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Phantom Lover
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.
- GenresRomance
189 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1919
1 person is currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Ruby M. Ayres
181 books2 followersRuby Mildred Ayres was born on 28 January 1881 in Watford, Hertfordshire, the third daughter of the marriege formed by Alice (née Whitford) and Charles Pryor Ayres, a London-based architect. In 1909 she married Reginald William Pocock, a insurance broker, and they lived in Harrow until his death in a train accident. As widow without childrens, she moved to her sister's home at Weybridge, Surrey.
She started to write as a girl, and her first story was published in a magazine shortly after her marriage, and in 1912 she published her first novel, Castles in Spain. In September 1915, with her first popular success, Richard Chatterton, V.C. (which sold over 50,000 copies in the first three years), she moved publishing houses to Hodder and Stoughton, where she remained until her death in 1955. She wrote over 150 novels and serialised works. Several of her works became films and she did screenwriting for Society for Sale among others. She corresponded with Douglas Sladen, and also was was possibly an inspiration for the P. G. Wodehouse character Rosie M. Banks. She died on 14 November 1955 in a nursing home in Weybridge, aged 74, of a combination of pneumonia and a cerebral thrombosis. She was cremated four days later at Golders Green in north London.
She started to write as a girl, and her first story was published in a magazine shortly after her marriage, and in 1912 she published her first novel, Castles in Spain. In September 1915, with her first popular success, Richard Chatterton, V.C. (which sold over 50,000 copies in the first three years), she moved publishing houses to Hodder and Stoughton, where she remained until her death in 1955. She wrote over 150 novels and serialised works. Several of her works became films and she did screenwriting for Society for Sale among others. She corresponded with Douglas Sladen, and also was was possibly an inspiration for the P. G. Wodehouse character Rosie M. Banks. She died on 14 November 1955 in a nursing home in Weybridge, aged 74, of a combination of pneumonia and a cerebral thrombosis. She was cremated four days later at Golders Green in north London.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 30, 2017
Oh good HEAVENS.
I always meant to try some Ruby M Ayres, because she is always cited as an inspiration for PG Wodehouse's Rosie M Banks, and the inspired drivel produced by Rosie M always seemed incredibly entertaining. I'm happy to tell you that this book was every bit as daft as I could have hoped, although it might have been improved by a shipwreck and a jewel robbery. It didn't have those, but it DID have the most wonderfully idiotic hero you've ever met.
His name is Micky. He falls for the heroine, a shrinking violet named Esther, at first sight as she is heading off to make a hole in the river after being jilted by his caddish friend Raymond. Having restored Esther to a state of non-suicidal life, Micky returns home to find Rotten Raymond heading off to Paris and asking him to deliver one last letter to Esther.
Despite being a preux chevalier, Micky can't resist opening and reading the letter, which turns out to be a nasty heartless missive. Concerned about Esther's mental health, Micky substitutes a letter of his own - a romantic love letter signed YOURS EVER, ROTTEN RAYMOND.
He then proceeds to thoroughly Cyrano himself.
Does it occur to Micky that sooner or later Esther has got to find out that Rascally Raymond isn't sending her letters and pound notes and fur coats? No, dear readers, it does not! When Worthless Waymond marries a wealthy widow and it becomes the talk of the town, Micky ships Esther off to the country so she won't find out.
She does.
She runs off to Paris to confront Ruthless Raymond, and Micky trails along with her so that he can tell her he actually wrote the letters, at which she is justly miffed.
So of course when they all wind up back in London as thoroughly sundered hearts, Ratfaced Raymond tells everyone that Micky was seen in Paris with Miss So-and-So, hem-hem.
To which Micky, who I TOLD you is an idiot, flies into a chivalrous rage and informs everyone within earshot that he and Esther have been married for weeks.
At which point I may have laughed myself sick.
Will Esther get Micky's last love letter in time to patch things up, or will he succeed in proposing to Miss Disposable Third Party and dooming himself to permanent unhappiness? Silly question!
I always meant to try some Ruby M Ayres, because she is always cited as an inspiration for PG Wodehouse's Rosie M Banks, and the inspired drivel produced by Rosie M always seemed incredibly entertaining. I'm happy to tell you that this book was every bit as daft as I could have hoped, although it might have been improved by a shipwreck and a jewel robbery. It didn't have those, but it DID have the most wonderfully idiotic hero you've ever met.
His name is Micky. He falls for the heroine, a shrinking violet named Esther, at first sight as she is heading off to make a hole in the river after being jilted by his caddish friend Raymond. Having restored Esther to a state of non-suicidal life, Micky returns home to find Rotten Raymond heading off to Paris and asking him to deliver one last letter to Esther.
Despite being a preux chevalier, Micky can't resist opening and reading the letter, which turns out to be a nasty heartless missive. Concerned about Esther's mental health, Micky substitutes a letter of his own - a romantic love letter signed YOURS EVER, ROTTEN RAYMOND.
He then proceeds to thoroughly Cyrano himself.
Does it occur to Micky that sooner or later Esther has got to find out that Rascally Raymond isn't sending her letters and pound notes and fur coats? No, dear readers, it does not! When Worthless Waymond marries a wealthy widow and it becomes the talk of the town, Micky ships Esther off to the country so she won't find out.
She does.
She runs off to Paris to confront Ruthless Raymond, and Micky trails along with her so that he can tell her he actually wrote the letters, at which she is justly miffed.
So of course when they all wind up back in London as thoroughly sundered hearts, Ratfaced Raymond tells everyone that Micky was seen in Paris with Miss So-and-So, hem-hem.
To which Micky, who I TOLD you is an idiot, flies into a chivalrous rage and informs everyone within earshot that he and Esther have been married for weeks.
At which point I may have laughed myself sick.
Will Esther get Micky's last love letter in time to patch things up, or will he succeed in proposing to Miss Disposable Third Party and dooming himself to permanent unhappiness? Silly question!
May 27, 2022
So sweet
This innocent romance from the 1920s was a sweet, easy read. The characters are likable and the ending satisfying. An enjoyable read from a simpler time.
This innocent romance from the 1920s was a sweet, easy read. The characters are likable and the ending satisfying. An enjoyable read from a simpler time.
March 18, 2014
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Even the parts of the heroine that annoyed me annoyed the other characters too, which made up for them a bit. I adored the character of June as well. This was a very quick read and pretty compulsively readable.
August 4, 2015
Very well developed story, I loved the agony it put me through. I expected it to end sooner and am so glad it didn't. It helped me feel the agony of the main character.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews