Review: Passionate Bid by Tierney O'Malley

From the first page I was captured, Passionate Bid by Tierney O'Malley captures the reader heart and soul as you take a journey of hate, passion, obsession, regret and love with Julian and Joanie. The Story opens up 4 years in the past at the wedding of Julian and Joanie, now when you think of weddings most of us would think of a joyous occasion, not Julian. This is a shot gun wedding, of sorts. Joanie is 17 and Julian 25, she was hired to read to his grandmother but in doing so she has fallen in love with Julian. Also sweet to her and making her blush with his winks, she can’t help but be seduced by a VERY drunk Julian during his college graduation party. She has been in love with him for about a year and a 17 year old obsessed she took the one opportunity that she might ever have to be with the man she secretly loves and lusts after.


With a protective father who only wants what is best for his under aged daughter, so Joanie’s father pulls a gun on Julian and lets him know that he WILL be marrying his daughter ASAP! Thus the wedding. What I felt for Julian during the first scene at the wedding I just wanted to kick him in the skins, he made me so mad that I honestly wasn’t sure that I was going to recover from his cruel words and actions. Those cruel actions are treating his new bride like she is worthless and means nothing to him, which in fact she does at this point because he leaves her the same day, only leaving his ring behind.

Cut to four years later, Julian has been unsuccessful at relationships; frankly what woman wants a married man! But with his new love Georgina he really wants to make a future, after all she is the most beautiful woman he has ever known, but she too won’t continue her relationship with him until he gets a divorce. So off Julian goes to get his divorce from Joanie, after all she has sent back the last two papers, he is determined if he sees her in person then she can’t deny him the divorce and sign the darn papers finally setting him free. A man on a mission he is determined to move on with his life.

Joanie has grown up these last four years, no longer the pale faced, braces wearing, four eye-goggle wearing skinny and awkward teen she has grown into quite a beauty, not to mention motherhood can mature you more than you ever imagined. Yes, motherhood. Julian left on their wedding night leaving Joanie alone and pregnant, although at the time neither of them knew about the baby, and if Joanie has anything to say about it he never will.

With her dear father’s passing she has had to make some serious changes, selling the property surrounding her house, Sam’s Wood’s, closing down her Art Studio and taking a job as a exotic dancer. In comes Julian, what happens next (I will save all the spoilers), is up to Joana, can she open her heart, her life with Sam now involves Julian once he realizes that she is his daughter. A spiteful gold digging girlfriend and some seriously emotional scenes that brought me to tears. The love that Joanie has for Julian is palpable, the hope she carries for the life she wants for her daughter is uplifting and her strength in character is inspirational. So when she falls into Julian’s arms once again, I honestly can’t blame the girl. Tierney O’Malley never misses a beat with Passionate Bid with it’s gripping plot and memorable characters that will charm their way into your heart.

The destiny of a man.

Drop dead gorgeous veterinarian, Julian Ravenwood, has made a mistake–slept with a young virgin, Joanie Saint Claire. Forced to do the right thing, he marries her then leaves while she’s still in her wedding gown.

The fate of a young woman

Joanie finds herself facing an altered life after her one night with Julian. She’s left alone with a little bug who means the world to her.

The spirit of an abandoned wife

An opportunity to solve Joanie’s problems comes when Julian shows up to serve her. She agrees to sign the divorce papers on one condition–he pay her one hundred thousand dollars.

The unexpected love

Julian can’t believe it. His scrawny bride has grown into a seductive, attractive, and feisty woman he can’t stop lusting after. And the secret she has kept rocks his world.

ISBN: 978-1-60435-685-4

Publisher: Red Rose Publishing

Release Date: March 25, 2010