Too Proud to be Bought (Mills & Boon Modern) [Kindle Edition]

Zara has allowed herself to be persuaded to gatecrash a party where Nikolai a Russian billionaire is attending, Emma Zara's friend is a budding dress designer, the idea is to get Nikolai to notice Zara, wearing one of Emma's evening gowns and for Zara to give him Emma's card Zara feels unsure about this but Emma assures her this is what happens at these functions it's called networking everybody does it. When Zara attends the party Nikolai does notice her they dance and he offers her a lift home in his car he kisses her and she is shocked by her response to him. She refuses his invitation to come to his house for a drink knowing she might let things gp too far. So she exits the car and leaves him. Nikolai has never had a woman refuse him and is fascinated. He makes an effort to find her and offer her a job at one of his homes abroad, zara accepts as he is paying well and she needs the money, he thinks she is a gold digger. Nikolai is a hard cold and cynical man due to his upbringing, whereas Zara is an honest hardworking independent woman, the sexual tension between Zara and and Nikolai is hot, but outside the bedroom he is as cold and remote as ever. This was a good read I felt that the leading characters were very well portrayed and I thought Zara's observations of Nikolai's character were well written she certainly made him rethink about his views on life.

Too Proud to be Bought was just that and such a clever love story. I adored Sharon Kendrick's heroine, Zara Evans a proud and hardworking young woman.

Zara at a very young age went to live with her Godmother after her parents died. In later years, Zara nursed her until she died and gave up her education to do so. She was a loyal daughter and very loyal to her friends. So much so that when her friend asked her to attend an embassy ball wearing one of her dress designs, she did so with the understanding that she would give her friends business card to the famous and sexy Russian billionaire, Nikolai Komarov. Usually at these sort of social events, Zara acted as a waitress, as she worked for her friends mother who owned a catering business. When she arrived at the ball, she recognized some of her co-workers and was a bundle of nerves. So much so, that when she realized he was coming after her, she retreated. However, this alpha Russian was determined, asked her to dance, flirted with her and offered her a ride home in his limo. That not all he did in that limo!

From across the room Nikolai immediately watched the lovely Zara arrive. She was lovely and curvy and he wanted to meet her. Women usually fell at his feet and they always had an agenda.......money. He knew that first hand and had learned the hard way when his mother left him behind in Russia to live with his sister and boyfriend. His mother never returned and he definitely had issues with women and he was very cynical. His mother was beautiful and she ended up with a rich man as his mistress. All I can say is their meeting was tense, Zara kept him at arms length and in the end retreated and returned to her home. Nikolai was so intrigued he found out who she really was, went to her employer and hired her for one of his personal events. Shocked didn't even describe the feelings Zara felt when she looked up and saw him again. Embarrassed would also describe her feelings because at their first meeting he had offered to take her home in his limo and let's just say there was more than kissing going on in that limos back seat.

She was like a "drug" and Nikolai wanted to bed her and would do anything to make that happen. Money of course, he would offer her a job, make her an offer she couldn't refuse and invite her to his French villa to work as a waitress for a business meeting. What he didn't know was the reason why Zara would accept. She needed the money to pay off her Godmother's medical bills and to keep her home. Of course, things in the end, ended up with them making love. All I could think was this man didn't have a clue what a wonderful person Zara was and that he would misjudge her. Zara, well would her heart get broken because it was obvious while reading this beautiful love story, they couldn't get enough of each other. She captivated him.

So much for a light and easy affair. It became so complicated, and Zara remained so strong, so proud and in the end she had to walk away. Could and would she survive? How about Nikolai, would he get over his issues about women and their need to take him to the cleaners? Would he realize what he had lost when she walked away? You'll just have to read this beautifully written romance by one of my favorite authors, Sharon Kendrick and you'll love their happy ending which was quite the surprise!

Fairly typical set up with wealthy bored Russian who falls for Zara, a waitress. He first sees her at a swanky party where she has snuck in a friend's designer dress to promote that designer. Fish out of water. She freaks out. He gives chase and before you know it they are off at his amazing holiday residence and they are embarking upon a relationship. However he isn't prepared to commit and is detached from the relationship forcing she to face the fact that maybe single is better. Of course he realises the error of his ways. I liked the fact she was prepared to walk away although the slightly hollywood scene ending wouldn't have been my preference. Still ok for an M&B.