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Bachelors Galore
"Eligible bachelors in New Zealand" Marty Reddington felt such an outlandish claim deserved the joke she made about landing a rich sheep farmer. She did not sail from England to New Zealand only in search of a prosperous farmer for a husband but she was attractive and a good cook to boot so she wasn't likely to remain unattached for long. The only question was - which prosperous farmer would it be? It never entered her head that anyone would take her seriously, but someone had: Philip Griffiths, a New Zealand bachelor and sheep farmer! At the time, Marty had simply dismissed the grazier as having no sense of humor. It proved a far more difficult task when she discovered herself living next door to him!
Paperback
First published January 1, 1965
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About the author
Essie Summers
106 books51 followersEssie Summers was a New Zealand author who wrote so vividly of the people and landscape of her native country that she was offered The Order Of the British Empire for her contributions to New Zealand tourism.
Ethel Snelson Summers was born on on July 24, 1912 to a newly-emigrated couple, Ethel Snelson and Edwin Summers, situated in Bordesley Street in Christchurch, Essie was always proud of both her British heritage and her New Zealand citizenship. Both her parents were exceptional storytellers, and this, combined with her early introduction to the Anne of Green Gables stories, engendered in her a life-long fascination with the craft of writing and the colorful legacy of pioneers everywhere.
Leaving school at 14 when her father's butcher shop experienced financial difficulties, she worked for a number of years in draper's shops and later turned her experiences to good use in writing the romantic novels for which she became famous.
She met her husband-to-be William Flett when she was only 13 years old, but it was 13 years before she consented to marry him. A minister's wife and the mother of two, William and Elizabeth, she still found many opportunities to pen short stories, poetry and newspaper columns before embarking on her first novel, which sold to the firm of Mills & Boon in 1956.
Summers died in Taradale, Hawkes Bay on the August 27, 1998.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/...
Ethel Snelson Summers was born on on July 24, 1912 to a newly-emigrated couple, Ethel Snelson and Edwin Summers, situated in Bordesley Street in Christchurch, Essie was always proud of both her British heritage and her New Zealand citizenship. Both her parents were exceptional storytellers, and this, combined with her early introduction to the Anne of Green Gables stories, engendered in her a life-long fascination with the craft of writing and the colorful legacy of pioneers everywhere.
Leaving school at 14 when her father's butcher shop experienced financial difficulties, she worked for a number of years in draper's shops and later turned her experiences to good use in writing the romantic novels for which she became famous.
She met her husband-to-be William Flett when she was only 13 years old, but it was 13 years before she consented to marry him. A minister's wife and the mother of two, William and Elizabeth, she still found many opportunities to pen short stories, poetry and newspaper columns before embarking on her first novel, which sold to the firm of Mills & Boon in 1956.
Summers died in Taradale, Hawkes Bay on the August 27, 1998.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 9, 2021
4 Stars ~ This is another gem from the talented Essie Summers. Written in the late 50's, I'm sure for many gen-x or millennial romance lovers, this would read like an historical. I'm a late baby-boomer and I'm very much attuned to the times this story was written.
After a broken engagement (her fiancé went back to a former love), Marty decides to take her skills as a junior nurse, care-giver and housekeeper for her vicar father, and emigrate to New Zealand. While gathering literature and completing her paperwork at the New Zealand embassy, she reads out loud a section of a news article "An astounding surplus of eligible bachelors in New Zealand!" and jokes with her friends that they need to head there as fast as they can, put on the glamour and charm to snap up a wealthy sheep farmer. Ah, and that's when she meets Phillip who firmly sets her straight, that there may be eligible bachelors but there are plenty of New Zealand girls to go around, and that sheep farmers are not dumb to fall for glamour and charm.
Months later when Marty boards the Captain Banks, she's dismayed to find that Phillip happens to be the Liaison Officer and he's quick to wish her "every success on her venture". He's determined to believe that Marty is only looking for a rich husband. Marty is further surprised that her job with a farming family is located on the farm adjacent to Phillip's. The two continue to butt heads with Phillip blaming her contrary ways on her red hair and Marty claiming he wants to see her fail. When Phillip's former fiancée (now a married woman) returns to the area for a visit, Marty jumps to conclusions on where Phillip's heart lies.
This is a lovely story that gives us a glimpse of life on a farm in New Zealand. Marty is resourceful and she quickly earns admiration from everyone, except the one she most wants approval from. Phillip does send a few eligible bachelors Marty's way, and she plays along much to Phillip's own dismay for by this time he's quite smitten.
In good Harley fashion, all the misunderstandings come to a head, and these two get a lovely HEA.
After a broken engagement (her fiancé went back to a former love), Marty decides to take her skills as a junior nurse, care-giver and housekeeper for her vicar father, and emigrate to New Zealand. While gathering literature and completing her paperwork at the New Zealand embassy, she reads out loud a section of a news article "An astounding surplus of eligible bachelors in New Zealand!" and jokes with her friends that they need to head there as fast as they can, put on the glamour and charm to snap up a wealthy sheep farmer. Ah, and that's when she meets Phillip who firmly sets her straight, that there may be eligible bachelors but there are plenty of New Zealand girls to go around, and that sheep farmers are not dumb to fall for glamour and charm.
Months later when Marty boards the Captain Banks, she's dismayed to find that Phillip happens to be the Liaison Officer and he's quick to wish her "every success on her venture". He's determined to believe that Marty is only looking for a rich husband. Marty is further surprised that her job with a farming family is located on the farm adjacent to Phillip's. The two continue to butt heads with Phillip blaming her contrary ways on her red hair and Marty claiming he wants to see her fail. When Phillip's former fiancée (now a married woman) returns to the area for a visit, Marty jumps to conclusions on where Phillip's heart lies.
This is a lovely story that gives us a glimpse of life on a farm in New Zealand. Marty is resourceful and she quickly earns admiration from everyone, except the one she most wants approval from. Phillip does send a few eligible bachelors Marty's way, and she plays along much to Phillip's own dismay for by this time he's quite smitten.
In good Harley fashion, all the misunderstandings come to a head, and these two get a lovely HEA.
January 29, 2018
Everything about this book was really good, except - bewilderingly - the romances.
October 31, 2018
Originally published in 1958, this is a fascinating snapshot of an era when shiploads of immigrants left England to settle in the antipodes. Marty and her friends were all single girls, heading out to New Zealand to make a new start.
It was while investigating New Zealand that she first met Philip Griffiths who overheard her joking about a news headline that mentioned the country was full of Bachelors with good incomes. From then on the battle was on, with Philip believing Marty a Gold Digger and her believing he was one of those wealthy sheep farmers.
Of course there is a lot more to both of them and after the pre-requisite misunderstandings and so on, we get our Happy Ever After.
A later book, Spring in September, revisits our happy couple and we see the romance of one of Marty's suitors, Morgan.
It was while investigating New Zealand that she first met Philip Griffiths who overheard her joking about a news headline that mentioned the country was full of Bachelors with good incomes. From then on the battle was on, with Philip believing Marty a Gold Digger and her believing he was one of those wealthy sheep farmers.
Of course there is a lot more to both of them and after the pre-requisite misunderstandings and so on, we get our Happy Ever After.
A later book, Spring in September, revisits our happy couple and we see the romance of one of Marty's suitors, Morgan.
May 9, 2022
Marty made a thoughtless little joke about going to New Zealand to look for a susceptible bachelor with a seven-thousand-a-year wool-clip . . . and unfortunately Philip Griffiths overheard and took her seriously. So when she found that she was to settle in his part of the country, she had to work very hard to show him that she was not specially interested in men and least of all in him. This story of a stormy courtship is told by an author who is herself a New Zealander and who knows how to describe her country vividly and lovingly.
June 23, 2025
The H/h are both hotheads and fall in love at first sight. Everyone around them knows they're in love, but they cover it up by letting a misunderstanding go on for close to a year. Hero thinks heroine was being literal when she joked about finding a rich bachelor in NZ and heroine is so insulted that she takes up with two OMs just to feed his bad impression of her.
They can't quit each other and spend all of their time together or thinking of each other.
Meanwhile, the reader is treated to a fascinating journey on a 1950's ship taking the passengers from England through the Panama Canal to New Zealand. Once there, the heroine learns about NZ agricultural practices and Mary Sues her way through cooking, driving, sewing, first aid and being belle of the many balls in the destrict.
The H/h have fascinating backstories - his mother left when he was 11 and the dad died on the passage to NZ and was buried in Panama. (H/h visit his grave) Heroine was bombed during the blitz, was trapped in the rubble for 6 hours and lost her three older siblings. No pretend angst here.
The host family heroine lives with is interesting. The hero's OW is delightfully awful (and improbably reconciles with her tycoon husband when he loses all of his money). The OMs also find their lady loves. Many romances in this one - just suspend your disbelief and you'll have a great time.
Also, the clothes! Dior's "New Look" is well represented.
They can't quit each other and spend all of their time together or thinking of each other.
Meanwhile, the reader is treated to a fascinating journey on a 1950's ship taking the passengers from England through the Panama Canal to New Zealand. Once there, the heroine learns about NZ agricultural practices and Mary Sues her way through cooking, driving, sewing, first aid and being belle of the many balls in the destrict.
The H/h have fascinating backstories - his mother left when he was 11 and the dad died on the passage to NZ and was buried in Panama. (H/h visit his grave) Heroine was bombed during the blitz, was trapped in the rubble for 6 hours and lost her three older siblings. No pretend angst here.
The host family heroine lives with is interesting. The hero's OW is delightfully awful (and improbably reconciles with her tycoon husband when he loses all of his money). The OMs also find their lady loves. Many romances in this one - just suspend your disbelief and you'll have a great time.
Also, the clothes! Dior's "New Look" is well represented.
April 1, 2023
I am so thrilled that Essie Summers books are on kindle now! And bear in mind that these new kindles are also the original hardcovers that were released when the books were first published - and before Harlequin cut them down to fit their own specs - so if you are an Essie fan well worth the investment even if you already have the paperback or large print copy!
I waited a long time to read this one! No way was I paying the extortionist prices some sellers seem to expect to get for these older titles. Anyway that said, well worth the wait. Marty and Philip get off on the wrong foot from the get go and then throw in another woman (mildly evil) and another man or two (not evil at all) and you got trouble my friends! The premise was a real slice of history too - the shiploads of immigrants bound for New Zealand from England in the post WWII period. Highly recommend this one to any Essie fan or fan of vintage romances.
**I want to add that the new kindle editions are excellent - if there were any typos I missed them, and that is not something I can say about most of these older books that have been converted to e-books. Also a lot of extras have been included that provide insight into the author and the setting and there are also a lot of photos of the area in which the book is set that are just breathtaking.
I waited a long time to read this one! No way was I paying the extortionist prices some sellers seem to expect to get for these older titles. Anyway that said, well worth the wait. Marty and Philip get off on the wrong foot from the get go and then throw in another woman (mildly evil) and another man or two (not evil at all) and you got trouble my friends! The premise was a real slice of history too - the shiploads of immigrants bound for New Zealand from England in the post WWII period. Highly recommend this one to any Essie fan or fan of vintage romances.
**I want to add that the new kindle editions are excellent - if there were any typos I missed them, and that is not something I can say about most of these older books that have been converted to e-books. Also a lot of extras have been included that provide insight into the author and the setting and there are also a lot of photos of the area in which the book is set that are just breathtaking.
December 19, 2022
This is the first book I've ever read by Essie Summers. This was a wonderful slow burn, enemies to lovers set partly at sea and partly on a farm in New Zealand. From the get-go I could see the writing, dialogue and characterizations were simply amazing. I had to laugh when I got to the end and there was an afterward that basically said 'This was Essie Summers second book, and at that point she still hadn't figured out how to write well yet' and I was like 'girl you what? I thought the writing was AMAZING' so naturally I'm dying to read more of her stuff to see how she developed and improved as an author.
Most of all while reading this book I loved how the h repeatedly proves the H's misconceptions about her wrong simply by existing and being her own wonderful self. Over and over again through this book he had to eat crow and admit he was wrong... ahh it's like a slow percolation of grovel. Satisfying.
Most of all while reading this book I loved how the h repeatedly proves the H's misconceptions about her wrong simply by existing and being her own wonderful self. Over and over again through this book he had to eat crow and admit he was wrong... ahh it's like a slow percolation of grovel. Satisfying.
January 20, 2024
Oh so capable nurse-turned secretary immigrates to New Zealand after being jilted.
On the ship she meets a sheep farmer who overhears her joke about rich bachelors in New Zealand and makes some disparaging remarks about the h.
The h ends up at the H's suggestion and recommendation in his part of the world where she continues to bedazzle everyone with her efficiency.
If only the H's ex-girlfriend weren't on the scene...
On the ship she meets a sheep farmer who overhears her joke about rich bachelors in New Zealand and makes some disparaging remarks about the h.
The h ends up at the H's suggestion and recommendation in his part of the world where she continues to bedazzle everyone with her efficiency.
If only the H's ex-girlfriend weren't on the scene...
August 19, 2024
Another nice Essie Summers story. I enjoyed the shipboard contretemps, but the advent of the OW pulled the cheer factor down a lot - he should have booted her to the ground immediately. I'm not really sure what she saw in the hero, as he was judgemental and had so few tender moments.
But it was OKAY.
But it was OKAY.
January 5, 2016
Re-read of an old favorite. I have long wanted to visit New Zealand, partly due to the novels of Essie Summers.
A thoughtless remark by Marty causes friction between her and Philip Griffiths, when Marty emigrates from England to New Zealand, and ends up working next door. Good characterization, believable situations, and a happy-ever-after ending all combine to make this an enjoyable read.
A thoughtless remark by Marty causes friction between her and Philip Griffiths, when Marty emigrates from England to New Zealand, and ends up working next door. Good characterization, believable situations, and a happy-ever-after ending all combine to make this an enjoyable read.
October 1, 2022
One if my favorites
This is one of my favorite of Essie Summers' novels. Marty is a girl with absolute spunk. I like the secondary romances, too. Even the 'villain' gets a satisfying end to the story.
This is one of my favorite of Essie Summers' novels. Marty is a girl with absolute spunk. I like the secondary romances, too. Even the 'villain' gets a satisfying end to the story.
November 15, 2022
A girl moves to New Zealand from England. Meets a man on ship. Lots of misunderstandings. Wonderful descriptions of N Z. Very interesting. Skip beginning and ending comments because not that interesting.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews