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Folly to Be Wise
Tessa was happy and content with her carefree life on her Dartmoor farm home, with her horses and the uncomplicated companionship of her childhood friend Dick. So when she acquired an unwelcome admirer, she fended off his attention by telling him she was secretly engaged to Max Soames, the wealthy local lord of the manor who had been abroad for several years. Unfortunately, Max chose this unsuitable moment to come home and promptly claim Tessa as his 'fiancée'. How could she extricate herself from this tangled web she had so impulsively woven?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1946
50 people want to read
About the author
Sara Seale
71 books22 followersSara Seale was the pseudonym used by Mary Jane MacPherson (d. 11 March 1974) and/or A.D.L. MacPherson (d. 30 October 1978), a British writing team who published over 45 romance novels from 1932 to 1971. Seale was one of the first Mills & Boon's authors published in Germany and the Netherlands, and reached the pinnacle of her career in the 1940s and 1950s, when they earning over £3,000/year. Many of Seale's novels revisited a theme of an orphaned heroine who finds happiness, and also employed blind or disfigured (but still handsome) heroes as standard characters.
Mary Jane MacPherson began writing at an early age while still in her convent school. Besides being a writer, MacPherson was also a leading authority on Alsatian dogs, and was a judge at Crufts.
Mary Jane MacPherson began writing at an early age while still in her convent school. Besides being a writer, MacPherson was also a leading authority on Alsatian dogs, and was a judge at Crufts.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 5, 2016
To rescue herself from a proposal from a man she calls the Blackbeetle, Tessa pretends she’s engaged to absent neighbour Max Soames. Tessa is 18 and had one memorable encounter with Max, or Stinky, as she prefers to call him. When she was 14 he presented a prize at her school and said within her hearing: ‘Who is that scarecrow child looking at me with such repugnance?’. This is a far worse insult than calling someone ‘tolerable’ at a ball. Never forgive, Tessa!
Proposal crisis averted, Tessa goes back to doing whatever she wants. She spends lots of time with her younger sister, Jackie. They are quite adorable together. Tessa likes riding ponies on the moor and doing farm work, and buying and training up ponies to sell them. She’s aided in this by Dick. Dick is her foster-brother, because Tessa’s mother couldn’t nurse her so Dick’s mother who had lost a baby came up to Tessa’s house to look after her and has never left. Tessa’s mother died giving birth to Jackie. Their father is doing his quietly doing his own thing, and the girls are their Aunt Abby’s responsibility, but the house is mostly ruled by Tessa’s foster mother, Rosa. All this background is in place because one of the things I like about Seale is that she commits to having characters with layered relationships and with their own flaws that aren’t simply there to demonstrate how the heroine is having a really bad time.
For example: Dick. He’s 22 and Tessa has recently become aware that he’s starting to look at girls and think of marriage. Mixed feelings for Tessa. Strictly speaking, she isn’t in love with him, but she does consider him to be her emotional property and she’s not happy he’s considering a life apart from her.
Anyway, a few weeks later Max shows up and, rather than denounce her lies at the Sunday church service, he claims Tessa as his fiancée. Max is immediately smitten, especially when he remarks on Tessa’s hat and she explains that she’s wearing her church hat, and that in winter she borrows Jackie’s other hat, because Jackie has two. Max is 34 (sigh) and is emerging from a toxic relationship with his stepmother, so getting engaged to a child seems like a good idea.
And Tessa is a child. The events of the book take place over more than a year, as Max gives Tessa time to grow up a little. He’s patient, but not to the point of saintliness, it’s clear that he does find her frustrating at times, but that he’s in for long haul. He’s had a bad time, but it doesn’t define him, and will it occasionally overshadows his interactions with Tessa, he doesn’t let it take over. He wants her to love him as an adult. He never gives up. That, and his sense of humour, make him a loveable character.
Tessa is a great character. She’s funny, direct, and often not terribly bright. She’s country-girl tough, but she likes to think the best of people, even the horrible other woman, Max’s stepmother, Angela.
Max and Angela have a murky past. Angela wants him around, but she doesn’t want an intimate relationship. She has the charm and the wit to keep him exactly where she wants him. It’s an interesting parallel to what Tessa wants with Dick.
Once again, I’m caught up with the depth of development Sara Seale puts into her characters. She generally does it with a light touch, which I love because it makes me feel like a smart reader when I pick up what she’s implying. It’s the vintage difference. There are modern contemporary romance authors who give their characters layered stories, but usually contextualised within some kind of psychological diagnostic framework. Seale is such a pleasure because she treats people as people, rather than as a set of defined behaviours.
Proposal crisis averted, Tessa goes back to doing whatever she wants. She spends lots of time with her younger sister, Jackie. They are quite adorable together. Tessa likes riding ponies on the moor and doing farm work, and buying and training up ponies to sell them. She’s aided in this by Dick. Dick is her foster-brother, because Tessa’s mother couldn’t nurse her so Dick’s mother who had lost a baby came up to Tessa’s house to look after her and has never left. Tessa’s mother died giving birth to Jackie. Their father is doing his quietly doing his own thing, and the girls are their Aunt Abby’s responsibility, but the house is mostly ruled by Tessa’s foster mother, Rosa. All this background is in place because one of the things I like about Seale is that she commits to having characters with layered relationships and with their own flaws that aren’t simply there to demonstrate how the heroine is having a really bad time.
For example: Dick. He’s 22 and Tessa has recently become aware that he’s starting to look at girls and think of marriage. Mixed feelings for Tessa. Strictly speaking, she isn’t in love with him, but she does consider him to be her emotional property and she’s not happy he’s considering a life apart from her.
Anyway, a few weeks later Max shows up and, rather than denounce her lies at the Sunday church service, he claims Tessa as his fiancée. Max is immediately smitten, especially when he remarks on Tessa’s hat and she explains that she’s wearing her church hat, and that in winter she borrows Jackie’s other hat, because Jackie has two. Max is 34 (sigh) and is emerging from a toxic relationship with his stepmother, so getting engaged to a child seems like a good idea.
And Tessa is a child. The events of the book take place over more than a year, as Max gives Tessa time to grow up a little. He’s patient, but not to the point of saintliness, it’s clear that he does find her frustrating at times, but that he’s in for long haul. He’s had a bad time, but it doesn’t define him, and will it occasionally overshadows his interactions with Tessa, he doesn’t let it take over. He wants her to love him as an adult. He never gives up. That, and his sense of humour, make him a loveable character.
Tessa is a great character. She’s funny, direct, and often not terribly bright. She’s country-girl tough, but she likes to think the best of people, even the horrible other woman, Max’s stepmother, Angela.
Max and Angela have a murky past. Angela wants him around, but she doesn’t want an intimate relationship. She has the charm and the wit to keep him exactly where she wants him. It’s an interesting parallel to what Tessa wants with Dick.
Once again, I’m caught up with the depth of development Sara Seale puts into her characters. She generally does it with a light touch, which I love because it makes me feel like a smart reader when I pick up what she’s implying. It’s the vintage difference. There are modern contemporary romance authors who give their characters layered stories, but usually contextualised within some kind of psychological diagnostic framework. Seale is such a pleasure because she treats people as people, rather than as a set of defined behaviours.
February 8, 2018
Tessa, 18, pretends she is secretly engaged to the long-absent son of the manor house, to get rid of a creepy suitor. Then the long-absent son, Max, 34, shows up, somehow learns about the lie, and "claims" her as his fiancée.
Once again, as with The Third Uncle, Sara Seale plays this one really close to the bone. Tess may be 18, which in fairness is legal and was considered a perfectly marriageable age in the 1940s, but in no way is she presented as an 18-year-old woman ready for independence and adulthood.
Instead, the whole book takes pains to portray her in as childlike and childish a manner as possible. She is constantly referred to as a "child" and even a "stubborn little girl" and "stable boy". She spends all her time running around in old clothes with her younger sister, covered with mud and horses. There's a conversation where it is emphasised how straight-up-and-down - and free of womanly curves - her figure is.
She is innocent to the point of never even having kissed a boy before, nor of ever having any romantic feelings or inclinations towards anyone. The first adult dress she ever wears - not even owning one - is her dead mother's wedding dress. I don't know exactly what 1940s formal fashions were like, but it seems a stretch that one would wear a boned-bodice ivory meringue to a dinner party, and not look like they were patently dressed up as a bride.
We even get phrases like "He held her anguished young body close to his...".
Let's not even get started on Max, who despite his claim to have had "a penchant for smart, sophisticated older women", confesses:
Very hard to stomach in this day and age, and I'd be surprised if contemporary readers didn't find it rather off.
NB: My edition was 1966. I've since discovered this book was originally published in 1946. I don't know if certain details were updated for the paperback publication. It's odd, at any rate, that there is zero mention of the war if it were published the year after the war ended. Rationing was still in place then, in fact it became even more severe after the war when Britain suffered a near-famine, but they seem to eat to their hearts' content.
Once again, as with The Third Uncle, Sara Seale plays this one really close to the bone. Tess may be 18, which in fairness is legal and was considered a perfectly marriageable age in the 1940s, but in no way is she presented as an 18-year-old woman ready for independence and adulthood.
Instead, the whole book takes pains to portray her in as childlike and childish a manner as possible. She is constantly referred to as a "child" and even a "stubborn little girl" and "stable boy". She spends all her time running around in old clothes with her younger sister, covered with mud and horses. There's a conversation where it is emphasised how straight-up-and-down - and free of womanly curves - her figure is.
She is innocent to the point of never even having kissed a boy before, nor of ever having any romantic feelings or inclinations towards anyone. The first adult dress she ever wears - not even owning one - is her dead mother's wedding dress. I don't know exactly what 1940s formal fashions were like, but it seems a stretch that one would wear a boned-bodice ivory meringue to a dinner party, and not look like they were patently dressed up as a bride.
We even get phrases like "He held her anguished young body close to his...".
Let's not even get started on Max, who despite his claim to have had "a penchant for smart, sophisticated older women", confesses:
"I've loved you ever since I came to church expecting a hussy, and finding, instead, a silly, enchanting child."
Very hard to stomach in this day and age, and I'd be surprised if contemporary readers didn't find it rather off.
NB: My edition was 1966. I've since discovered this book was originally published in 1946. I don't know if certain details were updated for the paperback publication. It's odd, at any rate, that there is zero mention of the war if it were published the year after the war ended. Rationing was still in place then, in fact it became even more severe after the war when Britain suffered a near-famine, but they seem to eat to their hearts' content.
November 20, 2023
Charming little book. I found it quite amusing how she and her sister would refer to the Hero as stinky, before they got to know him, and he caught them at it... ^0^😂
October 26, 2014
Originally published in 1946, this is a sweet vintage gem.
3.5 stars
3.5 stars
April 15, 2021
4 Stars ~ Once again a Sara Seale romance has enchanted me. Ms. Seale was a true master in creating characters that have depth with real faults and real feelings. While she has a penchant for creating heroines who are very young with heroes who are in their 30's, she weaves them a love story that is charming and satisfying.
In this romance, Tessa is a very unawakened 18. Having finished school, she now spends most of her time helping local farms and training wild ponies. But there's a man whose been eyeing her and looking for a wife. He sees Tessa's potential and wants very much to be the man to teach her about loving. When he proposes marriage, Tessa foolishly tells him she's spoken for and when he insists on a name, she gives him the name of her neighbour who is away in London. Much to Tessa's shock, the neighbour she nicknamed Stinky, has returned and he's quite happy with their so-called engagement.
Max finds Tessa refreshing and very soon finds himself falling in love with her. He realizes that she's still very much a child but he's willing to wait her out. So he insists that she hold to their "engagement" and while he lets her take the lead, he does nudge her into to seeing things from a new perspective. Slowly Tessa stops thinking in the realm of self and begins to see those around her with a new maturity.
There are tortuous times when Max's evil stepmother (only a few years older than Max) turns up. Angela is not keen on the idea of Max getting married; he's her cash source and she's diabolic in the methods she uses to get her way.
This is a lovely story. Tessa takes her time growing up, but when she does she's truly able to meet Max half way. The HEA was sweet and satisfying.
In this romance, Tessa is a very unawakened 18. Having finished school, she now spends most of her time helping local farms and training wild ponies. But there's a man whose been eyeing her and looking for a wife. He sees Tessa's potential and wants very much to be the man to teach her about loving. When he proposes marriage, Tessa foolishly tells him she's spoken for and when he insists on a name, she gives him the name of her neighbour who is away in London. Much to Tessa's shock, the neighbour she nicknamed Stinky, has returned and he's quite happy with their so-called engagement.
Max finds Tessa refreshing and very soon finds himself falling in love with her. He realizes that she's still very much a child but he's willing to wait her out. So he insists that she hold to their "engagement" and while he lets her take the lead, he does nudge her into to seeing things from a new perspective. Slowly Tessa stops thinking in the realm of self and begins to see those around her with a new maturity.
There are tortuous times when Max's evil stepmother (only a few years older than Max) turns up. Angela is not keen on the idea of Max getting married; he's her cash source and she's diabolic in the methods she uses to get her way.
This is a lovely story. Tessa takes her time growing up, but when she does she's truly able to meet Max half way. The HEA was sweet and satisfying.
September 26, 2017
I didn't love any of the characters. Yes, the characters have depth but something is messing. Maybe I am not into not-so-bright heroine. I like Sara Seale books but until now nothing really clicked with me as favorites.
I am not convinced with Max & Tessa romance it's seams forced. I don't know what will happened after 10 years when Tessa will lost her innocent outlook. Maybe Max will protect her from the real world so she will never grow up.
Max loved her because she is the opposite of his stepmother. Not a good basis for love.
I am not convinced with Max & Tessa romance it's seams forced. I don't know what will happened after 10 years when Tessa will lost her innocent outlook. Maybe Max will protect her from the real world so she will never grow up.
Max loved her because she is the opposite of his stepmother. Not a good basis for love.
March 6, 2025
I enjoyed this story, even though toward the end I wanted to wring our heroine's neck. But the ending was touching, which made up for it.
This is the story of Tessa and Max: Tessa is in an unusual family situation, as her mother died after her younger sister's birth. Along with their father, the girls were raised by the woman who had nursed Tessa after her premature birth. Tessa is 18.
After an unwanted suitor has proposed marriage, Tessa turns him down by making the mistake of claiming she is already engaged to Max, a 34-year-old man who hadn't lived in his house in 4 years, never dreaming that he might return. Well, of course he does, or we wouldn't have a story. The meeting of Max and Tessa at church was my favorite part. Max wants the fake engagement to carry on for a while because his stepmother won't be pleased about it. However, his grandmother is. They go through the ups and downs of life over the months of their "engagement". Tessa waffled one too many times for me, but, as I said above, it worked out.
My favorite characters were Max and his outspoken, endearing grandmother.
This is the story of Tessa and Max: Tessa is in an unusual family situation, as her mother died after her younger sister's birth. Along with their father, the girls were raised by the woman who had nursed Tessa after her premature birth. Tessa is 18.
After an unwanted suitor has proposed marriage, Tessa turns him down by making the mistake of claiming she is already engaged to Max, a 34-year-old man who hadn't lived in his house in 4 years, never dreaming that he might return. Well, of course he does, or we wouldn't have a story. The meeting of Max and Tessa at church was my favorite part. Max wants the fake engagement to carry on for a while because his stepmother won't be pleased about it. However, his grandmother is. They go through the ups and downs of life over the months of their "engagement". Tessa waffled one too many times for me, but, as I said above, it worked out.
My favorite characters were Max and his outspoken, endearing grandmother.
February 2, 2020
H : Smitten with the h. But he is not an alpha. He loves her but is patient with her as he knows she is innocent.
h : An innocent tomboy. She is still a child. She is very easily fooled.
OW : H’s stepmom, who is only few years older than him. She is evil and doesn’t want him to get married because of the fear that her flow of income from him will stop.
OM : h’s foster brother. They are like brothers sister but she likes him. He is indifferent to her.
OVERALL : This was a sweet yet dull romance.
h : An innocent tomboy. She is still a child. She is very easily fooled.
OW : H’s stepmom, who is only few years older than him. She is evil and doesn’t want him to get married because of the fear that her flow of income from him will stop.
OM : h’s foster brother. They are like brothers sister but she likes him. He is indifferent to her.
OVERALL : This was a sweet yet dull romance.
January 30, 2025
I love these old Sara Seale books (but damn are they hard to find). I find myself so utterly charmed by the way she writes her characters. I'm an English girl who grew up in the country, yomping about in dungarees and in barefeet was my day-to-day life, so it was so lovely to see these girls flying about being young a carefree. I also like how she calls the hero 'Stinky' throughout the book here. No awe, no hero worship, no kneeling down at the alter of the almighty man. Nope. Love it.
The infantilising aspects where a bit 'glick', but I dismiss those as being par for the course in the 1070s romance scene.
The infantilising aspects where a bit 'glick', but I dismiss those as being par for the course in the 1070s romance scene.
August 8, 2021
The cover tells a most interesting story. There is an older man with a craggy face looking to be in his late forties creeping up behind a pretty young innocent blonde. He is holding his cane in his hands in a somewhat upside down fashion as you might if you were intending to brain someone with it. Is it murder on his mind?
Well he has apparently spend a few years short of a decade with his stepmom and he is ready to be set free of her company. Clocked by cane would ease separation anxiety.
The inside of the book is different of course.
Well he has apparently spend a few years short of a decade with his stepmom and he is ready to be set free of her company. Clocked by cane would ease separation anxiety.
The inside of the book is different of course.
January 25, 2012
Very dated but sweet tale of love found in unexpected places. This was a favorite of mine in my early teens...
May 4, 2020
First published 1946. I read this 1974 reissued edition.
January 6, 2016
One of the best oldies .....A truly romantic story.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews