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For One Night
They were strangers, but each had a need
The loss of her dearest friend left Diana with a profound need to be close to someone. One night of passion in a stranger's arms, unplanned and unexpected, answered that need and more—she became pregnant!
Yet Diana felt no regret about her baby's conception. She would put the man and the night behind her and start a new life elsewhere.
But fate followed. The very town Diana chose to settle in was home to Marcus Simons, her hitherto nameless lover. And, clearly, once was not enough for Marcus.
The loss of her dearest friend left Diana with a profound need to be close to someone. One night of passion in a stranger's arms, unplanned and unexpected, answered that need and more—she became pregnant!
Yet Diana felt no regret about her baby's conception. She would put the man and the night behind her and start a new life elsewhere.
But fate followed. The very town Diana chose to settle in was home to Marcus Simons, her hitherto nameless lover. And, clearly, once was not enough for Marcus.
187 pages, Paperback
First published July 10, 1987
31 people are currently reading
196 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,125 books668 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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May 23, 2017
For One Night by Penny Jordan is a 2016 Harlequin Presents publication.
This book was originally published in 1988.
After losing her best friend, Diana falls into the arms of a handsome stranger, but after their one night of passion, Diana discovers she is pregnant.
Instead of being upset, she decides to start a new life for herself by relocating and claiming to be a widow so her child will not suffer the stigma associated with illegitimacy. But, she gets the shock of her life when she runs into her baby daddy, Marcus, and realizes they now live in the same community.
Marcus has taken over the family farm, even though that was not what he had planned to do with his life. When he sees Diana, he believes she followed him, but is quickly chastened after being told she was a widow.
Diana is desperate to keep Marcus at arm’s length, but Marcus has other ideas.
Although this book was released by Harlequin in 2016, please keep the original publication date in mind when you read this one. Single parenthood was still not the norm back in the eighties, and could stigmatize a child for life, if was anyone knew they had been born out of wedlock. So, Diana’s ruse made sense when this book was first published.
The chemistry between Diana and Marcus was instant, but it cools off immediately. However, the inevitable push/pull highlighted the simmering passion that was always threatening to boil over. It was slow going at first, but I felt like the emotional aspects of the relationship was at the heart of the story and the author took the right tact and kept the sensuality on a back burner.
I had a few problems with Marcus’ manhandling Diana, which is never a go, but even when he discovers she’s pregnant his temper is barely controlled. However, back in the time frame this book was originally published these scenes were not unheard of. Still, reading those passages now, made me squirm and it spoiled the romantic tension for me, I must say.
Diana’s stubbornness was understandable at the beginning, but keeping the child’s father in the dark, is never okay, which is why ‘secret babies’ is my least favorite romance trope.
On the positive side, this story centers on loss and renewal, and emphasizes the positives that can come from those unexpected curve balls life throws at us.
This PJ contemporary was okay, but not exactly the best representation of her work. But, it was light and easy romance, solid, and enjoyable enough.
A personal note about Penny Jordan and digital reissues:
Penny Jordan was a superstar author for Mill & Boon and Harlequin until her death in 2011. She was one of the first contemporary romance authors I discovered when I was first bitten by the romance novel bug. My love affair with romance novels tends to wax and wane at times, but PJ will always hold a special place in my heart.
I discovered, a few weeks back, that my library has added a number of PJ novels to their Overdrive catalog. Yes, you can buy them in the Kindle store and Open Library, has a generous offering of her novels to check out, but for me, checking them out of the Overdrive library from Amazon is a much nicer reading experience. Harlequin has updated the covers for those books they reissued and I hope these stories will find their way back to loyal PJ readers and perhaps find a new audience as well. If you are a fan of PJ, and have a library card, you may want to see if your library has added these.
I will be reading and rereading some of the treasure trove I discovered, so stay tuned for more PJ reviews, in the near future.
3 stars
This book was originally published in 1988.
After losing her best friend, Diana falls into the arms of a handsome stranger, but after their one night of passion, Diana discovers she is pregnant.
Instead of being upset, she decides to start a new life for herself by relocating and claiming to be a widow so her child will not suffer the stigma associated with illegitimacy. But, she gets the shock of her life when she runs into her baby daddy, Marcus, and realizes they now live in the same community.
Marcus has taken over the family farm, even though that was not what he had planned to do with his life. When he sees Diana, he believes she followed him, but is quickly chastened after being told she was a widow.
Diana is desperate to keep Marcus at arm’s length, but Marcus has other ideas.
Although this book was released by Harlequin in 2016, please keep the original publication date in mind when you read this one. Single parenthood was still not the norm back in the eighties, and could stigmatize a child for life, if was anyone knew they had been born out of wedlock. So, Diana’s ruse made sense when this book was first published.
The chemistry between Diana and Marcus was instant, but it cools off immediately. However, the inevitable push/pull highlighted the simmering passion that was always threatening to boil over. It was slow going at first, but I felt like the emotional aspects of the relationship was at the heart of the story and the author took the right tact and kept the sensuality on a back burner.
I had a few problems with Marcus’ manhandling Diana, which is never a go, but even when he discovers she’s pregnant his temper is barely controlled. However, back in the time frame this book was originally published these scenes were not unheard of. Still, reading those passages now, made me squirm and it spoiled the romantic tension for me, I must say.
Diana’s stubbornness was understandable at the beginning, but keeping the child’s father in the dark, is never okay, which is why ‘secret babies’ is my least favorite romance trope.
On the positive side, this story centers on loss and renewal, and emphasizes the positives that can come from those unexpected curve balls life throws at us.
This PJ contemporary was okay, but not exactly the best representation of her work. But, it was light and easy romance, solid, and enjoyable enough.
A personal note about Penny Jordan and digital reissues:
Penny Jordan was a superstar author for Mill & Boon and Harlequin until her death in 2011. She was one of the first contemporary romance authors I discovered when I was first bitten by the romance novel bug. My love affair with romance novels tends to wax and wane at times, but PJ will always hold a special place in my heart.
I discovered, a few weeks back, that my library has added a number of PJ novels to their Overdrive catalog. Yes, you can buy them in the Kindle store and Open Library, has a generous offering of her novels to check out, but for me, checking them out of the Overdrive library from Amazon is a much nicer reading experience. Harlequin has updated the covers for those books they reissued and I hope these stories will find their way back to loyal PJ readers and perhaps find a new audience as well. If you are a fan of PJ, and have a library card, you may want to see if your library has added these.
I will be reading and rereading some of the treasure trove I discovered, so stay tuned for more PJ reviews, in the near future.
3 stars
November 13, 2017
Wow, here’s a first. I actually felt sorry for a Penny Jordan hero.
At the beginning, the hero is thinking about sex, how long it’s been since he had sex, who he knows that he could have sex with, why isn’t anyone there so he can have sex, then thinks this charming statement that he knowingly would never go after the wives and girlfriends of his friends. High standards indeed. In the light of the heroine’s antics and his responses to her, I am going to go out on a limb and say he misspoke.
The H and h meet and have a ONS. Is there instant attraction, a sizzle over cocktails, lingering looks? Nope. The heroine has just buried her best friend and has checked into a hotel for a change of venue. Having taken something to sleep she’s woken by the hero when he enter what he thinks is his room. So, this romance as brought to you by Howard Johnson’s No Tell Motel.
Since it’s a HarleyLand, the h ends up pregnant. She moves to a small town and buys a bookstore where guess who is the hardworking lord of the manor. He finds out she’s pregnant (see small town) and wants to know if it’s his. No, of course not. It’s the imaginary husband that she is mourning.
Lots of housekeeping details, the hero pops in and out. He goes into an interesting but conventional hero decline where he gets pale, loses weight.
This h takes secret baby and makes it SECRET BABY squared. Normally the secret baby trope doesn't bother me as I can sympathize with the h's reasons, but, nope, not this time.
The heroine in turn lies like a dog at every turn. It’s a small town. How is she going to explain that she has lied to EVERYONE that this baby is not her her imaginary dead husband’s but the H’s. Even after the inevitable happy ending that is not addressed.
At the beginning, the hero is thinking about sex, how long it’s been since he had sex, who he knows that he could have sex with, why isn’t anyone there so he can have sex, then thinks this charming statement that he knowingly would never go after the wives and girlfriends of his friends. High standards indeed. In the light of the heroine’s antics and his responses to her, I am going to go out on a limb and say he misspoke.
The H and h meet and have a ONS. Is there instant attraction, a sizzle over cocktails, lingering looks? Nope. The heroine has just buried her best friend and has checked into a hotel for a change of venue. Having taken something to sleep she’s woken by the hero when he enter what he thinks is his room. So, this romance as brought to you by Howard Johnson’s No Tell Motel.
Since it’s a HarleyLand, the h ends up pregnant. She moves to a small town and buys a bookstore where guess who is the hardworking lord of the manor. He finds out she’s pregnant (see small town) and wants to know if it’s his. No, of course not. It’s the imaginary husband that she is mourning.
Lots of housekeeping details, the hero pops in and out. He goes into an interesting but conventional hero decline where he gets pale, loses weight.
This h takes secret baby and makes it SECRET BABY squared. Normally the secret baby trope doesn't bother me as I can sympathize with the h's reasons, but, nope, not this time.
The heroine in turn lies like a dog at every turn. It’s a small town. How is she going to explain that she has lied to EVERYONE that this baby is not her her imaginary dead husband’s but the H’s. Even after the inevitable happy ending that is not addressed.
November 20, 2016
RE For One Night or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way From the Funeral - PJ is back and this time with an entirely new and groundbreaking trope for HPlandia - The seekrit baby from the one night stand.
In general one night stands are NOT encouraged at this point and time in HPlandia. Yes the real world is several decades ahead of HP values, but in HPlandia the lady who finds herself in an interesting condition after a night of anonymous lurve is not considered to be HP h material. There is something a bit dubious about them that precludes investing them with the traditional HP h values of kindness, self-sacrifice and shinning purity.
PJ in her own indomitable but exceedingly gentle and compassionate way, manages to change that bedrock HPlandia assumption and she does it with one book. Which puts FON on the HP required reading list, cause PJ just took a huge leap into the twentieth century and reset the boundaries for endless meet a stranger and have a baby and marry them tropes in the twenty first. As a bonus, future Lynne Grahams and Jacqueline Bairds, as well as other HP writers will have a great new reason for the H's to blackmail their chosen h into all kinds of sticky situations, (not that they ever really needed a reason really, but it does add some spice to the variety of HP blackmail life.) But all that is in the future for us HP voyagers, in the meantime we have a PJ story to discuss.
The story opens with the 27 yr old h in a very deep grief over the death of her very good friend and roommate. The lady died after a bout with leukemia and the h devotedly nursed her very BFF until the bitter end. She can't stand to go back to the flat they shared and so she checks into a nice hotel for the night. One drink and a sleeping pill later, she wakes to find a very handsome man sharing her room with her. It seems there was a mix-up at the front desk and both the H and h are booked into the same room. To be fair, the H tries to get the h to leave, but she just can't stand the thought of the lonely flat that awaits her and we get H pov describing how long it has been since he has cuddled with a warm female body, so the two come together in fiery blaze that PJ assures us is meant to reaffirm life.
In fact PJ goes out of her way to assign almost mystical powers and divine intervention into this one night event. The h truly believes that a higher power was benevolently extending a hand in providing a handy and warmly comforting male body to console her in her deep grief and depression. When the h awakens the next morning the H is gone like an angel in the mist and the h soon finds herself preggers a few weeks later. It has to be Divine Providence to help fill the hole in her life.
Since her late friend was a successful novelist and had no other family, the h is her sole inheritor. This financial cushion and the bequeathment of the friend's old fashioned and courteous country London solicitor leads the h to the decision to buy a listed building bookshop and flat in the Herefordshire area where the inherited solicitor has family connections.
The h is from the Yorkshire dales herself, but she isn't close to her family and her parents immigrated to Australia to be closer to the siblings they adore anyways. The h feels a powerful need to make a new start and get out of the tv media world with it's smarmy and licentious male population who completely repulse her. A small, friendly English village will be just the place to raise a baby and settle into small village life.
Therefore it is a hugely discomfited h who goes to a local farm to buy some weathered Tudor beams for the refurbishment of her listed building and runs smack bang into the H. He instantly accuses her of tracking him down for nefarious reasons, and the h is quick to deny that and also that he was in any way meaningful or memorable to her in her outpouring of grief and devastation.
The h then lets the H and everyone in the village believe that she is a new widow, she figures this will keep the H off the scent when her pregnancy starts to show. The H for his part, can't seem to get the h off his mind. She really was the epitome of womanly lurve and comfort and he is anxious to pursue a relationship. He thinks he understands her hesitance, because he thinks she is newly widowed, but this man is determined and even gets his sister and mother in on matchmaking with the h.
The h wants nothing to do with the H. When she went to the farm, the housekeeper referred to an invalid Mrs. and so the h is under the impression that the H is a married man and playing away while his wife suffers from some confining illness. She is soon put to rights by the H's sister, who also does her best to involve the h in local village events, such as the annual fete that is held on the H's land. The H inherited the farm from his uncle, and tho he was engaged at the time and his fiancee wanted him to sell up and move to the bright lights of London, the H did not do so. He decided to kiss the mercenary fiancee goodbye and make a go of the farm, as it had been his invalid mum's home for all of her life and she is now confined to a wheelchair and doesn't get much joy now.
The story progresses with the h hiring some young local punk style teens to clear out her garden and an old greenhouse, these two would be punk rockers happen to be the son of the H's sister and his friend. The h is busy with plans for her listed building decoration and refurbishment and getting her new bookshop up and running as well as organizing the village fete. (The usual PJ decoration process is thoroughly discussed and developed throughout the story, no rag rolling tho, as the h assures us it isn't in keeping with her home's antique style and the h really wants to be authentic.)
The H wanders by several times and the h firmly rejects him, he finally discovers her pregnancy when he saves her from falling glass in the old greenhouse. The h flat out tells him that the baby isn't his, she implies that her friend who died was her late husband and since the friend's name was Leslie, the H assumes the pregnancy was the last ditch attempt of a dying man to leave a legacy. The h doesn't disillusion him and also lets the village believe that her little bundle of joy is her non-existent husband's as well.
The H finally backs off and the h's refurbishment projects continue. The h is starting to feel some guilt over her lies, as the H is all things helpful and kind and caring about his fellow man and the h begins to learn she was mistaken about his pump and dump ways. The h also has a strange spot of possessive jealousy when the H's sister ropes her into joining a dinner party.
The H shows up with a twenty one year old bombshell as his date for the evening when he comes to pick the h up at his sister's behest. The OW is terribly catty to the h and the h is paired off with another widower, naturally this doesn't exactly engender a lot of warmth for either the H or the sister on the h's part, she makes her escape early and is more determined than ever to avoid the H, even tho his mother is urging the two together.
Once again fate takes a hand when the h has to go to the H's farm to drop off a prescription for the H's mum and finds the mum on the floor unconscious from a fall and the housekeeper hysterical. The H arrives and goes to hospital with his mum and the h eventually goes home after order is restored. The H shows up at the h's home in the middle of the night when he sees the h's light on and another lurve club moment ensues.
Then disaster strikes, the H finds the pictures of the h's friend that the h had been crying over and sees the solicitor documents that state the friend's name. The H is now furious because he knows the h has been lying to him and he insists on marriage, which the h doesn't want and firmly rejects, and the h falls down the steps during the confrontation. The h has to go to hospital now and in her panic over her baby she vows to marry the H if things are ok with the pregnancy as penance for her lies.
Except when the baby proves to be fine and the h tells the H she will marry him because of her bargain with the higher powers, the H just walks away. The h has several long weeks of mopey moments and finally the big grand opening of the bookshop day arrives. The h is eagerly awaiting the H to show up. Now that she is over her reluctance to get involved with anyone because she is afraid that she will lose them permanently, she finds she is in love with the H and really wants to be his wife.
The H fails to show tho, his family comes, but he is supposedly busy with a farm emergency. Later after everyone leaves, the h decides to paint her green house. The H finally arrives in time to drag her off the ladder and another big row ensues. The H is furious that the h may be trying to hurt herself and the h is too scared to mention that she loves him when he rails at her (rather deservedly) for all of her deceits. The H storms off and the h takes herself off to London to visit her friend's graveside.
The H finds her there crying and they finally declare their mutual love and decide to marry. There is a nice little epilogue where the h and H are blissfully married, the H's mum is happy to get a grandchild and living with them on the farm, and the h manages to have her little girl at home on the farm rather than in the hospital where the H wanted to be. The H is ecstatic when his daughter is finally delivered and everyone is happily in love and content for the big HEA.
This one is a ground breaker because of the one night stand and the compassion and delicacy with which PJ introduces this trope. HPlandia has had it share of single mums in the past, but it was always the result of widowhood, divorce from a really evil man or from rape. Never before has any HP h willingly participated in a single night only event with interesting results and then attempted the single parent route.
PJ goes out of her way to explain the whole thing as interference from the higher dimensions and of course she sanitizes it as having the prospective mum and dad portrayed as fated lovers brought together by the mystical hand of fate. Tho the h has one moment of worrying about old fashioned callous lust, PJ works very hard to disperse any notion that this h isn't all that is good and wholesome about an HP h, and for the most part she succeeds. Only PJ could have had the h partaking in a night of anonymous love and make it work out so that the h is still a pure and virtuous girl and simply lost in overwhelming grief and despair when she rejects the father as unsuitable.
Not only that, but PJ also goes out of her way to give us H pov and reassure us that this H is a very good man. He just had a momentary bout of loneliness, but he is eager and avid to step up and take his responsibilities in hand and be in love with the h madly while doing it.
Generations of HP writers owe a huge to debt to PJ with this story, she brings a very socially relevant topic to the forefront of HPlandia and she makes it all seem okay and right, thus giving future HP authors ever increasing boundaries to work with. This is required HP reading and the love story itself is pretty good, if a bit sweet - but then it would have to be to fly in HPlandia at this time.
Give this one a go and realize that you are reading HP history in the making, and then give thanks cause we wouldn't have half the variety or a great reason for blackmail in the HP 'verse today - if not for PJ and her sensitive treatment of a difficult for the time period subject.
In general one night stands are NOT encouraged at this point and time in HPlandia. Yes the real world is several decades ahead of HP values, but in HPlandia the lady who finds herself in an interesting condition after a night of anonymous lurve is not considered to be HP h material. There is something a bit dubious about them that precludes investing them with the traditional HP h values of kindness, self-sacrifice and shinning purity.
PJ in her own indomitable but exceedingly gentle and compassionate way, manages to change that bedrock HPlandia assumption and she does it with one book. Which puts FON on the HP required reading list, cause PJ just took a huge leap into the twentieth century and reset the boundaries for endless meet a stranger and have a baby and marry them tropes in the twenty first. As a bonus, future Lynne Grahams and Jacqueline Bairds, as well as other HP writers will have a great new reason for the H's to blackmail their chosen h into all kinds of sticky situations, (not that they ever really needed a reason really, but it does add some spice to the variety of HP blackmail life.) But all that is in the future for us HP voyagers, in the meantime we have a PJ story to discuss.
The story opens with the 27 yr old h in a very deep grief over the death of her very good friend and roommate. The lady died after a bout with leukemia and the h devotedly nursed her very BFF until the bitter end. She can't stand to go back to the flat they shared and so she checks into a nice hotel for the night. One drink and a sleeping pill later, she wakes to find a very handsome man sharing her room with her. It seems there was a mix-up at the front desk and both the H and h are booked into the same room. To be fair, the H tries to get the h to leave, but she just can't stand the thought of the lonely flat that awaits her and we get H pov describing how long it has been since he has cuddled with a warm female body, so the two come together in fiery blaze that PJ assures us is meant to reaffirm life.
In fact PJ goes out of her way to assign almost mystical powers and divine intervention into this one night event. The h truly believes that a higher power was benevolently extending a hand in providing a handy and warmly comforting male body to console her in her deep grief and depression. When the h awakens the next morning the H is gone like an angel in the mist and the h soon finds herself preggers a few weeks later. It has to be Divine Providence to help fill the hole in her life.
Since her late friend was a successful novelist and had no other family, the h is her sole inheritor. This financial cushion and the bequeathment of the friend's old fashioned and courteous country London solicitor leads the h to the decision to buy a listed building bookshop and flat in the Herefordshire area where the inherited solicitor has family connections.
The h is from the Yorkshire dales herself, but she isn't close to her family and her parents immigrated to Australia to be closer to the siblings they adore anyways. The h feels a powerful need to make a new start and get out of the tv media world with it's smarmy and licentious male population who completely repulse her. A small, friendly English village will be just the place to raise a baby and settle into small village life.
Therefore it is a hugely discomfited h who goes to a local farm to buy some weathered Tudor beams for the refurbishment of her listed building and runs smack bang into the H. He instantly accuses her of tracking him down for nefarious reasons, and the h is quick to deny that and also that he was in any way meaningful or memorable to her in her outpouring of grief and devastation.
The h then lets the H and everyone in the village believe that she is a new widow, she figures this will keep the H off the scent when her pregnancy starts to show. The H for his part, can't seem to get the h off his mind. She really was the epitome of womanly lurve and comfort and he is anxious to pursue a relationship. He thinks he understands her hesitance, because he thinks she is newly widowed, but this man is determined and even gets his sister and mother in on matchmaking with the h.
The h wants nothing to do with the H. When she went to the farm, the housekeeper referred to an invalid Mrs. and so the h is under the impression that the H is a married man and playing away while his wife suffers from some confining illness. She is soon put to rights by the H's sister, who also does her best to involve the h in local village events, such as the annual fete that is held on the H's land. The H inherited the farm from his uncle, and tho he was engaged at the time and his fiancee wanted him to sell up and move to the bright lights of London, the H did not do so. He decided to kiss the mercenary fiancee goodbye and make a go of the farm, as it had been his invalid mum's home for all of her life and she is now confined to a wheelchair and doesn't get much joy now.
The story progresses with the h hiring some young local punk style teens to clear out her garden and an old greenhouse, these two would be punk rockers happen to be the son of the H's sister and his friend. The h is busy with plans for her listed building decoration and refurbishment and getting her new bookshop up and running as well as organizing the village fete. (The usual PJ decoration process is thoroughly discussed and developed throughout the story, no rag rolling tho, as the h assures us it isn't in keeping with her home's antique style and the h really wants to be authentic.)
The H wanders by several times and the h firmly rejects him, he finally discovers her pregnancy when he saves her from falling glass in the old greenhouse. The h flat out tells him that the baby isn't his, she implies that her friend who died was her late husband and since the friend's name was Leslie, the H assumes the pregnancy was the last ditch attempt of a dying man to leave a legacy. The h doesn't disillusion him and also lets the village believe that her little bundle of joy is her non-existent husband's as well.
The H finally backs off and the h's refurbishment projects continue. The h is starting to feel some guilt over her lies, as the H is all things helpful and kind and caring about his fellow man and the h begins to learn she was mistaken about his pump and dump ways. The h also has a strange spot of possessive jealousy when the H's sister ropes her into joining a dinner party.
The H shows up with a twenty one year old bombshell as his date for the evening when he comes to pick the h up at his sister's behest. The OW is terribly catty to the h and the h is paired off with another widower, naturally this doesn't exactly engender a lot of warmth for either the H or the sister on the h's part, she makes her escape early and is more determined than ever to avoid the H, even tho his mother is urging the two together.
Once again fate takes a hand when the h has to go to the H's farm to drop off a prescription for the H's mum and finds the mum on the floor unconscious from a fall and the housekeeper hysterical. The H arrives and goes to hospital with his mum and the h eventually goes home after order is restored. The H shows up at the h's home in the middle of the night when he sees the h's light on and another lurve club moment ensues.
Then disaster strikes, the H finds the pictures of the h's friend that the h had been crying over and sees the solicitor documents that state the friend's name. The H is now furious because he knows the h has been lying to him and he insists on marriage, which the h doesn't want and firmly rejects, and the h falls down the steps during the confrontation. The h has to go to hospital now and in her panic over her baby she vows to marry the H if things are ok with the pregnancy as penance for her lies.
Except when the baby proves to be fine and the h tells the H she will marry him because of her bargain with the higher powers, the H just walks away. The h has several long weeks of mopey moments and finally the big grand opening of the bookshop day arrives. The h is eagerly awaiting the H to show up. Now that she is over her reluctance to get involved with anyone because she is afraid that she will lose them permanently, she finds she is in love with the H and really wants to be his wife.
The H fails to show tho, his family comes, but he is supposedly busy with a farm emergency. Later after everyone leaves, the h decides to paint her green house. The H finally arrives in time to drag her off the ladder and another big row ensues. The H is furious that the h may be trying to hurt herself and the h is too scared to mention that she loves him when he rails at her (rather deservedly) for all of her deceits. The H storms off and the h takes herself off to London to visit her friend's graveside.
The H finds her there crying and they finally declare their mutual love and decide to marry. There is a nice little epilogue where the h and H are blissfully married, the H's mum is happy to get a grandchild and living with them on the farm, and the h manages to have her little girl at home on the farm rather than in the hospital where the H wanted to be. The H is ecstatic when his daughter is finally delivered and everyone is happily in love and content for the big HEA.
This one is a ground breaker because of the one night stand and the compassion and delicacy with which PJ introduces this trope. HPlandia has had it share of single mums in the past, but it was always the result of widowhood, divorce from a really evil man or from rape. Never before has any HP h willingly participated in a single night only event with interesting results and then attempted the single parent route.
PJ goes out of her way to explain the whole thing as interference from the higher dimensions and of course she sanitizes it as having the prospective mum and dad portrayed as fated lovers brought together by the mystical hand of fate. Tho the h has one moment of worrying about old fashioned callous lust, PJ works very hard to disperse any notion that this h isn't all that is good and wholesome about an HP h, and for the most part she succeeds. Only PJ could have had the h partaking in a night of anonymous love and make it work out so that the h is still a pure and virtuous girl and simply lost in overwhelming grief and despair when she rejects the father as unsuitable.
Not only that, but PJ also goes out of her way to give us H pov and reassure us that this H is a very good man. He just had a momentary bout of loneliness, but he is eager and avid to step up and take his responsibilities in hand and be in love with the h madly while doing it.
Generations of HP writers owe a huge to debt to PJ with this story, she brings a very socially relevant topic to the forefront of HPlandia and she makes it all seem okay and right, thus giving future HP authors ever increasing boundaries to work with. This is required HP reading and the love story itself is pretty good, if a bit sweet - but then it would have to be to fly in HPlandia at this time.
Give this one a go and realize that you are reading HP history in the making, and then give thanks cause we wouldn't have half the variety or a great reason for blackmail in the HP 'verse today - if not for PJ and her sensitive treatment of a difficult for the time period subject.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 6, 2019
Just marking that I read and enjoyed this one - but it was awhile ago. A one night stand between two hurting strangers leads to a whole lot more. Only coincidence brought them back together. I really felt for the hero in this one and I'm glad he got his HEA
December 21, 2020
Other shelves: rich-farmer-hero, stubborn-heroine
January 11, 2020
"For One Night" is the story of Diana and Marcus.
In this tale of dealing with grief, our h loses a beloved friend to leukemia and decides to drown her sorrows in a night of drugs and alcohol. Waking up in a stranger's bed, they have a passionate ONS, after which the H disappears..
The book then begins a few months later, where a pregnant h moves into a small town to give a fresh start to her unborn baby. Masquerading as a widow, she never expects her new neighbor would be the H!
She expects him to leave her alone, and does everything in her power to push him away, but the H is hooked and continuously pursues her. But as the paternity truth reveals itself, will the h and H be able to work things out?
Good book which dealt with some dark and deep truths, and losing a loved one. I could understand the h's love for her best friend and baby, and the grief she faced was heartbreaking. However, I believe her feelings for the H could have been much better developed. He was likable, but very beta. I don't think it was right for her to lie to him, especially as he was being uber sweet and helpful. The ending was really sweet.
Safe
3.5/5
In this tale of dealing with grief, our h loses a beloved friend to leukemia and decides to drown her sorrows in a night of drugs and alcohol. Waking up in a stranger's bed, they have a passionate ONS, after which the H disappears..
The book then begins a few months later, where a pregnant h moves into a small town to give a fresh start to her unborn baby. Masquerading as a widow, she never expects her new neighbor would be the H!
She expects him to leave her alone, and does everything in her power to push him away, but the H is hooked and continuously pursues her. But as the paternity truth reveals itself, will the h and H be able to work things out?
Good book which dealt with some dark and deep truths, and losing a loved one. I could understand the h's love for her best friend and baby, and the grief she faced was heartbreaking. However, I believe her feelings for the H could have been much better developed. He was likable, but very beta. I don't think it was right for her to lie to him, especially as he was being uber sweet and helpful. The ending was really sweet.
Safe
3.5/5
May 8, 2020
BEAUTIFUL is the word for this book.Beautiful with its sensual plot,intruging hero and heroine and hot delicious romance.
One night between the farm-owner Marcus Simmons (totally fell in love with this hero) and the grieving heroine Diana Johnson result in a secret-baby,and one growing love that will turn to everlasting love...
PJ wrote with care in this one and the story held my attention throughout the book.The misunderstanding,the mild angsty and the bessotted love the hero and heroine felt towards each other was so sweet and i just love the passion in both of them.
One night between the farm-owner Marcus Simmons (totally fell in love with this hero) and the grieving heroine Diana Johnson result in a secret-baby,and one growing love that will turn to everlasting love...
PJ wrote with care in this one and the story held my attention throughout the book.The misunderstanding,the mild angsty and the bessotted love the hero and heroine felt towards each other was so sweet and i just love the passion in both of them.
avoid
January 11, 2020As StM said: only coincidences brought them together. I don’t particularly believe in coincidences. So, no!
October 4, 2017
I initially thought the one-night stand premise would be a little distasteful, but Penny Jordan made it work! Diana's and Marcus's separate motivations for sleeping with a stranger (each other) felt understandable considering their circumstances: her grief and his loneliness. It didn't hurt, too, that the attraction between them was nuclear and instant. So it's a testament to the author's skill that the romance, to me, felt believable and the initial encounter didn't come off as sordid.
I'm keeping this review short, but will say this book features one of my favorite endings ever found in a Harlequin Presents. *sigh*
I'm keeping this review short, but will say this book features one of my favorite endings ever found in a Harlequin Presents. *sigh*
July 12, 2022
First of all: it’s a very good read.
But this h lies so much that she makes your head spin.
And on top of that she deliberately says hurtful things to the H.
This H is one of the nicest H’s you’ll find in a HP. Even the h realizes very soon that he is a loving and caring man. But even knowing that he is so nice, she keeps telling him lies.
This H needs to buy a lie detector for his wife asap. She’s a sicko.
But this h lies so much that she makes your head spin.
And on top of that she deliberately says hurtful things to the H.
This H is one of the nicest H’s you’ll find in a HP. Even the h realizes very soon that he is a loving and caring man. But even knowing that he is so nice, she keeps telling him lies.
This H needs to buy a lie detector for his wife asap. She’s a sicko.
October 16, 2018
A lovely story about loss and a love that grew in spite of the fear of that loss.
Diana, grieving from the death of her best friend checks herself into a hotel for one night. She’s unable to face going back to the apartment that she shared with her best friend.
Taking a sleeping pill with a gin and tonic (not recommended, kids), she is muzzy and out of it when she is woken in the middle of the night by a man in her room.
Marcus, in London for a farmers convention, returns to his room to find a woman in his bed. He demands to know what she is doing there. She shows him her registration card, proving that it was her room. One thing leads to another and the spend the night in each other’s arms.
Three months later, a pregnant Diana moves into a lovely little town where she bought a bookshop. She is starting a new life for herself and her baby. Imagine her shock when she learns that the anonymous man she spent one passionate night with and gave her virginity to is the biggest farmer in the town where she is now living.
I absolutely loved this book. Diana built a fictional life for herself, which included a recently deceased husband so her baby wouldn’t have the stigma or being a bastard. Now, that one lie has become a massive whopper with the real father of her child living in the same town.
He wants a relationship with her but she’s running scared. She’s afraid of losing another person that she loves, so she continues to lie about the baby’s father, about her marital status and anything else that will help prop up her fantasy.
Marcus had the patience of a saint, until he learned the truth. Then he was understandably angry. I have to say that he is a persistent man. He had no intention of giving up on Diana. Even when he believed that her baby was her husband’s child. He fell in love and did all he could to win her love.
It was a very satisfying story that left me happy. I loved the way PJ tied it all up. It was a good ending. This one is going on my “read again” shelf.
Diana, grieving from the death of her best friend checks herself into a hotel for one night. She’s unable to face going back to the apartment that she shared with her best friend.
Taking a sleeping pill with a gin and tonic (not recommended, kids), she is muzzy and out of it when she is woken in the middle of the night by a man in her room.
Marcus, in London for a farmers convention, returns to his room to find a woman in his bed. He demands to know what she is doing there. She shows him her registration card, proving that it was her room. One thing leads to another and the spend the night in each other’s arms.
Three months later, a pregnant Diana moves into a lovely little town where she bought a bookshop. She is starting a new life for herself and her baby. Imagine her shock when she learns that the anonymous man she spent one passionate night with and gave her virginity to is the biggest farmer in the town where she is now living.
I absolutely loved this book. Diana built a fictional life for herself, which included a recently deceased husband so her baby wouldn’t have the stigma or being a bastard. Now, that one lie has become a massive whopper with the real father of her child living in the same town.
He wants a relationship with her but she’s running scared. She’s afraid of losing another person that she loves, so she continues to lie about the baby’s father, about her marital status and anything else that will help prop up her fantasy.
Marcus had the patience of a saint, until he learned the truth. Then he was understandably angry. I have to say that he is a persistent man. He had no intention of giving up on Diana. Even when he believed that her baby was her husband’s child. He fell in love and did all he could to win her love.
It was a very satisfying story that left me happy. I loved the way PJ tied it all up. It was a good ending. This one is going on my “read again” shelf.
July 8, 2023
Perfectly satisfactory PJ although not my favourite trope. On the night of her best friend's funeral, Diana has a ONS (due to hotel allocating the same room to her and a handsome hunk Marcus - we should all be so lucky 😂). They don't exchange names and he's gone in the morning.
In a happy HP coincidence he is the local head farmer/community stalwart in the little village to which our now pregnant h escapes to begin a new life as an expectant widow. He pursues, she resists because she's afraid of love after nursing her dying friend. She leads him to believe the child isn't his, despite his initial suspicions. Anyhow, you know how I feel about h's taking it upon themselves to conceal true paternity from H and or child. Not cool, unless he's a violent b*****d. And Marcus is a good guy and definitely didn't deserve it. She should have pulled on her big girl pants a lot sooner and tbh she was lucky he was smitten enough to forgive all her lies.
In a happy HP coincidence he is the local head farmer/community stalwart in the little village to which our now pregnant h escapes to begin a new life as an expectant widow. He pursues, she resists because she's afraid of love after nursing her dying friend. She leads him to believe the child isn't his, despite his initial suspicions. Anyhow, you know how I feel about h's taking it upon themselves to conceal true paternity from H and or child. Not cool, unless he's a violent b*****d. And Marcus is a good guy and definitely didn't deserve it. She should have pulled on her big girl pants a lot sooner and tbh she was lucky he was smitten enough to forgive all her lies.
March 28, 2017
This was quite a sweet story. Diana is reeling from the shock of losing her BFF, Leslie, who she nursed through her final illness with Leukemia. Unable to face the empty flat, she books into a posh hotel, takes a sedative and goes to sleep. She's woken by Marcus, a total stranger, who claims it's his room. A mistake at reception in a hotel full to overflowing. Both are tired and lonely and needing something and they have a one night stand and Marcus leaves, neither of them knowing the others name.
Now the next thing might appear to be too coincidental but there are clues that should have warned Diana if she'd realised her one night hotty had been visiting her solicitor. But she doesn't and when the solicitor mentions an opportunity to buy a run down book shop in a small town far from London, Diana grabs it with both hands. Because our little virgin managed to get preggers from the one night stand. At this point we can all sing along with Anne Hathaway about Somebody to Love.
Diana thinks she has her baby to pour out her love on in compensation for losing her BFF. It seems like fate, until one of the first people she meets in her new home is Marcus Simons.
Marcus is adorable and is part of a whole village that embrace lonely "newly widowed" Diana. For Diana, Marcus is the only flaw in the ointment. She even loves his mother and his matchmaking sister. I loved the scene where the sister matched Diana up with a sedate middle aged widower while Marcus is partnered with a flirty young thing of twenty.
This was an enjoyable read. Diana might seem too prickly for some, even considering her fears and the fact she is still grieving. I didn't mind and she surely paid for it once she came to her senses. Marcus was no alphajerk even though he had a couple of jerk moments. The ending was very satisfying.
Now the next thing might appear to be too coincidental but there are clues that should have warned Diana if she'd realised her one night hotty had been visiting her solicitor. But she doesn't and when the solicitor mentions an opportunity to buy a run down book shop in a small town far from London, Diana grabs it with both hands. Because our little virgin managed to get preggers from the one night stand. At this point we can all sing along with Anne Hathaway about Somebody to Love.
Diana thinks she has her baby to pour out her love on in compensation for losing her BFF. It seems like fate, until one of the first people she meets in her new home is Marcus Simons.
Marcus is adorable and is part of a whole village that embrace lonely "newly widowed" Diana. For Diana, Marcus is the only flaw in the ointment. She even loves his mother and his matchmaking sister. I loved the scene where the sister matched Diana up with a sedate middle aged widower while Marcus is partnered with a flirty young thing of twenty.
This was an enjoyable read. Diana might seem too prickly for some, even considering her fears and the fact she is still grieving. I didn't mind and she surely paid for it once she came to her senses. Marcus was no alphajerk even though he had a couple of jerk moments. The ending was very satisfying.
January 19, 2022
I have to say I was loving this book up until the FMC went and lied to the MMC's face that her baby wasn't his. That ruined this book for me and lost all my respect for the FMC. I did still enjoy this book but it suspended belief for me to do it. Everything was rational and was playing out wonderfully if a bit conincidentally and then the lie. Smdh.
I would love another secret baby like this. I did like the writing, the characters, the plot. The lie was the only real failure here. If a female in real life LIES to the face of the father that it's not his baby she is beyond acceptability. She becomes the villian and not someone to be supported. She is hurting not just the father but her child. In essence the crime is to the her own child and can't be forgiven. In a book, I felt like no less should be thought of the FMC. Yes, it was clear she was still grieving and in a weird way she was taking it out on the baby daddy. Yes, he sort of deserved it due to his own weird response to meeting the FMC again after their one night. But, still only very mildly did he deserve to be treated that way. When the FMC was denying the the existence of the pregnancy for weeks while trying to act normal with the MMC, I was okay with it, but when it came around the second time and she OUTRIGHT lied, no....
When the actual reveal happened, I was annoyed by what the author then did to make it all easier for the story to flow along. I was even more annoyed that the MMC was absent after that until, as usual, someone else whispered in his ear and he then approached the FMC. It was a swift HEA after that. Smh.
All that build up that the author created, all that angst, was wonderful. But then she ruined it. Lol It was a good book, and I am totally on a harlequin kick now, so I am off to find more to read. Enjoy.
I would love another secret baby like this. I did like the writing, the characters, the plot. The lie was the only real failure here. If a female in real life LIES to the face of the father that it's not his baby she is beyond acceptability. She becomes the villian and not someone to be supported. She is hurting not just the father but her child. In essence the crime is to the her own child and can't be forgiven. In a book, I felt like no less should be thought of the FMC. Yes, it was clear she was still grieving and in a weird way she was taking it out on the baby daddy. Yes, he sort of deserved it due to his own weird response to meeting the FMC again after their one night. But, still only very mildly did he deserve to be treated that way. When the FMC was denying the the existence of the pregnancy for weeks while trying to act normal with the MMC, I was okay with it, but when it came around the second time and she OUTRIGHT lied, no....
When the actual reveal happened, I was annoyed by what the author then did to make it all easier for the story to flow along. I was even more annoyed that the MMC was absent after that until, as usual, someone else whispered in his ear and he then approached the FMC. It was a swift HEA after that. Smh.
All that build up that the author created, all that angst, was wonderful. But then she ruined it. Lol It was a good book, and I am totally on a harlequin kick now, so I am off to find more to read. Enjoy.
March 16, 2017
This was just a so-so book for me. I read it some time ago and forgot to review. To sum it up, it dragged. The pacing was slow and that irritates me. The heroine was frustrating with all her deceit and I wasn't sure she deserved the hero whom I liked a lot. If she had been a bit more honest with him it wouldn't have been so bad. Every man, unless a criminal or abuser, deserves a chance to be a father to their child and when there is secret-keeping off and on throughout it turns me off the story.
Do I recommend? Let me just say that it is not a book I liked well enough to re-read. Once was more than enough.
Do I recommend? Let me just say that it is not a book I liked well enough to re-read. Once was more than enough.
July 28, 2021
Read this one for the Hero! He is a hard working farm owner, cares deeply about his mom and family, and is not a rake. He feels something special for the heroine after a one-night stand and continues to pursue her . He's just an all around good guy. And in the end, he is very understanding despite the lies the heroine put him through.
October 7, 2020
His one has the rare H, alpha without being cruel. He’s a wonderful man. Usually I do not like it when the MCs fall into bed w/o even knowing each other’s names but this book was an exception. The reason they did it was adequately explained and even divine intervention is mentioned.
The h, for most of the book behaved v bad and gave the H a most intense ego battering while torturing herself too but she woke up finally. I liked everything in this book - the story, the pace, MCs, supporting characters were nice too. I’d probably read it again at some future date.
The h, for most of the book behaved v bad and gave the H a most intense ego battering while torturing herself too but she woke up finally. I liked everything in this book - the story, the pace, MCs, supporting characters were nice too. I’d probably read it again at some future date.
April 30, 2023
Death the wind persist.
A mournful mood resist
Sword peel the heart.
Tears needless and waste.
Diana, having lost her best friend Neslie, need a place to spend the night in a sorrowful mood, her was already occupied. She wanted to feel the fact that she had lost a friend but fate had a different destination for Diana. All she wanted was to be far from her past. She ended up with a stranger, her life will never be the same again. " For one Night", everything changed when she came face to face the stranger of the night.
A mournful mood resist
Sword peel the heart.
Tears needless and waste.
Diana, having lost her best friend Neslie, need a place to spend the night in a sorrowful mood, her was already occupied. She wanted to feel the fact that she had lost a friend but fate had a different destination for Diana. All she wanted was to be far from her past. She ended up with a stranger, her life will never be the same again. " For one Night", everything changed when she came face to face the stranger of the night.
October 30, 2020
Hero/heroine were decent characters, no OM/OW drama & with light angst. Nothing exciting here, really slow plot & poor execution. The whole book happen & her book shop library whatever it was never made it official opening. Not that it’s important but I’m saying that, that’s how slow the plot was. Pass this one by, will ya?
August 11, 2021
Stupid
It is ridiculous, all of it. From the hotel mix up, the pregnancy, the coincidence after coincidence, the manufacturing of her dislike for the hero and the entire life she created for absolutely no reason at all . It's so bad I can't justify it's existence.
It is ridiculous, all of it. From the hotel mix up, the pregnancy, the coincidence after coincidence, the manufacturing of her dislike for the hero and the entire life she created for absolutely no reason at all . It's so bad I can't justify it's existence.
December 20, 2016
Super love story
Super love story. Sweet but hot. This is one of my new favorite authers
I will try to read all her books
Super love story. Sweet but hot. This is one of my new favorite authers
I will try to read all her books
October 29, 2017
The story dragged a bit. I had no idea why the heroine continued with her lie for so much of the book.
January 17, 2023
Tried to read this a few times but couldn't get into it. No connection to the h or H.
April 5, 2023
The hero did not show up in the story for way too many pages. Heroine was too caught up in her lies.
September 14, 2016
Just another typical PJ book. Very predictable plot line. Good light read.
June 8, 2021
A night with consequences…!Desolated by the loss of a close friend, who left her a lot of money Diana had fallen into the arms of gorgeous stranger. It had a been a heart-stopping night of searing passion which she would never forget…especially because she’s now pregnant!Making a new life for herself and her baby, Diana moves to a new town. But fate has obviously a bigger plan… The baby’s father lives there too! And successful billionaire, Marcus Simpson, wants way more than just one night…
July 16, 2015
Hero was a gem. Heroine was a deceitful bitch. Her commitment phobia drove me crazy!
November 18, 2016
A short read of a couple who had one night stand she overcoming death of a friend and him needing companionship.
December 27, 2016
Not very good.
Read
May 15, 2018Nostalgic reading trip.
For anyone who cut their romance teeth on Harlequins, it will give you warm fuzzies to re-read fave from the past, but, it will also make you appreciate today's authors more for their bolder style of writing. Back in the day, I subscribed to Harlequins and got them monthly. I couldn't wait to open the box to see if there were any of Penny Jordan's and Carole Mortimer 's in there. I used to think they were so spicy!As I read this old favorite, I noticed a dearth of verbal exchange between the main characters. There were tentative forays into his thoughts even though that was practically unheard of during that time period with these types of books. I guess you could say that this story was spicy for it's time period, but still conservative. I eventually found Silhouette Desire and moved on to historical romance when someone introduced me to Kathleen Woodiwiss' books. I have remained a fan of Penny Jordan's and Carole Mortimer's and their stories will always have a place in my heart. This was a fun read because it had been a favorite in my past.
For anyone who cut their romance teeth on Harlequins, it will give you warm fuzzies to re-read fave from the past, but, it will also make you appreciate today's authors more for their bolder style of writing. Back in the day, I subscribed to Harlequins and got them monthly. I couldn't wait to open the box to see if there were any of Penny Jordan's and Carole Mortimer 's in there. I used to think they were so spicy!As I read this old favorite, I noticed a dearth of verbal exchange between the main characters. There were tentative forays into his thoughts even though that was practically unheard of during that time period with these types of books. I guess you could say that this story was spicy for it's time period, but still conservative. I eventually found Silhouette Desire and moved on to historical romance when someone introduced me to Kathleen Woodiwiss' books. I have remained a fan of Penny Jordan's and Carole Mortimer's and their stories will always have a place in my heart. This was a fun read because it had been a favorite in my past.
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