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Cover of Love By Proxy

Love By Proxy

Diana Palmer

First published 1985 · 253 pages

A delightfully dramatic clash of wills where chaotic energy meets brooding corporate power in a fast-paced vintage romance.

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What it feels like

Reading this vintage romance feels like stepping into a delightfully dramatic time capsule of 1980s category fiction. The pace is brisk and breathless, pulling you through a whirlwind of fiery antagonism and intense, brooding stares. It thrives on the electric, often frustrating tension between a chaotic, spirited heroine and a rigidly powerful alpha male, delivering the exact kind of high-stakes emotional melodrama that defined the era. The atmosphere is thick with stubborn pride and unspoken attraction, wrapped in prose that is direct, earnest, and unapologetically swoony. It is a perfect comfort read for those who love the nostalgic thrill of old-school power dynamics, where initial misunderstandings inevitably melt into fierce, possessive devotion.

Mood
  • nostalgic
  • tension-filled
  • swoony
Tone
  • earnest
  • melodramatic
  • intense
  • playful
Pace
brisk
Themes
workplace power dynamics · opposites attract · stubborn pride · grumpy meets sunshine
The writing
Direct and emotionally heightened, leaning into the dramatic declarations and physical descriptions typical of 1980s category romance.
The arc
Moves from fiery, chaotic antagonism to a deeply possessive and intense romantic surrender.
Who it's for
Readers who crave the nostalgic, high-drama tension of vintage category romances featuring alpha billionaires and spunky heroines.
Content notes
  • dated gender dynamics
  • workplace power imbalance
  • alpha male possessiveness

About the book

When Amelia Glenn walked into Worth Carson's boardroom wearing a trench coat and a belly dancer's outfit, Chicago's most powerful construction magnate was fit to be tied.

But that didn't stop Amelia from performing her entire act for the swarthy chairman of the board-complete with shimmering sequins and jingling bangles.

So after Worth had Amelia fired, the last thing she expected was to be offered a job as a companion for his mother. But Worth hadn't ignored her startling beauty. Now he was determined to bid for her on his own terms.

Description from Open Library.

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