That's what the protest banners proclaimed. And Marcy Campion intended to see that they got it.
She was determined to turn Aunt Thomasina's old Victorian house into a community center and playground, even if it meant fighting the powerful developers, Saxton and Company, every inch of the way.
Annoyed by the opposition of a mere girl, Randal Saxton decided to handle the situation himself, and Marcy soon found herself involved in another battle--this time with her unruly heart!
Sheila Ann Mary Coates was born on 1937 in Essex, England, just before the Second World War in the East End of London. As a child, she was moved from relative to relative to escape the bombings of World War II. Sheila attended the Ursuline Convent for Girls. On leaving school at 16, the convent-educated author worked for the Bank of England as a clerk. Sheila continued her education by taking advantage of the B of E's enormous library during her lunch breaks and after work. She later worked as a secretary for the BBC. While there, she met and married Richard Holland, a political reporter. A voracious reader of romance novels, she began writing at her husband's suggestion. She wrote her first book in three days with three children underfoot! In between raising her five children (including a set of twins), Charlotte wrote several more novels. She used both her married and maiden names, Sheila Holland and Sheila Coates, before her first novel as Charlotte Lamb, Follow a Stranger, was published by Mills & Boon in 1973. She also used the pennames: Sheila Lancaster, Victoria Wolf and Laura Hardy. Sheila was a true revolutionary in the field of romance writing. One of the first writers to explore the boundaries of sexual desire, her novels often reflected the forefront of the "sexual revolution" of the 1970s. Her books touched on then-taboo subjects such as child abuse and rape, and she created sexually confident - even dominant - heroines. She was also one of the first to create a modern romantic heroine: independent, imperfect, and perfectly capable of initiating a sexual or romantic relationship. A prolific author, Sheila penned more than 160 novels, most of them for Mills & Boon. Known for her swiftness as well as for her skill in writing, Sheila typically wrote a minimum of two thousand words per day, working from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. While she once finished a full-length novel in four days, she herself pegged her average speed at two weeks to complete a full novel. Since 1977, Sheila had been living on the Isle of Man as a tax exile with her husband and four of their five children: Michael Holland, Sarah Holland, Jane Holland, Charlotte Holland and David Holland. Sheila passed away on October 8, 2000 in her baronial-style home 'Crogga' on the Island. She is greatly missed by her many fans, and by the romance writing community.
Why don’t we get hs like these anymore? Some of the vintage books come up these amazing characters, especially hs who leave you absolutely amazed, impressed and asking for more. Spunky, smart, wily, independent minded and also sweet, feminine and compassionate at the same time.
*Not really a review but spoilers ahead* **edited and added bits**
First HP where the H is gasping out declarations of love every second page and all she says is 'I am too young for you'; 'Give me time, lemme think about it'. One actually feels bad for the formerly suave, worldly tycoon turned besotted schooboy on his first crush, falling so hard for an 18 year old ingénue who has him firmly wrapped around her nonchalant little finger. He just has no clue what hit him and why it hit him so hard! He is frustrated, angry, grumpy, jealous, impatient and totally out of his depth. There are times when I felt frustrated with her too but the fact is she has a point. Just 18, she deserves time and space to find herself first before getting into a lifetime commitment like marriage with an older, sophisticated and wealthy man.
But, coming to what I love and admire about her is her inherent cunning and astuteness. Marcy is a subtly ‘real’ person and not a caricatured sweet all-pure Mary Sue. She may seem guileless but she could spot a trick or artifice a mile off. Her reading of the thwarted ow or even the bumbling would be om is a case in point. I was impressed with the author many times but especially when she shows Marcy as a canny young lady who knows how to charm/ingratiate herself as she did with the disapproving housekeeper Chumble. She’s all sweetness to her face but isn’t above making a face at her back acknowledging that Chumble was no easy proposition. So little things like that- a h who loves animals but seriously thinks of kicking a recalcitrant horse or kissing the om for a comparison experiment (that almost gets him killed!). Definitely one the most interesting mcs in a harly ever.
I was kind of sorry when the book ended as even the making up and the epilogue are delicious to say the least. I think I am going to read the good parts again. :)
The author says VW but really she is Charlotte Lamb and this is probably the sweetest CL ever.
h is trying to save her house and garden from greedy H developer, he takes one look and falls head over heels in love, the chase is on and big HEA ensues. This man is utterly smitten and totally adorable with it. NOT your usual CL H, more like the exact opposite.
This was one of the last CL's I had left on my list to collect and I thought it was very sweet and fun compared to her usual. Good book, refreshing change and great characters.
Sweet Compulsion is one of those old-timey, sweet, May-December Harlequin romances that Charlotte Lamb (writing under the pseudonym of Victoria Woolf) perfected. Here, the plucky country bumpkin puts a spell on the jaded, sophisticated millionaire. It was very humorous, though not as funny as Lamb's similar An Excellent Wife? imho.
'I told you when you came to my house that I wanted you, Marcy. When I was a little boy I had a favourite book. It had the most marvellous illustrations in it. One of them was of a princess sitting beside a pond. She had golden curls just the same colour as yours, and great big eyes . . . I've still got the book safely locked away at home. And now I'm going to have you, too.'
"Sweet Compulsion" is the story of Marcy and Randal.
A very sweet and sexy May-December romance with an utterly besotted alpha hero, a sweet strong impulsive heroine, a meet cute leading to love at first sight, loads of possessive jealousy, an impromptu proposal, a strong seduction, a fairytale wedding, a passionate consummation and a wonderful HEA. The thing that made me giggle was the absurd way the hero was completely blindsided by the heroine, and basically browbeats her into saying yes to his love as well as his proposal. He comes of a tad bit too strong, but she's into it, it's a romance and hence I'm ok with it. Needless to say, she gives up her career ambitions and her project to become a wife and a mother, and as she's happy, I guess I am too.
"Sweet Compulsion" is actually written by the author we all know as Charlotte Lamb, but written under other name for this book. But OH, this one are so Sweet and Funny.I loved everything!The Steel-hearted wealthy tycoon Randal Saxton decides to visit the young woman who refuses to sell her inherited property, and the second he meets the bubbly and charming 18 year old Marcy Campion his whole world will fall apart..!
This is a freaking MUST-READ to those who love besotted heroes and a very unique plot with a incredible heroine . God how i love this girl-and she is in the same age as me! How i would LOVE to be her bestfriend! Randal was a hero hot in pursuit and desperately wanted to win her love and make her his wife! The declarations of love, the sizzling make-out sessions, the oh soooo adorable jealousy Randal felt-he was like a schoolboy!!!SOOOO CUTE! They were P.E.R.F.E.C.T together. A great Romantic Keeper my friends..with a very special love-story with really entertaining characters. It will make you laugh and swoon..!
AY caramba. Manic pixie girl unbuttons English tycoon.
Marcy, the barely 18 year old Peter Pan h captures hearts right and left on her way from the wilds of Cornwall (was it Cornwall?) to the more materialistic, buttoned up London. A few of the hearts belong to her married attorney, the Lost Boys, aforementioned tycoon, his cousin or something, the H’s butler, the French chef…
The h has inherited her aunt’s mansion in the heart of London. Said house is a bone of contention as the big bad corporation owned by the Randall, the H, wants to tear it down while the Preservation Society and the h want to preserve it for the community and the kids.
One look at Peter Pan/Tinkerbell and Randall is a lost soul. He falls like a ton of bricks and jumps on the first flimsy excuse to make her his fiancee a mere 36, at most 48, hours after they meet. He also 86’s the great big and very expensive expansion plans to the horror of his Board and the briefly seen cold and corporate OW. He tries a seduction routine at his home and is shut by a very rational Marcy and his appalled butler: the first of many interrupted seduction scenes.
Here is where the worm turns. The h sure likes kissing him, but then again she liked the brief kiss her married attorney gave her before he decided he wanted to make his wife jealous so she would get pregnant.
Peter Pan tells the H she is just too young. 18 to his 30-something. A few schmexy kisses and she says it again with a little less certainty. He installs her at his country estate with his tropey nanny Grumpy Chumble and his older aunt or cousin as he has to leave for a business trip and it will basically keep away from the hordes of men that are sure to fall in love with her and want to kiss her. Lots of men want to kiss her. And do. Randall catches at least two men kissing the h. All innocent of course. He tries the seduction moves once again only to be interrupted AGAIN by Chumble. Even the mere thought of his nanny serves to keep Marcy untouched.
Ultimately the winner of the fey creature is the now unbuttoned, just one button, tycoon.
Low on angst, high on manic whimsy, what is most difficult to believe is that Victoria Woolf is a pseudonym for Charlotte Lamb.
04.17.2025 REREAD : still probably my favorite Charlotte Lamb 😍😍😍
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Original 2022 review:
My first by this author and I loved it
(*edited* turns out, Victoria Woolf is a pen name for Charlotte Lamb. 👀😍 who knew 🤷🏼♀️)
Typically in these vintage books, when the older H meets the sweet innocent miss, we can expect a multi-year separation to take place, so that she can grow up and spread her wings. And frankly? I HATE THAT. I love a jealous/possessive H, so when they are willing to let the h go to “live her life” (and probably sleep with OM) it completely ruins it for me. 🤷🏼♀️
So, I kept waiting for the other shoe drop. And low and behold? IT NEVER DOES. 🎉🎉 He falls in love with this young girl at first sight and then never lets go. Gah. 😍
This H was right up my alley. 😍 He’s dominant and ruthless and amoral and manipulative and jealous and possessive and protective and bulldozery and desperate and and and…
And once he was hit by the love arrow he was a man with a one-track mind, really white knuckling it to hang on to his civility and not become a mouth breathing Neanderthal and just take and take and take. 😈😈 I loved him so much. 🤡
There’s this fantastic scene where he’s swoops in to protect her and it’s just so effing swoony. I’ll be rereading it over and over for years to come. He’s so perfect.
And the h? She’s perfect. Sweet, innocent, funny, spunky… 😍😍😍😍😍
Bottom Line? I adored this book and now I want all her books. 🤷🏼♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 stars - just because I would have liked to see him actually lose it and give us a bit more steam.
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing
- OW drama - there’s a woman who works with him who wants him and tries to make trouble - he’s not interested and the h sees through her
- OM drama - Everyone who meets the delightful h falls in love with her, and it makes the H nuts
- dubcon-ish - he definitely tosses around taking what he wants but manages to reign himself in before it gets too out of control… but just barely - mostly because other people step in to protect the h from his worst angels.
- h is an 18 yr old virgin - never been kissed
- H is a 32 yr old experienced man
- there are several Torrid Embraces and 1 sex scene
Ignore that hideous cover, this is a lovely May/December story. Charlotte Lamb decided to walk on the sunny side of the street in this tale about a besotted tycoon hero who took one look at the young heroine who was holding up his East London development and promptly fell in love. I wasn’t sure if he was sincere in keeping the heroine’s house and garden for a community center since he had been compared to his pirate ancestor, but he was. There was no duplicity in either the H/h.
Since that was the major conflict in the story and it was over in the first few chapters – then what else is there?
A whirlwind courtship by an alpha who doesn’t waste words. He plies her with food – fish and chips and then a meal at his mansion cooked by his “French” chef. He lends her his sister’s clothes. He is enchanted when he finds her telling fortunes in his kitchen with his chef and butler. He declares their engagement in front of the press and a jealous woman who thinks her husband is in love with the heroine. He gives her lots of kisses and caresses and then comes to his senses before the h can be uncomfortable. Then he sends her to his aunt so she can have a month-long breathing room while he is away on business.
The heroine, for her part, is enchanted and engaged with everyone and everything she comes in contact with. She has learned to love her East London neighbors. She befriends the hero’s servants. When she is introduced to upper-class country life, she quickly gets the number of the crotchety old nanny and stableman. I liked how she wasn’t a horse whisperer and that she liked to embroider. (All those feisty heroines from 1980’s historical romances hated to embroider – it was a like a feminist badge of honor or something,)
There is an OM – a hanger-on cousin whom the heroine uses to compare/contrast with the hero. It’s all very innocent and necessary for this heroine to keep herself from being railroaded by the hero.
When the hero returns, the heroine is on more equal footing with him and their HEA is a sweet one, indeed. This one is a real mood lifter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I just finished Victoria Wolf's Sweet Compulsion is I freaking LOVE this book to bits. Definitely the best book I've read in a long time.
The h inherited a house on a piece of land that's being developed by H's company. She's the only one that was holding up the project since everybody else decided to sell it. Hero, ruthless, cunning and cold, decided to use his usual brand of persuasion of sex appeal to try to convince h to sell. Unbeknownist to him, he fell so hard and so fast for the h that his life would never be the same.
I adore, love, absolutely heart this book so much that right after I finished it, I reread it. It's so different from any HP I've ever read, and definitely different from any CL books I've read. In short, it was unexpected. When I first read it, I thought I knew where it was going. H, an older, sophisticated man seducing a younger, virgin h by hiding his identity and when h found out, she would be bitter and hurt and all that. Nope. The h in this is absolutely priceless. Though very young (18 years old as opposed to H's 32 years old) and unsophisticated, she's mature and worldly in the ways of human nature, and has a brand of special charm and wit. She's a bleeding heart and is very Mary Sue-ish but I find it so refreshing to read a HP where the young h can handle the H. She's smart enough to suspect the H of having interior motive. So our girl was not deceived as I originally thought she would be. She confronted the H, charmed him and disarmed him. I could see why he would fall for her. And fall he did. Like a ton of bricks. He wanted to convince her to sell the property but he ended up making the propery according to her plan. This was a cold and very ruthless man. You can see it by how he deals with other people but to the h, he's as whipped as a boy. He adored her and was crazy jealous of any man with her. He was the first to professed his love for her and bulldozed her into marrying him, constantly in fear that she would leave him, putting his heart on his sleeve. It's more delicious that to other people, he's so ruthless.
**** 'Marcy, I'm in a painful dilemma. Help me.' Puzzled alarm filled her face. 'Of course,' she said quickly. 'What do you want me to do ?' `I'm a man of thirty-two who's fallen madly in love with a child,' he said softly, watching her. 'You're so good at crusading, Marcy. Crusade for me. What am I going to do about it?' ****
And what does our h do? Sigh and marry him right away? Nope.
*** " 'Marry me, Marcy,' he said huskily. `No,' she said, her voice grave. 'It would be a very stupid thing for us to do.' She looked round at him. `Randal, leave me alone. I can't cope with all this. But my instinct tells me that I mustn't marry you.' For a moment there was a conflicting confusion in his face, a darkness in his eyes, a hard flush on his cheeks. She could feel the fight going on inside him. His hands clenched by his sides and he breathed erratically as if he were running a hard race. Then slowly he visibly got control and his hands slowly unclenched. After a pause, he said levelly, `Then what are you going to do, Marcy ?' `Go to drama school in the autumn,' she said. `Have fun. Learn about myself and other people.' She looked appealingly at him. 'I've got a lot to learn, Randal. And I want to learn it.' ****
And she proceeded to find more about her own feelings instead of rushing in the relationship. Hero is absolutely nuts about her, so jealous and OTT crazy.
*** Randal was holding a branch of a green-laced lilac tree in his tense hand as he stared at the two young people. He had been watching for a moment or two, long enough to feel the ease and companionship between them, the amiable, carefree friendship which the closeness of their age gave them. He had been childishly jealous of Perry from the first, bitterly envious of his young cousin's ability to meet Marcy on such ground. But when Perry bent to kiss her his whole body had blazed into savage jealousy. He stared at them, narrow-eyed, intentionally menacing, filled with a primitive desire to do something violent. Perry dragged his feet, flushed and awkward, petrified of his cousin's expression. 'Oh, hallo, Randal . . . welcome back. I . . . I'll go and tell Chumble you're here.' He rushed past him, avoiding meeting the dangerous blue eyes. Marcy quietly met Randall's glare. He released the branch of the lilac tree and slowly walked over to her. She did not move or look frightened, staring at him almost assess ingly. Randal's long hand lifted her chin. The other carefully brought out a white handkerchief and brushed it across her lips, erasing Perry's kiss firmly. `What's he doing here ?' he asked her tersely. `Staying for a holiday,' Marcy said steadily. The long fingers tightened on her chin. Was that the first time he'd kissed you ?' ****
This is not an anguish or complicated book. It's sweet and charming with two extremely likable characters. As a matter of fact, the most likable characters of all CL or HP books. Hero was never mean or cruel to the h, and h was never TSTL and even though young, knew just how to handle him. The only thing that might bother some people is how the h is constantly regarded as a child, and the H even referred to her as that on a number of occasions, but she was smarter and more mature than many h I've read so the age thing did not bother me whatsoever. If you can get your hands on this book, I highly highly recommend it.
Victoria Woolf is pseudoname for Charlotte Lamb. This not typical ansty CL book. It is lighthearted and has a spunky, good hearted, practically perfect h. The h is 18 years old and very innocent the H is much older. The H falls in love at first sight, the h is attracted but wary of the H and not sure what she is feeling. This a sweet, fun romance.
Awww, that was sweet and largely uncomplicated. ❤️
Although I had my reservations about the seasoned Hero seducing the very young heroine, I ended up respecting him (somewhat). While he might have adored her and fallen in first sight with her (and subsequently kissed her silly), I'm glad that he gave her space to consider what (or who) she really wanted.
There was no towards-the-end-break-up (typical of romance in modern day books), but there were a few OM and OW. There was also a very charming and honest h who charmed everyone that she encountered.
Cute, sassy fun......no big angst, no big misunderstandings....They talk through their issues and misperceptions with total honesty. Hero is head over heels in love with the heroine and doesn't regret it for a moment. Even though he is almost twice her age.
OK, I loved this book. Must take the time to write a proper review. I think I love this book as much as I love Temptation. Such a young h who played the hero like a violin, I love it.
What is not to love about this May to December romance. From practically the moment they meet our H falls head over heels for our h who is like... Whatever dude you are WAAAAY too old for me I'm young I've got my life ahead of me so just meh! He's not gonna take that he's an alpha male dammit! He'll just follow her round like a puppy till she gives in and says yes which of course she does. It's nice to see an alpha male doing all the chasing and getting burrrnned big time. But it all came good in the end and twu wuv wins the day
This was sweet story very different from the usual heroes you find I Charlotte lamb books. Randall was smitten and making declarations of love when you least expected. Sizzling chemistry and Marcy was awesome. A keeper!
Usually I like it when the H doesn’t hide his feelings for the h, but this H’s love declarations were on every other page and it became tiring. He was like a school boy begging for her favours. Not an alpha.
Even on page 165 (!) she still says she doesn’t know if she loves him. He is so besotted that he lost his dignity. At least in my opinion.
And there were way too many other people in the story. I started skimming. I give it three stars just because Charlotte Lamb is one of my favorite writers but this book is one of her worst.
Why God why? why do good books end so fast???....as the book's end drew near I started experiencing the beginnings of separation anxiety. The last time I dreaded a books ending this much and mourned its ending even more was What Price Paradise. I loved the heroine....I am sad to say I was not the wisest 18 year old and made a staggering amount of mistakes....but I always wished I was born with the wit and wisdom this heroine was written with. The hero was fierce and determined just as I like them. Great Read.
Finally thanks @preeti for sharing this amazing little treasure with me...
This romance is why I adore the older Harlies. The story telling is captivating from the first page. Our introduction of Randal is of a hard and ruthless developer who knows how to delegate and then how to jump in a fix the problems himself. Delightful Marcy is the fly in the ointment preventing his latest city block redevelopment. From one look at her photo in the paper, he knows just how he'll change her mind, by turning up the charm. But Randal's whole life is turned topsy-turvy when Marcy falls out of an apple tree into his arms, knocking the wind right out of him. The feel of her in his arms and he's done for .. it's love at first sight. I adore a besotted hero. Marcy is an intelligent young woman who is very aware of her innocence and her lack of real life experiences. While she refuses to be pushed into an engagement, she does realize that from the time he broke her fall, he's occupied a great deal of her thoughts. This is a coming of age romance that was a delight to read --- one for the keeper shelf.
this was so much fun! and absolutely SWEET ! randal fell in love wid marcy at first sight. i especially liked his depiction of her as a fairy wid golden hair and he had the book tucked away at home somewhere; because as a kid, he liked the fairy so much! lol. marcy was such a sweet child! she acted more like a 13 year old instead of 18. i guess it was such at the time the book was published. she was very obviously not ready for a relationship, let alone marriage wid randal. but this is fantasy! so i'm ok wid it lol.
That's what the protest banners proclaimed. And Marcy Campion intended to see that they got it.
She was determined to turn Aunt Thomasina's old Victorian house into a community center and playground, even if it meant fighting the powerful developers, Saxton and Company, every inch of the way.
Annoyed by the opposition of a mere girl, Randal Saxton decided to handle the situation himself, and Marcy soon found herself involved in another battle--this time with her unruly heart!
Dreamily she lifted a hand and ran a finger along his lips. "I have a feeling you aren't to be trusted, Mr. Randal Saxton," she said directly. "Not with that mouth." The humour came back to his face. "My God," he said, half breathlessly, "I'm not as dangerous as you are, Marcy."
I read this when I was a young teenager (maybe thirteen? Fourteen?) and just loved it. I don't know how I'd react if I was only reading it now for the first time, but I'm rating this according to how much I enjoyed it then and for nostalgia's sake.
This is what my copy looks like. Well, kind of. Mine's not quite as perfect as it's been a wee bit dinged and creased over the years from usage:
I picked it up at a used bookstore for like twenty five cents or something along those lines...
I've read this one a number of times over the years and it always brings me back to those early days of romance reading and discovering/devouring all kinds of goodies out there provided by Harlequin, Mills & Boon, Candlelight Ecstasy Romance, Silhouette, and the like.
He watched her, thinking that every look, every word of hers, was becoming incredibly important to him. He was becoming consumed by a burning desire to know her as he had never known any other human being.
I had no idea that 'Victoria Woolf' was actually yet another pseudonym for 'Charlotte Lamb' ( which was also a pseudonym, and whose stories were often much darker, sometimes even quite violent, with their fair share of the sexist crazysauce stirred in...).
This book has a different kind of energy and the May/December romance between Marcy and Randal often unfolds in sweet, passionate, and sometimes humorous fashion.
She's like this shining light, this lovely, innocent, determined and forthright young woman who dares to defy and/or question him, and he's this somewhat cynical, wealthy older man who (to his own surprise and increasing frustration) is drawn to her like a bee to honey.
"Stop calling me a child!" His face moved closer, his eyes riveted on her face. "Do you resent it ?" "You treat me as if I were your little sister!" "Do I, by God?" he retorted with a snort of laughter, and her spine suddenly prickled uneasily at something in his tone. She moved discreetly away, watching him cautiously. "Tell me what really happened at the board meeting," she invited. He slid an arm along the couch, leaning over her, his eyes fixed on her pink mouth. "Changing the subject, Marcy?" he asked teasingly. "You issued a challenge just now and you know it . . ."
This sometimes frustrates the hell out of him because he wants what he wants and he wants her. The man's pretty much used to getting his way in all things. But when it comes to Marcy? Things don't move fast enough for his liking or in quite the way he wants them to.
She's got a mind of her own and despite the attraction between them, she's got qualms about getting involved because she has her own ideas about what she wants for her future. On top of that, he struggles with their age difference , moments of intense jealousy, her confusion and uncertainty, his strong desire and possessiveness, as well as the depth of what he feels for her.
And, well, Marcy has a marvelous way of turning his world upside down just by being herself...
"This is getting to be a habit of yours," she said reprovingly, moving her mouth aside to escape him. "I don't know what's the matter with you." He groaned. "No, I know you don't. That's what's driving me insane." He looked down into her face searchingly. "Marcy, I'm in a painful dilemma. Help me." Puzzled alarm filled her face. "Of course," she said quickly. "What do you want me to do?" "I'm a man of thirty-two who's fallen madly in love with a child," he said softly, watching her. "You're so good at crusading, Marcy. Crusade for me. What am I going to do about it?" Her eyes grew very bright, her face flushing. "Randal, don't make jokes about things like that." "I'm not joking," he said. "I'm in deadly earnest. I fell in love with you at first sight. You dropped down on me like a ton of bricks from that tree, knocking all the breath out of me, and I've felt the impact ever since."
Eh, it's good for him. *grin*
And yes, this tale's a wee bit dated in some ways, but that's to be expected from a book that came out in 1979, right?
It's still a fun read and I'm still fond of it after all these years...["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
I don't know how to begin to review this book. When I got this book, I saw the back summary and wasn't interested too much and left on the table for a while. Then later I just opened page 28 and couldn't stop till the end. This book is going to be my shelf keeper. Like other reviewers, I didn't want it to be ended since it's about sweet romance b/w smitten H and witty h. Also, you can picture how the smitten hero is caring about heroine. You won't regret to have this on your bookshelf.
Vintage M&B with excellent writing and plot development. The attention to detail of the writer is comparable to reading a classic full length novel.
The description of London and Cornwall back then is extremely nostalgic and I wondered if life really was that mellow. A time when you could sit back in your garden, have tea with random strangers, play with children and hold audience for neighbours who wanted to vent.
Some excellent reviews out here on the plot so I won’t dwell on that. I felt the age gap between the h and H wasn’t horrendous. She was 18, he was 32. While she kept embarrassing him by calling him an old man or the Great Panjandrum, he was civil and kind. To me the h was too easy and each time she lets yet another man take a kiss out of her, the H is right there watching. And still he brushes the incident aside and goes back to admitting his undying love for her.
The h was sharp and quick witted. I couldn’t like her throughout the book and I hated her for allowing any and all men to feel her up (her lips precisely) to confirm and compare what she’d shared with the H.
I don’t exactly blame the h either since she barely knew the H for 3 days when she was put in a tight spot. But it was no excuse to literally kiss your way to your prince by kissing enough frogs. Who knows if there was any stopping for her after they’re married! Imo she’d continue on her kissing escapades to keep her comparisons alive with her husband’s kisses.
This was so stupid, why did I even read it? Unrealistic love at first sight, annoying heroine who let EVERYONE kiss her all the time, and a spoilt brat for a Hero. I have next to no words. This has solidified my reasoning that anyone other than Julie Miller writing a Harlequin book will never make me appreciate it (but am I still going to keep trying and hoping I find another good Harlequin author? You fucking bet. I'm a persistent little brat like that.) It was just so annoyingly unrealistic and over the top. I'm just.....done.