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Dearest Traitor
Lord of the manor
Steven Templeton had shattered Georgina's life once, and now that he'd returned to Kellerdale Hall, he clearly intended to scatter the pieces. He obviously didn't want her around as estate manager.
But Georgina declared war--convincing herself Steven was as bad as his reputation. Hadn't he stolen his brother's wife and turned a defenseless female out into the night?
And she would never let him close enough to rekindle the desire that still haunted them both. But never was a long time, especially now that Steven was home for good....
Steven Templeton had shattered Georgina's life once, and now that he'd returned to Kellerdale Hall, he clearly intended to scatter the pieces. He obviously didn't want her around as estate manager.
But Georgina declared war--convincing herself Steven was as bad as his reputation. Hadn't he stolen his brother's wife and turned a defenseless female out into the night?
And she would never let him close enough to rekindle the desire that still haunted them both. But never was a long time, especially now that Steven was home for good....
192 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 25, 1994
8 people are currently reading
360 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Wilson
239 books179 followersPatricia Wilson (1929 – 2010) was a best-selling writer of 53 romance novels for the Mills & Boon publisher from 1986 to 2004. She placed her novels primarily in England, Spain or France.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
April 4, 2017
The plot was really quite simple. It went something like this:
SPINELESS LEAKY JELLYBLOB: Oh Steven, Steven! Bbbblllllwwwwwwbbbbbbllllluuuuuurrrrrrrggggghhhhh.... bbbbbbblllllwwwwwwwuuuuuuurrrrgggggghhhhhh...
SUPER LOGICAL DUDE: The best way to win over this very attractive spineless leaky jellyblob is to insult it at every turn! Muhahahahahaha, hurray to me and my infallible plan! [Insert insult]
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Don't feel too sorry for me. I had been warned off by reviews so I only have to blame myself for this one.
SPINELESS LEAKY JELLYBLOB: Oh Steven, Steven! Bbbblllllwwwwwwbbbbbbllllluuuuuurrrrrrrggggghhhhh.... bbbbbbblllllwwwwwwwuuuuuuurrrrgggggghhhhhh...
SUPER LOGICAL DUDE: The best way to win over this very attractive spineless leaky jellyblob is to insult it at every turn! Muhahahahahaha, hurray to me and my infallible plan! [Insert insult]
Lather.
Rinse.
Repeat.
Don't feel too sorry for me. I had been warned off by reviews so I only have to blame myself for this one.
January 13, 2013
I admit the last ten pages is what bumped this up to a four star book. I didn't like how everyone seemed to patronize Georgina. I hate when people patronize you. I think that's the problem you run into when you grow up with people. They are used to seeing you a certain way, and their vantage point doesn't necessarily change unless circumstances or you force it to. And even if you try to change their perceptions, they just view you as acting out or being strange. I think that was the case with Georgia.
Honestly, I was wishing she didn't feel so strongly for Steven. It was like he had power over her. I don't like that feeling either. I wasn't loving him until towards the end, when I did see how much her feelings were reciprocated. I almost think this could have been a better book if Georgina had gone away for a few years and came back more mature. I would have loved to see Steven do some pining. As it stood, I feel like he viewed Georgina as a sure thing. Kind of like some chocolate you put away for when you really want it. You go about your typical activities, smiling smugly because you know it's there waiting for you. Maybe that's uncharitable on my part. Or course, Georgina's antics don't' always make things easy for Steven. Even though it seemed like he always had the upper hand, she made his life a lot more complicated. But I say he deserved to be put through his paces.
So yeah, I admit. I'm a sucker for a good declaration of love. And I love a possessive hero. Steven's actions and declarations at the end saved the book for me. So four stars.
Honestly, I was wishing she didn't feel so strongly for Steven. It was like he had power over her. I don't like that feeling either. I wasn't loving him until towards the end, when I did see how much her feelings were reciprocated. I almost think this could have been a better book if Georgina had gone away for a few years and came back more mature. I would have loved to see Steven do some pining. As it stood, I feel like he viewed Georgina as a sure thing. Kind of like some chocolate you put away for when you really want it. You go about your typical activities, smiling smugly because you know it's there waiting for you. Maybe that's uncharitable on my part. Or course, Georgina's antics don't' always make things easy for Steven. Even though it seemed like he always had the upper hand, she made his life a lot more complicated. But I say he deserved to be put through his paces.
So yeah, I admit. I'm a sucker for a good declaration of love. And I love a possessive hero. Steven's actions and declarations at the end saved the book for me. So four stars.
May 21, 2018
Re Dearest Traitor - This is UBER Patricia Wilson on steroids, as she makes her last foray into HPlandia before moving to HRtopia. The h is insanely adorably cuddlesome and the H is insanely Alpha Manly HP H'yness and really, this is probably only for die hard PW fans.
Which is me and that is why I had a great time with this book. But if PW isn't your cuppa, you will be driven to drink with the h's little contretemps and inner agonizing over nothing for the WHOLE story.
The plot is that the h lives with her family on the H's family's vast estate. Technically the h's dad is the estate manager, but in reality the h is universally adored and feted by all, and everyone but the h KNOWS that the heir apparent will be making the h his wife, as soon as she grows up a bit and he gets back from Canada.
So really the h fell for the H at 10 yrs old and decides that he will be her super true lurve forever and as with all PW h's, she tends to be a little obsessed. Which is okay with the H, cause he likes her too and he has no problems hanging around until she grows up, which seems to be taking forever.
When the h was 18 there was big dramatic h true love confession moment, but the H was unsure that the h was ready for Lady of the Manorhood and marriage, so he took himself off to Canada to keep his grabby hands off the delectable, fiery h. The h is furious and that makes the H a TRAITOR and she hates him forever.
When the book opens, the H is coming back and the h is really mad about that. Tho it is probably a good thing he is coming back, because his younger brother has gotten himself engaged to a HORRID girl and everyone hates her and she is just awful.
The h has to just ride her horse and her motorcycle around the estate and seethe silently, but she has to be the calm one while the H's sister, who is also the h's BFF, gets to rant and rave and make snarky comments and plots the way the h would normally do. The h HATES that, cause our little cuddlesome h LOVES drama and has some whenever she can, and invents some if there is nothing on the boil.
So the H returns and everyone is happy to see him, including the h. Tho she is convinced that the brother's HORRID fiancee is actually the H's seekrit mistress, cause they met in Canada, and that they will soon be getting together for duly wedded bliss.
(Told you the h likes to have drama, she is great at creating it out of nothing too.)
However, the Annual Manor Charity Ball is coming up and the HORRID fiancee is trying to do things in preparation and she is messing EVERYTHING up. Staff and family is upset and tempers have to be soothed and when the h has a little mishap on her motorbike, the H puts his foot down and forbids her to ride it.
There are strangers on the estate that the h has to brain with tree branches because they frighten her and the h has to invite her other BFF to hang out with her for the big Charity Ball. The h also has to get into a car wreck with the H and then weep buckets full of tears and remorse for getting him into to it to begin with. But it does result in her telling the H she loved him and having a full out roofie kissing session with a man who has concussion.
Finally the big Charity Ball arrives and the h is so busy fretting over the H and the OW, that she nearly misses the H's big announcement of his and the h's upcoming wedding. She does manage to pay attention to the H's romantic and heartfelt lovely declaration of true love forever and the unicorn banishment moment is truly fabulous.
The OW gets the boot when the h's other BFF shows up to wow the H's brother and everyone else can breathe a sigh of relief, cause the H has the h firmly tied down and loved up and now she can just have children for more family oriented drama instead of wild fantasies for the big HEA.
This one was a very, very PW HP outing. The h is an idiot, but she is totally cute with it, so I did not mind that. The H is the usual bossy and enigmatic PW H and really there was no reason for him to go to Canada, but PW might have been bored, cause she obviously wanted to start her own drama for her final HPlandia outing.
Which is me and that is why I had a great time with this book. But if PW isn't your cuppa, you will be driven to drink with the h's little contretemps and inner agonizing over nothing for the WHOLE story.
The plot is that the h lives with her family on the H's family's vast estate. Technically the h's dad is the estate manager, but in reality the h is universally adored and feted by all, and everyone but the h KNOWS that the heir apparent will be making the h his wife, as soon as she grows up a bit and he gets back from Canada.
So really the h fell for the H at 10 yrs old and decides that he will be her super true lurve forever and as with all PW h's, she tends to be a little obsessed. Which is okay with the H, cause he likes her too and he has no problems hanging around until she grows up, which seems to be taking forever.
When the h was 18 there was big dramatic h true love confession moment, but the H was unsure that the h was ready for Lady of the Manorhood and marriage, so he took himself off to Canada to keep his grabby hands off the delectable, fiery h. The h is furious and that makes the H a TRAITOR and she hates him forever.
When the book opens, the H is coming back and the h is really mad about that. Tho it is probably a good thing he is coming back, because his younger brother has gotten himself engaged to a HORRID girl and everyone hates her and she is just awful.
The h has to just ride her horse and her motorcycle around the estate and seethe silently, but she has to be the calm one while the H's sister, who is also the h's BFF, gets to rant and rave and make snarky comments and plots the way the h would normally do. The h HATES that, cause our little cuddlesome h LOVES drama and has some whenever she can, and invents some if there is nothing on the boil.
So the H returns and everyone is happy to see him, including the h. Tho she is convinced that the brother's HORRID fiancee is actually the H's seekrit mistress, cause they met in Canada, and that they will soon be getting together for duly wedded bliss.
(Told you the h likes to have drama, she is great at creating it out of nothing too.)
However, the Annual Manor Charity Ball is coming up and the HORRID fiancee is trying to do things in preparation and she is messing EVERYTHING up. Staff and family is upset and tempers have to be soothed and when the h has a little mishap on her motorbike, the H puts his foot down and forbids her to ride it.
There are strangers on the estate that the h has to brain with tree branches because they frighten her and the h has to invite her other BFF to hang out with her for the big Charity Ball. The h also has to get into a car wreck with the H and then weep buckets full of tears and remorse for getting him into to it to begin with. But it does result in her telling the H she loved him and having a full out roofie kissing session with a man who has concussion.
Finally the big Charity Ball arrives and the h is so busy fretting over the H and the OW, that she nearly misses the H's big announcement of his and the h's upcoming wedding. She does manage to pay attention to the H's romantic and heartfelt lovely declaration of true love forever and the unicorn banishment moment is truly fabulous.
The OW gets the boot when the h's other BFF shows up to wow the H's brother and everyone else can breathe a sigh of relief, cause the H has the h firmly tied down and loved up and now she can just have children for more family oriented drama instead of wild fantasies for the big HEA.
This one was a very, very PW HP outing. The h is an idiot, but she is totally cute with it, so I did not mind that. The H is the usual bossy and enigmatic PW H and really there was no reason for him to go to Canada, but PW might have been bored, cause she obviously wanted to start her own drama for her final HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 22, 2019
"I'm not a child"
"I'm 22!"
"He's 25!"
"You're mine."
"You belong to me.
"I want you, but don't want to marry you."
This is how our H/h court in this very strange story of quivering passion that's been simmering since heroine was 8 and hero was 20. Heroine threw herself at hero when she was 18, but hero rebuffed her. Four celibate years later he's back and ready to spin the heroine into a frenzy.
If you like the above dialogue, May/December stories, to-the-manor-born characters and sensibilities you'll love this. Comes with a bonus OW and OM and plenty of personal injuries. French kissing lessons thrown in for free!
"I'm 22!"
"He's 25!"
"You're mine."
"You belong to me.
"I want you, but don't want to marry you."
This is how our H/h court in this very strange story of quivering passion that's been simmering since heroine was 8 and hero was 20. Heroine threw herself at hero when she was 18, but hero rebuffed her. Four celibate years later he's back and ready to spin the heroine into a frenzy.
If you like the above dialogue, May/December stories, to-the-manor-born characters and sensibilities you'll love this. Comes with a bonus OW and OM and plenty of personal injuries. French kissing lessons thrown in for free!
December 15, 2021
What a mess.
These two are the most stupid characters I've seen in a while.
The heroine is in love with the hero forever.
When she's 18 he kisses her senseless but immediately afterwards he tells her he'll go away to London where more experienced ladies are waiting for him.
Of course he's doing it for her sake because he's waiting for her to grow up.
yeah, right.
So she's hating him with a passion and when he's back 4 years later the heroine, who's not a meek character and knows how to hold a grudge, attacks him like a pitbull.
Actually they quarrel all the time, and I can't really describe the plot because it's a mixture of insults, ugly scenes, forced kisses, go and retreats...
Basically the heroine is still hurt for his behaviour 4 years before, she thinks he's a cheater and a traitor, and thinks he's going to steal his younger brother's girlfriend, a slutty socialite who of course, as soon as she understands that the hero is the heir and the richer one, she starts stalking him endlessly.
The heroine thinks he's in love with ow, but I don't understand why since he's cold and only polite to her.
The hero tells the heroine he wants her and she thinks he wants her to be his mistress, while we all smart veteran readers of Hp, know very well that he wants to marry her, and he's only biding his time to persuade her he loves her.
So other misunderstandings follow until we have an explanation, a proposal, another explanation (the heroine is not so smart...) and a hea.
Pfew!
I sweated!
Oh, and he was celibate since she was 18 and he kissed her.
Interesting book, very messy but cute and with low angst.
These two are the most stupid characters I've seen in a while.
The heroine is in love with the hero forever.
When she's 18 he kisses her senseless but immediately afterwards he tells her he'll go away to London where more experienced ladies are waiting for him.
Of course he's doing it for her sake because he's waiting for her to grow up.
yeah, right.
So she's hating him with a passion and when he's back 4 years later the heroine, who's not a meek character and knows how to hold a grudge, attacks him like a pitbull.
Actually they quarrel all the time, and I can't really describe the plot because it's a mixture of insults, ugly scenes, forced kisses, go and retreats...
Basically the heroine is still hurt for his behaviour 4 years before, she thinks he's a cheater and a traitor, and thinks he's going to steal his younger brother's girlfriend, a slutty socialite who of course, as soon as she understands that the hero is the heir and the richer one, she starts stalking him endlessly.
The heroine thinks he's in love with ow, but I don't understand why since he's cold and only polite to her.
The hero tells the heroine he wants her and she thinks he wants her to be his mistress, while we all smart veteran readers of Hp, know very well that he wants to marry her, and he's only biding his time to persuade her he loves her.
So other misunderstandings follow until we have an explanation, a proposal, another explanation (the heroine is not so smart...) and a hea.
Pfew!
I sweated!
Oh, and he was celibate since she was 18 and he kissed her.
Interesting book, very messy but cute and with low angst.
Read
February 10, 2012Here comes...The Dreariest Traitor Quiz! Choose as many options as you like
Q1. What was the theme
a) romance
b) horror
c) mystery
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
Q2. Did the H
a) despise the h
b) hate the h
c) abhor the h
d) all of the above
Q3. The h was _______ on the H
a) dependent
b) super-dependent
c) hyper-dependent
d) ultra-dependent
Q4 The story made sense
a) No
b) Na-uh
c) sense, yeah...non sense...
Q5. Why did the H break up with the h even though he didn't care that she was poor, there was no OM, she had loved him all her life, he had loved all HIS life and everything was hunky dory?
a) WTF, is THAT what happened?
b) Wait a second...
c) Is that a happy ending right there in that statement?
d) Why'd I waste my time?
Rating: o_O I guess its the kind of book where your own interpretation is way more fun than what you read
Q1. What was the theme
a) romance
b) horror
c) mystery
d) all of the above
e) none of the above
Q2. Did the H
a) despise the h
b) hate the h
c) abhor the h
d) all of the above
Q3. The h was _______ on the H
a) dependent
b) super-dependent
c) hyper-dependent
d) ultra-dependent
Q4 The story made sense
a) No
b) Na-uh
c) sense, yeah...non sense...
Q5. Why did the H break up with the h even though he didn't care that she was poor, there was no OM, she had loved him all her life, he had loved all HIS life and everything was hunky dory?
a) WTF, is THAT what happened?
b) Wait a second...
c) Is that a happy ending right there in that statement?
d) Why'd I waste my time?
Rating: o_O I guess its the kind of book where your own interpretation is way more fun than what you read
November 22, 2020
4 stars
had to bump up the rating, this book was just a lot of fun.
this was the definition two main characters who are insane and very obsessed with each other. but they gave me that rush SO.
had to bump up the rating, this book was just a lot of fun.
this was the definition two main characters who are insane and very obsessed with each other. but they gave me that rush SO.
May 1, 2025
Looking at my friends’ reviews, I see I’m in the minority, per usual. 🤡 I thought it was fun 🤷🏼♀️🤣
The heroine’s antics are completely OTT ridiculous but for some reason it didn’t bother me. I loved how the old skool vintage hero was all domineering and mean and then would go all sweet and protective. He’s manipulative and bulldozery, and the heroine is so freaking clueless. I love an enduring crush and then having all her wildest dreams come true. The only thing I wasn’t super wild about was why the hero let her think he wanted her to be his mistress. It didn’t really make sense to me and went on for too long. I was expecting it to just have been a misunderstanding on the heroine’s part, but it ended up being something the hero did deliberately. The reason was garbled, imo.
Anyway, the book is filled with dramarama torrid embraces, roofie kisses, an enraged jealous/possessive/protective vintage hero, a ridiculous silly heroine, and fun OW drama.
I kinda loved it 🤷🏼♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣
The heroine’s antics are completely OTT ridiculous but for some reason it didn’t bother me. I loved how the old skool vintage hero was all domineering and mean and then would go all sweet and protective. He’s manipulative and bulldozery, and the heroine is so freaking clueless. I love an enduring crush and then having all her wildest dreams come true. The only thing I wasn’t super wild about was why the hero let her think he wanted her to be his mistress. It didn’t really make sense to me and went on for too long. I was expecting it to just have been a misunderstanding on the heroine’s part, but it ended up being something the hero did deliberately. The reason was garbled, imo.
Anyway, the book is filled with dramarama torrid embraces, roofie kisses, an enraged jealous/possessive/protective vintage hero, a ridiculous silly heroine, and fun OW drama.
I kinda loved it 🤷🏼♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣
April 9, 2016
I am not going to get into the plot or various tropes because much of this book was irritating. It verged on being a skimmer/dnf, but I am so glad I finished.
The H, Steven, oozes lord of the manor arrogance, and when I say lord of the manor I mean Lord of the Manor. Steven manipulates and emotionally wounds Georgina, the poor almost underage, lowly heroine. Class conflict abounds but, for once, it stems more from the lower rung rather than the manor house although their is a nicely bitchy OW that throws her two cents in. Steven's family actually adores Georgina which makes for a nice change of pace.
What redeems this book and almost bumps it to a four star is the hero's declarations of love. Truly romantic and over the top. It did not actually make me cry, but it was so sweet I really should have.
The H, Steven, oozes lord of the manor arrogance, and when I say lord of the manor I mean Lord of the Manor. Steven manipulates and emotionally wounds Georgina, the poor almost underage, lowly heroine. Class conflict abounds but, for once, it stems more from the lower rung rather than the manor house although their is a nicely bitchy OW that throws her two cents in. Steven's family actually adores Georgina which makes for a nice change of pace.
What redeems this book and almost bumps it to a four star is the hero's declarations of love. Truly romantic and over the top. It did not actually make me cry, but it was so sweet I really should have.
August 15, 2016
Tiny ginger Georgina is thrown into a complete tizzy by the news that Steven Templeton is coming home. Steven is her big childhood crush. When she was 18 she threw herself at him, but he rejected her and popped off to Canada for 4 years.
So she hates him. Loves his family, loves her BFF, loves riding about on her pretty horse. Loves her job assisting her dad manage the huge Templeton estate, but hates Steven. He’s going to ruin everything. She’s betting he won’t let her take over as estate manager for her dad when her dad retires, and Georgina is going to have to get another job and leave the place she loves and be sad forever.
At least she has a sort of nice boyfriend. Although he’s making less than encouraging noises about how young they both are still, and about how his mother isn’t that thrilled by the idea of Georgina as a daughter in law. It’ll be fine, though. His mother will resign herself to the effort of turning Georgina into a decent wife through well applied nagging and criticism. Won’t that be fun.
The other little worm in the poison apple despoiling Georgina’s bucolic paradise is Auriel. Auriel is Steven’s younger brother’s fiancée, but as soon as Steven shows up it’s clear that these two have a past, and if Auriel gets her way, a future.
I may have misspelled Auriel. There are at least two conversations about how this is a very silly name.
Auriel is very certain she will get her way. How the brother feels about this goes into the usual Patricia Wilson limbo of secondary characters having no agency unless at least one member of the power couple is on the scene.
I really liked Georgina. She was so melodramatic about everything. I liked her because she had a motorbike and loved dashing about on the estate on it. Her father couldn’t tame her! She runs into Steven and is flipped off the motorbike, and Steven puts his foot down about her riding it. Sure, it’s a little on the nose, but she’s pretty fearless and it was endearing.
Also endearing was the insane fantasy she concocted about Steven and Auriel, and how Steven had been in love with Auriel and then went to Canada, and Auriel took up with his brother to punish him, but now that Steven’s back from Canada he’s going to take up with Auriel again, and his brother will just have to lump it, because Steven is so very alpha. Georgina was terribly attached to this fantasy, and it worked well to irritate Steven, and it kept her amused in that devastating ‘my life is over and I’ve lost the one man I’ll ever love!’ fashion.
Her biggest problem is that she’s too pretty and cute and melodramatic for anyone to take her seriously. ‘Terrible things! Devastating, ruin my life forever events unfolding!’ Georgina will occasionally say to her father. ‘That’s nice dear,’ he’ll reply absently. ‘Have you checked with Steven about that?’ Everybody just wants to pat her on the head or give her a hug.
She does have a genius for a good old fashioned scrape. Not only is there the motorbike accident, she and Steven have a car accident. He’s heroic and injured. There’s also, and this was a really interesting scene, the time she encounters a strange man on the estate and wacks him a tree branch because he smiled at her. Only Steven is prepared to consider that she was scared and this was a legitimate defence reaction - everyone else just laughs it off as so Georgina.
The whole deal with the two of them is that when she showed up as a kid she immediately started crushing on Steven and he just adored her. He was the one person she’d listen to, and while he was doing a bit of future mate grooming, it didn’t turn into anything creepy and wrong. He firmly resisted her whole deal of turning sixteen and starting to look at him like a sexy man she wanted to wanted to climb all over, but at the same time kept the same affectionate and gentle relationship going until Georgina forced the issue.
Steven is alpha and likes giving orders. I liked him a lot, he was a good bossy hero to Georgina’s engaging craziness. He did get a bit grabby, but then Georgina did answer the door in her bathrobe, which is classic foreplay in romances of this vintage, and never really gets old. The other woman is the main flaw in his story. I can’t imagine that there wasn’t at least some slight encouragement, or the absence of very clear and firm discouragement, when it came to the possessive way she behaved around Steven.
But look, she was crazy. When Steven’s in the car accident Georgina is sent up to his bedroom to distract him. She’s sitting on his bed when the door is flung open, and enter Auriel. ‘The hired girl is sitting on your bed!’ observes Auriel, in accents of deep insult and suspicious betrayal. What. Look, I mean it’s not as though I didn’t love it, with all the snobbery and possessiveness. I did, but my monkey brain satisfaction in the scene, and the whole deal with Auriel cannot overcome my sensible brain that thinks this is all a bit nonsense.
There are some really good supportive female relationships in this book. Georgina’s BFF, Steven’s little sister, is lovely, as is Georgina’s school friend. Steven’s mother is lovely and sweet to Georgina. I’ll acknowledge that there are the usual terrible women around, but Georgina’s friends did have their own stuff going on, they weren’t cardboard cheer squad, or enabling some hero horribleness for the heroine’s ‘own good.’
I’m not keen on how Georgina was presented as everyone’s tiny pretty pet, and even with the clear sense that some of the most emotionally satisfying aspects of the plot are complete nonsense, I still loved this one.
So she hates him. Loves his family, loves her BFF, loves riding about on her pretty horse. Loves her job assisting her dad manage the huge Templeton estate, but hates Steven. He’s going to ruin everything. She’s betting he won’t let her take over as estate manager for her dad when her dad retires, and Georgina is going to have to get another job and leave the place she loves and be sad forever.
At least she has a sort of nice boyfriend. Although he’s making less than encouraging noises about how young they both are still, and about how his mother isn’t that thrilled by the idea of Georgina as a daughter in law. It’ll be fine, though. His mother will resign herself to the effort of turning Georgina into a decent wife through well applied nagging and criticism. Won’t that be fun.
The other little worm in the poison apple despoiling Georgina’s bucolic paradise is Auriel. Auriel is Steven’s younger brother’s fiancée, but as soon as Steven shows up it’s clear that these two have a past, and if Auriel gets her way, a future.
I may have misspelled Auriel. There are at least two conversations about how this is a very silly name.
Auriel is very certain she will get her way. How the brother feels about this goes into the usual Patricia Wilson limbo of secondary characters having no agency unless at least one member of the power couple is on the scene.
I really liked Georgina. She was so melodramatic about everything. I liked her because she had a motorbike and loved dashing about on the estate on it. Her father couldn’t tame her! She runs into Steven and is flipped off the motorbike, and Steven puts his foot down about her riding it. Sure, it’s a little on the nose, but she’s pretty fearless and it was endearing.
Also endearing was the insane fantasy she concocted about Steven and Auriel, and how Steven had been in love with Auriel and then went to Canada, and Auriel took up with his brother to punish him, but now that Steven’s back from Canada he’s going to take up with Auriel again, and his brother will just have to lump it, because Steven is so very alpha. Georgina was terribly attached to this fantasy, and it worked well to irritate Steven, and it kept her amused in that devastating ‘my life is over and I’ve lost the one man I’ll ever love!’ fashion.
Her biggest problem is that she’s too pretty and cute and melodramatic for anyone to take her seriously. ‘Terrible things! Devastating, ruin my life forever events unfolding!’ Georgina will occasionally say to her father. ‘That’s nice dear,’ he’ll reply absently. ‘Have you checked with Steven about that?’ Everybody just wants to pat her on the head or give her a hug.
She does have a genius for a good old fashioned scrape. Not only is there the motorbike accident, she and Steven have a car accident. He’s heroic and injured. There’s also, and this was a really interesting scene, the time she encounters a strange man on the estate and wacks him a tree branch because he smiled at her. Only Steven is prepared to consider that she was scared and this was a legitimate defence reaction - everyone else just laughs it off as so Georgina.
The whole deal with the two of them is that when she showed up as a kid she immediately started crushing on Steven and he just adored her. He was the one person she’d listen to, and while he was doing a bit of future mate grooming, it didn’t turn into anything creepy and wrong. He firmly resisted her whole deal of turning sixteen and starting to look at him like a sexy man she wanted to wanted to climb all over, but at the same time kept the same affectionate and gentle relationship going until Georgina forced the issue.
Steven is alpha and likes giving orders. I liked him a lot, he was a good bossy hero to Georgina’s engaging craziness. He did get a bit grabby, but then Georgina did answer the door in her bathrobe, which is classic foreplay in romances of this vintage, and never really gets old. The other woman is the main flaw in his story. I can’t imagine that there wasn’t at least some slight encouragement, or the absence of very clear and firm discouragement, when it came to the possessive way she behaved around Steven.
But look, she was crazy. When Steven’s in the car accident Georgina is sent up to his bedroom to distract him. She’s sitting on his bed when the door is flung open, and enter Auriel. ‘The hired girl is sitting on your bed!’ observes Auriel, in accents of deep insult and suspicious betrayal. What. Look, I mean it’s not as though I didn’t love it, with all the snobbery and possessiveness. I did, but my monkey brain satisfaction in the scene, and the whole deal with Auriel cannot overcome my sensible brain that thinks this is all a bit nonsense.
There are some really good supportive female relationships in this book. Georgina’s BFF, Steven’s little sister, is lovely, as is Georgina’s school friend. Steven’s mother is lovely and sweet to Georgina. I’ll acknowledge that there are the usual terrible women around, but Georgina’s friends did have their own stuff going on, they weren’t cardboard cheer squad, or enabling some hero horribleness for the heroine’s ‘own good.’
I’m not keen on how Georgina was presented as everyone’s tiny pretty pet, and even with the clear sense that some of the most emotionally satisfying aspects of the plot are complete nonsense, I still loved this one.
July 6, 2020
Fun and light with two memorable protagonists. Heroine was fiery and impetuous, while hero was arrogant and high handed. Steven did need the latter trait in order to handle Georgina, who was a handful! (Hmm. I suspect, though, that if he hadn't been so high handed she wouldn't have been so unruly.) Their antics kept the book's energy-level high. I also liked the older man who's secretly in love with a teenager trope because the idea of a gal not having to search too long for Mr. Right is rather romantic and expedient.
I did have some issues with the hero's characterization though. Steven loved Georgina and apparently knew that she loved him back, so why didn't he just confess his love after returning from a four-year absence? His decision to toy with her just reeked of immaturity to me.
At one point even Steven told Georgina he wanted to make her his mistress. He later told her it was all for shock value. Okay, who's supposedly the mature one here? So Steven thought that if he didn't "lead" Georgina on she wouldn't stop fighting him and/or wouldn't believe him if he told her he loved her? Um, that doesn't make sense. I think Georgina would had stopped rebelling against him the moment she knew Steven loved her—which is exactly what she did.
Oh well, no one is perfect. Their antics kept the story moving along and gave me a reason to stay tuned in.
I did have some issues with the hero's characterization though. Steven loved Georgina and apparently knew that she loved him back, so why didn't he just confess his love after returning from a four-year absence? His decision to toy with her just reeked of immaturity to me.
At one point even Steven told Georgina he wanted to make her his mistress. He later told her it was all for shock value. Okay, who's supposedly the mature one here? So Steven thought that if he didn't "lead" Georgina on she wouldn't stop fighting him and/or wouldn't believe him if he told her he loved her? Um, that doesn't make sense. I think Georgina would had stopped rebelling against him the moment she knew Steven loved her—which is exactly what she did.
Oh well, no one is perfect. Their antics kept the story moving along and gave me a reason to stay tuned in.
December 28, 2012
I loved this book! This one is going to my all-time favorites pile. The hero is sarcastic but in a really loving way. He calls the heroine madwoman and lunatic but you know it's a term of endearment. I actually laughed out loud at some of his names for her and thought they were quite appropriate for the situation. And frankly speaking, the poor girl did seem quite mad at times. A lovely, heart-warming book with a loving, tender and indulgent hero though he doesn't lack in the HP asshat qualities either. Those who know my tastes know I like me a huggable hero, and this one is definitely quite huggable despite his asshat moments. A keeper!
February 18, 2018
'To say I love you would be the understatement of all time,' he said softly. 'There is no word, no expression to tell you how I feel. I think perhaps we knew each other, loved each other long ago in some other time, some other world.'
'Don't say that,' she pleaded gently. 'We might never have found each other.'
He smiled ather tenderly, stroking her hot face.
'I would have found you,' he assured her. 'I would have found you if I'd had to search the universe from one lifetime to another.'
"Dearest Traitor" is the story of Steven and Georgina.
First thing I would like to clear it that this felt like a Diana Palmer novel through and through with a plot Ive read about a hundred times easily
-Younger heroine/Older hero (12 years/ May December romance)
-Poor h/Rich H
-Best friend's brother and always been her protector
-An ardorous evening at 18 years of age which made him push her away
-OM and OW drama
-Punishing kisses and loads of pushing/running away by the h
-
- You can run, you can hide, but you cant escape my love...
-A crazy, obsessed hero
-Devoted heroine
TBH I wished that the heroine picked up on clues much more because she did come out as little dumb with all the ignorance she had for his possessive behavior. She ran away x number of times, and he kept chasing her..
SWME
2.75/5
'Don't say that,' she pleaded gently. 'We might never have found each other.'
He smiled ather tenderly, stroking her hot face.
'I would have found you,' he assured her. 'I would have found you if I'd had to search the universe from one lifetime to another.'
"Dearest Traitor" is the story of Steven and Georgina.
First thing I would like to clear it that this felt like a Diana Palmer novel through and through with a plot Ive read about a hundred times easily
-Younger heroine/Older hero (12 years/ May December romance)
-Poor h/Rich H
-Best friend's brother and always been her protector
-An ardorous evening at 18 years of age which made him push her away
-OM and OW drama
-Punishing kisses and loads of pushing/running away by the h
-
- You can run, you can hide, but you cant escape my love...
-A crazy, obsessed hero
-Devoted heroine
TBH I wished that the heroine picked up on clues much more because she did come out as little dumb with all the ignorance she had for his possessive behavior. She ran away x number of times, and he kept chasing her..
SWME
2.75/5
July 11, 2015
B-O-R-I-N-G :'(
I wanted to finish this book as fast as I could!!!
This heroine DROVE ME CRAZY! She was crying all the time, thinking the wrongs things, acting like a child ARG! I was desperated to finish it :(
I think is time to take a break of Pratricia Wilson. I really enjoyed the first three books I read by her, but the next ones have been not exciting at all.
xx
P.S. I gave the book 1 more star because the hero was celibate during separartion u.u
April 20, 2011
Boy, oh boy. This book was intense. At points, I honestly wished Georgina would run away and it would serve Steven right. This guy loves to call her names like 'idiot' and tell her (and anyone who'll listen) that she's crazy/a madwoman, oh, and he calls her George/stable-boy.
But the thing is, he so obviously loves her, and it's her immaturity that reads his hints for her to grow up as 'treachery'.
The two ignite whenever they're near, and it's either that he's going to make love to her or kill her, and she just melts like a good little harlequin heroine every time he so much as looks at her cross-eyed... the good thing though, is that he pretty much melts the same way.
But the thing is, he so obviously loves her, and it's her immaturity that reads his hints for her to grow up as 'treachery'.
The two ignite whenever they're near, and it's either that he's going to make love to her or kill her, and she just melts like a good little harlequin heroine every time he so much as looks at her cross-eyed... the good thing though, is that he pretty much melts the same way.
January 25, 2013
Rating 3.25 stars
Heroine fell for the much older hero, felt betrayed when at the age of 18, he didn't take what she offered. When he comes back four years later she treats him as the enemy. When its obvious he adores her though he does keep fighting with her. She of course assumes the worst of him all the time. At the end he tells her I have been celibate for four years & HEA.
Heroine fell for the much older hero, felt betrayed when at the age of 18, he didn't take what she offered. When he comes back four years later she treats him as the enemy. When its obvious he adores her though he does keep fighting with her. She of course assumes the worst of him all the time. At the end he tells her I have been celibate for four years & HEA.
December 8, 2015
I love the fact that the hero fell in love with her since for a while and just waited for her to grow up. The sparks that they set are like fireworks, it's pretty hot! He is high handed but he is gentle and indulgent with her. Stolen breathless kisses and immature bickering is what makes it all the more fun. Patricia Wilson is my absolute favorite.
February 19, 2021
This book was very much like Diana Palmer's books with some of my favorite tropes - older hero/younger heroine, best friend's older brother, unrequited love... Suffice it to say, this book hits all the right spots for me, and I really enjoyed this!
February 3, 2013
I love a hero who is mature enough to wait for a young woman to grow up and have enough experience in life to be able to make a pressure free decision of her own.
August 12, 2019
With an over the top drama queen for a heroine, who seriously got on my last nerve. Made this a very tiresome read.
December 8, 2014
I so much enjoyed this book. I was searching for quite a while for a story where the leads are always fighting .... i mean those silly fights that keep on going since ages.
And this was perfect book for me. I was always Team Georgina. I liked Steven. and in the end I assure you you would be TEAM STEVEN ...
All the side characters were so much fun. I means it felt refreshing reading this one.
To say I love you would be the understatement of all
time,' he said softly. 'There is no word, no expression to tell you how I feel.
I think perhaps we knew each other, loved each other long ago in some other
time, some other world.'
'Don't say that,' she pleaded gently. 'We might never
have found each other.' He smiled at her tenderly, stroking her hot face."
I've loved you for years, and it was painfully clear that you were going to
battle forever. I knew damned well you loved me but you were more interested in
your fight than in anything else. I thought once or twice of overpowering you,
but dismissed it as unworthy. I wanted you so much that it was an agony, so I
gave myself a few weeks to tame you, to bring you to heel.
November 19, 2011
I should have loved this book, because it has a lot of elements I normally love -- hero has been in love with heroine since she was a child, English estate hero v. servant-ish heroine (who nonetheless behaves socially like she's in the upper class), various accidents so that we can see both of them freak out at the thought of the other's physical injury. Pretty similar elements in the last Patricia Wilson I read as well. But though I do love all the angst, somehow I'm left feeling like the plot is lacking -- that it's all dialogue and inner monologues and there isn't enough moving the story along. It doesn't mean I don't like it, it's just that it ends up seeming too long to me. And maybe in this one it's too obvious from the very beginning that the hero is totally in love with the heroine -- the heroine is ridiculously blind about it, maybe making the love story less believable? Anyway, I still liked it and if you like angsty romances you probably will like it too. It's just surprising to me because I start off reading thinking that it's going to be 5 stars and then somewhere in the middle the story starts to seem like it has gone on for too long.
April 8, 2015
What I loved about this book was their early relationship and how love developed from friendship, not just OMG he/she so hot, I think I'm in lurve with his sixpacks / breasts. Although Georgie was really a mad woman, she could write soap opera script with the drama she created in her head. And I can forgive Steve for his jackassery because he's been celibate for four years. Say YEAH for non-whore heroes!
August 6, 2023
Very fond of PW but regrettably this one fell quite distinctly into the unintelligible conflict, switchbacky, nutso category. Steven and Georgina, you are equally demented and thoroughly deserve each other. I cannot imagine gentry being first name Steven with a v either. Shrug.
December 8, 2012
I really enjoyed this story. A friends to lovers tale of two people meant for each other. The hero is absolutely divine, a mature man waiting for a young woman to grow up. Lots of angst and a nice emotional read. This ticked all the boxes of what I most like in a romance.
June 20, 2022
Good but I got tired of h and her evidence and proof H was having affair. All she had was OW’s spiteful remarks and fact H was in London the same time as OW. Last I looked London is a big place with lots of people there at the same time. I enjoy Patricia Wilson’s romances but this one featured a ridiculous h.
H doesn’t help either, tells h he doesn’t want to marry her, just sleep with her. Of course he makes it clear several times that he intends a lifetime together. He tells h he wants her to trust him.
The icky part is H telling h he wants to own her. Run, girl, run!
H doesn’t help either, tells h he doesn’t want to marry her, just sleep with her. Of course he makes it clear several times that he intends a lifetime together. He tells h he wants her to trust him.
The icky part is H telling h he wants to own her. Run, girl, run!
May 26, 2025
Dnf 64%
Insufferable characters all around
Insufferable characters all around
January 13, 2024
اعادة قراءة
رواية رومانسية ممتعة
تحكي عن جورجينا الفتاة التي عاشت حياتها بين عائلة تيمبليتون
ليكبر تعلقها ببكر العائلة إلى حب
لكن ستيفن جرحها جراحا كبيرا وهي مراهقة
واختفى
ليعود بعد أربع سنوات من الغياب
ما الذي سيحدث بينهم
هذه الرواية من مفضلات بأيام مراهقتي
والآن أعيد قراءتها بعد خمسة عشر عاما
لأكتشف أنني ما زلت أحبها
أنصح بها
رواية عبير حبيبي الخائن
من الروايات المفضلة لي التي اعيد قراءتها دائما وبكل وقت
رواية رومانسية ممتعة
تحكي عن جورجينا الفتاة التي عاشت حياتها بين عائلة تيمبليتون
ليكبر تعلقها ببكر العائلة إلى حب
لكن ستيفن جرحها جراحا كبيرا وهي مراهقة
واختفى
ليعود بعد أربع سنوات من الغياب
ما الذي سيحدث بينهم
هذه الرواية من مفضلات بأيام مراهقتي
والآن أعيد قراءتها بعد خمسة عشر عاما
لأكتشف أنني ما زلت أحبها
أنصح بها
رواية عبير حبيبي الخائن
من الروايات المفضلة لي التي اعيد قراءتها دائما وبكل وقت
June 8, 2021
Lord of the manor. Steven Templeton had shattered Georgina's life once, and now that he'd returned to Kellerdale Hall, he clearly intended to scatter the pieces. He obviously didn't want her around as estate manager. But Georgina declared war--convincing herself Steven was as bad as his reputation. And she would never let him close enough to rekindle the desire that still haunted them both. But never was a long time, especially now that Steven was home.
December 29, 2012
Cute...
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