What do you think?
Rate this book
Happily Never After
No one could believe that Thomas Beckham was the kind of man to leave a woman at the altar, but he couldn't marry his bride-to-be. Not after what he'd seen her do. His only choice was to leave and never look back -- and to keep to himself everything he'd witnessed.
After the wedding-that-wasn't, everyone, including Kelly Ralston, went on to other things. Or so it had always seemed. But ten years later, Kelly finds herself attending the funeral of another one of the bridesmaids -- the third member of the wedding party to meet a tragic death. Kelly can't help but wonder if the deaths are a coincidence. Or are they linked? If so, who will be targeted next?
Thomas Beckham may be her only chance to find the killer. Before the killer finds her...
After the wedding-that-wasn't, everyone, including Kelly Ralston, went on to other things. Or so it had always seemed. But ten years later, Kelly finds herself attending the funeral of another one of the bridesmaids -- the third member of the wedding party to meet a tragic death. Kelly can't help but wonder if the deaths are a coincidence. Or are they linked? If so, who will be targeted next?
Thomas Beckham may be her only chance to find the killer. Before the killer finds her...
384 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published August 1, 2005
5 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen O'Brien
147 books91 followersSince the day Harlequin bought her first novel, Kathleen has published more than 30 titles with them- everything from hot, sexy contemporaries to dark, brooding suspense. Read in more than 30 countries and 29 languages, she's a five-time finalist for the prestigious RWA RITA Award, a winner of the Maggie Award, and a three-time finalist for Romantic Times' Reviewer's Choice.
Kathleen comes from a family of writers, poets, and journalists- though she may be the one shameless romantic in the bunch. A true Cancer, she values home and family above everything and wouldn't dream of ditching a single friend, memory, gift, or love letter. Consequently, her office is a mess, full of books, colored cut glass, photo albums, Madame Alexander dolls, and a cockatiel who whistles the theme from "The X Files." She is addicted to Mozart and Elvis, Dancing With the Stars, Dorothy Dunnett novels, and sugar-free Popsicles.
Kathleen comes from a family of writers, poets, and journalists- though she may be the one shameless romantic in the bunch. A true Cancer, she values home and family above everything and wouldn't dream of ditching a single friend, memory, gift, or love letter. Consequently, her office is a mess, full of books, colored cut glass, photo albums, Madame Alexander dolls, and a cockatiel who whistles the theme from "The X Files." She is addicted to Mozart and Elvis, Dancing With the Stars, Dorothy Dunnett novels, and sugar-free Popsicles.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 12, 2021
The Vineyard of Hopes and Dreams wasn’t exactly a barrel of laughs, but the writing was well done enough that I wanted to read more of Kathleen O’Brien. Being cheap as hell, I went to OpenLibrary and read this equally depressing but well done suspense story. It’s technically romantic suspense, but the generational sick family saga and its drama dominates whatever romance there is. It reminded me a lot of the bodice-rippery family sagas that were prevalent in the 1980s.
Jennifer’s review gives an excellent background without any of the big spoilers.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lots of deaths and not always the characters that deserve it plus the kind of secrets that slither out when you turn over a rock. This isn’t a light and fluffy story where the jilted bride climbs out of a window in her wedding dress and finds new love on her abandoned honeymoon. The hero’s reasons for jilting his bride come as a surprise and are very understandable.
The hero and heroine were almost secondary to the plot and not exceptionally likable. The Mellon family and their secrets are the driving force.
Jennifer’s review gives an excellent background without any of the big spoilers.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Lots of deaths and not always the characters that deserve it plus the kind of secrets that slither out when you turn over a rock. This isn’t a light and fluffy story where the jilted bride climbs out of a window in her wedding dress and finds new love on her abandoned honeymoon. The hero’s reasons for jilting his bride come as a surprise and are very understandable.
The hero and heroine were almost secondary to the plot and not exceptionally likable. The Mellon family and their secrets are the driving force.
November 24, 2012
The Mellon family of Cathedral Cove is one messed up bunch. Growing up in a house like Coeur Vole couldn't have been easy; neither, in fact, could having a father like Adler Mellon, who gained his pleasure by causing pain to his wife and children. Surviving matriarch Imogene is dying, and before she does, she wants her three children-Sophie, Sebastian, and Samantha-to find the happiness they so much deserve.
It's not an easy chore. Sophie, who has been in and out of mental institutions for the past decade, seems almost beyond hope. Left alone at the altar on her wedding day, she's never gotten over the fact that her intended husband, Tom Beckham, never showed up for their wedding. She's still sending him perfume-soaked letters on their "anniversary," and she's becoming more and more unbalanced.
As for Sebastian, marriage and children haven't stopped the demons that plague him. As his needs to follow in his father's footsteps and cause pain and suffering to those he loves increases daily, Sebastian is determined to somehow save his daughter and son from the same type of childhood that he had.
For Samantha, taking care of her terminally ill mother to the point where she has no friends or interests outside Coeur Vole is taking its toll. Sam has always lived in the shadows of her sister's wedding that wasn't, and of the accident that scarred her brother physically.
Tom has returned to Cathedral Cove, though, and all hell breaks loose. He's come at the urging of Kelly Ralston, the maid of honor of that long-ago almost-wedding-the same woman he developed feelings for shortly before the nuptials. Another wedding party member, Lillith, has died in a car accident, and Tom has returned to comfort her grieving husband, Jacob. Tom and Jacob were once good friends, but ever since Tom escaped the small town life for his high-powered attorney's job in Atlanta , they've drifted apart.
Now that Tom is back in Cathedral Cove, Kelly wonders if calling him home was a good idea. She fell in love with him ten years ago, when he was engaged to her best friend. Although they never acted on their attraction, Kelly has always felt slightly guilty-was the kiss they shared, and Kelly's announcement of love, the reason Tom ditched Sophie at the altar?
Strange things are happening around Cathedral Cove now that Tom is back. Since Lillith's accident, Kelly and Tom find out that other members of the wedding party have died in mysterious "accidents." Sophie isn't in the institution where she should be, Sebastian seems to be a washed-up imitation of the man he used to be, and Samantha is wilting under the stress of her mother's illness.
As Tom and Kelly become closer, realizing that the attraction they felt all those years ago is still going strong, someone seems intent on getting rid of the members of Sophie's bridal party one by one. As they try to get the authorities involved, they can't help feeling that time is running out-because if they're right, Kelly is going to be the next victim.
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is a wonderful romantic suspense story. Family secrets form the basis for the storyline, and with the revelation of each one, you'll be drawn farther into the story. The ending is a definite surprise, and the plot twists and turns through each page. This book is a definite winner, one that fans of the genre won't want to miss.
It's not an easy chore. Sophie, who has been in and out of mental institutions for the past decade, seems almost beyond hope. Left alone at the altar on her wedding day, she's never gotten over the fact that her intended husband, Tom Beckham, never showed up for their wedding. She's still sending him perfume-soaked letters on their "anniversary," and she's becoming more and more unbalanced.
As for Sebastian, marriage and children haven't stopped the demons that plague him. As his needs to follow in his father's footsteps and cause pain and suffering to those he loves increases daily, Sebastian is determined to somehow save his daughter and son from the same type of childhood that he had.
For Samantha, taking care of her terminally ill mother to the point where she has no friends or interests outside Coeur Vole is taking its toll. Sam has always lived in the shadows of her sister's wedding that wasn't, and of the accident that scarred her brother physically.
Tom has returned to Cathedral Cove, though, and all hell breaks loose. He's come at the urging of Kelly Ralston, the maid of honor of that long-ago almost-wedding-the same woman he developed feelings for shortly before the nuptials. Another wedding party member, Lillith, has died in a car accident, and Tom has returned to comfort her grieving husband, Jacob. Tom and Jacob were once good friends, but ever since Tom escaped the small town life for his high-powered attorney's job in Atlanta , they've drifted apart.
Now that Tom is back in Cathedral Cove, Kelly wonders if calling him home was a good idea. She fell in love with him ten years ago, when he was engaged to her best friend. Although they never acted on their attraction, Kelly has always felt slightly guilty-was the kiss they shared, and Kelly's announcement of love, the reason Tom ditched Sophie at the altar?
Strange things are happening around Cathedral Cove now that Tom is back. Since Lillith's accident, Kelly and Tom find out that other members of the wedding party have died in mysterious "accidents." Sophie isn't in the institution where she should be, Sebastian seems to be a washed-up imitation of the man he used to be, and Samantha is wilting under the stress of her mother's illness.
As Tom and Kelly become closer, realizing that the attraction they felt all those years ago is still going strong, someone seems intent on getting rid of the members of Sophie's bridal party one by one. As they try to get the authorities involved, they can't help feeling that time is running out-because if they're right, Kelly is going to be the next victim.
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER is a wonderful romantic suspense story. Family secrets form the basis for the storyline, and with the revelation of each one, you'll be drawn farther into the story. The ending is a definite surprise, and the plot twists and turns through each page. This book is a definite winner, one that fans of the genre won't want to miss.
February 5, 2012
The synopsis of this book intrigued me and the story line was a good one. Unfortunately, the writing was stilted and the "suspense" didn't take hold until the last three chapters.
January 18, 2016
The author gave the familiar "jilted bride" plot a twist and breathed new life into it. I found the Mellon family quite disturbing and found myself rooting for Tom and Kelly because of that.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews