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Dishonourable Intent
He had to protect her from himself!
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children?
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
6 people are currently reading
64 people want to read
About the author
Anne Mather
798 books358 followersAnne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 7, 2019
Re Dishonourable Intent - Anne Mather steps into the April 1998 spotlight of HPlandia's five star author list.
While other five star HP author's include Lynne Graham, renowned for her sweet heroines and reformed lady lurvin' Greek and Italian heroes, Robyn Donald for her incredibly strong h's paired with some truly nematode men, Michelle Reid for her intensely passionate romances, Penny Jordan for her sensitive heroines with a very wide variety of all kinds of heroes, plus Charlotte Lamb for her truly scary Alpha H's and Carole Mortimer and Emma Darcy for all kinds of truly whacked scenarios, Anne Mather is the lady who had a large hand in starting it all.
Anne Mather is the oldest HP writer and she is still producing, there isn't a trope she hasn't written or a trainwreck she hasn't orchestrated, but if you like the Truly Skeevy Horrible Betrayal By a Relative Trope, Anne Mather is going to be your favorite girl.
All HP writers will experiment with either the H or the h having some truly slime slurping, sewer swilling relatives if their HP career is more than a few books, but there is no other writer in HPlandia -outside of Margret Way, who only stops in for a book or two- that can create such a hideous family that even hardened bottom dwelling criminals would be ashamed to claim them.
Other romance genre's have criminals and mobsters and dangerous men doing really bad things to various characters, but not one of those books is a match for what an AM Truly Evil Female Older Relative can get up to.
AM's best and most frightening evil OW tropes all revolve around family members and usually the OW isn't a potential love interest for the H, but a mother type figure who is obsessed with the H and who is intent on destroying his chosen h in any way she can in order to substitute her own.
That is the subject of this one, the H's evil grandmother hates and despises and fears the h, as the h is a serious threat to her control of the H.
So much so that she sets out to destroy this h in one of the MOST callous acts of casual violence HPlandia will ever witness - this H's grandmother deliberately bribes a desperate physician to abort her own grandchild and then tells the H that the h arranged for a termination herself.
(Pretty shocking stuff for the notoriously conservative HP marriage, babies and domestic engineering line - but AM has a lot of pull in HPlandia and this book was even published in Ireland.
Which indicates that AM is truly one of the TOP authors in the HP line, cause Irish censors are famous for banning books that they think are too inflammatory and deliberate pregnancy termination is at the top of the inflammation list.)
AM even got a whimsical hair and decided to throw in a seekrit evil Stalker Dude for the h to fret about too, which makes this one one of the more Epic Whacktastic Trainwrecks in the annals of HPdom.
The one starts with our Earl H thinking about his crumbling manor house and how his very manipulative grandmother, who raised him after his parents died when he was very young, is so obsessed with saving the family manse that she is pushing him really hard into marrying an heiress of convenience.
In true classic Regency style, the H has a title and the grandmother has found a man with a daughter who wants to be a buyer, the only little issue is that the H just can't forget his True Love first wife.
It seems the H and h met when they were young and the h was just starting her career. They fell in love and then married and Grandmother Slime Toad was not pleased. The h had neither social status nor money and the Grandmother is DETERMINED to get her grandson married off to the wealthiest broodmare she can find.
The H pretty much ignored his Granny Slime Toad's insults and machinations, until the h became preggers and ended up in the hospital with a miscarriage.
But Granny Slime Toad and her helpless minion doormat physician convinced the H that the h had a improperly done deliberate termination. Granny Slime Toad went all out to really push the idear that the h valued her career over being the proper heir carrier that was needed to continue the title in the immediate family line and the H fell for it.
So naturally the H renounced his beloved wife, any woman who kill a child for a career is NOT the kind of wife he wants to love. The h was desolate and grieving and had some serious suspicions about who was really to blame. She had no proof and the H was blinded by family love, so the h took herself off and got on with her career for the last five years, but now she has a serious problem and she needs a bolt hole.
The H is just meeting Granny Slime Toad's wealthy choice for a second bride when the h shows up at the H's family manse. She is the victim of an escalating stalker and needed to get away from her now compromised flat.
The h was getting phone calls and random feelings of being watched at first, but as the months passed, her flat has been broken into several times and the feelings of being watched are increasing.
The letters and the phone calls are getting more violent in tone too, even tho the h has changed her locks and her phone number - somehow the creepy stalker guy keeps contacting her and the h is very worried about what is going to happen when they finally meet.
So the h borrows a friend's car and takes off to hide with the H. The short weekend she stays with the H rekindles their lurve force mojo flame and honestly, the two of them together are pretty sweet. The H decides he doesn't want a wealthy wife who is boring and won't bother him too much, he wants his old one back.
So we all go off to London and these two lovebirds reunite in purple passion mojo, there is a dramatic scene where the scary stalker breaks into the h's flat while the H is there and a big battle for survival ensues with both the H and h taking turns to bring the creepy stalker down.
The H wins, after getting beat up and cut up and the creepy stalker turns out to be the husband of one of the h's very best friends. He gets hauled off to get mental help and the h's BFF has to come apologize for her part in helping the guy invade the h's life.
The H's manly rescue and the H's emerging doubts about his Granny Toad Slime's claims lead the H and h to reunite, after they both renwew their True Love Forever avowals.
The h is going to move her career to be more local to the H's crumbling estate and the H is going to try some new schemes to raise some financing.
Resigned to the H not marrying the chosen heiress after he threatens to completely cut her off, Granny Slime Toad finally confesses the evil thing that she caused to be done when she has a severe stroke and is on her way to a lower plane of existence where it is very hot.
(The spineless doctor had sent a confession and a letter to the H and h that admitted that his wife was ill and needed a Gold Standard HP Medical Treatment he couldn't afford. So when Granny Slime Toad offered the money to pay for it, he put his ethics aside and gave the h a prescription he knew would terminate the baby.)
The H finally has the confirmation that he was right to believe the h's side of things and he is really happy when the h reveals that there is going to be another baby in about eight months time.
The big surprise is that Granny Slime Toad's will leaves her very valuable and extensive jewelry collection to the H's wife - so the H's family manse can be restored and his elderly staff can all have pensions when they auction off the collection.
(Tho in her sneaky, sly AM way, we are left to speculate if Granny Slime Toad left the jewelry as recompense for destroying the h's child or if she honestly thought the H was going to marry her chosen heiress and died before she could change her will after her plans were foiled. )
Either way the H and h are happy and together again and AM somehow manages to pull off another HPlandia HEA.
I am sure I don't have to point out that this book is utterly whacked. The drama and the manipulation and Granny Slime Toad's machinations are five star trainwreck worthy.
Plus the H and h were pretty cute together and it was easy to see they were just two nice kids who were really in love. Like a befuddled pair of concussed ducklings, they were no match for the ruthlessness of an AM Evil OW hell bent on getting her way and they both suffered for that naivety.
So in HP math that makes this story a three, cause while I totally appreciate the evilness of Granny Slime Toad's scheme, I am really not comfortable with how the whole pregnancy destruction plot was carried out.
This one comes way, way too close to my real worldview/fiction reading line and it is definitely something to keep in mind, should you choose to experience this Trainwreck in an Avalanche HP outing.
While other five star HP author's include Lynne Graham, renowned for her sweet heroines and reformed lady lurvin' Greek and Italian heroes, Robyn Donald for her incredibly strong h's paired with some truly nematode men, Michelle Reid for her intensely passionate romances, Penny Jordan for her sensitive heroines with a very wide variety of all kinds of heroes, plus Charlotte Lamb for her truly scary Alpha H's and Carole Mortimer and Emma Darcy for all kinds of truly whacked scenarios, Anne Mather is the lady who had a large hand in starting it all.
Anne Mather is the oldest HP writer and she is still producing, there isn't a trope she hasn't written or a trainwreck she hasn't orchestrated, but if you like the Truly Skeevy Horrible Betrayal By a Relative Trope, Anne Mather is going to be your favorite girl.
All HP writers will experiment with either the H or the h having some truly slime slurping, sewer swilling relatives if their HP career is more than a few books, but there is no other writer in HPlandia -outside of Margret Way, who only stops in for a book or two- that can create such a hideous family that even hardened bottom dwelling criminals would be ashamed to claim them.
Other romance genre's have criminals and mobsters and dangerous men doing really bad things to various characters, but not one of those books is a match for what an AM Truly Evil Female Older Relative can get up to.
AM's best and most frightening evil OW tropes all revolve around family members and usually the OW isn't a potential love interest for the H, but a mother type figure who is obsessed with the H and who is intent on destroying his chosen h in any way she can in order to substitute her own.
That is the subject of this one, the H's evil grandmother hates and despises and fears the h, as the h is a serious threat to her control of the H.
So much so that she sets out to destroy this h in one of the MOST callous acts of casual violence HPlandia will ever witness - this H's grandmother deliberately bribes a desperate physician to abort her own grandchild and then tells the H that the h arranged for a termination herself.
(Pretty shocking stuff for the notoriously conservative HP marriage, babies and domestic engineering line - but AM has a lot of pull in HPlandia and this book was even published in Ireland.
Which indicates that AM is truly one of the TOP authors in the HP line, cause Irish censors are famous for banning books that they think are too inflammatory and deliberate pregnancy termination is at the top of the inflammation list.)
AM even got a whimsical hair and decided to throw in a seekrit evil Stalker Dude for the h to fret about too, which makes this one one of the more Epic Whacktastic Trainwrecks in the annals of HPdom.
The one starts with our Earl H thinking about his crumbling manor house and how his very manipulative grandmother, who raised him after his parents died when he was very young, is so obsessed with saving the family manse that she is pushing him really hard into marrying an heiress of convenience.
In true classic Regency style, the H has a title and the grandmother has found a man with a daughter who wants to be a buyer, the only little issue is that the H just can't forget his True Love first wife.
It seems the H and h met when they were young and the h was just starting her career. They fell in love and then married and Grandmother Slime Toad was not pleased. The h had neither social status nor money and the Grandmother is DETERMINED to get her grandson married off to the wealthiest broodmare she can find.
The H pretty much ignored his Granny Slime Toad's insults and machinations, until the h became preggers and ended up in the hospital with a miscarriage.
But Granny Slime Toad and her helpless minion doormat physician convinced the H that the h had a improperly done deliberate termination. Granny Slime Toad went all out to really push the idear that the h valued her career over being the proper heir carrier that was needed to continue the title in the immediate family line and the H fell for it.
So naturally the H renounced his beloved wife, any woman who kill a child for a career is NOT the kind of wife he wants to love. The h was desolate and grieving and had some serious suspicions about who was really to blame. She had no proof and the H was blinded by family love, so the h took herself off and got on with her career for the last five years, but now she has a serious problem and she needs a bolt hole.
The H is just meeting Granny Slime Toad's wealthy choice for a second bride when the h shows up at the H's family manse. She is the victim of an escalating stalker and needed to get away from her now compromised flat.
The h was getting phone calls and random feelings of being watched at first, but as the months passed, her flat has been broken into several times and the feelings of being watched are increasing.
The letters and the phone calls are getting more violent in tone too, even tho the h has changed her locks and her phone number - somehow the creepy stalker guy keeps contacting her and the h is very worried about what is going to happen when they finally meet.
So the h borrows a friend's car and takes off to hide with the H. The short weekend she stays with the H rekindles their lurve force mojo flame and honestly, the two of them together are pretty sweet. The H decides he doesn't want a wealthy wife who is boring and won't bother him too much, he wants his old one back.
So we all go off to London and these two lovebirds reunite in purple passion mojo, there is a dramatic scene where the scary stalker breaks into the h's flat while the H is there and a big battle for survival ensues with both the H and h taking turns to bring the creepy stalker down.
The H wins, after getting beat up and cut up and the creepy stalker turns out to be the husband of one of the h's very best friends. He gets hauled off to get mental help and the h's BFF has to come apologize for her part in helping the guy invade the h's life.
The H's manly rescue and the H's emerging doubts about his Granny Toad Slime's claims lead the H and h to reunite, after they both renwew their True Love Forever avowals.
The h is going to move her career to be more local to the H's crumbling estate and the H is going to try some new schemes to raise some financing.
Resigned to the H not marrying the chosen heiress after he threatens to completely cut her off, Granny Slime Toad finally confesses the evil thing that she caused to be done when she has a severe stroke and is on her way to a lower plane of existence where it is very hot.
(The spineless doctor had sent a confession and a letter to the H and h that admitted that his wife was ill and needed a Gold Standard HP Medical Treatment he couldn't afford. So when Granny Slime Toad offered the money to pay for it, he put his ethics aside and gave the h a prescription he knew would terminate the baby.)
The H finally has the confirmation that he was right to believe the h's side of things and he is really happy when the h reveals that there is going to be another baby in about eight months time.
The big surprise is that Granny Slime Toad's will leaves her very valuable and extensive jewelry collection to the H's wife - so the H's family manse can be restored and his elderly staff can all have pensions when they auction off the collection.
(Tho in her sneaky, sly AM way, we are left to speculate if Granny Slime Toad left the jewelry as recompense for destroying the h's child or if she honestly thought the H was going to marry her chosen heiress and died before she could change her will after her plans were foiled. )
Either way the H and h are happy and together again and AM somehow manages to pull off another HPlandia HEA.
I am sure I don't have to point out that this book is utterly whacked. The drama and the manipulation and Granny Slime Toad's machinations are five star trainwreck worthy.
Plus the H and h were pretty cute together and it was easy to see they were just two nice kids who were really in love. Like a befuddled pair of concussed ducklings, they were no match for the ruthlessness of an AM Evil OW hell bent on getting her way and they both suffered for that naivety.
So in HP math that makes this story a three, cause while I totally appreciate the evilness of Granny Slime Toad's scheme, I am really not comfortable with how the whole pregnancy destruction plot was carried out.
This one comes way, way too close to my real worldview/fiction reading line and it is definitely something to keep in mind, should you choose to experience this Trainwreck in an Avalanche HP outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 22, 2011
AFTER MY CHANGE:
After almost five years of marriage William and Francesca Quentin split amid a lot of heartbreak and horrible accusations. Five years on, Francesca has shown up on William’s doorstep seeking shelter from the trauma she is facing in the city, and William is in the process of giving into his grandmother’s wishes of remarrying a rich woman and providing his grandmother w/ a great grandchild. Only now w/ Francesca back on the scene he is remembering his love for his ex-wife!
I placed my rose colored glasses on and began to read: For the most part, this wasn’t a passion filled book, but the love between William and Francesca felt comfortable and sweet. Yes, he was cruel to her some times, and really he should have had his eyes more opened to his grandmother’s machinations. Francesca, what to say, how could she defend herself against that accusation? I suppose she could have tried harder and surely there was some proof there that could have been found. Or maybe both these characters were really on the same level of denseness? I was drawn into the story because I wanted to know why they were torn apart, and then I wanted to know how that played out. So I continued to read and couldn’t believe it when I discovered the reason for the separation and how that played out. It was so unbelievable!!
Will was completely devastated about that loss, or so he claimed. He said he could NEVER forgive Francesca for what she had done and I couldn’t blame him. She on the other hand, had already forgiven him for his accusations, but claimed that she had been hurt from the loss as well. It seemed more like she was hurt by his accusations though. His grandmother was a POW! She truly only cared about that house. Nothing else mattered. She manipulated everything because she didn’t think Francesca was good enough for William and of course it didn’t help that Francesca wasn’t rich. Now, of course, granny wants money and a grandchild, which makes what she did even worse.
I know you want to know what she did.
**SPOILERS**
Apparently Francesca had an abortion. Unbelievably it was the grandmother that manipulated that. I had questions about this: for one how could the doctor agree to this w/out the patients signature somewhere – but I guess it’s HPland and anything goes? It made no sense to me, but I continued to read the story to see how all would turn out.
The ending then made no sense to me. I couldn’t believe that granny would suddenly have a change of heart and she had money. So why couldn’t she have just given some to her grandson to save the house? But I digress. The ending. . . yes, didn’t make sense to me until I reasoned out things that didn’t happen in the story. It was mentioned earlier that Francesca thought perhaps Will had put something in her milk to help her sleep. Why would she think he would drug her? Perhaps he is capable of doing something nefarious then? Hhhhmmm . . . so w/ my dark glasses now in place, because frankly rose colored-HEA-all-is-good-and-fine won’t do for this story, I reasoned out another ending.
**MY SPOILERS** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED:
Granny seemed to hate Francesca so I don’t see her having a change of heart – okay sure it could happen but not for a woman that was like this. She was willing to kill her grandchild to separate that marriage up. Which begs the question: why didn’t she just off Francesca as well? I think Will took care of Granny. I think he threatened her at the hospital and then thought how truly demented this woman was she wouldn’t let him live in peace w/ his wife so he took care of the problem. Nothing can keep him from his true love and Granny threatened their HEA. As far as the last will of Granny, I think it said grandson’s wife NOT Francesca. She was probably thinking he would have married the OW that she had been trying to get Will hooked up w/ before. Because Will, Fran, and Granny had a blow up a few days before Granny went into the hospital for a stroke so when would she have had time to change her will to include Francesca? IMHO that is what happens. NO it’s not in the book, but . . . it made more sense to me in the end w/ this alternative view
After almost five years of marriage William and Francesca Quentin split amid a lot of heartbreak and horrible accusations. Five years on, Francesca has shown up on William’s doorstep seeking shelter from the trauma she is facing in the city, and William is in the process of giving into his grandmother’s wishes of remarrying a rich woman and providing his grandmother w/ a great grandchild. Only now w/ Francesca back on the scene he is remembering his love for his ex-wife!
I placed my rose colored glasses on and began to read: For the most part, this wasn’t a passion filled book, but the love between William and Francesca felt comfortable and sweet. Yes, he was cruel to her some times, and really he should have had his eyes more opened to his grandmother’s machinations. Francesca, what to say, how could she defend herself against that accusation? I suppose she could have tried harder and surely there was some proof there that could have been found. Or maybe both these characters were really on the same level of denseness? I was drawn into the story because I wanted to know why they were torn apart, and then I wanted to know how that played out. So I continued to read and couldn’t believe it when I discovered the reason for the separation and how that played out. It was so unbelievable!!
Will was completely devastated about that loss, or so he claimed. He said he could NEVER forgive Francesca for what she had done and I couldn’t blame him. She on the other hand, had already forgiven him for his accusations, but claimed that she had been hurt from the loss as well. It seemed more like she was hurt by his accusations though. His grandmother was a POW! She truly only cared about that house. Nothing else mattered. She manipulated everything because she didn’t think Francesca was good enough for William and of course it didn’t help that Francesca wasn’t rich. Now, of course, granny wants money and a grandchild, which makes what she did even worse.
I know you want to know what she did.
**SPOILERS**
Apparently Francesca had an abortion. Unbelievably it was the grandmother that manipulated that. I had questions about this: for one how could the doctor agree to this w/out the patients signature somewhere – but I guess it’s HPland and anything goes? It made no sense to me, but I continued to read the story to see how all would turn out.
The ending then made no sense to me. I couldn’t believe that granny would suddenly have a change of heart and she had money. So why couldn’t she have just given some to her grandson to save the house? But I digress. The ending. . . yes, didn’t make sense to me until I reasoned out things that didn’t happen in the story. It was mentioned earlier that Francesca thought perhaps Will had put something in her milk to help her sleep. Why would she think he would drug her? Perhaps he is capable of doing something nefarious then? Hhhhmmm . . . so w/ my dark glasses now in place, because frankly rose colored-HEA-all-is-good-and-fine won’t do for this story, I reasoned out another ending.
**MY SPOILERS** YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED:
Granny seemed to hate Francesca so I don’t see her having a change of heart – okay sure it could happen but not for a woman that was like this. She was willing to kill her grandchild to separate that marriage up. Which begs the question: why didn’t she just off Francesca as well? I think Will took care of Granny. I think he threatened her at the hospital and then thought how truly demented this woman was she wouldn’t let him live in peace w/ his wife so he took care of the problem. Nothing can keep him from his true love and Granny threatened their HEA. As far as the last will of Granny, I think it said grandson’s wife NOT Francesca. She was probably thinking he would have married the OW that she had been trying to get Will hooked up w/ before. Because Will, Fran, and Granny had a blow up a few days before Granny went into the hospital for a stroke so when would she have had time to change her will to include Francesca? IMHO that is what happens. NO it’s not in the book, but . . . it made more sense to me in the end w/ this alternative view
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2020
Didn’t like the characters much, how the heroine ever forgave him or his grandmother was beyond me.
February 14, 2022
A stroke was too good for that horrid villain! If you want this stupid place fixed up stop flying doctors and their wives to other countries! She had the money! Whatever, what she did to the heroine was horrific. Why the heroine would ever want to remember or revisit that marriage is beyond me. Our hero is just a himbo. How doesn’t have a JOB! “Gotta restore this place!” How? You gotta make money your freaking idiot. Heroine shoulda got on a plane and left. She deserves a better story and much more retribution, and more begging from the hero for doing nothing. He didn’t fight for the heroine, he didn’t fight her or his dumb grandma, nothing just blobbed around the story. Skip, grandma’s boy hero and grandma deserve each other, heroine could do way better.
August 17, 2012
This novel kind of sickened me in many ways. I couldn't believe that someone would force someone literally into getting an abortion. It was disgusting to read about. How the hero blamed the heroine after she was so distraught over the loss of the baby. Let's just say the hero was an idiot until he changed nearly the middle.
June 5, 2017
This is the third Mather book that I've read that has the hero and heroine estranged because the heroine had a miscarriage that may or may not have been an abortion. 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️ Crappy writing and annoying characters.
Do not waste your time on this.
Do not waste your time on this.
June 12, 2025
This poor h had to deal with a heck of a lot! The H's lack of trust (and his choosing to believe his selfish, conniving grandmother over her), a harassing stalker (who turns out to be her coworker/friend's husband), the OM (another coworker/friend) who gets possessive and gives off a creep vibe, and an (unseen) boss who's demanding and unsympathetic.
But nothing comes close to the horrible knowledge that somehow (Ms. Mather author doesn't go into details) her baby was aborted WITHOUT HER CONSENT!!! Apparently, Grandma Villain wanted her out of her grandson's life (despite their being married and in love) because the h was a social nobody without any money, while the H was from the aristocracy (though impoverished) and needed a wealthy wife to return the family's (former abbey) estate to its former glory. Conducting guided tours wasn't enough, and I guess it never occurred to anyone that the H could have gotten himself a job???? True, he had to manage the estate, but couldn't he have managed to do both? Others have!
But I digress! Anyway, it seems the grandmother from Hell bribed the family doctor (using his beloved terminally ill wife as leverage) to rid her of her unwanted great-grandchild, and somehow, he managed to do this, but how???? Did he give the h knockout drops while she was in his office and then do a D&C while she was unconscious??? Talk about SICK!!!!
Or was it more subtle, like prescribing something that he knew was an abortifacient without saying so? That seems more likely, and his excuse (aside from his wife and the medical treatment Granny Bitch was paying for, as long as he obeyed her), that GB had assured him the h didn't want the baby and would accept the easy way out (putting the blame on someone else), gives it more credibility, so I'm guessing that's what happened. Maybe she was having morning sickness, and he gave her some herbal medication that was supposed to help but was really used to bring on miscarriages.
Whatever the case, when she lost the baby, the H refused to believe she didn't do it on purpose, but GB and Old Doc swore it was what she wanted and Dumbo believed them, because the h had said she might still want to work after she had the baby. (That was understandable. since the H was so wrapped up in running the estate, while GB made it clear she wasn't welcome there. I didn't blame the h for leaving and trying to make a new life for herself in London, I'd want to get away too, ASAP!!
This new life didn't include men, except for an occasional date with the OM, whereas the H (whose POV you get quite a bit of) admitted to himself that he had no right to be jealous of the OM since he hadn't been a monk in the five years they were divorced, so obviously he's slept with other women. He had also started dating (rather reluctantly) a much younger heiress (18 to his 34) because GB was nagging him into it, thinking of all the money her family had and how it could benefit the abbey and all it entailed. And Grandmama's Boy goes along with it, acting like a real wimp!
The H and h are brought together again when the stalker is pushing her to the breaking point, and she instinctively turns to the H. It's soon apparent that five years and a lot of hurt and feeling betrayed haven't changed the major hots they have for each other! They soon end up making out, and he goes so far as to stick his hand up her skirt and then in her panties, enjoying how wet she is! Meanwhile, she finds it hard (pun intended) to stop glancing at his erection, not too difficult since he seems ready to pop out of his pants whenever she gets close! He thinks about sucking on her nipples, she thinks about giving him a BJ and when they finally succumb to desire it's a wonder the sheets didn't catch fire!!!
He wants her back, she wants him too, but not unless he can trust her and believe that she'd never willingly have killed their baby. When he does, it's still tough for him to accept that GB was as awful as she actually was, but it was great when he does accept it and declares his (long overdue) independence: to HELL with the family estate, the h is his family and he's marrying her again!!!
There's a good confrontational scene between the h and GB, and another good one between the H and the OM. There's nothing between the h and OW, they only pass each other on the abbey stairs when the H is giving the OW a tour of the place, but that was it. Both the OM and OW disappear from the story rather quickly, and they're not missed.
There's also quite a fight between the H and the stalker that could have proved fatal, and the h ends up in on it too, which made for some exciting reading. (When you first meet the h's friend's husband in the story, you get the distinct feeling that they guy's bad news and that sure turned out to be the truth!)
You can probably guess what happens at the end to make it a real HEA: they'll soon be getting something to replace what they lost five years back. (It was sad when they started thinking how, if things had been different, they would have had a five-year-old child.)
And best news of all: GB croaked, and there's no one I'd like more to be feeding the worms!
If it weren't for the horrible abortion bit, I'd have given this another star. I wish the author had done it different, maybe had the h feeling cramps, going to the doctor and miscarrying, then (prompted by GB) he lies and says she came there for an abortion. That would have been better. (At least Old Doc had the decency to admit everything and feel remorse. Still, it's tough to feel sympathy for him.)
Worth reading, if you can get past the issues.
But nothing comes close to the horrible knowledge that somehow (Ms. Mather author doesn't go into details) her baby was aborted WITHOUT HER CONSENT!!! Apparently, Grandma Villain wanted her out of her grandson's life (despite their being married and in love) because the h was a social nobody without any money, while the H was from the aristocracy (though impoverished) and needed a wealthy wife to return the family's (former abbey) estate to its former glory. Conducting guided tours wasn't enough, and I guess it never occurred to anyone that the H could have gotten himself a job???? True, he had to manage the estate, but couldn't he have managed to do both? Others have!
But I digress! Anyway, it seems the grandmother from Hell bribed the family doctor (using his beloved terminally ill wife as leverage) to rid her of her unwanted great-grandchild, and somehow, he managed to do this, but how???? Did he give the h knockout drops while she was in his office and then do a D&C while she was unconscious??? Talk about SICK!!!!
Or was it more subtle, like prescribing something that he knew was an abortifacient without saying so? That seems more likely, and his excuse (aside from his wife and the medical treatment Granny Bitch was paying for, as long as he obeyed her), that GB had assured him the h didn't want the baby and would accept the easy way out (putting the blame on someone else), gives it more credibility, so I'm guessing that's what happened. Maybe she was having morning sickness, and he gave her some herbal medication that was supposed to help but was really used to bring on miscarriages.
Whatever the case, when she lost the baby, the H refused to believe she didn't do it on purpose, but GB and Old Doc swore it was what she wanted and Dumbo believed them, because the h had said she might still want to work after she had the baby. (That was understandable. since the H was so wrapped up in running the estate, while GB made it clear she wasn't welcome there. I didn't blame the h for leaving and trying to make a new life for herself in London, I'd want to get away too, ASAP!!
This new life didn't include men, except for an occasional date with the OM, whereas the H (whose POV you get quite a bit of) admitted to himself that he had no right to be jealous of the OM since he hadn't been a monk in the five years they were divorced, so obviously he's slept with other women. He had also started dating (rather reluctantly) a much younger heiress (18 to his 34) because GB was nagging him into it, thinking of all the money her family had and how it could benefit the abbey and all it entailed. And Grandmama's Boy goes along with it, acting like a real wimp!
The H and h are brought together again when the stalker is pushing her to the breaking point, and she instinctively turns to the H. It's soon apparent that five years and a lot of hurt and feeling betrayed haven't changed the major hots they have for each other! They soon end up making out, and he goes so far as to stick his hand up her skirt and then in her panties, enjoying how wet she is! Meanwhile, she finds it hard (pun intended) to stop glancing at his erection, not too difficult since he seems ready to pop out of his pants whenever she gets close! He thinks about sucking on her nipples, she thinks about giving him a BJ and when they finally succumb to desire it's a wonder the sheets didn't catch fire!!!
He wants her back, she wants him too, but not unless he can trust her and believe that she'd never willingly have killed their baby. When he does, it's still tough for him to accept that GB was as awful as she actually was, but it was great when he does accept it and declares his (long overdue) independence: to HELL with the family estate, the h is his family and he's marrying her again!!!
There's a good confrontational scene between the h and GB, and another good one between the H and the OM. There's nothing between the h and OW, they only pass each other on the abbey stairs when the H is giving the OW a tour of the place, but that was it. Both the OM and OW disappear from the story rather quickly, and they're not missed.
There's also quite a fight between the H and the stalker that could have proved fatal, and the h ends up in on it too, which made for some exciting reading. (When you first meet the h's friend's husband in the story, you get the distinct feeling that they guy's bad news and that sure turned out to be the truth!)
You can probably guess what happens at the end to make it a real HEA: they'll soon be getting something to replace what they lost five years back. (It was sad when they started thinking how, if things had been different, they would have had a five-year-old child.)
And best news of all: GB croaked, and there's no one I'd like more to be feeding the worms!
If it weren't for the horrible abortion bit, I'd have given this another star. I wish the author had done it different, maybe had the h feeling cramps, going to the doctor and miscarrying, then (prompted by GB) he lies and says she came there for an abortion. That would have been better. (At least Old Doc had the decency to admit everything and feel remorse. Still, it's tough to feel sympathy for him.)
Worth reading, if you can get past the issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
hq-to-read
November 13, 2019He had to protect her from himself!
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children
June 27, 2019
Ok, slow to start and I had to make myself finish. It did get better. The grand mother is a witch and I cannot get my mind around the lengths she went to to break up her grandson's marriage. Good conclusion.
June 8, 2020
I've been rereading my favorite Harlequins from years ago. This one, copyrighted in 1997, is a bit more modern than some of the others from the 1970s and 1980. The role of women in the story is more updated. Francesca is a divorced career woman. When a stalker threatens her life, she runs to the last place he will look for her--back to her ex-husband. He's not too thrilled to see her at first, but apparently the spark is still alive. A second chance romance.
Read
April 26, 2018He had to protect her from himself!
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children?
Life was complicated enough for William Quentin without his ex-wife turning up on his doorstep. He'd been crazy about Francesca, and the agony of her betrayal still haunted him. Will knew he should heed his grandmother's warnings, but he couldn't turn Francesca away, especially as she was in fear for her life.
Always so in control of her emotions, Francesca's unexpected vulnerability threatened to
topple all of Will's resistance to her. But what chance was there for them when she had heartlessly demonstrated that her independence meant more to her than bearing his children?
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews