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Betrayed
Olivia didn't expect returning home to be easy.
And it wasn't. Especially when it was Matthew Ryan who met her at the airport when she returned to England fro her grandmother's funeral.
Matt and Olivia had once been passionate lovers and he had been desperate to marry her. Instead, she had chosen to leave him, although it had nearly broken her heart.
But that had been ten years ago, part of their past. Until Olivia discovered their past was far from being dead and forgotten - a potent attraction flared between them as if they'd never been parted!
And it wasn't. Especially when it was Matthew Ryan who met her at the airport when she returned to England fro her grandmother's funeral.
Matt and Olivia had once been passionate lovers and he had been desperate to marry her. Instead, she had chosen to leave him, although it had nearly broken her heart.
But that had been ten years ago, part of their past. Until Olivia discovered their past was far from being dead and forgotten - a potent attraction flared between them as if they'd never been parted!
189 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1991
4 people are currently reading
92 people want to read
About the author
Anne Mather
799 books360 followersAnne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
May 2, 2017
I read this without reading the blurb or anything so it's my own fault I got sucked into "I'm in love and having sex with my half-brother" scenario. Sure the heroine only heard if from her sadistic grandmother and never bothered to ask her mother or tell the hero why she was jilting him and running off to New York for ten years - because it must be true - right?
So now she's back. Evil grandma is in the ground and the heroine's family is hostile toward her because she lives independently in NYC which makes her a gold digger and promiscuous in small town rural England.
The heroine's mother (who never blinked an eye at the two them dating) asked the hero to pick her up from the airport - even though the man is married and was jilted by her daughter. Why shouldn't they get caught up on old times while on the highway? Right?
It's all slightly off kilter but even I was taken aback when the hero's crazy horse lady wife asked the heroine to encourage the hero to divorce her.
Then there is the dinner party with the hero's parents (the H/h go together with the crazy horse lady). The hero's mother wants to make sure she doesn't have a secret grandbaby stashed away in NYC. Heroine (who thinks the hero's dad is her father) keeps looking for worry in her "father's" eyes.
Finally heroine's mother finds the incriminating letters the evil grandmother showed the heroine ten years before and explains she had a miscarriage from an affair with the hero's dad before she was ever married. Now heroine knows the truth and . . . .
Goes back to NYC because the hero is married and she's noble and AM has twenty more pages to fill.
Finally hero tracks her down. Crazy horse lady has left the area after she burns down the stables for the insurance money. He's going to divorce her. Heroine is happy, but hero wants the real reason for the jilting before he'll commit to anything.
Heroine hems and haws and eventually tells him. That the hero took all the in without blinking an eye or berating the heroine for ruining his life for ten years is either totally in love or an idiot or both.
So now she's back. Evil grandma is in the ground and the heroine's family is hostile toward her because she lives independently in NYC which makes her a gold digger and promiscuous in small town rural England.
The heroine's mother (who never blinked an eye at the two them dating) asked the hero to pick her up from the airport - even though the man is married and was jilted by her daughter. Why shouldn't they get caught up on old times while on the highway? Right?
It's all slightly off kilter but even I was taken aback when the hero's crazy horse lady wife asked the heroine to encourage the hero to divorce her.
Then there is the dinner party with the hero's parents (the H/h go together with the crazy horse lady). The hero's mother wants to make sure she doesn't have a secret grandbaby stashed away in NYC. Heroine (who thinks the hero's dad is her father) keeps looking for worry in her "father's" eyes.
Finally heroine's mother finds the incriminating letters the evil grandmother showed the heroine ten years before and explains she had a miscarriage from an affair with the hero's dad before she was ever married. Now heroine knows the truth and . . . .
Goes back to NYC because the hero is married and she's noble and AM has twenty more pages to fill.
Finally hero tracks her down. Crazy horse lady has left the area after she burns down the stables for the insurance money. He's going to divorce her. Heroine is happy, but hero wants the real reason for the jilting before he'll commit to anything.
Heroine hems and haws and eventually tells him. That the hero took all the in without blinking an eye or berating the heroine for ruining his life for ten years is either totally in love or an idiot or both.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 1, 2017
Re Betrayed - Anne Mather just cannot stay away from the incestuous relative trope and since Sept of 1992 is do the whacktastic in HPlandia, this book fits right in.
The story is pretty AM basic. H and h were dating when she was 16 and 17 and he was in his twenties. The h's evil granny, an AM staple character in her work, showed the h letters from the H's father to her mother and one from her mother that seemed to indicate that the H and h were half brother and sister. So the h dumped the H and ran off to the US of A to make her fortune - or become a gold digging man eating tart, as the h's family seems to believe.
Now, the H and h were engaged and no one, not even the h's mum, was objecting to that on the grounds of consanguinity - and even in AM's HPlandia, you would think they would might drop a word or two about that. (The only objection came from the h's dad at the start of the affair, who worried that the Lord of the Manor H was going a droit du seigneur routine on his village maiden daughter and then got mad when the h did not follow through, in a perverse little turn around.) Traditionally AM's extended relative characters are amoral, immoral and probably the Spawn of Satan on earth, but they usually manage to keep things on the legal side.
NOPE, no one mentioned that pesky half sibling situation to the H or the h for the entire time they were lurving it up as kids, so really the h was an idiot when she just ran off without testing that half sibling scenario. But not to worry, the H had a two hour mopey moment and got himself married off to the next hot and rich similar social status babe on his list soon after, so obviously he wasn't missing much.
Now ten years on, granny dearest is dead and the h is making her triumphant (or in her relative's eyes, rather dubious,) return to lay the old baggage to rest. The mum, who really did get around herself with the H's father, sends the H to pick her up from the airport. Mainly cause AM needed some bickering to fill in the next 10 chapters.
So the H and h have a lovely ride from the airport complete with the H almost driving off without her when another man speaks to her and some back and forth blame games for the h's departure ten years earlier. Naturally, this being AM's HPlandia and there are RULES, the h doesn't mention the whole sibling thingy and the two of them merely state they are both with Other People now.
(The h has a nice young American who is very health conscious in his diet, in total opposition to the h's family huge cholesterol fry ups, that she dates and is great friends with. Eventually he comes over to see her at just the right moment and allows the h an out from the H. Interestingly, there is quit a bit about healthy diets in this one. Not Charlotte Lamb's food porn, but the h's mother had a heart attack and became wheelchair dependent, right after the h left ten years earlier and the h did not know about it. I think this was AM's little contribution to social awareness about healthy eating - the h is horrified at the fry up idear and the h's mother freaks out over the h's OM eating yogurt for breakfast. AM must have had lunch with Helen Bianchin. )
So after tense family reunions where the h's parents seemed to have lost phone service and writing skills for ten years, H roofie kisses and passion, awkward menage dinner parties with the H, his wife and the h, the H's wife encouraging the h to have an affair with the H so that the wife can get a divorce and force him to sell the family estate to support her pricey horse habit and a guest appearance by the h's OM, we get to the thing we really want to know.
Grandma lied her evil hiney off to the h.
Yes, the h's mum and the H's married dad did have an affair when she was 19, but it was years before the h was born and the h's mum did get preggers, but she miscarried and the H's mother was preggers at the same time and had the H. Grandma had her own affair or fling with the H's grandfather and it is implied that granny got pumped and dumped, so her stealing the h's mum's letters out of the trash to make some mischief was done out of revenge. The h and H are NOT siblings, so if he weren't married, they could be tripping the light purpletastic. But the H IS married and the h is not exactly that kinda girl except for a slip up or two.
Well, whatever, granny is in planted in the family plot, the h has some morals and the OM has arrived to fly her back first class to the US of A, the h's family still hate her for going off and being a success in life and think she is hiding a seekrit baby as she probably makes her living as a high class call girl and the h finally gets back home to run her nanny finding/child minder service.
Only to have the H show up after three weeks of mopey moments while the h is giving her OM his congé and the h is kissing him goodbye. The H sees them kissing, the h notices the H and promptly faints from the shock. When she finally comes out of it, the OM has bid his adieu's, the H's horse mad wife set fire to the stables for the insurance money, but it all went pear shaped and she got charged with arson and left town and the H is getting a divorce.
The h FINALLY explains all the drama from ten years earlier and we finally get to the purple passion mojo explosion of love and a marriage plan for the big HEA.
This is classic whacktastic AM. If you haven't read her before, then don't start with this and if you have, well you probably already know what you are getting into on this HP outing.
The story is pretty AM basic. H and h were dating when she was 16 and 17 and he was in his twenties. The h's evil granny, an AM staple character in her work, showed the h letters from the H's father to her mother and one from her mother that seemed to indicate that the H and h were half brother and sister. So the h dumped the H and ran off to the US of A to make her fortune - or become a gold digging man eating tart, as the h's family seems to believe.
Now, the H and h were engaged and no one, not even the h's mum, was objecting to that on the grounds of consanguinity - and even in AM's HPlandia, you would think they would might drop a word or two about that. (The only objection came from the h's dad at the start of the affair, who worried that the Lord of the Manor H was going a droit du seigneur routine on his village maiden daughter and then got mad when the h did not follow through, in a perverse little turn around.) Traditionally AM's extended relative characters are amoral, immoral and probably the Spawn of Satan on earth, but they usually manage to keep things on the legal side.
NOPE, no one mentioned that pesky half sibling situation to the H or the h for the entire time they were lurving it up as kids, so really the h was an idiot when she just ran off without testing that half sibling scenario. But not to worry, the H had a two hour mopey moment and got himself married off to the next hot and rich similar social status babe on his list soon after, so obviously he wasn't missing much.
Now ten years on, granny dearest is dead and the h is making her triumphant (or in her relative's eyes, rather dubious,) return to lay the old baggage to rest. The mum, who really did get around herself with the H's father, sends the H to pick her up from the airport. Mainly cause AM needed some bickering to fill in the next 10 chapters.
So the H and h have a lovely ride from the airport complete with the H almost driving off without her when another man speaks to her and some back and forth blame games for the h's departure ten years earlier. Naturally, this being AM's HPlandia and there are RULES, the h doesn't mention the whole sibling thingy and the two of them merely state they are both with Other People now.
(The h has a nice young American who is very health conscious in his diet, in total opposition to the h's family huge cholesterol fry ups, that she dates and is great friends with. Eventually he comes over to see her at just the right moment and allows the h an out from the H. Interestingly, there is quit a bit about healthy diets in this one. Not Charlotte Lamb's food porn, but the h's mother had a heart attack and became wheelchair dependent, right after the h left ten years earlier and the h did not know about it. I think this was AM's little contribution to social awareness about healthy eating - the h is horrified at the fry up idear and the h's mother freaks out over the h's OM eating yogurt for breakfast. AM must have had lunch with Helen Bianchin. )
So after tense family reunions where the h's parents seemed to have lost phone service and writing skills for ten years, H roofie kisses and passion, awkward menage dinner parties with the H, his wife and the h, the H's wife encouraging the h to have an affair with the H so that the wife can get a divorce and force him to sell the family estate to support her pricey horse habit and a guest appearance by the h's OM, we get to the thing we really want to know.
Grandma lied her evil hiney off to the h.
Yes, the h's mum and the H's married dad did have an affair when she was 19, but it was years before the h was born and the h's mum did get preggers, but she miscarried and the H's mother was preggers at the same time and had the H. Grandma had her own affair or fling with the H's grandfather and it is implied that granny got pumped and dumped, so her stealing the h's mum's letters out of the trash to make some mischief was done out of revenge. The h and H are NOT siblings, so if he weren't married, they could be tripping the light purpletastic. But the H IS married and the h is not exactly that kinda girl except for a slip up or two.
Well, whatever, granny is in planted in the family plot, the h has some morals and the OM has arrived to fly her back first class to the US of A, the h's family still hate her for going off and being a success in life and think she is hiding a seekrit baby as she probably makes her living as a high class call girl and the h finally gets back home to run her nanny finding/child minder service.
Only to have the H show up after three weeks of mopey moments while the h is giving her OM his congé and the h is kissing him goodbye. The H sees them kissing, the h notices the H and promptly faints from the shock. When she finally comes out of it, the OM has bid his adieu's, the H's horse mad wife set fire to the stables for the insurance money, but it all went pear shaped and she got charged with arson and left town and the H is getting a divorce.
The h FINALLY explains all the drama from ten years earlier and we finally get to the purple passion mojo explosion of love and a marriage plan for the big HEA.
This is classic whacktastic AM. If you haven't read her before, then don't start with this and if you have, well you probably already know what you are getting into on this HP outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 2, 2020
"Betrayed" is the story of Olivia and Matt.
A sweet story of unrequited love, the book has our heroine returning to her hometown after ten years, and getting the shock of her life- the hero meets her at the airport! They had been lovers, until the heroine discovers a heartbreaking truth making her brutally reject him and run away. Now she is back for her grandmother's funeral, the hero is married, but soon they realize their feelings haven't abated, even a little..
Predictable plot, an OTT dramatic heroine, a smitten hero, crappy relatives, loads of misunderstandings, relentless yearning, drama, reunion and a nice ending.
Enjoyable in parts.
Safeish/SWE
3/5
A sweet story of unrequited love, the book has our heroine returning to her hometown after ten years, and getting the shock of her life- the hero meets her at the airport! They had been lovers, until the heroine discovers a heartbreaking truth making her brutally reject him and run away. Now she is back for her grandmother's funeral, the hero is married, but soon they realize their feelings haven't abated, even a little..
Predictable plot, an OTT dramatic heroine, a smitten hero, crappy relatives, loads of misunderstandings, relentless yearning, drama, reunion and a nice ending.
Enjoyable in parts.
Safeish/SWE
3/5
June 27, 2020
If i was the author of this book,i had rather name it "Jilted" or in my cyncal sense "Stupidity".Sigh,i always like to see how far harlequin authors go to make their romances as dramatic as possible.
I have got to admit that i find forbidden romances by Anne Mather guilty pleasures.This one was hot,in the sense that every scene between the main-characters screamed sex... The author do have a unique talent in creating sexual tensions ALL THE TIME!Its been 10 years since Olivia Stoner refused to marry her lover, Matthew Ryan.The reason being that her grand-mother made her believe that he is her half-brother.But he is married now and she has got a fiance,but both realize that the fire between them are still smouldering as it always have been.When the misunderstandings got explained,i literally wanted to slap Olivia for her brainless stupidity.But i guess we wouldn`t have got this story if it weren`t for that misunderstanding (sigh again).
The things i liked about this book:
*I loved the flashback parts where Matt and Olivia fell in love with each other in their youth.The scene where the 14-year old Olivia saves the 18-yeard old Matt`s puppy from the river that cold evening is a very memorable scene.Then two years later her bike crashes against his car,and he asks her out right after that.The timing was so perfect for their romance to bloom at that time.They were desperately in love with each other,and i love how the whole town of Lower Mychett knew about it.
*Matthew Ryan as a hero,the dark rugged sexy hero that is the land-owner of Rycroft.I honestly don`t blame him for marrying Helen for rebound on a marriage-of-convenience.Especially when he didn`t care about himself after Olivia left him.It may have been a weak move,but a very desperate choice to try to get over Olivia.I loved one aspect in his character,and that was that he didn`t bullshit around Olivia.I also loved how he couldn`t stay away from her or keep his eyes and hands from her.He confesses to still loving her early,which i found so romantic.
I have got to admit that i find forbidden romances by Anne Mather guilty pleasures.This one was hot,in the sense that every scene between the main-characters screamed sex... The author do have a unique talent in creating sexual tensions ALL THE TIME!Its been 10 years since Olivia Stoner refused to marry her lover, Matthew Ryan.The reason being that her grand-mother made her believe that he is her half-brother.But he is married now and she has got a fiance,but both realize that the fire between them are still smouldering as it always have been.When the misunderstandings got explained,i literally wanted to slap Olivia for her brainless stupidity.But i guess we wouldn`t have got this story if it weren`t for that misunderstanding (sigh again).
The things i liked about this book:
*I loved the flashback parts where Matt and Olivia fell in love with each other in their youth.The scene where the 14-year old Olivia saves the 18-yeard old Matt`s puppy from the river that cold evening is a very memorable scene.Then two years later her bike crashes against his car,and he asks her out right after that.The timing was so perfect for their romance to bloom at that time.They were desperately in love with each other,and i love how the whole town of Lower Mychett knew about it.
*Matthew Ryan as a hero,the dark rugged sexy hero that is the land-owner of Rycroft.I honestly don`t blame him for marrying Helen for rebound on a marriage-of-convenience.Especially when he didn`t care about himself after Olivia left him.It may have been a weak move,but a very desperate choice to try to get over Olivia.I loved one aspect in his character,and that was that he didn`t bullshit around Olivia.I also loved how he couldn`t stay away from her or keep his eyes and hands from her.He confesses to still loving her early,which i found so romantic.
May 18, 2016
2008 review: "Betrayed" - you can say that again!
MY THOUGHTS: I am not in luck. This is the fourth Mather book I've read today and I've been betrayed =( Looks like Anne Mather (based on the 4 books I read of hers, Seasons of Mist, Smokescreen, and An Elusive Desive) likes her hero/heroine to suffer aka, they met when they were young, and some misunderstand tears them apart from 5 - 12 years!! and then they meet again and make up, yay. Sigh... anyway, for this particular book, Olivia and Matt meet again after ten years. TEN YEARS!!! What the hey!!! Ok, I understand that Olivia thought they were siblings. But still... I would have told him immediately so he know why I just left him hanging like that. I hate books that has SO many years before they have a happy ending - impossible! First of, Olivia and Matt are SO stupid! And how can Matt be married to this Helen lady for 10 years and just like that boom. Anyway, I'm very disappointed. And I loved her other books too! I didnt like this book because 10 years of separation and no chance of them making up their mistakes, eh, whatever. Its 1am and time to go to sleep. I have 1 more Mather book, but if 4 strikes, im out, i think i'll read the other book tomorrow night and get my good nights sleep so i can go to work. I will most likely review the last mather book i borrowed from the library "Tidewater Seduction" I just hope it will FINALLY be a positive review...
MY THOUGHTS: I am not in luck. This is the fourth Mather book I've read today and I've been betrayed =( Looks like Anne Mather (based on the 4 books I read of hers, Seasons of Mist, Smokescreen, and An Elusive Desive) likes her hero/heroine to suffer aka, they met when they were young, and some misunderstand tears them apart from 5 - 12 years!! and then they meet again and make up, yay. Sigh... anyway, for this particular book, Olivia and Matt meet again after ten years. TEN YEARS!!! What the hey!!! Ok, I understand that Olivia thought they were siblings. But still... I would have told him immediately so he know why I just left him hanging like that. I hate books that has SO many years before they have a happy ending - impossible! First of, Olivia and Matt are SO stupid! And how can Matt be married to this Helen lady for 10 years and just like that boom. Anyway, I'm very disappointed. And I loved her other books too! I didnt like this book because 10 years of separation and no chance of them making up their mistakes, eh, whatever. Its 1am and time to go to sleep. I have 1 more Mather book, but if 4 strikes, im out, i think i'll read the other book tomorrow night and get my good nights sleep so i can go to work. I will most likely review the last mather book i borrowed from the library "Tidewater Seduction" I just hope it will FINALLY be a positive review...
January 26, 2021
Από τις πιο δυνατές ιστορίες αγάπης !!Σε όλο το βιβλίο υπάρχει έντονο το συναίσθημα του έρωτα και της αγάπης και απο τους 2 ήρωες, παρά τη μεγάλη πίκρα τους.Ο Ματ υπέροχος τα έδωσε όλα με το που ξαναβρέθηκε μαζί της ,προσπάθησε με κάθε τρόπο να την κερδίσει αν και ήταν παντρεμένος αλλά αυτο που για μένα το κανει τόσο διαφορετικό απο τα τόσα άλλα που κυκλοφορούν είναι η Ολίβια η ηρωίδα του! Μέσα στα δέκα χρόνια που μεσολάβησαν μέχρι να ξαναβρεθεϊ με τον Ματ είχε φτιάξει τη ζωή της και ειχε προχωρήσει σε άλλη σχέση.Αν πέσει στα χέρια σας διαβάστε το.Ελληνικός τίτλος Μη παίζεις με τη φωτιά.
September 1, 2016
Young lovers torned apart by a devious lie meet again 10 years later only to find that their love never died.
Olivia is the only one that knew the secret that drove them apart years ago. She believes that she has put their love in the past. So seeing Matt again brings all those wonderful memories alive. She tries to resist the love she still feels as it is wrong to love him. But even his marriage or the secret can't keep their feelings at bay and soon she is an emotional mess.
Poor Matt can't resist being near her or wanting her either even though he is married to another. Soon their love is too powerful to deny and they both confess their love for each other. Even learning that the secret was a lie frees part of Olivia to love him, he is still married. He can't afford to free himself from his unhappy marriage. Realizing that their love is hopeless Olivia leaves again. Will they be reunited again?
A wonderfully written book about true loved ripped apart by an evil lie and denied by greed. A very passionate and emotional read so full of heartache. One thing missing was the 'why' the lie was told in the first place. Considering who told this lie I really wanted a more definative reason 'why'. But otherwise this was a totally great read!
Olivia is the only one that knew the secret that drove them apart years ago. She believes that she has put their love in the past. So seeing Matt again brings all those wonderful memories alive. She tries to resist the love she still feels as it is wrong to love him. But even his marriage or the secret can't keep their feelings at bay and soon she is an emotional mess.
Poor Matt can't resist being near her or wanting her either even though he is married to another. Soon their love is too powerful to deny and they both confess their love for each other. Even learning that the secret was a lie frees part of Olivia to love him, he is still married. He can't afford to free himself from his unhappy marriage. Realizing that their love is hopeless Olivia leaves again. Will they be reunited again?
A wonderfully written book about true loved ripped apart by an evil lie and denied by greed. A very passionate and emotional read so full of heartache. One thing missing was the 'why' the lie was told in the first place. Considering who told this lie I really wanted a more definative reason 'why'. But otherwise this was a totally great read!
April 6, 2021
In my opinion this is one of Anne Mather’s best romances. Or maybe even her best.
The love of the H for the h is so obvious for everyone to see. Except for the h of course. The H can’t stay away from her. He can’t keep his hands and eyes off her. He admits he is jealous when he sees her with another man. What a dream man. So, so romantic.
But the h is incredibly stupid. She ruins 10 years of her and his life because of a misunderstanding. And she doesn’t tell him anything about it. She just breaks off their relationship without telling him the honest reason why and she just runs away.
Being apart for 10 (!!) years because of something so stupid is way too long, I therefore take one star off. 10 years wasted makes the h seem even more ridiculous and silly. She doesn’t deserve him.
Life is too short for so much stupidity. In my opinion HP writers should make separations between the h and H last for only a maximum of 3 years or so.
I found that whole 10 years thing quite disturbing and it took away a little bit of the joy of reading about their romance with their 10 years separation in the back of my mind. I felt so sorry for him.
The love of the H for the h is so obvious for everyone to see. Except for the h of course. The H can’t stay away from her. He can’t keep his hands and eyes off her. He admits he is jealous when he sees her with another man. What a dream man. So, so romantic.
But the h is incredibly stupid. She ruins 10 years of her and his life because of a misunderstanding. And she doesn’t tell him anything about it. She just breaks off their relationship without telling him the honest reason why and she just runs away.
Being apart for 10 (!!) years because of something so stupid is way too long, I therefore take one star off. 10 years wasted makes the h seem even more ridiculous and silly. She doesn’t deserve him.
Life is too short for so much stupidity. In my opinion HP writers should make separations between the h and H last for only a maximum of 3 years or so.
I found that whole 10 years thing quite disturbing and it took away a little bit of the joy of reading about their romance with their 10 years separation in the back of my mind. I felt so sorry for him.
March 18, 2023
Voltando a ler minha autora da juventude. Traída em Português, temos um livro com cenas ardentes, algo que achei um pouco raro na autora, pois os que li não eram tão explícitos e coostumava dizer para mim mesma, que ela era um autor cujo cenas amorosas eram única nos seus livros. Me redimo ao ler esse.
Olivia e Ryan eram adolescentes quando se apaixonaram. Um amor tão ardente que eram dificil ficarem longe um do outro.
Porém uma dia, a avó paterna diz que eles eram meio-irmãos. Os pais dela era arrendatários dos pais de Ryan, que tinham certo prestigio e terras. Isso ocorreu no dia dela completar 18 anos. Então, desesperada, ela foge para os EUA... Des anos se passam, sua avó morre e ela decide vir ao enterro.
O Reencontro com ele é denso.
No entanto, Ryan está casado - motivo que vamos saber mais tarde - aqui cito que "o pior não são nossas escolhas, mas as escolhas do outros que nos atingem.
E Ryan guardou muita mágoa dela, porque não sabia o motivo e ela sempre se evade de contar para não causar problemas maiores à família dos dois. E com isso, eles sofrem e meio a isso um amor forte sobrevive com sentimentos de culpa, raiva e paixão.
O contraponto da história é ela pensar que sua mãe permitiria eles se envolverem sabendo que eram meio-irmãos...
No entanto, para Olívia isso era crível porque ela sabia - pelas cartas que a avó mostrou - que a mãe e o pai dele foram apaixonados quando a mãe era bem nova...
Mesmo assim eu gostei.
Olivia e Ryan eram adolescentes quando se apaixonaram. Um amor tão ardente que eram dificil ficarem longe um do outro.
Porém uma dia, a avó paterna diz que eles eram meio-irmãos. Os pais dela era arrendatários dos pais de Ryan, que tinham certo prestigio e terras. Isso ocorreu no dia dela completar 18 anos. Então, desesperada, ela foge para os EUA... Des anos se passam, sua avó morre e ela decide vir ao enterro.
O Reencontro com ele é denso.
No entanto, Ryan está casado - motivo que vamos saber mais tarde - aqui cito que "o pior não são nossas escolhas, mas as escolhas do outros que nos atingem.
E Ryan guardou muita mágoa dela, porque não sabia o motivo e ela sempre se evade de contar para não causar problemas maiores à família dos dois. E com isso, eles sofrem e meio a isso um amor forte sobrevive com sentimentos de culpa, raiva e paixão.
O contraponto da história é ela pensar que sua mãe permitiria eles se envolverem sabendo que eram meio-irmãos...
No entanto, para Olívia isso era crível porque ela sabia - pelas cartas que a avó mostrou - que a mãe e o pai dele foram apaixonados quando a mãe era bem nova...
Mesmo assim eu gostei.
November 29, 2022
I recommend to read this book with 0 expectation, then you might be pleasantly surprised. That said, if you don't like the beginning, don't stick with it, it doesn't get better.
This story is a bit of a gothic roman: a secret from the past coming back to haunt the heroes, an old house, anachronistic serf-master relationships, impoverished nobility, birth secret, a cooky mysterious first wife, untrustworthy servant, fainting after seeing a specter, resolution through fire...
This is why I honestly wanted to give it 4 stars, I've always liked kitsch and irreverence towards the classics. There's one thing though that disappointed me into knocking off 2 whole stars. When AM makes a point of telling me a woman had to wait a looong time to get preggers, and then she had to go far away to deliver the baby, I'm expecting some shocking and scandalous revelations to be... Well, delivered by the end of the book, about maybe the parentage of that child. But nope, nothing, zilch. Not a single word on that till the very end. Now, you'll tell me, maybe it was a wink, and I was supposed to figure it out by myself. Yeah but to me it seems more like AM wrote the last 25 pages of the book with her agent/editor breathing down her neck, and in the rush she forgot about that plot line. Too bad.
This story is a bit of a gothic roman: a secret from the past coming back to haunt the heroes, an old house, anachronistic serf-master relationships, impoverished nobility, birth secret, a cooky mysterious first wife, untrustworthy servant, fainting after seeing a specter, resolution through fire...
This is why I honestly wanted to give it 4 stars, I've always liked kitsch and irreverence towards the classics. There's one thing though that disappointed me into knocking off 2 whole stars. When AM makes a point of telling me a woman had to wait a looong time to get preggers, and then she had to go far away to deliver the baby, I'm expecting some shocking and scandalous revelations to be... Well, delivered by the end of the book, about maybe the parentage of that child. But nope, nothing, zilch. Not a single word on that till the very end. Now, you'll tell me, maybe it was a wink, and I was supposed to figure it out by myself. Yeah but to me it seems more like AM wrote the last 25 pages of the book with her agent/editor breathing down her neck, and in the rush she forgot about that plot line. Too bad.
March 13, 2022
Enjoyed reading this book
March 17, 2025
This was rather a weird one! The H and h fall in love at a young age (H early 20's h 18) and are about to announce their engagement, when the h suddenly does an about face, changes her mind, and accepts a job in the US with a wealthy family who needs a nanny, leaving the UK, her family, friends, everything, especially the H!
Why???? That's the big question, that isn't answered right away, but you get the impression there was a lot more to it than the h said. Why else would she not only walk away from the H and leave him hurt, angry and bitter (and marrying on the rebound), but her family as well, leaving confused siblings, an unhappy mom and a hurt/angry dad?
The story was weakened by a too long separation (10 years), the H being married when the h returns, the h having a boyfriend who gives a pretty good imitation of Felix Unger, and who the author makes clear is all wrong for the h, while making it unclear whether or not the h slept with him, that's anyone's guess. What is clear, is how ridiculous a couple they are, but that's also true of the H and his wife. If you had to surmise which couple had the least fun in bed, it'd probably be a toss-up.
What is clear is that the h lost her V card to the H before she left, making her actions more puzzling. Was he that much of a dud in the sack??? Hardly! The "truth" was much more serious; or rather what she thought was the truth, thanks to her vindictive, vicious bitch of a grandmother, who didn't get all her facts checked out before she opened her BIG mouth!
Here's a hint: it involves the H's father and the h's mother! (Can you say, "Incest"?)
Some good points, but not enough, so if you skip this one it's no big deal.
Why???? That's the big question, that isn't answered right away, but you get the impression there was a lot more to it than the h said. Why else would she not only walk away from the H and leave him hurt, angry and bitter (and marrying on the rebound), but her family as well, leaving confused siblings, an unhappy mom and a hurt/angry dad?
The story was weakened by a too long separation (10 years), the H being married when the h returns, the h having a boyfriend who gives a pretty good imitation of Felix Unger, and who the author makes clear is all wrong for the h, while making it unclear whether or not the h slept with him, that's anyone's guess. What is clear, is how ridiculous a couple they are, but that's also true of the H and his wife. If you had to surmise which couple had the least fun in bed, it'd probably be a toss-up.
What is clear is that the h lost her V card to the H before she left, making her actions more puzzling. Was he that much of a dud in the sack??? Hardly! The "truth" was much more serious; or rather what she thought was the truth, thanks to her vindictive, vicious bitch of a grandmother, who didn't get all her facts checked out before she opened her BIG mouth!
Here's a hint: it involves the H's father and the h's mother! (Can you say, "Incest"?)
Some good points, but not enough, so if you skip this one it's no big deal.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2025
I re-read this book as I tend to do with old paperbacks whenever I go visit my parents. This, along with another four or five harlequins, was left behind by vacationers in the cabin my parents used to rent out, and I read them as a young girl without really getting much about what was going on. Now, twenty or more years later, I read a lot of romance, and this old book doesn't really fare too well in comparison, but I still read it whenever I visit, so I guess that's a good grade.
The storyline has a hint of the forbidden to it, which is part of the allure. There are a whole slew of characters that we don't really get to know, they're mostly cardboard cutouts that act as obstacles for the love story. All in all, it's a cute story but I wouldn't buy it on my Kindle today if it was available.
The storyline has a hint of the forbidden to it, which is part of the allure. There are a whole slew of characters that we don't really get to know, they're mostly cardboard cutouts that act as obstacles for the love story. All in all, it's a cute story but I wouldn't buy it on my Kindle today if it was available.
August 15, 2012
Can't remember much of the book but my ratings have always been based on fairness and likability for me, so the book have been on of those 'on the fence' type novels for me. As I usually rate them three stars. Certainly because they are enjoyable but something always holds me back from four staring it!
Read
July 4, 2018Olivia didn't expect returning home to be easy.
And it wasn't. Especially when it was Matthew Ryan who met her at the airport when she returned to England fro her grandmother's funeral.
Matt and Olivia had once been passionate lovers and he had been desperate to marry her. Instead, she had chosen to leave him, although it had nearly broken her heart.
But that had been ten years ago, part of their past. Until Olivia discovered their past was far from being dead and forgotten - a potent attraction flared between them as if they'd never been parted!
And it wasn't. Especially when it was Matthew Ryan who met her at the airport when she returned to England fro her grandmother's funeral.
Matt and Olivia had once been passionate lovers and he had been desperate to marry her. Instead, she had chosen to leave him, although it had nearly broken her heart.
But that had been ten years ago, part of their past. Until Olivia discovered their past was far from being dead and forgotten - a potent attraction flared between them as if they'd never been parted!
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