so unlike most Cynster men that I actually read the scene twice LOL I also loved that Portia wasn't a doormat. Most of the women in the series aren't. Let's face it, they couldn't be and be with a Cynster man, but not only was Portia strong, she was smart too. All in all, another enjoyable addition to this great series :)

I quite liked this book (audiobook version), the couple is more balanced in that they are friends, or at least long time acquaintances though family ties and both are in the mid 20s, not too young and naive or old and jaded. Both of them are arrived at a similar placed in their lives, they want a family of their own.Simon, is a typical gentleman of his time, he is honorable and responsible and feels like he must protect the people in his life/family and that includes Portia someone he has known since his sister married her brother 10 or so years earlier. When both are invited to a house party it and soon becomes apparent that Portia is acting different than her usual self and her new interest in men and marriage coincides with his own realization that he is ready for marriage, it doesn't take much for him to realize that she would be a perfect lover for him. Portia really wants children and for that she needs to get married, she thinks that a well-reasoned and educated evaluation of what she likes and dislikes in a man is enough to choose a partner, but Simon is determined to show her that love and passion are just as important.During their back and forth is the backdrop of the house party and a murder mystery that occurs, it does a well enough job at giving the other guests at the house party some personality and presence to fill out the story. The murder was interesting enough, the victim wasn't really sympathetic and was causing a lot of trouble for many people, but now a killer is on the loose and somehow is after Portia. What did she see or notice that the killer is worried about? The mystery is more of a backdrop to have a some extra interest, the support characters are okay but none really standout. I don't know if any of them will get a book, but this series is long so maybe 1-2 will, like Simon's friends? Overall it was an good read, I liked both Simon and Portia, they felt like a good match, if perhaps a little too perfect (and thus a little boring :).

Aunque en un principio me estaba aburriendo mucho este libro, después de la primer mitad mejora muchísimo y lo mejor es que el sexo no predomina mucho, después de nueve libros estaba un poco harta de tanto sexo y fue genial que en este no abundara tanto.

What can I say, I am a sucker for all Stephanie Laurens books, love them all

Review taken from my blog in September 2010:I've just finished this one this morning, in between packing Toodles off to school (not my turn for the school run today) and packing orders......and it might be heading to the top of the list of Stephanie Laurens titles read thus far - an easy read of Simon Cynster and Portia Ashford, friends/adversaries since childhood and their slow discovery of love that develops. More saucy scenes and a murder ~with Simon and Portia trapping the murderer at the end all ends happily ~ just what I would expect.I think this one is book 10 in the Cynster series, but as before you can read any of them as stand-alones ... actually though, pay attention they do weave together very nicely!Right, enough reading for now ~although I have selected another Cynster one, which is ready and waiting to go .... Temptation and Surrender.Actually, whilst thinking about this there is one point I might have touched on before, but I feel the need to expand: I most assuredly DO NOT like the trashy drawn illustration covers that the books are currently being sold with. The one I have been reading (above) has a much nicer cove. I accept that perhaps the publisher wants to suggest at the saucy nature that lies within, but come on ...... a real photograph of people in the relevant historical period in a saucy pose would give their books the due homage they need .... the trashy illustrated versions just remind me of cheapo books without much going on in them, and written by an entirely less worth author. I would be interested to hear other peoples opinions on this.

Qué maravilla, qué fantasía y qué AMOR de libro. Que reflexiones más preciosas sobre la confianza mutua, la responsabilidad afectiva, el cariño y el amor. Profundamente enamorada de Portia y PROFUNDAMENTE enamorada de Simon. 6 o 7⭐️ para estos bebés que me han robado el corazón.Además, he de decir que por circunstancias actuales me he sentido muy muy involucrada en las escenas sexuales porque me las imaginaba con alguien específicamente. Sisi, muy revelador lo sonrojada que he estado leyendo este libro 😌💙💙💙💙

This story wasn't the usual "Cynster romance". It has a sweetness to it that made me smile throughout. I've read all the Cynster stories in order and absolutely love them. I've looked forward to reading about Simon and Portia ever since Amelia and Luc's love match. I knew when they fought as kids, I'd see them again and really enjoyed reading their love story. Lady O is by far the best of the Cynster series characters. She really showed up in this story. Ofcourse my favorite Cynster man is Devil.

A bit of a slow read, and more of a simmer passion wise between Simon and Portia, mostly I think because of the intellectual way Portia approaches things and that Simon has to hold himself back so as not to give himself away too soon because of it. An interesting read with the sideline of Kitty's antics, and overall a very good one.

My rating: 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.This book is well-written, because Stephanie Laurens is a talented writer. I read it several years ago, but recently decided to re-read the entire Cynster series, since I had enjoyed them all. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I still like this book -- maybe not quite as much as the first read, but I still liked it a lot.Simon was OK, but it seemed like he was mostly in lust, not love -- especially at first. It also irritated me that he was so controlling, and had to work really hard to let Portia be herself. But I did appreciate that he at least tried to resist controlling her. I liked Portia, but thought she did a few stupid things that put her in danger. She should not have resisted Simon's protection so much. I get that she didn't want to be confined/controlled, but someone was trying to kill her -- so she needed to be protected for her own safety.I did wish that this book had included an epilogue, maybe a few months later, or at least covering their wedding. It seemed like it ended a little too abruptly.My rating system is below.1 star -- Hated it, or did not finish. I usually only give this rating if some of the content is truly objectionable to me, like if one of the main characters does something really awful, and gets away with it.2 stars -- Didn't like it. This rating usually means that I thought the writing wasn't very good, the editing was terrible, I didn't like the characters, or it had other major flaws.3 stars -- I liked it, but had some minor issues with it. This rating means that there were minor editing issues, the story needed more character development, it was just too unrealistic, or had some other fairly minor issue. The majority of books I read get this rating – I do not consider it a bad rating.4 stars -- I liked it a lot. This is a high rating for me, and I rarely give a higher one.5 stars -- I loved it, and will probably read it again. Very few books are good enough to get this rating from me. The ones that do are usually classics.

http://literaturapetocuri.ro/femeia-i... Simon Frederick Cynster, are o viata perfecta, o avere fabuloasa, un statut social impecabil, iar senzualitatea lui il face sa nu duca lipsa de partenere de o noapte. Dar cu toate ca viata sa amoroasa este plina, lui parca ii lipseste ceva-ii lipseste cineva care sa faca parte din viata lui.Realizeaza ca are nevoie de o femeie care sa fie o lady respectabila, sa apartina unei familii nobiliare bune, dar in acelasi timp sa fie si o amanta perfecta pentru unul dintre cei mai ravniti si exigenti barbati ai inaltei sociatati. Isi propune ca are nevoie de o sotie, ca a venit timpul. Era ultimul barbat din familie necasatorit. Dar este obositor sa gasesti o astfel de femeie si atunci cautarile lui sunt destul de discrete.Cedeaza invitatiei prietenului sau James Glossup, de a participa si a-l ajuta pe acesta sa organizeze o petrecere la conacul de pe mosie. Plimbandu-se pe drumurile din preajma mosiei, pe cararile care duceau catre niste intarituri de pamant vechi, vede o silueta feminina. Este intrigat ca in singuratatea aceea apare o femeie, si urmareste cu interes silueta gratioasa si parul negru care flutura in vant. O prezenta care putea atrage atentia oricarui barbat. Dar o recunoaste imediat-este Portia Ashford, cumnata surorii sale Amelia. Probabil ca si ea venise la conac pentru petrecere. O cunostea pe Portia, drumurile lor se intersectase de cateva ori. Era o rebela, cu care se intepa in vorbe ori de cate ori se intalneau. O femeie care era parca un arici in prezenta lui, scotandu-si tepii ori de cate ori era nevoie. Si totusi in prezenta acestei femei, care nu se plia pe idealul lui de femeie, se trezea la viata, iar aceasta pofta vivace punea stapanire pe el. Doamne, ii trezea niste sentimente pe care nu le dorea. Isi spunea mereu: Nu ma intereseaza Portia!Femeia ideala 1Dar acum vazand-o cum sta abandonata in fata vantului si fiind singura, sistemul lui de protectie se activeaza si va trebui sa o intalneasca. Simte in interiorul lui ca trebuie sa aiba grija de ea. Stia care vor fi reactiile cand se vor intalni-limba ascutita ca un brici cu doua taisuri. Dar isi asuma acest fapt si iese in intampinarea ei.Portia era absorbita de propriile ganduri: “Ce anume ii facuse pe zei sa considere ca femeia are nevoie de un barbat pentru a procrea?“Pe masura ce se gandea mai mult, se revolta. Ea nu-si dorise niciodata un sot, nici nu considera ca o casatorie aprobata de societate cu toate rigorile pe care le impunea aceasta i s-ar potrivi. Mereu isi vazu-se in alt fel viitorul. Muncise alaturi de surorile ei, ingrijind copii orfani si ceea ce isi dorea cu adevarat se contura in mintea ei. Vroia o familie si proprii ei copii, dar intr-o casatorie plina de iubire si neangradita de principii. Iar acum venise si pentru ea vremea de a avea un sot. Deoarece facea parte dintr-o familie buna, cu o dota considerabila, nu ar fi dus lipsa de vanatori, dar vroia pe cineva cu care sa se potriveasca.Era hotarata sa gaseasca pe cineva.“- Voi folosi orice prilej, care mi se va ivi la aceasta petrecere, pentru a invata tot ce se poate, si ma voi decide, o data pentru totdeauna! Indiferent cine-mi va iesi in cale, si va avea varsta si situatia potrivite, il voi lua in considerare!“Facand acest fel de juramant vantului si ei insusi, nu a auzit pasii care se apropia.Femeia ideala 2“- Bine este destul de incurajator ce aud, dar pentru ce sa aiba varsta si situatia potrivite?“Cunostea vocea asta, si intorcandu-se stia ai cui sunt umerii aceia largi, silueta masiva care blocase cararea. Ce naiba cauta el aici?Cu acei ochi albastii intensi o privea insistent. Calmul sau in prezenta acestui barbat se ducea pe apa Sambetei. Era mereu agresiva si aroganta in prezenta lui. Chiar daca nu recunostea acestea era un fel de scut pe care si-l crea in fata senzualitatii ispititoare ale lui Simon. Il cunostea bine, dar in aceasta singuratate a campului, el parea mai puternic si mai periculos ca niciodata. Dupa o portie de impunsaturi ca de fiecare data, se lasa totusi condusa catre conac.Simon afla in scurt timp cam ce isi propusese domnisoara in cauza, iar cand o vede flirtand cu majoritatea barbatilor eligibili, parca ceva inlauntrul lui se rascoala. Chiar daca isi spune mereu ca nu-l intereseaza Portia, adevarul era ca il interesa foarte tare. Este iritat de aceasta actiune a ei si o voce de dracusor ii sopteste ca trebuie sa-i puna bete in roate si sa o monopolizeze pentru el. Portia este constienta la un moment dat de trucurile lui Simon, nu se opune la inceput deoarece vrea sa vada cam pana unde duce atentia lui. Dar pe parcursul acestui joc ceva se intampla atat in ceea ce-l priveste pe Simon, cat si pe Portia. Fara sa isi dea seama, in subconstientul lui, Simon decide ca Portia este femeia cu care vrea sa se casatoreasca. Portia este constienta de atractia pe care o are pentru Simon si parca ceva se contureaza si in mintea ei.Sarutari furate, cabana din padure, tachinari, toate duc catre o atractie care le da peste cap tot idealul pe care si l-au impus in privinta partenerului. Scenele de dragoste sunt extrem de fierbinti si senzuale-Hot, hot, hot!Amandoi inca nu isi explica foarte clar sentimentele care incep sa se contureze, dar nici nu le ignora. In toata aceasta mare de pasiune iata ca o crima isi face aparitia. Intriga si actiunea intra in scena, cei doi ajungand sa participe in ancheta la descoperirea criminalului, dar in acelasi timp ajung si la un acord cu propriile sentimente. Criminalul nu se opreste la o singura crima si ataca si a doua oara, iar cel mai important lucru este faptul ca, Portia este cea vizata. Viata femeii pe care Simon descopera ca o iubeste este in pericol. Cineva ii doreste moartea. Va face orice ii sta in putinta sa-si salveze de la moarte marea dragoste, nu poate sa o piarda acum cand abia a gasit-o dupa lungi cautari.Cum se incheie relatia lor? Va reusi Simon sa o salveze pe Portia? Ce intamplari palpitante se vor mai petrece? Cine este criminalul si de ce doreste moartea Portiei?O carte in care pasiunea, emotiile, crima, se impletesc intr-o poveste destul de palpitanta si plina de senzualitate.Fata de celelalte carti pe care le-am citit scrise de autoare (ma refer la ceea ce a aparut la noi)-in aceasta carte este mai dezvoltata partea erotica. Pana acum Stephanie Laurens a fost destul de cumintica sa spunem asa, iar aici parca explodeaza dintr-o data in mrejele pasiunii inflacarate. Scenele sunt si destul de frecvente, nu sunt sporadice, si nu duc lipsa de imaginatie. Poate din cauza personajelor, care sunt conturate frumos, poate ca asa sunt barbatii Cynster(senzuali )-nu stiu, sau poate pur si simplu a vrut sa fie putin mai indrazneata. Oricum cam asta este diferit in aceasta carte fata de stilul cu care ne-a obisnuit. …Iar asta trebuie sa spun ca face oarecum diferenta de celelalte.9 puncte/10

Creo que ya sabemos que los libros de esta autora son largos y llenos de descripciones – De ahora en adelante lo obviare.Esta historia pertenece a Simon Cynster (Hermano de las gemelas) quien desde joven ha tenido sus encontronazos con Portia Ashford (Una de las hermanas de Luc), quienes después de algún tiempo se reencontraran en un fiesta campestre. Pese a que ella siempre ha rehuido del matrimonio se dará cuenta que para conseguir lo que más desea: una familia deberá cambiar su manera de pensar por lo que empezara a considerar a los caballeros que han asistido a la fiesta.Simón se da cuenta de su cambio de comportamiento y empieza a sospechar, él también quiere establecerse y tener un hogar. Buscará entonces conquistarla y accede a su juego, poco a poco irán acercándose y descubriendo la pasión.Sin embargo cuando menos los esperan, el asesinato de una de las anfitrionas desata el caos – Todos son sospechosos y parece que la siguiente victima será Portia (view spoiler)[parece que vio algo (hide spoiler)]. Simón intentara protegerla, aunque a ella siempre le ha molestado la sobreprotección y que los hombres no respeten su voluntad, por lo que tendrán algunos choques.Finamente atraparan al asesino poniendo a Portia como cebo.También las cosas entre ellos se aclararan y finalmente aceptaran sus sentimientos y terminaran en matrimonio.Todo este rollo de asesinatos, me recuerda a los libros de Agatha Cristie.Fue entretenido con su justa dosis de drama y pasión, tiene una buena evolución de personajes. Aunque se siente el tinte de los anteriores no llega a los mismos problemas. También un punto a favor porque ha dejado ir a los personajes anteriores.

Simon Cynster is the last of the Cynster males in his generation to marry. He has always thought he had all he needed: wealth and social status. He is handsome and turns the heads of young Naive debutantes. He also is a rogue spending time with more sophisticated partners, namely bored married women. And yet he comes to feel hie is missing something in his life. He wants a wife, someone who will fit in with the aristocracy and yet someone will be mirror his sensual side. He has just inherited a house and decides to take advantage of a house party invitation on his way to check out the house and estate. He meets Portia on the way there. Portia Ashford has known Simon practically all her life. Their aristocratic families have interacted for years. She is fiercely independent and has claimed to be not interested in every marrying. In fact, they have never gotten along very well. But at this party, they seem to come together and seriously are considering each other at partners in a marriage. Portia wants to know what makes a successful marriage and Simon offers to give her lessons. Of course, there always has to be strife and then an intriguing mystery develops. Two murders occur and Portia may be the next in line.This was a good romance and mystery all in one book. I enjoyed it.

Simon and Portia Because of their families friendship, Simon and Portia have known each other since they were children. However, they have never gotten along but one unexpected heated kiss and murder will bring this two closer than ever. Simon has decided he wants Portia as his wife but she is not sure their temperament will make for a easy marriage. This prompts Simon to organize a campaign to show her how well suited they are....in the bedroom and outside of it😉😈. Fantastic plot with likeable characters made this a very engaging read. I loved the murder mystery they are both involved in between the steamy scenes of sex fest with are plunged in. Highly recommended

Is there a pattern to these books? Yes. Are they a little predictable? Also yes. They still make me smile, laugh, and get embarrassed on behalf of these characters, so I'll keep reading to make sure everyone gets their Happy Ever After.

Stephanie Lawrence book never disappoints Excellent character development, intertwining plots, great dialog. What's not to like. A Stephanie Laurens book is Never a disappointment and I've read most of them.

Super cute!! Love how Simon and Portia make declarations of considering marriage and then realize just what has always been between them! And the murder bit is a good way to keep the story going and put them in new situations to help their love grow!