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Rumor Has It
It wasn't a lie, exactly
The rumors about the night Lucinda spent stranded on Marshall's Island with the dashing Englishman, Leo Grosvenor, simply got out of hand.
Denials of an affair only brought knowing smiles, and Lucinda began to enjoy having people believe someone as glamorous as Leo found her desirable. As the rumors flourished, so did Lucinda.
Besides, she reasoned, Leo was safely home in England. She certainly never expected he would return to South Port and force her to live the lie.
The rumors about the night Lucinda spent stranded on Marshall's Island with the dashing Englishman, Leo Grosvenor, simply got out of hand.
Denials of an affair only brought knowing smiles, and Lucinda began to enjoy having people believe someone as glamorous as Leo found her desirable. As the rumors flourished, so did Lucinda.
Besides, she reasoned, Leo was safely home in England. She certainly never expected he would return to South Port and force her to live the lie.
189 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
2 people are currently reading
78 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
July 23, 2017
I 'm not going to be able to do justice to the charm of this book. This is a Cinderella story with the heroine being her own fairy godmother after she allows her evil stepmother and sisters to think that she slept with the silver fox hero (33 and prematurely gray)when they had to shelter for the night during a bad storm. This bit of notoriety in the small Maine town gave her the confidence to change her hair, ditch all the ugly clothes her step mother bought her, and to go out with friends.
This all comes to a screeching halt when the English lord of the manor silver fox and naval architect returns and finds out his name has been coupled with the woman he disliked intensely. But once he sees her transformation, he decides to let the masquerade continue. He's interested in buying a house on the coast (to live half time) and wants the heroine to help him.
Some highlights:
*the 1980's clothes and the heroine's descriptions of them are killing. The magenta sheath dress with the boat neckline, shoulder pads and tightness in the hips is the worst possible look for an hourglass figure and that's what the hero sees her in the first time they meet. There are other wardrobe horrors that are equally delicious.
*the heroine really needed to change and stop trying to please her evil father and she finally, finally gets there. The catharsis when she throws the casserole in the water was wonderful.
*the H/h really do not like each other at the beginning. The heroine is prickly. The hero is in a bad mood during their sailing trip. There are no traitorous feelings for a long, long time.
*this author knows Maine. The area she is describing has upscale tourist towns on the coast - but it's not all quaintness and awesome scenery. The weirdo, unfriendly, just out of a Stephen King novel people that take them in during the storm are also part of the Maine vibe.
*the heroine's dead mother rocks - she left the house to her daughter and not her evil husband.
*the hero likes the heroine's curvy figure and her glasses and her cuddly self. It's obvious to everyone but the heroine that he is crazy about her.
*the hero is gifted a Maine Coon Cat kitten. They name it Boots because judging by it noisy demeanor it's going to be a Bossy Boots. There should be more Maine Coon Cats in novels.
*the heroine "correcting" the hero's Britishisms whenever she's mad at him. Torch. Flashlight! Pavement. Sidewalk! Boot. Trunk! I think he did it just to wind her up.
What docked this 1/2 star for me:
*the heroine had to do all the growing. The hero was her reward for completing her journey - which is a nice reversal of the hero winning fair maiden for slaying the dragon - but it would have been nice to know more about what emotional need the heroine provided for the hero.
*the h's evil family never got their comeuppance or realized just how awful their behavior had been over the years. They will have to watch the heroine be happy with the rich guy - so there is that.
But these are minor quibbles.
This all comes to a screeching halt when the English lord of the manor silver fox and naval architect returns and finds out his name has been coupled with the woman he disliked intensely. But once he sees her transformation, he decides to let the masquerade continue. He's interested in buying a house on the coast (to live half time) and wants the heroine to help him.
Some highlights:
*the 1980's clothes and the heroine's descriptions of them are killing. The magenta sheath dress with the boat neckline, shoulder pads and tightness in the hips is the worst possible look for an hourglass figure and that's what the hero sees her in the first time they meet. There are other wardrobe horrors that are equally delicious.
*the heroine really needed to change and stop trying to please her evil father and she finally, finally gets there. The catharsis when she throws the casserole in the water was wonderful.
*the H/h really do not like each other at the beginning. The heroine is prickly. The hero is in a bad mood during their sailing trip. There are no traitorous feelings for a long, long time.
*this author knows Maine. The area she is describing has upscale tourist towns on the coast - but it's not all quaintness and awesome scenery. The weirdo, unfriendly, just out of a Stephen King novel people that take them in during the storm are also part of the Maine vibe.
*the heroine's dead mother rocks - she left the house to her daughter and not her evil husband.
*the hero likes the heroine's curvy figure and her glasses and her cuddly self. It's obvious to everyone but the heroine that he is crazy about her.
*the hero is gifted a Maine Coon Cat kitten. They name it Boots because judging by it noisy demeanor it's going to be a Bossy Boots. There should be more Maine Coon Cats in novels.
*the heroine "correcting" the hero's Britishisms whenever she's mad at him. Torch. Flashlight! Pavement. Sidewalk! Boot. Trunk! I think he did it just to wind her up.
What docked this 1/2 star for me:
*the heroine had to do all the growing. The hero was her reward for completing her journey - which is a nice reversal of the hero winning fair maiden for slaying the dragon - but it would have been nice to know more about what emotional need the heroine provided for the hero.
*the h's evil family never got their comeuppance or realized just how awful their behavior had been over the years. They will have to watch the heroine be happy with the rich guy - so there is that.
But these are minor quibbles.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2017
A Cinderella story where the prince isn't that charming and the heroine becomes her own fairy godmother.
Lucinda the h has a perfectly rotten family: her father is downright mean to her and her stepmother and stepsisters run the gamut from snotty to downright bitchy. Poor Lucy is like her mother sweet, round and bookish versus the other skinny, bitchy athletic women in the house and this is driven home again and again. The heroine is a little on the cranky side with everyone but her family; the hero, Leo, gets an extra special dose.
Leo and Lucinda end up taking her father's yacht out and get stranded on an island. Lucinda lets her stepmother assume she had an affair that night and like no other good mother, the stepmom and sisters are the ones that lets the flags fly and the rumors circulate. Lucinda lets it go as it is a way of getting a little something back at her sisters. She gives herself a makeover and Leo comes back to town to stir the pot up.
Little romance between Leo and Lucinda, but Lucinda does grow a spine. There is a hysterical moment when she paralyses her family in fear with her reaction to their latests bullying.
Lucinda the h has a perfectly rotten family: her father is downright mean to her and her stepmother and stepsisters run the gamut from snotty to downright bitchy. Poor Lucy is like her mother sweet, round and bookish versus the other skinny, bitchy athletic women in the house and this is driven home again and again. The heroine is a little on the cranky side with everyone but her family; the hero, Leo, gets an extra special dose.
Leo and Lucinda end up taking her father's yacht out and get stranded on an island. Lucinda lets her stepmother assume she had an affair that night and like no other good mother, the stepmom and sisters are the ones that lets the flags fly and the rumors circulate. Lucinda lets it go as it is a way of getting a little something back at her sisters. She gives herself a makeover and Leo comes back to town to stir the pot up.
Little romance between Leo and Lucinda, but Lucinda does grow a spine. There is a hysterical moment when she paralyses her family in fear with her reaction to their latests bullying.
June 16, 2024
I forgot I had skimmed this once, long ago. I probably blocked it out because I really don't enjoy poor little Cinderella stories where she gets pushed around by evil family members and the hero adds to the pile too :(
June 24, 2017
Celia Scott's "Rumor Has It" is a modern day Cinderella story where the fairy Godmother is not an actual person, but a false rumor that transforms a frumpy heroine into a glamorous new woman who finds love.
Lucinda is a slightly overweight librarian(really she's just voluptuous with big boobs and hips) who lives with her father, stepmother and model-slim stepsister. She's clumsy, nearsighted and is constantly berated by her family members. In their eyes she's a hopeless mess. Enter Leo, a dashing Englishman who has business with her father. The family conspires to set up Leo with Lucinda's more glamorous stepsister, however Leo's mind is just on work.
Circumstances lead to Leo and Lucinda being forced to share a one-bed motel during a storm. Soon after, Leo heads back to England. Gossip travels fast in Lucinda's small home town and everyone learns that the two spent a night together. Of course, it was purely platonic, but the townfolks' shocked reaction makes Lucinda let people think what they want. They all wonder what did a hunk like Leo see in a frump like Lucinda?
Lucinda is now viewed in a different light as she blossoms with confidence, gets a new hairdo and starts to dress appropriately for her curvy figure instead of what's dictated as "fashionable" (just like Clinton and Stacy on "What Not to Wear" recommend!)
Leo returns and is shocked that everyone, including Lucinda's angry father, thinks they had an affair. Leo then turns the tables on Lucinda and "blackmails" her into pretending they're a couple. But are they really pretending?
This was a sweet, funny and very clean romance and an old favorite. I loved it!
5 stars
Lucinda is a slightly overweight librarian(really she's just voluptuous with big boobs and hips) who lives with her father, stepmother and model-slim stepsister. She's clumsy, nearsighted and is constantly berated by her family members. In their eyes she's a hopeless mess. Enter Leo, a dashing Englishman who has business with her father. The family conspires to set up Leo with Lucinda's more glamorous stepsister, however Leo's mind is just on work.
Circumstances lead to Leo and Lucinda being forced to share a one-bed motel during a storm. Soon after, Leo heads back to England. Gossip travels fast in Lucinda's small home town and everyone learns that the two spent a night together. Of course, it was purely platonic, but the townfolks' shocked reaction makes Lucinda let people think what they want. They all wonder what did a hunk like Leo see in a frump like Lucinda?
Lucinda is now viewed in a different light as she blossoms with confidence, gets a new hairdo and starts to dress appropriately for her curvy figure instead of what's dictated as "fashionable" (just like Clinton and Stacy on "What Not to Wear" recommend!)
Leo returns and is shocked that everyone, including Lucinda's angry father, thinks they had an affair. Leo then turns the tables on Lucinda and "blackmails" her into pretending they're a couple. But are they really pretending?
This was a sweet, funny and very clean romance and an old favorite. I loved it!
5 stars
December 5, 2021
Upon reread, I liked this even more. Very enjoyable and it's hard not to root for the h.
September 4, 2017
A nicely done Cinderella story but with some minor tweaks.
I liked the h, who for all her doormat tendencies is a prickly little pear (literally!).
She’s the odd one out in a family of tall, lithe and athletic people. But it’s her father who’s really the meanest of the lot. He’s forever diminishing and degrading her. Her stepmother seemed more clueless than cruel. And the same goes for one of the stepsisters. The other one, though nasty, is married so mostly out of her way.
The H is a visitor from England whom the family wants to impress and maybe marry off the stepsister to. The h carries along in her usual ill-dressed and clumsy way, earning her family’s normal disdain and smirks. The H is no knight in shining armor and he too joins in looking down upon her awkward, klutzy self.
The h/H get stranded overnight in a motel room during a storm (and his last night in the US ), setting off speculation of an ONS, which the h doesn’t deny in pique and later leads to an image-looks-confidence makeover.
The H comes back from Britain and is not amused (at least not till he gets a good look at her made over self!) and forces her to play along about their involvement.
All well and good BUT…
I wanted a good solid comeuppance/just desserts/ticking off scene for the family and especially the father but that DOESN’T HAPPEN!!
I don’t like Hs who don’t stand up for hs in front of their cruel, taunting families. Well, he says it was because he wanted her to stand up for herself! But the kind of stuff that was happening or was being said to her should have pierced through even his British reserve!
And it was so clear he falls for her only after she cleans up! Okay that is probably the more reasonable scenario (RL wise!).... but does he feel no attraction, no seeing through the awkward clothes/persona?
And I was sooo disappointed that the author doesn’t have him saying that
And an ending where they will live within a mile’s distance of this family….!
I liked the h, who for all her doormat tendencies is a prickly little pear (literally!).
She’s the odd one out in a family of tall, lithe and athletic people. But it’s her father who’s really the meanest of the lot. He’s forever diminishing and degrading her. Her stepmother seemed more clueless than cruel. And the same goes for one of the stepsisters. The other one, though nasty, is married so mostly out of her way.
The H is a visitor from England whom the family wants to impress and maybe marry off the stepsister to. The h carries along in her usual ill-dressed and clumsy way, earning her family’s normal disdain and smirks. The H is no knight in shining armor and he too joins in looking down upon her awkward, klutzy self.
The h/H get stranded overnight in a motel room during a storm (and his last night in the US ), setting off speculation of an ONS, which the h doesn’t deny in pique and later leads to an image-looks-confidence makeover.
The H comes back from Britain and is not amused (at least not till he gets a good look at her made over self!) and forces her to play along about their involvement.
All well and good BUT…
I wanted a good solid comeuppance/just desserts/ticking off scene for the family and especially the father but that DOESN’T HAPPEN!!
I don’t like Hs who don’t stand up for hs in front of their cruel, taunting families. Well, he says it was because he wanted her to stand up for herself! But the kind of stuff that was happening or was being said to her should have pierced through even his British reserve!
And it was so clear he falls for her only after she cleans up! Okay that is probably the more reasonable scenario (RL wise!).... but does he feel no attraction, no seeing through the awkward clothes/persona?
And I was sooo disappointed that the author doesn’t have him saying that
And an ending where they will live within a mile’s distance of this family….!
September 21, 2014
A wonderful, delightful modern day Cinderella story. I loved it!!!
My only regret is I would have liked to see Prince Charming come down a "peg or two" and for her family to get a bit more just deserts. But other than that, it was perfect.
My only regret is I would have liked to see Prince Charming come down a "peg or two" and for her family to get a bit more just deserts. But other than that, it was perfect.
June 19, 2021
3.5 stars. The .5 stars is for the lovely cat who soothed my annoyance with the h. She was ignorant and i did not like how she kept correcting the H so he would say certain words the “american” way instead of British (which he was in every way). like girl bye with that shit.
February 18, 2018
3.25 stars
May 9, 2021
A sweet, clean read. StMargarets, Preeti, Vintage, and Wendy have some great reviews full of details! Anything I say will probably be a repeat but here I go....
Heroine...22 is treated like a 2nd class citizen in her own home. She is surrounded by Twiggy’s but is definitely a Raquel in disguise. She is a librarian, and extremely accident prone(certain people like her dad set her off)
Hero 33 year old Brit, very into ships visiting Maine on business. Meets the heroine through her worthless father.
The hero and heroine get stranded overnight after being bullied to take her dad’s racing boat out. There is no love lost between these 2. Unfortunately no hidden attraction or love at first sight. Hero needs to get on a plane to NY for “pleasure” such a shame Lucinda accidentally spills soup on his nether regions.
Once back on the mainland Lucinda doesn’t dispel rumors that her night with Leo was not so innocent. This is the catalyst Lucinda needed to start taking pride in herself: new hair, flattering clothes, and a social life. She figures she will never see hero again so no harm.
Hero does come back, wants a place in Maine for 6mos of the year, and tells the heroine that he thinks they should play along with the rumors. This throws them together on a regular basis and now we have a sweet, low angst love story brewing.
Now throughout this whole book we have the h’s 2 step sisters, father, and stepmother belittling her, putting her down etc...this pisses the hero off. Instead of sticking up for h at these times, he pulls her aside later and tells her to get over her cinder complex and stick up for herself.She eventually does, but the family never grovels like they should...honestly the stepmother is the only one that seems to attempt to smooth things over with h. The worst is her bio dad. It is highly suspected that he married the h’s mother for monetary reasons. Bio mom died when h was 5 BUT got the last laugh when she left the house and land in her daughter’s name. Obviously mommy figured out her husband was a righteous tool!
Our h does eventually stick up for herself and the hero declares his undying love. Children are mentioned for the future and they already have a Maine Coon Cat!
There is humor in the book, like another reviewer said when the h constantly corrects the H’s Briticisms (it’s a cookie not a biscuit) Laura Clery a comedian on Facebook is married to a Brit, and does some sketches about this same thing(diaper not a nappy , elevator not a lift and so on)
What I wished? Part of me wishes the H would have been attracted to the h before the makeover. However, at one point he does say he misses her glasses as it reminded him of an owl...he likes owls! Her father later insults her and refers to her as a mule. And the H does say “oh a mule is also one of my favorite animals next to an owl. A little inside joke and support of the h😜
Heroine...22 is treated like a 2nd class citizen in her own home. She is surrounded by Twiggy’s but is definitely a Raquel in disguise. She is a librarian, and extremely accident prone(certain people like her dad set her off)
Hero 33 year old Brit, very into ships visiting Maine on business. Meets the heroine through her worthless father.
The hero and heroine get stranded overnight after being bullied to take her dad’s racing boat out. There is no love lost between these 2. Unfortunately no hidden attraction or love at first sight. Hero needs to get on a plane to NY for “pleasure” such a shame Lucinda accidentally spills soup on his nether regions.
Once back on the mainland Lucinda doesn’t dispel rumors that her night with Leo was not so innocent. This is the catalyst Lucinda needed to start taking pride in herself: new hair, flattering clothes, and a social life. She figures she will never see hero again so no harm.
Hero does come back, wants a place in Maine for 6mos of the year, and tells the heroine that he thinks they should play along with the rumors. This throws them together on a regular basis and now we have a sweet, low angst love story brewing.
Now throughout this whole book we have the h’s 2 step sisters, father, and stepmother belittling her, putting her down etc...this pisses the hero off. Instead of sticking up for h at these times, he pulls her aside later and tells her to get over her cinder complex and stick up for herself.She eventually does, but the family never grovels like they should...honestly the stepmother is the only one that seems to attempt to smooth things over with h. The worst is her bio dad. It is highly suspected that he married the h’s mother for monetary reasons. Bio mom died when h was 5 BUT got the last laugh when she left the house and land in her daughter’s name. Obviously mommy figured out her husband was a righteous tool!
Our h does eventually stick up for herself and the hero declares his undying love. Children are mentioned for the future and they already have a Maine Coon Cat!
There is humor in the book, like another reviewer said when the h constantly corrects the H’s Briticisms (it’s a cookie not a biscuit) Laura Clery a comedian on Facebook is married to a Brit, and does some sketches about this same thing(diaper not a nappy , elevator not a lift and so on)
What I wished? Part of me wishes the H would have been attracted to the h before the makeover. However, at one point he does say he misses her glasses as it reminded him of an owl...he likes owls! Her father later insults her and refers to her as a mule. And the H does say “oh a mule is also one of my favorite animals next to an owl. A little inside joke and support of the h😜
April 30, 2022
It wasn't a lie, exactly
The rumors about the night Lucinda spent stranded on Marshall's Island with the dashing Englishman, Leo Grosvenor, simply got out of hand.
Denials of an affair only brought knowing smiles, and Lucinda began to enjoy having people believe someone as glamorous as Leo found her desirable. As the rumors flourished, so did Lucinda.
Besides, she reasoned, Leo was safely home in England. She certainly never expected he would return to South Port and force her to live the lie.
The rumors about the night Lucinda spent stranded on Marshall's Island with the dashing Englishman, Leo Grosvenor, simply got out of hand.
Denials of an affair only brought knowing smiles, and Lucinda began to enjoy having people believe someone as glamorous as Leo found her desirable. As the rumors flourished, so did Lucinda.
Besides, she reasoned, Leo was safely home in England. She certainly never expected he would return to South Port and force her to live the lie.
May 8, 2022
3.5 stars. I was hooked and kept waiting for her to get away from her awful family! It happened much later than it should have!
April 9, 2024
New to me author has a twist on the Cinderella theme that I enjoy and created a delightful h.
Plus a cat wit attitude - as all cats and we have a winner!
Plus a cat wit attitude - as all cats and we have a winner!
January 10, 2026
really good. I hadn't read this since it first came out but it's been even better the se one time around.
June 10, 2016
I liked this Harlequin romance better than some of the others because I think I related to the main character in this book. Lucinda is somewhat awkward and clumsy. She meets Leo and immediately takes a dislike to him. One day her father volunteers her to take him sailing. They end up hitting bad weather and have to make their to Marshall's Island. Once there all they can find is one available motel room. After spending the night sleeping in the same bed rumours are spread that she is having an affair with Leo. When he suddenly returns from England he wants Lucinda to pretend they have a relationship. I won't says what else happens as you will have to read it and find out. I don't want to spoil it for anyone!! LOL
January 29, 2011
Also one of my favorite romace reads. Clean, cinderella story.
November 2, 2015
Fun clean story.
January 17, 2017
Harlequin romance. I didn't realize this was a Cinderella story until I saw others' reviews mentioning it, but it certainly is one.
January 27, 2019
One of the best.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews