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But Not for Me
Ariane was, quite frankly, making a marriage of convenience with Frank Muldane―but he was very nice and she thought, for her family's sake, that she could manage to go through with it.
But that was before she fell in love with his dark, disapproving elder brother, Harvey.
But that was before she fell in love with his dark, disapproving elder brother, Harvey.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1938
4 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Mary Burchell
158 books84 followersIda Cook was born on 1904 at 37 Croft Avenue, Sunderland, England. With her eldest sister Mary Louise Cook (1901), she attending the Duchess' School in Alnwick. Later the sisters took civil service jobs in London, and developed a passionate interest in opera. The sisters helped 29 jews to escape from the Nazis, funded mainly by Ida's writing. In 1965, the Cook sisters were honored as Righteous Gentiles by the Yad Vashem Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Israel.
As Mary Burchell, she published more than 125 romance novels by Mills & Boon since 1936. She also wrote some western novels as James Keene in collaboration with the author Will Cook (aka Frank Peace). In 1950, Ida Cook wrote her autobiography: "We followed our stars". She helped to found the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was its president from 1966 to her death on December 22, 1986.
As Mary Burchell, she published more than 125 romance novels by Mills & Boon since 1936. She also wrote some western novels as James Keene in collaboration with the author Will Cook (aka Frank Peace). In 1950, Ida Cook wrote her autobiography: "We followed our stars". She helped to found the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was its president from 1966 to her death on December 22, 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
March 21, 2023
Ariane was a sweet High-Society 2o year old girl. She was secretly and deeply in love with Harvey, a rich businessman. At some point she even saved his life after a riding accident.
Harvey had a girlfriend, a beautiful stage actress, Marta. He was quite self destructively in love with Marta,obsessed and infatuated. She was a scheming gold digger with questionable morals ( The book was written in 1938).
In a conversation with Ariane, Marta admitted that she enjoyed having him at her beck and call and spending money on her. Not only he was besotted but also rich and handsome.
" So long as a man wishes to run after me ,let him run. It is not my legs nor my pocket that is hurt. Only his. For me a man is good business or bad business. "
Ariane was concerned as she loved him so much she did not want him hurt.
Arianie's father died suddenly leaving the family's wealth in tatters.
Marta left for a visit to America and a few weeks later Harvey received a cable from her. Marta had married a multi-millionare.
That same day Harvey had asked Ariane to marry him. He said " l love Marta whether she's worthy or not. She is romance and glamour and fascination to me and always will be. "
Now that Marta was out of reach he wanted to have a settled home with peace and quiet and companionship with Ariane.
If she agreed to marry him he would get her family out of their dire financial straits.
Ariane been so much in love accepted the proposal hoping one day he would come to love her.
After the wedding Harvey received another cable from Marta. Her marriage fell through and she was coming back to him.
With this information hanging over them Harvey and Ariane had a grim and platonic Honeymoon.
Back home from the Honeymoon Marta was waiting for him.....
Harvey had a girlfriend, a beautiful stage actress, Marta. He was quite self destructively in love with Marta,obsessed and infatuated. She was a scheming gold digger with questionable morals ( The book was written in 1938).
In a conversation with Ariane, Marta admitted that she enjoyed having him at her beck and call and spending money on her. Not only he was besotted but also rich and handsome.
" So long as a man wishes to run after me ,let him run. It is not my legs nor my pocket that is hurt. Only his. For me a man is good business or bad business. "
Ariane was concerned as she loved him so much she did not want him hurt.
Arianie's father died suddenly leaving the family's wealth in tatters.
Marta left for a visit to America and a few weeks later Harvey received a cable from her. Marta had married a multi-millionare.
That same day Harvey had asked Ariane to marry him. He said " l love Marta whether she's worthy or not. She is romance and glamour and fascination to me and always will be. "
Now that Marta was out of reach he wanted to have a settled home with peace and quiet and companionship with Ariane.
If she agreed to marry him he would get her family out of their dire financial straits.
Ariane been so much in love accepted the proposal hoping one day he would come to love her.
After the wedding Harvey received another cable from Marta. Her marriage fell through and she was coming back to him.
With this information hanging over them Harvey and Ariane had a grim and platonic Honeymoon.
Back home from the Honeymoon Marta was waiting for him.....
May 26, 2018
I have been meaning to write a review of this book, which, read on one level, is the tale of a woman who has no problem being second best, and who will accept almost any behavior from the man she loves. However, read on the second level, it's entirely different.
April 1, 2023
I really enjoyed this angsty but sweet tale. The h was selfless and lovely. The H was broody and a little mean sometimes. Just enough to create a good angsty scene. I love the unrequited trope. I love how he came to his own conclusions without the h having to do anything but be her own precious self. There’s a great scene at the end of the book when the H finally lives up to his potential. I was full on crying at 2:30 this morning, under my covers, when we got to their HEA. 💕🥹
This would have been a 5-star for me if:
- there was more heat (there’s a handful of chaste kisses and one passionate, but ultimately not super sexual, scene at the end) - my copy was published in 1971 but some of the reviews say it was written in the 1930’s, which definitely checks out in the feel, attitudes, etc of the writing
- the H was a bit more stoic in his own unrequited dilemma - the scene where he takes solace in the h’s embrace took him down a notch for me - heros with mommy-issues get on my nerves
- we got a bit more at the end of them together and of the H being fully devoted. I feel like he was showing signs all throughout the book, but I’d like to have a scene where his romantic declarations were put into actions. And he demonstrated that he was way more in love the h than he’d ever been with the OW
- the OW had been a bit more of a true villain - it felt like the author was hesitant to really go there.
Bottom Line? This was lots of fun. Like an old 1930s musical. A little funny, very wholesome and surprisingly emotional. 💕 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This would have been a 5-star for me if:
- there was more heat (there’s a handful of chaste kisses and one passionate, but ultimately not super sexual, scene at the end) - my copy was published in 1971 but some of the reviews say it was written in the 1930’s, which definitely checks out in the feel, attitudes, etc of the writing
- the H was a bit more stoic in his own unrequited dilemma - the scene where he takes solace in the h’s embrace took him down a notch for me - heros with mommy-issues get on my nerves
- we got a bit more at the end of them together and of the H being fully devoted. I feel like he was showing signs all throughout the book, but I’d like to have a scene where his romantic declarations were put into actions. And he demonstrated that he was way more in love the h than he’d ever been with the OW
- the OW had been a bit more of a true villain - it felt like the author was hesitant to really go there.
Bottom Line? This was lots of fun. Like an old 1930s musical. A little funny, very wholesome and surprisingly emotional. 💕 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
March 9, 2024
I'm reviewing the romance novels I kept from many years ago. Mary Burchell is my favorite romance author, and But Not For Me is one of her best. Written in 1938 (although my copy was published in 1971), it's a gentle read with a great plot and interesting characters.
Ariane's family owns a high-class, well-known business on the verge of bankruptcy. Into town come the Muldanes, "new money" that owns the cheap competition. Knowing the company's dire financial straits, Ariane's mother suggests that Ariane might fall in love with and marry the youngest Muldane son. He's a nice young man, and Ariane manages to become engaged to him, all the while hating herself for being "a scheming, husband-hunting little fraud." And the big problem is that she's fallen in love with his handsome and difficult brother Harvey, who knows about Ariane's motive and despises her for it. There is a lot packed in to 187 pages. Still a great read.
Ariane's family owns a high-class, well-known business on the verge of bankruptcy. Into town come the Muldanes, "new money" that owns the cheap competition. Knowing the company's dire financial straits, Ariane's mother suggests that Ariane might fall in love with and marry the youngest Muldane son. He's a nice young man, and Ariane manages to become engaged to him, all the while hating herself for being "a scheming, husband-hunting little fraud." And the big problem is that she's fallen in love with his handsome and difficult brother Harvey, who knows about Ariane's motive and despises her for it. There is a lot packed in to 187 pages. Still a great read.
April 2, 2023
I adored this heartfelt quick read. He was so broody and misunderstood but so gentle and protective of the h. She was just perfect! Sweet and tender and absolutely adoring. She was just so effortless in her devotion and I was completely charmed by her.
March 16, 2022
Ariane, undoubtedly one of the sweetest, conscientious and most understanding heroines of HP land. And she begins the story as a cool, calculating gold digger !!!!!!!!!!!
Well, she is a typical high society lass whose family wealth is now in tatters. So mother and daughter decide to make a play for the yougest son of the town's richest newbies. The newbies are the neo-rich you see, loads of money, but no class or pedigree !
Ariane meets Frank, and very easily, they decide to get engaged and married. Just like that. But Ariane is beset with guilt and apprehensions right from Day 1. Especialy because Frank is a sweet little guy who doesnt deserve any deception.
There is one character who smells the gold digger plot right from the start. That's Frank's eldest brother Harvey. He is the uncouth type, rude but honest, hard working but ungracious. He has his own frailties but nobody senses them at all. They all see him as hard as stone, his family, the towns folk, everyone ...
There is only one person who seems to have X Ray vision where Harvey is concerned, and that's our sweet little Ariane. She chides him when he is unnecessarily rude, saves him when he falls off a horse, understands his isolation from his family, defends him from everybody's accusations. His champion basically.
And to top it all, she completely understands his mindless obsession for a scheming but magnificently attractive OW, a popular (notorious more like it !) stage actress. This whole business of normal family men falling for the Mata hari , Cleopatra type femme fatales. Must be some kind of morbid fascination. Sounded crazy but intriguing too.
Ariane is madly in love with Harvey right from the start. But totally unable to do anything about it. First because she is engaged to his younger brother. Later because of the looming presence of our Mata Hari OW.
Then suddenly, the engagement with Frank falls through. And Harvey steps in to save the day !! Of course Ariane accepts, but its a tight rope walk for her. Not letting him know about her true feelings.
Harvey is able to communicate candidly only to Ariane in the whole wide world. So he lets her see how self-destructive his obsession for the OW is. And through their engagement and marriage, they fight this together @#:@#@:#@#@#!@!!@! That is , heroine and hero joining hands to fight the hero's obsession for the OW. Fascinating, don't you think. Confoundedly crazy, but fascinating indeed !
In the meantime, Harvey is silently settling Ariane's family money troubles. And winning her uppity mother's approval too !
When Mata Hari takes one step too much, in the end, Harvey is able to free himself out of his fever. Because Mata Hari was insulting his little champion wife you see. He couldn't stand that. So that's the end of the problem. Harvey's total surrender to Ariane's love. A dramatic HEA scene. Engaging, grim and slightly ridiculous too.
Fun read. Another super piece of work from Mary Burchell.
Well, she is a typical high society lass whose family wealth is now in tatters. So mother and daughter decide to make a play for the yougest son of the town's richest newbies. The newbies are the neo-rich you see, loads of money, but no class or pedigree !
Ariane meets Frank, and very easily, they decide to get engaged and married. Just like that. But Ariane is beset with guilt and apprehensions right from Day 1. Especialy because Frank is a sweet little guy who doesnt deserve any deception.
There is one character who smells the gold digger plot right from the start. That's Frank's eldest brother Harvey. He is the uncouth type, rude but honest, hard working but ungracious. He has his own frailties but nobody senses them at all. They all see him as hard as stone, his family, the towns folk, everyone ...
There is only one person who seems to have X Ray vision where Harvey is concerned, and that's our sweet little Ariane. She chides him when he is unnecessarily rude, saves him when he falls off a horse, understands his isolation from his family, defends him from everybody's accusations. His champion basically.
And to top it all, she completely understands his mindless obsession for a scheming but magnificently attractive OW, a popular (notorious more like it !) stage actress. This whole business of normal family men falling for the Mata hari , Cleopatra type femme fatales. Must be some kind of morbid fascination. Sounded crazy but intriguing too.
Ariane is madly in love with Harvey right from the start. But totally unable to do anything about it. First because she is engaged to his younger brother. Later because of the looming presence of our Mata Hari OW.
Then suddenly, the engagement with Frank falls through. And Harvey steps in to save the day !! Of course Ariane accepts, but its a tight rope walk for her. Not letting him know about her true feelings.
Harvey is able to communicate candidly only to Ariane in the whole wide world. So he lets her see how self-destructive his obsession for the OW is. And through their engagement and marriage, they fight this together @#:@#@:#@#@#!@!!@! That is , heroine and hero joining hands to fight the hero's obsession for the OW. Fascinating, don't you think. Confoundedly crazy, but fascinating indeed !
In the meantime, Harvey is silently settling Ariane's family money troubles. And winning her uppity mother's approval too !
When Mata Hari takes one step too much, in the end, Harvey is able to free himself out of his fever. Because Mata Hari was insulting his little champion wife you see. He couldn't stand that. So that's the end of the problem. Harvey's total surrender to Ariane's love. A dramatic HEA scene. Engaging, grim and slightly ridiculous too.
Fun read. Another super piece of work from Mary Burchell.
August 6, 2013
Mary Burchell is one of my favorite romance writers. I consider this book and Except My Love to be her two best stories. The character development and plot twists in this book kept me entertained while the love story that develops between Ariane and Harvey made me smile. By the end, I was ready to marry Harvey myself; I love a darkly, romantic hero.
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January 27, 2016The H was in love with another woman from the beginning until the last few pages of the book. He did not even have to explain how much he loved the h for she to forgive him for making her miserable. I did not like this book at all.
March 28, 2023
h was so sweet.
July 17, 2019
This is the first Mary Burchell novel I have read. I am a huge Sara Seale fan and was reluctant to start a new author, but I must say I enjoyed this. I was a bit hesitant about the Heroine she seemed sort of to be too good to be true, but that is what attracted the Hero. Like Sara Seale novels I liked that there was the nasty cow, in this case not one but two. Will start collecting more. Like the married for convenience stories.
July 26, 2025
***MINOR SPOILERS***
This book is a standalone. I read Safe Passage by Ida Cook, a book in which she relates how she and her sister, Louise, helped sneak people out of Nazi Germany. (The book was originally published under the title We Followed Our Stars.) I recommend that book. I decided to read a book under her pen name, Mary Burchell, to see what I thought of her fiction writing.
Ariane is 20 and as the book opens, her mother asks her to consider a marriage of convenience to the family of their business rivals, the Muldanes. Her family’s lace making business is over 200 years old and being replaced by mass production. The Muldanes own a very successful mass production company and her mother is hopeful that the marriage would save their company and provide them with a secure financial future. Ariane seems to live the life of a lady of leisure.
Ariane and the youngest Muldane son, Frank, immediately become good friends. He proposes shortly after they meet. Ariane is attracted to the oldest son, Harvey, despite his lack of social graces. Harvey is involved in a relationship with an actress and wants to marry her.
The mess they all make initially takes time to sort out throughout the book. I like how Ariane treats Harvey and how it helps him to heal some past wounds. He, in turn, becomes more thoughtful and open with his feelings. I think their relationship will be a good one in the long term.
Reading this book is like stepping back in time. The wording, the attitudes, the way of life are all reminiscent of a past era. Harvey calls Ariane a child several times but it was not an insult. It was language that might have been used then but I think child is not the right tone.
I was glad to try this book. I think someone who is interested in a look into the past or a clean romance would like this book.
This book is a standalone. I read Safe Passage by Ida Cook, a book in which she relates how she and her sister, Louise, helped sneak people out of Nazi Germany. (The book was originally published under the title We Followed Our Stars.) I recommend that book. I decided to read a book under her pen name, Mary Burchell, to see what I thought of her fiction writing.
Ariane is 20 and as the book opens, her mother asks her to consider a marriage of convenience to the family of their business rivals, the Muldanes. Her family’s lace making business is over 200 years old and being replaced by mass production. The Muldanes own a very successful mass production company and her mother is hopeful that the marriage would save their company and provide them with a secure financial future. Ariane seems to live the life of a lady of leisure.
Ariane and the youngest Muldane son, Frank, immediately become good friends. He proposes shortly after they meet. Ariane is attracted to the oldest son, Harvey, despite his lack of social graces. Harvey is involved in a relationship with an actress and wants to marry her.
The mess they all make initially takes time to sort out throughout the book. I like how Ariane treats Harvey and how it helps him to heal some past wounds. He, in turn, becomes more thoughtful and open with his feelings. I think their relationship will be a good one in the long term.
Reading this book is like stepping back in time. The wording, the attitudes, the way of life are all reminiscent of a past era. Harvey calls Ariane a child several times but it was not an insult. It was language that might have been used then but I think child is not the right tone.
I was glad to try this book. I think someone who is interested in a look into the past or a clean romance would like this book.
December 17, 2024
8/10 I enjoyed this. Ariane is a kind-hearted heroine and loveable. Her emotions during the marriage of convenience are particularly well written and angsty. But I don't know why she fell in love with Harvey so soon. At that initial part of the novel, his inner goodness was far from apparent - it does come through later. Harvey is one of Burchell's sulky, moody heroes (these types I don't like) and he is madly in love with OW, (which I also don't like). He comes across weak there. However, Burchell does an excellent portrayal of how he is actually kind under his sullenness and how gradually falls for his wife and the ending is sublime.
February 6, 2025
what a sad and pathetic H ! oddly I can stand an H that is rude and slimy to the h for revenge/misunderstandings or some other convoluted reasons but whose Tru Character is charming and loving, and with good manners.
everybody HATED this H and thought him a foolish and mannerless boor ! everybody TOLD the h what they thought of him and yet she was going oh but I lurve him you don't get him like I do 🥺 when her very first judgment of him had been correct:
everybody HATED this H and thought him a foolish and mannerless boor ! everybody TOLD the h what they thought of him and yet she was going oh but I lurve him you don't get him like I do 🥺 when her very first judgment of him had been correct:
“And it may interest you to know,” she remarked sweetly, “that another type clearly recognizable a mile away is the pompous, conceited ass.”
November 1, 2024
I liked the angst. The OW was the typical men eater/femme fatale which I appreciated as the fact that the author didn’t make the OM suffer and found him another love interest. I wished even more drama towards the end . As it was H ‘s change of heart came little too easy and the resolution was slightly anticlimactic .Otherwise I enjoyed the reading.
February 22, 2022
Loved the book but wish the ending wasn’t so abrupt. Would’ve liked to hear more about the change in the H’s feelings and their happiness together.
June 15, 2024
The heroine is what gave it a 4. She was such an endearing character. Someone who spread her love around and changed lives. Simple story with enjoyable characters.
September 24, 2024
The reason I rated it so highly was that it did actually feel like watching a black and white movie and gave one a sense of peeking into a disappeared world.
April 25, 2025
One of Mary Burchell's earliest novels.
Ariane gets involved in an arranged marriage of sorts, to unite two manufacturing companies. She is engaged to Frank but falls in love with his less "lovable" older brother Harvey, who is in love with an actress. Harvey can be quite a jerk, which is why they don't get along at first. As time goes on, Ariane sees what is beneath Harvey's stoic and difficult behavior. She learns a lot about him as a person, why he does what he does. He is more human than he appears.
I enjoyed the characters, the character growth, and loved Ariane's 12-year-old sister, Julie.
This is my second time reading this book.
Grey eyes: Frank; Julie (heroine's little sister)
It may take some looking, but MB's books are often available in paperback at reasonable prices. Many of her books are available to read online for free.
Ariane gets involved in an arranged marriage of sorts, to unite two manufacturing companies. She is engaged to Frank but falls in love with his less "lovable" older brother Harvey, who is in love with an actress. Harvey can be quite a jerk, which is why they don't get along at first. As time goes on, Ariane sees what is beneath Harvey's stoic and difficult behavior. She learns a lot about him as a person, why he does what he does. He is more human than he appears.
I enjoyed the characters, the character growth, and loved Ariane's 12-year-old sister, Julie.
This is my second time reading this book.
Grey eyes: Frank; Julie (heroine's little sister)
It may take some looking, but MB's books are often available in paperback at reasonable prices. Many of her books are available to read online for free.
December 5, 2023
One of the most charming vintage Harlequins I've read. Strongly influenced by P&P and a delightful period piece, really.
May 2, 2024
That was very choppy and dragged. Why does the heroine love this guy?! Like what has he done worthy of love?! Skip, not a fun read.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews