What do you think?
Rate this book
Where Seagulls Cry
"I'll be perfectly frank with you, Kim." Ursula said with calm deliberation. "Why don't you give up? Go back where you came from and leave Adam alone. Can't you see he desperately wants his freedom?"
Kim stared at Ursula in stunned silence, then felt anger rising. Ursula wanted her to go, for that would leave the field clear for her.
Well, Kim decided, if Adam wants his freedom, he can say so. She wasn't going to run off like a scared rabbit!
Kim stared at Ursula in stunned silence, then felt anger rising. Ursula wanted her to go, for that would leave the field clear for her.
Well, Kim decided, if Adam wants his freedom, he can say so. She wasn't going to run off like a scared rabbit!
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
About the author
Yvonne Whittal
56 books82 followersYvonne Whittal was born and raised in South Africa, the setting of most of her romances. She started writing stories at a young age, but didn't really get serious about writing until after she married and had children. She got many rejection letters from publishers, until a friend who loved romances gave her to encouragement to continue.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
May 25, 2026
At long last l found a book l can rate 5 brilliant stars 🥳
Twenty-two year old Kim was from a small fishing village, Heron's Bay. After her aunt's death (her last relative) there was nothing else she could do other than sell the cottage and move to the city.
One day Kim was standing on a cliff overlooking the sea. It was an isolated place except for the cottage on the crest of the hill. Someone bought it several months ago and no one knew much about the owner, and the village inhabitants were filled with curiosity.
She saw a man stumbling towards the edge of the cliff. Alarmed she ran and stopped him in his tracks. She chastised him as she thought that he was going to commit suicide. But no! He was blind!
His name was Dr Adam Granger (35) and was a scientist. He was impressed by Kim's brutal frankness.
He said he moved to the cottage a couple of weeks ago with his servant. He'd lost his sight in a laboratory accident a month ago.
He asked her to visit him again, and she did, many times.
Adam told Kim that she was an extraordinary person with a refreshing attitude and that he found her intriguing, that he liked her. He also liked the fact that she did not pity him, or smother him with sympathy.
They spent time together. She would cook and they would eat together, she read to him, they would talk about things and go for walks. Kim was a great motivator.
He asked her what she looked like and she said that she was very ordinary. He said that someone with her character couldn't be anything but beautiful.
"Adam, l am not beautiful. I wouldn't like you to be under a misapprehension."
He told her that life had become bearable since he met her.
Adam had come to rely upon her and he did not hide the fact that he looked forward to her daily visits, but she was to leave the village in a few weeks time.
One day he told her that he would miss her when she was gone.
He asked her to marry him and remain there with him. A marriage of convenience.
If at any time she should want her freedom to marry someone else, he said, then he would give it to her. He told her that she was the only person he could bear to have around at the moment. That her voice was pleasant and her laughter reminded him of water rippling down a stream. "You are essentially a giving person, Kim. Marry me, l need you."
Kim contemplated all night. She loved him! He needed her, he said. Was it only because of his blindness? If he regained his sight, would he still need her, or would he discard her like some object which had served its purpose?
The next day she told him that she would marry him. He kissed her and told her "Thank you Kim! I shan't let you regret this decision of yours." Page 41 of 187.
I found the rest of the story compelling! I loved the Hero and heroine, and l cried! Oh, how l cried!
I love this book! It managed to engage my emotions to the fullest!
1977 publication
Twenty-two year old Kim was from a small fishing village, Heron's Bay. After her aunt's death (her last relative) there was nothing else she could do other than sell the cottage and move to the city.
One day Kim was standing on a cliff overlooking the sea. It was an isolated place except for the cottage on the crest of the hill. Someone bought it several months ago and no one knew much about the owner, and the village inhabitants were filled with curiosity.
She saw a man stumbling towards the edge of the cliff. Alarmed she ran and stopped him in his tracks. She chastised him as she thought that he was going to commit suicide. But no! He was blind!
His name was Dr Adam Granger (35) and was a scientist. He was impressed by Kim's brutal frankness.
He said he moved to the cottage a couple of weeks ago with his servant. He'd lost his sight in a laboratory accident a month ago.
He asked her to visit him again, and she did, many times.
Adam told Kim that she was an extraordinary person with a refreshing attitude and that he found her intriguing, that he liked her. He also liked the fact that she did not pity him, or smother him with sympathy.
They spent time together. She would cook and they would eat together, she read to him, they would talk about things and go for walks. Kim was a great motivator.
He asked her what she looked like and she said that she was very ordinary. He said that someone with her character couldn't be anything but beautiful.
"Adam, l am not beautiful. I wouldn't like you to be under a misapprehension."
He told her that life had become bearable since he met her.
Adam had come to rely upon her and he did not hide the fact that he looked forward to her daily visits, but she was to leave the village in a few weeks time.
One day he told her that he would miss her when she was gone.
He asked her to marry him and remain there with him. A marriage of convenience.
If at any time she should want her freedom to marry someone else, he said, then he would give it to her. He told her that she was the only person he could bear to have around at the moment. That her voice was pleasant and her laughter reminded him of water rippling down a stream. "You are essentially a giving person, Kim. Marry me, l need you."
Kim contemplated all night. She loved him! He needed her, he said. Was it only because of his blindness? If he regained his sight, would he still need her, or would he discard her like some object which had served its purpose?
The next day she told him that she would marry him. He kissed her and told her "Thank you Kim! I shan't let you regret this decision of yours." Page 41 of 187.
I found the rest of the story compelling! I loved the Hero and heroine, and l cried! Oh, how l cried!
I love this book! It managed to engage my emotions to the fullest!
1977 publication
January 12, 2017
Ppractical and nice h fights off witchy OW for her blinded H husband and does it with dignity, style and class.
The only thing missing from this book is a great cat like Marmalade with OW buttkicking skillz, tho the h doesn't really need them. Really like this one and a favorite reread.
The only thing missing from this book is a great cat like Marmalade with OW buttkicking skillz, tho the h doesn't really need them. Really like this one and a favorite reread.
November 10, 2021
This is a book I recommend.
In the beginning it was very similar to another book of the same author, The House of Mirrors, but after it was different and better as regards the hero.
We have a hero who is wounded after an accident in his lab (he's a scientist) and is blind, and he decides to leave Cape Town and to go to his cottage near the sea, where he meets the heroine, a young and feisty thing, who lives nearby.
The heroine doesn't treat him as an invalid and after some time he asks her to marry him, only as a convenience, so she can take care of him until he or she decides otherwise.
The heroine accepts, because she cares for him.
She will be able to persuade him to go back to his job, and there he will work with his PA, a beautiful and clever woman he had somewhat of an affair before the accident.
This woman is a real bitch and wants him back of course, and the heroine is very annoyed because they are always together.
Meanwhile, their marriage has become real, but the hero doesn't want to talk about love, and freezes her out when she tells him she loves him.
Then suddenly the hero becomes colder and closed, and the heroine is afraid that he might be in love with ow.
But don't worry, he's not.
The end was really emotional.
This heroine deserved five stars. She is young and innocent, but she is strong and stands for herself. She doesn't listen to ow's lies and doesn't leaves even when ow tells her the hero wants to have a divorce.
She is really a darling, and I loved that the hero fell in love with her and reassured her each time she had doubts.
There were reasons for him being cold and worried, that were not related with ow.
OW was obviously nasty, always telling the heroine that if the hero wasn't blind he would have never looked at her twice, because he loved beautiful women (that is to say she's no beauty), and when he had surgery to have his sight back she was afraid that he didn't like her when he firts saw her.
But the hero was wonderful. The things he told her when he first saw her made me cry.
Oh, a lil old style, where the heroine is the perfect housewife, always cooking and cleaning and this is a good thing for the hero. No working lady here.
What an emotional sweet love story. Unexpected.
In the beginning it was very similar to another book of the same author, The House of Mirrors, but after it was different and better as regards the hero.
We have a hero who is wounded after an accident in his lab (he's a scientist) and is blind, and he decides to leave Cape Town and to go to his cottage near the sea, where he meets the heroine, a young and feisty thing, who lives nearby.
The heroine doesn't treat him as an invalid and after some time he asks her to marry him, only as a convenience, so she can take care of him until he or she decides otherwise.
The heroine accepts, because she cares for him.
She will be able to persuade him to go back to his job, and there he will work with his PA, a beautiful and clever woman he had somewhat of an affair before the accident.
This woman is a real bitch and wants him back of course, and the heroine is very annoyed because they are always together.
Meanwhile, their marriage has become real, but the hero doesn't want to talk about love, and freezes her out when she tells him she loves him.
Then suddenly the hero becomes colder and closed, and the heroine is afraid that he might be in love with ow.
But don't worry, he's not.
The end was really emotional.
This heroine deserved five stars. She is young and innocent, but she is strong and stands for herself. She doesn't listen to ow's lies and doesn't leaves even when ow tells her the hero wants to have a divorce.
She is really a darling, and I loved that the hero fell in love with her and reassured her each time she had doubts.
There were reasons for him being cold and worried, that were not related with ow.
OW was obviously nasty, always telling the heroine that if the hero wasn't blind he would have never looked at her twice, because he loved beautiful women (that is to say she's no beauty), and when he had surgery to have his sight back she was afraid that he didn't like her when he firts saw her.
But the hero was wonderful. The things he told her when he first saw her made me cry.
Oh, a lil old style, where the heroine is the perfect housewife, always cooking and cleaning and this is a good thing for the hero. No working lady here.
What an emotional sweet love story. Unexpected.
May 20, 2018
Such a nice story with a great heroine. It's sort of a dialed-down House of Mirrors in that the heroine comes to the disabled hero's aid (in this case hero has been blinded at work*) and they end up in a marriage of convenience that quickly turns into a real marriage.
In this story, the H/h are remarkably suitable and have a lovely time together at their beach side cottage. They're together for six months and then the hero is needed at work and his former flame (OW) is lined up to be his assistant. So they move to the city where the heroine decides to fight for her man by ordering the double bed, getting her hair done, buying new perfume, and speaking up about the OW. Hero tries to reassure the heroine, but he's not very good at it. Especially when he's caught up in work and other worries.
OW thinks she's winning the war, but hero's real motivation behind all of his surliness is to work up the courage for an invasive surgery that might cause brain-damage. He wants to see his wife, damnit!
It's all very sweet as our poor heroine tries not to wallow in the angst and the hero keeps showing how he feels even though the OW is always underfoot.
Heroine wins in the end and the hero's words to her ring true - as he has been clearly connected to her from the beginning.
*Hello, lawsuit! Why is this lab still open? And who would want to work there? Even the OW should have some sense of self-preservation.
In this story, the H/h are remarkably suitable and have a lovely time together at their beach side cottage. They're together for six months and then the hero is needed at work and his former flame (OW) is lined up to be his assistant. So they move to the city where the heroine decides to fight for her man by ordering the double bed, getting her hair done, buying new perfume, and speaking up about the OW. Hero tries to reassure the heroine, but he's not very good at it. Especially when he's caught up in work and other worries.
OW thinks she's winning the war, but hero's real motivation behind all of his surliness is to work up the courage for an invasive surgery that might cause brain-damage. He wants to see his wife, damnit!
It's all very sweet as our poor heroine tries not to wallow in the angst and the hero keeps showing how he feels even though the OW is always underfoot.
Heroine wins in the end and the hero's words to her ring true - as he has been clearly connected to her from the beginning.
*Hello, lawsuit! Why is this lab still open? And who would want to work there? Even the OW should have some sense of self-preservation.
May 15, 2018
Heartwarming marriage of convenience story. Blind hero marries plain innocent heroine and love blossoms unexpectedly. Loved the passionate, classy and fierce heroine. Loved the brooding harsh hero. They share lots of touching moments and a very emotional final scene! Great writing.
May 15, 2018
She's a romantic, he's a realist. But who will win in this battle between love and science? Love, of course!
I thought this romance could have used more tension and passion, but still enjoyed the portrayal of a marriage of convenience turning into a love match. Kim endeared herself to me early on with her tough-love attitude, not putting up with Adam's woe-is-me sulks. I liked that she wasn't too perfect: beneath the sweetness and spunkiness lay a very vulnerable and insecure woman where Adam was concerned. I had a harder time connecting with Adam. He was broody and cynical, but I felt as if I missed out on seeing him fall in love.
Most of the drama arose from Kim's unrequited love. She did have some basis for her fears and insecurities. But I felt the wannabe other woman, Ursula (what a perfect OW name), posed no real threat other than in Kim's imagination. She tried intimidating Kim with innuendos and lots of cold stares but was more bark than bite. To be fair, Adam really didn't do much to diminish Kim's fears either. And the big one: he hadn't claimed to love her yet.
But this is romance so all's not lost. Adam may have been physically blind and cynical regarding love, but proved that he wasn't blind to a woman's inner beauty, falling for Kim sight unseen. How sweet is that? Speaking of which, their HEA is made even sweeter by this miracle.
I thought this romance could have used more tension and passion, but still enjoyed the portrayal of a marriage of convenience turning into a love match. Kim endeared herself to me early on with her tough-love attitude, not putting up with Adam's woe-is-me sulks. I liked that she wasn't too perfect: beneath the sweetness and spunkiness lay a very vulnerable and insecure woman where Adam was concerned. I had a harder time connecting with Adam. He was broody and cynical, but I felt as if I missed out on seeing him fall in love.
Most of the drama arose from Kim's unrequited love. She did have some basis for her fears and insecurities. But I felt the wannabe other woman, Ursula (what a perfect OW name), posed no real threat other than in Kim's imagination. She tried intimidating Kim with innuendos and lots of cold stares but was more bark than bite. To be fair, Adam really didn't do much to diminish Kim's fears either. And the big one: he hadn't claimed to love her yet.
But this is romance so all's not lost. Adam may have been physically blind and cynical regarding love, but proved that he wasn't blind to a woman's inner beauty, falling for Kim sight unseen. How sweet is that? Speaking of which, their HEA is made even sweeter by this miracle.
November 7, 2013
Yvonne Whittal is definitely in a class of her own. She can really notch up the intensity level to the point where you are absolutely absorbed. She sometimes tends to make her heroes a little more rough than I care for, but this time I think she struck the right balance. This is one of my all time favorites.
I liked that the factors threatening this young couple were real rather than stupid misunderstandings caused by their inability to talk to each other. I also liked that both approached their relationship with commitment and when faced with the machinations of evil OW, the heroine was balanced in her response.
If you are a fan of Whittal, I highly recommend. If you have never read her work before, I suggest starting with this one.
I liked that the factors threatening this young couple were real rather than stupid misunderstandings caused by their inability to talk to each other. I also liked that both approached their relationship with commitment and when faced with the machinations of evil OW, the heroine was balanced in her response.
If you are a fan of Whittal, I highly recommend. If you have never read her work before, I suggest starting with this one.
November 10, 2021
I love this book. I always have. I read this when I was younger and it is still in my paper library at home. It's been years since I last read it but seeing a review for it I read it again. And it was far better than a three star book. No idea why I said that. I think I was just trying to mark off what I read prior to Goodreads. There are so many I eventually gave up. Harlequins were my friends since I was 12 or 13. I read them non-stop with my Mother. She loved them too. This was just so amazing now by today's standards it would be considered rather dull and there are fade to black sex scenes but I don't know if it's just nostalgia but I still loved it.
Blind hero meets heroine and she saves him from going over a cliff. She gives him some tough love and he hires her to help him. Then he asks her to marry him for convenience but they call into sex. Lol. She falls in love but he just wants sex. He does care for her though and I loved their relationship until he goes back to work with an ex-lover, or should I say an ex-nearly lover! Whatever that means! She asks him if she was his mistress and had they been intimate and he said she was nearly my mistress and I nearly made love to her. I would have loved to hear the details about that! Lol that cracked me up. Eventually he has surgery that will either destroy his brain or give him his eyesight back. He tells her he loves her before he goes alone to Switzerland for the surgery and she is afraid that he won't find her attractive. Ursula, the evil ex was gorgeous of course but when he gets back he sees the wife and he says...... I guess you'll have to read it to find out! It's worth it for old skool Harley lovers!
Blind hero meets heroine and she saves him from going over a cliff. She gives him some tough love and he hires her to help him. Then he asks her to marry him for convenience but they call into sex. Lol. She falls in love but he just wants sex. He does care for her though and I loved their relationship until he goes back to work with an ex-lover, or should I say an ex-nearly lover! Whatever that means! She asks him if she was his mistress and had they been intimate and he said she was nearly my mistress and I nearly made love to her. I would have loved to hear the details about that! Lol that cracked me up. Eventually he has surgery that will either destroy his brain or give him his eyesight back. He tells her he loves her before he goes alone to Switzerland for the surgery and she is afraid that he won't find her attractive. Ursula, the evil ex was gorgeous of course but when he gets back he sees the wife and he says...... I guess you'll have to read it to find out! It's worth it for old skool Harley lovers!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2017
So, basically, YW's blind hero gets the red carpet treatment, with a devoted heroine who is besotted from Day One, while her blind heroine gets the shit-for-brains, donkey-face, asshat who gets to torture her to the point that she becomes suicidal (See The Light Within). Good grief.
September 11, 2018
It was nice, almost like a modern HP. Heroine was quite impressive, she had backbone and stand against OW’s false claims. Hero was quite nice except for cynical thoughts about love, being workaholic and OW. No shake, no abuse, no forced seduction. I was bored a little. (Sigh) That’s why I’ve given 3 stars. Lol
September 1, 2019
"Where Seagulls Cry" is the story of Kim and Adam.
What a fantastic heroine this book has!
The book begins when the heroine is contemplating leaving Heron's Bay after her aunt passes away, and comes across a hero who is about to walk off a cliff. She quickly rescues and verbally chastises him, soon realizing that the hero is blind. They forge an unlikely bond, where the heroine does not let the hero give up or wallow in self pity, and the hero starts craving a honest woman in his life.
As her departure date nears, the hero proposes a marriage of convenience, which a shocked heroine accepts. Their attraction is mutual, and soon the paper wedding turns into so much more. The hero then gets an opportunity to return to his previous job, something that the heroine encourages for and succeeds. But as she is confronted by his right hand, the OW and his ex, who still lays claim on most of his time, will she concede or fight for her marriage?
The heroine was hella strong, independent and honest. She fought for the hero, their love and did not let the hero or OW dominate her once. She was such a fierce and loyal lioness, it was a delight to read her, especially in a book written in 1977. The hero was a brooding, occasionally self pitying beta who was prone to his mood swings, yet did not hesitate to apologize. Their love story was fierce.
Enjoyed it.
Safe
4/5
What a fantastic heroine this book has!
The book begins when the heroine is contemplating leaving Heron's Bay after her aunt passes away, and comes across a hero who is about to walk off a cliff. She quickly rescues and verbally chastises him, soon realizing that the hero is blind. They forge an unlikely bond, where the heroine does not let the hero give up or wallow in self pity, and the hero starts craving a honest woman in his life.
As her departure date nears, the hero proposes a marriage of convenience, which a shocked heroine accepts. Their attraction is mutual, and soon the paper wedding turns into so much more. The hero then gets an opportunity to return to his previous job, something that the heroine encourages for and succeeds. But as she is confronted by his right hand, the OW and his ex, who still lays claim on most of his time, will she concede or fight for her marriage?
The heroine was hella strong, independent and honest. She fought for the hero, their love and did not let the hero or OW dominate her once. She was such a fierce and loyal lioness, it was a delight to read her, especially in a book written in 1977. The hero was a brooding, occasionally self pitying beta who was prone to his mood swings, yet did not hesitate to apologize. Their love story was fierce.
Enjoyed it.
Safe
4/5
May 26, 2018
3.5/4 stars
This was sort of boring. Nothing really happened. Hee hee!
In typical vintage HP style, there was a Cinderella make-over, and TONS of cooking/cleaning. The Cinderella make-over was especially funny since the hero is BLIND, so his best buddy described her make-over so he could "see" it. Honest to God, what is that even about?
**SPOILER ALERT**
And of course the blind guy gets his sight back. But even on the last page, he gives the heroine an extremely back-handed compliment by saying how the evil other woman has a "beauty that dazzles the eyes and stirs the senses" but the heroine is "warm, soft, and cuddlesome" which makes her sound like either a stuffed animal or a puppy.
Um, okay.
I would re-read this, but it's pretty boring.
This was sort of boring. Nothing really happened. Hee hee!
In typical vintage HP style, there was a Cinderella make-over, and TONS of cooking/cleaning. The Cinderella make-over was especially funny since the hero is BLIND, so his best buddy described her make-over so he could "see" it. Honest to God, what is that even about?
**SPOILER ALERT**
And of course the blind guy gets his sight back. But even on the last page, he gives the heroine an extremely back-handed compliment by saying how the evil other woman has a "beauty that dazzles the eyes and stirs the senses" but the heroine is "warm, soft, and cuddlesome" which makes her sound like either a stuffed animal or a puppy.
Um, okay.
I would re-read this, but it's pretty boring.
August 10, 2017
A harlequin novel with a likeable and sincere hero, and a candid heroine. What I really liked about this story is that there was honesty in their relationship from the very beginning. There was a good communication between the H/h, and I was so happy that the author did not try to create prolonged misunderstandings just for the sake of it. The problems depicted here were also quite realistic rather than self-inflicted. It was a 4 stars book for me, but I feel that the simplicity of the writing, the characters and the plot is worth an extra star.
December 17, 2016
I expected a lot from this book but was left a bit disappointed. Yes it was a sweet little story filled with a supportive and compassionate heroine with a brooding and tortured hero. It did have a bit of angst but nothing worth mentioning. We got our happy ending with very little conflict from the villain.
September 8, 2023
Nice reversal of another YW I recently read, The Light Within, in that this time it's the H, Adam (a scientist) who is blind rather than the h, Kim. Kim is a plucky orphan of plain speaking, honest virtue and good sense. Adam in terms of looks, status etc would ordinarily be out of her league but falls for her warmth, honesty and goodness. She is very much a domestic goddess, unlike the OW, the beautiful and highly intelligent career woman Ursula. Ofc that makes her a one-dimensional grade A bitch in HPlandia. Adam never says I love you so the h loves for two and fights for her man. It was sweet and nice to see the triumph of the good. Yet again I bemoan the miracle cure. I'd have preferred a hea that didn't need it, although his being able to see her and declare her more beautiful than he had ever imagined was probably helpful for the story arc.
April 24, 2015
القصة جميلة و ممكن تكون مكررة لكن شخصية البطلة كانت قوية و صريحة و عارفة اللي تبغاه و مستعدة تخاطر لأجله ، نقطة صعفهاعدم ثقتها بنفسها من ناحية الشكل ، المرأة مهما كانت شخصيتها لابد تتأثر بنظرة الناس لشكلها و تعيشها بقلق لا داعي له .
October 10, 2020
LOVED IT SO MUCH
May 16, 2023
The heroine is a strong one. The hero is not no so cruel, actually they fit perfectly.
The OW was never the problem, Adam hold everything to his heart and had seldom forgives his father.
Obviously that he loved Kim since the beginning.
The OW was never the problem, Adam hold everything to his heart and had seldom forgives his father.
Obviously that he loved Kim since the beginning.
August 10, 2023
You know a book is good if it makes me cry....I cried.
This is an emotional read about love, growing love, tolerance and trust and learning to love and respect yourself.
Of course there had to be OW/OM drama, it just added to the angst of the book.
A really good book to lose yourself in for a couple of hours.
This is an emotional read about love, growing love, tolerance and trust and learning to love and respect yourself.
Of course there had to be OW/OM drama, it just added to the angst of the book.
A really good book to lose yourself in for a couple of hours.
June 26, 2026
2.5 stars because of the crappy ending. I never want to read it again. Ugh.
A wonderfully angsty setup completely undermined by yet another Yvonne Whittall ending that left me more annoyed than satisfied.
I honestly don't know why Yvonne Whittall keeps doing this. She creates romances that are absolutely packed with emotional tension, gives the heroine every reason to walk away from the hero, and then, just when the hero ought to suffer the consequences of his own behaviour, she twists the story around so that he becomes the victim and she has to comfort him instead.
It happened again here, and it completely soured what had been, for most of the book, a really enjoyable read.
The story begins with a bang. The heroine first meets the hero when she realises he's about to walk straight over the edge of a cliff. Having recently been blinded in an explosion while working as a research scientist, he's foolishly decided to go walking alone along the cliffs in his depression and arrogance. She bluntly tells him that if he takes another couple of steps he's going to die.
Ever since losing his sight, everyone has treated him with pity, and he absolutely hates it. Her matter-of-fact honesty immediately intrigues him because she's the first person who doesn't wrap him in cotton wool. He allows her to walk him safely back to his seaside cottage, and from there an unexpectedly lovely friendship begins.
The heroine herself is also at a crossroads in life. Her father died years ago, and now her aunt—the only family she had left—has also died. She's in the little seaside town to pack up the cottage before moving to the city to try to find work, so she's lonely and rather lost herself.
Initially she refuses when he asks her to visit him again. But she really feels for him.
He's clearly desperately lonely. Living with only one servant, who's a hopeless cook, he's wasting away physically, barely eating, bored out of his mind and sinking further into depression. He's an intelligent, vital man who's completely lost his purpose.
Eventually she volunteers to keep him company, cooking for him and generally helping him through the darkest period of his life. But only until its time for her to leave the town.
I enjoyed this section. It described the development of their friendship nicely without being boring and I quite like the caretaking trope.
When the time finally comes for her to leave, he simply can't bear the thought of returning to complete isolation. The alternative would be moving back to his father's farm, where he'd become a dependent, something his pride won't allow. At the same time, he's far too traumatised to return to his scientific work because he can't bear the thought of everyone pitying him.
So he proposes a practical marriage.
Not out of love, but because in that era a respectable young woman couldn't simply live with a man as his companion without inviting endless gossip. For him, it's a sensible arrangement.
For her, it's something more because she realises she's already fallen in love with him. so she quietly accepts, knowing the marriage could end when he becomes independent again and the only thing she has to look foreard to is a broken heart. But she can't bear the let him suffer.
As the marriage develops, she continues supporting him through everything. She helps him cope with the sleepless nights, his depression and his gradual struggle to rebuild himself. Eventually he asks for a real physical marriage, and although she knows he doesn't love her, she agrees because she's hoping they'll gradually grow closer.
Instead, he keeps breaking her heart.
Whenever she talks about wanting a marriage based on love, he coldly tells her that he doesn't even believe love exists. He insists marriage is built purely on physical attraction, that attraction eventually fades, and that their agreement has always been temporary. He repeatedly reminds her that either of them can leave if they meet someone else.
It's wonderfully painful.
Then the story raises the stakes even further. His former colleagues desperately need him back for a top-secret government research project, and they arrive with the perfect solution: he'll work alongside his former female colleague as his assistant, acting as his eyes.
Unfortunately, this woman also happens to be the woman everyone once expected him to marry.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The heroine finds this out but knows how important returning to work is for him. More than anything, she wants him to reclaim his life, even if doing so ultimately means losing him. So despite her own fears, she encourages him to accept.
She is admirable, selfless, brave. Without being a doormat type.
Unfortunately, the pending situation ends up being what she feared.
Once they return to the city, the other woman makes absolutely no secret of wanting him back. She's constantly working late with him, clinging to him, spending endless evenings with him and eventually confronting the heroine directly to announce that she used to be his mistress and intends to become so again.
Meanwhile, the hero does almost nothing to reassure his wife.
He's forever working late, bringing this woman home to continue working together and, incredibly, even invites her to spend Christmas Day with them because "she has nobody else."
Fab angst. But now it is time for the heroine to finally snap. Right?
Wrong.
She keeps taking it.
I wanted her to stop quietly enduring all this emotional neglect, pack her bags and let him discover exactly what life looked like without the one person who'd stood beside him through blindness, depression and recovery.
That's the promise an angsty romance makes. The hero pushes the heroine too far. She leaves. He finally realises what he's lost. Then he has to suffer. He has to fear losing her forever. He has to grow as a person, earn forgiveness and become the husband she deserved all along. That's the payoff.
And this book completely refuses to deliver it.
Which makes it a pretty crappy return in investment for the reader's precious time.
Even after she accidentally blurts out that she loves him, he mocks her by asking whether she loves him as much as she loves making apple pie—a cruel reference back to one of their earlier conversations about whether love even exists.
Then, instead of moving closer to her, he withdraws even further. He shuts himself away in his study. He barely spends time with her. He won't tell her what's wrong.
She turns to their mutual friend for answers, but even he refuses to explain what's happening.
This was another moment where I desperately wanted her to tell him, "Fine. Fuck off then."
Instead, Yvonne Whittall performs exactly the narrative trick that's been frustrating me throughout so many of her books.
Just when all the reader's sympathy should belong to the heroine, the story suddenly twists around and makes the hero the victim instead.
It turns out he's secretly arranged to undergo an operation that might restore his sight. The catch? If it goes wrong, he'll be left brain dead.
Apparently that's why he's been emotionally pushing his wife away.
Apparently he's been noble all along.
Absolutely not. Fuck that.
Why did I spend an entire book watching this man neglect, dismiss and emotionally wound his wife, only to be told at the last minute that actually I should feel sorry for him instead?
Even worse, the heroine doesn't even discover this from her husband. She discovers it from the nasty other woman.
Imagine that. Your husband makes a life-or-death decision without even telling you, while another woman knows everything.
Then, instead of being allowed to feel justifiable outrage, the heroine is expected to burst into tears and comfort him.
Suddenly she's the one saying she can't bear to lose him while he finally admits he's loved her all along.
No thanks. Utter rubbish.
That isn't the emotional payoff I'd been waiting for.
The operation itself didn't help matters. The book frames it as though he's nobly sacrificing himself, but it was unconvincing. It didn't feel as though he was doing it for his wife or their marriage. His excuse was that he simply couldn't bear remaining dependent on the grasping other woman as his eyes at work. Shitty to not tell your wife. Instead he tells her she'll be fine if he should die. Wait for me and suck it up. Yuck.
That sums up my biggest frustration with Yvonne Whittall's romances. Her heroines almost always make things too easy for the hero. They endure enormous emotional pain, yet somehow they're always the ones comforting the hero instead of making him earn his happy ending.
It's such a shame because the emotional angst in this novel is genuinely excellent. The setup is fantastic. The marriage of convenience works beautifully. The blind hero is sympathetic at first and later arrogantly selfishly neglectful. The other woman creates exactly the kind of jealousy and romantic conflict I enjoy.
But none of it pays off.
Instead of watching the hero finally suffer for what he's put his wife through, we're asked to pat him on the back and admire his nobility.
So despite really enjoying much of the journey, I finished the book feeling underwhelmed, irritated and slightly resentful that I'd invested so many hours waiting for an emotional payoff that never arrived.
Three stars max, probably less.
I enjoyed the angst. I hated what the ending did with it.
And unlike the few Yvonne Whittall books that do manage to stick the landing and i thought were brilliant, this isn't one I'll ever feel the urge to reread.
A wonderfully angsty setup completely undermined by yet another Yvonne Whittall ending that left me more annoyed than satisfied.
I honestly don't know why Yvonne Whittall keeps doing this. She creates romances that are absolutely packed with emotional tension, gives the heroine every reason to walk away from the hero, and then, just when the hero ought to suffer the consequences of his own behaviour, she twists the story around so that he becomes the victim and she has to comfort him instead.
It happened again here, and it completely soured what had been, for most of the book, a really enjoyable read.
The story begins with a bang. The heroine first meets the hero when she realises he's about to walk straight over the edge of a cliff. Having recently been blinded in an explosion while working as a research scientist, he's foolishly decided to go walking alone along the cliffs in his depression and arrogance. She bluntly tells him that if he takes another couple of steps he's going to die.
Ever since losing his sight, everyone has treated him with pity, and he absolutely hates it. Her matter-of-fact honesty immediately intrigues him because she's the first person who doesn't wrap him in cotton wool. He allows her to walk him safely back to his seaside cottage, and from there an unexpectedly lovely friendship begins.
The heroine herself is also at a crossroads in life. Her father died years ago, and now her aunt—the only family she had left—has also died. She's in the little seaside town to pack up the cottage before moving to the city to try to find work, so she's lonely and rather lost herself.
Initially she refuses when he asks her to visit him again. But she really feels for him.
He's clearly desperately lonely. Living with only one servant, who's a hopeless cook, he's wasting away physically, barely eating, bored out of his mind and sinking further into depression. He's an intelligent, vital man who's completely lost his purpose.
Eventually she volunteers to keep him company, cooking for him and generally helping him through the darkest period of his life. But only until its time for her to leave the town.
I enjoyed this section. It described the development of their friendship nicely without being boring and I quite like the caretaking trope.
When the time finally comes for her to leave, he simply can't bear the thought of returning to complete isolation. The alternative would be moving back to his father's farm, where he'd become a dependent, something his pride won't allow. At the same time, he's far too traumatised to return to his scientific work because he can't bear the thought of everyone pitying him.
So he proposes a practical marriage.
Not out of love, but because in that era a respectable young woman couldn't simply live with a man as his companion without inviting endless gossip. For him, it's a sensible arrangement.
For her, it's something more because she realises she's already fallen in love with him. so she quietly accepts, knowing the marriage could end when he becomes independent again and the only thing she has to look foreard to is a broken heart. But she can't bear the let him suffer.
As the marriage develops, she continues supporting him through everything. She helps him cope with the sleepless nights, his depression and his gradual struggle to rebuild himself. Eventually he asks for a real physical marriage, and although she knows he doesn't love her, she agrees because she's hoping they'll gradually grow closer.
Instead, he keeps breaking her heart.
Whenever she talks about wanting a marriage based on love, he coldly tells her that he doesn't even believe love exists. He insists marriage is built purely on physical attraction, that attraction eventually fades, and that their agreement has always been temporary. He repeatedly reminds her that either of them can leave if they meet someone else.
It's wonderfully painful.
Then the story raises the stakes even further. His former colleagues desperately need him back for a top-secret government research project, and they arrive with the perfect solution: he'll work alongside his former female colleague as his assistant, acting as his eyes.
Unfortunately, this woman also happens to be the woman everyone once expected him to marry.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The heroine finds this out but knows how important returning to work is for him. More than anything, she wants him to reclaim his life, even if doing so ultimately means losing him. So despite her own fears, she encourages him to accept.
She is admirable, selfless, brave. Without being a doormat type.
Unfortunately, the pending situation ends up being what she feared.
Once they return to the city, the other woman makes absolutely no secret of wanting him back. She's constantly working late with him, clinging to him, spending endless evenings with him and eventually confronting the heroine directly to announce that she used to be his mistress and intends to become so again.
Meanwhile, the hero does almost nothing to reassure his wife.
He's forever working late, bringing this woman home to continue working together and, incredibly, even invites her to spend Christmas Day with them because "she has nobody else."
Fab angst. But now it is time for the heroine to finally snap. Right?
Wrong.
She keeps taking it.
I wanted her to stop quietly enduring all this emotional neglect, pack her bags and let him discover exactly what life looked like without the one person who'd stood beside him through blindness, depression and recovery.
That's the promise an angsty romance makes. The hero pushes the heroine too far. She leaves. He finally realises what he's lost. Then he has to suffer. He has to fear losing her forever. He has to grow as a person, earn forgiveness and become the husband she deserved all along. That's the payoff.
And this book completely refuses to deliver it.
Which makes it a pretty crappy return in investment for the reader's precious time.
Even after she accidentally blurts out that she loves him, he mocks her by asking whether she loves him as much as she loves making apple pie—a cruel reference back to one of their earlier conversations about whether love even exists.
Then, instead of moving closer to her, he withdraws even further. He shuts himself away in his study. He barely spends time with her. He won't tell her what's wrong.
She turns to their mutual friend for answers, but even he refuses to explain what's happening.
This was another moment where I desperately wanted her to tell him, "Fine. Fuck off then."
Instead, Yvonne Whittall performs exactly the narrative trick that's been frustrating me throughout so many of her books.
Just when all the reader's sympathy should belong to the heroine, the story suddenly twists around and makes the hero the victim instead.
It turns out he's secretly arranged to undergo an operation that might restore his sight. The catch? If it goes wrong, he'll be left brain dead.
Apparently that's why he's been emotionally pushing his wife away.
Apparently he's been noble all along.
Absolutely not. Fuck that.
Why did I spend an entire book watching this man neglect, dismiss and emotionally wound his wife, only to be told at the last minute that actually I should feel sorry for him instead?
Even worse, the heroine doesn't even discover this from her husband. She discovers it from the nasty other woman.
Imagine that. Your husband makes a life-or-death decision without even telling you, while another woman knows everything.
Then, instead of being allowed to feel justifiable outrage, the heroine is expected to burst into tears and comfort him.
Suddenly she's the one saying she can't bear to lose him while he finally admits he's loved her all along.
No thanks. Utter rubbish.
That isn't the emotional payoff I'd been waiting for.
The operation itself didn't help matters. The book frames it as though he's nobly sacrificing himself, but it was unconvincing. It didn't feel as though he was doing it for his wife or their marriage. His excuse was that he simply couldn't bear remaining dependent on the grasping other woman as his eyes at work. Shitty to not tell your wife. Instead he tells her she'll be fine if he should die. Wait for me and suck it up. Yuck.
That sums up my biggest frustration with Yvonne Whittall's romances. Her heroines almost always make things too easy for the hero. They endure enormous emotional pain, yet somehow they're always the ones comforting the hero instead of making him earn his happy ending.
It's such a shame because the emotional angst in this novel is genuinely excellent. The setup is fantastic. The marriage of convenience works beautifully. The blind hero is sympathetic at first and later arrogantly selfishly neglectful. The other woman creates exactly the kind of jealousy and romantic conflict I enjoy.
But none of it pays off.
Instead of watching the hero finally suffer for what he's put his wife through, we're asked to pat him on the back and admire his nobility.
So despite really enjoying much of the journey, I finished the book feeling underwhelmed, irritated and slightly resentful that I'd invested so many hours waiting for an emotional payoff that never arrived.
Three stars max, probably less.
I enjoyed the angst. I hated what the ending did with it.
And unlike the few Yvonne Whittall books that do manage to stick the landing and i thought were brilliant, this isn't one I'll ever feel the urge to reread.
December 7, 2019
I'll be perfectly frank with you, Kim." Ursula said with calm deliberation. "Why don't you give up? Go back where you came from and leave Adam alone. Can't you see he desperately wants his freedom?"
Kim stared at Ursula in stunned silence, then felt anger rising. Ursula wanted her to go, for that would leave the field clear for her.
Well, Kim decided, if Adam wants his freedom, he can say so. She wasn't going to run off like a scared rabbit
Kim stared at Ursula in stunned silence, then felt anger rising. Ursula wanted her to go, for that would leave the field clear for her.
Well, Kim decided, if Adam wants his freedom, he can say so. She wasn't going to run off like a scared rabbit
May 13, 2021
I liked this one. I had some issues though. I wish it would have more angst. The heroine was strong in the beginning but as the story progressed went in direction of blubbering mess.
And what does it mean that the H nearly slept with the OW in the past?
I guess I would prefer that he did without comment like this that made it that more unbelievable. I kind of felt sorry for the OW. He had some kind of relationship with her and dumped her after the accident. The writing was good as usual.
And what does it mean that the H nearly slept with the OW in the past?
I guess I would prefer that he did without comment like this that made it that more unbelievable. I kind of felt sorry for the OW. He had some kind of relationship with her and dumped her after the accident. The writing was good as usual.
February 17, 2016
Just blahhhhh boring. Guy is blind girl saves guy. Guy marries girl to keep him alive and she loves guy so it goes on and on. They have a weird relationship with distant secondary people who almost exist in a bubble and they exist in a vacuum. Just not very believable or likable. I was completely floored that this what YV work?! What a horrible story.
February 4, 2021
What a sensible book! Nothing too zany, both hero and heroine talk to each other, have issues, work through life problems. It was an okay little read. Recommended.
July 4, 2026
This book deserves all these stars because told a good and meaningful story and didn't resort to a lot of cliches. The arguments weren't overdone, there were no silly misunderstandings, and it treated a disability the way it should be treated, instead of either a tragedy or a badge of honor to show how fearless you can be, neither of which are appropriate.
I loved both the H and h in this book, as he (despite some self-pity at the start) didn't let his blindness get in the way of his getting back to work and leading as normal a life as possible, while she both encouraged and supported him, but never coddled him or let him start feeling sorry for himself. I admit that at the start I thought she was a bit harsh, but then you find out she knew all about blindness because it happened to her father and she helped care for him or rather helped him help himself and he kept a good attitude. Through her understanding and guidance, the H stopped dwelling on the things he couldn't do and concentrated on the things he could do, which is something more real-life people should concentrate on (whether their disability is physical, mental, emotional or any other area where they feel themselves lacking).
There was a bit of the "noble idiot" in the H, as (despite their marriage of convenience turning into a real one), he keeps the h at an emotional distance, claiming he doesn't believe in love, that - as a scientist - he knows it's just physical chemistry that draws people together. The h, being so much in love with him, is hurt by his outlook. Meanwhile, what she didn't know was that he planned to have risky surgery that could either restore his sight or else kill him, and though we don't get the details, we can guess that without any surgery the glass shard from the lab explosion that lodged on his optic nerve would eventually kill him, so that's quite a choice he was left with! He figured if he confessed his love for the h and then died, she'd be miserable and grief stricken, whereas if she believed he never loved her, she'd get over his death much easier and faster. (Or so he thought!)
This story has the OW, a brilliant scientist like the H and also very beautiful, the kind of looks that have every man around her falling in lust, and the h's feelings of inadequacy about her own looks (which even a makeover didn't completely conquer) made her worry that the H would be disappointed if he regained his sight, comparing her to the gorgeous OW whom he had dated for a while and came close to sleeping with. She, of course, wants him back and considers his wife as just a minor, temporary annoyance that'll soon be gotten rid of. (HAH!)
The OM isn't really one, as he's a friend and colleague of the H's who becomes friends with the h as well, and tries to help her through her doubts about the future of her marriage (especially when he begins working with the OW on a scientific project and spending a lot of time together), and really wants to help as a good friend, with no ulterior motive. (He's the one who suggested the makeover, and he'd describe her new look to the h, to both intrigue him and make the OW realize she had tough competition!
The best scene is one between the h and OW, when the OW pretty much tells the h she should just leave the H, as she never had a real chance with him, and that if she takes a good look in the mirror she'll see how inadequate she is. The h shoots back by saying physical appearance isn't everything, and it's the OW who should take a good look in the mirror, as she may be gorgeous as well as intelligent, but she lacks character, and with no warmth, compassion, empathy and tenderness (not to mention an icicle in place of a heart) she's not much of a person and is to be pitied. Well, after that, the OW knew she was the one who didn't stand a chance!
The end of the book, where the H goes to Switzerland for the surgery, and the h agrees to wait for him at the cottage where they lived when they first got married and find out if his sight was back (not knowing at first if he'd come back at all) was like something you'd expect in a movie, and where you need a tissue box handy.
This is a book worth reading!
I loved both the H and h in this book, as he (despite some self-pity at the start) didn't let his blindness get in the way of his getting back to work and leading as normal a life as possible, while she both encouraged and supported him, but never coddled him or let him start feeling sorry for himself. I admit that at the start I thought she was a bit harsh, but then you find out she knew all about blindness because it happened to her father and she helped care for him or rather helped him help himself and he kept a good attitude. Through her understanding and guidance, the H stopped dwelling on the things he couldn't do and concentrated on the things he could do, which is something more real-life people should concentrate on (whether their disability is physical, mental, emotional or any other area where they feel themselves lacking).
There was a bit of the "noble idiot" in the H, as (despite their marriage of convenience turning into a real one), he keeps the h at an emotional distance, claiming he doesn't believe in love, that - as a scientist - he knows it's just physical chemistry that draws people together. The h, being so much in love with him, is hurt by his outlook. Meanwhile, what she didn't know was that he planned to have risky surgery that could either restore his sight or else kill him, and though we don't get the details, we can guess that without any surgery the glass shard from the lab explosion that lodged on his optic nerve would eventually kill him, so that's quite a choice he was left with! He figured if he confessed his love for the h and then died, she'd be miserable and grief stricken, whereas if she believed he never loved her, she'd get over his death much easier and faster. (Or so he thought!)
This story has the OW, a brilliant scientist like the H and also very beautiful, the kind of looks that have every man around her falling in lust, and the h's feelings of inadequacy about her own looks (which even a makeover didn't completely conquer) made her worry that the H would be disappointed if he regained his sight, comparing her to the gorgeous OW whom he had dated for a while and came close to sleeping with. She, of course, wants him back and considers his wife as just a minor, temporary annoyance that'll soon be gotten rid of. (HAH!)
The OM isn't really one, as he's a friend and colleague of the H's who becomes friends with the h as well, and tries to help her through her doubts about the future of her marriage (especially when he begins working with the OW on a scientific project and spending a lot of time together), and really wants to help as a good friend, with no ulterior motive. (He's the one who suggested the makeover, and he'd describe her new look to the h, to both intrigue him and make the OW realize she had tough competition!
The best scene is one between the h and OW, when the OW pretty much tells the h she should just leave the H, as she never had a real chance with him, and that if she takes a good look in the mirror she'll see how inadequate she is. The h shoots back by saying physical appearance isn't everything, and it's the OW who should take a good look in the mirror, as she may be gorgeous as well as intelligent, but she lacks character, and with no warmth, compassion, empathy and tenderness (not to mention an icicle in place of a heart) she's not much of a person and is to be pitied. Well, after that, the OW knew she was the one who didn't stand a chance!
The end of the book, where the H goes to Switzerland for the surgery, and the h agrees to wait for him at the cottage where they lived when they first got married and find out if his sight was back (not knowing at first if he'd come back at all) was like something you'd expect in a movie, and where you need a tissue box handy.
This is a book worth reading!
June 13, 2021
La baia dei gabbiani di Yvonne Whittal
(Anno domini 1977 !!!)
Qualche giorno fa ho letto un libro della giovane e promettente Delgado, e contestavo fra le varie cose il fatto di aver gestito male la cecità di lui.
Questo invece è il pratico esempio di come si riesca a gestire correttamente una caratteristica così importante per un personaggio.
Questo è un Harmony. Ormai leggo Harmony raramente, in generale sono dei libri che raccontano storie a volte anche molto belle però offrendone uno scorcio limitato, come quando hai a disposizione una vista mare, per metà coperta dagli alberi.
In generale le storie vecchie sono le più belle, quelle scritte oggi e non le considero neppure perché hanno una qualità davvero infima.
Questa è una storia molto valida: lui Adam è uno scienziato Diventato cieco dopo un incidente in laboratorio, Kim una ragazza che lo salva da una folle camminata verso un dirupo … proprio lì alla baia dei gabbiani , un paesino di pescatori nel Sudafrica. Pensa di partire Kim, perché non ha motivi per rimanere lì dopo la morte della zia. Il motivo però,ben presto sarà Adam … Adam parte da una posizione di svantaggio con lei ,eppure lei non lo compatisce mai e lui piano piano ne diventa dipendente emotivamente.
Lui obbedì di malavoglia dicendo: «Kim, mi mancherai». Poi, con un debole sorriso, aggiunse: «Chi mi rimprovererà quando tu non ci sarai più?».
«Proprio di questo volevo parlarle» disse lei decisa. Gli si sedette vicino sul divano e continuò: «Che cosa intende fare quando me ne sarò andata?».
«Non lo so. Ci penso continuamente, ma non riesco a trovare una soluzione.»
Bella la caratterizzazione di lei: infondo è parecchio più giovane di lui e cede immediatamente ai sentimenti romantici, lui è un po’ più pragmatico, le sue motivazioni vengono spiegate alla fine, lo spingono a un certo cinismo di autodifesa ,rimane un po’ più distante, ma in realtà si capisce che è molto preso da lei.
Bello il modo in cui viene gestito L’inevitabile ( per un romance)ritorno alla normalità finale… quello che è mancato nel libro della Delgado :l’esplosione dell’emozione.
Stilisticamente Che abbia 44 anni suonati si vede. I dialoghi, Le sinergie più pacate,il modo di approcciare di altri tempi…
Tipico dei tempi le scene d’amore totalmente inesistenti, anzi è addirittura difficile capire quando effettivamente ci sia stata una notte d’amore; resta molto all’intuizione del lettore capire quanto un bacio e un abbraccio siano stati più intimi.
Ma considerando globalmente è comunque una bella storia, molto dolce e emozionante che vi consiglio se avete bisogno di rilassarvi.
⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
March 25, 2021
3.5 rounded down because I'm not sure I would read it again
The MCs meet cute when Kim stops newly blind Adam from accidentally walking off a cliff. Kim starts to housekeep and cook meals for Adam on a short-term basis because she is selling her cottage and moving to the city after taking care of her sick and recently deceased aunt. When the time comes for her to leave, Adam proposes a MOC. Kim agrees and they have a happy MOC that turns into a real marriage before Adam's old life as a scientist rears back into their lives. They move to Cape Town so Adam can resume his work; enter OW drama, his ex-gf and co-worker, Ursula becomes the eyes for his lab work and is heavily involved in the MC's lives. It doesn't sound like it but overall this book is angst-free and the MCs are very sweet and nice to each other. They communicate in a frank and honest way that you usually don't see in HPs. The heroine was my favorite character. Openhearted, practical, kind, and an all around good person.
Things that bothered me:
-the H straight up mocked the h when she told him she loved him for the first time (unnecessarily cruel and unlike the H)
-the H could have set Kim's mind at ease about Ursula (who wants their partner to be with their ex 24/7; anyone would get jealous)
-the H became a workaholic for months to a year
-the H didn't tell the h about his eye surgery
-the focus on physical beauty (or lack of)
--This list makes it seem like I didn't like the H and that's not true either. These were just some of the minor irks that made me not enjoy the book as much.
The MCs meet cute when Kim stops newly blind Adam from accidentally walking off a cliff. Kim starts to housekeep and cook meals for Adam on a short-term basis because she is selling her cottage and moving to the city after taking care of her sick and recently deceased aunt. When the time comes for her to leave, Adam proposes a MOC. Kim agrees and they have a happy MOC that turns into a real marriage before Adam's old life as a scientist rears back into their lives. They move to Cape Town so Adam can resume his work; enter OW drama, his ex-gf and co-worker, Ursula becomes the eyes for his lab work and is heavily involved in the MC's lives. It doesn't sound like it but overall this book is angst-free and the MCs are very sweet and nice to each other. They communicate in a frank and honest way that you usually don't see in HPs. The heroine was my favorite character. Openhearted, practical, kind, and an all around good person.
Things that bothered me:
-the H straight up mocked the h when she told him she loved him for the first time (unnecessarily cruel and unlike the H)
-the H could have set Kim's mind at ease about Ursula (who wants their partner to be with their ex 24/7; anyone would get jealous)
-the H became a workaholic for months to a year
-the H didn't tell the h about his eye surgery
-the focus on physical beauty (or lack of)
--This list makes it seem like I didn't like the H and that's not true either. These were just some of the minor irks that made me not enjoy the book as much.
June 17, 2026
This was an oldie that my Goodreads friend Anna recommended, and I'm so glad I finally picked it up because it was exactly the kind of book I was in the mood for.
I'll be honest, the heroine's insecurities got on my nerves a little at times, and I wasn't always a fan of the hero's cynicism at the beginning and how close the hero remained to the OW for so much of the story. But what really worked for me was that the problems facing this young couple felt real. The conflict didn't rely on frustrating misunderstandings or the classic "just talk to each other" issue. The stakes felt genuine, which made me even more invested in seeing them work things out.
I also appreciated how seriously both characters took their relationship. When the OW started causing trouble, the heroine's response felt balanced and mature rather than overly dramatic. And the chemistry between the main characters was wonderful, I really enjoyed watching them fall in love.
In the end, everything came together beautifully, and I closed the book with a smile. I'm very happy I gave this one a chance.
I'll be honest, the heroine's insecurities got on my nerves a little at times, and I wasn't always a fan of the hero's cynicism at the beginning and how close the hero remained to the OW for so much of the story. But what really worked for me was that the problems facing this young couple felt real. The conflict didn't rely on frustrating misunderstandings or the classic "just talk to each other" issue. The stakes felt genuine, which made me even more invested in seeing them work things out.
I also appreciated how seriously both characters took their relationship. When the OW started causing trouble, the heroine's response felt balanced and mature rather than overly dramatic. And the chemistry between the main characters was wonderful, I really enjoyed watching them fall in love.
In the end, everything came together beautifully, and I closed the book with a smile. I'm very happy I gave this one a chance.
September 6, 2024
Moving story of a older blind man and a young, innocent woman who had experience working with her blind father and thus was able to help him cope with his condition. Of course she falls in love with him and he remains noncommittal in his heart after they marry. Enter the OW who wants to recapture what she thinks they lost. Nice build up, nice angst and a wonderful HEA.
July 19, 2018
At times Adam made me sooo mad! Kim was late getting home and he's like glad your okay now go make me something to eat. Kim was so strong to keep her feelings to herself and not just walk away like so many of us would have done. This book was a oldie but a goodie!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews