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Flutter of White Wings
great paperback book
- GenresRomanceHarlequin Romance
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
32 people want to read
About the author
Elizabeth Ashton
102 books18 followersElizabeth Ashton was a British writer of romance novels to Mills & Boon from 1969 to 1990.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 4, 2019
I have a soft spot for heroines raised by nuns or just nuns in general in a romance. I don’t know why. Maybe It’s the anti-romance tension/grounding they bring to the story that I must respond to.
In this case, our heroine has been raised in a controlled environment of a convent so that her aunt can marry her off to the only son of a noble Spanish family. Since the heroine has had no contact with men, the aunt thinks she’ll easily fall in love and won’t have to be pushed into a marriage of convenience.
Heroine is 18 (almost 19) and convinced she’ll never marry, but will travel the world with her aunt. Auntie has decided the time is right to push this MOC so they motor to Spain through the mountains. Then hero, a friend of the family, arrives to escort them from Madrid to the Alhambra region where the noble Spanish family raises bulls.
From the moment the hero arrives on the scene the heroine is energized. She begins to think of new clothes. She steps back and observes all the undercurrents in the Spanish family. Speaks her mind about bull-fighting and other injustices. She isn’t strident about any of this and she keeps her sweet personality, but by the end the hero (and the reader) realize she has a backbone of steel and that she will have no problem acclimating to the hero’s home in Argentina.
The hero is wildly jealous, says hurtful things when he’s angry, is remorseful when he hurts the heroine and shows glimmers of humor once he feels secure in the heroine’s love. Here’s what he says when heroine is trying to figure out where to stay before they are married:
No, you don't, you're too fond of convents, I mightn't be able to get you out again.
This is a vintage story (1972 – look at the width of that tie on the cover) and has vintage delights. Travelogues, poetry quotations, OW and OM silliness, old-world vs. modern women, no sex. So be warned. Vintage has a lovely review if you want more info.
In this case, our heroine has been raised in a controlled environment of a convent so that her aunt can marry her off to the only son of a noble Spanish family. Since the heroine has had no contact with men, the aunt thinks she’ll easily fall in love and won’t have to be pushed into a marriage of convenience.
Heroine is 18 (almost 19) and convinced she’ll never marry, but will travel the world with her aunt. Auntie has decided the time is right to push this MOC so they motor to Spain through the mountains. Then hero, a friend of the family, arrives to escort them from Madrid to the Alhambra region where the noble Spanish family raises bulls.
From the moment the hero arrives on the scene the heroine is energized. She begins to think of new clothes. She steps back and observes all the undercurrents in the Spanish family. Speaks her mind about bull-fighting and other injustices. She isn’t strident about any of this and she keeps her sweet personality, but by the end the hero (and the reader) realize she has a backbone of steel and that she will have no problem acclimating to the hero’s home in Argentina.
The hero is wildly jealous, says hurtful things when he’s angry, is remorseful when he hurts the heroine and shows glimmers of humor once he feels secure in the heroine’s love. Here’s what he says when heroine is trying to figure out where to stay before they are married:
No, you don't, you're too fond of convents, I mightn't be able to get you out again.
This is a vintage story (1972 – look at the width of that tie on the cover) and has vintage delights. Travelogues, poetry quotations, OW and OM silliness, old-world vs. modern women, no sex. So be warned. Vintage has a lovely review if you want more info.
November 4, 2019
I am more than a little embarrassed that I gave this 4 stars, but I can't help it. I read it when I was a teenager and LOOOVED it. It's a nice romance between a surprisingly brave young girl and a hot alpha romero hero. I am standing by my numbers.
Catherine the orphan has been raised in a nunnery for most of her life. She was placed there by her aunt - no hard feelings. Catherine visits her aunt who is, in turn, visiting an arrogant Spanish Don she had a thing for back in the day. Little did Catherine know that being raised in the convent was to ensure she would grow up like a pure and unblemished dove or rose or something. Why? Well, the arrogant Spanish Don and the equally manipulative aunt want to arrange a MOC between Catherine and the Don's not quite as brave as he could be son. Of course, no one thinks to tell Catherine this. The aunt is a little manipulative, but it is done with good if not high handed intentions.
At the hacienda, C encounters Pilar, the Don's incredibly bratty daughter, his slightly boring and stuffy son, a Dowager Aunt/mother whatever, her maiden aunt, and the oh-so, yummy and not boring or stuffy Cesar. Cesar is in from Chile, I believe, to learn hacienda running. Pilar has her virginal but bratty eyes on him as does Catherine.
Catherine is no troublemaker, but she is more than willing to quietly stand up for herself. Lots of nice cultural and social class issues occur between the Spanish hierarchy and the little British schoolgirl. One incident raises the stakes when she rescues a little peasant boy from a bull as well as stands up to the Don. This little filly has courage and would be a nice infusion to a bloodline that's getting a little too blue.
Cesar is a charmer and a flirt so Catherine doesn't quite know where she stands. There is a miscommunication, shocking I know in an old school romance, and Cesar thinks Catherine is another gold-digging...you know the drill. He believes that she risked her life to save the little boy, not to save him really, but to prove how totally awesome she is to the Don.
Catherine withstands the pressure of marrying the Don's son until the old poop has a stroke. The aunt then guilts her into a fake engagement. It all comes to a head when Cesar snarls at her, and she finds out the boring son has a piece on the side that she's supposed to ignore. Book makes it quite clear you either be a virgin or a whore. Fed up with the lot of them, Catherine scampers back to the nunnery, smart girl. Cesar, smarter than most old school heroes, actually follows her and woo hoo, HEA.
Some punishing kisses. I would say on a passion scale of 1 to 10 it's a 1 or 2: one heat grade level up from hand-holding. However, to the virginal young me, this was romantic hot stuff.
Catherine the orphan has been raised in a nunnery for most of her life. She was placed there by her aunt - no hard feelings. Catherine visits her aunt who is, in turn, visiting an arrogant Spanish Don she had a thing for back in the day. Little did Catherine know that being raised in the convent was to ensure she would grow up like a pure and unblemished dove or rose or something. Why? Well, the arrogant Spanish Don and the equally manipulative aunt want to arrange a MOC between Catherine and the Don's not quite as brave as he could be son. Of course, no one thinks to tell Catherine this. The aunt is a little manipulative, but it is done with good if not high handed intentions.
At the hacienda, C encounters Pilar, the Don's incredibly bratty daughter, his slightly boring and stuffy son, a Dowager Aunt/mother whatever, her maiden aunt, and the oh-so, yummy and not boring or stuffy Cesar. Cesar is in from Chile, I believe, to learn hacienda running. Pilar has her virginal but bratty eyes on him as does Catherine.
Catherine is no troublemaker, but she is more than willing to quietly stand up for herself. Lots of nice cultural and social class issues occur between the Spanish hierarchy and the little British schoolgirl. One incident raises the stakes when she rescues a little peasant boy from a bull as well as stands up to the Don. This little filly has courage and would be a nice infusion to a bloodline that's getting a little too blue.
Cesar is a charmer and a flirt so Catherine doesn't quite know where she stands. There is a miscommunication, shocking I know in an old school romance, and Cesar thinks Catherine is another gold-digging...you know the drill. He believes that she risked her life to save the little boy, not to save him really, but to prove how totally awesome she is to the Don.
Catherine withstands the pressure of marrying the Don's son until the old poop has a stroke. The aunt then guilts her into a fake engagement. It all comes to a head when Cesar snarls at her, and she finds out the boring son has a piece on the side that she's supposed to ignore. Book makes it quite clear you either be a virgin or a whore. Fed up with the lot of them, Catherine scampers back to the nunnery, smart girl. Cesar, smarter than most old school heroes, actually follows her and woo hoo, HEA.
Some punishing kisses. I would say on a passion scale of 1 to 10 it's a 1 or 2: one heat grade level up from hand-holding. However, to the virginal young me, this was romantic hot stuff.
July 5, 2013
A classic oldy with a young woman fresh out of a convent after a very sheltered upbringing. Destined by her adoptive mother to marry the Spaniard Jose Aguilar, CAtherine meets Cesar Barenna first, a family connection of Jose's. He is visiting from Argentina to learn more about breeding cattle from the Aguilar family.
Machinations by her mother, confusion about Cesar's relationship with Jose's sister Pilar and his suspicion of Catherine's motives when he finds out the marriage plans all make for some heartbreak for the heroine.
This was a very easy and enjoyable read. Elizabeth Ashton wrote the first M&B I remember reading and I enjoy revisiting her books.
Machinations by her mother, confusion about Cesar's relationship with Jose's sister Pilar and his suspicion of Catherine's motives when he finds out the marriage plans all make for some heartbreak for the heroine.
This was a very easy and enjoyable read. Elizabeth Ashton wrote the first M&B I remember reading and I enjoy revisiting her books.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews