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Late Harvest
How could her father have made such a will?
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
1 person is currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Yvonne Whittal
56 books80 followersYvonne Whittal was born and raised in South Africa, the setting of most of her romances. She started writing stories at a young age, but didn't really get serious about writing until after she married and had children. She got many rejection letters from publishers, until a friend who loved romances gave her to encouragement to continue.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
April 23, 2016
I tracked down this one because this couple is featured in YW's epic revenge-fest, Echo in the Valley. This is a forced marriage story between a 20 year-old heroine whose father has just died and the manager of her father's winery. Hero used to live on the neighboring estate until he was ten years old. Then his mother had to sell up to the heroine's father. Now both properties are combined into an award-winning winery. By the dictates of the will, the hero and heroine must marry and live together for one year. Then each will have the property they grew up on.
The heroine was really annoying at first, but she grew on me. She did show maturity about the OW and she does try to get along with the hero even before she realized she was "in love." She was a great character in Echo in the Valley and the seeds are sown here. Hero was kind of a one note alpha - nothing really stood out about him.
The heroine was really annoying at first, but she grew on me. She did show maturity about the OW and she does try to get along with the hero even before she realized she was "in love." She was a great character in Echo in the Valley and the seeds are sown here. Hero was kind of a one note alpha - nothing really stood out about him.
February 14, 2022
This book deserved a new shelf: worst heroine.
Because the heroine is maybe the worst kind of woman I met in all hp books.
Her father left her his vineyard if she married the hero and stays married with him for one year.
She hates the hero, who has been working for his father for two years, and acts like a spoiled and awful woman.
She is rude, cruel and mean, and even stupid.
She accepts to marry him to have the business but constantly abuses him verbally and flirts with om, who turns out to be a professional thief who prays on rich women.
The hero is patient and forgiving and tries to be sensible, he is in love with her but she always scorns him and refuses him, until he loses his patience and rapes her, after he finds her kissing om.
This was not his finest moment, but somehow it seemed a lesser crime than her awful treatment of him. And with no reason, because it was her father who forced her to marry the hero to have her inheritance, not the hero.
And ow was not ow at all, I wish YW gave him a real evil ow, this one was only a dear friend of him, and they were never in love with each other.
The heroine is awful until the end, when the hero already told her he loves her and she tells him she doesn't want to have his child. A woman I hated.
Really, this is the worst heroine ever and I don't think I can recommend this book to anyone
Because the heroine is maybe the worst kind of woman I met in all hp books.
Her father left her his vineyard if she married the hero and stays married with him for one year.
She hates the hero, who has been working for his father for two years, and acts like a spoiled and awful woman.
She is rude, cruel and mean, and even stupid.
She accepts to marry him to have the business but constantly abuses him verbally and flirts with om, who turns out to be a professional thief who prays on rich women.
The hero is patient and forgiving and tries to be sensible, he is in love with her but she always scorns him and refuses him, until he loses his patience and rapes her, after he finds her kissing om.
This was not his finest moment, but somehow it seemed a lesser crime than her awful treatment of him. And with no reason, because it was her father who forced her to marry the hero to have her inheritance, not the hero.
And ow was not ow at all, I wish YW gave him a real evil ow, this one was only a dear friend of him, and they were never in love with each other.
The heroine is awful until the end, when the hero already told her he loves her and she tells him she doesn't want to have his child. A woman I hated.
Really, this is the worst heroine ever and I don't think I can recommend this book to anyone
December 9, 2020
"Late Harvest" is the story of Kate and Rhyno.
What to say about this heroine? Bitchy, shrew, impulsive, demanding, unlikable, stupid, cheater, childish, insane, needs a brain transplant.
Hero? Patience of a saint and should have poisoned the heroine.
Definitely one of the worst heroines I have ever read. I wish this book ended in a murder.
SWE
1/5
What to say about this heroine? Bitchy, shrew, impulsive, demanding, unlikable, stupid, cheater, childish, insane, needs a brain transplant.
Hero? Patience of a saint and should have poisoned the heroine.
Definitely one of the worst heroines I have ever read. I wish this book ended in a murder.
SWE
1/5
August 13, 2015
One of those angst driven HPs that could have been 5 stars, but the heroine was such an immature shrew that she got in the way of a good story!
avoid
May 18, 2017The LEAST he could do was grovel. But no. Knowing HE was at fault he still made HER grovel. His pregnant wife who had nothing and no one. Who was insecure. Whom he raped, if you ask me, repeatedly. And whom he loved passionately. Yet he refused to cut her an inch and grovel for his sins. BUT made sure she was COMPLETELY broken, whatever was left of her that he didn't already destroy by raping and dangling the OW, by making her grovel and beg.
And oh, he DEFINITELY cheated emotionally. He DID dangle the OW, deliberately. Even after he slept with the heroine and heroine showed her complete faith in him, he told her he offered to marry the OW, fair enough, honesty, good work. BUT he told her, he believed, and STILL STRONGLY BELIEVES that it would have been a good match, a happy marriage, and would have been successful! how is this not emotionally cheating? And in next chapter he claims he loves heroine? Do they plant marijuana at wineries these days as well?
Also, I can't believe he could justify him raping her. He didn't even seem remotely sorry about it and has callously thrown at heroine that she has brought it upon herself. Nobody brings rape upon themselves. And I don't see how the authors justify this. If some random character rapes someone, it is rape, so how is marriage a way of forgiveness for rape? If the hero raped someone else it would have been a punishable offence so how is the heroine exception to that rule?
And oh, he DEFINITELY cheated emotionally. He DID dangle the OW, deliberately. Even after he slept with the heroine and heroine showed her complete faith in him, he told her he offered to marry the OW, fair enough, honesty, good work. BUT he told her, he believed, and STILL STRONGLY BELIEVES that it would have been a good match, a happy marriage, and would have been successful! how is this not emotionally cheating? And in next chapter he claims he loves heroine? Do they plant marijuana at wineries these days as well?
Also, I can't believe he could justify him raping her. He didn't even seem remotely sorry about it and has callously thrown at heroine that she has brought it upon herself. Nobody brings rape upon themselves. And I don't see how the authors justify this. If some random character rapes someone, it is rape, so how is marriage a way of forgiveness for rape? If the hero raped someone else it would have been a punishable offence so how is the heroine exception to that rule?
September 22, 2018
I believe positive discrimination so I’m sided with heroines usually, but I thought Kate, the heroine was quite immature. I didn’t like when H flaunted OW but let’s be realistic, first h invited OM to dinner after a month of marriage. And she continued to invite both OW and OM to home. And while she was jealous of him, she talked and behaved like teenager :
“Stop looking for an argument, Kate, and give me your honest opinion,' he sighed, almost thrusting the glass into her hand.
'Well, what do you know?' she smiled sarcastically, her fingers tightening about the stem of the glass. 'The oh-so-clever Rhyno van der Bijl is actually asking for my lowly opinion!”
However, H was really cruel and I didn’t like him either.
“She did not doubt his low opinion of her, he had made that perfectly clear when he had said: 'You possess none of the qualities I admire in a woman, and I doubt if you ever will.”
And he said that after he forcibly kissed the heroine. And h decided that she was in love with H. 🙄 Luckily for her, after some angsty time, H said that he fell in love with her at the first sight.
There was also a rape and forced seduction scenes but I accepted as fiction.
Anyway I was annoyed with both MC but I’ m also very sentimental and the angst made me cry to the end so 3 stars.
“Stop looking for an argument, Kate, and give me your honest opinion,' he sighed, almost thrusting the glass into her hand.
'Well, what do you know?' she smiled sarcastically, her fingers tightening about the stem of the glass. 'The oh-so-clever Rhyno van der Bijl is actually asking for my lowly opinion!”
However, H was really cruel and I didn’t like him either.
“She did not doubt his low opinion of her, he had made that perfectly clear when he had said: 'You possess none of the qualities I admire in a woman, and I doubt if you ever will.”
And he said that after he forcibly kissed the heroine. And h decided that she was in love with H. 🙄 Luckily for her, after some angsty time, H said that he fell in love with her at the first sight.
There was also a rape and forced seduction scenes but I accepted as fiction.
Anyway I was annoyed with both MC but I’ m also very sentimental and the angst made me cry to the end so 3 stars.
May 28, 2015
3.5 stars
A forced marriage to meet the terms of her father's will to be able to keep the vineyard and the winery that has been in her family for generation. It was going to be for only one year after all!
I first met Kate and Rhino in another Whittal's book, Echo in the Valley, and I loved Kate in that book. A few years younger Kate in this book however was based on the taming of the shrew and lived up to her idol and namesake.
I had quite a mixed feeling about this book.
A forced marriage to meet the terms of her father's will to be able to keep the vineyard and the winery that has been in her family for generation. It was going to be for only one year after all!
I first met Kate and Rhino in another Whittal's book, Echo in the Valley, and I loved Kate in that book. A few years younger Kate in this book however was based on the taming of the shrew and lived up to her idol and namesake.
I had quite a mixed feeling about this book.
May 21, 2016
The hero and heroine were forced to marry because of the heroines father. He had a will done up and when he passed away they needed to marry to preserve their homes and future of the winery. Both hero and heroine were filled with contempt towards each other but eventually they tried to put their differences aside. When the heroine became pregnant, the hero confessed his love but the heroine didn't believe him, she thought he was only doing it for the baby.
It was a good read and for being such a short book, I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed. It was certainly worth the read. Yvonne Whittal has always had killer talent with most, if not all of her novels.
It was a good read and for being such a short book, I have to say that I'm thoroughly impressed. It was certainly worth the read. Yvonne Whittal has always had killer talent with most, if not all of her novels.
August 18, 2019
How could her father have made such a will?
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
July 28, 2014
Wow talk about the queen of bitchy heroines! Are we sure Yvonne Whittal wrote this book? Pics or it didn't happen! Lol
June 17, 2020
"Taming of the shrew" tale (the heroine is even named Kate)/forced marriage that's mostly a bicker fest with a few forced seduction scenes. The setting (South African wine district of Constantia, which I was fortunate to visit a couple of years ago) is conveyed nicely; otherwise, it's pretty standard fare for the era, with angry passion, an immature shrill heroine, a besotted but unrelenting hero, and the heroine doing the most of the groveling in the end. Not a bad outing, but not one of Whittal's best.
NB: I liked Kate much more when she proves the loyal and outspoken friend in Whittal's Echo in the Valley, standing up to that asshat hero when he subjects the heroine of that book to endless public humiliation and scorn. So hello again, Kate--glad you got your HEA, and compared with the one that the EitV heroine gets, it seems not so bad after all.
NB: I liked Kate much more when she proves the loyal and outspoken friend in Whittal's Echo in the Valley, standing up to that asshat hero when he subjects the heroine of that book to endless public humiliation and scorn. So hello again, Kate--glad you got your HEA, and compared with the one that the EitV heroine gets, it seems not so bad after all.
December 25, 2020
He rapes her and after the first rape he rapes or sexually humiliates her again and again.
I can take a cruel H if he does it once, but this H forces himself on her again and again. She gives up defending herself against his want for sex, but that is not the same as loving it.
Even before that, I didn’t feel he loved her. Or that she loves him. They lived together for months as enemies before something happens between them.
The H is cruel and cold. The h is childish and bitchy.
I can take a cruel H if he does it once, but this H forces himself on her again and again. She gives up defending herself against his want for sex, but that is not the same as loving it.
Even before that, I didn’t feel he loved her. Or that she loves him. They lived together for months as enemies before something happens between them.
The H is cruel and cold. The h is childish and bitchy.
April 8, 2023
Taming of the shrew wannabe. The h was awful and I had a very hard time believing the H really loved her.
January 31, 2016
This was surprisingly good. The heroine had to marry in order to receive what was rightful her. He was at time very understanding but he was also forceful and she has dreams of marrying for love and her wedding with him was surreal and made her sad on too she losses her father and finds out that her father was just as forceful. He does rape her and this to me pissed off. No matter how you look at he was very cruel to her and I don't believe she deserved it. She was working too at the wine business. He was not very tolerant. I feel it was too fair to her but he did care for her. I still enjoyed it.
January 12, 2011
How could her father have made such a will?
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
"Shall jointly inherit the entire estate on condition they are married within thirty days of my death."
Kate was incredulous. She hated Rhyno van der Bijl, but by ignoring the conditions, she would lose her beloved home.
"Think of it as a business arrangement, " suggested Rhyno, who also stood to lose his inheritance.
It was only for a year, and Kate never dreamed she would one day wish it was forever, but when Rhyno spoke of plans that did not include her, her world fell apart.
January 27, 2022
Several reviewers think H is wonderful and h is a shrew. Yes, she has a nasty mouth but H uses sex to punish and he raped her. Plus it was her dad’s wealth they inherited together; in my mind she had many reasons to be crabby and insulting, not the best or mature way to handle situation but understandable given circumstances.
November 24, 2012
Decent read. The heroine was pretty awful and sniped at the hero for no good reason through a lot of it. Still, it was quite angsty, and I enjoyed it.
November 22, 2016
There is a really fine line between love and hate. And she described it well.
December 17, 2017
They (H and h) treat each other abominably. No-one should talk that hurtful, let alone people supposedly love each other.
Read
March 25, 2021I'm sorry what? "I've loved you since I saw you." I'm sorry, how? When? How come? The story didn't make sense. The couple didn't like each other. The hero rapes the heroine, and continues to treat her like crap under the guise of punishment. Dumb. Didn't like anyone in this book, except for maybe the hero's mom. Everyone else is a garbage person or a not fully fleshed out character. Sucky. Skip.
January 31, 2022
That's a very unhealthy relationship.
The female protagonist is a spoilt child who lashes at everybody because she doesn't get it her way.
I really wanted the male protagonist to refuse to marry her. And believe me, he’s truly insufferable. But I really wanted him to tell the heroine to get lost. She is simply awful.
The female protagonist is a spoilt child who lashes at everybody because she doesn't get it her way.
I really wanted the male protagonist to refuse to marry her. And believe me, he’s truly insufferable. But I really wanted him to tell the heroine to get lost. She is simply awful.
January 16, 2017
I had some doubt on whether or not to finish the novel after the first two chapters, but I'm glad I did finish it. The story is about a stubborn woman called Kate who hates the hero (Rhyno) who worked with her father and used to avoid him at all cost. However, after the death of her father, she discovers they both inherit, but they have to get married in order to the collect the inheritance. Otherwise, they lose everything. Slowly she comes to discover her true feelings. What I liked best was the ending. So realistic and touching. A Recommended read.
May 22, 2016
this was delicious, one of those guilty pleasure books! Kate did not give an inch and it was ridiculous how she wud not stop seeing OM. she really pushed Rhyno too far and got her just deserts ! i did not imagine for one moment dat Rhyno had fallen for her since the first because she was a very spoiled child. i wud especially not forget the part where he discovered she was pregnant and she, being so immature and unsure of him, she said she did not want to have his baby, which was not true.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews