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Too Long a Sacrifice
What chance did she have to renew their love?
Only days before their wedding, Julia had sent Dr. Nathan Corbett from her life. She'd lived with her deed for five long years—years filled with pain and guilt.
Now suddenly he was back, and Julia still couldn't tell him the truth behind her rejection. It was tearing her apart.
But then, why should she let it? For the handsome Dr. Corbett had a new woman in his life—the beautiful, possessive Marcia. And she made it clear that Nathan was now her property.
Only days before their wedding, Julia had sent Dr. Nathan Corbett from her life. She'd lived with her deed for five long years—years filled with pain and guilt.
Now suddenly he was back, and Julia still couldn't tell him the truth behind her rejection. It was tearing her apart.
But then, why should she let it? For the handsome Dr. Corbett had a new woman in his life—the beautiful, possessive Marcia. And she made it clear that Nathan was now her property.
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
2 people are currently reading
89 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Whittal
56 books80 followersYvonne Whittal was born and raised in South Africa, the setting of most of her romances. She started writing stories at a young age, but didn't really get serious about writing until after she married and had children. She got many rejection letters from publishers, until a friend who loved romances gave her to encouragement to continue.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
November 30, 2016
Re Too Long A Sacrifice - Angst junkies rejoice. YW is back with an angsty avalance of angst.
The words in the title actually come from a poem titled Easter, 1916 by W. B. Yeats-- "Too long a sacrifice/ Can make a stone of the heart". These words were written in response to the Easter Uprising staged in Ireland against British rule and resulted in several Irish leader executions. Yeats' driving point in the poem is that continual exposure to violence and pain may decrease society's sensitivity and increase indifference or callousness.
YW uses them in this book in a very similar context to illustrate that the h may be rendering herself incapable of returning affection and inviting love and companionship into her life because of her continual pain over a sacrifice she made five years earlier. Unfortunately our h doesn't ever actually get to the callous stage and her pain is almost palpable.
The teaser blurb for this one really tells the story. The h was engaged to the H five years earlier. She was a operating theatre nurse and he is a brilliant neuro-surgeon. The H had a big opportunity to further specialize his training by doing a three year stint in Europe, they were set to marry before they left for the H's new post. Then the h's grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. The h was told that with a great deal of care, the grandmother could live an extra two years rather than several months and now the h has a real dilemma.
The h was orphaned at a young age and her grandmother raised her, she loves her dearly and can't abandon her. The h also knows that this opportunity for the H is huge and she wants him to take it, as it will put his career at a new level. The H is wildly ambitious and determined to be a surgical star. The h talks to the H's boss/friend about her conundrum. After listening to his advice, she decides to write the H a letter, terminating their engagement by telling the H she doesn't love him enough to marry him, and then she takes her grandmother off on a trip until the H leaves the country.
Two years later, the grandmother passes and the h is a mental and physical wreck. She is told it would be detrimental to her health to continue working in a large demanding hospital, so she sells the childhood home that she shared with Grandma and finds herself a quiet country town with an undemanding General Practice run by a kindly physician and sets about establishing a peaceful life for herself. She is still hurting from losing her one big love, but she is satisfied that she made the best decision she could at the time and she even has a very good male friend, who is hinting that he would like to take their relationship to an engagement ending in marriage.
The doctor she works for and his wife are also very close friends, and they know all about her past heartbreak. But they and the H's former boss all tell her she made the right choice, cause the H is truly gifted and an international neurosurgical star.
Then the h finds out that the H has bought a country home in the area. She is petrified she is going to run into him and there is a lot of angsting over that meeting. She is driving home one day when a pricey red European sports car runs her off the road. A woman is driving but it is the H's car and when he goes to check on the h, he is instantly hostile as soon as he recognizes her. The OW is mad that the h is there, she knows all about the h's jilting and starts warning the h off right away.
The H is also very nasty and calls her vicious names and a teasey tart. He keeps demanding answers about why the h broke up with him and it is really obvious he is furious, but it isn't clear why.
He seems to feel the h owes him something and we can all infer that what the H is angry about is that the h broke things off before they consummated their love. The h is and was virgo intacto and the H feels he has been denied and now he wants compensation. Of course a lucrative career and multiple women and professional prestige aren't enough to compensate his bruised ego, because the h dumped him before he exercised his mighty lance of lust.
The h quickly assumes his harassment and belittling treatment are all parts of a plan to bed her for revenge and take what she did not give- tho the H doesn't realize that she is still a chaste and virtuous girl. Knowing YW of old, we aren't sure that forced seduction lancings aren't on the H's agenda.
(I am pretty sure the h is right on target in her assessment here, the H is truly rotten and nasty with punishing kisses and insults and there was really no need to be. Ultimately tho the h did disappear for a bit when the H first left, she stayed in the same house for two years. They also have lots of friends in common and the medical community isn't that large in the area. The H could have looked her up at any time in the past five years if he wanted some final closure.
The fact that he did not even drop a postcard to the h until he had seen her with another man and thought that man was getting what he did not, really implies that his whole motivation is for some bedroom exercise and some punishing humiliation. Cause how dare the h reject him and then go on a build a life for herself, instead of sniveling in a corner in utter shame over her disgraceful behavior?)
The H's old boss calls the h up. He has received an invitation to visit the H's new home for a barbecue and he bullies the h into going with him. He wants the h to explain to the H why she dumped him five years earlier and the h doesn't want to. (The h does her best to get out of it, but this YW's HPlandia and she has very few h's that aren't pimped out and pushed hither and yon by most every male character and a few female characters in her provinces.)
The h and the former boss go to the barbecue and the H either snubs or makes snide comments about the h the entire time. The former boss actually apologizes for putting her thru the ordeal. He figured that the H and h would take one look at each other over the hot coals and be right back five years earlier and together again. The former boss soon realizes that the changes he had noticed in the H of insufferably demanding arrogance, egotism, avarice and narcissism were not just superficial reactions, but real character traits that have been growing in the H over the last five years. He and the H argue over the h's supposed tartyness and when the h asks him to take her home, the former boss quickly agrees.
They make their escape from the Barbie from Hades, but not without the H's new lady cornering the h. The OW tells the h that the H and OW are engaged and the H will become the Chief of the OW's father's fancy new big city surgical center. The h calmly rebuts that she wants nothing to do with the H, but the OW tells the h she needs to keep sacrificing herself for the H's career. The OW is chancing that the h is still in love with the H and she scores a hit, tho the h doesn't show it.
Eventually the h tells her very good male friend that she can't accept his proposal and she allows herself to be bullied into acting as the H's surgical nurse at the local hospital on a young athlete who will otherwise be paralyzed. The operation is a success and the h gets all awestruck and feels validated for her decisions because of the H's magnificent surgical skill.
The h and H wind up doing the horizontal mambo in celebration of the H's godlike surgical powers and then the h remember's the H's new fiance. She kicks the H to the curb and has herself a huge mopey moment for the next few chapters. The h figures the H has gotten his revenge and she is trying to piece herself back together, especially when the H flaunts his fiance over tea at the h's kindly doctor employer's house. The doctor's wife does her best to comfort the h, by saying the H's character has sadly deteriorated and the h can't help but defend the H, even tho she knows the doctor's nice wife is probably right.
Then the H forces his way into the h's house and she finally explains the circumstances that led up to the breaking of their engagement. The h also tosses his engagement to the OW into verbal fray and the H angrily denies he is engaged and accuses the h of not crediting him with enough decency to not sleep with one woman while planning to marry another.
The h responds that she had no reason to believe the OW wasn't telling the truth, and again scores a direct hit, cause the H certainly had no problems cheating on the OW even if they weren't engaged - the H made it very clear the woman was his lover and his girlfriend for close to a year. So H's little ego rant that he is decent is pretty much blown apart, because he was sleeping with both of them and the h is sharp enough to realize it.
The H makes all kinds of protests that HE should have been given the choice and told the full situation, but the h tells him that if he had stayed he would have resented the h for life and the relationship would have been destroyed anyways and also that if he had gone ahead and gone while the h stayed back, well distance and absence would have also destroyed what ever relationship they had.
(I think the h was very accurate in her assessment. The H would be furious and bitter over losing his big chance and would have done his best to make the h's life miserable. I also think that if they had tried to make a long distance deal work, the H would have found companionship closer to home in a heartbeat. He himself said he wasted no time in sampling the lurvely lady buffet.
I also think that one of the reasons the H was so astoundingly persistent in harassing the h to explain her termination of the engagement was that he probably WAS getting a bit on the side during their engagement. Since the h wasn't putting out, and he wanted to know if he got caught with the goods and the h was maybe too ladylike to call him on it, she just wrote a note saying 'it is me not you instead.')
Realizations of the H perfidy aside, the h starts feeling horribly guilty and starts to chastise herself for not letting the H chose his own path and so she winds up apologizing to the H. He storms off and the h is back to moping. Then the OW calls the h up and berates her for making the H give up the chance to run the big surgical center her father is building.
The OW tells the h that she needs to make the H realize that the best thing for him is the surgical center and the OW. (I did admire the OW's chutzpah here, it is the rare HP OW who tries to guilt and bully the h into making the H chose the h's rival for the sake of his own happiness.) Finally the h tells the OW that if the H wants to give it another go, the h will take the chance and run with it and the OW slams the phone down after predicting the H will never marry the h.
The h has FINALLY has had enough of the drama and martyrdom and goes to see the H. She tells the H about the OW's call and they both eventually declare their love, (the h says it first,) and decide to resume the engagement and lurve it up for the big HEA.
Whether they actually make it to the altar is anyone's guess. I was more than halfway believing that the H plans a big jilt scene at the ultimate I Do. But either way the h can move on and if the wedding does proceed, at least the h got her dearest wish and reunited with her only love - tho how many OW scenes she will have to endure over the years is widely open for speculation.
This one is interesting and an angst lover's goldmine. The HEA is doubtful but possible to buy into with enough help from the adult beverage of choice, I called on the Captain, so HP voyagers who like the wrecki drama or just like to read in fascinated horror, should keep this on a back burner for a possible HPlandia venture.
The words in the title actually come from a poem titled Easter, 1916 by W. B. Yeats-- "Too long a sacrifice/ Can make a stone of the heart". These words were written in response to the Easter Uprising staged in Ireland against British rule and resulted in several Irish leader executions. Yeats' driving point in the poem is that continual exposure to violence and pain may decrease society's sensitivity and increase indifference or callousness.
YW uses them in this book in a very similar context to illustrate that the h may be rendering herself incapable of returning affection and inviting love and companionship into her life because of her continual pain over a sacrifice she made five years earlier. Unfortunately our h doesn't ever actually get to the callous stage and her pain is almost palpable.
The teaser blurb for this one really tells the story. The h was engaged to the H five years earlier. She was a operating theatre nurse and he is a brilliant neuro-surgeon. The H had a big opportunity to further specialize his training by doing a three year stint in Europe, they were set to marry before they left for the H's new post. Then the h's grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. The h was told that with a great deal of care, the grandmother could live an extra two years rather than several months and now the h has a real dilemma.
The h was orphaned at a young age and her grandmother raised her, she loves her dearly and can't abandon her. The h also knows that this opportunity for the H is huge and she wants him to take it, as it will put his career at a new level. The H is wildly ambitious and determined to be a surgical star. The h talks to the H's boss/friend about her conundrum. After listening to his advice, she decides to write the H a letter, terminating their engagement by telling the H she doesn't love him enough to marry him, and then she takes her grandmother off on a trip until the H leaves the country.
Two years later, the grandmother passes and the h is a mental and physical wreck. She is told it would be detrimental to her health to continue working in a large demanding hospital, so she sells the childhood home that she shared with Grandma and finds herself a quiet country town with an undemanding General Practice run by a kindly physician and sets about establishing a peaceful life for herself. She is still hurting from losing her one big love, but she is satisfied that she made the best decision she could at the time and she even has a very good male friend, who is hinting that he would like to take their relationship to an engagement ending in marriage.
The doctor she works for and his wife are also very close friends, and they know all about her past heartbreak. But they and the H's former boss all tell her she made the right choice, cause the H is truly gifted and an international neurosurgical star.
Then the h finds out that the H has bought a country home in the area. She is petrified she is going to run into him and there is a lot of angsting over that meeting. She is driving home one day when a pricey red European sports car runs her off the road. A woman is driving but it is the H's car and when he goes to check on the h, he is instantly hostile as soon as he recognizes her. The OW is mad that the h is there, she knows all about the h's jilting and starts warning the h off right away.
The H is also very nasty and calls her vicious names and a teasey tart. He keeps demanding answers about why the h broke up with him and it is really obvious he is furious, but it isn't clear why.
He seems to feel the h owes him something and we can all infer that what the H is angry about is that the h broke things off before they consummated their love. The h is and was virgo intacto and the H feels he has been denied and now he wants compensation. Of course a lucrative career and multiple women and professional prestige aren't enough to compensate his bruised ego, because the h dumped him before he exercised his mighty lance of lust.
The h quickly assumes his harassment and belittling treatment are all parts of a plan to bed her for revenge and take what she did not give- tho the H doesn't realize that she is still a chaste and virtuous girl. Knowing YW of old, we aren't sure that forced seduction lancings aren't on the H's agenda.
(I am pretty sure the h is right on target in her assessment here, the H is truly rotten and nasty with punishing kisses and insults and there was really no need to be. Ultimately tho the h did disappear for a bit when the H first left, she stayed in the same house for two years. They also have lots of friends in common and the medical community isn't that large in the area. The H could have looked her up at any time in the past five years if he wanted some final closure.
The fact that he did not even drop a postcard to the h until he had seen her with another man and thought that man was getting what he did not, really implies that his whole motivation is for some bedroom exercise and some punishing humiliation. Cause how dare the h reject him and then go on a build a life for herself, instead of sniveling in a corner in utter shame over her disgraceful behavior?)
The H's old boss calls the h up. He has received an invitation to visit the H's new home for a barbecue and he bullies the h into going with him. He wants the h to explain to the H why she dumped him five years earlier and the h doesn't want to. (The h does her best to get out of it, but this YW's HPlandia and she has very few h's that aren't pimped out and pushed hither and yon by most every male character and a few female characters in her provinces.)
The h and the former boss go to the barbecue and the H either snubs or makes snide comments about the h the entire time. The former boss actually apologizes for putting her thru the ordeal. He figured that the H and h would take one look at each other over the hot coals and be right back five years earlier and together again. The former boss soon realizes that the changes he had noticed in the H of insufferably demanding arrogance, egotism, avarice and narcissism were not just superficial reactions, but real character traits that have been growing in the H over the last five years. He and the H argue over the h's supposed tartyness and when the h asks him to take her home, the former boss quickly agrees.
They make their escape from the Barbie from Hades, but not without the H's new lady cornering the h. The OW tells the h that the H and OW are engaged and the H will become the Chief of the OW's father's fancy new big city surgical center. The h calmly rebuts that she wants nothing to do with the H, but the OW tells the h she needs to keep sacrificing herself for the H's career. The OW is chancing that the h is still in love with the H and she scores a hit, tho the h doesn't show it.
Eventually the h tells her very good male friend that she can't accept his proposal and she allows herself to be bullied into acting as the H's surgical nurse at the local hospital on a young athlete who will otherwise be paralyzed. The operation is a success and the h gets all awestruck and feels validated for her decisions because of the H's magnificent surgical skill.
The h and H wind up doing the horizontal mambo in celebration of the H's godlike surgical powers and then the h remember's the H's new fiance. She kicks the H to the curb and has herself a huge mopey moment for the next few chapters. The h figures the H has gotten his revenge and she is trying to piece herself back together, especially when the H flaunts his fiance over tea at the h's kindly doctor employer's house. The doctor's wife does her best to comfort the h, by saying the H's character has sadly deteriorated and the h can't help but defend the H, even tho she knows the doctor's nice wife is probably right.
Then the H forces his way into the h's house and she finally explains the circumstances that led up to the breaking of their engagement. The h also tosses his engagement to the OW into verbal fray and the H angrily denies he is engaged and accuses the h of not crediting him with enough decency to not sleep with one woman while planning to marry another.
The h responds that she had no reason to believe the OW wasn't telling the truth, and again scores a direct hit, cause the H certainly had no problems cheating on the OW even if they weren't engaged - the H made it very clear the woman was his lover and his girlfriend for close to a year. So H's little ego rant that he is decent is pretty much blown apart, because he was sleeping with both of them and the h is sharp enough to realize it.
The H makes all kinds of protests that HE should have been given the choice and told the full situation, but the h tells him that if he had stayed he would have resented the h for life and the relationship would have been destroyed anyways and also that if he had gone ahead and gone while the h stayed back, well distance and absence would have also destroyed what ever relationship they had.
(I think the h was very accurate in her assessment. The H would be furious and bitter over losing his big chance and would have done his best to make the h's life miserable. I also think that if they had tried to make a long distance deal work, the H would have found companionship closer to home in a heartbeat. He himself said he wasted no time in sampling the lurvely lady buffet.
I also think that one of the reasons the H was so astoundingly persistent in harassing the h to explain her termination of the engagement was that he probably WAS getting a bit on the side during their engagement. Since the h wasn't putting out, and he wanted to know if he got caught with the goods and the h was maybe too ladylike to call him on it, she just wrote a note saying 'it is me not you instead.')
Realizations of the H perfidy aside, the h starts feeling horribly guilty and starts to chastise herself for not letting the H chose his own path and so she winds up apologizing to the H. He storms off and the h is back to moping. Then the OW calls the h up and berates her for making the H give up the chance to run the big surgical center her father is building.
The OW tells the h that she needs to make the H realize that the best thing for him is the surgical center and the OW. (I did admire the OW's chutzpah here, it is the rare HP OW who tries to guilt and bully the h into making the H chose the h's rival for the sake of his own happiness.) Finally the h tells the OW that if the H wants to give it another go, the h will take the chance and run with it and the OW slams the phone down after predicting the H will never marry the h.
The h has FINALLY has had enough of the drama and martyrdom and goes to see the H. She tells the H about the OW's call and they both eventually declare their love, (the h says it first,) and decide to resume the engagement and lurve it up for the big HEA.
Whether they actually make it to the altar is anyone's guess. I was more than halfway believing that the H plans a big jilt scene at the ultimate I Do. But either way the h can move on and if the wedding does proceed, at least the h got her dearest wish and reunited with her only love - tho how many OW scenes she will have to endure over the years is widely open for speculation.
This one is interesting and an angst lover's goldmine. The HEA is doubtful but possible to buy into with enough help from the adult beverage of choice, I called on the Captain, so HP voyagers who like the wrecki drama or just like to read in fascinated horror, should keep this on a back burner for a possible HPlandia venture.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 28, 2019
'Too Long a Sacrifice' - so says the reader.
Sometimes the title can be so (sweetly or not) ironic.
This h is a super-annoying martyr/saint who likes to wallow in her 'sacrifice' and makes sure everyone knows it too. Except the poor H, who bangs his head against her stony silence but she refuses to reveal 'the big truth' about her past rejection of him.
“Do you relish the thought of making a martyr of yourself?”
But wwhhhyy?
All the reasons for her hesitation to tell him 'the truth' ring completely hollow. Except page count reasons.
As much as I liked how the h finally asserted herself in the last h/ow conversation, I disliked her 'He's mine as I sacrificed' connotation.
Another sweet, supportive, in-love om is kept hanging around on a leash for just-on-the-off-chance reasons. I certainly hate how these ow/om and their feelings are regarded as superfluous, maybe shallow and certainly unimportant.
If the H had any sense, he'd grab the vampy but practical and stable ow and rush her to the altar. And never look back.
Sometimes the title can be so (sweetly or not) ironic.
This h is a super-annoying martyr/saint who likes to wallow in her 'sacrifice' and makes sure everyone knows it too. Except the poor H, who bangs his head against her stony silence but she refuses to reveal 'the big truth' about her past rejection of him.
“Do you relish the thought of making a martyr of yourself?”
But wwhhhyy?
All the reasons for her hesitation to tell him 'the truth' ring completely hollow. Except page count reasons.
As much as I liked how the h finally asserted herself in the last h/ow conversation, I disliked her 'He's mine as I sacrificed' connotation.
Another sweet, supportive, in-love om is kept hanging around on a leash for just-on-the-off-chance reasons. I certainly hate how these ow/om and their feelings are regarded as superfluous, maybe shallow and certainly unimportant.
If the H had any sense, he'd grab the vampy but practical and stable ow and rush her to the altar. And never look back.
January 7, 2021
"Too Long A Sacrifice" is the story of Julia and Nathan.
A pleasant romance in a which a heroine makes the ultimate sacrifice and breaks both hers and the hero's heart. Ending their engagement just days before their wedding, she disappears.
Now she lives in a remote town when the hero re-enters her life with OW in tow. But while she might have given up nursing, she has never stopped loving the hero. This time around, the hero is hell bent on finding the truth. But what will happen when he does?
Pretty enjoyable with a martyr heroine and an obsessed hero. She did a lot for him, and I'm glad the people in her life encouraged her to speak up. The OM/ OW just added some spice, but our attention does not waver from the MCs.
SWE
4/5
A pleasant romance in a which a heroine makes the ultimate sacrifice and breaks both hers and the hero's heart. Ending their engagement just days before their wedding, she disappears.
Now she lives in a remote town when the hero re-enters her life with OW in tow. But while she might have given up nursing, she has never stopped loving the hero. This time around, the hero is hell bent on finding the truth. But what will happen when he does?
Pretty enjoyable with a martyr heroine and an obsessed hero. She did a lot for him, and I'm glad the people in her life encouraged her to speak up. The OM/ OW just added some spice, but our attention does not waver from the MCs.
SWE
4/5
September 12, 2018
Although H was wronged by heroine’s sacrifice for his career, he was not as cruel as I’ve wanted him to be. (Lol) I liked the angst. It was a good oldie.
And finally, the moral of the book can be summarized as don’t be a matry even if you’re a saint and crazy with love. (Lol)
And finally, the moral of the book can be summarized as don’t be a matry even if you’re a saint and crazy with love. (Lol)
January 21, 2022
Too stupid a heroine, the title should be.
She left her fiancé, the hero, five years before because she found out her granny was ill and was dying so she decided to jilt the hero that was offered a chance to go abroad and study as a neurosurgeon.
Five years later they meet again and of course the whole book is him going around her and asking why she left him, and she refusing to tell.
There’s a ow who is rich and wants him to accept a job at her father’s clinic, and want to marry him.
Eventually they clear the air but I hated this heroine.
She made the choice on his behalf and that was absolutely wrong.
She decided to leave him and made both suffer.
In a couple the partners are just that: partners. Each one with their responsibilities and their free choices, and some choices must be made by both.
And then she didn’t want to tell him the truth.
I wonder why.
Stupid silly woman.
I wouldn’t have her back, but maybe the hero had his fun for the past five years and now he decided that it’s time to settle for a wife who is also a practiced nurse ( so she can help him)
She was still a virgin after 5 years while he had known many women ( in a biblical sense, I suppose)
Good old double standard.
But in this case I could not even be disappointed since she really treated him badly.
Not very good story.
She left her fiancé, the hero, five years before because she found out her granny was ill and was dying so she decided to jilt the hero that was offered a chance to go abroad and study as a neurosurgeon.
Five years later they meet again and of course the whole book is him going around her and asking why she left him, and she refusing to tell.
There’s a ow who is rich and wants him to accept a job at her father’s clinic, and want to marry him.
Eventually they clear the air but I hated this heroine.
She made the choice on his behalf and that was absolutely wrong.
She decided to leave him and made both suffer.
In a couple the partners are just that: partners. Each one with their responsibilities and their free choices, and some choices must be made by both.
And then she didn’t want to tell him the truth.
I wonder why.
Stupid silly woman.
I wouldn’t have her back, but maybe the hero had his fun for the past five years and now he decided that it’s time to settle for a wife who is also a practiced nurse ( so she can help him)
She was still a virgin after 5 years while he had known many women ( in a biblical sense, I suppose)
Good old double standard.
But in this case I could not even be disappointed since she really treated him badly.
Not very good story.
December 17, 2016
The hero and heroine were engaged, then the heroine discovered her grandmother had cancer and needed her. The heroines wedding was coming up when she made her decision, she must take care of the woman that raised her, after he parents died. So the day before her wedding, the heroine wrote the hero a letter and broke it off because she couldn't stand in his way of going to Europe and developing his doctoring craft. Five years down the road they meet again, now the hero is with someone else and the heroine is still in love with him. After a battle of fighting their feelings, they finally gave in. Then the truth came out and the hero was furious, could they have a future after all the lies?
I really enjoyed the novel. I have no clue why it is so lowly rated, it has awesome amounts of angst, you easily feel the emotion in the book from all the characters. The writing was top notch as well.
I really enjoyed the novel. I have no clue why it is so lowly rated, it has awesome amounts of angst, you easily feel the emotion in the book from all the characters. The writing was top notch as well.
August 9, 2018
If there ever was a title that was 100% accurate and not a misleading this was one of them. Apt title and for the love God I wish the h did try to fight for her love. She was too meek and I whisk she discovered her backbone sooner than the last chapter. The ending was sweet.
January 23, 2016
A total waste of time. I can't believe she would put her love for him away for those stupid reasons. Come on I would not have wasted all those years. For nothing!!!!
January 2, 2026
She kept refusing to tell the truth why she had jilted him. Her reasons for keeping her mouth shut were silly and it became annoying. He was angry (of course), but not cruel.
Anyway, it was a book in which one doctor drove a Ferrari and the other doctor a Jaguar. The car brands were mentioned too many times.
Anyway, it was a book in which one doctor drove a Ferrari and the other doctor a Jaguar. The car brands were mentioned too many times.
October 28, 2019
I’m not going to say too much about this one as boogenhagen has the definitive guide to this mess.
The h was a bit of a doylem it was always going to come back and bite her in the ass of dumping her fiancé for sacrificial reasons.
I’m a believer of giving the other person a choice and if they don’t like it then “you do you” he could choose to stay or go either way he’s a big boy who can make his own mind up. If it goes Pete Tong down the line because he resents his choice then at least they tried their best.
I feel sorry for the OM in this one he was a nice guy who deserved his own HEA.
The h was a bit of a doylem it was always going to come back and bite her in the ass of dumping her fiancé for sacrificial reasons.
I’m a believer of giving the other person a choice and if they don’t like it then “you do you” he could choose to stay or go either way he’s a big boy who can make his own mind up. If it goes Pete Tong down the line because he resents his choice then at least they tried their best.
I feel sorry for the OM in this one he was a nice guy who deserved his own HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2021
Maybe I have reached a YW saturation! I just didn't like the martyrdom plot line. It was one of those books where I kept screaming "just tell him why!" For most of the book. I hate when big secret is not released until near the end! The title was so accurate, it was tooooooo long a sacrifice.
February 15, 2014
Not one of my favorites by this author. The heroine's logic drove me batty.
February 18, 2024
Angsty but not much happens throughout the story.
June 24, 2023
This one definitely felt like I should have given up on it. I mean, just wow at the nutso premise. She jilted him because her granny was dying of cancer and she couldn't stand in the way of his European career opportunity by telling him she was going to stay in S Africa and nurse her. Say what? And then 5 years later she still can't tell him the reason she jilted him even when he repeatedly asks. I am in awe that she got 187 pages out of it tbh. I had to laugh at the old "you marry someone before you sleep with them" stuff. Hence all the hasty marriage proposals. Dear God the lives that must have been ruined by people having to wed the first person they wanted to shag. Let's not go back to those days, ey kids? This was pretty bad, YW's writing talent notwithstanding.
June 30, 2018
Oh my. Classic Harlequin Presents Plot & Characters. From 1989.
Sweet heroine with guilts of deceiving hero 5 years before book begins.
Arrogant, vengeful hero out to pay-back for their broken engagement.
God, can it get any better than Classic Presents?!
Whittal was one of my favorite HQP authors back in the day - well, she's still a favorite as I sacrilegiously haven't read all of her books yet. I've always loved her writing style and her lovely exotic settings. In the good old days, this would be a Keeper but these days I don't have the luxury of keeping very many books I read.
Sweet heroine with guilts of deceiving hero 5 years before book begins.
Arrogant, vengeful hero out to pay-back for their broken engagement.
God, can it get any better than Classic Presents?!
Whittal was one of my favorite HQP authors back in the day - well, she's still a favorite as I sacrilegiously haven't read all of her books yet. I've always loved her writing style and her lovely exotic settings. In the good old days, this would be a Keeper but these days I don't have the luxury of keeping very many books I read.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
May 23, 2020What chance did she have to renew their love?
Only days before their wedding, Julia had sent Dr. Nathan Corbett from her life. She'd lived with her deed for five long years—years filled with pain and guilt.
Now suddenly he was back, and Julia still couldn't tell him the truth behind her rejection. It was tearing her apart.
But then, why should she let it? For the handsome Dr. Corbett had a new woman in his life—the beautiful, possessive Marcia. And she made it clear that Nathan was now her property
Only days before their wedding, Julia had sent Dr. Nathan Corbett from her life. She'd lived with her deed for five long years—years filled with pain and guilt.
Now suddenly he was back, and Julia still couldn't tell him the truth behind her rejection. It was tearing her apart.
But then, why should she let it? For the handsome Dr. Corbett had a new woman in his life—the beautiful, possessive Marcia. And she made it clear that Nathan was now her property
June 25, 2024
I forgot the details of this story but what I remember is that the hero is unforgivably rude to the heroine, dangling a snout-nosed, fang-toothed viper of an OW and humiliating the heroine at every turn. Turns out in the end that of course, the heroine had broken up with him as a "sacrifice." Yvonne Whittal has written some plucky, backboned heroines among her immense category romance arsenal but this is the flip side, the martyr Mary Sue who was such a popular stock character of the era. Needless to say, this was not my cuppa.
October 11, 2025
2.3 stars. weak story with a contrived and flimsy conflict. she wouldn't tell him why she broke off their engagement 5 years ago for the flimsiest of pathetic contrived reasons. meh. token other woman drama. no interesting emotional chemistry between the leads, although the physical chemistry was nicely enough described. alas I felt it was a total waste of time. I kept hoping it would get better but I had no sympathy at all with this story by the end. not worth it.
August 12, 2020
The heroine waited WAY too long to tell the hero. It dragged the story, and made the readers not want her to get a happy ending. Just playing a martyr doesn't make you a good person. Makes you masochistic and in this story boring. The hero is a normal dude and has the same question: why is it the heroine goal in life to make choices for HIS career advancement? Skip, not fun.
September 30, 2021
I like old school Mills and Boon and have read other books from this author which I really enjoyed but this was boring. I am one of those people who feel compelled to finish a book once I've started so half way through i wished I'd never picked it up. Not a reccomend from me and definitely not a re-read.
July 13, 2022
The heroine made a big deal out of nothing really, both MCs could have discussed their circumstances and have decided to wait a while. Even when they meet again, I couldn't understand her reluctance in telling the Hero, specially, since he was obviously so tortured. Masochist heroine.
June 19, 2019
Decent story with a h who had a bad case of martyr complex but the final chapter was worth waiting for.
December 1, 2020
I hate books that make the heroine stupid.
November 5, 2025
It's like watching a Korean romance/drama (and I was hooked on them for a short time), where either the H or h plays the "noble idiot" and sacrifices the relationship for what they think is the right reason, without giving the other party a chance to make the choice. "Idiot" is right!!!
In this case, it's the h who's the idiot, as her grandmother (who raised her after her parents' death) was terminally ill and she didn't want to leave her to join her husband-to-be in Europe, where they were headed after their wedding, as he had a golden opportunity to shine as a neurosurgeon. So, she sends him a "Dear John" letter, which includes his ring, saying she didn't love him enough to marry him and then takes her grandmother on a holiday for her health (and for the h to escape for a time), returning after the H has left.
I was already too annoyed to do more than skim through this book. It was so damned DUMB!!! First of all, it doesn't say much of her confidence in her supposed "true love". He was a doctor; he'd understand about her grandmother's condition and why she wouldn't want to leave her. They could have worked something out, and even if he chose to give up his present career opportunity, with his outstanding skill and the name he had already made for himself, I'm sure there would be other chances just as good, maybe even better. At any rate, he had the right to make that choice for himself.
Another thing: she seemed afraid that if he took the job and left for Europe, while she stayed with her grandmother for the time she had left, that their relationship wouldn't survive. Well, what better way to put it to the test? There's an old saying, that absence extinguishes a light attachment but adds fire to a sincere one. The separation would have proven if their relationship was based on superficial attraction or an abiding love.
COWARD!!!!!
Of course, later they meet again, with all the usual resentments, evasions, jealousy, (he has a girlfriend who wants to marry him, she has a guy friend who wants to be her boyfriend) and a lot of snark remarks from the H about her character. Naturally, they end up hitting the sheets and naturally she's an emotional wreck afterwards, thinking he seduced her while planning to marry the OW. And why does she believe he's marrying the OW? Because the OW told her of course, now there's a reliable source for the truth!!! And naturally, the h is TSTL and believes her!
When the H (FINALLY) drags the truth out of her (no easy task, I got exhausted just reading about it), he said exactly what I would have said, that she had no right to make that decision for him!
Doing what was best for him??? HAH!!! Instead, she made him miserable, thinking she'd callously dumped him, without even having the guts to tell him in person, opting for a cheesy letter, instead. The idea being, of course, that he'd forget her fast and move on with his life, but she sure resented his apparently moving on with the OW!
BTW: they were both a little crappy, with him sleeping with the h while still involved with the OW, and her stringing the OM along, knowing she'd never feel more than friendship for him, yet still giving him hope that she'd change her mind. Neither of them had a problem with using people.
And any reviewers who have a grudge against the H for whatever bedroom activity he got up to during their separation, let me remind you, he thought she had dumped him, so did he owe her any fidelity??? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! (And since she dumped him while still in love with him, it made sense that she didn't sleep with anyone else.) I'll bet if the situation was reversed, and the H was the noble idiot, if the h slept with someone else a lot of readers would be all "You go, Girl!!!" Can you say "hypocrite???
Too many times, reviewers get all unglued when the H sleeps with other women, yet there's a book I recently checked out (another DNF) where the h, during her separation from the H, seemed to hop from one guy's bed to another, and some reviewers seemed to like that! Too many women today seem to want to reverse the double standards, and act as sexist as they accuse men of being.
Much as I approved of the h's devotion to her grandmother, I was so aggravated with her for that noble idiocy, that I didn't want a HEA for her and the H. I'd have preferred him to tell her that, because of her lack of faith and trust in him, it's over for good now, and then have him move on, not with the OW (since he cheated on her) but with someone else, maybe a female neurosurgeon and they share a brilliant career.
Meanwhile, the OM wises up and tells the h her friendship isn't worth a tissue full of snot, kicks her to the curb, and she's left alone and bitter, her nursing career all she has.
I skipped reading to the end and decided that's just what happened! I feel better now.
In this case, it's the h who's the idiot, as her grandmother (who raised her after her parents' death) was terminally ill and she didn't want to leave her to join her husband-to-be in Europe, where they were headed after their wedding, as he had a golden opportunity to shine as a neurosurgeon. So, she sends him a "Dear John" letter, which includes his ring, saying she didn't love him enough to marry him and then takes her grandmother on a holiday for her health (and for the h to escape for a time), returning after the H has left.
I was already too annoyed to do more than skim through this book. It was so damned DUMB!!! First of all, it doesn't say much of her confidence in her supposed "true love". He was a doctor; he'd understand about her grandmother's condition and why she wouldn't want to leave her. They could have worked something out, and even if he chose to give up his present career opportunity, with his outstanding skill and the name he had already made for himself, I'm sure there would be other chances just as good, maybe even better. At any rate, he had the right to make that choice for himself.
Another thing: she seemed afraid that if he took the job and left for Europe, while she stayed with her grandmother for the time she had left, that their relationship wouldn't survive. Well, what better way to put it to the test? There's an old saying, that absence extinguishes a light attachment but adds fire to a sincere one. The separation would have proven if their relationship was based on superficial attraction or an abiding love.
COWARD!!!!!
Of course, later they meet again, with all the usual resentments, evasions, jealousy, (he has a girlfriend who wants to marry him, she has a guy friend who wants to be her boyfriend) and a lot of snark remarks from the H about her character. Naturally, they end up hitting the sheets and naturally she's an emotional wreck afterwards, thinking he seduced her while planning to marry the OW. And why does she believe he's marrying the OW? Because the OW told her of course, now there's a reliable source for the truth!!! And naturally, the h is TSTL and believes her!
When the H (FINALLY) drags the truth out of her (no easy task, I got exhausted just reading about it), he said exactly what I would have said, that she had no right to make that decision for him!
Doing what was best for him??? HAH!!! Instead, she made him miserable, thinking she'd callously dumped him, without even having the guts to tell him in person, opting for a cheesy letter, instead. The idea being, of course, that he'd forget her fast and move on with his life, but she sure resented his apparently moving on with the OW!
BTW: they were both a little crappy, with him sleeping with the h while still involved with the OW, and her stringing the OM along, knowing she'd never feel more than friendship for him, yet still giving him hope that she'd change her mind. Neither of them had a problem with using people.
And any reviewers who have a grudge against the H for whatever bedroom activity he got up to during their separation, let me remind you, he thought she had dumped him, so did he owe her any fidelity??? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!!! (And since she dumped him while still in love with him, it made sense that she didn't sleep with anyone else.) I'll bet if the situation was reversed, and the H was the noble idiot, if the h slept with someone else a lot of readers would be all "You go, Girl!!!" Can you say "hypocrite???
Too many times, reviewers get all unglued when the H sleeps with other women, yet there's a book I recently checked out (another DNF) where the h, during her separation from the H, seemed to hop from one guy's bed to another, and some reviewers seemed to like that! Too many women today seem to want to reverse the double standards, and act as sexist as they accuse men of being.
Much as I approved of the h's devotion to her grandmother, I was so aggravated with her for that noble idiocy, that I didn't want a HEA for her and the H. I'd have preferred him to tell her that, because of her lack of faith and trust in him, it's over for good now, and then have him move on, not with the OW (since he cheated on her) but with someone else, maybe a female neurosurgeon and they share a brilliant career.
Meanwhile, the OM wises up and tells the h her friendship isn't worth a tissue full of snot, kicks her to the curb, and she's left alone and bitter, her nursing career all she has.
I skipped reading to the end and decided that's just what happened! I feel better now.
February 24, 2017
Not a bad story.
Read
January 26, 2026Something has happened to me and I'm getting tired of heroes who manhandle the heroines which eliminates about 99% of harlequin romances from my shelf I guess.
The heroine is a wannabe martyr who decides she knows what is best for her fiancé and dumps him when she thinks he would have to make a choice between marriage and career.
Our heroines never have personal ambition and only live to make decisions about their lover's livelihood. No discussions and talking for our heroines.
She makes herself a comfortable life in a remote village and the hero comes crashing into her life (literally) five years after she dumps him at the altar.
Lots of misunderstandings between the hero and heroine...the hero is logically mad at the heroine. It is obvious he loves her.
He keeps demanding an answer from the heroine as to why he was dumped. Frankly, he deserves that much. He's a person, not just a statue onto which you sacrifice your dreams.
The heroine stubbornly refuses to answer and primes herself for yet another sacrifice for the hero's career.
The hero would look so much better than the heroine in my eyes if only he wouldn't force, kiss, push around and shake, manhandle the heroine during every meeting. But then I guess physically rocking the heroine until she had a concussion and lost all filter was the only way to get answers. Hey, it worked!
It's a good read to pass time but it doesn't offer anything new or engaging.
The heroine is a wannabe martyr who decides she knows what is best for her fiancé and dumps him when she thinks he would have to make a choice between marriage and career.
Our heroines never have personal ambition and only live to make decisions about their lover's livelihood. No discussions and talking for our heroines.
She makes herself a comfortable life in a remote village and the hero comes crashing into her life (literally) five years after she dumps him at the altar.
Lots of misunderstandings between the hero and heroine...the hero is logically mad at the heroine. It is obvious he loves her.
He keeps demanding an answer from the heroine as to why he was dumped. Frankly, he deserves that much. He's a person, not just a statue onto which you sacrifice your dreams.
The heroine stubbornly refuses to answer and primes herself for yet another sacrifice for the hero's career.
The hero would look so much better than the heroine in my eyes if only he wouldn't force, kiss, push around and shake, manhandle the heroine during every meeting. But then I guess physically rocking the heroine until she had a concussion and lost all filter was the only way to get answers. Hey, it worked!
It's a good read to pass time but it doesn't offer anything new or engaging.
March 16, 2015
Can I give this half a star? Blergh. I completely detested the "hero" who was more of an abusive, controlling jerk. It is NOT sexy to refuse to take no for an answer and call the woman you purport to love "bitch." Not cool, dude. Neither is taking her purse from her when she refuses to let you come in with her, removing the key, and letting yourself in.
And by the end of it she starts to feel like she might "deserve" this treatment. HELP.
And by the end of it she starts to feel like she might "deserve" this treatment. HELP.
October 20, 2021
I usually like yw's work and admire her writing ,didn't care about the background of why they parted for, was at times mildly boring. I liked OW in this, only time so far
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