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The Devil's Bride

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"Pretend to be his fiancee! I couldn't!"

Sandra was shocked at the suggestion. And yet penniless and out of work with no one to turn to, she finally, reluctantly, agreed to her cousin's crazy scheme.

She and Stein had never been demonstrative, Alexandra explained, and now that he was blind from the accident, he would never know the difference.

But Stein discovered the fraud instantly when he kissed Sandra. Even worse, he insisted that she carry on with the charade!

Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

123 people want to read

About the author

Margaret Pargeter

104 books75 followers
Margaret Pargeter was a popular writer of 50 romance novels in Mills & Boon from 1975 to 1986.

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5 stars
10 (9%)
4 stars
16 (14%)
3 stars
45 (41%)
2 stars
25 (23%)
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12 (11%)
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
Profile Image for SandraIsAMoodyCowWhenSheCan'tRead.
93 reviews54 followers
July 5, 2019
Let me try to set the tone for this book. Blind Hero carries heroine up the long sprawling staircase to her bedroom. Yes, he's blind and no, she doesn't freak out about being carried by up the huge stairs by someone who can't see. And before you go aww, it's kinda sweet, let me say that it was not the closing scene of a sweet HEA of love-conquers-all disability book.

No, this happens in the middle of the book where there seems to be an electric blackout just before this brave stair-climbing feat. Granted that since H is blind, he is probably better equipped to manage in the dark than us lesser mortals. But still, I would have taken my chances fumbling around for the banister than letting a blind man carry me up a huge staircase. But I've digressed and will come back to this later.

Background story:
Heroine's mercenary cousin has come up with the wacko plan that the h can take her place and pretend to be the fiancee of the H who has recently lost his eyesight in an accident. Guess she was hoping he lost some intelligence as well. Cousin is a skinny model/actress and too selfish to be saddled with a disabled man especially since being a writer, he wants her to go with him to a remote rugged Greek island and help type his book.

She's not too thrilled with this lifestyle especially since she can't type to save her life. Plus, she has already hooked up with a millionaire who is willing to pay the h to help ease the sting of H losing both his eyesight and his fiance within weeks.

Conveniently for the scheming hussy, our h is already half-fallen in love with H after seeing one picture of him some time ago. His plight tugs her heartsrings and she wants to compensate for her cousin's lack of morals and since she needs the money and can type without squealing "Broken nails!" she goes along with the plan. Though to her credit, she did try to convince the cousin to grow some boobs and tell the H the truth.

Now our H is an asshat who I suspect took on more asshat characteristics since losing his sight. After one brief meeting with h where he fixed her a drink, kissed her and included a quick grope, he realises she is not the anorexic, alcoholic, cold bitch he was supposed to marry. Like most Pargeter's heroes, blindness notwithstanding, he bullies her to continue to be his fake fiance, then real fiance then MOC then real wife. He's only half-Greek so he went about it progressively.

After meeting his cold nasty grandmother, some bitchy family friends, and the conniving OW, our h is feeling quite overwhelmed. Seemingly, his recent blindness itself is not much of a challenge because in Pargeter-romance land, losing your eyesight does not mean devastation. No, he functions fine without sight. Not once does he stumble or bump into anything. He reaches for the pot of coffee and pours confidently without needing to feel for the cup or burn himself, he can mix cocktails and even .. wait for it, promises to take a look at the faulty generator that fateful blackout day.

Honestly, I should have just dumped this after the first chapter. But I have this love-hate relationship with Pargeter as in I love the campy high-drama angst she creates between her main characters and hate myself once I finish reading it.

Some of the writing was awful, the pace uneven and the final events taxed even my high tolerance for low-IQ vintage romances. But the magical tread up to steps did lead to some nice first time sex though the poor h got a little unfair slam down to earth the next morning.

Not a bad offering considering it's a 1979 Pargeter.
Profile Image for StMargarets.
3,231 reviews636 followers
January 22, 2022
What more can you want from a vintage story than a plain, martyred heroine who takes her vampy cousin’s place as a fiancé to a blind man?

Just look what MP throws into the mix:
*A trip to Greece.
*Hostile relatives.
*Penance by typing/secretarial work.
*A marriage of convenience.
*An OW.
*Surgery to repair the blindness.
*A last minute car accident for the heroine.
All the vintage cliches! – including Devil in the title.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one.
Profile Image for *CJ*.
5,114 reviews632 followers
June 30, 2020
"The Devil's Bride" is the story of Sandra and Stein.

Absolute stupidity.

Our wuss of a heroine not only gets coerced by her namesake cousin to fool her blind fiance for a couple of bucks, but also then discovered, blackmailed, whirled away, seduced, and become a punchbag by the aforementioned fiance. I could not believe the amount of fear and reluctance she had when it came to the hero, who was the most efficient visually impaired hero ever, and equally cruel. All he did was mock the weak heroine, whisk her around and humiliate her again and again, and the heroine just cried wah wah. He was a horrible man.

Pathetic book.

SWE
1/5
Profile Image for Margo.
2,115 reviews130 followers
December 31, 2021
This H was the king of the relentless spirit-breaking minor cruelties. The h never really pushed back, so it was hard to buy the HEA even wearing Pargeter-colored glasses.
Profile Image for Melluvsbooks.
1,570 reviews
July 20, 2025
Entertaining but too much bitter hostility for too long. We never saw a softening which was desperately needed to get us to a believable HEA.
Profile Image for Fre06 Begum.
1,260 reviews205 followers
April 23, 2016
I really don't like this author's heroines they are way tstl but I can't take away the fact that MP's writing is so compelling I always come back for more!
Profile Image for Meg Usta.
3 reviews2 followers
April 14, 2013
I gave it a chance. I hated it. I never thought I'd ever see a cast of such unlovable characters. I read the first part, thinking "Okay, this looks like a potential Diana Palmer-esque book..." Which, if anyone here has read any Diana Palmer book, is TOTALLY different.

Okay, so the H was mean. But mean THROUGHOUT the book? What? And the h, taking it like a whipped puppy. Don't get me wrong,I don't want her to be the strong, independent, smart-alec type heroine that seems to be so popular nowadays. So many times in the book she could have explained her circumstance, but noooo. It was a far drawn out book of frustrating misery where the H is an a**hole and the h a 20 year old doormat at cattle ranch, in the middle of the rainy season.

I know I shouldn't be making comparisons, but how can I help myself compare this book to Diana Palmer books when it basically falls into that genre of mean hero and misunderstood, timid heroine. Same characters, but not so same. For one, the H was hurtful. Genuinely hurts the heroine physically and not even sorry about it! It went on and on till the last three pages of the book! WTF!? I have never been so frustrated in my life as I have been when I was reading this book.

I wanted to put it down and burn it, but I can never really put down any romance novel I started reading.

Gah! How disappointed I was when halfway along the book I realized the H had no intention of showing remorse for his wretched treatment of the h. No apologies, no remorse, no regret, no tenderness...GAH! It made me hate the heroine even more that there wasn't even a chapter of decent grovelling. Any self respecting woman would expect to be grovelled upon during the circumstances...

As it is I find it even hard to see what the h saw on the H that she managed to love him, mean d**chebag that he is. GAH! So frustrating.
Profile Image for Fiona Marsden.
Author 37 books148 followers
May 12, 2012
Oh dear. One of those old fashioned forceful males. But the heroine liked it so I think we can live with that.
This is one of the typical forced marriage books so popular in the 70's. The heroine, Sandra, fell in love with the blind author Stein Freeman almost before she met him. With a Greek Grandmother the hero had plenty of excuse to be one of those dominating males who don't take no for an answer. And they were very feeble and ambivalent no's in any case.
This is quite a well written story with a feisty heroine who is often quite modern in her resistance to the hero and also quite modern in her response to him. The story line is well paced and the ending very satisfying. I enjoyed it thoroughly.
343 reviews85 followers
December 19, 2020
This is the story of an innocent and easily swayed h, Alexandra Weir, and a blind and perpetually angry H, Stein Freeman (points off for name), who is an up-and-coming author. The H is a standard-model Margaret Pargeter dark and dangerous alpha, and the h is a nitwit to put up with what she does. Classic old-skool Harley fans who appreciate brutal heroes and martyred heroines: this one’s for you.



Whew, what a ride! Old-skool wrecky, with the angry misogynist type of H that was the Harley Standard Model for many of the 70s/early 80s authors. I loved these stories in my formative years (godhelpme), but reading them now (and likely even then) raises some uncomfortable feelings about how subversive and squicky this framing of violence and patriarchy-as-love can be. There’s a reason modern alpha/gamma heroes are given backstories and POVs and a softening into protectiveness rather than overt dominance. On the flip side, there’s also a reason why BDSM “romantic” erotica is so popular now. All fodder for an interesting discussion but this probably isn’t the place for it.

There are a TON of triggers in MP’s books for modern-day readers: her H’s were OTT, even at the time, in their brutality and their overt misogyny. And I’m not sure I can say that I really enjoy MP’s stories, because they go deep into that dark side of punishment tales. But this is a very dramatic, even melodramatic, book that is definitely a wild ride through vintage Harleyland and a good example of some vintage tropes and attitudes, so if that’s your particular bent, this one might scratch the itch.
Profile Image for Kelli.
20 reviews1 follower
February 17, 2010
I was actually shocked that I couldn't put it down. It kept you interested and it wasn't very long, so it was an easy read. I highly suggest the old Harlequin's if you're into that sort of thing.
Profile Image for RomLibrary.
5,789 reviews
June 27, 2020
"Pretend to be his fiancee! I couldn't!"

Sandra was shocked at the suggestion. And yet penniless and out of work with no one to turn to, she finally, reluctantly, agreed to her cousin's crazy scheme.

She and Stein had never been demonstrative, Alexandra explained, and now that he was blind from the accident, he would never know the difference.

But Stein discovered the fraud instantly when he kissed Sandra. Even worse, he insisted that she carry on with the charade!
Profile Image for Parparak Pink.
238 reviews20 followers
July 4, 2019
Stein is one hell of cruel hero, but it made me like him even more. Sandra real innocent heroine, sometimes made me angry, but really loved her overall. The story couldn't be written better and I really enjoy it.
Profile Image for Tonya Warner.
1,214 reviews13 followers
Read
July 27, 2011
This is an excellent story. Sandra and Stein make for a very combative couple. The tension is typical Greek on his part.
Profile Image for Jacqueline J.
3,566 reviews370 followers
hr-stash
April 14, 2012
Whoops! just bought a second copy of this. I need to take a list to the everything is 10 cents store.
Profile Image for Bukcrz.
296 reviews6 followers
June 18, 2013
Typical HP of its time. Damsel in distress, rich and brooding hero and a lot of misunderstanding, interfering/meddling Greek family, the other woman, and more misunderstanding.
Profile Image for Carmen.
Author 5 books87 followers
June 24, 2013
Stein is blinded in an accident. Alexandra, his fiance, doesn't want to marry him any longer. Sandra, her cousin, takes her place.
Profile Image for Tricia Murphy.
236 reviews3 followers
August 28, 2023
Sometimes I enjoy these old school harlies for the chance to rewrite them in my head. Have the Heros go to jail, destroy their arrogance, etc. But this one was just too dumb.
Profile Image for Tricia Murphy.
236 reviews3 followers
February 19, 2025
Dumb dumb dumb. Blind a**hole H, naive h, ridiculous situation, but dull for all that. Skip it.
Profile Image for Annarose.
469 reviews13 followers
May 3, 2023
Alexadra, aka Sandra, was in a fix. She was left untrained for any job and soon would both be penniless and homeless after the death of of her grandmother. It seemed her only solution was to get along with her scheming cousin's devious plan in taking her place as a fiancee to the writer Stein who was recently blinded due to an accident. Her cousin had the same name and recently had a new lover whom she wanted to marry and therefore she was dumping Stein. But, because her new lover didn't want her to see Stein anymore, she had to make Sandra take her place!

Sandra sympathized with Stein and was atrracted to him long before she actually met him. She was hesitant to follow her cousin's plan first, but she had to stay with Stein against her well when Stein discovered her ploy and forced her to marry him out of revenge!

As a story written in the late seventies, it is enjoyable enough - albiet predictable. The heroine would seem tame and boneless to some readers in her role, yet I think she is accaptable as she was described of having no real life of her own before meeting the hero. The only real setback against the story is that none of the main characters important life details were revealed to each other till the very end, so no way would they have had a real bond to base their love upon. If this was tuckled by the writter along with the heroine personality development and eventful plot, I honestly think this book would have been one of THE most memorable ones.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Trenchologist.
588 reviews9 followers
May 7, 2019
2+

I finished this a few weeks ago but didn't add it to GR. I reread the final pages again to get the gist and... ah yes.

Domineering, mean, angry-because-he-is-forced-to-have-actual-feelings hero.
Doormat, too worthy, love-him-so-for-reasons-not-really-known heroine.
Misunderstandings built on a lie built on imperiled health built on a remote Greek island.

In the titles by Pargeter I've read, she enjoys putting her leads through the wringer. These leads weren't likable enough for me to appreciate that. And there were too many sidesteps and padding to the plot for me to get fully immersed in their wringing out. Questionable consent sex, but once sexed the timid heroine can't get enough (sometimes this works for me sometimes not and you guessed it, here was a not). Toss in that it was a contrivance cleared up with the heroine standing up for herself & explaining or the hero not being a bullheaded jerkface for two pages, and it didn't send me.
Profile Image for Diedre.
993 reviews14 followers
April 24, 2024
An exasperating story none the less. The epitome of communication angst. Frustrating yet kind of mesmerizing. Ready to rip out the pages then crawl back to it. It wasn't as hokey as some reviewers have written. He was an absolute boar. And she was unnerving to say the least. But I guess that was supposed to be endearing. Well, it ended well!
Profile Image for ReadToBreathe.
870 reviews32 followers
May 29, 2020
I read this book years ago so I can't remember much, but I do know the hero got on my nerves
Profile Image for Keriboo.
233 reviews2 followers
January 24, 2021
2.5 H too mean throughout. Unbelievable that he loved h after the way HR behaved.
Profile Image for More Books Than Time  .
2,523 reviews19 followers
January 19, 2023
If I were rating based on my opinion about the characters this would be a big zero. Instead I rate all my books on how much I enjoyed reading. I didn’t enjoy reading his incredibly nasty and contradictory comments but the story is compelling.

Reread. This H is almost as conceited, contradictory, petulant, whiny and unwilling to take responsibility as the even jerkier H in Odds Against and that’s saying something. Example: obviously his wife h pretended to be afraid of the dark to get in his bed, then h had the gall not to remind H about birth control because she wanted to trap him. Of course let’s not forget that he wrote her a note not to come see him in London hospital and reminded her he was divorcing her as fast as possible. Then he’s angry and wants revenge when she isn’t at the hospital for him.

Still compelling although doormat h is irritating.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews

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