Her Own Rules

by Barbara Taylor Bradford

Forced to see a psychiatrist, Meredith Stratton traces her past, discovering that she had been placed in an orphanage when she was four years old, and follows her roots to England to find her mother, meeting a man who holds the key to her past--and her future. 300,000 first printing. $500,000 ad/promo. Tour.

Genres: Fiction, Romance, Chick Lit, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Love, Ebooks

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Barbara Taylor Bradford was a British-American novelist whose dramatic family sagas and stories of ambitious women made her one of the most commercially successful authors of modern popular fiction. Raised in Leeds, she developed an early love of reading and decided as a child that she would become a writer. After leaving school at sixteen, she began her career in journalism, first working in the typing pool of the Yorkshire Evening Post before becoming a reporter. In her early twenties she moved to London, where she built a successful career as a fashion editor for Woman's Own magazine and later wrote widely syndicated newspaper columns. Although she experimented with suspense fiction, her breakthrough came with the novel A Woman of Substance in 1979, a sweeping story of a determined young woman rising from poverty to great success. The novel became an international bestseller and launched a long series of novels featuring strong female protagonists who achieve success through perseverance, ambition, and business skill. Over the following decades she wrote forty novels translated into dozens of languages and sold in tens of millions of copies worldwide. Several of her books were adapted for television miniseries and films, further expanding her readership. Her work earned numerous honors, including appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in recognition of her contribution to literature.

Reviews

[Carol Storm]

For years I'd seen her books lying on the shelves, and wondered what they were like. So finally I checked out HER OWN RULES by Barbara Taylor Bradford from the library.

I was hoping for something steamy and scandalous, like a powerful older woman who sleeps with much younger men, does shots of whiskey, wears jeans, rides motorcycles . . . you know, her own rules.

Uh . . . no.

Meredith has a bunch of inns she runs around the world. Apparently they are massively successful because she's a real genius at decorating. Like, let's put a bunch of flowers on the hallway table. So she's a millionaire. And she has two grown children who call every day or two just to tell her they adore her and she's the perfect mother. Meredith's children behave just like children in real life.

Meredith has a boyfriend names Luc. He's French, incredibly wealthy, has his own chateau, and has a natural eye for flower arrangements and curtain patterns. In otherwords, he's got nothing! But sometimes nothing can be a mighty cool hand.

So one day, Meredith begins to cry for no reason. Just sobbing away, moaning the blues. And she has memories, mysterious memories from the past. And she wants answers. And so the quest begins!

I would definitely recommend this book to women who love reading about women who love exquisite interior decor and flower arrangements and long, slow, endless novels where not much happens except at the very beginning and the very end.

[Kathy]

Barbara Taylor Bradford may never equal the excellence of her Emma books, but she is a good author and writes a good story. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this engrossing story about a lost past found.

[Sheena]

Barbara's writing is easy to understand yet so descriptive that you can't help but form an image in your mind. Absolutely loved the twists in the story. Could hardly wait to get to the end!

[Karen]

Meredith Stratton is, in many ways, a self-made woman. As the hardworking founder of Havens, Inc., a group of luxury inns in New England, England, and France, she heads a thriving multinational company that is poised for further expansion. A single mother now in her forties, Meredith has raised two gifted children, Cat, an illustrator, and Jonathan, a law student at Yale. But, despite her achievements, Meredith is haunted by an unhappy childhood, much of which she no longer remembers. A wonderful story of searching for self.

[Kristen]

This is a nice story about bed and breakfasts and the family secrets that come out for Meredith, when she has a strange illness. A good love story!

[Dede Payne]

Decent book without alot of dirty words.

[Leticia]

Great vacation book.

[Sasush]

Good story. Long. Excessive use of full-stops (periods). Makes reading jerky. Like this review.

[Ann Gallo]

interesting reading, enjoyed it

[Carole Garcia]

Very well written and the beginning was captivating enough to keep me wanting more.

[Sandy Forman-Johnson]

excellent author, good story line

[Sheila]

This must have been one of the earlier Bradford books. I found the writing to be a little on the elementary side. However, I really liked the story line. Meri Stratton is a woman who has it all but has experienced tremendous loss early in her life. She has two wonderful children and a full life filled with running her very successful chain of hotels. That is why she cannot understand the underlying sadness that threatens to consume her. While looking at property in England she has an encounter that leaves her utterly saddened and physically and emotionally drained but can find no explanation as to why this has happened. On the advise of her physician, she sees a psychiatrist who helps her uncover her terribly traumati childhood. Her burdens are lifted as she begins to remember her early years. She finds information that reveals who she is and where she comes from and eventually is reunited with her family.

[Ann]

Audio book narrated by Lynn Redgrave
Meredith Statton, at 44 y/a is owner of 6 elegant international inns, is about to celebrate her daughter’s engagement. At this seemingly happy time in her life she begins to suffer from a stange illness that baffles everyone. Her doctor cannot find a physical cause for her debilitating symptoms, and desperate for answers, she seeks the help of a psychiatrist. through therapy Meridith peels back the layers of her life to discover the truth behind her life. Determined to get well, Meridith traces her roots back to another country, where she learns about childhood experiences that dramatically changed her life. The story developes from Connecticut countryside (Silver Lake) to London, paris, and New York and to a pastoral beauty of a chateau in the Loire Valley. Terrific book, vivid love story. Meredith traces her life to find her mother. Would recommend. 1998. audio abridged

[Debbie]

Barbara Taylor Bradford is one of my favorite authors. This novel reinforces this view. Meredith Stratton was a successful mother and business woman, but inside she was a sad woman who kept the details of her childhood a closely guarded secret. In fact, she herself remembered only part of it. She had grown up in Australia, at first in an orphanage and later with her loveless, detached adopted parents. As an adult, she goes to England on business and finds herself near the remnants old an old Abbey. There she is inexplicably drawn to the ruins with an overwhelming sense that she had been there before. That plus a recurring dream from her childhood begins her search for her past.
I found myself caught up in her search.

One loose thread about a jilted boyfriend needed attention, and the ending was a bit abrupt.

However, the characters were likeable people I'd love to meet, and the plot kept me interested. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel.

[Tamara]

Her own Rules by Barbara Taylor Bradford takes us into the life of Meredith Stratton, a woman who has endured a difficult life with an unknown past. Throughout her life she has felt a loss, but cannot quite figure out what it is. As time progresses things start to happen in her life that help her to find her answers. I thought it was an interesting book, which at times was lengthy in plot. I almost felt as if there was quite a bit of filler in the book. However, at the end I thought it was a good enough book.

[Alisa]

Not the best of hers that I've read. The relationship Meredith has with the Silvers is odd and one wonders what exactly was the purpose of having that particular set-up as opposed to a different sort of relationship for Meredith. While the novel is built around a serious subject (children sent from orphanages in England to Australia), we don't get into much detail of that; it serves mainly as a backdrop. The characters are a little too perfect, the search for Meredith's history a little too easy.

[Debby]

Meredith Stratton was a dearly loved only daughter in England until 1957 when she was temporarily put into a children's home while her mother was treated for TB. The home sent her to a terrible orphanage in Australia which causes a mental block on her earlier life. At 17 she emigrates to CT and starts over. At 44 she the owner of 6 inns in the U.S., England and France. Visiting England, the mental block starts to dissipate and she rediscovers her mother and heals.

great story, very little sex. good read

[Zoe]

Her Own Rules is the first of Barbara Taylor Bradford's books that I've read, and I didn't think that it was the best written book, though it was easy to read and quite involving. The storyline is very moving, though I did feel at the beginning that it took a while for the story to actually start. Overall, it was a good book and I would consider reading one of Barbara Taylor Bradford's other books.

[jean]

this was a story of being lost and being found. the main character was very intriguing because of what her past was. the writing was simple yet very descriptive. Barbara did great when describing the surroundings and the mood. over all it was okay, though i'm a bit disappointed because i was actually waiting for something MORE to happen. but the story just ended..like..yes she found her past but aside from that, there's nothing much to say..

[Stacy]

Story is about a woman who has suddenly started having flashbacks from repressed memories that she kept hidden for may years. In those memories is a mystery about her real mother and what happen to her and unraveling the story behind the flashbacks. I was pleasantly surprised how this book was written. More of a light mystery but it definitely held my interest and it had a great story line. Read this book sometime in January 2016.

[Debbie Davies]

Just could not get excited about this book. I am not a fan of the romance genre and while this novel isn't exactly "romantic", the writing style seemed exaggerated and stilted like many novels about the damsel in distress saved by a twist of fate. I liked that there was a bit of mystery involved in spite of its predictability. I would recommend "Her Own Rules" to fans of interior decorating and a bit of mild romance.

[Jeri]

A successful businesswomam Meredith Stratton, knows nothing of her past until she is struck by a strange illness which apparently has no physical basis. Set in England and New York mostly, the story of how she delves into her past with the help of a psychiatrist and finds herself.
I generally like this author but this book was not her best.

[Nicholle Thery-Williams]

I picked the paperback book up off of the free shelf at my local library. I have read Barbara Taylor Bradford in the past and I really enjoyed her book, A Woman of Substance. This was a quick read for me. The characters were not as developed as I hoped for so I only gave it three stars.

[Prafula]

A wonderful read that has it all ; the good, the bad and the ugly - all wrapped in the life of a courageous and ambitious woman who uncovers her tormenting past peeling back layers one by one to reveal her true existance with the help and support from her dear friends.
A thumbs up for the author !

[Kim]

I bought this in audio at a garage sale. I had it in my car, so when the MP3 player ran out, I popped this in. Staying iwth it was very, very difficult. So much fluff. But, sticking with it, because I had nothing else, it did improve a bit. Just not my thing.

[Victoria Evangelina Allen]

I pretty much read this book in one sitting, but not because it was awesome - rather, because it was just a light novel, although with an attempt at deep characters and an intricate plot. Yet, I did not feel any depth in it. A good beach or airplane read.

[Memz Turaga]

wow!!! i love happy ending.. I read this book within a day. I was so engross as the story unfolds. I love Meredith's mum faith which does not waiver, believing that she will one day meet up with her long lost daughter. Another courageous women who love endlessly.

[Nadia]

Very good, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
A lovley story about love, romance, single parent family and so good to raise the hidden truth about the shipping off of many thousands of English orphans to Australia in the 60s. Well Done, I will read more of her books.

[Berna]

It is a very emotional book, some parts brought tears to my eyes. I liked the heroine very much and cared for her through the book.

[Dee]

Pretty good, quick read.