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لم أعد طفلة
على روزي ويندهام الزواج في غضون ثلاثة أشهر أو تحلّ الكارثة! ومع أنها جميلة ومحبوبة، فحياتها خالية من رجل جاهز للزواج بها، فما العمل؟
كان غارد جيميسن رجلاً ناضجاً وجذاباً... وأعزب، فلماذا لا "تطلب يده"؟.
لم يكن هناك من سبب يدفع غادر للقبول وهو الذي طالما اعتبرها طفلة مضحكة. ولكنه وافق، وموافقته تعني أن هناك ثمناً غالياً على روزي أن تدفعه!
كان غارد جيميسن رجلاً ناضجاً وجذاباً... وأعزب، فلماذا لا "تطلب يده"؟.
لم يكن هناك من سبب يدفع غادر للقبول وهو الذي طالما اعتبرها طفلة مضحكة. ولكنه وافق، وموافقته تعني أن هناك ثمناً غالياً على روزي أن تدفعه!
160 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
23 people are currently reading
234 people want to read
About the author
Penny Jordan
1,125 books668 followersPenelope Jones Halsall
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
aka Caroline Courtney, Annie Groves, Lydia Hitchcock, Melinda Wright
Penelope "Penny" Jones was born on November 24, 1946 at about seven pounds in a nursing home in Preston, Lancashire, England. She was the first child of Anthony Winn Jones, an engineer, who died at 85, and his wife Margaret Louise Groves Jones. She has a brother, Anthony, and a sister, Prudence "Pru".
She had been a keen reader from the childhood - her mother used to leave her in the children's section of their local library whilst she changed her father's library books. She was a storyteller long before she began to write romantic fiction. At the age of eight, she was creating serialized bedtime stories, featuring make-believe adventures, for her younger sister Prue, who was always the heroine. At eleven, she fell in love with Mills & Boon, and with their heroes. In those days the books could only be obtained via private lending libraries, and she quickly became a devoted fan; she was thrilled to bits when the books went on full sale in shops and she could have them for keeps.
Penny left grammar school in Rochdale with O-Levels in English Language, English Literature and Geography. She first discovered Mills & Boon books, via a girl she worked with. She married Steve Halsall, an accountant and a "lovely man", who smoked and drank too heavily, and suffered oral cancer with bravery and dignity. Her husband bought her the small electric typewriter on which she typed her first novels, at a time when he could ill afford it. He died at the beginning of 21st century.
She earned a living as a writer since the 1970s when, as a shorthand typist, she entered a competition run by the Romantic Novelists' Association. Although she didn't win, Penny found an agent who was looking for a new Georgette Heyer. She published four regency novels as Caroline Courtney, before changing her nom de plume to Melinda Wright for three air-hostess romps and then she wrote two thrillers as Lydia Hitchcock. Soon after that, Mills and Boon accepted her first novel for them, Falcon's Prey as Penny Jordan. However, for her more historical romance novels, she adopted her mother's maiden-name to become Annie Groves. Almost 70 of her 167 Mills and Boon novels have been sold worldwide.
Penny Halsall lived in a neo-Georgian house in Nantwich, Cheshire, with her Alsatian Sheba and cat Posh. She worked from home, in her kitchen, surrounded by her pets, and welcomed interruptions from her friends and family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
March 27, 2023
Marriage of convenience story with heroine Rosy Wyndham (who is 21) marrying hero Guard Jamieson (35) in order to save her late grandfather’s beloved home (Queen’s Meadow) from falling into the unsavory hands of her father’s cousin, Edward.
This was a fast and easy read. Guard was a wonderful hero, who has been smitten with Rosy for years. Rosy was overly naïve at times. I really enjoyed the story as the romance developed, and Guard’s jealous moments. Another great read by Penny Jordan.
This was a fast and easy read. Guard was a wonderful hero, who has been smitten with Rosy for years. Rosy was overly naïve at times. I really enjoyed the story as the romance developed, and Guard’s jealous moments. Another great read by Penny Jordan.
October 4, 2018
Re Unwanted Wedding - PJ does her patented PJ seekrit stalkerific H and pairs him with a very cross concussed duckling h for a lively little sneaky romance.
Our h, Rosy, has been raised in the HP Unicorn Grooming Stables for all of her life. (Srsly, other HP h's just visit for an hour or two and put some pretty ribbons in their preferred unicorn's mane. But Rosy is actually weaving those ribbons and playing with the rainbow kittens and puppies too, the girl never leaves the place.)
It isn't Rosy's fault really, her dad was an ex Army commander widower and her beloved grandfather was the local lord of the manor in the family manse that has been around for yonks. The manor even has Grinling Gibbons carvings and the h is quite fond of her family pile.
Fond of it, but not overly in love with it. Mainly the h likes her house and really, really likes her little social causes. She is independently wealthy, tho her extremely conservative dad and grandfather put everything into various protective trusts for her before they passed on, so she has a lot of time to volunteer at the local shelter.
The local shelter is run by a humorless petty tyrant and Rosy isn't so concussed that she is blind to his faults, she just really takes her local lady of manor role to heart and is learning all she can about how to alleviate the local poverty and lend a helping hand and save environments and all that.
Rosy is very idealistic, her mother died when she was young and her male family members were all about the medieval maiden style of young lady raising. The only other thorns in her side are Guard, the H, who is the very handsome, sinfully seductive local wealthy businessman and Rosy's evil snot sipper cousin, Edward, who is a suspicious shady dealer and very much covets Rosy's home.
Snot Sipper Edward's father was driven from the family manse and Edward's side of the family was banished, so Edward would like nothing better than to see the listed manor destroyed into rack and ruin.
Rosy gets quite cross with Guard, but she actively dislikes Edward. So that leaves Rosy in a quandary when her solicitor tells her that her Grandfather's will specifies that Rosy has to get married to someone who can help produce a viable heir, or Edward gets the house and grounds.
(Rosy's dad sadly died a week before her grandfather did, otherwise we wouldn't be reading this story.)
Rosy isn't all that house proud like her Grandfather was, but she still loves her home and the Grenling Gibbons carvings ARE really awesome. So her solicitor suggests that she arrange a marriage of convenience with Guard, who is the perfect family manse knight errant. Rosy has to seriously think about that.
Guard has always wanted Rosy's house and he tried to buy it from her grandfather multiple times, but grandfather insisted the family manse stay in the family and turned Guard down.
Rosy always gets cross with Guard because first, she snuck out to go poaching when she was 16 and Guard ratted her out to her grandfather. Rosy wasn't so interested in poaching salmon as she was in seeing the local hidden badger sett and the chance to see baby badgers is really not to be missed.
But the 29 year old Guard caught her and made her go back home and so Rosy missed her chance, cause the groundsman wouldn't take her out again after that. Then Guard started making snarky comments about Rosy's lack of romance skills.
It is even more embarrassing cause all of Rosy's friends and all the local ladies positively swoon and drool over Guard whenever they come within three feet of him. Rosy admits Guard is good looking, but she hasn't forgotten the missed badger expedition or the lecture she got for poaching salmon, so she isn't giving Guard any good marks for being a lady magnet.
Rosy is very eclectic too, in a very English Landed Gentry kind of way. That means that Rosy can go around to various thrift shops and buy varying velvet and silks in complimentary shades of gray and wear them out to dinner parties, after they have been cleaned and mended.
Rosy is quite proud of her vintage finds and Guard always makes snarky comments about them. And about her leggings and her dad's old bulky navy sweater that she permanently borrowed.
Rosy always snaps back that just because Guard thinks women should paint their scanty dresses on and pair them with unbearably high heels and bright red lipstick and call that sophistication doesn't mean that the whole world thinks like that.
But now Rosy has to propose to Guard. Or she has to take an ad out in the local paper and she can't quite come up with the Debrett's approved wording to list for a husband for house saving duty in the local classifieds.
It looks like awkward proposal to Guard it will be, Rosy doesn't even consider the petty tyrant shelter guy, and so she calls Guard and he shows up and Rosy makes her awkward marriage of convenience bid.
Guard is going on a business trip, but he tells her he will think about it. A few days go by and then Snot Sipper Edward shows up. He is taking some strange guy around the house and Rosy is very frightened. Rosy is thinking up ways to run Edward off, but then Guard appears and Edward is firmly routed when Guard kisses Rosy and announces their engagement.
A nice, quiet little wedding is arranged in the local church and Rosy wears her mum's French wedding dress and her grandmother's Venetian lace veil. Then we are off to Brussels for Guard's business trip.
Rosy and Guard also have a teaching Rosy how to roofie kiss moment and Rosy also got a sapphire engagement ring that matches her eyes, the kissing part gave her tummy funny feelings and Rosy was back to being cross again.
When we get to Brussels, Rosy gets even crosser, the French Madame with the scarlet painted lips who owns the place they are staying at is fawning all over Guard and quite ignoring Rosy, even when Guard introduces her as his wife.
Rosy and Guard have another argument about pajama's. Namely that Rosy wears a very cute cartoon night shirt, (I decided she wore a Winnie the Pooh one to match mine,) and Guard doesn't wear anything, pajamas don't fit his self-image. Rosy is quite shocked by that.
Anyhows, Madame is quite annoying and those scarlet tinted lips are getting a bit too close to Guard's ear, so it is just as well that Rosy has to go with Guard to his business meeting. Guard doesn't speak French very well and Rosy is quite fluent, the man they are meeting is a very prominent ecology movement computer person and Rosy has to translate.
Rosy also has to buy a fancy dress, cause the ecology computer guy invited them to his daughter's birthday party and Guard doesn't think Rosy's thrift shop finds are entirely suitable. Rosy gets cross again, because she DOES know how Things Are Done. So Rosy buys a sexy black dress and heels and also thinks to pick up a birthday present for the daughter.
It is Guard's turn to get the jealousy whacks as Rosy finds herself enthusiastically discussing homeless shelter solutions with a very handsome young man that is right around her age. Guard makes a lot of cranky remarks and Rosy is hurt that Guard is totally harshing her mellow.
We all go home to England and Rosy is ready to put on some comfy leggings again, when they find that Snot Sipper Edward and his poor bullied family have decided to impose themselves on Rosy's family manse while their own house gets fumigated.
Edward tries to take over the best rooms, but Guard makes him and his family sleep in the attics. Guard is being cagey tho, we soon figure out that Rosy's dad knew Guard had designs on sweet little Rosy and approved and now Guard has got Rosy totally convinced that Edward is there to prove their marriage is a fraud.
Guard makes all manner of dire predictions and poor gullible Rosy is convinced that they are both just a hair's breadth away from being sent to prison for fraud. Rosy is very worried about prison, she doesn't think she would fit in there very well and she knows they won't approve of her thrift shop finds, so she reluctantly goes along with Guard's Big Fake Out Slime Sipper Edward's Plan.
Guard insists that now he and Rosy have to share a room and much fun is had when Rosy goes to bed and forgot to get her Pooh nightshirt and so has nothing to wear after her bath. Guard realizes that he may have overdone the imminent prison drama when Rosy starts crying, after Edward bursts in on them naked in bed at two o'clock in the morning.
Edward is soon sent off and Rosy's little sobs soon turn into breathy little moans as Rosy's unicorn grooming stable tending days are gone forever. Rosy is really happy the next morning, she thinks that the big Purple Passion Explosion Event means that Guard is loving her as much as she now loves him.
But Guard is nowhere to be found and Snot Sipper Edward is right there to try and destroy Rosy's After Glow. Over the next week or so, Snot Sipper Edward is drooling poison in both Guard's and Rosy's ears. He tells Guard that Rosy is in love with the petty tyrant shelter guy and he tells Rosy that she should leave Guard, because he has another woman.
Finally Edward goes way too far and tells Rosy that bad things can happen to pregnant ladies alone in the huge house and after a few days of terrible stress on Rosy's part, Guard walks in to find her crying.
Guard hears the Horrible Snot Sipper Edwards threats and he kinda loses his mind. Guard marches right out and kicks Edward off the property and threatens all sort of dire auditing of Edward's dubious business deal retributions if he ever even THINKS of bothering Rosy again.
Then Guard comes back to help Rosy stop crying. Rosy tells Guard she loves him and Guard explains he has loved her since he caught her poaching salmon at 16, but she was too young and then she did the whole marriage business proposal thing and Guard was too out of his mind with jealousy to just sweep Rosy off her feet and make things a proper marriage.
Guard got smart real fast in Brussels tho, after he saw Rosy in her little black dress. As soon as Snot Sipper Edward popped up like an evil weevil, Guard played that hand for all he was worth. Until Snot Sipper threatened Rosy, then it was time to mop up the trash.
Now tho Guard and Rosy are in love forever and we leave them taking a celebratory voyage of Being Cast Adrift on the Purple Passion Shores of Golden Transcendent Bliss for another totally hilarious PJ Pink Sparkly Rainbow with Kittens, but no Unicorns HEA.
Our h, Rosy, has been raised in the HP Unicorn Grooming Stables for all of her life. (Srsly, other HP h's just visit for an hour or two and put some pretty ribbons in their preferred unicorn's mane. But Rosy is actually weaving those ribbons and playing with the rainbow kittens and puppies too, the girl never leaves the place.)
It isn't Rosy's fault really, her dad was an ex Army commander widower and her beloved grandfather was the local lord of the manor in the family manse that has been around for yonks. The manor even has Grinling Gibbons carvings and the h is quite fond of her family pile.
Fond of it, but not overly in love with it. Mainly the h likes her house and really, really likes her little social causes. She is independently wealthy, tho her extremely conservative dad and grandfather put everything into various protective trusts for her before they passed on, so she has a lot of time to volunteer at the local shelter.
The local shelter is run by a humorless petty tyrant and Rosy isn't so concussed that she is blind to his faults, she just really takes her local lady of manor role to heart and is learning all she can about how to alleviate the local poverty and lend a helping hand and save environments and all that.
Rosy is very idealistic, her mother died when she was young and her male family members were all about the medieval maiden style of young lady raising. The only other thorns in her side are Guard, the H, who is the very handsome, sinfully seductive local wealthy businessman and Rosy's evil snot sipper cousin, Edward, who is a suspicious shady dealer and very much covets Rosy's home.
Snot Sipper Edward's father was driven from the family manse and Edward's side of the family was banished, so Edward would like nothing better than to see the listed manor destroyed into rack and ruin.
Rosy gets quite cross with Guard, but she actively dislikes Edward. So that leaves Rosy in a quandary when her solicitor tells her that her Grandfather's will specifies that Rosy has to get married to someone who can help produce a viable heir, or Edward gets the house and grounds.
(Rosy's dad sadly died a week before her grandfather did, otherwise we wouldn't be reading this story.)
Rosy isn't all that house proud like her Grandfather was, but she still loves her home and the Grenling Gibbons carvings ARE really awesome. So her solicitor suggests that she arrange a marriage of convenience with Guard, who is the perfect family manse knight errant. Rosy has to seriously think about that.
Guard has always wanted Rosy's house and he tried to buy it from her grandfather multiple times, but grandfather insisted the family manse stay in the family and turned Guard down.
Rosy always gets cross with Guard because first, she snuck out to go poaching when she was 16 and Guard ratted her out to her grandfather. Rosy wasn't so interested in poaching salmon as she was in seeing the local hidden badger sett and the chance to see baby badgers is really not to be missed.
But the 29 year old Guard caught her and made her go back home and so Rosy missed her chance, cause the groundsman wouldn't take her out again after that. Then Guard started making snarky comments about Rosy's lack of romance skills.
It is even more embarrassing cause all of Rosy's friends and all the local ladies positively swoon and drool over Guard whenever they come within three feet of him. Rosy admits Guard is good looking, but she hasn't forgotten the missed badger expedition or the lecture she got for poaching salmon, so she isn't giving Guard any good marks for being a lady magnet.
Rosy is very eclectic too, in a very English Landed Gentry kind of way. That means that Rosy can go around to various thrift shops and buy varying velvet and silks in complimentary shades of gray and wear them out to dinner parties, after they have been cleaned and mended.
Rosy is quite proud of her vintage finds and Guard always makes snarky comments about them. And about her leggings and her dad's old bulky navy sweater that she permanently borrowed.
Rosy always snaps back that just because Guard thinks women should paint their scanty dresses on and pair them with unbearably high heels and bright red lipstick and call that sophistication doesn't mean that the whole world thinks like that.
But now Rosy has to propose to Guard. Or she has to take an ad out in the local paper and she can't quite come up with the Debrett's approved wording to list for a husband for house saving duty in the local classifieds.
It looks like awkward proposal to Guard it will be, Rosy doesn't even consider the petty tyrant shelter guy, and so she calls Guard and he shows up and Rosy makes her awkward marriage of convenience bid.
Guard is going on a business trip, but he tells her he will think about it. A few days go by and then Snot Sipper Edward shows up. He is taking some strange guy around the house and Rosy is very frightened. Rosy is thinking up ways to run Edward off, but then Guard appears and Edward is firmly routed when Guard kisses Rosy and announces their engagement.
A nice, quiet little wedding is arranged in the local church and Rosy wears her mum's French wedding dress and her grandmother's Venetian lace veil. Then we are off to Brussels for Guard's business trip.
Rosy and Guard also have a teaching Rosy how to roofie kiss moment and Rosy also got a sapphire engagement ring that matches her eyes, the kissing part gave her tummy funny feelings and Rosy was back to being cross again.
When we get to Brussels, Rosy gets even crosser, the French Madame with the scarlet painted lips who owns the place they are staying at is fawning all over Guard and quite ignoring Rosy, even when Guard introduces her as his wife.
Rosy and Guard have another argument about pajama's. Namely that Rosy wears a very cute cartoon night shirt, (I decided she wore a Winnie the Pooh one to match mine,) and Guard doesn't wear anything, pajamas don't fit his self-image. Rosy is quite shocked by that.
Anyhows, Madame is quite annoying and those scarlet tinted lips are getting a bit too close to Guard's ear, so it is just as well that Rosy has to go with Guard to his business meeting. Guard doesn't speak French very well and Rosy is quite fluent, the man they are meeting is a very prominent ecology movement computer person and Rosy has to translate.
Rosy also has to buy a fancy dress, cause the ecology computer guy invited them to his daughter's birthday party and Guard doesn't think Rosy's thrift shop finds are entirely suitable. Rosy gets cross again, because she DOES know how Things Are Done. So Rosy buys a sexy black dress and heels and also thinks to pick up a birthday present for the daughter.
It is Guard's turn to get the jealousy whacks as Rosy finds herself enthusiastically discussing homeless shelter solutions with a very handsome young man that is right around her age. Guard makes a lot of cranky remarks and Rosy is hurt that Guard is totally harshing her mellow.
We all go home to England and Rosy is ready to put on some comfy leggings again, when they find that Snot Sipper Edward and his poor bullied family have decided to impose themselves on Rosy's family manse while their own house gets fumigated.
Edward tries to take over the best rooms, but Guard makes him and his family sleep in the attics. Guard is being cagey tho, we soon figure out that Rosy's dad knew Guard had designs on sweet little Rosy and approved and now Guard has got Rosy totally convinced that Edward is there to prove their marriage is a fraud.
Guard makes all manner of dire predictions and poor gullible Rosy is convinced that they are both just a hair's breadth away from being sent to prison for fraud. Rosy is very worried about prison, she doesn't think she would fit in there very well and she knows they won't approve of her thrift shop finds, so she reluctantly goes along with Guard's Big Fake Out Slime Sipper Edward's Plan.
Guard insists that now he and Rosy have to share a room and much fun is had when Rosy goes to bed and forgot to get her Pooh nightshirt and so has nothing to wear after her bath. Guard realizes that he may have overdone the imminent prison drama when Rosy starts crying, after Edward bursts in on them naked in bed at two o'clock in the morning.
Edward is soon sent off and Rosy's little sobs soon turn into breathy little moans as Rosy's unicorn grooming stable tending days are gone forever. Rosy is really happy the next morning, she thinks that the big Purple Passion Explosion Event means that Guard is loving her as much as she now loves him.
But Guard is nowhere to be found and Snot Sipper Edward is right there to try and destroy Rosy's After Glow. Over the next week or so, Snot Sipper Edward is drooling poison in both Guard's and Rosy's ears. He tells Guard that Rosy is in love with the petty tyrant shelter guy and he tells Rosy that she should leave Guard, because he has another woman.
Finally Edward goes way too far and tells Rosy that bad things can happen to pregnant ladies alone in the huge house and after a few days of terrible stress on Rosy's part, Guard walks in to find her crying.
Guard hears the Horrible Snot Sipper Edwards threats and he kinda loses his mind. Guard marches right out and kicks Edward off the property and threatens all sort of dire auditing of Edward's dubious business deal retributions if he ever even THINKS of bothering Rosy again.
Then Guard comes back to help Rosy stop crying. Rosy tells Guard she loves him and Guard explains he has loved her since he caught her poaching salmon at 16, but she was too young and then she did the whole marriage business proposal thing and Guard was too out of his mind with jealousy to just sweep Rosy off her feet and make things a proper marriage.
Guard got smart real fast in Brussels tho, after he saw Rosy in her little black dress. As soon as Snot Sipper Edward popped up like an evil weevil, Guard played that hand for all he was worth. Until Snot Sipper threatened Rosy, then it was time to mop up the trash.
Now tho Guard and Rosy are in love forever and we leave them taking a celebratory voyage of Being Cast Adrift on the Purple Passion Shores of Golden Transcendent Bliss for another totally hilarious PJ Pink Sparkly Rainbow with Kittens, but no Unicorns HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 2, 2018
Smitten hero. Clueless heroine. A marriage of convenience that turns out to be not-so-convenient when they both start feeling those lustful yearnings.
The writing in this one is so good that even though you never get the hero's point of view, you still understand just how hopeless he feels at times when the heroine just doesn't get it. And the "sheen" in his eyes tells you everything when he finally hears words of love from the heroine. This hero earned his HEA.
Heroine is sweet and earnest enough that I can forgive her for inadvertently hurting the hero. And thank goodness she has him. This girl can not be trusted out in the world without a minder. They are the perfect match.
Boogenhagen has all the spoilers, so I'll be lazy and direct you to her excellent review.
The writing in this one is so good that even though you never get the hero's point of view, you still understand just how hopeless he feels at times when the heroine just doesn't get it. And the "sheen" in his eyes tells you everything when he finally hears words of love from the heroine. This hero earned his HEA.
Heroine is sweet and earnest enough that I can forgive her for inadvertently hurting the hero. And thank goodness she has him. This girl can not be trusted out in the world without a minder. They are the perfect match.
Boogenhagen has all the spoilers, so I'll be lazy and direct you to her excellent review.
March 26, 2021
In Unwanted Wedding we have a dashing, older Alpha Hero who rescues a young Virgin in Distress through his noble acceptance of her marriage proposal. This Marriage of Convenience will help save Rosy's family's estate from the clutches of the Evil Villain, but alert romance readers know there's a reason behind the reason for his agreement.
Guard and Rosy have known each other for years, but he's the last man she wants to marry as she still holds a grudge against him for tattling on her after a poaching attempt, and, later, for his taunting remarks. So it was fun seeing Rosy change her tune and fall for the sexy Guard who turned out to be the best, ahem, guardian she could ask for!
Guard was the typical, smokin-hot hero Jordan wrote so well, and Rosy ranks as one of the most naive and innocent heroines among the author's VAST collection of Naive and Innocent Heroines. Guard's tendency to taunt Rosy didn't bother me too much as I could tell he was burnin' up feverishly with his malady (as mentioned in the spoiler). What can I say? I'm a sucker for this trope.
Speaking of tropes, naive heroines are common in Romancelandia but there were times I wanted to shake super-naive Rosy until she snapped out of her naïveté. It was frustrating to see her fall so easily for the villain's manipulations, especially since she knew he was such a snake. However, I did eventually shake off this urge. I accepted that the author had intentionally exaggerated Rosy's gullible and insecure nature to highlight her innocence (she's named Rosy for a reason after all) and the type of story she was telling, which is an homage to Georgette Heyer's romances as it's alluded to in the narrative.
A light and sweet romance!
Guard and Rosy have known each other for years, but he's the last man she wants to marry as she still holds a grudge against him for tattling on her after a poaching attempt, and, later, for his taunting remarks. So it was fun seeing Rosy change her tune and fall for the sexy Guard who turned out to be the best, ahem, guardian she could ask for!
Guard was the typical, smokin-hot hero Jordan wrote so well, and Rosy ranks as one of the most naive and innocent heroines among the author's VAST collection of Naive and Innocent Heroines. Guard's tendency to taunt Rosy didn't bother me too much as I could tell he was burnin' up feverishly with his malady (as mentioned in the spoiler). What can I say? I'm a sucker for this trope.
Speaking of tropes, naive heroines are common in Romancelandia but there were times I wanted to shake super-naive Rosy until she snapped out of her naïveté. It was frustrating to see her fall so easily for the villain's manipulations, especially since she knew he was such a snake. However, I did eventually shake off this urge. I accepted that the author had intentionally exaggerated Rosy's gullible and insecure nature to highlight her innocence (she's named Rosy for a reason after all) and the type of story she was telling, which is an homage to Georgette Heyer's romances as it's alluded to in the narrative.
A light and sweet romance!
August 17, 2017
What. An. Idiot. What could he possibly see in her???!!!
June 29, 2014
Marriage of convenience turns into true love for the heroine. But the brooding hero has always loved her. She is blind, insecure and she doesn't believe in his love till the end. Villain is heroine's uncle who is doing everything in his powers to break them up!
August 31, 2016
Liked almost everything about this story; except for the heroine! The H Guard (weird name, that) is one of the most verbally seductive characters in HPland. And who does he get paired with? A nondescript, mousy h called Rosy. There was little to like about her personality - she gets bulldozed into proposing to a man she 'doesn't like' (our hero) to save a house she doesn't really care for; and then goes around tormenting him for actually agreeing to be a part of her scheme. So while he woos her with words and possessiveness, she's blind to all his efforts and chooses to believe her evil relative who spouts nonsense about him and their marriage and almost makes them break up.
Thankfully, she manages to redeem herself ever so slightly at the very end of the book by coming clean about her true feelings for Guard and responding to him in a way she should have done much earlier in the story. But of course, a quick capitulation would probably not have made for an angsty read (and this has about medium angst, as per my ratings); so naturally Rosy, like so many other heroines of M&B is mostly blind and dumb to the many hints the hero gives about his feelings for her, for the sake of drama if nothing else.
So, other than this one grouse, I enjoyed reading the book and wasn't bored even for a moment - mostly because of that hero (yes, he was that good). 3.5 stars!
Thankfully, she manages to redeem herself ever so slightly at the very end of the book by coming clean about her true feelings for Guard and responding to him in a way she should have done much earlier in the story. But of course, a quick capitulation would probably not have made for an angsty read (and this has about medium angst, as per my ratings); so naturally Rosy, like so many other heroines of M&B is mostly blind and dumb to the many hints the hero gives about his feelings for her, for the sake of drama if nothing else.
So, other than this one grouse, I enjoyed reading the book and wasn't bored even for a moment - mostly because of that hero (yes, he was that good). 3.5 stars!
August 28, 2019
"Unwanted Wedding" is the story of Rosy and Guard.
A eyeroll inducing read in which a obviously smitten couple spend 90% of the book being rude/short with each other, denying their feelings and running in circles, while the evil OM observes from afar..until they dont and the book ends.
Meh.
SWE
2/5 (Generous rating)
A eyeroll inducing read in which a obviously smitten couple spend 90% of the book being rude/short with each other, denying their feelings and running in circles, while the evil OM observes from afar..until they dont and the book ends.
Meh.
SWE
2/5 (Generous rating)
May 3, 2020
TSTL heroine! Warning extremely tstl heroine!!!!
She is supposed to be twenty-two but acts and whines like a two year old.
Ugh. Ruined the book for me. Read at your own peril.
She is supposed to be twenty-two but acts and whines like a two year old.
Ugh. Ruined the book for me. Read at your own peril.
July 2, 2014
3 Stars ~ Queen Elizabeth I had rewarded Piers Wyndham with land and on it had built a glorious house and named it Queen's Meadow. For four hundred years, the estate had been home to a Wyndham. With both Rosy's father and grandfather now gone, the estate had only two possible heirs; Rosy and her father's cousin, Edward. A clause in her grandfather's will would soon determine who the inheritor would be; unless Rosy acted. As direct in line, Rosy was the natural heir, however, the clause stipulated that the heir had to be married within three months of her grandfather's death. It's Rosy's family lawyer and friend, Peter, who suggests that Rosy should ask Guard Jamieson to marry her. Guard has always shown an interest in the estate, and surely they could come up with an arrangement. Rosy doesn't particularly want the house, but she knows that if Edward to should inherit, he'd take tremendous pleasure in tearing it down piece by piece, something Rosy could not permit.
Guard has always been a bit of a thorn to Rosy; always taunting her and teasing her about her naive outlook on life. Rosy admits that she much prefers to see the very best in people, and though she has wealth, she doesn't flaunt it, volunteering at the homeless shelter. Guard agrees to her marriage of convenience but insists that they appear to be in love, not only to protect his business and personal reputation, but to prevent Edward from calling out fraud. In fact Edward is highly suspicious of their marriage, and under the excuse that his home is under renovation, he moves him and his wife into Queen's Meadow. Rosy is shocked that Grant allows this, and even more shocked because this means her plan of separate rooms has been thwarted.
This is a bit of a coming of age story. Rosy's nearly 22 and very innocent. While she's not gullible, she refuses to let go of her ideals. Guard is 35, and a man of the world. He's watched Rosy since she was a teen and waits impatiently for her to grow up. Knowing that their's must be a hands off relationship, Guard verbally makes her aware of how a real woman should feel when she's with a real man. It was fun reading some of Rosy's thoughts as she starts to picture everything Guard tells her, and with her body waking up, how she realizes that she loves her husband. This was a fun quick read.
Guard has always been a bit of a thorn to Rosy; always taunting her and teasing her about her naive outlook on life. Rosy admits that she much prefers to see the very best in people, and though she has wealth, she doesn't flaunt it, volunteering at the homeless shelter. Guard agrees to her marriage of convenience but insists that they appear to be in love, not only to protect his business and personal reputation, but to prevent Edward from calling out fraud. In fact Edward is highly suspicious of their marriage, and under the excuse that his home is under renovation, he moves him and his wife into Queen's Meadow. Rosy is shocked that Grant allows this, and even more shocked because this means her plan of separate rooms has been thwarted.
This is a bit of a coming of age story. Rosy's nearly 22 and very innocent. While she's not gullible, she refuses to let go of her ideals. Guard is 35, and a man of the world. He's watched Rosy since she was a teen and waits impatiently for her to grow up. Knowing that their's must be a hands off relationship, Guard verbally makes her aware of how a real woman should feel when she's with a real man. It was fun reading some of Rosy's thoughts as she starts to picture everything Guard tells her, and with her body waking up, how she realizes that she loves her husband. This was a fun quick read.
April 13, 2017
A sweet story but the h was waaay to naive and innocent. Almost to the point of stupidity.
When her father and grandfather died unexpectedly, the h faced losing her family's mansion to her evil cousin. To save her home she would have to marry someone quickly. Her attorney suggested the H.
The h has known him all her life. He was a business associate of her grandfather. However, she did not like him because he was always verbally unkind to her. He taunted her calling her a little girl, making fun of the way she dressed and her job at the homeless shelter. He made her feel insecure and unattractive.
She finally worked up the courage to ask him to marry her. After the marriage and a short trip to Brussels, they return home to find the evil cousin had moved himself and his family into their home. He went around undermining the h's feelings for the H in an attempt to split them up.
The h's naïveté was sweet at first, and the H came off looking like a bully. But as I continued reading, she annoyed the crap out of me. She acted like the child the H called her. She spent so much time fighting the reality that she loved him, that she made herself miserable.
All in all, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone considering reading it.
When her father and grandfather died unexpectedly, the h faced losing her family's mansion to her evil cousin. To save her home she would have to marry someone quickly. Her attorney suggested the H.
The h has known him all her life. He was a business associate of her grandfather. However, she did not like him because he was always verbally unkind to her. He taunted her calling her a little girl, making fun of the way she dressed and her job at the homeless shelter. He made her feel insecure and unattractive.
She finally worked up the courage to ask him to marry her. After the marriage and a short trip to Brussels, they return home to find the evil cousin had moved himself and his family into their home. He went around undermining the h's feelings for the H in an attempt to split them up.
The h's naïveté was sweet at first, and the H came off looking like a bully. But as I continued reading, she annoyed the crap out of me. She acted like the child the H called her. She spent so much time fighting the reality that she loved him, that she made herself miserable.
All in all, I still enjoyed the book and would recommend it to anyone considering reading it.
March 6, 2017
This one didn't work for me at all. I was annoyed and aghast by both protagonists more or less but more so by the h. I couldn't wait to be done with it. I think I have come to expect more from my h these days, and this one just is too empty for me.
The h acts worst than a 10 year old. I do not know of anyone over 20 to be so naive and timid regarding the opposite sex. She was the one that wanted this yet she never acted like she wanted to in public, in fact blew up at the H when he kept trying to act normally. I do not even get why she did an about face and suddenly was all in love (I kept thinking there should have been 200 pages in between as they are so not connected as a couple they need tons of work to get there), then was all hurt because she "thought" H should have known she loved him when she just said something so mean to him to make it sound like she cares more about appearance than anything. She then got all childish and kept refusing to talk to the H and was bullied by the silly relative. I seriously do not know which planet she hailed from, she is so ditzy and empty as a person I also marvel why the H loves her at all.
The H is just as puzzling. I also do not get why he was always picking on her. This sure isn't the way to a woman's heart, and I seldom see him making an effort to really help her change her antagonistic attitude towards him. He did play nice when she is genuinely upset, but otherwise I do not see much of this great romance that should be in here.
The pairing here makes it all the harder for me to believe in this story. H is considerably older and a lot more worldly and mature. While a lot of times it should not be an issue, the h does not have the worldly experience or intelligence or emotions to make such a match credible, she also does not have the otherworldly air of charming innocence and sweet wonderment that might also make it work. She is prickly and hedgehoggy all the time, also was so out of the real world it is not charming but rathering bordering on stupid.
All in all a very painful read. I just am glad I am done (only cuz it is so short and I have a bad case of ocd).
The h acts worst than a 10 year old. I do not know of anyone over 20 to be so naive and timid regarding the opposite sex. She was the one that wanted this yet she never acted like she wanted to in public, in fact blew up at the H when he kept trying to act normally. I do not even get why she did an about face and suddenly was all in love (I kept thinking there should have been 200 pages in between as they are so not connected as a couple they need tons of work to get there), then was all hurt because she "thought" H should have known she loved him when she just said something so mean to him to make it sound like she cares more about appearance than anything. She then got all childish and kept refusing to talk to the H and was bullied by the silly relative. I seriously do not know which planet she hailed from, she is so ditzy and empty as a person I also marvel why the H loves her at all.
The H is just as puzzling. I also do not get why he was always picking on her. This sure isn't the way to a woman's heart, and I seldom see him making an effort to really help her change her antagonistic attitude towards him. He did play nice when she is genuinely upset, but otherwise I do not see much of this great romance that should be in here.
The pairing here makes it all the harder for me to believe in this story. H is considerably older and a lot more worldly and mature. While a lot of times it should not be an issue, the h does not have the worldly experience or intelligence or emotions to make such a match credible, she also does not have the otherworldly air of charming innocence and sweet wonderment that might also make it work. She is prickly and hedgehoggy all the time, also was so out of the real world it is not charming but rathering bordering on stupid.
All in all a very painful read. I just am glad I am done (only cuz it is so short and I have a bad case of ocd).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 27, 2016
H was so very thoughtful and encouraging , oh loving as well . h is blind , blind to H's feelings and her own feelings , she is been so foolish most of the time , I felt as if she doesn't deserve his love . Not so intriguing , I am definitely not suggesting this one if you are truly a HP lover .
May 20, 2022
This was a lot of fun. I am starting to appreciate PJ’s older books.
September 16, 2019
Rosy Wyndham has a choice: find a husband in three months, or watch her family's beloved English estate, Queen's Meadow, fall into the hands of her father's cousin. But as impossible as it seems to find her soul mate in such a short period, Rosy knows that she can't bear losing Queen's Meadow. So now she needs a groom--any groom!
Yet no one is more surprised than Rosy when entrepreneur and family friend Guard Jamieson steps up to the marital plate. Rosy realizes it's only a business deal, so why on earth does Guard insist they play the role of love-struck newlyweds?
The charade is even starting to convince Rosy that her make-believe marriage could be more than just business...it could definitely be pleasure!
Yet no one is more surprised than Rosy when entrepreneur and family friend Guard Jamieson steps up to the marital plate. Rosy realizes it's only a business deal, so why on earth does Guard insist they play the role of love-struck newlyweds?
The charade is even starting to convince Rosy that her make-believe marriage could be more than just business...it could definitely be pleasure!
January 6, 2026
The hero was so unnecessarily catty and petty towards the poor sweet, naive heroine.
I had a great time!
I had a great time!
June 6, 2017
3* only because of the hero! His name Guard is a bit weird but it's ok. Now the heroine...SHE made me want to throw my book against the wall but unfortunately I was reading the e-book on my iPad. Thos os a 1995 book but she's way worse than those from the 80s or 70s!
Her Victorian Virginal behaviour gets on my nerves...no wonder Guard had to taunt her! It became quite obvious early on to me that Guard liked Rosy very much but I too guessed she was too young for him...she being in her teens and he's 13 years older. Thus the taunting was perhaps to keep himself in check. But her blatant amd irrational dislike kept them apart far longer. ..
Now it's a weak plot device that she's guilted into keeping Queen's Meadow the large historical manor that her grandfather and father loved. Unfortunately they both died leaving her alone to keep it out if the evil hands of a nasty cousin Edward. SHE asked Guard to enter a marriage of convenience to help HER inherit the house...but after Guard accepted her proposal my GOD! She acted the victim like it was Guard who stood to inherit and she'd been forced to do everything.
What followed was her acting like a petulant child who did not get anything her way.
TSTL is her first, middle and family name!
For once I much prefer the hero to heroine even when the hero started out a bit assholery. He's one sexy guy! Those hot lines!
Her Victorian Virginal behaviour gets on my nerves...no wonder Guard had to taunt her! It became quite obvious early on to me that Guard liked Rosy very much but I too guessed she was too young for him...she being in her teens and he's 13 years older. Thus the taunting was perhaps to keep himself in check. But her blatant amd irrational dislike kept them apart far longer. ..
Now it's a weak plot device that she's guilted into keeping Queen's Meadow the large historical manor that her grandfather and father loved. Unfortunately they both died leaving her alone to keep it out if the evil hands of a nasty cousin Edward. SHE asked Guard to enter a marriage of convenience to help HER inherit the house...but after Guard accepted her proposal my GOD! She acted the victim like it was Guard who stood to inherit and she'd been forced to do everything.
What followed was her acting like a petulant child who did not get anything her way.
TSTL is her first, middle and family name!
For once I much prefer the hero to heroine even when the hero started out a bit assholery. He's one sexy guy! Those hot lines!
January 19, 2023
This is a Penny Jordan from 1995. Penny Jordan’s older romances are so much better than her more recent ones that I often wonder if it’s the same writer.
This book is full of romance and passion. A besotted H and a naive, clueless, virgin h. He is a determined man in pursuit of the woman he loves. He wants her, only her, and not because she has a baby by him or any other reason than her.
Happy to have found a romance again in which the woman doesn’t get oopsie-pregnant, like nowadays in almost every HP. 🙄
This book is full of romance and passion. A besotted H and a naive, clueless, virgin h. He is a determined man in pursuit of the woman he loves. He wants her, only her, and not because she has a baby by him or any other reason than her.
Happy to have found a romance again in which the woman doesn’t get oopsie-pregnant, like nowadays in almost every HP. 🙄
April 7, 2012
I really didn't expect to actually like this book when i started reading this. It's well written with fine points in emotional detail. I liked the characters playing out. although i couldn't guess at the storys' ending i did guess as to the reasons of guard's reactions and it made the story even more interesting and would have really liked it more if the story was also showed from guard's point of view.
A good read :)
A good read :)
February 3, 2012
I've just recently rediscovered this favorite. It's starts of with her proposal of a convenient marriage to the very person who has her in mind for his every convenience. The play is on who knows what. They pretend and he steals those breathless kisses to convince everyone and the very object of his affection the true state of his intentions. He proves to be simply irresistible to her.
April 28, 2015
i usually like a besotted hero when i see one but guard was a master manipulator and i did not understand his nasty attitude towards her. rose was too naive by half and got on my nerves! i cud not imagine what he saw in rose for she was so childish and she behaved like a retarded teenager. i thought a man of his experience wud seek a career and mature woman, not someone like rose.
December 29, 2011
Definitely an old-fashioned HP, but sometimes Penny Jordan just sucks you in. The hero was definitely one of those brooding types that mocks and taunts the extremely naive heroine until the end when suddenly there is a complete about face. But still, good emotional tension and angst.
November 13, 2021
Not a lot happens when it boils down to it. I wish Guard had shown more of that long long love he had for the h and I hope he was celibate if he was really that crazily in love with her since she was 17. He did try super hard to seduce the h after they get married though lol..poor man had to almost direct her hands and arms in each seducation or kiss lol. Good book for a slow day though.
June 27, 2018
Eww. Simply eww.
October 26, 2019
روايه احلام لم اعد طفلة
رواية مسليه احببتها لكنها ليست من مفضلاتي
رواية مسليه احببتها لكنها ليست من مفضلاتي
November 1, 2019
Heroine doesn't think like a grown up. Hero thinks for both of them. Quick read but good.
November 22, 2025
Both H and h are very drastic. H starts his conversation with some men , most men. h propose a guy and doesn't think after that. No proper communication between them.
December 7, 2016
Guard is yummy, I adored him as a hero. Now, Rosy, she is a child. A naive child. I hated almost every word out of her mouth. She has little personality, especially when compared to (as another reviewer aptly stated) "the most verbally seductive hero in all of HPLandia" And I agree with her completely. I swooned at him a few times.
September 20, 2013
I very much enjoyed reading this Jordan novel and there were some really interesting things going on in it, but I did feel that it took quite a long time to get to the point (the point being the part where childlike Rosy and vastly older and experienced Guard get it together, of course!) After all, this is a Mills and Boon, not a psychoanalytical study.
However, for quite a large part of it, I felt that Jordan was straying into unfamiliar territory. Rosy is so childlike, that (for once) the male hero's accusations of her childishness are not at all out of place. She even admits it herself : "Being held like this by him brought home to her how alone she now was – her father and her grandfather both gone, no loving, paternalistic figure for her to turn to with her troubles any more. This knowledge made her tears flow faster, soaking through the fine white cotton of Guard’s shirt." (Pp 129-30) She almost turns to him as a father figure, and Guard (no subtlety about the name there) is all to happy to oblige and keep her safe from her evil Uncle Edward. In fact, when it comes to the actual love scenes, which are quite late on in this book, they are almost redolent of child abuse. Guard himself admits that he has taken advantage of her in the latter (revelation) stages of the book.
Evil Uncle Edward is something else. Rosy herself refers to her "favourite" Georgette Heyer novels and he has stepped right out from one - the archetypal evil Uncle who is after the defenceless virgin's inheritance.
There are a lot of references to Grinling Gibbons' Carvings in this book and it makes me think that the author had probably visited Lyme House (local to where she lived and featuring a great deal of Gibbons' best work) - that's what I love about Jordan's stuff - the provenance of her stories are all there to be discovered in the pages.
This is a very readable book with LOADS going on in it for those interested in this author's work. Not to be missed.
However, for quite a large part of it, I felt that Jordan was straying into unfamiliar territory. Rosy is so childlike, that (for once) the male hero's accusations of her childishness are not at all out of place. She even admits it herself : "Being held like this by him brought home to her how alone she now was – her father and her grandfather both gone, no loving, paternalistic figure for her to turn to with her troubles any more. This knowledge made her tears flow faster, soaking through the fine white cotton of Guard’s shirt." (Pp 129-30) She almost turns to him as a father figure, and Guard (no subtlety about the name there) is all to happy to oblige and keep her safe from her evil Uncle Edward. In fact, when it comes to the actual love scenes, which are quite late on in this book, they are almost redolent of child abuse. Guard himself admits that he has taken advantage of her in the latter (revelation) stages of the book.
Evil Uncle Edward is something else. Rosy herself refers to her "favourite" Georgette Heyer novels and he has stepped right out from one - the archetypal evil Uncle who is after the defenceless virgin's inheritance.
There are a lot of references to Grinling Gibbons' Carvings in this book and it makes me think that the author had probably visited Lyme House (local to where she lived and featuring a great deal of Gibbons' best work) - that's what I love about Jordan's stuff - the provenance of her stories are all there to be discovered in the pages.
This is a very readable book with LOADS going on in it for those interested in this author's work. Not to be missed.
December 11, 2016
Ok... so 3* are just for Penny Jordan because the book... just no.
The h is just plain stupid.. mentally challenged she can not put 2&2 together. She must be 12 yo mentally. Add the behavior of a 12 yo spoiled, stubborn child, stomping her foot on the ground and you have our h.
The H is quite a nice and good man. He is considerate and I can understand why he can be hard at times. I would be more then hard and irritated with her antagonistic behavior.
I kept hopping the the H will wise up and just leave the h, find a good, smart woman. Give him a HEA he deserves.
So our h asks our H to marry her, after he agrees she spend all her time fighting him. She fights him for taking her on trip in a wonderful place, she fights him when he wants to take her shopping, ...... she fights him in every single dialog they have.
Reading on, the book does not reveal any qualities of our h. She remains a child that fights all the time. I don't understand why he loves her. There is simply no quality, no trait of her character that makes you warm up to her. I simply did not like her, she was to stupid, too childish and stubborn.
The book has a HEA from other's points of view. For me, I think he deserved so much better. Anybody would be better then her.
The h is just plain stupid.. mentally challenged she can not put 2&2 together. She must be 12 yo mentally. Add the behavior of a 12 yo spoiled, stubborn child, stomping her foot on the ground and you have our h.
The H is quite a nice and good man. He is considerate and I can understand why he can be hard at times. I would be more then hard and irritated with her antagonistic behavior.
I kept hopping the the H will wise up and just leave the h, find a good, smart woman. Give him a HEA he deserves.
So our h asks our H to marry her, after he agrees she spend all her time fighting him. She fights him for taking her on trip in a wonderful place, she fights him when he wants to take her shopping, ...... she fights him in every single dialog they have.
Reading on, the book does not reveal any qualities of our h. She remains a child that fights all the time. I don't understand why he loves her. There is simply no quality, no trait of her character that makes you warm up to her. I simply did not like her, she was to stupid, too childish and stubborn.
The book has a HEA from other's points of view. For me, I think he deserved so much better. Anybody would be better then her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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