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Guilty Wife
Can their marriage survive the truth?
Lucie has everything. The perfect husband, a cherished son and a new baby on the way.... Her marriage is blissful--until a secret in her past returns to haunt her.
How can Lucie tell her husband, a glamorous barrister, that she was once in prison? It was for a crime she didn't commit, but now she's being blackmailed by the man who framed her. For five years, Seton Wallace has idolized Lucie as the perfect bride.... What will he do if he discovers she's now a guilty wife?
Lucie has everything. The perfect husband, a cherished son and a new baby on the way.... Her marriage is blissful--until a secret in her past returns to haunt her.
How can Lucie tell her husband, a glamorous barrister, that she was once in prison? It was for a crime she didn't commit, but now she's being blackmailed by the man who framed her. For five years, Seton Wallace has idolized Lucie as the perfect bride.... What will he do if he discovers she's now a guilty wife?
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 14, 1997
7 people are currently reading
121 people want to read
About the author
Sally Wentworth
106 books94 followersDoreen was born on 1936 or 1937 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She married Donald Alfred Hornsblow, with whom she has a son Keith, in 1968. The family lived in Braughing, England.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
October 20, 2018
Lucie Brownlow and Seton Wallace have been happily married for five years with an adorable son named Sam. But Lucie has a secret she has been keeping from Seton, that she had been in prison for three years for a crime she didn't commit. Now her ex-boyfriend (who committed the crime) is out of prison and is blackmailing Lucie...
I really enjoyed this book. I particularly loved Seton, he was wonderful! He was so in love with Lucie, always thinking of her, looking out for her, caring for her (sigh)... The subplot with Lucie's sleazy ex added some suspense to the story. Lucie was an okay heroine, but she got on my nerves at times. She should have just told Seton what was going on instead of trying to deal with the blackmail/threats all on her own, especially when it started to affect her son and her marriage. Still, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm a sucker for a besotted hero.
Another great read by Sally Wentworth.
I really enjoyed this book. I particularly loved Seton, he was wonderful! He was so in love with Lucie, always thinking of her, looking out for her, caring for her (sigh)... The subplot with Lucie's sleazy ex added some suspense to the story. Lucie was an okay heroine, but she got on my nerves at times. She should have just told Seton what was going on instead of trying to deal with the blackmail/threats all on her own, especially when it started to affect her son and her marriage. Still, I really enjoyed this book, and I'm a sucker for a besotted hero.
Another great read by Sally Wentworth.
March 15, 2018
3.5 stars
What happens when a woman's perfect life is jeopardized after her shady ex-boyfriend comes back to blackmail her for a crime she was wrongly convicted of? One which she hasn't disclosed to her oh, so perfect husband? Why, intense drama and angst of course.
Sally Wentworth's writing reminds me of Charlotte Lamb's: dramatic and fast-paced, with provocative plot lines and characters that could entertain yet infuriate at the same time. And Gawd, Lucie tested my patience. Her refusal to tell Seton the truth and her persistence in single-handedly dealing with her ex, Rick (who could have easily been called "Dick" for several reasons), dragged on for far too long. Lucie may not have been guilty of being an accessory to crime, but she certainly was guilty of causing more harm than good—all because she feared losing Seton's respect and jeopardizing his political ambitions. I about lost it when Lucie made her sweet and adorable son cry, twice! At this point, I felt her actions were more selfish than noble.
On the other hand, I adored Seton. He pretty much epitomized the perfect man. I loved how much he loved Lucie: in all ways, if you catch my drift. Hehe. Seton did claim on several occasions that he would always love her unconditionally, and he certainly proved it.
What happens when a woman's perfect life is jeopardized after her shady ex-boyfriend comes back to blackmail her for a crime she was wrongly convicted of? One which she hasn't disclosed to her oh, so perfect husband? Why, intense drama and angst of course.
Sally Wentworth's writing reminds me of Charlotte Lamb's: dramatic and fast-paced, with provocative plot lines and characters that could entertain yet infuriate at the same time. And Gawd, Lucie tested my patience. Her refusal to tell Seton the truth and her persistence in single-handedly dealing with her ex, Rick (who could have easily been called "Dick" for several reasons), dragged on for far too long. Lucie may not have been guilty of being an accessory to crime, but she certainly was guilty of causing more harm than good—all because she feared losing Seton's respect and jeopardizing his political ambitions. I about lost it when Lucie made her sweet and adorable son cry, twice! At this point, I felt her actions were more selfish than noble.
On the other hand, I adored Seton. He pretty much epitomized the perfect man. I loved how much he loved Lucie: in all ways, if you catch my drift. Hehe. Seton did claim on several occasions that he would always love her unconditionally, and he certainly proved it.
March 13, 2018
Heroine served time in prison for a crime her sleazy boyfriend commit. Later she meets a lawyer & they fall in love. She doesn't mention her shady past. They get married and they have a son but her ex boyfriend is out of prison and he wants revenge and so he starts blackmailing her. Heroine is unhappy and stressed and her husband knows something is wrong. Her secrets are ruining her marriage and her husband thinks she is cheating. Heroine is desperate and she decides to abandon her son and husband.
Wow that was angsty. Hero is a saint and he is so in love with his wife and so loving even when he thinks she is a cheater. Heroine made a lot of mistakes. I don't know how she abandoned her son I don't think a mother is capable of that even when she is desperate. However the angst and the drama kept me on the edge of my seat. Sweet HEA with their son and a baby girl. Very intense read I recommend!
Wow that was angsty. Hero is a saint and he is so in love with his wife and so loving even when he thinks she is a cheater. Heroine made a lot of mistakes. I don't know how she abandoned her son I don't think a mother is capable of that even when she is desperate. However the angst and the drama kept me on the edge of my seat. Sweet HEA with their son and a baby girl. Very intense read I recommend!
December 24, 2018
Re The Guilty Wife - Sally Wentworth does the romantic suspense in this one. It literally starts with a bang.
The sweet little h with a dark past is riding her bike when a man swerves to avoid a young boy and recalcitrant dog running amok and knocks her off her bike. The h is injured and a trip to hospital leads to a happy marriage and romance with a very handsome lawyer H.
For five years the h and H and their son are living a happy and love filled life, but old seekrits have a way of emerging into the light of day and it all starts when the h's beloved H is invited into British politics.
As the H is considering a career in Parliament, the h becomes aware of her own mistakes coming back to haunt her. In her younger days the h was dating a man who was a criminal and when he got caught and implicated the h in retaliation for testifying against him, the h went to prison for a crime she never committed.
The h pretends to herself it never happened and she never tells her shiny knight husband about her one time incarceration. So when the fertilizer remnant from her past makes contact and begins to blackmail the h about her past, the h panics.
She tries to evade, avoid and eventually pay off her criminal ex, but the man is relentless and her H's political career future is looming larger everyday. When the criminal ex goes as far as picking her unsuspecting son up from school and then dropping him off at the family home, the h realizes she is going to have to take steps.
She is massively in love with her H, she adores her son and all she can think to do is run away and hide. She doesn't want to destroy her H's political hopes and she can't stand that her beloved child might be tainted by her dark past or harmed by her skeevy sleazy ex.
So the h leaves a note and takes off for the wild blue yonder. She lies about her name, gets herself a job and the only thing she hangs onto is her car. After classified ads in the personals begging the h to return to her family are ignored, the H gets serious.
He reports the h's car stolen and when she is stopped and arrested, the H storms into jail to bring her home. This still doesn't compel the h to explain her actions. Even when the H accuses her of having an affair and being a tart, the h is firm in her refusal to speak up.
Not even two heartbreaking scenes where her confused son has a total tearful meltdown over the bewildering actions of the h can make her tell her husband what is going on. Instead the h retreats into hysterics and tears and the H plans on locking her up in the family home to keep her from running off again.
Then the fertilizer remnant makes his move, he insists that the h take her Land Rover and meet him at an exclusive club for a bit of robbery. The h knows this nightmare is never going to end and the H has already decided to forgo running for political office.
The h believes she has brought their bright and sunny life crashing down and ruined everyone's lives. So with a sense of doom firmly ensconced, the h goes to meet her dark fate. She meets up with the ex criminal at the robbery site, while he is off doing his thing, the h phones the police and gives them all the details of what is going on.
When the criminal returns, he pulls a gun on the h and makes her attempt to drive through the police blockading the road to get away.
The h is terrified and panicked, but in a truly HP Shinning Hero move, the H manages to get inside the moving Land Rover, disarm the slime toad snot pustule and tells the h to jump out as the Rover crashes into a tree, killing the sleaze bucket ex in a well deserved fate.
The hysterical h believes that she has sent her H to his death, but he pops up like a Weeble a minute later and the h is safe at last. There is a big happy reunion and the H explains that their phone lines were tapped after the h's return to the family home.
Her arrest for car theft notified the local authorities of her time in prison and clued them in on her former associate and both the H and the local constabulary now know about her past.
The police were listening in the whole time the criminal blackmailer was making plans to use the h as his robbery accomplice. So when the h showed up at the appointed time and then called the police herself, everyone was in place to catch the bad guy and the h isn't in trouble because she was clearly an innocent victim.
We leave the H and h and son happy again and then we learn that the H figures many children are the best way to keep this h out of trouble. The H and h have a little baby girl addition and a lifetime of love and devotion for a happy, safe conclusion to a most dramatic HP outing.
This one is very well done suspense-wise and the H is an absolute sweetheart. I am very conflicted on this h tho and I have a hard time reconciling her behavior into an acceptable HEA. I do get how scared she was for her husband and her son. SW was incredibly vivid in describing the h's panic and pain.
But when she runs off because she is firmly convinced that leaving is the only way to keep her child safe, I think this h falls short of my personal HP heroine standards.
( I don't expect the woman to go to the extremes of finding a large skillet, sharp cutting implements, a large stock pot of heated lye and a casual mention to all the neighbors that the family home septic tank needs recharging. But when your criminal slime gulper ex takes your child and then threatens further harm, tell your husband and call the police for pity's sake.)
That was just not acceptable behavior to me and it ruined any empathy I had for this h. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too, it was pathetic that she couldn't bear to tell this completely devoted H about her past because he might dump her hiney, but honestly - A Very BAD Man Took Your Child!
You need to sort that situation in an effective way and if you don't -- well let's just say that a skillet or twenty for this h was definitely in order and she shouldn't be allowed to breathe without a minder.
However, SW pulls it out at the end, tho the h totally did not deserve the rescue. But it leaves me torn again. This one gets five stars for the excellent suspense and the mounting sense of danger and fear and minus two hundred million for the h's very TSTL and FRUSTRATING behavior.
Which makes it a three on the HP outing scale and probably worth the read if you run into it.
The sweet little h with a dark past is riding her bike when a man swerves to avoid a young boy and recalcitrant dog running amok and knocks her off her bike. The h is injured and a trip to hospital leads to a happy marriage and romance with a very handsome lawyer H.
For five years the h and H and their son are living a happy and love filled life, but old seekrits have a way of emerging into the light of day and it all starts when the h's beloved H is invited into British politics.
As the H is considering a career in Parliament, the h becomes aware of her own mistakes coming back to haunt her. In her younger days the h was dating a man who was a criminal and when he got caught and implicated the h in retaliation for testifying against him, the h went to prison for a crime she never committed.
The h pretends to herself it never happened and she never tells her shiny knight husband about her one time incarceration. So when the fertilizer remnant from her past makes contact and begins to blackmail the h about her past, the h panics.
She tries to evade, avoid and eventually pay off her criminal ex, but the man is relentless and her H's political career future is looming larger everyday. When the criminal ex goes as far as picking her unsuspecting son up from school and then dropping him off at the family home, the h realizes she is going to have to take steps.
She is massively in love with her H, she adores her son and all she can think to do is run away and hide. She doesn't want to destroy her H's political hopes and she can't stand that her beloved child might be tainted by her dark past or harmed by her skeevy sleazy ex.
So the h leaves a note and takes off for the wild blue yonder. She lies about her name, gets herself a job and the only thing she hangs onto is her car. After classified ads in the personals begging the h to return to her family are ignored, the H gets serious.
He reports the h's car stolen and when she is stopped and arrested, the H storms into jail to bring her home. This still doesn't compel the h to explain her actions. Even when the H accuses her of having an affair and being a tart, the h is firm in her refusal to speak up.
Not even two heartbreaking scenes where her confused son has a total tearful meltdown over the bewildering actions of the h can make her tell her husband what is going on. Instead the h retreats into hysterics and tears and the H plans on locking her up in the family home to keep her from running off again.
Then the fertilizer remnant makes his move, he insists that the h take her Land Rover and meet him at an exclusive club for a bit of robbery. The h knows this nightmare is never going to end and the H has already decided to forgo running for political office.
The h believes she has brought their bright and sunny life crashing down and ruined everyone's lives. So with a sense of doom firmly ensconced, the h goes to meet her dark fate. She meets up with the ex criminal at the robbery site, while he is off doing his thing, the h phones the police and gives them all the details of what is going on.
When the criminal returns, he pulls a gun on the h and makes her attempt to drive through the police blockading the road to get away.
The h is terrified and panicked, but in a truly HP Shinning Hero move, the H manages to get inside the moving Land Rover, disarm the slime toad snot pustule and tells the h to jump out as the Rover crashes into a tree, killing the sleaze bucket ex in a well deserved fate.
The hysterical h believes that she has sent her H to his death, but he pops up like a Weeble a minute later and the h is safe at last. There is a big happy reunion and the H explains that their phone lines were tapped after the h's return to the family home.
Her arrest for car theft notified the local authorities of her time in prison and clued them in on her former associate and both the H and the local constabulary now know about her past.
The police were listening in the whole time the criminal blackmailer was making plans to use the h as his robbery accomplice. So when the h showed up at the appointed time and then called the police herself, everyone was in place to catch the bad guy and the h isn't in trouble because she was clearly an innocent victim.
We leave the H and h and son happy again and then we learn that the H figures many children are the best way to keep this h out of trouble. The H and h have a little baby girl addition and a lifetime of love and devotion for a happy, safe conclusion to a most dramatic HP outing.
This one is very well done suspense-wise and the H is an absolute sweetheart. I am very conflicted on this h tho and I have a hard time reconciling her behavior into an acceptable HEA. I do get how scared she was for her husband and her son. SW was incredibly vivid in describing the h's panic and pain.
But when she runs off because she is firmly convinced that leaving is the only way to keep her child safe, I think this h falls short of my personal HP heroine standards.
( I don't expect the woman to go to the extremes of finding a large skillet, sharp cutting implements, a large stock pot of heated lye and a casual mention to all the neighbors that the family home septic tank needs recharging. But when your criminal slime gulper ex takes your child and then threatens further harm, tell your husband and call the police for pity's sake.)
That was just not acceptable behavior to me and it ruined any empathy I had for this h. She wanted to have her cake and eat it too, it was pathetic that she couldn't bear to tell this completely devoted H about her past because he might dump her hiney, but honestly - A Very BAD Man Took Your Child!
You need to sort that situation in an effective way and if you don't -- well let's just say that a skillet or twenty for this h was definitely in order and she shouldn't be allowed to breathe without a minder.
However, SW pulls it out at the end, tho the h totally did not deserve the rescue. But it leaves me torn again. This one gets five stars for the excellent suspense and the mounting sense of danger and fear and minus two hundred million for the h's very TSTL and FRUSTRATING behavior.
Which makes it a three on the HP outing scale and probably worth the read if you run into it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 20, 2017
Intense story about a wife with a perfect life, perfect husband, perfect son... being blackmailed by her imperfect past. It's as frustrating and angsty as you can imagine, with her steadfastly refusing to tell her husband what's going on and leading him to suspect her of having an affair. With her struggle to handle it by herself, she brings about the thing she fears most: the crumbling of her perfect marriage and relationship with her son.
Very absorbing read, but I must say... while Seton is a lovely, wonderful dream husband who certainly loved his wife with all his heart, the story didn't feel all that romantic to me. It was more of a look-at-her-ruining-her-life, why-won't-she-just-tell-him-the-truth, watch-her-end-up-in-jail-again kind of feeling that prevailed throughout.
Very absorbing read, but I must say... while Seton is a lovely, wonderful dream husband who certainly loved his wife with all his heart, the story didn't feel all that romantic to me. It was more of a look-at-her-ruining-her-life, why-won't-she-just-tell-him-the-truth, watch-her-end-up-in-jail-again kind of feeling that prevailed throughout.
September 19, 2017
This story is about a young woman who served time in prision for a crime she didn't commit & has changed her name & starts a new life. During an accident she meets a handsome charming lawyer & they fall in love. Not believing she should marry him she tries to resist him but he is also in love & determined to marry her. They get married & have a beautiful life together along with a sweet little boy.
But the past comes back to haunt her when her picture appears in the same paper announcing the early release of prisoner. The ex-boyfriend is still carrying a grudge for her as it was her testimony that helped put him away. He is determined to get his revenge & starts blackmailing her, fearful that her lawyer husband will stop loving her she pays his blackmail price. Once she realizes the blackmail will never stop & all the stress is ruining her marriage as her husband thinks she cheating......she decides her husband & child will be better off if she left.
After an emotionally stressed wife comes back & the husband finds out the truth....they get the bad guy & their marriage gets back on track as they get ready to welcome baby #2.
A very well written emotionally moving read.
But the past comes back to haunt her when her picture appears in the same paper announcing the early release of prisoner. The ex-boyfriend is still carrying a grudge for her as it was her testimony that helped put him away. He is determined to get his revenge & starts blackmailing her, fearful that her lawyer husband will stop loving her she pays his blackmail price. Once she realizes the blackmail will never stop & all the stress is ruining her marriage as her husband thinks she cheating......she decides her husband & child will be better off if she left.
After an emotionally stressed wife comes back & the husband finds out the truth....they get the bad guy & their marriage gets back on track as they get ready to welcome baby #2.
A very well written emotionally moving read.
June 6, 2012
This a an interesting story about a marriage that is idyllically happy until the past comes back to haunt the heroine. Although innocent of any real wrong doing Lucie spent three years in jail because of the testimony of her boyfriend, a habitual criminal. Having made a new life for herself with the help of a prison visitor, Lucie has become used to skimming over the past when she takes a job or meets new people. When she meets Seton, after being injured in a minor accident he was involved in, she does the same, never expecting to see the handsome lawyer again.
But Seton falls madly in love with Lucie, matching her feelings and for five years they live blissfully with their son Sam. Until Rick Ravena gets out of jail and comes to find her. Hampered by Seton's decision to run for Parliament, Lucie tries to keep her secret, knowing it could destroy his ambitions. But the strain, along with her pregnancy, takes a toll on Lucie, affecting her moods and in turn her marriage.
How Lucie and Seton deal with the breakdown of their marriage is quite an emotional roller coaster with an inevitable crisis. The ending is very satisfying.
But Seton falls madly in love with Lucie, matching her feelings and for five years they live blissfully with their son Sam. Until Rick Ravena gets out of jail and comes to find her. Hampered by Seton's decision to run for Parliament, Lucie tries to keep her secret, knowing it could destroy his ambitions. But the strain, along with her pregnancy, takes a toll on Lucie, affecting her moods and in turn her marriage.
How Lucie and Seton deal with the breakdown of their marriage is quite an emotional roller coaster with an inevitable crisis. The ending is very satisfying.
March 6, 2021
He is the husband that women dream of.
She lets herself get blackmailed. Her husband wants a job in the parliament and she doesn’t want her jail time past to work against him and his election.
She is one of the cruelest h’s I have ever read in a HP. She leaves her loving husband and their little son without saying goodbye, without giving a reason. And she keeps refusing to give him an explanation.
It was a bit heartbreaking to read about his pleas to come back to him and to tell him the truth. And also reading about how hurt he was when it wasn’t in bed like it was before.
They were in a happy, perfect marriage for 5 years and suddenly she changes and he doesn’t know why. You could feel his despair trying to get through to her. Very well written.
And seriously, she thinks a parliament job is more important than her little son crying for her and hurting her husband by lying to him that she has a relationship with another man?
Because she is stupid, I take one star off.
She lets herself get blackmailed. Her husband wants a job in the parliament and she doesn’t want her jail time past to work against him and his election.
She is one of the cruelest h’s I have ever read in a HP. She leaves her loving husband and their little son without saying goodbye, without giving a reason. And she keeps refusing to give him an explanation.
It was a bit heartbreaking to read about his pleas to come back to him and to tell him the truth. And also reading about how hurt he was when it wasn’t in bed like it was before.
They were in a happy, perfect marriage for 5 years and suddenly she changes and he doesn’t know why. You could feel his despair trying to get through to her. Very well written.
And seriously, she thinks a parliament job is more important than her little son crying for her and hurting her husband by lying to him that she has a relationship with another man?
Because she is stupid, I take one star off.
September 5, 2014
delightful one! i liked it so much! however, lucy was such a babe! i found it highly immature dat she hid the truth from her husband ! she dragged this issue till the end! still great one!^^
March 8, 2018
It was so frustrating that she wasn't telling anything to her husband. I didn't like the way she was telling millions of lies either.
April 23, 2023
You know that old expression about when something seems too good to be true? Well, it's true, at least in the case of the so-called perfect marriage of Lucie and Seton.
The book started off good, with the Seton almost running Lucie down in his car and demolishing her bike! (Not his fault, he swerved to avoid hitting a child.) Next thing you know, they're in love, discover the sex is the kind you think only happens in fantasy, they get married, have a son, a beautiful home, plenty of HOT sex (in front of a mirror standing up, among other ways), never stop talking (ad nauseum) about how much in love they are, and everything is so picture perfect, you just know something's going to mar it!
That something is Lucie's past. She came from a mixed-up, neglectful, semi-abusive background, left home at 16 to get a job and hopefully take night classes and better herself, but instead got involved with a sleazy criminal, too lonely and naive to see him for who he was and foolishly moved in with him and got caught up in his activities, which led, though innocent, to her being imprisoned for three years as an accomplice. She got through it and, two years after being released, was working and going to night college when she met Seton.
But now, the sleazy ex is out of jail, and ready to blackmail!
and that's when I stopped reading. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that a marriage based on "Sex in LaLa Land" is a very good one. You can't live your life on orgasms (though these two sure are aiming to try), there has to be, besides love, honesty and trust.
HONESTY AND TRUST, DO YOU HEAR THAT, LUCIE???? She wasn't honest with Seton about her past, she evidently didn't trust him to understand, and I don't buy it one bit that she was worried about destroying his career aspirations. So, instead she'd rather destroy their marriage, give in to a blackmailing sleaze, put her child at risk, then make him and Seton miserable when she runs away like a coward? If that's not bad enough, when Seton finds her, she still won't tell him what's going on, content to let him suspect she's cheating!!!! WTF!!!!! Instead of confessing her less-than-perfect past actions, which happened over 5 years before she they met and had nothing to do with him, she'd rather have him think that her present actions, that very much have to do with him, are even worse! talk about TSTL!!!!
And so is Seton, if he still wants this woman! I didn't stick around for HEA that I don't think either one deserved.
There's more to marriage than sweating up the sheets.
The book started off good, with the Seton almost running Lucie down in his car and demolishing her bike! (Not his fault, he swerved to avoid hitting a child.) Next thing you know, they're in love, discover the sex is the kind you think only happens in fantasy, they get married, have a son, a beautiful home, plenty of HOT sex (in front of a mirror standing up, among other ways), never stop talking (ad nauseum) about how much in love they are, and everything is so picture perfect, you just know something's going to mar it!
That something is Lucie's past. She came from a mixed-up, neglectful, semi-abusive background, left home at 16 to get a job and hopefully take night classes and better herself, but instead got involved with a sleazy criminal, too lonely and naive to see him for who he was and foolishly moved in with him and got caught up in his activities, which led, though innocent, to her being imprisoned for three years as an accomplice. She got through it and, two years after being released, was working and going to night college when she met Seton.
But now, the sleazy ex is out of jail, and ready to blackmail!
and that's when I stopped reading. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think that a marriage based on "Sex in LaLa Land" is a very good one. You can't live your life on orgasms (though these two sure are aiming to try), there has to be, besides love, honesty and trust.
HONESTY AND TRUST, DO YOU HEAR THAT, LUCIE???? She wasn't honest with Seton about her past, she evidently didn't trust him to understand, and I don't buy it one bit that she was worried about destroying his career aspirations. So, instead she'd rather destroy their marriage, give in to a blackmailing sleaze, put her child at risk, then make him and Seton miserable when she runs away like a coward? If that's not bad enough, when Seton finds her, she still won't tell him what's going on, content to let him suspect she's cheating!!!! WTF!!!!! Instead of confessing her less-than-perfect past actions, which happened over 5 years before she they met and had nothing to do with him, she'd rather have him think that her present actions, that very much have to do with him, are even worse! talk about TSTL!!!!
And so is Seton, if he still wants this woman! I didn't stick around for HEA that I don't think either one deserved.
There's more to marriage than sweating up the sheets.
September 20, 2019
Talk to your spouse, friends.
If there's any lesson to take away from Harlequin Presents novels, it's that. TALK TO THE PERSON. JUST TALK. TELL THEM THE SECRET. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. YOU'RE IN A HARLEQUIN, EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT.
With that said, The Guilty Wife is not bad at all. I actually really like the ones where they are already married and have a conflict. Sally Wentworth has written a few of those that are really good. It's interesting watching the relationship after the "tension" is gone, and also it's a switch-up from the usual heroine-hates-hero or hero-hates-heroine tropes that HP authors rely on.
But again, this heroine just needs to talk to her husband. He's actually a decent guy, he knows about the law, and he could have quieted her fears in roughly five minutes. But instead she starts to act batshit. She's being blackmailed by someone from her past, and instead of telling the police or her husband, she lets said husband believe she's having an affair rather than let on what's really happening! I MEAN. Then, the blackmailer kidnaps her son.
So.
She still doesn't... like, tell anyone?
Yes, her son comes back but honey bunny, come on, this is the time to put your own selfishness aside and be REAL with what's going on. Again, INSTEAD, she leaves her family and tries to start a new life like two cities over. She leaves her kid. I am not even kidding. Rather than own up to her past (and she actually didn't do anything wrong, ofc, it's all a misunderstanding), she chooses to leave. her. toddler.
So why did I give this three stars, well, IDK. Sally Wentworth is a bit magical in that way. I was infuriated but entertained, and I really do like how these people always act the opposite of how an actual human being would act in any given circumstance.
If there's any lesson to take away from Harlequin Presents novels, it's that. TALK TO THE PERSON. JUST TALK. TELL THEM THE SECRET. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. YOU'RE IN A HARLEQUIN, EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT.
With that said, The Guilty Wife is not bad at all. I actually really like the ones where they are already married and have a conflict. Sally Wentworth has written a few of those that are really good. It's interesting watching the relationship after the "tension" is gone, and also it's a switch-up from the usual heroine-hates-hero or hero-hates-heroine tropes that HP authors rely on.
But again, this heroine just needs to talk to her husband. He's actually a decent guy, he knows about the law, and he could have quieted her fears in roughly five minutes. But instead she starts to act batshit. She's being blackmailed by someone from her past, and instead of telling the police or her husband, she lets said husband believe she's having an affair rather than let on what's really happening! I MEAN. Then, the blackmailer kidnaps her son.
So.
She still doesn't... like, tell anyone?
Yes, her son comes back but honey bunny, come on, this is the time to put your own selfishness aside and be REAL with what's going on. Again, INSTEAD, she leaves her family and tries to start a new life like two cities over. She leaves her kid. I am not even kidding. Rather than own up to her past (and she actually didn't do anything wrong, ofc, it's all a misunderstanding), she chooses to leave. her. toddler.
So why did I give this three stars, well, IDK. Sally Wentworth is a bit magical in that way. I was infuriated but entertained, and I really do like how these people always act the opposite of how an actual human being would act in any given circumstance.
February 27, 2021
Anyone else want to read this from the hero's perspective? It would just be him thinking his wife was losing her freaking MIND! It would be an interesting read that's for sure. Wish the hero had said one big thing about ex-cons or something to scare the heroine to attempting to solve her issues alone. Cause she coulda told him, boom problem solved. She should have the second that ahole picked up her son! Nope, nope NOPE, this must be dealt with. Yeah the heroine was a bit dim but I got where she was coming and the hero was great but really confused the entire time. I say read for the tension.
February 1, 2021
Happy sexy marriage times until an ex-bf and convict comes back into the h's life and starts blackmailing her. I really felt for our poor heroine. My blood pressure went up. Her ex was psycho. I can understand why she wanted to protect her husband and son. But yes, as many readers noted, honest communication would have solved the problem but then there would be no book.
November 1, 2021
Not a fan
The story did not hold my interest, the main characters were poorly written. Very predictable married couple and I just wanted to tell at the pair of them. No backbone and very poor communication even after she makes stupid decisions
The story did not hold my interest, the main characters were poorly written. Very predictable married couple and I just wanted to tell at the pair of them. No backbone and very poor communication even after she makes stupid decisions
May 24, 2025
Lucie is going to make you tear you hair she made the whole story frustrating. I know the tension through which Lucie was going but still she ruined whole their family. Beside this same thing was going on in whole story and ending was quick. 1 extra star for Seton and Sam.
May 16, 2020
Tedioso
March 13, 2017
This book in the last few chapters really threw me through the emotional rollercoaster. It brought tears to my eyes.
October 25, 2021
Ughh... why did she wait so long to tell her husband the truth. It was not at all believable. Plus she was pregnant and that was forgotten for the last bit of the book where the heroine contemplated suicide rather than come clean to her very loving devoted husband...
November 7, 2015
I liked the hero and heroine, but I think the story of Lucie's past and the way she tries to hide it, is too long. However, the way their marriage falls apart is heartbreaking. Luckily there is a happy end!
October 30, 2015
I love my Sally Wentworth, but while reading the book, I couldn't stop yelling "Just talk to your husband! You're only making things worse, you stupid girl"
November 24, 2018
Really interesting story. I really felt sorry for the h. The H behaved like the ideal man. The ending was clever but I think that the fight between H and the ex-boyfriend was a little too much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
The h spoiled the whole book for me.
She was an idiot of epic proportion , rather than trusting her the H, she kept on feeding on the lies of the evil OM and do his bidding.
Omg i can't!!!
She was an idiot of epic proportion , rather than trusting her the H, she kept on feeding on the lies of the evil OM and do his bidding.
Omg i can't!!!
Read
June 5, 2018Lawyers represent guilty people all the time. why woukd Lucie think differently? I know she was innocent. I truly think the author wanted to show how long the effects of terrible parenting is. Her mom abandoned her to leave her in the hands of a cruel and heartless dad. The upbringing crowded her common sense. There is never any shame in the truth. The quality of writing is fine. But the plot leaves much to be desired.
own-but-wont-read-or-wallbanger
September 13, 2018Can their marriage survive the truth?
Lucie has everything. The perfect husband, a cherished son and a new baby on the way.... Her marriage is blissful--until a secret in her past returns to haunt her.
How can Lucie tell her husband, a glamorous barrister, that she was once in prison? It was for a crime she didn't commit, but now she's being blackmailed by the man who framed her. For five years, Seton Wallace has idolized Lucie as the perfect bride.... What will he do if he discovers she's now a guilty wife?
Lucie has everything. The perfect husband, a cherished son and a new baby on the way.... Her marriage is blissful--until a secret in her past returns to haunt her.
How can Lucie tell her husband, a glamorous barrister, that she was once in prison? It was for a crime she didn't commit, but now she's being blackmailed by the man who framed her. For five years, Seton Wallace has idolized Lucie as the perfect bride.... What will he do if he discovers she's now a guilty wife?
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