Ever After

by Phyllis A. Whitney

With a portfolio of drawings under her arm and a red feather in her hat, Marel Gordon came to the city, determined to establish herself as an illustrator of children's books. Hard work landed her a job with an exciting literary agency. The job was not all glamour, but to Marel success seemed very close.Then, when a young writer, Chris Mallory, came to play an increasingly large part in her life, she found that she wanted more than a career. Despite warnings that two people could not successfully manage both their jobs and a home, Marel and Chris were married. They were young and they planned carefully. They shared the dish washing as well as each other's successes, but there was more to share and to give up than they had counted on...

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Mystery, Gothic Romance

240 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1948

About the author

Phyllis Ayame Whitney (1903 – 2008) was an American mystery writer. Rare for her genre, she wrote mysteries for both the juvenile and the adult markets, many of which feature exotic locations. A review in The New York Times once dubbed her "The Queen of the American Gothics".

She was born in Japan to American parents and spent her early years in Asia. Whitney wrote more than seventy novels. In 1961, her book The Mystery of the Haunted Pool won an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Juvenile novel, and she duplicated the honor in 1964, for The Mystery of the Hidden Hand. In 1988, the MWA gave her a Grand Master Award for lifetime achievement. Whitney died of pneumonia on February 8, 2008, aged 104.

Reviews

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marel is in New York, dreaming of becoming an artist. Chris is in New York, working as a writer. It's kind of a dated story about a young couple trying to navigate the early days of married life. I thought Marel was a bit too starry eyed, and it seemed like Chris had a secret or two, but these two were a sweet couple, and you hope things work out for them.

[Jennifer Fluegge · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book--a sweet tale of a young couple who fall in love and get married (rather quickly). It tells of their adjustment to married life and their overcoming the petty misunderstandings that arise to find a true happiness.

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to read this romance, putting it in the context of the year it was written (1948). The main premise is that Marel wants to have a career as an illustrator. But when she meets and falls in love with Chris, they both struggle with what it would be like for her to be both a wife/homemaker and work outside the home. To her husband's credit, he's willing to make it happen, sharing the housework and cooking duties. But both of them get a lot of criticism from outsiders who don't believe it can work. And the bottom line turned out to be that Marel needed to step back from her career (at least for a while) in order for them to reach their HEA. I liked both characters and was impressed with their willingness to talk and try to work things out. However, they got bogged down from time to time and didn't spend enough time listening to the other. Pretty typical early-marriage stuff, and I liked its realism and practicality, considering the time period.

[Julie Fletcher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throwback to 1948...women starting to want careers as well as homes. Very sweetly written.