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الوصي
"I'm ready to spread my wings and fly."
All her life Kris Laurensen had been trapped in the silken prison of her family's immense wealth. Decisions were made for her by her stepmother and her dynamic guardian, Jared Chayse-including the decision that she should marry Jared!
Kris was shocked. The match would cement a financial empire but what about her feelings for Jared, feelings that veered crazily between attraction and resentment?
Returning to Sydney from finishing school in Europe, Kris had been eager to taste her freedom, to experience life. Instead, she was being forced to contemplate marriage to a man who might never love her.
All her life Kris Laurensen had been trapped in the silken prison of her family's immense wealth. Decisions were made for her by her stepmother and her dynamic guardian, Jared Chayse-including the decision that she should marry Jared!
Kris was shocked. The match would cement a financial empire but what about her feelings for Jared, feelings that veered crazily between attraction and resentment?
Returning to Sydney from finishing school in Europe, Kris had been eager to taste her freedom, to experience life. Instead, she was being forced to contemplate marriage to a man who might never love her.
Unknown Binding
First published September 1, 1986
2 people are currently reading
96 people want to read
About the author
Helen Bianchin
380 books228 followersHelen Shirley was born on February 20 1939 in New Zealand, where she grew up, an only child possessed by a vivid imagination and a love for reading. She wrote stories for amusement in her early teenage years, and when she left leaving school, she took a secretarial job at a father-and-son legal firm.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
At age twenty-one Helen joined a girlfriend and embarked on a working holiday in Australia, travelling via cruise ship from Auckland to Melbourne. Alas, no shipboard romance, as she spent all four days in her cabin suffering from sea-sickness! After fifteen months working in Melbourne, Helen and her friend bought a vehicle and took three months to drive the length and breadth of Australia, choosing to work in Cairns in order to fund the final leg of our journey to Sydney.
It was in Cairns that Helen met her future husband, Danilo Bianchin, an Italian immigrant from Treviso. He was a tobacco sharefarmer from the tobacco farming community of Mareeba. His English was pitiful, and her command of Italian was nil. Six months later they married, and Helen was flung into cooking for up to nine tobacco pickers, stringing tobacco, feeding 200 chickens, a few turkeys, ducks... plus killing, cleaning and cooking the same! Her knowledge of Italian improved, and there were hilarious moments in retrospect. Some of what she endured was cooking on a wood-burning stove, having no running hot water, a primitive shower and toilet facilities, washing uniforms for two soccer teams during the soccer season... floods, horrendous hailstone damage to tobacco crops, hardship, and the stillbirth of their first child. Then, to their joy, Helen's daughter, Lucia, was born. Three years later the couple returned to New Zealand, where they settled for sixteen years. During those early years, they added two sons, Angelo and Peter, to the family.
With multiple anecdotes of farm life in an Italian community to friends, the idea of writing a book occurred. A romance, set on a tobacco farm in Australia's far north, Queensland, featuring an Italian hero. Helen says, "the background was authentic, believe me!" However the hero was rich and owned the farm artistic license! It took her a year to complete a passable manuscript, typed on a portable typewriter at the dining room table. That first effort was deemed too short with insufficient detail. Helen rewrote it. This time it was considered too long with too much extraneous detail. She revised, then sent it to London. Four months later she received a telegram from Alan Boon (Mills & Boon) to say they intended to publish and a contract would be sent in the mail. It was the most wonderful news!
Helen wrote ten more books while living in New Zealand, then in 1981, her family resettled in Australia, on Queensland's Gold Coast. She has since published twenty-five more books. Today, with computer technology, the mechanics of writing are much easier. However, the writing process doesn't change. Helen says that she's having a good day if she can achieve 5 good pages, which she is likely to change, edit and rewrite the following day.
She loves creating characters, giving them life and providing a situation where their emotions are tested and love wins out. For her, the greatest praise is for a reader to say they couldn't put the book down... then Helen knows that she has achieved what she set out to do -- "create a moving enjoyable story which holds the reader entertained from beginning to end."
Helen's hobbies are tennis, table-tennis, judo, reading. She loves movies, and leads an active social life.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 11, 2016
This book REALLY shows the format for about 60 percent of all future HB books - the arranged marriage for the h with a suitably wealthy H primarily for family business reasons. The h will usually be seekritly in love with the lady buffet sampling H and be forced by her family into agreeing to marry him. There will be a suitably witchy OW who will make a big play for the H-- now the h knows she will be the H's wife, but his fidelity is definitely under question for most of the book.
This book also introduces us to HB's perpetual lists of all things fashionable in couture designer clothing. The one big handicap of this book for modern reader is that HB goes a bit overboard on the fashion designer names, which makes it hard for modern readers to understand who exactly she is talking about as most of those names aren't big fashion trends any longer.
However the endless changes of clothes and designer descriptions, along with showers, coffee drinking (which will eventually be replaced by yogurt,) and so many high society party events that I get tired just reading about it, set the tone for all the HB books to come.
The story itself isn't very interesting. The h is 21 and returns from finishing school to be told by her step mother and her guardian that she will be marrying him to protect her from fortune hunters and consolidate the h's and H's business empire.
The h doesn't want to, she had some other vague idears of doing things with herself, but since no clear plan is in place she agrees to the marriage. Then she spends 180 pages fretting over how much of a marriage this is actually going to be while attending parties, getting facials and manicures, drinking coffee and taking showers before buying a ton of designer clothing.
There is the inevitable scenes with the OW hanging all over the H, which leads to arguments which leads to a forced seduction right before the marriage. Then there is a big society wedding that sounded more boring than watching paint dry and the honeymoon where the H buys the h an engraved locket confessing his true love and the H admits he has loved her since she was 16. The h, helplessly bludgeoned by the H's massive lurve club, confesses she loves him back - to which the H answers "I know" and they ride off into a high society party, designer clad HEA.
This one isn't bad, it is just there, but it is a very good example of all things HB to come - minus the OW stalking which we will get into several books from now.
This book also introduces us to HB's perpetual lists of all things fashionable in couture designer clothing. The one big handicap of this book for modern reader is that HB goes a bit overboard on the fashion designer names, which makes it hard for modern readers to understand who exactly she is talking about as most of those names aren't big fashion trends any longer.
However the endless changes of clothes and designer descriptions, along with showers, coffee drinking (which will eventually be replaced by yogurt,) and so many high society party events that I get tired just reading about it, set the tone for all the HB books to come.
The story itself isn't very interesting. The h is 21 and returns from finishing school to be told by her step mother and her guardian that she will be marrying him to protect her from fortune hunters and consolidate the h's and H's business empire.
The h doesn't want to, she had some other vague idears of doing things with herself, but since no clear plan is in place she agrees to the marriage. Then she spends 180 pages fretting over how much of a marriage this is actually going to be while attending parties, getting facials and manicures, drinking coffee and taking showers before buying a ton of designer clothing.
There is the inevitable scenes with the OW hanging all over the H, which leads to arguments which leads to a forced seduction right before the marriage. Then there is a big society wedding that sounded more boring than watching paint dry and the honeymoon where the H buys the h an engraved locket confessing his true love and the H admits he has loved her since she was 16. The h, helplessly bludgeoned by the H's massive lurve club, confesses she loves him back - to which the H answers "I know" and they ride off into a high society party, designer clad HEA.
This one isn't bad, it is just there, but it is a very good example of all things HB to come - minus the OW stalking which we will get into several books from now.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 3, 2016
Oh dear this was a disaster, amid all the descriptions of what the characters ate, drunk and wore, was a seedy little tale starring the heroine Kris who's totally under the control of her stepmother and guardian Jared. Kris has just returned from finishing school and is nearing her 21st birthday. But instead of the freedom she expected to have, her life has already been arranged for her. She's got to marry Jared, this gives her reason to doubt Jared's motivation for wanting her, is it to make sure some money grabbing man doesn't get their grimy fingers on her inheritance? Or does he really care, that's doubtful as he doesn't seem to want to fend off attention from another woman. Well she needn't have worried as he's been determined she would be his since she was sixteen!
December 8, 2011
The heroine Kris arrives back home after spending a year in Europe at a finishing school. She has no idea what is next for her after having most of her life since her father's death dictated by her inheritance trustees; her rather social conscious stepmother and the son of her father's business partner Jared, the hero. Feeling a bit lost by her lack of direction she goes along with the endless stream of parties her stepmother takes her to, as well as the dinner invitations from Jared. Jared soon informs her that he plans for them to marry, and Kris knows that the marriage is only intended in order to merge their two families and thus make their combined business, of which Jared is CEO, even more powerful. Kris agrees as she feels there is little other course for her. She has always had a secret love for Jared but is realistic enough to know that he will never love her.
I'll be honest and tell you that I don't really like Helen Bianchin's books. Her writing style just doesn't work for me, but I have heard that her older books are much better than her more recent ones (which always seem to contain some psycho-stalker-esque plot) so I thought I would give this one a go... Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. The story itself is interesting and had potential, but the devil is in the details and they were poorly done. I found it very difficult to sympathise with the characters, they were so snobbish and whiny. I don't mind books set in a wealthy world, but this book was just ridiculous. Readers need to be able to put themselves in the character's shoes, not be patronised by them - that is what this book did in my opinion. Let me give you an example -
"Her eyes assumed a shrewdness far beyond her years. 'It's just as much a pain being born rich as it is being born poor. Although the poor wouldn't agree with me!' She laughed..."
Yeah, somehow I don't think those who can't feel their children would agree with you. Why would the author write that?! And what is with all the designer's names chucked in, seriously there is tons, it's unnecessary and a little tacky.
The writing is so repetitive, every damn thing the heroine did was described and sometimes in mind numbing detail. I lost count of the amount of times the heroine did the following (all in the same order) - had a shower, "completed her toilette", put on underwear, chose clothing, put on make up, and brushed her hair. Very frustrating.
One last thing - in the HEA the hero admitted he had been in love with the heroine for over five years and waiting for her. The heroine only just turned 21 in this book and the hero 34, so that means he has been lusting after her since she was 14/15 and he 29... Make of that what you will.
The reason this got two stars not one, is that the actual plot was interesting.
Sadly disappointing.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
I'll be honest and tell you that I don't really like Helen Bianchin's books. Her writing style just doesn't work for me, but I have heard that her older books are much better than her more recent ones (which always seem to contain some psycho-stalker-esque plot) so I thought I would give this one a go... Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy it. The story itself is interesting and had potential, but the devil is in the details and they were poorly done. I found it very difficult to sympathise with the characters, they were so snobbish and whiny. I don't mind books set in a wealthy world, but this book was just ridiculous. Readers need to be able to put themselves in the character's shoes, not be patronised by them - that is what this book did in my opinion. Let me give you an example -
"Her eyes assumed a shrewdness far beyond her years. 'It's just as much a pain being born rich as it is being born poor. Although the poor wouldn't agree with me!' She laughed..."
Yeah, somehow I don't think those who can't feel their children would agree with you. Why would the author write that?! And what is with all the designer's names chucked in, seriously there is tons, it's unnecessary and a little tacky.
The writing is so repetitive, every damn thing the heroine did was described and sometimes in mind numbing detail. I lost count of the amount of times the heroine did the following (all in the same order) - had a shower, "completed her toilette", put on underwear, chose clothing, put on make up, and brushed her hair. Very frustrating.
One last thing - in the HEA the hero admitted he had been in love with the heroine for over five years and waiting for her. The heroine only just turned 21 in this book and the hero 34, so that means he has been lusting after her since she was 14/15 and he 29... Make of that what you will.
The reason this got two stars not one, is that the actual plot was interesting.
Sadly disappointing.
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
April 19, 2011
I've been purchasing older Helen Bianchin titles recently. Some have been much, much different than the ones released int he last ten-fifteen years so it's been an adjustment. This one besides having a lovely title...I mean come on..."Dark Enchantment"...tell me it doesn't make you swoon a little. Wait, just me?
Anyway, it's her usual HB story outline but with an interesting twist to the romance in that the heroine goes from the hero's ward to his fiancee. I'm not one to spoil or give a lot of details in my reviews because I'm not very good at it, but suffice it to say at the last two pages, when our Dark Enchanter reveals his feelings, I teared up a bit. It was a rather lovely moment.
Anyway, it's her usual HB story outline but with an interesting twist to the romance in that the heroine goes from the hero's ward to his fiancee. I'm not one to spoil or give a lot of details in my reviews because I'm not very good at it, but suffice it to say at the last two pages, when our Dark Enchanter reveals his feelings, I teared up a bit. It was a rather lovely moment.
March 4, 2013
loved this one !!how he loved her, had always without her knowing and he knew that she loved him as well. very sweet story
March 29, 2014
I felt so flipping frustrated! I wanted to tell her to run, fast and far away, to grow into herself and not let anyone take anything from her. Gah! The hero just kept on pushing, it drove me MAD!
December 31, 2021
All her life Kris Laurensen had been trapped in the silken prison of her family's immense wealth. Decisions were made for her by her stepmother and her dynamic guardian, Jared Chayse-including the decision that she should marry Jared!
Kris was shocked. The match would cement a financial empire but what about her feelings for Jared, feelings that veered crazily between attraction and resentment?
Returning to Sydney from finishing school in Europe, Kris had been eager to taste her freedom, to experience life. Instead, she was being forced to contemplate marriage to a man who might never love her.
Kris was shocked. The match would cement a financial empire but what about her feelings for Jared, feelings that veered crazily between attraction and resentment?
Returning to Sydney from finishing school in Europe, Kris had been eager to taste her freedom, to experience life. Instead, she was being forced to contemplate marriage to a man who might never love her.
January 28, 2021
Kris had been brought up in the finest that wealth could provide. After her father had died her step mother and her guardian both made sure that her education was on par with that society could have. But after all she came home expecting one thing and found out that she was now betrothed to the one man she thought of a guardian. Oh don't get me wrong his father was supposed to be that but after he died Jared took over. And now she is back. And a wedding announcement was inevitable, she was not given a choice. This was set in the 1980s era where it was deemed ok. I have enjoyed many of H. Bianchin books in the past and this is one I have a printed copy of so have read it many times over the years.
November 2, 2025
Nothing enchanting here! Too much time wasted in endless descriptions of dresses, banquets, scenery, and not enough time on the MC, except for too many scenes where they get all turned on but stop before things really get started, with the h thinking their engagement is more a business merger, he's too sophisticated for her, he's had so many women he'll never be content with just one, etc.
Also, too much emphasis on the "poor little rich girl" trope that gets annoying.
You can skip this one without a regret.
Also, too much emphasis on the "poor little rich girl" trope that gets annoying.
You can skip this one without a regret.
December 27, 2017
الوصي
من روايات عبير الجديدة
لم تسألي نفسك عن شخصية الانسان الذي ستتزوجيه ؟ قال جاريد تشايز لكريس بعناد , وبما ان جاريد كان ثريا وسيما وجذابا الى درجة كبيرة , فما الذي يقلق كريس؟
الحقيقة انهما مدركان ان زواجهما المتوقع سيكون نافعا لهما, فامتلاكهما امبراطوية مالية جعل من الزواج الحل الناجح الذي يساعدهما على دمج مؤسستيهما , والتعزية الوحيدة لكريس انها حبت جاريد منذ سنوات , في الوقت الذي كان اهتمامه بغناه و اوصاه والدها عليها .
من روايات عبير الجديدة
لم تسألي نفسك عن شخصية الانسان الذي ستتزوجيه ؟ قال جاريد تشايز لكريس بعناد , وبما ان جاريد كان ثريا وسيما وجذابا الى درجة كبيرة , فما الذي يقلق كريس؟
الحقيقة انهما مدركان ان زواجهما المتوقع سيكون نافعا لهما, فامتلاكهما امبراطوية مالية جعل من الزواج الحل الناجح الذي يساعدهما على دمج مؤسستيهما , والتعزية الوحيدة لكريس انها حبت جاريد منذ سنوات , في الوقت الذي كان اهتمامه بغناه و اوصاه والدها عليها .
November 5, 2018
Kris might as well be named "Doormat" for all her protestations against her stepmother and guardian/future-husband.
"My life has been dictated by them." Well girl you continue to let them so what do you expect??? -_-
Whatever if you can accept being perfectly groomed and virginaized for being a rich man's who didnt give a damn about his own sexual life just because he was a "man"
"My life has been dictated by them." Well girl you continue to let them so what do you expect??? -_-
Whatever if you can accept being perfectly groomed and virginaized for being a rich man's who didnt give a damn about his own sexual life just because he was a "man"
October 26, 2022
This was one where I really really wanted her to get her own attorney, tell the stepmother to f off, and then leave town and go to school or get a job somewhere. The H plotting to marry her since she was a kid, and both he and the stepmother providing little to no emotional support made me a little ill.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 15, 2022
Incredibly boring. I can’t relate to a rich doormat who spends all her time eating, partying, putting on makeup (we do not need details about eyeshadow), feeling sorry for herself. Supposedly doormat wanted to do something after two sessions of finishing school (!j but had no idea, no ambitions, no desire for college or a job, did everything her stepmother wanted because it was easier.
Should be a 1 star, but I finally finished it and it’s not filthy, simply boring, trivial and inane
Should be a 1 star, but I finally finished it and it’s not filthy, simply boring, trivial and inane
October 25, 2020
This is about an h who is like a puppet on a string who might long to be free but elects to remain in her gilded cage. She makes a few weak tugs on the string but is careful not to break it.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews