Barn Dance

by Sara Seale

Life in an orphanage doesn't seem the best possible preparation for a job as receptionist in an exclusive country hotel, particularly if you are nineteen and look about four years younger. But Selina Task simply treated the wealthy guests as she had treated her fellow-orphans, and, magically, it worked. She made friends even with the dragon Mrs. Bessimer, with cynical, neurotic Clive Williams, with little Paul Proctor, who was said to be such a difficult child... But by the time that Max Savant, the wealthy owner of Barn Close, had realized that he simply couldn't imagine the place without Selina, he was engaged to Val Proctor.

Genres: Harlequin Romance

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1941

About the author

Sara 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.

Reviews

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Life in an orphanage doesn't seem the best possible preparation for a job as receptionist in an exclusive country hotel, particularly if you are nineteen and look about four years younger. But Selina Task simply treated the wealthy guests as she had treated her fellow-orphans, and, magically, it worked. She made friends even with the dragon Mrs. Bessimer, with cynical, neurotic Clive Williams, with little Paul Proctor, who was said to be such a difficult child... But by the time that Max Savant, the wealthy owner of Barn Close, had realized that he simply couldn't imagine the place without Selina, he was engaged to Val Proctor. A delightful (almost too good to be true) heroine and a unique hero.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart-warming story that made me smile. I spent most of the night and into the morning hours reading this book straight through. I enjoyed it so much.

Although Selina is almost 19, she looks like a child, which makes it hard for people to take her seriously. She is a "people-person" who uses the skills she learned while working with children in the orphanage where she grew up in a unique role at a country hotel.

Max is Selina's employer. He's enamored with Val, a gorgeous model, who wants to marry him for his money, not for himself. She stays at the hotel, along with her difficult, unhappy, and unwanted 6-year-old son, Paul, and his nurse. Val rarely sees him and has no attachment to him. Selina develops a relationship with Paul, showing that love will make him blossom and behave like a normal 6-year old.

The complications spring from there.

The premise is not far-fetched. My 37-year-old daughter has been mistaken for a teenager all of her adult life. Sometimes she's had to show her ID to prove her age to people she meets who don't believe her when she says she's "going on 40".

[S Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

Old age harlequin! Not much angst!

[Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nederlandse titel: Voor het geluk geboren

[Last Chance Saloon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this story as the heroine is so very nice. But the hero was vacant, and planning to be married to a very horrid woman who he supposedly loved (so unlovable) just because she is beautiful - that's too superficial for me - for 98% of the book. Her son was annoying and the other characters all so typical as well.
I don't need heroes to be alpha types, but this guy was vacuous and the girl's willingness was over the top. It's not a romance, nor is it a good read. It left a bad feeling with me.