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The Constant Heart
Rebecca Shaw was heartbroken when Christopher Sinclair, whom she had loved passionately and who had sworn that he loved her in return her, left her without explanation to marry a far wealthier woman. Rebecca has since found consolation and peace as the fiance of the local vicar, whose worthy work and dreams she shares. But Christopher, now widowed, is back and Rebecca has to keep reminding herself that he once betrayed her and must never be trusted again. Her heart, however, tells her otherwise.
325 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 7, 1987
345 people are currently reading
401 people want to read
About the author
Mary Balogh
200 books6,345 followersMary Jenkins was born in 1944 in Swansea, Wales, UK. After graduating from university, moved to Saskatchewan, Canada, to teach high school English, on a two-year teaching contract in 1967. She married her Canadian husband, Robert Balogh, and had three children, Jacqueline, Christopher and Sian. When she's not writing, she enjoys reading, music and knitting. She also enjoys watching tennis and curling.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
Mary Balogh started writing in the evenings as a hobby. Her first book, a Regency love story, was published in 1985 as A Masked Deception under her married name. In 1988, she retired from teaching after 20 years to pursue her dream to write full-time. She has written more than seventy novels and almost thirty novellas since then, including the New York Times bestselling 'Slightly' sextet and 'Simply' quartet. She has won numerous awards, including Bestselling Historical of the Year from the Borders Group, and her novel Simply Magic was a finalist in the Quill Awards. She has won seven Waldenbooks Awards and two B. Dalton Awards for her bestselling novels, as well as a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
August 9, 2013
First, let me explain the one star. This book is very well written, the characters are realistic, and the story is unique. The reason I had to give the book one star is because it pissed me off like none other. Unbelievable! Mary Balogh has a tendency of screwing over her characters in the most fantastic ways imaginable, but this really takes the cake. And in classic Balogh fashion, the character getting totally screwed over (usually the heroine) takes everything with so much poise and good nature that it you makes you want to throw up.
This book made ME bitter. This book made ME want to beat the living day lights out of virtually every other character in the book, including the hero. The explanation at the end is logical and yet a total emotional mind-screw. It won't make you happy and it won't make you forgive anyone. It will just piss you off more. =(
PS: There are also no passion scenes, which is good b/c I would be more interested in the characters killing each other than doing anything else =/
This book made ME bitter. This book made ME want to beat the living day lights out of virtually every other character in the book, including the hero. The explanation at the end is logical and yet a total emotional mind-screw. It won't make you happy and it won't make you forgive anyone. It will just piss you off more. =(
PS: There are also no passion scenes, which is good b/c I would be more interested in the characters killing each other than doing anything else =/
October 29, 2017
(2.5 stars) Usually a Balogh romance lets us into the mind and thoughts of the hero, in addition to those of the heroine, (sometimes to the detriment of a sleazebag hero such as Archie in TEMPTING HARRIET). But here we are given no idea of the thoughts and motivations of Christopher, Rebecca's inconstant love, a man who promised her his heart and then abruptly deserted her to marry another. I'm pretty sure that's a purposeful omission on Balogh's part. We focus only on Rebecca and her constant heart. We have to believe, as she does, that Christopher is not worth her love. Yet that love remains in her heart, in spite of his inconstancy.
OK, I'll buy that limited POV device, although I found it very frustrating. What I don't buy is what Christopher did to Rebecca seven years prior to this story when, privately promised to her, he leaves her for another woman, without really explaining himself. No sadness, no apologies, no regrets, no angsty farewell, no tears or tenderness. He was unnecessarily cold and heartless. Towards the end of the story he gives his justifications for his actions, but I didn't accept it at all. Good thing for him that Rebecca did or there'd be no HEA for him.
As for the story itself, it's a very early one, her fourth, from 1987. It shows its age and also shows a great deal of influence from Jane Austen novels. I picked up certain similarities in characters, their interactions and behavior, and story lines, from P&P, PERSUASION, and even SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, that were fairly obvious. That's, of course, not a bad thing, just an observation on my part.
After being deserted seven years earlier, long-suffering heroine Rebecca hasn't heard from Christopher. In the meantime she has become actively involved in the village school, working with Phillip, the young, handsome, boring, conservative, stick-up-his-posterior vicar of the village, to whom she is now engaged. In addition to Phillip, there are many other secondary characters, most not very deeply developed, but entertaining nonetheless. Sort of picked from central casting. Rebecca's snooty, full-of-himself uncle, his young, mousy, second wife Maude, his spoiled brat of a daughter Harriet, Maude's fortune hunting brother, Christopher's friend Luke, and Christopher's brother and sisters.
There are superficial secondary romances, convenient deaths and broken engagements to facilitate these romances, and picnics, excursions, fairs, teas, and dances as the settings for many a scene. An exciting time is had by all. And there's lots and lots of time for Rebecca to spend in introspection, internal rehashing of the past, agonizing over her feelings, etc., all in her own repetitive thoughts, never in conversations with the people who have wronged her. The only points I give Rebecca are for finally standing up for herself and all womankind when she dumps the vicar. As for her relationship with Christopher: There she was too giving and forgiving of his actions.
The story moves slowly and prosaically. Rebecca goes over and over the same thoughts far too many times, and the thoughtless hero (thoughtless in both actions and in the lack of his POV) was a bust. His rationalizations for how he treated Rebecca seven years ago did not work for me at all. And, BTW, he did not explain why, after promising her he would never return to the village, he did. (It was an unrealistic and strange promise to make anyway. Didn't all his family live there?) Still, his return showed that he's not exactly a man of his word.
I almost gave this 2 stars but decided to go with 3 because the story kept me reading to the end. Of course, that was because I was looking for Christopher's reasons for being a jerk. Unfortunately, he never explained it to me.
OK, I'll buy that limited POV device, although I found it very frustrating. What I don't buy is what Christopher did to Rebecca seven years prior to this story when, privately promised to her, he leaves her for another woman, without really explaining himself. No sadness, no apologies, no regrets, no angsty farewell, no tears or tenderness. He was unnecessarily cold and heartless. Towards the end of the story he gives his justifications for his actions, but I didn't accept it at all. Good thing for him that Rebecca did or there'd be no HEA for him.
As for the story itself, it's a very early one, her fourth, from 1987. It shows its age and also shows a great deal of influence from Jane Austen novels. I picked up certain similarities in characters, their interactions and behavior, and story lines, from P&P, PERSUASION, and even SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, that were fairly obvious. That's, of course, not a bad thing, just an observation on my part.
After being deserted seven years earlier, long-suffering heroine Rebecca hasn't heard from Christopher. In the meantime she has become actively involved in the village school, working with Phillip, the young, handsome, boring, conservative, stick-up-his-posterior vicar of the village, to whom she is now engaged. In addition to Phillip, there are many other secondary characters, most not very deeply developed, but entertaining nonetheless. Sort of picked from central casting. Rebecca's snooty, full-of-himself uncle, his young, mousy, second wife Maude, his spoiled brat of a daughter Harriet, Maude's fortune hunting brother, Christopher's friend Luke, and Christopher's brother and sisters.
There are superficial secondary romances, convenient deaths and broken engagements to facilitate these romances, and picnics, excursions, fairs, teas, and dances as the settings for many a scene. An exciting time is had by all. And there's lots and lots of time for Rebecca to spend in introspection, internal rehashing of the past, agonizing over her feelings, etc., all in her own repetitive thoughts, never in conversations with the people who have wronged her. The only points I give Rebecca are for finally standing up for herself and all womankind when she dumps the vicar. As for her relationship with Christopher: There she was too giving and forgiving of his actions.
The story moves slowly and prosaically. Rebecca goes over and over the same thoughts far too many times, and the thoughtless hero (thoughtless in both actions and in the lack of his POV) was a bust. His rationalizations for how he treated Rebecca seven years ago did not work for me at all. And, BTW, he did not explain why, after promising her he would never return to the village, he did. (It was an unrealistic and strange promise to make anyway. Didn't all his family live there?) Still, his return showed that he's not exactly a man of his word.
I almost gave this 2 stars but decided to go with 3 because the story kept me reading to the end. Of course, that was because I was looking for Christopher's reasons for being a jerk. Unfortunately, he never explained it to me.
March 6, 2017
This very typical early Balogh. Well written and angsty, but very little in return for the readers emotions. All you get is the pain and no pleasure, but a lot of people like that, I guess.
April 4, 2018
An early Mary Balogh with very little romance action, clichéd characters and a basic plot line full of hurt feelings which could have been resolved with an honest conversation. She has definitely developed her writing in later years to a much more satisfying reading experience.
2.5 stars
2.5 stars
June 24, 2022
This wasn't as engrossing as Balogh's other works are. Some of her older books are really enjoyable, but I found myself yawning and skimming through this. By the end, I could hardly bring myself to care about what happened to the MCs.
If you're new to Balogh, I don't recommend this. Try the Bedwyn and Simply series, An Unlikely Duchess, An Unacceptable Offer, Lady with the Black Umbrella, Double Wager etc.
If you're new to Balogh, I don't recommend this. Try the Bedwyn and Simply series, An Unlikely Duchess, An Unacceptable Offer, Lady with the Black Umbrella, Double Wager etc.
August 3, 2015
After reading the 9 somewhat negative reviews I did not have high expectations of this book but I read it in 1 day and found it really engrossing .
In most books the heroine gives up everything for the sake of her family but Mary Balogh gives in this book that honour to the Hero and I liked him for it . And yes there was a bit of a George Wickham ( Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ) feeling in it so what ?
In most books the heroine gives up everything for the sake of her family but Mary Balogh gives in this book that honour to the Hero and I liked him for it . And yes there was a bit of a George Wickham ( Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen ) feeling in it so what ?
November 9, 2010
Another one of Balogh's oldies The Constant Heart tells the story of Rebecca Shaw, a young woman who suffered a big disappointment a few years before when her beau tells her that he is marrying a rich heiress he met in town and leaving her behind. Now she is engaged to be married to the village Reverend but the return of the man who betrayed her, now a rich widower, does make her heart feel divided.
Besides her disappointment with him Rebecca keeps hearing about how Christopher mistreated his wife. But she can't seem to stay away from him as they keep seeing each other everywhere and he is always very civil to her. When they meet by accident in the forest and Christopher tells her he still cares for her Rebecca has a hard time dealing with the feelings that his declaration bring to surface.
But soon she finds out that maybe not all that has been said about him is true, that he has been helping her through the years without her knowledge and the real reasons behind his actions.
I thought this plot had great potential for an angst ridden story. Unfortunately, although there are some emotional moments, that potential is not fulfilled. Maybe because we only know Rebecca's side of it or because Christopher actually does seem like a nice guy and there isn't much misunderstanding on that score. That lack of emotion prevented me from being totally engaged in the story and it didn't quite work as I was expecting it to.
The secondary characters were really nice and the love stories they developed also made for a good read. They were the kind of people I wouldn't mind revisiting at a later date to see how well they deal with each other.
Grade: 3.5/5
Besides her disappointment with him Rebecca keeps hearing about how Christopher mistreated his wife. But she can't seem to stay away from him as they keep seeing each other everywhere and he is always very civil to her. When they meet by accident in the forest and Christopher tells her he still cares for her Rebecca has a hard time dealing with the feelings that his declaration bring to surface.
But soon she finds out that maybe not all that has been said about him is true, that he has been helping her through the years without her knowledge and the real reasons behind his actions.
I thought this plot had great potential for an angst ridden story. Unfortunately, although there are some emotional moments, that potential is not fulfilled. Maybe because we only know Rebecca's side of it or because Christopher actually does seem like a nice guy and there isn't much misunderstanding on that score. That lack of emotion prevented me from being totally engaged in the story and it didn't quite work as I was expecting it to.
The secondary characters were really nice and the love stories they developed also made for a good read. They were the kind of people I wouldn't mind revisiting at a later date to see how well they deal with each other.
Grade: 3.5/5
August 24, 2017
This was a re-issue of a book originally released in 1987 and I definitely got a slightly old-fashioned vibe when reading it (if that makes any sense given that this is an historical).
Rebecca Shaw was the daughter of the local vicar, after the death of her father she went to live with her uncle Lord Holmes and his daughter Harriet. Ever since she was a child she had been in love with Christopher Sinclair, the eldest son of their nearest neighbour, and they were all but promised to each other before he went away to London for a few months and married another woman.
Six and a half years later, Rebecca is now engaged to the new vicar, Philip Everett, and the two of them have recently started a school for the village boys, funded by the generosity of a mysterious benefactor. Rebecca's uncle has recently married a much younger woman, Maud and her charming brother Mr Bartlett has come for an extended stay. And then the Sinclair sisters break the news that Christopher's wife has died and he is coming home to visit his parents. How can Rebecca face the man who broke her heart?
I think based on the summary above you could probable predict 80% of the plot twists right now. It was enjoyable but there were some anomalies (vis-a-vis one of the characters saying a male character wouldn't lift his hand to a woman who wasn't his wife, daughter or sister - so it's okay to hit one of them hmm?). Also, one of the female characters blames everything that has gone wrong on her need to assert her independence - WTF?
Overall, I thought that this felt like a plot which hadn't been fleshed out enough.
Rebecca Shaw was the daughter of the local vicar, after the death of her father she went to live with her uncle Lord Holmes and his daughter Harriet. Ever since she was a child she had been in love with Christopher Sinclair, the eldest son of their nearest neighbour, and they were all but promised to each other before he went away to London for a few months and married another woman.
Six and a half years later, Rebecca is now engaged to the new vicar, Philip Everett, and the two of them have recently started a school for the village boys, funded by the generosity of a mysterious benefactor. Rebecca's uncle has recently married a much younger woman, Maud and her charming brother Mr Bartlett has come for an extended stay. And then the Sinclair sisters break the news that Christopher's wife has died and he is coming home to visit his parents. How can Rebecca face the man who broke her heart?
I think based on the summary above you could probable predict 80% of the plot twists right now. It was enjoyable but there were some anomalies (vis-a-vis one of the characters saying a male character wouldn't lift his hand to a woman who wasn't his wife, daughter or sister - so it's okay to hit one of them hmm?). Also, one of the female characters blames everything that has gone wrong on her need to assert her independence - WTF?
Overall, I thought that this felt like a plot which hadn't been fleshed out enough.
December 15, 2013
I did not like this. Christopher should have groveled more. There was really no excuse for what he did. The ending was not satisfying at all! There should have been an epilogue. Bummer!
May 1, 2023
This was fine, confused by all the bad reviews. Nothing awful or horribly frustrating happened. I like that it was a man who had to give up his happiness to save his family instead of the woman, as it usually goes. MCs were honorable. The side romance was kinda funny.
May 1, 2019
Oof. It's no secret that I love Mary Balogh, but wow this one was not great bob.
What I Liked:
- Becky's ending her betrothal to Philip (FINALLY) because he thinks women are inferior to men and just meant to be helpmeets
- Becky and Philip's engagement ending in a surprisingly chill way
What I Didn't Like:
- Hoo boy the whole thing basically but let's go
- Let's talk about how The Constant Heart is basically Persuasion, down to the scenes where the younger girl does dangerous shit to attract the attention of the heroine's former love who has returned to town. It. Is. Blatant.
- Which, like, I love retellings, except that Anne Elliot, while not the most spirited Austen heroine, has 50 times more spine than Rebecca Shaw.
- It's basically Persuasion with Fanny Price as the heroine, and god it's painful.
- Plus, a key aspect to Persuasion is that both Anne and Wentworth messed up, whereas here Becky's completely blameless, and gahhhhhh it's tedious.
- And of course Christopher turns out to have had only noble intentions forever, and the plot twists were telegraphed like whoa. No shit Christopher donated the money to open the school. No shit.
- I will never ever understand why Becky didn't end her engagement to Philip when she caught him kissing her uncle's wife. Literally look at your life, look at your choices ARE YOU KIDDING
- Not to mention how Philip had been shaming that woman CONSTANTLY before he made out with her all passionately. This is not a good man, Rebecca. FUCKING RUN.
- But really all the romances are problematic as hell? Like GAH.
- The sideship of the younger girl (Harriet) is with an older man who keeps promising to give her a much needed thrashing. SUCH ROMANCE IN BEATING YOUR WIFE. Not even kidding. This is the whole dynamic to the relationship.
- And there's the part where Christopher describes his late wife as "a fiend and a slut," which is pretty great ngl.
- Literally two people have to die so that these unhealthy romances can proceed: Christopher's wife and Maude's husband (aka the cuckolded uncle).
- I mean, yes, it sucks for Maude to have married a gross old dude for money, but I'm still not going to be happy that she's totes going to marry Philip in a year when her mourning ends. Philip is a goddamn jackass.
- Finally, even if I HAD liked this ship, the book literally ends with a kiss and the big reveal of why he abandoned her and married someone else. That's it. Nothing else. I'm lucky I didn't like it because that would have been enragingly unsatisfying if I had liked it.
I've been reading Balogh's backlist, and, while they've had some problematic elements (mostly the wife beating joke as a cute banter thing - nooooooope), they've been generally pretty good, given they came out in the 1980s, but this one's atrocious, as it's boring and problematic pretty much across the board, on top of being a terrible retelling.
What I Liked:
- Becky's ending her betrothal to Philip (FINALLY) because he thinks women are inferior to men and just meant to be helpmeets
- Becky and Philip's engagement ending in a surprisingly chill way
What I Didn't Like:
- Hoo boy the whole thing basically but let's go
- Let's talk about how The Constant Heart is basically Persuasion, down to the scenes where the younger girl does dangerous shit to attract the attention of the heroine's former love who has returned to town. It. Is. Blatant.
- Which, like, I love retellings, except that Anne Elliot, while not the most spirited Austen heroine, has 50 times more spine than Rebecca Shaw.
- It's basically Persuasion with Fanny Price as the heroine, and god it's painful.
- Plus, a key aspect to Persuasion is that both Anne and Wentworth messed up, whereas here Becky's completely blameless, and gahhhhhh it's tedious.
- And of course Christopher turns out to have had only noble intentions forever, and the plot twists were telegraphed like whoa. No shit Christopher donated the money to open the school. No shit.
- I will never ever understand why Becky didn't end her engagement to Philip when she caught him kissing her uncle's wife. Literally look at your life, look at your choices ARE YOU KIDDING
- Not to mention how Philip had been shaming that woman CONSTANTLY before he made out with her all passionately. This is not a good man, Rebecca. FUCKING RUN.
- But really all the romances are problematic as hell? Like GAH.
- The sideship of the younger girl (Harriet) is with an older man who keeps promising to give her a much needed thrashing. SUCH ROMANCE IN BEATING YOUR WIFE. Not even kidding. This is the whole dynamic to the relationship.
- And there's the part where Christopher describes his late wife as "a fiend and a slut," which is pretty great ngl.
- Literally two people have to die so that these unhealthy romances can proceed: Christopher's wife and Maude's husband (aka the cuckolded uncle).
- I mean, yes, it sucks for Maude to have married a gross old dude for money, but I'm still not going to be happy that she's totes going to marry Philip in a year when her mourning ends. Philip is a goddamn jackass.
- Finally, even if I HAD liked this ship, the book literally ends with a kiss and the big reveal of why he abandoned her and married someone else. That's it. Nothing else. I'm lucky I didn't like it because that would have been enragingly unsatisfying if I had liked it.
I've been reading Balogh's backlist, and, while they've had some problematic elements (mostly the wife beating joke as a cute banter thing - nooooooope), they've been generally pretty good, given they came out in the 1980s, but this one's atrocious, as it's boring and problematic pretty much across the board, on top of being a terrible retelling.
August 16, 2010
As always wonderfully written by the queen of regency, however, I just couldn't get into this story. Since we don't see the hero's POV, I thought this book mainly frustrating and dull.
Heroine: plain Jane, devoted to teaching
Hero: beta
Sex scenes: none
Heroine: plain Jane, devoted to teaching
Hero: beta
Sex scenes: none
September 29, 2019
Not very eventful or character driven than some of her books. Conflict could have been resolved earlier.
June 30, 2017
this was not exciting enough for me ....not enough interaction between the pair and quite frankly I can't believe what he did all those years ago and he let her believe he was a scoundrel....plus when she asks him directly ..why have you come ? he answers ... "I don't know" ....so in general it was too frustrating really to read about these two
February 14, 2021
It gave me 'Persuasion' plus Mr Wickham bines from 'Pride and Prejudice'.
I liked the hero, he was decent enough and not a jerk. He fully understood what his decision did and he took complete responsibility of that. But their problem could have been solved earlier had they communicated. I wanted more interactions between the main couple. And they were not together till the very end. Without the epilogue it felt incomplete.
Rest of the characters had their own stories going on which were interesting. I really liked the writing more than anything else. It was slow but made me feel so much. I just needed one more chapter or an epilogue and it would have been 5 stars.
I liked the hero, he was decent enough and not a jerk. He fully understood what his decision did and he took complete responsibility of that. But their problem could have been solved earlier had they communicated. I wanted more interactions between the main couple. And they were not together till the very end. Without the epilogue it felt incomplete.
Rest of the characters had their own stories going on which were interesting. I really liked the writing more than anything else. It was slow but made me feel so much. I just needed one more chapter or an epilogue and it would have been 5 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2020
Balogh at her beat early on
This is my favorite Mary Balogh book. Before reading this book for the first time over ten years ago it was The Secret Pearl. All the things I love in a romance: the pang of seemingly unrequited love, betrayal that isn’t what it seems (without being cheesy), the best gentle hero (Balogh does gentle heroes best), independent, engaging, and witty heroines, and so much more I can’t seem to recall right now. A must read that you can read over and over again and it’s still engaging.
This is my favorite Mary Balogh book. Before reading this book for the first time over ten years ago it was The Secret Pearl. All the things I love in a romance: the pang of seemingly unrequited love, betrayal that isn’t what it seems (without being cheesy), the best gentle hero (Balogh does gentle heroes best), independent, engaging, and witty heroines, and so much more I can’t seem to recall right now. A must read that you can read over and over again and it’s still engaging.
August 9, 2021
First and foremost...This should not be categorized as a romance novel but rather a historical mystery, for there was little to no romance in this book.
The Constant Heart was about Miss Rebecca Shaw, niece of Lord Humphrey Shaw, Baron Holmes, and companion t his daughter Harriet, and Mr. Christopher Sinclair, a widower who had been a former love interest of Rebecca's.
It had been nearly seven years since Christopher had broken Rebecca's heart when, without explanation, he had chosen to marry another woman for her wealth after having professed to love Rebecca. Since then, Rebecca had found peace and consolation as the betrothed of Reverand Phillip Everett, although they had been betrothed for almost a year with no date set for the wedding. But then, Rebecca learned from the Sinclair siblings that Christopher, just out of mourning the death of his wife, would soon be returning home. Unfortunately, the author did not choose to include Christopher's POV at all in the book, so we never saw what happened from his angle.
From beginning to end, there had been little to no interaction between Christopher and Rebecca. They were rarely in each other's company and, even when they were near each other, hardly any conversation was exchanged. There was only a handful of "love scenes"...if they could even be categorized as such. It was quite disappointing.
There were quite a few mysteries that the author threw into the mix that caused quite a bit of confusion. In fact, there were so many the reader sometimes didn't know what was going on. There were several characters that all had something shady going on about them. It was a tremendous amount of clutter that was seriously unnecessary and took the focus off the main characters. This book was all over the place. There was way too much going on and was full of fluff. It quickly devolved and became difficult to know who was doing what. There didn't seem to be a central focal point, plot, or storyline. It was as if there were multiple books just thrown together to make one whacked-out book.
There was way too much drama and over-the-top angst. There wasn't a drop of humor to ease the tension of the story. There was hardly any chemistry or passion with the main characters. The entire story was fraught with anger, hateful words, jealousy...any and all negative emotions that can be named, this book had it.
I can't give this book even a 3-star rating it was so poorly done, which also means it won't be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection. I was greatly disappointed for having wasted my time reading it.
The Constant Heart was about Miss Rebecca Shaw, niece of Lord Humphrey Shaw, Baron Holmes, and companion t his daughter Harriet, and Mr. Christopher Sinclair, a widower who had been a former love interest of Rebecca's.
It had been nearly seven years since Christopher had broken Rebecca's heart when, without explanation, he had chosen to marry another woman for her wealth after having professed to love Rebecca. Since then, Rebecca had found peace and consolation as the betrothed of Reverand Phillip Everett, although they had been betrothed for almost a year with no date set for the wedding. But then, Rebecca learned from the Sinclair siblings that Christopher, just out of mourning the death of his wife, would soon be returning home. Unfortunately, the author did not choose to include Christopher's POV at all in the book, so we never saw what happened from his angle.
From beginning to end, there had been little to no interaction between Christopher and Rebecca. They were rarely in each other's company and, even when they were near each other, hardly any conversation was exchanged. There was only a handful of "love scenes"...if they could even be categorized as such. It was quite disappointing.
There were quite a few mysteries that the author threw into the mix that caused quite a bit of confusion. In fact, there were so many the reader sometimes didn't know what was going on. There were several characters that all had something shady going on about them. It was a tremendous amount of clutter that was seriously unnecessary and took the focus off the main characters. This book was all over the place. There was way too much going on and was full of fluff. It quickly devolved and became difficult to know who was doing what. There didn't seem to be a central focal point, plot, or storyline. It was as if there were multiple books just thrown together to make one whacked-out book.
There was way too much drama and over-the-top angst. There wasn't a drop of humor to ease the tension of the story. There was hardly any chemistry or passion with the main characters. The entire story was fraught with anger, hateful words, jealousy...any and all negative emotions that can be named, this book had it.
I can't give this book even a 3-star rating it was so poorly done, which also means it won't be added to the Keeper for the Shelves collection. I was greatly disappointed for having wasted my time reading it.
November 24, 2024
This is obviously a Persuasion-esque fanfic, and I'm fine with that. It's different from Balogh's other books in that we only get Rebecca's POV the whole time, and the bulk of the book is her introspection about her life and thoughts about the people around her. It's similar to other Balogh books in that people are overly tortured by their *feelings* and lowkey want to suffer. I know other reviewers dump on the male lead Christopher but I actually really liked him - I thought his character was consistent and believable as the honorable guy who marries to save his family. What I didn't like was that Rebecca's confusion about Christopher's actions went on until basically the last page, meaning the wrap up was not very satisfying. There were also only a handful of romantic scenes, and most of them flashbacks so also not satisfying. Also the B storyline of Christopher's friend and Rebecca's cousin Harriet was atrocious. Mostly because I'm not a fan of "spoiled girl who wants to be punished by controlling violent man" romances. If there were any playfulness in their relationship I could have borne it, but they seemed to genuinely dislike each other so it was painful to read anything to do with them.
April 17, 2020
Comecei a ler essa história com o coração hesitante. Havia acabado de ler um outro livro da mesma autora, o qual, por diversas razões, me trouxe pouca alegria. Por isso, iniciei a leitura temendo algo semelhante dessa nova história - mas me surpreendi, e definitivamente para melhor.
Os personagens, suas ações, motivações e conexões são todos orgânicos, críveis e naturais - quase se pode imaginar os mesmos dramas acontecendo hoje, no nosso círculo de amigos.
O fato de a história não focar apenas nos dois personagens principais, mas buscar mostrar as relações (que já existiram e que surgiram ao longo da narrativa) entre todas as partes, foi também uma agradável surpresa. Quem é fã de Jane Austen não apenas vai identificar esse estilo narrativo como próprio à ela, mas também vai se pegar lendo diversas passagens extremamente semelhantes aos livros clássicos austenianos - semelhanças essas que, para mim, foram divertidas caçar.
Um livro muito bem construído e narrado, e que desfez a má impressão que seu antecessor me deixou quanto à autora.
Os personagens, suas ações, motivações e conexões são todos orgânicos, críveis e naturais - quase se pode imaginar os mesmos dramas acontecendo hoje, no nosso círculo de amigos.
O fato de a história não focar apenas nos dois personagens principais, mas buscar mostrar as relações (que já existiram e que surgiram ao longo da narrativa) entre todas as partes, foi também uma agradável surpresa. Quem é fã de Jane Austen não apenas vai identificar esse estilo narrativo como próprio à ela, mas também vai se pegar lendo diversas passagens extremamente semelhantes aos livros clássicos austenianos - semelhanças essas que, para mim, foram divertidas caçar.
Um livro muito bem construído e narrado, e que desfez a má impressão que seu antecessor me deixou quanto à autora.
December 27, 2019
A mashup of Austen's Persuasion and Georgette Heyer's The Nonesuch, with a little P&P thrown in there, too. It read to me like fan fiction, better written maybe but not as funny. If only mashups had been a thing in the 80's, and Balogh had given her imagination even freer reign! I'm half tempted to write my own variation of this book because I wouldn't make the main character such a prude ... oh, wait: is she _Fanny Price_? And she throws over Edmund for Captain Wentworth? Well, thought of that way, I like her better.
(Honestly though I did skim It because dang, heroine. Everyone reading knew the truth about the hero by chapter 6 at least, and it wasn't that fun to wait for you to catch up.)
(Honestly though I did skim It because dang, heroine. Everyone reading knew the truth about the hero by chapter 6 at least, and it wasn't that fun to wait for you to catch up.)
January 31, 2021
I dithered between two and three stars for this book, finally ending up on three because it's Mary Balogh. It is one of her earlier books which is finally what swayed me.
Rebecca was dumped by Christopher who opted for a wealthy wife. Years later he returns to find her engaged to the local vicar. It's a frustrating story because pretty much everyone is not a very nice person. Some of the reasons may have good excuses, but in the end, they all pretty much deserved their fates. It was still an interesting story as it provided me with a lot of thoughts about others ways they might act in their situations.
Rebecca was dumped by Christopher who opted for a wealthy wife. Years later he returns to find her engaged to the local vicar. It's a frustrating story because pretty much everyone is not a very nice person. Some of the reasons may have good excuses, but in the end, they all pretty much deserved their fates. It was still an interesting story as it provided me with a lot of thoughts about others ways they might act in their situations.
September 29, 2017
Nothing all that surprising in this older Balogh title, but I enjoyed its evocation of Wickham and Elizabeth from Pride and Prejudice and Jane and St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre. Rebecca was engaged to her best friend/neighbor Christopher, until one day Christopher suddenly tells her he's engaged to another woman. Years later, after his wife has died, Christopher breaks his promise to never return home, and cannot help falling for Becky all over again, in spite of the fact that she's now engaged to the local vicar. Predictable, but still quite touching and pleasurable.
November 8, 2021
Refreshingly mature (not in a dirty way!) for one of Balogh’s novellas. Minus a star because I really feel like that horribly bratty twerp, Harriet should have been left eating dust by everyone in her family and community. If anyone should have been left to a life of spinsterhood it should’ve been Harriet. Or better yet, she deserved to be married to the vicar as she was pretty much his poor opinion of women personified. They would’ve deserved each other.
But other than that, the book was fine!
But other than that, the book was fine!
September 29, 2024
1 star I can’t believe I actually bought this, such a waste. If I wanted this kind of story I’d have re-read pride and prejudice or any number of that genre. This was the romance of about 5 couples or rather 12 people, why bother to single out Rebecca and Christopher when there was as much storyline with Julian, Maude, Harriet OMG even the uncle. The martyrs abounded, everybody trying to be so honorable and predictably you could see who wasn’t. Bitterly disappointed, this was to be today’s comfort food but was indigestible.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2017
Decent enough, but rather predictable. It would have been easier/nicer to appreciate any romance if the story was told from both perspectives (as most HR are), but as it was more a rekindling of love it was difficult to truly like or hope for a happy ending for the couple. All complaints aside, Rebecca was a lovely character, the writing was pretty good and I read it in a sitting. Not bad, but wouldn't ever reread.
November 21, 2024
The idea of Persuasion with a little Wickham thrown in. After 7 years, the hero comes back. With twisted words, someone tells the heroine how awful the hero has become. After all of these years, she is still pining over the hero, but with trepidation. Not sure why this one just didn't make my heart flutter like MB usually does. Maybe because I could see where this story was going.
August 7, 2017
Sweet
These characters draw so much from both Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. It is possible to see characters and plot elements from Persuasion, Emma. Pride and Prejudice, Bath Tangle and more. A charming read.
These characters draw so much from both Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer. It is possible to see characters and plot elements from Persuasion, Emma. Pride and Prejudice, Bath Tangle and more. A charming read.
February 26, 2018
A forgiving heroine
An early romance. Perhaps a little too much inner dialogue for my taste now. Also an entirely too forgiving heroine for me but then I suppose the hero has to be just by contemporary standards. That being said why couldn't they have struggled together ???
An early romance. Perhaps a little too much inner dialogue for my taste now. Also an entirely too forgiving heroine for me but then I suppose the hero has to be just by contemporary standards. That being said why couldn't they have struggled together ???
August 9, 2017
I really liked it! I'm not sure why it has so many negative reviews. I did miss getting to have the hero's POV, but I still really liked it, and I also really enjoyed all of the side characters.
September 4, 2017
I needed a book to entertain and mot challenge at the start of school and house purchase process. This worked well.
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