What do you think?
Rate this book
The Balleymore Bride - Large Print
Little Orpan Emma....
Top thriller writer Emma Ballentine was successful - but that didn't stop her yearning for a family. So finding that she was heiress to a large estate seemed the answer to her prayers.
Only, when she got to Balleymore, she discovered that all was not what it seemed. What was more, the conservator of the estate, John Weld, seemed determined to brand her a gold-digger. But to prove him wrong was to get him to see her differently - and then anything could happen...!
Top thriller writer Emma Ballentine was successful - but that didn't stop her yearning for a family. So finding that she was heiress to a large estate seemed the answer to her prayers.
Only, when she got to Balleymore, she discovered that all was not what it seemed. What was more, the conservator of the estate, John Weld, seemed determined to brand her a gold-digger. But to prove him wrong was to get him to see her differently - and then anything could happen...!
288 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1994
6 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Emma Goldrick
149 books33 followersEmma Goldrick is the penname used by the marriage formed by Emma Elizabeth Jean Sutcliffe, borned 7 February 1923 in Puerto Rico, and Robert N. Goldrick, borned on 22 March 1919 in Massachusetts, USA. They met in Puerto Rico, where married. She was a licensed practical nurse, volunteered with American Red Cross and she taught American Sign Language and he was a career USA military man. Thirty years and 4 children later they retired, and in 1980 they started to write in collaboration, and their first novel was accepted and published in 1983 by Mills & Boon. They continued publishing 40 novels until Robert passed away at 76, in 22 January 1996. After her husband death, she published her last novel and retired. Emma Goldrick passed away at 85, in 20 November 2008.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Read
February 9, 2018Early discard on this one - it’s not gothic enough. Yes the heroine shows up at a big house and is immediately chased by dobermans until rescued by a teenager. And yes, she has weird wobbly moments over whether she remembers the house from when she was 4 and a ‘who am I moment.’ Which is gothic. Some other stuff happens. Hero is resentful but boring.
I think what really lost me was that she changed glasses when the pair she was wearing got dirty. I was so thrilled she had glasses because heroines just mostly don’t, but this is weird behaviour. Proper spec wearers know to:
1. Clean your damn glasses, or
2. Just ignore it, you can still mostly see well enough to drive or whatever. They’ll just get dirty again anyway.
Yes. I have abandoned what could be a perfectly adequate book because of glasses.
I think what really lost me was that she changed glasses when the pair she was wearing got dirty. I was so thrilled she had glasses because heroines just mostly don’t, but this is weird behaviour. Proper spec wearers know to:
1. Clean your damn glasses, or
2. Just ignore it, you can still mostly see well enough to drive or whatever. They’ll just get dirty again anyway.
Yes. I have abandoned what could be a perfectly adequate book because of glasses.
February 1, 2012
Typical EG story. The heroine is very "Polyanna", the hero is a boyscout, or maybe an eagle scout. The secondary characters are one dimensional either good or evil. Yet despite knowing that this is the way it will be, the book has a sweet HEA and if you're in the mood it's a good read.
July 14, 2025
“The Balleymore Bride” is the story of Emma and John.
“Orphaned” heroine finds out about her deceased family and that she has an inheritance. When she is invited to claim it, she realizes she’s not the only one who wants it; and chaos ensues- including a suspicious hero who is there to protect the land.
Very boring with loads of drama between the characters, including a housekeeper who gives heroine an anaphylactic shock in goodwill.
Not for me
SWE
1.5/5
“Orphaned” heroine finds out about her deceased family and that she has an inheritance. When she is invited to claim it, she realizes she’s not the only one who wants it; and chaos ensues- including a suspicious hero who is there to protect the land.
Very boring with loads of drama between the characters, including a housekeeper who gives heroine an anaphylactic shock in goodwill.
Not for me
SWE
1.5/5
May 30, 2015
que haremos amo los clichés
pback-to-read
July 3, 2022He Held the Key to Her Heart
Emma Ballentine had come to Balleymore looking for the answers to questions she'd had her whole life. In a cryptic letter left for her in her father's will, he'd instructed her to go to the historic estate, and she was sure it held the key to her past.
But Emma discovered more than she'd bargained for: an inheritance, a mother she'd thought was dead and a woman who claimed to be Emma! The most startling—and unsettling—discovery of all, however, was John Weld, who awakened her heart….
Emma Ballentine had come to Balleymore looking for the answers to questions she'd had her whole life. In a cryptic letter left for her in her father's will, he'd instructed her to go to the historic estate, and she was sure it held the key to her past.
But Emma discovered more than she'd bargained for: an inheritance, a mother she'd thought was dead and a woman who claimed to be Emma! The most startling—and unsettling—discovery of all, however, was John Weld, who awakened her heart….
August 23, 2023
Coming home
I've read this at least 4 times, it's one that I enjoy very much. I love Balleymore and most of the characters (not the villians off course! ) I appreciate the forgiveness extended, and especially that they waiting for the wedding before jumping in the sack.
I've read this at least 4 times, it's one that I enjoy very much. I love Balleymore and most of the characters (not the villians off course! ) I appreciate the forgiveness extended, and especially that they waiting for the wedding before jumping in the sack.
July 15, 2011
One thing I relish about the heroine Emma is that she was successful and wealthy in her own rights. As one of the two claimants to the Balleymore estate, she stood to gain a lot of money from the sale of the farm land to a property development company. But she repeatedly showed that she couldn’t care less about the inheritance as she was a woman of independent means. One of the hilarious scenes was when she was being bribed $500 in check to leave and quit her claim. To much chagrin, she upped the ante easily and counter-offered $2K in cash to be accepted as she was.
What I liked about the hero John was how he could’ve been depicted as a gold-digger but he turned out to be a decent, caring and much imposed-upon bloke. As a trustee of sorts to the estate, he could hoodwink both the heroine and the court; the heroine – by faking interest on her; the courts – by withholding evidence. But he was such an honest man as he was a dutiful son that his character calls to mind Mr. Knightley in Jane Austen’s book Emma. The namesake in this EG book could definitely derive strength from her John.
What I liked about the hero John was how he could’ve been depicted as a gold-digger but he turned out to be a decent, caring and much imposed-upon bloke. As a trustee of sorts to the estate, he could hoodwink both the heroine and the court; the heroine – by faking interest on her; the courts – by withholding evidence. But he was such an honest man as he was a dutiful son that his character calls to mind Mr. Knightley in Jane Austen’s book Emma. The namesake in this EG book could definitely derive strength from her John.
August 12, 2009
Compared to the last Mills & Boon I read, I was expecting the worst from this, but it really held its own as a story. While the whole idea of not knowing the true heiress to the estate was a bit old-fashioned, and some of the minor characters were cardboard cutout villains, I found myself rooting for the heroine, and I was pulled in by the inherent mystery of who was who in this drama. Not an amazing read, but enjoyable so far that it was not the typical male vs female clash against a non-existent plot. My thoughts on finishing it were: 'That was almost sweet.'
February 13, 2014
it was ok
Read
May 21, 2016عروسة بالي مور - إيما غولدريك
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews