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Yesterday's Shadow

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Could love take away her bitter memories?

Natalie's fairy-tale marriage to millionaire Ryan Marshall ended after only three months, when her growing suspicions of his infidelity drove her to take refuge at her father's home. There she had Ryan's child.

Natalie had vowed never to have anything more to do with Ryan for the rest of her life. Now she had no choice but to contact Ryan for help in financing an operation to save her father.

Ryan agreed to advance sufficient funds. But he demanded Natalie and his child as collateral!

189 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 1984

4 people are currently reading
109 people want to read

About the author

Helen Bianchin

380 books227 followers
Helen Shirley was born on February 20 1939 in New Zealand, where she grew up, an only child possessed by a vivid imagination and a love for reading. She wrote stories for amusement in her early teenage years, and when she left leaving school, she took a secretarial job at a father-and-son legal firm.

At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.

It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.

With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!

Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.

She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."

Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.

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5 stars
18 (15%)
4 stars
24 (20%)
3 stars
50 (42%)
2 stars
15 (12%)
1 star
10 (8%)
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
Profile Image for Naksed.
2,220 reviews
September 25, 2019
What we have here is the story of a basic bitch.



After a two week holiday fling where they don't even exchange I love yous, the heroine and hero get married. Over the next three months, the sweet new bride avidly listens to "innuendos" from catty other women about her husband's alleged extra-marital activities. Instead of confronting her husband about these issues and maybe...I don't know...COMMUNICATING with him, she packs up and leaves without informing him of her whereabouts, not even caring that he could presumably be frantic with worry about how and why she has disappeared from their marriage in such an abrupt manner.

When she finds out she is pregnant, she doesn't inform him of that either. Now, I can get with a HPlandia heroine who decides to hide her pregnancy out of fear that her husband is going to literally harm her or their child, but this chick robbed the dude of two years of his child's life based on rumors from scorned women that he may have been cheating on her. R U FKM???

The heroine relishes the role of being the martyr single mom and throws it in the hero's face every five minutes, after the inevitable reunion occurs. She also resents him carving himself a place in their child's life out of sheer pettiness, not even considering the best interests of a little girl who has met her father for the first time. When the child gets cranky after a long trip, she is actually happy, because it might make her husband uncomfortable to have a wailing child in the car. This basic bitch actually is giddy at the sight of her hungry, crying child because she imagines scoring points against her husband!!!

Michelle began to cry, the first pitiful whimper rapidly becoming an indignant wail that refused to be soothed. At Ryan's faintly raised eyebrow, Natalie had to forcibly restrain a self-satisfied smile. It would do him good to realise his daughter wasn't all sweetness and light.

Later, as the father and daughter bond together, she again feels resentful of the attention he bestows on their daughter, even though she professes time and time again to hate him. Let's go over this again. This basic bitch is jealous of their two year old daughter. I think I rest my case.

To be fair, the so-called hero left a lot to be desired too. He is a good, doting father but a horrible husband in the grand tradition of rude, rapey, HPlandia heroes. But the funniest thing was that after the OW confessed she had tried to take out the heroine by running her over with her car, his retaliation was to order her out of town under the threat that he would make sure she would "never receive an invitation from any of the Coast's social echelon." Wow. With harsh vigilante justice dispensed like that, we can be sure the OW is sufficiently chastised and will go away meekly, never the be heard from again. Hell, he should just run for office on the platform of dismantling the whole criminal justice system and replacing it with threats of awkward social shunning and thus get rid of the country's entire criminal problems. Dumbass.



Recommended only for masochists.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for StMargarets.
3,205 reviews630 followers
March 19, 2020
This vintage HB reminds me why I used to like her stories – there’s plenty of emotion amid the grooming rituals. Rich hero marries a 19 year-old after a whirlwind holiday romance. They live together for 3 months in paradise until the snake-in-the-grass OW whispers sweet nothings of cheating in the heroine’s ear. She flees to her home, pregnant and resentful.

Three years later, the heroine’s father needs an expensive operation and heroine has to beg for money. Hero turns her down.

*happy sigh*

Meanwhile heroine’s stepmother contacts the hero and lets him know he has a daughter (who sleeps on command, goes off with strangers happily when mom and dad need to fight/have sex/dine out). Hero threatens to take the child if heroine doesn’t return to his well-appointed home (a microwave and video player in 1984!) and share his bed.

Snarling, self-centered, sex-deprived heroine agrees.

The rest of the story is the hero wearing down the resentful heroine with rough sex, shopping trips, sweet daddy moments, and lots of gentle toweling off after cleansing tears in shower.

I submit that this is the fantasy because anyone in a marriage knows that resentment, grudges and sulking always “win” (and destroy whatever relationship you had). But this HP-land. Hero is besotted enough to put up with (and enjoy) the heroine’s immature behavior. And heroine is ridiculous enough to not notice the absence of a grovel or even a explanation of the OW besides “bitch be crazy.”

Still, these two are perfect match and they have another child on the way to keep in a drawer until it is needed for the plot. What a life.
Profile Image for Fre06 Begum.
1,260 reviews205 followers
April 21, 2016
I read a few books by HB and this one wasn't her worst even though the heroine was an immature shrew! Her newer books I could never get into, the few I read with all the naming of fashion and the WHOLE description of the heroine's bedtime ritual was so annoying. With all her sophisticated surroundings and her sophisticated characters with their opulent lifestyle just made me feel.....poor! Her writing is def not for me too stilted and formal but maybe I will try her older books before she went all hygiene conscious in relation to her female leads!
Profile Image for Debby.
1,385 reviews25 followers
May 23, 2021
He is a cruel, obsessed alpha male. She is bitchy and childish. So they bicker a whole lot.

This is undoubtedly a book from 1984 with all the physical agression. There are a few forced sex scenes in the book. He spanks her on her butt after she throws wine in his face. She slaps him in his face. She tries to beat him with her fists.

The H is passionate and smitten. No doubt that he is in love with her. I do doubt her love for him though.

Helen Bianchin’s vintage, very cruel, besotted alpha male H’s are a guilty pleasure of mine. I have kept so many of her old HP’s for a re-read because of the men in it. Therefore 5 stars (even though the h is annoying).
Profile Image for RomLibrary.
5,789 reviews
March 19, 2020
Natalie's fairy-tale marriage to millionaire Ryan Marshall ended after only three months, when her growing suspicions of his infidelity drove her to take refuge at her father's home. There she had Ryan's child.

Natalie had vowed never to have anything more to do with Ryan for the rest of her life. Now she had no choice but to contact Ryan for help in financing an operation to save her father.

Ryan agreed to advance sufficient funds. But he demanded Natalie and his child as collateral!
Profile Image for Kay.
1,934 reviews124 followers
March 6, 2012
4 Stars! ~ This Presents was written in the early 80's when it was usual for the hero's point of view to be shown only by his actions or reactions to others, and this holds true for this story. Ryan is a very alpha hero and often comes across as a brute. Natalie was an extremely young bride not just in age but in her naivety, and often found Ryan's rich lifestyle overwhelming. When confronted with evidence of Ryan's infidelity, she fled. The story takes place three years later when Ryan insists on a reconciliation. Their physical attraction to each other is intense and Natalie finds she can't resist her husband. But outside of the bed, she's willing and able to engage in a verbal war. These two have alot of heartache to overcome. The HEA is hard won and very satisfying.
Profile Image for Roub.
1,112 reviews63 followers
November 9, 2014
really gud one! high level of angst and lots of intense emotions and a hero bordering on the rapy side. ryan was absolutely obsessive about his wife. he loved and lusted after her equally while she was a childish girl, not yet a woman. she actually left her husband for no gud reason other than jealousy over a past mistress. i really cannot condone such dumb heroines! add to dat, she hid his child's existence from him. so selfish! she was clearly very insecure but vindictive as well. ofc, she hid it all behind her fear of losing michelle and it was ridiculous! a man who adores you would not separate mother and child. she just wanted to get back at him.
Profile Image for EeeJay.
479 reviews
October 12, 2011
typical secret child recon plot complete with forced doing thw deed and OW. the daughter was adorable though.
3 reviews
October 16, 2020
The hero was a bit forceful in all things but he loved the heroine,the thing is they were separated 3 years but the child was 7 unless I read it wrongly may have been the time not age The step mother overstepped her bounds she is judging by what she sees not what the heroine has to live with.I loved the book was never dull reading
Profile Image for *CJ*.
5,096 reviews623 followers
June 10, 2024
"Yesterday's Shadow" is the story of Natalie and Ryan.

Second chance romance in which the heroine is blackmailed to go back to the hero when her father gets sick and hero is made aware of his daughter. Crazy jealousy, dub/non con sex, loads of drama and fighting, insane OW and happy ending.

Safe
3/5
Profile Image for Bushra Ayub Khan.
201 reviews9 followers
March 5, 2021
It was just so intense.. There was some scenes of domestic violence too
138 reviews
April 21, 2021
Nice vintage hp. But the h is terribly irritating at times.
Profile Image for ANGELIA.
1,362 reviews12 followers
November 15, 2023
This was okay, but too flawed for me to give it more than two stars. It starts with the h, Natalie, showing up at the office of the wealthy H (Ryan, her estranged husband) having not seen him for three years, since she walked out on him. At her stepmother's urging, she went to ask him for financial help, as her father is in very bad health and needs urgent medical care that they can't afford. (No insurance or NHS?) He agrees on condition that she comes back to him and resumes their marriage.

You learn that Natalie met Ryan while vacationing with her friends, he swept her off her feet, and next thing you know, they're married. Only 19 and very much the small-town girl, she was overwhelmed by Ryan's luxurious lifestyle, sophisticated crowd and - most of all - the jealous, vindictive women in his past, especially Simone, who had planned (or rather, schemed) to be Ryan's wife, with all that went with it.

Like a lot of foolish h's, Natalie believes the lies Simone tells and, thinking Ryan was cheating, packed up and went home to Daddy. She left him no word, and later convinces her father and stepmother not to tell Ryan she's there, even after she discovers she's pregnant. Against her family's advice, she decides not to let Ryan know, afraid he'd use his money and power to get custody of the baby.

This was unfair, as well as stupid. Ryan never gave her any reason to think he'd be that crummy, and all she would have had to do was consult a lawyer about possible contingencies and then tell Ryan about the baby, forewarned and forearmed. But she had no right to deprive him of the first two years of his daughter's life, which I think she subconsciously (or not) did for spite, to get back at him for supposedly cheating on her with Simone. Later, she claims she worried he would have neglected little Michelle, let servants raise her and later send her to a boarding school, so he'd have more time for his girlfriends. That was unfair as well as snarky.

Too much of the time, Natalie acts like a pouty, bratty child, even gets jealous of the attention Ryan pays to Michelle. (For God's sake, he had two years to make up for, thanks to her!) Ryan reacts by using his sexual power over her, seducing her into bed, where she has the time of her life, then later claims she hates him (though she loved those orgasms), and it becomes a case of rinse and repeat.

In fact, everyone should have a dollar for every time Natalie says, "I hate you!", we'd all be billionaires!

After one big argument, she childishly throws a drink in his face, and he treats her like the child she's being, by giving her a (in this case) well-deserved spanking! Three-year-old Michelle was more mature than her mom!

She grows up (finally) and admits what Ryan's known all along: all that spitefulness was because she had never stopped loving him, and couldn't face that fact, which is why she wanted to avoid him so badly. At last, she believes his relationship with Simone ended before he even met Natalie, and the next time she's confronted by the vindictive bitch, she gives as good as she gets!

Simone, BTW, was truly horrible!! She comes to the house unannounced, treats the servants like crap (though the housekeeper won't take any from her), blatantly tells Natalie she wants Ryan and will do whatever she can to get him, admits it's really his money she's after, refuses to leave when asked, is so incensed at Natalie telling her off and letting her know she's not the same naive girl anymore, that she slaps her hard, admits to something that should have had her put in jail (where I was hoping she'd end up) and then when Ryan shows up, pretends to be the victim who was treated badly! What a batshit mess!!

The HEA really kicks in when Natalie has some happy news to relate.

Not totally bad story, but far from a really good one.

P.S. There are two friends of Ryan, Rick and Lisa, that had a book of their own. I'm going to check that one out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Debra.
3,464 reviews13 followers
February 4, 2022
What happens when two people get married too young? Well this story is one account. This is about lack of communication and the OW. this time h leaves the marriage after being shown "evidence" to H infidelity. Unknowing she is pregnant. After three years she goes to see him for money for her fathers life saving surgery. H finds out about their child and blackmails h to go back to him. This is a story I will read again. I did enjoy it.
Profile Image for HÜLYA.
1,138 reviews47 followers
September 15, 2014
Natalie of ya del, ettin beni. ben uyuşmak için okudum sen beni fena halde sinir ettin..
5 reviews5 followers
January 4, 2016
typical Helel Bianchin's style. The forced into marriage style. Not bad but becoming a Deja Vu
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews

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