The Young Intruder

by Eleanor Farnes

Alison Vale was a welcome addition to the home of her guardian, Peter Malliner - welcome to Peter himself and to his brother Douglas who was slowly recovering from an air crash, even, after a time to fussy and fluttery Cousin Priscilla. But to Lydia Peyton, Alison was far from welcome. Lydia intended to become Peter's wife, and she planned to get rid of this obstacle. But she had not bargained for Alison possessing considerable good sense as well as sweetness..

Genres: Harlequin Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 1953

About the author

Eleanor Farnes is a British writer, who wrote over 60 romance novels at Mills & Boon from 1935 to 1979. Eleanor Farnes lived in England, but her family had a home in Spain, where she also spend part of each year. She also traveled widely in Europe, South Africa, and North America. She started to write after marrying and having 2 children. Her hobbies included the restoring of old houses and traveling, that had brought the charm and beauty of exotic locales to her novels, like Spain, Italy or Switzerland, that she knew personally. She also wrote doctor/nurse romances.

Reviews

[Naksed · Rating 3 out of 5]

The OW was a mean, lying witch and the hero was dumb and spineless. These two deserved each other. Instead we get the oh-so-swoon-worthy love scene where the heroine asks if he loves her, and he smugly replies:"I suppose that's what it comes to." Oooooooooooh, be still my heart.

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

THis was pretty good. The h is a bit too perfect, but the logical, decent way she addressed situations, and her relative lack of breathlessness, saved her from full Mary Sue status. She was clearly in love with the H, who was a nice guy but basically pretty much encased in a block of ice before he met the h, and there is a steep learning curve before he gets to the point where he realizes what is at stake. The OW is blatantly scheming, but the H is simply too unused to the nuances of human behavior to recognize what is going on.

The h has one really great moment, though when the H gets pre-engaged to the OW, the h settles all the problems in the household, find another job, covers her tracks, and leaves. Boom. The H doesn't know what hit him and that's when he starts to wake up and realize he's been played, and that he loves the h.

I've dated a half human/half cyborg before, and in my experience, they remain profound disappointments even after they fall in love, but this is not the real world, so maybe he'll continue to evolve.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars ~ When Peter had been a very young man, he was very sober and rather inhibited due to his Quaker upbringing. His family was wealthy and he'd joined his father in business, starting at the bottom of course. After a number of years of very hard work, he'd earned himself some vacation time and so he decided to visit Italy, and there he met a vivacious couple, Edward and Laura Vale. They took an instant liking to Peter and taught him how to appreciate life and the arts, and an affectionate friendship was born. Peter treasured the holidays spent with the Vales, and after Edward's death, Peter often regretted that Laura had pulled back from society. In the post, much to Peter's surprise, comes a letter from Laura. It's with sadness he learns that by his receipt of the letter it means that she has died. Laura expresses her wish that Peter keep an eye on her daughter Alison, for now alone in the world, Laura worries what will become of her. Taking her death wish to heart, Peter flies to Lisbon to bring Alison to his London home. Alison only remember Peter as a very handsome and rather large young man, but she completely trusts him because her mother had done. When she arrives at his London home she's introduced to Peter's younger brother, Douglas who is recovering from a horrendous auto accident. Alison's youthful charm breathes life into Peter's Mayberry home, inspiring Douglas to work harder at his rehabilitation and Peter to remember simple enjoyment But one person dislikes Alison on sight, and that's the beautiful and aloof Lydia who has her mind on snaring Peter for a husband. Lydia instantly recognizes the danger Alison is to her plans and sets out to undermine her and cast her as a child playing grownup.

What a wonderful love story. At times I wanted to shake Peter for believing the innuendoes coming out of Lydia's catty mouth. I applauded Alison for immediately recognizing her enemy and standing up to her. Sadly when Alison realizes she's fallen in love with Peter, she steps back thinking Peter loves Lydia and intends to marry her. This was a quick read with characters that were easy to become invested in. I so enjoyed Lydia's downfall. I'll be reading this one again!

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an okish story. I found the heroine Alison a courageous girl having lost both her parents she doesn't sympathize with herself but tries to love on. Peter who happens to be an old friend of her parents takes up her responsibility and brings her to London from Lisbon and sets her up in his house shared by his younger brother who is recovering from an accident and a far off cousin Prisilla who acts as a housekeeper.
Alison spends more time with wheelchair bound Douglas than Peter but very early realizes she has fallen for Peter.
There is the other women Lydia who is present throughout the story and has a strong hold on Peter and everyone thinks they love each other and will eventually marry, whereas Peter thinks Alison and Douglas are in love with one another as they are always together.
Finally the confusion clears and Peter confesses his feelings to Alison who responds to it.
I found the story to be a bit drag and the OW presence was a bit too much.A one time read.

[Last Chance Saloon · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was one of Eleanor Farnes’s really awful books. Heroine (19) is ok, but somehow falls for the dry stick hero (30s) who is SO DULL and easily manipulated by the OW. He even gets engaged against his wishes, and lets her get away with it - and at the end when the heroine tells him how he has been manipulated - says he will need to check with the OW! He even feels sorry for the OW when she says he will not release her! Then there is the smugness because he likes culture and hanging with those who talented, and taking holidays with friends to visit places he has already seen… what a bore!! There was zero chemistry between them. He was just as cold as the OW.
Heroine deserved better.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet romance. The heroine’s mother passes away and consigns her to the care of the hero. He is an upstanding fellow who had a Quaker upbringing and goes to Lisbon to bring her back to his home. His brother is recovering from a bad injury and is learning to walk again. The heroine helps him. The OW is a piece of work who has the hero believing that the heroine and his brother are in love. I felt the ending was a little rushed and would have preferred some of the revelations concerning the machinations of the OW to have been said by the brother, not the heroine. All in all a nice, old-fashioned romance.

[Rongbu]

Enjoyable. The younger brother seemed a bit cold when he learnt the h who helped him to recovery has left without a forward address. The response of H made me believe he really loved the h.