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Quicksilver Summer
"I don't need your company or your protection," Paddy told the autocratic Venn Wildash at their first meeting.
But later she was to come to regret those hasty words and to hope against hope that she could gain Venn's love.
But later she was to come to regret those hasty words and to hope against hope that she could gain Venn's love.
192 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1975
2 people are currently reading
21 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Cork
73 books21 followersAs an author for Mills and Boon and later for Harlequin Romance, Dorothy Cork wrote 38 romance novels. She was born in 1918 and is still alive. Her first book was published in 1965 and the last in 1985.
Quite a number of her books have been translated into a diversity of languages: Japanese, Greek, Italian, French and so on.
She also wrote a number of short stories - about half of which were published in various Australian magazines.
Quite a number of her books have been translated into a diversity of languages: Japanese, Greek, Italian, French and so on.
She also wrote a number of short stories - about half of which were published in various Australian magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 10, 2015
3 Stars ~ When Paddy's father died and her step-mother decided to leave Australia, Paddy moved in with the kindly Kennedys while she completed her schooling and training to become a school teacher. There was an instant affinity with young Phil Kennedy, and Paddy soon came to believe that they'd one day marry. When the Department of Education sent Paddy to an Outback town many hundreds of miles away from Phil in Sydney, she had hoped that Phil would have said 'don't go'. At first the letters came regularly, and then for awhile Phil's letters stopped, and Paddy was left feeling totally alone. It was on one of her worst lonely days that her landlady talked her into attending an engagement party, only when Paddy arrived she realizes she was drastically under dressed for the occasion and she kept herself hidden away from the crowd. It was here that a drunken man found her and made a pass at her, groping and wanting a kiss. When a white knight came to her rescue it was too late to save her blouse, now torn from shoulder to hip. The white knight took Paddy as a gatecrasher, and didn't believe her when she had been invited along by her landlady. He'd thought she was a girl on the make, and insisted that she wait outside in her landlady's car. But Paddy wasn't having any of his demands, and she was determined to walk home. Again her white knight was there insisting he give her a lift, and when they arrived back in the town, Paddy insisted he drop her and she'd walk the rest, their eyes met and held. It was quite unnerving, this instant connection, and Paddy knew he felt it too.
Weeks passed, and just as school was let out for the long break, Paddy finally got her letter from Phil. He was going to marry Paddy's friend Diana. His mother also wrote insisting that Paddy still come to Sydney for her holidays. With her heart terribly hurt, Paddy knew she wouldn't be going to Sydney and this left her in a bit of a predicament, and her landlady wanted to close up the house for the summer, as she too was heading for the coast. When a student mother learns she's at a lose end, she asks her to accompany her daughter to her uncle's sheep ranch in the Outback. Mrs. Cale is expecting a baby and her doctor has ordered bedrest for the last months before birth. If Paddy would go with Maggie, than it would be a load of worry off of Mrs. Cale. Paddy accepts and finds herself rather excited about the coming weeks away. To Paddy's surprise when the car arrives to take her and Margaret on the many hour drive, the driver is none other than her drunken attacker, who does't seem to remember her at all. Margaret knows the man as Keith, her aunt's brother who works on the sheep station. And when they arrive finally at ranch Biddenluke, Paddy is shocked to discover it's owned by her white knight. Venn, of course, recognizes Paddy instantly and accuses her of worming her way onto his ranch to be close to Keith.
This was a slow starter with Paddy's worry over Phil in Sydney, but once she's met Venn, Paddy wakes up and so does the story. Paddy quickly realizes that it's futile trying to defend herself to Venn and so she just says nothing when he spouts off his misconceptions. These two have chemistry that was quite lovely to read. Paddy is very much aware of Venn's constant watching, and she watches right back. And each time he finds something to misjudge her on, she clams right up, knowing he won't believe her, so what was the point in speaking. The more she clams up the more Venn seems to watch, and in his eyes she believes he's finding her lacking. Of course, just as all the misunderstandings are all falling away, there's a new obstacle; Phil has decided he doesn't want Diana after all and he's come to Biddenluke to find Paddy.
Ms. Cork is a marvelous story teller and I enjoyed the path she set before Paddy and Venn. Sadly these vintage Harlequins rarely have an epilogue. This is one story where one would have made the romance more complete
Weeks passed, and just as school was let out for the long break, Paddy finally got her letter from Phil. He was going to marry Paddy's friend Diana. His mother also wrote insisting that Paddy still come to Sydney for her holidays. With her heart terribly hurt, Paddy knew she wouldn't be going to Sydney and this left her in a bit of a predicament, and her landlady wanted to close up the house for the summer, as she too was heading for the coast. When a student mother learns she's at a lose end, she asks her to accompany her daughter to her uncle's sheep ranch in the Outback. Mrs. Cale is expecting a baby and her doctor has ordered bedrest for the last months before birth. If Paddy would go with Maggie, than it would be a load of worry off of Mrs. Cale. Paddy accepts and finds herself rather excited about the coming weeks away. To Paddy's surprise when the car arrives to take her and Margaret on the many hour drive, the driver is none other than her drunken attacker, who does't seem to remember her at all. Margaret knows the man as Keith, her aunt's brother who works on the sheep station. And when they arrive finally at ranch Biddenluke, Paddy is shocked to discover it's owned by her white knight. Venn, of course, recognizes Paddy instantly and accuses her of worming her way onto his ranch to be close to Keith.
This was a slow starter with Paddy's worry over Phil in Sydney, but once she's met Venn, Paddy wakes up and so does the story. Paddy quickly realizes that it's futile trying to defend herself to Venn and so she just says nothing when he spouts off his misconceptions. These two have chemistry that was quite lovely to read. Paddy is very much aware of Venn's constant watching, and she watches right back. And each time he finds something to misjudge her on, she clams right up, knowing he won't believe her, so what was the point in speaking. The more she clams up the more Venn seems to watch, and in his eyes she believes he's finding her lacking. Of course, just as all the misunderstandings are all falling away, there's a new obstacle; Phil has decided he doesn't want Diana after all and he's come to Biddenluke to find Paddy.
Ms. Cork is a marvelous story teller and I enjoyed the path she set before Paddy and Venn. Sadly these vintage Harlequins rarely have an epilogue. This is one story where one would have made the romance more complete
September 30, 2017
Meh.
The H was a douche for always judging the heroine and the h was a doormat who wouldn't defend herself.
This would have been at least a 3-star but it lost a point for a couple or truly cringe-worthy moments the heroine had.
The H was a douche for always judging the heroine and the h was a doormat who wouldn't defend herself.
This would have been at least a 3-star but it lost a point for a couple or truly cringe-worthy moments the heroine had.
March 23, 2021
Nope.
Dorothy Cork must have written this while she was in a trance for a fugue state because it was incomprehensible. The characters were totally bananas.
Dorothy Cork must have written this while she was in a trance for a fugue state because it was incomprehensible. The characters were totally bananas.
June 19, 2023
Was it a good book? No. Did I enjoy every second of reading it? Yes.
December 27, 2020
Ugh, the cover with their great hair totally fooled me.
August 18, 2025
I usually LOVE old-school romances, even with their sometimes outdated attitudes, but this one fell a bit flat for me. Both the hero and heroine annoyed me, and I wasn't super invested in them getting together.
- The hero, Venn, sees the heroine, Paddy, in a dark garden outside a party, with her blouse ripped and in the company of a man, Keith, who he knows is bad news + who happens to be drunk. He does rescue Paddy from Keith, but instead of asking if she's okay, somehow jumps to the conclusion that she was encouraging Keith? And somehow in the area trying to snag a man? Blech.
- I can understand why Paddy gives up on trying to explain herself to Venn, coz he never listens anyway. But then MULTIPLE TIMES in the story, she refuses to explain/defend herself.
Like when
Like, Venn is a judgemental jerk, but Paddy also isn't standing up for herself at all.
Her reasons for being at the sheep farm at all are also a bit flimsy. And I get it's for plot purposes, but
All that being said, I love the look and feel of this book. There's no barcode and the ISBN is written on the spine rather than the back, so it feels extra vintage, and not at all like today's paperbacks. :-)
- The hero, Venn, sees the heroine, Paddy, in a dark garden outside a party, with her blouse ripped and in the company of a man, Keith, who he knows is bad news + who happens to be drunk. He does rescue Paddy from Keith, but instead of asking if she's okay, somehow jumps to the conclusion that she was encouraging Keith? And somehow in the area trying to snag a man? Blech.
- I can understand why Paddy gives up on trying to explain herself to Venn, coz he never listens anyway. But then MULTIPLE TIMES in the story, she refuses to explain/defend herself.
Like when
Like, Venn is a judgemental jerk, but Paddy also isn't standing up for herself at all.
Her reasons for being at the sheep farm at all are also a bit flimsy. And I get it's for plot purposes, but
All that being said, I love the look and feel of this book. There's no barcode and the ISBN is written on the spine rather than the back, so it feels extra vintage, and not at all like today's paperbacks. :-)
August 2, 2025
This really isn't a great story, but I couldn't stop reading. Hero thinks heroine is some sort of jezebel because a creep (OM#1) was pawing at her without her consent and he has to rescue her. Heroine is a complete idiot who feels sorry for every misguided, evil character who harms her:
OM#1 is on his last chance before going straight to prison. So heroine keeps his evil secrets even though he's pawing her all the time.
OM #2 who jilted her for her bff and then comes crawling back interupting the H/h's budding romance.
The OW #1 who would have left her for dead with a twisted ankle and who lies and says it's the heroine's fault.
The crazy aunt who lies to the hero about heroine said at many points in the story.
It just goes on an on. But the writing is compelling. The heat, the dangerous landscape, the menance of all the characters, the heroine's poor judgment and mouth-clamp isolation all add up to a gothic tale that would probably end in tragedy in the real world, but it's an HEA in Harlequin land.
OM#1 is on his last chance before going straight to prison. So heroine keeps his evil secrets even though he's pawing her all the time.
OM #2 who jilted her for her bff and then comes crawling back interupting the H/h's budding romance.
The OW #1 who would have left her for dead with a twisted ankle and who lies and says it's the heroine's fault.
The crazy aunt who lies to the hero about heroine said at many points in the story.
It just goes on an on. But the writing is compelling. The heat, the dangerous landscape, the menance of all the characters, the heroine's poor judgment and mouth-clamp isolation all add up to a gothic tale that would probably end in tragedy in the real world, but it's an HEA in Harlequin land.
April 9, 2024
Really gloomy and totally lacking charm - the tale of a boring 22 teacher and a know-it-all sheep station owner. The only positive thing is that he is desperate for her at the end, but I am not sure why as she is dull, let's people get away with putting her down and lying about her, and has no charisma. The storyline is muddled, in fact, it's badly written. I keep hoping these Dorothy Cork stories will improve as I like the covers and the settings, but almost everything else is meh.
April 6, 2023
2,5 stars
A nice drowsy book just like the hot stuffy summer it depicts.
A young teacher Paddy spends her summer break as an uninvited guest at the Outback station under a watchful eye of the station's owner, a resentful eye of his aunt and an envious eye of the girl he's rumoured to marry.
A nice drowsy book just like the hot stuffy summer it depicts.
A young teacher Paddy spends her summer break as an uninvited guest at the Outback station under a watchful eye of the station's owner, a resentful eye of his aunt and an envious eye of the girl he's rumoured to marry.
April 26, 2025
Rather dreary, and yet somehow also silly. Neither the h or H were particularly likeable. The jerk H kept jumping to conclusions about the h, and the doormat h didn’t help with her exaggerated secretiveness and questionable judgment.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews