She Makes How Much More Than Me?!

New Harlequin Survey Reveals Office Snoops among Canadians Who Will Cross the Line to Find the Truth

TORONTO , Jan. 28 /CNW/ - How far would you go to be "in the know"? According to the Harlequin Romance Report 2010: Tempted(1), a whopping 48% of Canadians surveyed reveal that they have peeked at a colleague's pay stub, admitting that they have given in to temptation and crossed the line to satisfy their curiosity.

"In today's information-obsessed society and hyper-competitive job market, we know that people are willing to go to great lengths to get their hands on any 'perceived dirt' they know they're not supposed to have," said Michelle Renaud , Senior Manager, Public Relations, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction. "Whether it's looking at a colleague's pay stub or snooping through your partner's personal belongings, we want the truth, even if it hurts. Today it seems ignorance is no longer bliss - information is."

This year's annual Harlequin Romance Report, now in its 21st year, sets out to explore the good, the bad and the ugly side of temptation. Via a global online survey, men and women around the world revealed how far they are willing to go when tempted, and those indulgences they could not live without, even during tough economic times.

Highlights of the Canadian survey results include:

    
    -  Thirty-seven per cent of Canadians surveyed believe that lusting after
       someone other than their partner is completely harmless.
    -  More than half of Canadian men (54%) have been tempted to hook up with
       a friend's significant other.
    -  Men, check your wallets. Sixteen percent of Canadian women surveyed
       admitted to taking money from their significant other's wallet without
       their knowledge.
    -  It's a jungle out there! One in five male respondents (20%) and 14% of
       female respondents admitted to sabotaging a co-worker out of jealousy.
    -  No surprise here. While more than half of male respondents (51%) are
       tempted most by sex, 46% of women revealed that they are tempted by
       food first and foremost!
    

Harlequin's survey also revealed that buying books was the number one temptation most (75%) Canadians could not resist during the 2009 recession-sacrificing vacations, shopping sprees, dining out and going to the movies.

"The recession highlighted the downside of greed, indulgence and giving in to temptation, but we've noticed a shift back to life's simplest pleasures," said Renaud. "Books provide affordable entertainment that everyone can enjoy guilt-free."

Regional Highlights

The survey results include a regional breakdown of the data to reveal which Canadians are more likely to cross the line in relationships, at work and among friends:

    
    -  If you have anything worth hiding, you better hide it well in Ontario.
       Seventy-eight percent of women have been tempted to snoop through
       their significant other's personal belongings.
    -  Forty-two percent of women versus 8% of men in the Maritimes admitted
       that they have revealed a boss's mistake to a superior in an effort to
       get ahead.
    -  British Columbians are green with envy. Sixty percent of women and 41%
       of men admitted to having been tempted to wish failure on a friend or
       colleague because they were jealous of their success.
    -  Desperate bride? Fifty-two percent of women in Quebec admitted to
       being tempted to leave bridal magazines out around the house in hopes
       of encouraging a marriage proposal.
    -  Both men (50%) and women (22%) in Alberta chose money as their
       greatest temptation in life, beating out food, power and sex.
    

This is just a taste of the findings in the Harlequin Romance Report 2010: Tempted. The full text of the Harlequin Romance Report 2010: Tempted can be downloaded at www.harlequinromancereport.com/reports.php, and a copy of this information in video format is available at:

ftp://romancereport2010tem:[email protected]/pub/romancereport2010tempted

Harlequin Enterprises Limited is the global leader in series romance and one of the world's leading publishers of women's fiction, with titles issued worldwide in 28 languages and sold in 114 international markets. The company produces more than 110 titles monthly and publishes more than 1,200 authors from around the world. Harlequin Enterprises Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation, a broadly based media company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TS.B). Harlequin's Web site is located at www.eHarlequin.com. Harlequin has offices in 19 countries, including offices in Toronto , New York and London . For more information please visit www.eHarlequin.com or press.eHarlequin.com.

    
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    (1)*The survey was conducted online at www.harlequinromancereport.com
    (the "Web site") by Harlequin Enterprises Limited ("Harlequin") between
    September 17, 2009, and October 4, 2009. The survey was open to all
    adults over the age of 18. The Web site was visited by more than 3,000
    men and women from around the world. Survey results reflect the opinions
    of respondents and do not necessarily reflect those of Harlequin, its
    parent company or its affiliated companies.

    www.harlequinromancereport.com and its contents are the property of
    Harlequin Enterprises Limited ("Harlequin") and/or its licensors, and are
    protected, without limitation, pursuant to Canadian and foreign copyright
    and trademark laws.
    

For further information: To receive a copy of the 2010 Romance Report, to obtain a breakdown of the Canadian survey results or to arrange an interview with a Harlequin romance expert, please contact: Tiffany Shiu, NATIONAL Public Relations, [phone] or [email protected]; Carolyn Schulz, NATIONAL Public Relations, [phone] or [email protected]