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Singing Tree
"Your grandfather thinks we should get married."
Roderick Anstruther had made Flower Dursley an offer she could hardly refuse: the beautiful house she thought of as home, a comfortable life-style and a handsome, exciting husband.
As well, a marriage between them was exactly what Flower's family so obviously wanted.
There was only one problem—love wasn't part of the deal. And the more Flower got to know Roderick, the more realized that love was something she just couldn't do without...
Roderick Anstruther had made Flower Dursley an offer she could hardly refuse: the beautiful house she thought of as home, a comfortable life-style and a handsome, exciting husband.
As well, a marriage between them was exactly what Flower's family so obviously wanted.
There was only one problem—love wasn't part of the deal. And the more Flower got to know Roderick, the more realized that love was something she just couldn't do without...
- GenresHarlequin Romance
188 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
February 28, 2018
5 things I have learned from Anne Weale's Singing Tree:
5) If you fall in love at first sight with the woman of your dreams, the most effective way to court her is to propose a cold-blooded marriage of convenience based on the writings of a best-selling American pop psychologist.
4) It is mentally healthy to fall in love at first sight and marry the man who reminds you of his Eighteen Century Ancestor.
3) Your husband's lectures on nutrition and particularly the link between junk food consumption and juvenile delinquency are fascinating to his new bride and absolutely thrilling material for a reader eager to immerse herself in the escapist universe of a Harlequin romance.
2) A sure way to communicate to your wife that you are in fact in love with her is to stop sleeping with her and spend all your time with the female nutritionist who helps you run your clinic.
1) All is well that ends well with the simple utterance of the three words "I love you" combined with the female nutritionist's sudden decision to leave her job.
5) If you fall in love at first sight with the woman of your dreams, the most effective way to court her is to propose a cold-blooded marriage of convenience based on the writings of a best-selling American pop psychologist.
4) It is mentally healthy to fall in love at first sight and marry the man who reminds you of his Eighteen Century Ancestor.
3) Your husband's lectures on nutrition and particularly the link between junk food consumption and juvenile delinquency are fascinating to his new bride and absolutely thrilling material for a reader eager to immerse herself in the escapist universe of a Harlequin romance.
2) A sure way to communicate to your wife that you are in fact in love with her is to stop sleeping with her and spend all your time with the female nutritionist who helps you run your clinic.
1) All is well that ends well with the simple utterance of the three words "I love you" combined with the female nutritionist's sudden decision to leave her job.
November 15, 2015
The Singing Tree was written by Anne Weale and focuses on Flower Dursley (any relation to Dudley Dursley?) and Rodrick Anstruthers who make a marriage of convenience in order to settle the matter of his ancestral home which had been leased to Flower’s family for the past generation to pay their debt. Rodrick is now the holder of the lease and would like to return to living to it and turn it into a private clinic despite both Flower and her grandfather’s desire to remain within the home.
The two men decide that Rodrick and Flower getting married is the best solution to the problem and Flower reluctantly agrees despite her attraction to Rodrick as the idea of a marriage without love has little appeal to her.
On the technical side I had no major issues with the grammar or writing style Weale applies. She uses great imagery to pull you into the story and eighty percent of the novel has a smooth flow that develops the characters and the relationships with ease. I didn't even mind the marriage being moved up so fast as it made sense within the context of the story. Unfortunately I believe Weale felt to rushed by the end of the novel as she pours out a conclusion in less then five pages and it feels like she cut out a few scenes between Flower realizing that Rodrick truly loved her the whole time and that he wanted her for more then her house. It happened very quickly and if you skimmed you would miss it.
I found it interesting that Rodrick really did make such a strong case for a marriage formed out of a mutual recognition of each other’s needs rather then the ideal of romantic love especially considering how antipathetic many romantics feel about the idea. The comment of it being illegal for anyone under the age of twenty-five to get married made me chuckle as despite my own romanticism I would have to agree that marriages taking place between people just out of high school or in college can be disadvantageous as so much about who you are is changing right then that making a decision that will effect the rest of your life during that period seems foolhardy.
Perhaps it was a bit ironic that he made that argument since by the end of the book both of them make it pretty clear that they are both in love with each other.
As for things I didn't like that would have to be Rodrick constantly construing Flower’s disagreements to his advances in the early part of the book as her being a tease or maidenly shyness. I get that this is still a common conception, particularly in romance novels but I like it when you have a male character that respects a no as a no, even if she later does decide to turn that no into a yes. Consent is sexy everybody and damn right having your hero respect that does not make him less masculine and sexually appealing.
Overall, I give “The Singing Tree” three out of five hearts.
<3<3<3
The two men decide that Rodrick and Flower getting married is the best solution to the problem and Flower reluctantly agrees despite her attraction to Rodrick as the idea of a marriage without love has little appeal to her.
On the technical side I had no major issues with the grammar or writing style Weale applies. She uses great imagery to pull you into the story and eighty percent of the novel has a smooth flow that develops the characters and the relationships with ease. I didn't even mind the marriage being moved up so fast as it made sense within the context of the story. Unfortunately I believe Weale felt to rushed by the end of the novel as she pours out a conclusion in less then five pages and it feels like she cut out a few scenes between Flower realizing that Rodrick truly loved her the whole time and that he wanted her for more then her house. It happened very quickly and if you skimmed you would miss it.
I found it interesting that Rodrick really did make such a strong case for a marriage formed out of a mutual recognition of each other’s needs rather then the ideal of romantic love especially considering how antipathetic many romantics feel about the idea. The comment of it being illegal for anyone under the age of twenty-five to get married made me chuckle as despite my own romanticism I would have to agree that marriages taking place between people just out of high school or in college can be disadvantageous as so much about who you are is changing right then that making a decision that will effect the rest of your life during that period seems foolhardy.
Perhaps it was a bit ironic that he made that argument since by the end of the book both of them make it pretty clear that they are both in love with each other.
As for things I didn't like that would have to be Rodrick constantly construing Flower’s disagreements to his advances in the early part of the book as her being a tease or maidenly shyness. I get that this is still a common conception, particularly in romance novels but I like it when you have a male character that respects a no as a no, even if she later does decide to turn that no into a yes. Consent is sexy everybody and damn right having your hero respect that does not make him less masculine and sexually appealing.
Overall, I give “The Singing Tree” three out of five hearts.
<3<3<3
October 20, 2014
this was a load of rubbish! so medieval, i was thouroughly upset! i thought the book was written in the 50s !haha!
April 29, 2021
2.5-3
Not bad, not great. An extreme easy read to the point of boring. I prefer some drama & angst in my romance novels. It was insta love for both. Not much of a plot or characters development. They were just two nice kids I guess.
Not bad, not great. An extreme easy read to the point of boring. I prefer some drama & angst in my romance novels. It was insta love for both. Not much of a plot or characters development. They were just two nice kids I guess.
May 13, 2023
Boring. Skimmed.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
June 8, 2020Your grandfather thinks we should get married."
Roderick Anstruther had made Flower Dursley an offer she could hardly refuse: the beautiful house she thought of as home, a comfortable life-style and a handsome, exciting husband.
As well, a marriage between them was exactly what Flower's family so obviously wanted.
There was only one problem—love wasn't part of the deal. And the more Flower got to know Roderick, the more realized that love was something she just couldn't do without
Roderick Anstruther had made Flower Dursley an offer she could hardly refuse: the beautiful house she thought of as home, a comfortable life-style and a handsome, exciting husband.
As well, a marriage between them was exactly what Flower's family so obviously wanted.
There was only one problem—love wasn't part of the deal. And the more Flower got to know Roderick, the more realized that love was something she just couldn't do without
March 16, 2022
This book may actually be a 4 star read however the fact the author inserted into the dialog lectures on diet , exercise, and how certain foods affect bodies, after the first couple of times I found it annoying. I was reading a ROMANCE novel. For diet and exercise information I will read/consult an expert on the topic...my 2 cents.
February 21, 2022
A love theme
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews