No Love Lost

by Helen Van Slyke

Three remarkable women seek identity and happiness in a family drama that moves from the turbulence of the Great Depression to the liberations of the 1970s

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Historical Fiction

416 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[wrkatreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

This very long book had everything I like. But it also had the one thing I detest…no resolved ending. There were two main characters that I liked the mother of the MFC and the second husband of the MFC.

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I debated rounding it up to 4 but I LOATHE open endings so at a 3 it will stay.

I did enjoy this one alot. Geoff was an asshole and I'm glad Lindsey finally saw the light even if it was a tad to late. Lindsey I had mixed feelings about she was selfish but I really loved how devoted she was to her second husband even though she was the cause of his unhappiness. Adele is just an awful person. I have never read a book where the OW was so fricken frigid and cold and somehow still stole the guy. It baffled me. Reg, poor Reg I really hope he finds his happiness.

* this very much NOT a safe read

[Love love · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was pretty disapointed in this book. While it was fun to read in the begining(kind of a mix between historical and comt. starts in the '30's and ends in the '70's)it quickly whent down hill. There seemed to be no likeable characters except for Lindsy's (the h) mother and grandmother. Lindsey's father was a serial cheater and her mother new about all of the other women. Her father would tell her mother that it made him a better husband. She put up with this for 30 years but did finally leave him. Adele is Lindsey's best friend from childhood and a year younger. It about made me sick when she married Lindsey's father. Geoff is Lindsey's first husband, he cheats with Adele after Lindsey's father dies. Geoff tells Lindsey that he would understand if she cheated to get her revenge and she does.They finally divorce and Geoff marries Adele and Linsey marries Reg who is a driver(not in their social class and a major drinker) but he treats her nicely.Lindsey doesnt discover that she loves her husband until the very end of the book. When an accident happend and she reached out to Geoff, Reg saw this and told her he was leaving her, that he could never be Geoff. Faced with being withoug Reg she suddenly realizes that she loves him.I really didn't like this book, I guess that I only like a cheating book if the H/h have their HEA together in the end. I really never got the feeling that there was an H in this story and if Geoff was supose to be the H , he didn't get his HEA.

[Penny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This kept me up all night, and I loved every right that was wrong and everything wrong that was right.

It took years of heartache for Lindsey to figure it out, but finally, she finds what she has searched her whole life for - real love.

This was a ride on hot mess Express, and I loved every bump and turn.

[Isabel Luna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Recuerdo el libro aunq no demasiado bien. Es una saga familiar de varias mujeres. Creo que empieza con la abuela, pero no recuerdo bien el contexto de su historia; sí recuerdo el de la hija, que se casa con un hombre de raza negra, y primero vemos la evolución de la relación de esta pareja enfrentada a las circunstancias adversas, la principal de las cuales resulta ser el racismo; y luego viene la historia de la hija que enfrenta la vida como hija de una pareja interracial - q tampoco la tiene todas consigo -y como afecta incluso su vida personal.
En su momento me gustó mucho, porque es muy realista aunq no resulta cruda, a pesar del tema q trata. No es Raíces de Arthur Hailey, pero cumple un fino propósito.

[E. Jamie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm not even sure how to rate this as I have never enjoyed reading a book I hated more! Lol! This book had everything I loved. Soapy melodrama, family secrets etc but I absolutely hated the heroine Lindsay with the passion of a thousand suns and wanted Adele (or Geoff, I'm not picky) to drop kick her out a fking window! She was selfish, unsympathetic and cold and I just absolutely hated her!

[Femi Deji]

I got a copy of the book from a friend about thirty-two years ago. I must confess, it has remained one of the most interesting books I've read in my life.
I love every single line of the book. I'd certainly love to read it again and to give to my children to read.
No book compares with it! So so sweet!
Kudos to Helen.

[Bamboozlepig · Rating 1 out of 5]

This one was a dud for me. Normally I love family sagas and I've read some of Van Slyke's other novels, but this one fell flat. I didn't like Lindsey, I didn't like her parents, I didn't like Geoff, I didn't like Adele. The only good character was the grandmother. The plot was on the thin side and made up of too many coincidences.

[Siphiwokuhle · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars!

Unearthed this bad-boy from some random box of nonsense stashed out in Africa when I went home 7 years ago. It was the ONLY source of entertainment I had. The characters were complex and sympathetic and often hideous. It was a deeply entertaining read. Think, old soap opera.

[Gaylon Holder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read several of her books.....many years ago. All were such great reading. Sadly Ms. Van Slyke died a few months after this books was released.

[LisaZAnderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helen Van Slyk was one of my mother’s favorite authors. I chose this book to read this summer in honor of my mom.

[Alita · Rating 1 out of 5]

I haven't read a family saga type book in years, and I'm glad this was from the free cart at the Timberland Regional Library. The pages turned, yes, but what insufferable writing and ridiculous characters... And unless your name is Margaret Mitchell or Kathleen Windsor, you'd best avoid that type of ending. I don't remember disliking Susan Howatch, so I am tempted to go re-read some of her stuff just to see if all such novels are this dreadful.

[Kerry Goerl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story was very engaging. It was one of those that kept me wanting to not put it down and see what happens next. It did not disappoint. Also, I could not predict what would happen next, which is a plus. This is a book which I have read in the past, but did not remember most of the details or how it ended. I am definitely keeping this to read again in the far future......

I have read this story again. And all of the above review is still true. I loved it.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

A family saga set in NY.

[Suze · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO LOVE LOST

Very good book, I enjoyed it the first time I read it and loved rereading it 30 years later. It spans 1930-1970's and describes that timeframe in a very accurate way.

[Julie]

depressingly boring

[nremixxx · Rating 5 out of 5]

My all time favourite book. You won’t want to put it down!!

[Diane Wachter · Rating 3 out of 5]

PB-B @1983, 12/83. Romance.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting.

[Denise Vermillion]

Very good! It was the last book she wrote before she died in 1979 before her 60th birthday! She sent the manuscript in right before she had to go into the hospital for a surgery. Worth the read.

[Janita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book. Part of you dislikes Lindsay Thresher, but as you keep reading and getting to know her character you find yourself rooting for her throughout the book......It really is a superb book where again in true Helen Van Slyke fashion, you really get to know the characters.....i have re-read this one as well and have passed it to others who have enjoyed it tremendously........