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Strangers into Lovers
"I am cured, of both the illness and you."
Randall's words rang in Gillian's head. Their love affair had ended abruptly. Randall West had been dying...and knowing this, Gillian hadn't been able to face him. So she had run away. Then four years later he walked through the door--alive and well! But it didn't matter, for their lives were on different courses now: Gillian engaged to Everett; Randall engaged to June. The only thing left between them was Randall's bitterness. Would the grudge he bore her for running out on him ever go away?'
Randall's words rang in Gillian's head. Their love affair had ended abruptly. Randall West had been dying...and knowing this, Gillian hadn't been able to face him. So she had run away. Then four years later he walked through the door--alive and well! But it didn't matter, for their lives were on different courses now: Gillian engaged to Everett; Randall engaged to June. The only thing left between them was Randall's bitterness. Would the grudge he bore her for running out on him ever go away?'
189 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1981
1 person is currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Peake
132 books68 followersLilian Margaret Peake was born on 25 May 1924 in London, England, UK. During the World War II, she moved to the countryside.
Her early ambition was to be a journalist, and she ended up working at various newspapers and magazines around England. She also married and started a family, and eventually she decided start to writing romance novels. She wrote over 65 romance novels for Mills & Boon from 1971 to 1996 as Lilian Peake.
Lilian passed away in 27 May 1997.
Her early ambition was to be a journalist, and she ended up working at various newspapers and magazines around England. She also married and started a family, and eventually she decided start to writing romance novels. She wrote over 65 romance novels for Mills & Boon from 1971 to 1996 as Lilian Peake.
Lilian passed away in 27 May 1997.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
January 1, 2018
Review of novel read years ago.
Everybody seems to hate this book but I remembered enjoying it a lot and crying my little adolescent heart out when I read it. 😢. I took it from an aunt who had a huge collection of vintage Harlequins and Mills & Boon. I must have been 12 or so when I first read this. I re-read it a couple times in my older teen years because it appealed to the weird teen part of me that had a fascination with doomed lovers or tragic romance. Or, maybe it was the fact that these lovers managed to overcome their 'doomed' tragedy and have a HEA ?
The MC's were in love with each when the h was around 17 or 18 and the H was in his mid '20's or so. Theirs was an original case of what today's romance readers call 'insta-love'. They were so in love that they spent all their free time together and frolicking outdoors in the wild moors countryside like Catherine and Heathcliff. But, unfortunately, the H Randall had a terminal disease and told the h Gillian that he did not have even a full year left to live. That made my young heart cry so much. Randall, however, had been stretching the truth a lot. He did have a terminal illness but was beginning a medical treatment program that was very new and revolutionary. He didn't tell Gillian as yet because he hadn't wanted to give her false hope in case the treatment failed.
Unbeknownst to him, Gillian discovered she was pregnant. Apparently wild spontaneous and unprotected sex in the outdoors can cause that to happen, because Randall's little swimmers were obviously not affected adversely by his illness. Gillian couldn't bear to tell him about the pregnancy because she thought, in her immature teenaged mind, that it would be the worst burden for him, especially when he would die before the love child's birth. Gillian's parents kicked her out of the house because that's what very conservative folks did in those days. Poor Randall felt betrayed because he thought she'd abandoned him in his time of need and didn't really love him.
Gillian got all sorts of minimum wage jobs and worked herself to the bone to care for her son Gary. Randall, meanwhile, got his medical treatment and lived to become a cold, disillusioned tycoon who only used women for sex. The part of the novel that irritates me a bit occurs when they meet again and Gillian keeps hiding his son's existence from him. She's engaged to marry her boss Everett because she thinks he will be a good provider for herself and her son. However she hasn't ever slept with Everett. Randall is engaged to a hard faced gold digging type of snobby bitch called June, who didn't even seem attractive in the way most OW are usually supposed to be.
In spite of their respective fiances, Randall and Gillian are still hot for each other and he keeps treating her in a cruel manner. He's eaten up with jealousy over her engagement to Everett but keeps throwing June in her face. I don't even think he's ever even had sex with June; he would probably need steel claws to get her iron panties off. All she's obsessed with is spending his money to furnish the mansion he bought.
Eventually, circumstances lead to the revelation of the child's existence. At first Randall thinks the boy was fathered by Everett but then dumbass Gillian lies and says she had a one night stand. His angst and jealousy spirals until he finally meets the kid and the boy calls him 'daddy'. Apparently Gillian had been showing photos of Randall to their son because she wanted him to love and know his 'dead' father.
After this revelation, Randall begins to warm up to Gillian and they both share all their secrets with each other.
This was a sad but lovely novel because these 2 MC's had to go through hell and back before they got their HEA with their adorable son. I think I did cry a bit during the scene where the boy met his dad for the first time. It was so poignantly beautiful to see the absolutely innocent love this little boy had for a father whom he had only seen through photos and known from the stories told by his mother.
Why 4 stars ? Because Randall had really loved Gillian when they were younger and had spent a lot of time looking for her after he got better. He had even been kicked out of her parents's home and insulted each time he went to beg them to tell him where she had moved to. He did behave like an ass when they met again but I didn't hold it against him because in his mind she had betrayed him, abandoned him and was now happily engaged to Everett. If Gillian hadn't acted like a dumbass by hiding her son's identity for so long, I could even have given this a full 5 stars. It was full of angst, hot young lovers who felt betrayed by the other and many misconceptions, secrets and much miscommunication.
The sentimental adolescent in me will always love this book.
Everybody seems to hate this book but I remembered enjoying it a lot and crying my little adolescent heart out when I read it. 😢. I took it from an aunt who had a huge collection of vintage Harlequins and Mills & Boon. I must have been 12 or so when I first read this. I re-read it a couple times in my older teen years because it appealed to the weird teen part of me that had a fascination with doomed lovers or tragic romance. Or, maybe it was the fact that these lovers managed to overcome their 'doomed' tragedy and have a HEA ?
The MC's were in love with each when the h was around 17 or 18 and the H was in his mid '20's or so. Theirs was an original case of what today's romance readers call 'insta-love'. They were so in love that they spent all their free time together and frolicking outdoors in the wild moors countryside like Catherine and Heathcliff. But, unfortunately, the H Randall had a terminal disease and told the h Gillian that he did not have even a full year left to live. That made my young heart cry so much. Randall, however, had been stretching the truth a lot. He did have a terminal illness but was beginning a medical treatment program that was very new and revolutionary. He didn't tell Gillian as yet because he hadn't wanted to give her false hope in case the treatment failed.
Unbeknownst to him, Gillian discovered she was pregnant. Apparently wild spontaneous and unprotected sex in the outdoors can cause that to happen, because Randall's little swimmers were obviously not affected adversely by his illness. Gillian couldn't bear to tell him about the pregnancy because she thought, in her immature teenaged mind, that it would be the worst burden for him, especially when he would die before the love child's birth. Gillian's parents kicked her out of the house because that's what very conservative folks did in those days. Poor Randall felt betrayed because he thought she'd abandoned him in his time of need and didn't really love him.
Gillian got all sorts of minimum wage jobs and worked herself to the bone to care for her son Gary. Randall, meanwhile, got his medical treatment and lived to become a cold, disillusioned tycoon who only used women for sex. The part of the novel that irritates me a bit occurs when they meet again and Gillian keeps hiding his son's existence from him. She's engaged to marry her boss Everett because she thinks he will be a good provider for herself and her son. However she hasn't ever slept with Everett. Randall is engaged to a hard faced gold digging type of snobby bitch called June, who didn't even seem attractive in the way most OW are usually supposed to be.
In spite of their respective fiances, Randall and Gillian are still hot for each other and he keeps treating her in a cruel manner. He's eaten up with jealousy over her engagement to Everett but keeps throwing June in her face. I don't even think he's ever even had sex with June; he would probably need steel claws to get her iron panties off. All she's obsessed with is spending his money to furnish the mansion he bought.
Eventually, circumstances lead to the revelation of the child's existence. At first Randall thinks the boy was fathered by Everett but then dumbass Gillian lies and says she had a one night stand. His angst and jealousy spirals until he finally meets the kid and the boy calls him 'daddy'. Apparently Gillian had been showing photos of Randall to their son because she wanted him to love and know his 'dead' father.
After this revelation, Randall begins to warm up to Gillian and they both share all their secrets with each other.
This was a sad but lovely novel because these 2 MC's had to go through hell and back before they got their HEA with their adorable son. I think I did cry a bit during the scene where the boy met his dad for the first time. It was so poignantly beautiful to see the absolutely innocent love this little boy had for a father whom he had only seen through photos and known from the stories told by his mother.
Why 4 stars ? Because Randall had really loved Gillian when they were younger and had spent a lot of time looking for her after he got better. He had even been kicked out of her parents's home and insulted each time he went to beg them to tell him where she had moved to. He did behave like an ass when they met again but I didn't hold it against him because in his mind she had betrayed him, abandoned him and was now happily engaged to Everett. If Gillian hadn't acted like a dumbass by hiding her son's identity for so long, I could even have given this a full 5 stars. It was full of angst, hot young lovers who felt betrayed by the other and many misconceptions, secrets and much miscommunication.
The sentimental adolescent in me will always love this book.
September 17, 2018
Sweet mother of Mary. This book was insane!
Randall and Gillian met when they were younger and fell instantly in love. He told her he had a medical condition that was killing him. She loved him and planned to spend the rest of his life with him. Then she ran away, leaving him alone and destroyed.
Four years later Gillian is now working at an antique shop and engaged to the owner, Everett. He brings a business acquaintance to the shop. To her utter shock, it’s a Randall. He buys the shop, becomes her boss and treats her like crap.
Randall is mad as hell at Gillian for running away from him. He believes that she thought she would catch his condition, so she ran. He went out of his way to verbally and physically abuse her every chance he got. He made it clear that she was still his to do with as he pleased. Even though she was engaged and so was he, he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off is Gillian.
Then there was the entire reason for her leaving. She learned she was pregnant. She didn’t want to add additional stress on Randall so she didn’t tell him. But her parents found out and kicked her out. She was eighteen. She was homeless, pregnant and had no money. She made it on her own though.
The one thing that frustrates me most about this book, and there were quite a few, was her refusal to tell Rand that her son was his. Her reasoning was completely irrational.
The man you love and the father of your child walks back into your life and you hide that child from him? Especially when you’ve constantly told your son about his father and showed him pictures of his father. You’d think she’d want him to know his son. I just didn’t understand the stupid lengths she went to to deny Randall his child.
The other frustrating thing for me was Rand’s treatment of Gillian. No matter how angry you were that she left, there is no excuse for the cruel and violent man handling of the h. The verbal abuse is bad enough, but pulling her hands behind her back and causing her pain, throwing her around like a rag doll, the constant grabbing and bruising was just too much.
It was a good book. It kept me glued to my book. But there were aspects of the story that I wanted to yell at the author for.
Randall and Gillian met when they were younger and fell instantly in love. He told her he had a medical condition that was killing him. She loved him and planned to spend the rest of his life with him. Then she ran away, leaving him alone and destroyed.
Four years later Gillian is now working at an antique shop and engaged to the owner, Everett. He brings a business acquaintance to the shop. To her utter shock, it’s a Randall. He buys the shop, becomes her boss and treats her like crap.
Randall is mad as hell at Gillian for running away from him. He believes that she thought she would catch his condition, so she ran. He went out of his way to verbally and physically abuse her every chance he got. He made it clear that she was still his to do with as he pleased. Even though she was engaged and so was he, he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off is Gillian.
Then there was the entire reason for her leaving. She learned she was pregnant. She didn’t want to add additional stress on Randall so she didn’t tell him. But her parents found out and kicked her out. She was eighteen. She was homeless, pregnant and had no money. She made it on her own though.
The one thing that frustrates me most about this book, and there were quite a few, was her refusal to tell Rand that her son was his. Her reasoning was completely irrational.
The man you love and the father of your child walks back into your life and you hide that child from him? Especially when you’ve constantly told your son about his father and showed him pictures of his father. You’d think she’d want him to know his son. I just didn’t understand the stupid lengths she went to to deny Randall his child.
The other frustrating thing for me was Rand’s treatment of Gillian. No matter how angry you were that she left, there is no excuse for the cruel and violent man handling of the h. The verbal abuse is bad enough, but pulling her hands behind her back and causing her pain, throwing her around like a rag doll, the constant grabbing and bruising was just too much.
It was a good book. It kept me glued to my book. But there were aspects of the story that I wanted to yell at the author for.
April 27, 2019
"Strangers into Lovers" is the story of Gillian and Rand.
An angsty second chance romance between our troubled lovebirds, the h and the H. 3 years ago, the H and h are insanely in love, when the H is diagnosed with a "terminal" disease. Utterly heartbroken, and not wanting to burden him more, the then h hides her pregnancy and runs away, and the H too does not tell her he's already getting treated.
Flash forward to now- the h is working in an antique shop and engaged to the owner Everett. Their business is crumbling, when a shockingly alive Randall enters her life, and seems hell bent on disrupting it. Even though he is engaged to June, he cannot stop kissing and manhandling the h. The h too, hides Gary, her young son's existence from him. But as their carnal desires ignite, can they both let go of their past and find happiness again?
A very old school romance with a hero who has sworn vengeance as the h abandoned him at his worst time- so makes her life a living hell in the book. From overworking her till utter exhaustion, to bruising kisses and hard sex- he does everything possible to get revenge from her. The heroine too is obstinate, and instead of confessing the truth decides to lie, deceive and run away at every chance. She is more concerned about hiding her son than being with him- though he crazily misses her? WTF
They are a hella dysfunctional couple, but weirdly perfect (ly insane) together.
Unsafe
3.5/5
An angsty second chance romance between our troubled lovebirds, the h and the H. 3 years ago, the H and h are insanely in love, when the H is diagnosed with a "terminal" disease. Utterly heartbroken, and not wanting to burden him more, the then h hides her pregnancy and runs away, and the H too does not tell her he's already getting treated.
Flash forward to now- the h is working in an antique shop and engaged to the owner Everett. Their business is crumbling, when a shockingly alive Randall enters her life, and seems hell bent on disrupting it. Even though he is engaged to June, he cannot stop kissing and manhandling the h. The h too, hides Gary, her young son's existence from him. But as their carnal desires ignite, can they both let go of their past and find happiness again?
A very old school romance with a hero who has sworn vengeance as the h abandoned him at his worst time- so makes her life a living hell in the book. From overworking her till utter exhaustion, to bruising kisses and hard sex- he does everything possible to get revenge from her. The heroine too is obstinate, and instead of confessing the truth decides to lie, deceive and run away at every chance. She is more concerned about hiding her son than being with him- though he crazily misses her? WTF
They are a hella dysfunctional couple, but weirdly perfect (ly insane) together.
Unsafe
3.5/5
March 15, 2022
The heroine is a first rate slut.
She abandons a dying lover. She abandons her child to foster care. She cheats on her fiancé with past lover. The dying hero miraculously resuscitated himself and came back after a few years. Anyway she cheats with the hero. What else is allowing him to feel her all over and kiss her and sleep in her bed called ?
The fiancé she has acquired meanwhile is a personality less sheep like creature who gives a room to stay to the hero and watches him make out with the heroine from time to time. He just says - yes dear/no dear, mildly and looks vaguely distressed while she is being a slut.
It seems heroine’s fiancé may take up with the hero’s fiancée. Yes hero too had acquired a fiancée. But that was just a red herring. The author lost interest mid way to developing this plot line.
The author developed many half plot lines which were left hanging loose.
Horrible book.
What kind of a human being is the heroine?
She plays with people. She uses them and then she abandons them.
The hero is very unheroic. No alpha successful male this one. He runs a shop. He stays in a room in someone’s house. He’s your average man. He’s employed in some multinational as a scientist.
Whatever. Very underwhelming.
Still I felt sorry for him for “ loving” the heroine.
It’s an empty book. A caricature of a romance.
Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.
So of course everyone is going to give glowing reviews to it. That’s how it goes I’ve seen. People’s idea of love. Can’t make it out.
Loyalty and sacrifice. I think they are the hallmarks of true love.
Anyway.
Sorry for disjointed review. Wrote more clear one and accidentally deleted it. 😬😬😬😬
She abandons a dying lover. She abandons her child to foster care. She cheats on her fiancé with past lover. The dying hero miraculously resuscitated himself and came back after a few years. Anyway she cheats with the hero. What else is allowing him to feel her all over and kiss her and sleep in her bed called ?
The fiancé she has acquired meanwhile is a personality less sheep like creature who gives a room to stay to the hero and watches him make out with the heroine from time to time. He just says - yes dear/no dear, mildly and looks vaguely distressed while she is being a slut.
It seems heroine’s fiancé may take up with the hero’s fiancée. Yes hero too had acquired a fiancée. But that was just a red herring. The author lost interest mid way to developing this plot line.
The author developed many half plot lines which were left hanging loose.
Horrible book.
What kind of a human being is the heroine?
She plays with people. She uses them and then she abandons them.
The hero is very unheroic. No alpha successful male this one. He runs a shop. He stays in a room in someone’s house. He’s your average man. He’s employed in some multinational as a scientist.
Whatever. Very underwhelming.
Still I felt sorry for him for “ loving” the heroine.
It’s an empty book. A caricature of a romance.
Horrible. Horrible. Horrible.
So of course everyone is going to give glowing reviews to it. That’s how it goes I’ve seen. People’s idea of love. Can’t make it out.
Loyalty and sacrifice. I think they are the hallmarks of true love.
Anyway.
Sorry for disjointed review. Wrote more clear one and accidentally deleted it. 😬😬😬😬
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2018
I enjoyed this one. I found the angst too much or maybe this being vintage time has made HP with softer Heroes. This was worth the read. I couldn't put it down.
April 2, 2021
Oh! Somebody please stop me from tearing my hair apart ! After reading this pathetic hogwash , I badly need a detox ...
The basic idea of the story is decent. Could have easily been turned into a poignant and lingering romance. But the author simply butchers the story with horrible character portrayals.
The leads are free spirited young lovers of the past. Passionately in love, been free with their sexual desires. Spending their nights on the moors under moonlight, that sort of thing ;)
Suddenly the fellow declares that he is dying, of some mysterious incurable disease. Our girl is a 19 year old nobody. And is pregnant with all that outdoor activity ;)))))) Instead of staying back and figuring out how bad the guy's condition is, she runs away. Without telling him about the kid.
Cut to 3-4 years later. Hero walks in to the antique store where she works. He is hale and healthy , thanks to some wonder drug !!!!!!!! And insanely wealthy too.
What do you expect a normal girl to do? Run up to him, thank your stars that he is fine. Declare undying love, and introduce the kid right away. HEA.
But that wouldn't fill more than 2 pages. Now this is what the author does to fill a 100 pages, with sordid nonsense.
Get in a wimpy OM and a bitchy OW. Allow all the 4 characters to freely flirt among themselves. Get the hero and heroine into bed a few times without passion or reason. Just for the heck of it. All while engaged to the OW/OM respectively. This mess fills about 50 pages.
Now for the next 50 pages. Get the kid to live with some absolute outsider. The heroine cant afford to keep the kid with herself you see. Now the poor kid hardly makes 1-2 customary appearances in the story, but otherwise has a critical role to play in the story. Every time the hero detects a hint about the existence of a kiddo, the heroine invents a new daddy and mummy for the kid. Some times its the OM's kid, otherwise its her own illegitimate kid with a stranger. All sorts of nonsense.
The hero, for his part thinks the girl ran away from him because his disease was contagious !!!>@!@?!@?>!>@ That's enough reason for him to keep yelling and taunting her on his reappearance.
There is absolutely not an iota of logic why the heroine conceals the kid from the hero. After all, the poor fellow never deserted her. He was supposed to be dying !!! How can he help that !?@?!
Anyway, at the end of 100 pages, the author decides she cant make sense of her own mess any more. So she simply calls off all the drama. And swiftly declares a HEA.
Authors, please spare a thought for us poor readers. Its not fair you know, subjecting unsuspecting poor readers to such a torture fest !!
The basic idea of the story is decent. Could have easily been turned into a poignant and lingering romance. But the author simply butchers the story with horrible character portrayals.
The leads are free spirited young lovers of the past. Passionately in love, been free with their sexual desires. Spending their nights on the moors under moonlight, that sort of thing ;)
Suddenly the fellow declares that he is dying, of some mysterious incurable disease. Our girl is a 19 year old nobody. And is pregnant with all that outdoor activity ;)))))) Instead of staying back and figuring out how bad the guy's condition is, she runs away. Without telling him about the kid.
Cut to 3-4 years later. Hero walks in to the antique store where she works. He is hale and healthy , thanks to some wonder drug !!!!!!!! And insanely wealthy too.
What do you expect a normal girl to do? Run up to him, thank your stars that he is fine. Declare undying love, and introduce the kid right away. HEA.
But that wouldn't fill more than 2 pages. Now this is what the author does to fill a 100 pages, with sordid nonsense.
Get in a wimpy OM and a bitchy OW. Allow all the 4 characters to freely flirt among themselves. Get the hero and heroine into bed a few times without passion or reason. Just for the heck of it. All while engaged to the OW/OM respectively. This mess fills about 50 pages.
Now for the next 50 pages. Get the kid to live with some absolute outsider. The heroine cant afford to keep the kid with herself you see. Now the poor kid hardly makes 1-2 customary appearances in the story, but otherwise has a critical role to play in the story. Every time the hero detects a hint about the existence of a kiddo, the heroine invents a new daddy and mummy for the kid. Some times its the OM's kid, otherwise its her own illegitimate kid with a stranger. All sorts of nonsense.
The hero, for his part thinks the girl ran away from him because his disease was contagious !!!>@!@?!@?>!>@ That's enough reason for him to keep yelling and taunting her on his reappearance.
There is absolutely not an iota of logic why the heroine conceals the kid from the hero. After all, the poor fellow never deserted her. He was supposed to be dying !!! How can he help that !?@?!
Anyway, at the end of 100 pages, the author decides she cant make sense of her own mess any more. So she simply calls off all the drama. And swiftly declares a HEA.
Authors, please spare a thought for us poor readers. Its not fair you know, subjecting unsuspecting poor readers to such a torture fest !!
December 16, 2016
the basic plot had great potential but the main characters spoiled it for me. to top dat, the reason Gillian left Randall all those years ago was null and void ! it made no sense. so she left her dying lover bcoz she discovered she was pregnant !? where was the logic in it!? i also had to skip pages to finish the book. all this bla bla about Everett or June bored me. the story did not grab me.
May 13, 2024
Written in 1981, it’s a typical romance for the time. Lots of angst and drama to cover the existing and long lasting love for each other. Fighting their feelings as both are engaged to other people hoping to find happiness with another thinking their love is not reciprocated.
As the story moves along a secret baby to add a spanner and create even more drama and haste.
But in the end all is explained and smoothed out as the couple gets their HEA.
While I could appreciate the reasons for the angst, drama and anger, it got a lot to swallow the amount of insults and vitriol spewed by the main male character was getting very old as the book progressed and made it hard to believe the loving feelings he declared to the main female character.
As the story moves along a secret baby to add a spanner and create even more drama and haste.
But in the end all is explained and smoothed out as the couple gets their HEA.
While I could appreciate the reasons for the angst, drama and anger, it got a lot to swallow the amount of insults and vitriol spewed by the main male character was getting very old as the book progressed and made it hard to believe the loving feelings he declared to the main female character.
August 30, 2021
I can't forgive the h for having zero brains, for compromising her child's mental health for a useless job that she didn't even need if she had just married the OM. Who the fuck fosters a newborn child then moves halfway across the country if you loved the father so damn much? And the foster mother clearly gave equal damns cause the minute she got a man she wanted to dump the child back.
The author literally describes every scene with the 3 year old child crying, begging and miserable for his mom and she just keeps telling him things will get better soon. There's a passage with the H being stand-offish to the h, and she acknowledges what her son is going through and still waiting for idk what: (Gary is the h and H's child)
" 'Stay with me,' she heard herself crying, and there was a ringing, childlike voice in her ears, 'don't ever go away!' There was a muttered curse, a brutal hand reaching behind and tearing her arms from him. And she knew what it was like to be Gary."
She's also a masochist and alternatively tells the hero she hates him then she loves him. Here's a jewel:
" When—when you marry June,' she strained to see his face but failed, 'if—if you want me as your mistress, darling, I'll—I'll come to you.' "
One last gem, this time by the H, five seconds after he told her he had maaaaaany women while they were apart, and he was brutal to them all cause he imagined they were all her: De facto wife?!
" On Tuesday we'll be married.' 'But you haven't even asked me!' 'I'm not asking, I'm making you my wife legally. De facto, you've been that for more than four years. Do I make myself clear? "
Towards the end she runs away from the H for the zillionth time and sleeps overnight in a car with her little child. Talk about carbon monoxide poisoning/instant death.
PS: I think the OM had impotence or sth.
All this would have been solved if they bloody well communicated in the first place. The H was a creep forever leering at the h in front of her fiancé. Both the main leads are creeps actually for their full on infidelity while engaged to other people.
Another thing, how on EARTH did the H get partial idiocy and never figured out the child was actually his despite seeing his picture so many times?!
Will never read again.
The author literally describes every scene with the 3 year old child crying, begging and miserable for his mom and she just keeps telling him things will get better soon. There's a passage with the H being stand-offish to the h, and she acknowledges what her son is going through and still waiting for idk what: (Gary is the h and H's child)
" 'Stay with me,' she heard herself crying, and there was a ringing, childlike voice in her ears, 'don't ever go away!' There was a muttered curse, a brutal hand reaching behind and tearing her arms from him. And she knew what it was like to be Gary."
She's also a masochist and alternatively tells the hero she hates him then she loves him. Here's a jewel:
" When—when you marry June,' she strained to see his face but failed, 'if—if you want me as your mistress, darling, I'll—I'll come to you.' "
One last gem, this time by the H, five seconds after he told her he had maaaaaany women while they were apart, and he was brutal to them all cause he imagined they were all her: De facto wife?!
" On Tuesday we'll be married.' 'But you haven't even asked me!' 'I'm not asking, I'm making you my wife legally. De facto, you've been that for more than four years. Do I make myself clear? "
Towards the end she runs away from the H for the zillionth time and sleeps overnight in a car with her little child. Talk about carbon monoxide poisoning/instant death.
PS: I think the OM had impotence or sth.
All this would have been solved if they bloody well communicated in the first place. The H was a creep forever leering at the h in front of her fiancé. Both the main leads are creeps actually for their full on infidelity while engaged to other people.
Another thing, how on EARTH did the H get partial idiocy and never figured out the child was actually his despite seeing his picture so many times?!
Will never read again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2019
Dead boring. Very childish and senseless heroine. Nothing she did was justified.
May 9, 2018
I read this book years ago and it has always remained with me. I read it again recently and it is the same - just beautiful. I hurt for both of them when they were separated. (Won't spoil it) and again when he finds her by accident. This is a really lovely heartfelt love story.
April 1, 2018
it's ok. fade to back love scenes
Want to read
November 25, 2020I read this book a long time ago. I remember I had liked it but not sure why? Would like to read it again.
September 16, 2011
Urgh, another forceful "hero" and a timid heroine. Wouldn't have minded that so much if said "hero" hadn't so fiercely forced himself onto the heroine, even if it was eventually consensual. And it was so stupid how she kept evading his question about whose son Gary was.
June 23, 2015
Did nor really like it.
May 22, 2016
This might have been the first romance novel I ever read. I have yet to forget it, even though I've since learned that the formula is extremely repetitive with Harlequin books.
April 19, 2019
"I am cured, of both the illness and you."
Randall's words rang in Gillian's head. Their love affair had ended abruptly. Randall West had been dying...and knowing this, Gillian hadn't been able to face him. So she had run away.
Then four years later he walked through the door--alive and well! But it didn't matter, for their lives were on different courses now: Gillian engaged to Everett; Randall engaged to June.
The only thing left between them was Randall's bitterness. Would the grudge he bore her for running out on him ever go away? (less)
Randall's words rang in Gillian's head. Their love affair had ended abruptly. Randall West had been dying...and knowing this, Gillian hadn't been able to face him. So she had run away.
Then four years later he walked through the door--alive and well! But it didn't matter, for their lives were on different courses now: Gillian engaged to Everett; Randall engaged to June.
The only thing left between them was Randall's bitterness. Would the grudge he bore her for running out on him ever go away? (less)
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