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Undone
A New York Times Bestseller Though celebrated in Irish society for her extraordinary beauty, Elizabeth Gunning is not who she seems to be. The supposed granddaughter of Viscount Mayo is in fact a common woman of uncommon appearance. And if her domineering mother has her say, Elizabeth is going to keep up the charade - and take London society by storm.
Hardcover
First published January 1, 2003
31 people are currently reading
548 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Henley
73 books639 followersVirginia Syddall was born on December 5, 1935 in England, where her father, Thomas Syddall, taught her to love history. She obtained a degree in History in the University. In 1956, Virginia married Arthur Henley. They moved to America, and now they live most of the year in St. Petersburg, Florida, and they spend the hot summers in Ontario, Canada, where they have their two adult children and three grandsons.
Virginia Henley is a New York Times bestselling writer of historical novels. Her work has been translated into fourteen languages. She is the recipient of more than a dozen writing awards, including a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award, a Waldenbooks' Bestselling Award, and a Maggie Award for Excellence from the Georgia Romance Writers.
Virginia Henley is a New York Times bestselling writer of historical novels. Her work has been translated into fourteen languages. She is the recipient of more than a dozen writing awards, including a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award, a Waldenbooks' Bestselling Award, and a Maggie Award for Excellence from the Georgia Romance Writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
November 3, 2018
Looooooooong.
Hero and heroine spend maybe 10% together (heroine is shown married to another dude longer than hero). This is a complete tv series staring the heroine but plenty of secondary characters get spotlights, not a movie focusing on one main romance.
Hero and heroine spend maybe 10% together (heroine is shown married to another dude longer than hero). This is a complete tv series staring the heroine but plenty of secondary characters get spotlights, not a movie focusing on one main romance.
May 19, 2013
This story's heroine, Elizabeth Gunning, is a true historical figure.
She and her sister were celebrated beauties in the era of George II. Unfortunately, Henley takes considerable liberty with a story that, without embellishment, would have been a pretty damn good tale.
As Henley would have it, Beth met and fell in love with John Campbell before her stage mom decided to drag her and her sister to Dublin to meet Margaret Woffington (renowned actress of the day). The family gets an invite to an upper crust soiree, and their mom decides to pretend to be related to a viscount. The girls are so well-received that Mom and Dad sell everything they have and take the girls to London for a season, figuring they can marry money.
John's wild for Beth, too, but he knows she's nobody, so she's not good enough to marry. Unfortunately, by the time he pulls his head out of the inner darkness, she's been coerced into marrying an abusive and narcissistic duke.
Well, except, based on what I read of their story, Hamilton wasn't such a bad guy. Henley eliminates two children by Beth's first husband, and a betrothal to yet another duke, before the real-life Beth finally wed John Campbell, who became the 5th Duke of Argyll.
When the MC's are real people I like it better if the author manages to work the story around the known facts. This one could have been a heckuva story without all the liberties. 3 stars.
She and her sister were celebrated beauties in the era of George II. Unfortunately, Henley takes considerable liberty with a story that, without embellishment, would have been a pretty damn good tale.
As Henley would have it, Beth met and fell in love with John Campbell before her stage mom decided to drag her and her sister to Dublin to meet Margaret Woffington (renowned actress of the day). The family gets an invite to an upper crust soiree, and their mom decides to pretend to be related to a viscount. The girls are so well-received that Mom and Dad sell everything they have and take the girls to London for a season, figuring they can marry money.
John's wild for Beth, too, but he knows she's nobody, so she's not good enough to marry. Unfortunately, by the time he pulls his head out of the inner darkness, she's been coerced into marrying an abusive and narcissistic duke.
Well, except, based on what I read of their story, Hamilton wasn't such a bad guy. Henley eliminates two children by Beth's first husband, and a betrothal to yet another duke, before the real-life Beth finally wed John Campbell, who became the 5th Duke of Argyll.
When the MC's are real people I like it better if the author manages to work the story around the known facts. This one could have been a heckuva story without all the liberties. 3 stars.
July 26, 2022
I don’t know where I started seeing it as more of a journey for Beth to being appreciated for who she is rather than being beautiful rather a love story. Reality tv show-y in the beginning, slow in the middle, but great ending.
Also must add that I’m aware that real people were used but other than that, the historical accuracy was chucked out the window
Also must add that I’m aware that real people were used but other than that, the historical accuracy was chucked out the window
May 31, 2016
The whole story was too dragging. Elizabeth is one of the worst, most uninteresting, and annoying female characters that I have ever had the displeasure of coming across. All throughout the book her "beauty" keeps getting mentioned -yeah we all get it, we don't need to be constantly reminded on how ethereal her looks are. Elizabeth was spineless and it takes until two hundred pages or so for her to finally stand up for herself (nope, it's not gonna kick off from there ladies and gents). There's hardly any romance going on between the main protagonists. In fact with the little time they've spent together, I am at a loss as to how they both even fell in love with each other. A lot of the characters were underdeveloped and the whole plot seemed cut up and forced. I felt like Henley didn't have a clear idea as to how she should continue the story. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone. It's a waste of time and I wish I could get the hours I invested in this book back. I love Henley's works and saying I feel "disappointed" is an understatement.
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January 18, 2013very sad
December 10, 2023
My first Henley.
She set the bar too high. none of her others compared to this one. they were good, but not AS good. This one could have easily been made into one of those HBO dramas because it certainly had enough drawn out drama to last at least two seasons. Like Rome... which i had watched before reading any of her books. when i finally got around to reading her historical time travel romance set in Roman Occupied Britain it was like I had stumbled onto HBO's Rome II (well, kinda. She wrote it before the series came out. I guess they both read the same history books.)
So whatever, forget all that. Undone blew my mind. People say it dragged, i didn't experience that. Some say it was too long, I didn't want it to end. They said the H didn't want to marry the h because he knew was a nobody.... i say WELCOME TO HISTORY, WHERE PEOPLE LIVED BY STRICT RULES THAT EITHER MADE OR BROKE YOUR FUTURE. ((as an aside, i am already seeing some of those rules making a roaring comeback in modern society. rules are there for a reason. History repeats AND rhymes. It's all one crazy big, never ending waltz. Choose your partner wisely.))
I can overlook the liberties taken with historical figures. after all, that's the theme today, isn't it? Actually I didn't know they existed if not for one of the comments here. I found this book in the fiction section of a thrift store. i read it as historical fiction and loved every page. LOVED IT.
And it almost ruined me for historical romance. It had everything you could ask for. Most novels won't dare to step outside the formula. They don't trust their readers to be able to handle it. and based on a few comments below, i see why they're afraid. Minds as shallow as the puddles in a parking lot. These people would love to take an elephant and try to carve it into the shape of a horse if they could, rather than let an elephant just be an elephant. A historical romance as detailed as this can be nothing more than what it is. It doesn't need trimming or slimming down. Stick with harlequin if that's what you want.
But as for me, I love a dirty fat novel that makes my hand hurt when i try to hold it.. especially when it's filled with so much life, the good and the bad and the ugly.
These aren't characters for YOU to fall in love with. They are supposed to fall in love with each other, inside their world, living around the rules OF that world.
You know.... fiction...? Even better is historical fiction. Half the fun is skirting the rules and sneaking around the ever watchful eye of society. Not breaking them. Trust me, society will break you first. They invented cancel culture, not this current generation.
She set the bar too high. none of her others compared to this one. they were good, but not AS good. This one could have easily been made into one of those HBO dramas because it certainly had enough drawn out drama to last at least two seasons. Like Rome... which i had watched before reading any of her books. when i finally got around to reading her historical time travel romance set in Roman Occupied Britain it was like I had stumbled onto HBO's Rome II (well, kinda. She wrote it before the series came out. I guess they both read the same history books.)
So whatever, forget all that. Undone blew my mind. People say it dragged, i didn't experience that. Some say it was too long, I didn't want it to end. They said the H didn't want to marry the h because he knew was a nobody.... i say WELCOME TO HISTORY, WHERE PEOPLE LIVED BY STRICT RULES THAT EITHER MADE OR BROKE YOUR FUTURE. ((as an aside, i am already seeing some of those rules making a roaring comeback in modern society. rules are there for a reason. History repeats AND rhymes. It's all one crazy big, never ending waltz. Choose your partner wisely.))
I can overlook the liberties taken with historical figures. after all, that's the theme today, isn't it? Actually I didn't know they existed if not for one of the comments here. I found this book in the fiction section of a thrift store. i read it as historical fiction and loved every page. LOVED IT.
And it almost ruined me for historical romance. It had everything you could ask for. Most novels won't dare to step outside the formula. They don't trust their readers to be able to handle it. and based on a few comments below, i see why they're afraid. Minds as shallow as the puddles in a parking lot. These people would love to take an elephant and try to carve it into the shape of a horse if they could, rather than let an elephant just be an elephant. A historical romance as detailed as this can be nothing more than what it is. It doesn't need trimming or slimming down. Stick with harlequin if that's what you want.
But as for me, I love a dirty fat novel that makes my hand hurt when i try to hold it.. especially when it's filled with so much life, the good and the bad and the ugly.
These aren't characters for YOU to fall in love with. They are supposed to fall in love with each other, inside their world, living around the rules OF that world.
You know.... fiction...? Even better is historical fiction. Half the fun is skirting the rules and sneaking around the ever watchful eye of society. Not breaking them. Trust me, society will break you first. They invented cancel culture, not this current generation.
December 29, 2024
La primera novela de romance historico que lei y uno de los primeros libros que lei tambien, me enamoro por completo, me lei mucha de la bibliografia de virginia y ame su forma de escribir.
La historia me enamora cada vez que la leo, la he leido como 7 veces y no me aburre en lo absoluto.
La historia me enamora cada vez que la leo, la he leido como 7 veces y no me aburre en lo absoluto.
September 14, 2017
Great tale set in the 1700s, encouraged me to look up Elizabeth Gunning and the Duke of Argyll. It was interesting that the information I found online merged with the story line in the book.
August 12, 2019
A lot of superfluous characters stretched a thin plot even thinner. I think I would have preferred to have seen the sisters become actresses.
March 23, 2024
Fue una historia muy larga, con muchos personajes que llegaban a enredarme y no saber quien era quien, a pesar de que tenía componentes de lo que me gusta de un libro no logro conectarme en sí, lo terminé por curiosa pero nada más
May 31, 2011
baca novel ini serasa baca novel cheryl holt
beda banget dengan novel VH yg biasanya
Maria & Elizabeth Gunning, kakak beradik yg sangat jelita & mempesona sayang kehidupan mereka yg tersingkirkan dari keluarga besar sang ayah & hidup di Irish.
di Irish elizabeth bertemu pria tampan bernama John. perkenalan yg sangat berkesan baik dalam diri Elizabeth maupun john.
bridget, ex actress, ibu dari maria & elizabeth mengajak keluarganya ke london untuk mencari pasangan yg kaya untuk ke 2 puterinya.
jadilah mereka semua ke london & sbg "cucu" dari viscount mayo membuat mereka diterima dikalangan atas london.
kecantikan kakak beradik gunning memikat para pria.
di london elizabeth bertemu kembali dengan john campbell, baron....(sorry kagak ingat) & the future Duke of Argyll. pertemuan kembali itu membuat hubungan mereka semakin dekat.
John sangat terpikat & bisa dikatakan jatuh cinta pd elizabeth, begitu pula elizabeth.
sayang latar belakang elizabeth membuatnya tidak dapat menikahi john.
oleh pihak keluarga john dipilihkan pengantin lady mary, the heir.
di london, elizabeth bersahabat dekat dengan Lady Charlotte, putri Lord.....& the heir.
persahabatan yg sangat kuat.
saat john harus pulang ke scotlan karna, harry, adiknya meninggal, elizabeth yg mengira john pulang ke scoland untuk menikah dengan lady mary akhirnya bersedia menikah dengan james, duke of hamilton, & musuh bebuyutan john.
sedang maria menikah dengan george, marquess of.....(kagak ingat juga).
kehidupan pernikahan elizabeth ternyata sangat menyakitkan.
james menggenggamnya dengan sangat erat & kasar. james memang selalu memberinya segalanya tp juga memperlakukan elizabeth spt bonekanya.
bridget juga tidak lebih baik. selalu ikut campur kehidupan elizabeth.
elizabeth merasa hidupnya sangat ditekan oleh suami & ibunya.
persahabatannya dengan charlie or lady charlotte yg menikah dengan william cavendish, the future earl of.....(kagak ingatttt) juga kelahiran sang putera sedikit memberinya penghiburan.
yg jadi pertanyaan jamie kecil itu anak siapa???
karna sebelum menikah, ke virginan elizabeth sudah dimiliki oleh john, tp james tidak menyadarinya.
jamie kecil lahir lebih cepat tp tidak ada yg curiga. james sendiri terlalu senang karna mendapatkan heir.
celakanya kelahiran jamie membuat james ingin memiliki putera ke 2. jelas aja elizabeth langsung mundur teratur. dia tidak sudi harus 1 ranjang lagi dengan james tp bagaimana cara menolak james???!!!
ditengah2 kegalauan elizabeth, james jatuh sakit.
kebiasaannya minum membuat kesehatannya semakin memburuk.
elizabeth merasa sedikit banyak bertanggung jawab, maka untuk pertama kalinya mereka bisa hidup damai berdampingan.
elizabeth menjaga james dengan baik.
namun seketat2nya penjagaan elizabeth memang waktu james sudah usai.
james meninggal. jamie kecil menjadi duke of hamilton & 2 gelar lainnya yg sama sekali aq kagak ingat (terlalu banyak gelar disini sampe bingung aq)
elizabeth ditunjuk sbg his legal guardian.
kematian james membuat elizabeth mengasingkan diri ke castle hamilton di scotland.
ketidak hadiran john di inggris karna sedang berperang pun membuat elizabeth lebih memilih menghabiskan masa berkabungnya sendirian bersama putera kecilnya yg semakin hari semakin mirip dengan john.
elizabeth tidak menyangka setelah kembali ke inggris john akan kembali menemuinya & menyadari bahwa jamie ternyata putera kandungnya, the legal heir duke of argyll bukan duke of hamilton.
elizabeth berusaha menyangkalnya tp bagaimana caranya sedangkan jamie kecil memiliki tanda lahir keluarga campbell?????
duh spoiler abis2an deh gue hehehehehehhee
novel ini sedikit membingungkan apalagi dengan begitu banyaknya tokoh serta gelar2 mereka yg sepanjang kereta api.
tp sekali aq membaca nih novel aq ga bisa ngletakin. aq ingin tau bagaimana akhir kisah cinta john & beth, king oberon & tatiana ^_^
beda banget dengan novel VH yg biasanya
Maria & Elizabeth Gunning, kakak beradik yg sangat jelita & mempesona sayang kehidupan mereka yg tersingkirkan dari keluarga besar sang ayah & hidup di Irish.
di Irish elizabeth bertemu pria tampan bernama John. perkenalan yg sangat berkesan baik dalam diri Elizabeth maupun john.
bridget, ex actress, ibu dari maria & elizabeth mengajak keluarganya ke london untuk mencari pasangan yg kaya untuk ke 2 puterinya.
jadilah mereka semua ke london & sbg "cucu" dari viscount mayo membuat mereka diterima dikalangan atas london.
kecantikan kakak beradik gunning memikat para pria.
di london elizabeth bertemu kembali dengan john campbell, baron....(sorry kagak ingat) & the future Duke of Argyll. pertemuan kembali itu membuat hubungan mereka semakin dekat.
John sangat terpikat & bisa dikatakan jatuh cinta pd elizabeth, begitu pula elizabeth.
sayang latar belakang elizabeth membuatnya tidak dapat menikahi john.
oleh pihak keluarga john dipilihkan pengantin lady mary, the heir.
di london, elizabeth bersahabat dekat dengan Lady Charlotte, putri Lord.....& the heir.
persahabatan yg sangat kuat.
saat john harus pulang ke scotlan karna, harry, adiknya meninggal, elizabeth yg mengira john pulang ke scoland untuk menikah dengan lady mary akhirnya bersedia menikah dengan james, duke of hamilton, & musuh bebuyutan john.
sedang maria menikah dengan george, marquess of.....(kagak ingat juga).
kehidupan pernikahan elizabeth ternyata sangat menyakitkan.
james menggenggamnya dengan sangat erat & kasar. james memang selalu memberinya segalanya tp juga memperlakukan elizabeth spt bonekanya.
bridget juga tidak lebih baik. selalu ikut campur kehidupan elizabeth.
elizabeth merasa hidupnya sangat ditekan oleh suami & ibunya.
persahabatannya dengan charlie or lady charlotte yg menikah dengan william cavendish, the future earl of.....(kagak ingatttt) juga kelahiran sang putera sedikit memberinya penghiburan.
yg jadi pertanyaan jamie kecil itu anak siapa???
karna sebelum menikah, ke virginan elizabeth sudah dimiliki oleh john, tp james tidak menyadarinya.
jamie kecil lahir lebih cepat tp tidak ada yg curiga. james sendiri terlalu senang karna mendapatkan heir.
celakanya kelahiran jamie membuat james ingin memiliki putera ke 2. jelas aja elizabeth langsung mundur teratur. dia tidak sudi harus 1 ranjang lagi dengan james tp bagaimana cara menolak james???!!!
ditengah2 kegalauan elizabeth, james jatuh sakit.
kebiasaannya minum membuat kesehatannya semakin memburuk.
elizabeth merasa sedikit banyak bertanggung jawab, maka untuk pertama kalinya mereka bisa hidup damai berdampingan.
elizabeth menjaga james dengan baik.
namun seketat2nya penjagaan elizabeth memang waktu james sudah usai.
james meninggal. jamie kecil menjadi duke of hamilton & 2 gelar lainnya yg sama sekali aq kagak ingat (terlalu banyak gelar disini sampe bingung aq)
elizabeth ditunjuk sbg his legal guardian.
kematian james membuat elizabeth mengasingkan diri ke castle hamilton di scotland.
ketidak hadiran john di inggris karna sedang berperang pun membuat elizabeth lebih memilih menghabiskan masa berkabungnya sendirian bersama putera kecilnya yg semakin hari semakin mirip dengan john.
elizabeth tidak menyangka setelah kembali ke inggris john akan kembali menemuinya & menyadari bahwa jamie ternyata putera kandungnya, the legal heir duke of argyll bukan duke of hamilton.
elizabeth berusaha menyangkalnya tp bagaimana caranya sedangkan jamie kecil memiliki tanda lahir keluarga campbell?????
duh spoiler abis2an deh gue hehehehehehhee
novel ini sedikit membingungkan apalagi dengan begitu banyaknya tokoh serta gelar2 mereka yg sepanjang kereta api.
tp sekali aq membaca nih novel aq ga bisa ngletakin. aq ingin tau bagaimana akhir kisah cinta john & beth, king oberon & tatiana ^_^
January 11, 2012
So many mixed feelings about this book. Slow to start, so much so that I almost left it. Then Ms. Henley played very fast and loose with historical fact and that bothered me. I guess this is a sort-of romance, maybe a couple of bawdy scenes, but not a real bodice-ripper, so it falls short on that measure as well.
Bottom line, the author does far better when spinning her own tales - leave historical fiction to Phillipa Gregory and that ilk who honor most of the historical accuracies.
All that said, Elizabeth Gunning was a very interesting woman in her own right and whose story deserves to be told - even in fiction - albeit more accurately.
Bottom line, the author does far better when spinning her own tales - leave historical fiction to Phillipa Gregory and that ilk who honor most of the historical accuracies.
All that said, Elizabeth Gunning was a very interesting woman in her own right and whose story deserves to be told - even in fiction - albeit more accurately.
May 25, 2014
Too High a Price
This book scrambles the idea that love. conquers. all.
It reveals hidden lusts, secrets and desires of people who gamble away their happiness and the happiness of those they purport to love.
In this book, the author weaves a titillating tale of love battered on all fronts. This is a story that will keep you awake.
It is unsettling: a love so near yet so far.
A lot happens in this story . The losses seem too real but it is the thing hoped for that releases us to resume breathing.
This book scrambles the idea that love. conquers. all.
It reveals hidden lusts, secrets and desires of people who gamble away their happiness and the happiness of those they purport to love.
In this book, the author weaves a titillating tale of love battered on all fronts. This is a story that will keep you awake.
It is unsettling: a love so near yet so far.
A lot happens in this story . The losses seem too real but it is the thing hoped for that releases us to resume breathing.
April 20, 2009
For the most part I liked this book. It wasn't as good as some of the books by this author. While there is a good amount of "real-life" history it didn't seem as real as some of her books. It was based on an actual person, Elizabeth Gunning, and at the end there is an epilgue. I went on Wiki after and learned that the son we learn to care some much about in the book dies at age 14. She also has 2 more (I think)children that die in infancy. All in all the lady has a tragic life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2011
I can say alot of research was done in writing this book. The Georgian era of England in the mid 1700's is brought to life by this tale. This is my first read by this author and I'm quite impressed. It was a tale of secrets, deception, betrayal and seduction. I will look for more books from this author :)
July 25, 2011
Ages since I'd read a Henley. Potential spoilers in what follows.
The heroine is indeed young, but not disturbingly so, especially compared to her "older and wiser" sister who is so NOT...
Nice that she finally gets a bit of backbone, even if it comes late and almost leads to her shooting herself in the foot, metaphorically speaking.
Not the greatest read, but ok.
The heroine is indeed young, but not disturbingly so, especially compared to her "older and wiser" sister who is so NOT...
Nice that she finally gets a bit of backbone, even if it comes late and almost leads to her shooting herself in the foot, metaphorically speaking.
Not the greatest read, but ok.
March 2, 2015
Mostly skimmed the book
Follow me!
Follow me!
February 7, 2012
How can anyone pass this off as having any basis in history? I am so pissed off with authors that fabricate a book and say it is based in history and I am doubly pissed with readers who do not make the effort to see if anything they are reading has any references to fact.
May 21, 2013
I have loved this author from the beginning. I enjoyed this book but enjoy her older books more!! John and Beth's story is tragic, funny, charismatic and her writing talent is unmatched, her detail, creativity is smoking. The backdrop of Henley's historical novels is unmatched.
April 1, 2015
Historical romance is my fav genre and this book didnt disappoint me. Yeah lots of things happening and hero seems to be missing in action most times but loved the story. felt charlie's death was unnecessary but maybe for Beth's realisation, there was no other better way.
February 21, 2009
loved it ya have to read it
July 25, 2011
One of my favorites in the romance!! This book as everything from beauty, lies, secrets, pretty sisters, etc!! LOVE IT!!
February 27, 2021
Too much conflict that could have been solved by the 2 talking to each other. But thats expected in romance novels. It is really good tho
August 28, 2013
Good read. The plot was unexpected which I liked. The heroine got on my nerve at times. Hero was ok but very much like a background character. Entertaining.
July 15, 2015
I liked it. interesting conceit on 2 historical figures. an author's imagination at work or did Henley pull from research that isn't typically mentioned?
August 2, 2019
I should stop buying books at a gas station!
Stiff characters, the girl too silly to live, the mother and sister stereotypes, ... nothing romantic about the story.
Stiff characters, the girl too silly to live, the mother and sister stereotypes, ... nothing romantic about the story.
July 17, 2024
De mis primeros acercamientos a la novela romántica histórica. Compré la historia y me encariñé con los personajes. Hay romance, problemas, pasión. Todo lo que piden las seguidoras del género.
January 6, 2025
Me encantan los romances históricos y este tiene mucho drama y definitivamente mucho romance. Es de mis libros favoritos y lo leo cada año al menos una vez.
September 25, 2009
Georgian
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews