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Such is Love
Just as Gwyneth Vilner is about to get married to older and very successful Van Onslie, she learns that a youthful indiscretion, very painful and leading to what she thought was pregnancy and the death of the baby, actually resulted in a living child her mother put in an orphanage. She is afraid to tell her husband lest he be disillusioned with her but goes through with the wedding although agonizing about her child. When she meets the child, she is enchanted and wants him to be part of her life but will that destroy her marriage?
191 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1939
3 people are currently reading
168 people want to read
About the author
Mary Burchell
162 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 - 27 of 27 reviews
October 23, 2013
It is hard to believe that a Harlequin Romance first published in 1939 can still have the same impact 75 years later, but this book certainly packs one hell of a punch. For those readers that are jaded or snicker about HP's, I dare you to read this book and not enjoy it.
I am huge fan of Burchell's work, mostly for her storytelling, but also for the depth in which she writes. This is by far my most favorite story of hers and I think it's one of her best.
This is an incredible story about a mother's unconditional love, and the man who would move heaven and earth for this woman because "such is love" .
I highly, highly, recommend.
I am huge fan of Burchell's work, mostly for her storytelling, but also for the depth in which she writes. This is by far my most favorite story of hers and I think it's one of her best.
This is an incredible story about a mother's unconditional love, and the man who would move heaven and earth for this woman because "such is love" .
I highly, highly, recommend.
June 27, 2017
*4.5 stars*
Several years ago, I came across a number of old paperbacks in a used book shop that were going to be thrown away. I offered to give them a home. Up until then I had never heard of Mary Burchell. The first story I read was Call and I'll Come. Unfortunately I was disillusioned with the MCs and avoided reading anything else by her. Until now.
Such is Love was a solid little surprise. The first aspect to remember: the book was published in 1939, not written in recent years with a setting in the late 1930s. The language, mannerisms and semblance were appropriate. For women, a certain image was all-important. What you did or didn't do, shaped you.
~~~
The buildup as described in the first three chapters:
Gwyneth Vilner was the seventeen-year-old daughter of a clueless Canon in the Church of England and a cold, unlikeable mother. When she met a handsome artist, she sought a form of unconditional love and fell for the guy hook, line and sinker. They married in secret before his true nature surfaced. He was a cad and a bigamist!
Gwyneth returned home but within a short while she discovered she was pregnant. Long story short, she told her mother and aunt what happened: they arranged for her to go away until the baby was born. Then they told her the newborn had died.
Several years passed, Gwyneth is a young woman and was days away from marrying an older business owner, Evander 'Van' Onslie.
~~~
The story was told from Gwyneth's POV but my high rating was because of the H. He was part of an era when husbands expected their wives to act as homemakers and give up their time to cook, clean and raise their children. Men were the breadwinners. Feelings between most couples were kept close to the chest.
What elevated this light romance to the next level was Van: he loved Gwyneth deeply and it showed. He was a wealthy workaholic but Gwyneth always came first. -The story of Van asking for a date was heartwarming.- He sensed when things were wrong and offered to talk. He didn't tell her as I would have expected but gave her a choice to open up.
On the other hand, Gwyn let fear eat at her. I accepted this premise because it drove the plot. Their young marriage was not perfect but it maturated with her emotional hiccups and Van's guidance. Watch for the gems when he revealed something about his nature. Look for their kindly displays of behavior when they are together: a hand touching a cheek, the brush of a light kiss or simply holding one another. If you want to read an imperfectly perfect novelty try Such is Love. *Sigh.*
Several years ago, I came across a number of old paperbacks in a used book shop that were going to be thrown away. I offered to give them a home. Up until then I had never heard of Mary Burchell. The first story I read was Call and I'll Come. Unfortunately I was disillusioned with the MCs and avoided reading anything else by her. Until now.
Such is Love was a solid little surprise. The first aspect to remember: the book was published in 1939, not written in recent years with a setting in the late 1930s. The language, mannerisms and semblance were appropriate. For women, a certain image was all-important. What you did or didn't do, shaped you.
~~~
The buildup as described in the first three chapters:
Gwyneth Vilner was the seventeen-year-old daughter of a clueless Canon in the Church of England and a cold, unlikeable mother. When she met a handsome artist, she sought a form of unconditional love and fell for the guy hook, line and sinker. They married in secret before his true nature surfaced. He was a cad and a bigamist!
Gwyneth returned home but within a short while she discovered she was pregnant. Long story short, she told her mother and aunt what happened: they arranged for her to go away until the baby was born. Then they told her the newborn had died.
Several years passed, Gwyneth is a young woman and was days away from marrying an older business owner, Evander 'Van' Onslie.
~~~
The story was told from Gwyneth's POV but my high rating was because of the H. He was part of an era when husbands expected their wives to act as homemakers and give up their time to cook, clean and raise their children. Men were the breadwinners. Feelings between most couples were kept close to the chest.
What elevated this light romance to the next level was Van: he loved Gwyneth deeply and it showed. He was a wealthy workaholic but Gwyneth always came first. -The story of Van asking for a date was heartwarming.- He sensed when things were wrong and offered to talk. He didn't tell her as I would have expected but gave her a choice to open up.
On the other hand, Gwyn let fear eat at her. I accepted this premise because it drove the plot. Their young marriage was not perfect but it maturated with her emotional hiccups and Van's guidance. Watch for the gems when he revealed something about his nature. Look for their kindly displays of behavior when they are together: a hand touching a cheek, the brush of a light kiss or simply holding one another. If you want to read an imperfectly perfect novelty try Such is Love. *Sigh.*
July 5, 2017
I rarely read old HPs as majority of the ones I've read featured way too alpha hero or too weak heroine for my taste. But this story is surprisingly good, specially considering it was first published in 1939. The writing is smooth with keen observations stated in just one or two sentences but saying a lot. For example:
Thank you, Linda for this gem!
Her father was too much wrapped up in his seeking after truth and learning. Her mother was too much wraped up in herself. ...
Aunt Eleanor was, like her brother, a seeker after truth. Unlike him, she considered she had found it, and that very few other people had....To Aunt Eleanor, there were no two ways about it - either you agreed with her or you were wrong.
Thank you, Linda for this gem!
June 1, 2013
I've gotten out of the habit of reading genre romances, but I kept a box of them from when I was in high school and college. I'm going through them and reviewing them on goodreads. Mary Burchell (Ida Cook) is my favorite romance author. According to Wikipedia, "Ida Cook and her sister Mary Louise Cook rescued Jews from the Nazis during the 1930s. The sisters helped 29 people escape, funded mainly by Ida's writing." Knowing this makes me enjoy her writing even more!
Such Is Love is one of the best, most touching, and most unusual genre romances you'll ever read. First published in 1939, the heroine Gwyn is a calm, collected young woman in her early twenties. Her fiancé is a businessman with a reputation for being cold, stern, and unforgiving. Right before the wedding Gwyn asks Van if they should confess any previous indiscretions and he says no. He imagines some girlish episode from her past; in reality she eloped with a man when she was 17 and got pregnant before she found out he was married to someone else.
Gwyn was sent away to have the child and was told by her mother the child died. Van is a trustee at a local orphanage and Gwyn finds out that not only did her child live, but he is at the orphanage. Of course, she meets him, adores him, and wants to adopt him. Then the scoundrel father shows up, now engaged to a young cousin of Van's. Gwyn lives on a rollercoaster of fear that she will be found out, guilt over the need to reveal the scoundrel to his new fiancée, and ecstasy at her life with her child and loving husband.
At one point the child, Toby, is told by Gwyn's hard-hearted mother Mrs. Vilner that Van must work hard to make money for Toby to spend. This causes Toby to grow very serious and pull two pennies out of his pocket.
"Toby pushed his two pennies under Van's notice.
'Did you have to work very hard for these?' he asked, his voice even more than usually gruff with anxiety.
'Um? What's that?' Van examined the pennies. 'I don't think so. Are they special pennies?'
'They're my pennies,' Toby explained.
Van smiled slightly, still rather puzzled.
'Why should I have to work hard for these?'
'My granny,' stated Toby firmly, 'said you had to work hard to make money for me to spend.'
'I see.' Van took the pennies thoughtfully in his rather long fingers. 'Well, what can we do about it?'
Toby put his hands behind him, though his eyes remained longingly on the pennies.
'I don't want them,' he said with palpable inaccuracy.
'Don't you?'
Toby shook his head.
'Because I have to work for them?'
Toby nodded.
With a sudden laugh, Van caught him up and hugged him.
'You little goose! You don't make any difference. I don't have to work any harder because I have you. I shouldn't mind if I had to,' he added with a quick kiss on Toby's cheek.
'Why, Van, how fond you are of that child,' Mrs. Vilner exclaimed with a surprised laugh, and Van flushed slightly.
'Of course,' he said shortly, and held Toby for a moment longer."
This is such a well written story, sweet, tender, and suspenseful. Despite being only a couple of hundred pages long, the characters are well developed and the plot is a delight. Such is Love is one of the best books by Mary Burchell and indeed one of the best genre romances I've ever read.
Such Is Love is one of the best, most touching, and most unusual genre romances you'll ever read. First published in 1939, the heroine Gwyn is a calm, collected young woman in her early twenties. Her fiancé is a businessman with a reputation for being cold, stern, and unforgiving. Right before the wedding Gwyn asks Van if they should confess any previous indiscretions and he says no. He imagines some girlish episode from her past; in reality she eloped with a man when she was 17 and got pregnant before she found out he was married to someone else.
Gwyn was sent away to have the child and was told by her mother the child died. Van is a trustee at a local orphanage and Gwyn finds out that not only did her child live, but he is at the orphanage. Of course, she meets him, adores him, and wants to adopt him. Then the scoundrel father shows up, now engaged to a young cousin of Van's. Gwyn lives on a rollercoaster of fear that she will be found out, guilt over the need to reveal the scoundrel to his new fiancée, and ecstasy at her life with her child and loving husband.
At one point the child, Toby, is told by Gwyn's hard-hearted mother Mrs. Vilner that Van must work hard to make money for Toby to spend. This causes Toby to grow very serious and pull two pennies out of his pocket.
"Toby pushed his two pennies under Van's notice.
'Did you have to work very hard for these?' he asked, his voice even more than usually gruff with anxiety.
'Um? What's that?' Van examined the pennies. 'I don't think so. Are they special pennies?'
'They're my pennies,' Toby explained.
Van smiled slightly, still rather puzzled.
'Why should I have to work hard for these?'
'My granny,' stated Toby firmly, 'said you had to work hard to make money for me to spend.'
'I see.' Van took the pennies thoughtfully in his rather long fingers. 'Well, what can we do about it?'
Toby put his hands behind him, though his eyes remained longingly on the pennies.
'I don't want them,' he said with palpable inaccuracy.
'Don't you?'
Toby shook his head.
'Because I have to work for them?'
Toby nodded.
With a sudden laugh, Van caught him up and hugged him.
'You little goose! You don't make any difference. I don't have to work any harder because I have you. I shouldn't mind if I had to,' he added with a quick kiss on Toby's cheek.
'Why, Van, how fond you are of that child,' Mrs. Vilner exclaimed with a surprised laugh, and Van flushed slightly.
'Of course,' he said shortly, and held Toby for a moment longer."
This is such a well written story, sweet, tender, and suspenseful. Despite being only a couple of hundred pages long, the characters are well developed and the plot is a delight. Such is Love is one of the best books by Mary Burchell and indeed one of the best genre romances I've ever read.
April 18, 2019
I waited for some months before getting this on loan from open library and for the first time ever, took the allocated time to read this one ...
Beautiful characters ... I so loved this book ... and the H was just too good a H ... loved when the little boy calls him Van ... the long wait was worth it ... just wish this one was available as ebook ...
Beautiful characters ... I so loved this book ... and the H was just too good a H ... loved when the little boy calls him Van ... the long wait was worth it ... just wish this one was available as ebook ...
May 10, 2014
This was such a wonderful, heart wrenching story. It was an unusual story.The characters were very real, the situation was very real and credible and emotions extremely genuine, sincere, real.
I could feel for Gwen. She was torn between her love for her child and the man she loved. I felt how scared she was to lose the man she loved because of a past indiscretion.
But mostly, I want to praise the character of Van. He is a man of admirable strength of character. His sensitivity, his willingness to accept people with their flaws and most importantly, his immense capability to love unconditionally. He accepts his weaknesses yet he overcomes them, and it takes a very fine man to overcome the insecurities that plagued him.These insecurities were not at all unfounded but very natural in the given circumstances. He is truly a man of steel. At every point he had proved himself to be able to rise above his insecurities and embrace love and life.
This is the story of unconditional love. Love that fights for your honour and accepts you as you are no question asked. This is about a woman's love for her child and how she is torn between her love for her child and the man she is in love with. This is about courage; courage to face your past and your accepting faults and weaknesses, overcoming your shame for the larger good. Yes, it takes a lot of courage to jeopardize your marriage by revealing your husband that you were an unwed mother and that you had a child from a past relationship. It takes a lot of courage to accept that fact in front of strangers. And it takes a lot of courage for a man to accept another man's child as his own. It isn't easy. But he did rise above the petty thoughts and did what only few great men could achieve, accept and love both the woman and child as his own. Hats off to him. I really do admire this man. He has immense capability of loving and accepting, forgiving and showing compassion. A great man rises above the tough challenges life throws at him and that is what makes him "great", extraordinary.
Thank you, Leona. I loved the book. I cried buckets. I could sympathize with Gwen. I knew how she felt and I so wanted things to work out. Van, on the other hand with his endearing sensitivity made me fall in love with him. I wanted him to be happy and I didn't want anything to mar his happiness or his perception of the woman he loves. I wanted them to be happy and come out unscathed from this challenge life threw at them quite unexpectedly.
I feel as if I know them personally and I wish they would have a baby of their own soon enough to complete this wonderful , loving family. I envied Gwen, the absolute devotion and tenderness with which Van loved her, unquestioningly accepting her and making sure nothing ever grieves her or mars her happiness... she is a very, very fortunate woman to have the love and dedication of such a wonderful man
I think I cried a little when Toby tells Gwen what Van has told him about Gwen, about how lackluster his life is when she isn't around and how bright it is when she is around. (I could almost hear Bill Withers crooning, "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone" http://youtu.be/tIdIqbv7SPo in the background)Van says the nicest of things and not just once but over and over again. No woman could resist such a man.
If you are contemplating reading this book, please do so without much ado. You won't be disappointed for it is one of the sweetest love stories I have ever read and it certainly is one of my favorites.
I could feel for Gwen. She was torn between her love for her child and the man she loved. I felt how scared she was to lose the man she loved because of a past indiscretion.
But mostly, I want to praise the character of Van. He is a man of admirable strength of character. His sensitivity, his willingness to accept people with their flaws and most importantly, his immense capability to love unconditionally. He accepts his weaknesses yet he overcomes them, and it takes a very fine man to overcome the insecurities that plagued him.These insecurities were not at all unfounded but very natural in the given circumstances. He is truly a man of steel. At every point he had proved himself to be able to rise above his insecurities and embrace love and life.
This is the story of unconditional love. Love that fights for your honour and accepts you as you are no question asked. This is about a woman's love for her child and how she is torn between her love for her child and the man she is in love with. This is about courage; courage to face your past and your accepting faults and weaknesses, overcoming your shame for the larger good. Yes, it takes a lot of courage to jeopardize your marriage by revealing your husband that you were an unwed mother and that you had a child from a past relationship. It takes a lot of courage to accept that fact in front of strangers. And it takes a lot of courage for a man to accept another man's child as his own. It isn't easy. But he did rise above the petty thoughts and did what only few great men could achieve, accept and love both the woman and child as his own. Hats off to him. I really do admire this man. He has immense capability of loving and accepting, forgiving and showing compassion. A great man rises above the tough challenges life throws at him and that is what makes him "great", extraordinary.
Thank you, Leona. I loved the book. I cried buckets. I could sympathize with Gwen. I knew how she felt and I so wanted things to work out. Van, on the other hand with his endearing sensitivity made me fall in love with him. I wanted him to be happy and I didn't want anything to mar his happiness or his perception of the woman he loves. I wanted them to be happy and come out unscathed from this challenge life threw at them quite unexpectedly.
I feel as if I know them personally and I wish they would have a baby of their own soon enough to complete this wonderful , loving family. I envied Gwen, the absolute devotion and tenderness with which Van loved her, unquestioningly accepting her and making sure nothing ever grieves her or mars her happiness... she is a very, very fortunate woman to have the love and dedication of such a wonderful man
I think I cried a little when Toby tells Gwen what Van has told him about Gwen, about how lackluster his life is when she isn't around and how bright it is when she is around. (I could almost hear Bill Withers crooning, "Ain't no sunshine when she's gone" http://youtu.be/tIdIqbv7SPo in the background)Van says the nicest of things and not just once but over and over again. No woman could resist such a man.
If you are contemplating reading this book, please do so without much ado. You won't be disappointed for it is one of the sweetest love stories I have ever read and it certainly is one of my favorites.
January 16, 2015
When I read Gwyn was getting married to someone older, I assumed there is going to be a big age gap, 12 years is nothing in my opinion especially in late 30's when this book was written.
There was a perfect balance of emotion and angst. The characters were so well developed from the very beginning that I could imagine their actions and reactions to events beforehand. I fell in love with Toby, Van and Gwyn, with their story, and with their unconditional love.
There was a perfect balance of emotion and angst. The characters were so well developed from the very beginning that I could imagine their actions and reactions to events beforehand. I fell in love with Toby, Van and Gwyn, with their story, and with their unconditional love.
October 22, 2013
4.5 stars. It might have actually been 4 stars, except then came the ending. I'm in love with Van! I have to say that after a while the anticipation of when the heroine would have to reveal her secret got annoying -- too much plot, not enough romance. And although it isn't realistic given the age of this one, I wish we could get a glimpse of what went on in the bedroom. At least a passionate kiss or something. Still though, it was quite romantic at the end and had me swooning over the hero, so it was definitely a great read.
December 3, 2013
This was the first Harlequin book I ever read. It's a beautifully-written, classic, and timeless story, and the ending is a real tear-jerker. Highly recommended!
February 13, 2019
Can't believe I hadn t read this book till now. The title is so appropriate, this really is what love is about not romance but love and the hero is so evolved and so convincingly hero like I can't believe this book is from so long ago , he puts this generations heroes to shame .
July 11, 2017
4.5 stars I found this little gem via reviews on Goodreads, and I'm glad I did as I had never read this author before. This book was originally published by Mills and Boon in 1939 and in many ways, it has aged well.
The heroine, Gwyneth Vilner, is preparing to marry successful businessman Evander(Van) Onslie. We can tell from the earliest pages of the book that Gwyneth apparently has some secret trauma lurking in her past, but it's not until news of her aunt's decision to attend the wedding comes that things really start moving.
Since we learn this in the first chapter, it's probably not too spoilery for me to note that Gwyneth, unbeknownst to Van, had an illegitimate child 5 years earlier. She was told that her child died shortly after birth, but on the eve of her wedding, she starts to wonder if this was in fact true. Gwyneth's mother is fairly cold and deeply concerned about appearances above all else, so one can easily see why Gwyneth wouldn't trust her word. I wouldn't either.
The wedding happens early on in the book, and we spend much of the story watching Van and Gwyneth settle into married life. There is very little by way of love scenes or even kissing in this book and yet, we can see an arc of emotional development between the leads. To a modern reader, Van might come off a bit overly paternal toward his bride and yet there's a tenderness there that I found effective even as I recognized that I'd feel smothered if my husband acted like Van did.
Throughout the story, Gwyneth wonders if her baby might have survived and when she accompanies her husband on his duties as a board member at an orphanage, this awakens all manner of pent up emotion for her. I kept wanting her to come clean with Van about her secret and yet, given the time this novel was written, I could imagine just how hard it would be for Gwyneth to speak up. The consequences for a woman in that time and place would have made the stakes very high indeed.
With the benefit of hindsight, a shiver ran down my spine at times as I thought about what future years likely held for this couple, seeing as they were settling into life in London in 1939. However, in the end, I really liked this book.
The heroine, Gwyneth Vilner, is preparing to marry successful businessman Evander(Van) Onslie. We can tell from the earliest pages of the book that Gwyneth apparently has some secret trauma lurking in her past, but it's not until news of her aunt's decision to attend the wedding comes that things really start moving.
Since we learn this in the first chapter, it's probably not too spoilery for me to note that Gwyneth, unbeknownst to Van, had an illegitimate child 5 years earlier. She was told that her child died shortly after birth, but on the eve of her wedding, she starts to wonder if this was in fact true. Gwyneth's mother is fairly cold and deeply concerned about appearances above all else, so one can easily see why Gwyneth wouldn't trust her word. I wouldn't either.
The wedding happens early on in the book, and we spend much of the story watching Van and Gwyneth settle into married life. There is very little by way of love scenes or even kissing in this book and yet, we can see an arc of emotional development between the leads. To a modern reader, Van might come off a bit overly paternal toward his bride and yet there's a tenderness there that I found effective even as I recognized that I'd feel smothered if my husband acted like Van did.
Throughout the story, Gwyneth wonders if her baby might have survived and when she accompanies her husband on his duties as a board member at an orphanage, this awakens all manner of pent up emotion for her. I kept wanting her to come clean with Van about her secret and yet, given the time this novel was written, I could imagine just how hard it would be for Gwyneth to speak up. The consequences for a woman in that time and place would have made the stakes very high indeed.
With the benefit of hindsight, a shiver ran down my spine at times as I thought about what future years likely held for this couple, seeing as they were settling into life in London in 1939. However, in the end, I really liked this book.
July 6, 2017
It was interesting. I found Mary Burchell's style of writing charming. And I think that I can be pretty sure what to expect from her novels. So, when I am in a mood I will pick up her another book.
I agree with Linda Van, a main hero, was the best element of the story. I am sure I would have loved it if I had seen (more of) his point of view and the courtship before their engagement. Like it was, it was rather a story about love than a romance. Still, I liked it.
[I have made a quick research of Burchell's novels and they really sound promising.]
I agree with Linda Van, a main hero, was the best element of the story. I am sure I would have loved it if I had seen (more of) his point of view and the courtship before their engagement. Like it was, it was rather a story about love than a romance. Still, I liked it.
[I have made a quick research of Burchell's novels and they really sound promising.]
April 17, 2016
Read between January & June 1983.
Original notes on book from 1983: Good book. Shows true love in marriage. Set in England.
Original notes on book from 1983: Good book. Shows true love in marriage. Set in England.
September 8, 2025
This was beautifully poignant and with the possibly the nicest and most loving hero (35) that I have ever read about. Other reviewers give details, but for me it is the hero’s tender and wonderful love for the heroine (23) that shines out. Also, the child is simply adorable, and so well characterised - and his relationship with the heroine and hero is beyond charming. The author’s portrayal of the OM (or rather the man from the heroine’s Pat) was finely depicted as he was loathsome and encounters with him filled me with angst.
A very wonderfully written story with fabulous main characters.
A very wonderfully written story with fabulous main characters.
Read
May 1, 2023For a Harlequin Presents and the time period, the hero is amazing!!
August 14, 2020
2020 QUARANTINE READ: 4.75 STARS!
"It's enough for me that I know you're dear and sweet and decent. Within that framework, it's hardly my business what you did before I knew you."
Mary Burchell really had this talent of making my heart strings tangle. This was written in 1939 yet the story still makes me teared up. If the story happened in modern times, it would not really be an issue. But this was in 1939 and the societal and moral issues were different.
The pain and pressure that the FL felt jumped through the pages towards me. To be so young and pregnant. To know a day before the wedding that the child was alive. To know that ML was a trustee in the orphanage where her child was placed. To see the child. She loved her husband so much that she wanted to tell him the truth but was afraid that it would crumble their marriage. And new problems arose when the father of her child appeared! So dramatic.
Ah, but the ML... what an ML, indeed! In this, I would really say that ML was indeed a Hero in her story. He loved her, he spoiled her and he...really loved her.
"If you want my perfectly serious view, it is that even two people who love each other and marry have a right to some private thoughts and memories of their own. That's sound sense, my dear, as well as sound morality."
I withheld .25 stats because I really loved to see more about the interaction of ML and FL. Their romance, their relationship after all were said and done. And I did not like the ending of the bounder after all... I wanted to literally strangle him brrrr....
This is the second book from MB that I really love next to Wife to Christopher.
"It's enough for me that I know you're dear and sweet and decent. Within that framework, it's hardly my business what you did before I knew you."
Mary Burchell really had this talent of making my heart strings tangle. This was written in 1939 yet the story still makes me teared up. If the story happened in modern times, it would not really be an issue. But this was in 1939 and the societal and moral issues were different.
The pain and pressure that the FL felt jumped through the pages towards me. To be so young and pregnant. To know a day before the wedding that the child was alive. To know that ML was a trustee in the orphanage where her child was placed. To see the child. She loved her husband so much that she wanted to tell him the truth but was afraid that it would crumble their marriage. And new problems arose when the father of her child appeared! So dramatic.
Ah, but the ML... what an ML, indeed! In this, I would really say that ML was indeed a Hero in her story. He loved her, he spoiled her and he...really loved her.
"If you want my perfectly serious view, it is that even two people who love each other and marry have a right to some private thoughts and memories of their own. That's sound sense, my dear, as well as sound morality."
I withheld .25 stats because I really loved to see more about the interaction of ML and FL. Their romance, their relationship after all were said and done. And I did not like the ending of the bounder after all... I wanted to literally strangle him brrrr....
This is the second book from MB that I really love next to Wife to Christopher.
May 21, 2016
poor Gwen was in a terrible dilemma! however i found her incredibly selfish wanting to marry Van at the cost of not knowing her son ever. i wud never have been able to ignore my son/daughter's existence even i had found out about it much later. she redeemed herself though. she could not stay away from the little boy once she met him and she risked her life for his own. i thought the story was more about her facing her past and the reunion wid her son rather than a romance. Van did not hold much importance in the book, according to me.
October 17, 2020
Interesting enough but not really a romance novel (since the hero and heroine are engaged and in love on page one). And I'm not a big fan of blackmail plots. It's always frustrating to see the victim digging herself deeper and deeper into deception when you know if she'd just had the courage at the beginning to face up to what is inevitably going to be revealed anyway, she'd be much better off whatever the reaction. And I hate how the elaborate coverup always involves some pretty awful betrayals. Especially in this story. This hero definitely deserved better than lies and manipulation.
December 6, 2021
This was memorable. Well written, with an engaging plot, sensible characters, a little boy who was adorable, and the couple whom I adored.
September 2, 2025
"Such is Love" is the story of Gwyneth and Van.
A beautiful story with an amazing hero.
Our heroine had a terrible infatuation as a teenage girl, that ended in a tragedy. Years later, she is in love and marrying a handsome, older man, when she realizes she might have a child in an orphanage- thanks to her family's lies..
She goes through the wedding, and circumstances lead to her meeting her child. How her husband and she deal with her feelings regarding motherhood, their relationship with her child, her ex's re-entry into her life and their complex dynamics forms the story.
Did like how the heroine was strong and dealt her ex and husband throughout the story- however I felt the confession should have come much earlier in the book. The husband was a supportive sweetheart, the child a delight to read about.
Safe
3/5
A beautiful story with an amazing hero.
Our heroine had a terrible infatuation as a teenage girl, that ended in a tragedy. Years later, she is in love and marrying a handsome, older man, when she realizes she might have a child in an orphanage- thanks to her family's lies..
She goes through the wedding, and circumstances lead to her meeting her child. How her husband and she deal with her feelings regarding motherhood, their relationship with her child, her ex's re-entry into her life and their complex dynamics forms the story.
Did like how the heroine was strong and dealt her ex and husband throughout the story- however I felt the confession should have come much earlier in the book. The husband was a supportive sweetheart, the child a delight to read about.
Safe
3/5
August 9, 2022
An emotional book, very much of its time in how Gwyn (the h) is treated by her mother and aunt about her (unintentionally) out of wedlock baby. Van (the H) is wonderful and very understanding - no mean gripping of arms and shaking here. This is more of a novel than a romance. Gwyn and Van marry early on, then it's all about the child, secret keeping and many coincidences.
May 21, 2023
This was a great story. Written in 1939 and in a time where women had few options when they found themselves pregnant. This is classic story of a young girl taken advantage of by an old school bounder. In the end she found a fabulously understanding husband for the time period.
April 8, 2019
Early HP. Enjoyed, and I liked the way it resolved. SO dated in terms of cultural norms!
July 6, 2020
3.8***
July 2, 2023
A heroine is pretty deceitful person.
July 30, 2025
I simply love this book. It is dated (1939), but charming nonetheless.
Gwyneth unwisely became involved in a bigamous marriage, which produced a child. Her mother took advantage of Gwyneth's sickness after the birth to give the baby to an orphanage, telling Gwyneth the baby had died. Several years later, just as Gwyneth is about to marry, she discovers her son is actually alive.
She does not share all of this with her new husband. He is a trustee of the orphanage to which her son was brought. Which of those little boys is hers? And what should she do?
No grey-eyed characters, which is unusual for Mary Burchell.
Edit to add: I just bought 6 of Mary Burchell's books in hard cover. Three are first editions. It took 20 days to get them from Australia to the US. There were three special things in them. Two were "To my sweetheart on our anniversary with love" from 1953 and 1956. How sweet that he bought her love stories for their 26th and 29th anniversaries. And his was the most beautiful scrolly handwriting I've ever seen from a man. Even more of a surprise was finding the original receipt for Such is Love from 1949. 5 shillings and 4 d. for postage. I worked it out to current US dollars, and it was $11.10, which I think was a pretty hefty amount for a book at the time. Including postage, I paid $10.50 per book. They are in good shape and all have their paper covers.
Gwyneth unwisely became involved in a bigamous marriage, which produced a child. Her mother took advantage of Gwyneth's sickness after the birth to give the baby to an orphanage, telling Gwyneth the baby had died. Several years later, just as Gwyneth is about to marry, she discovers her son is actually alive.
She does not share all of this with her new husband. He is a trustee of the orphanage to which her son was brought. Which of those little boys is hers? And what should she do?
No grey-eyed characters, which is unusual for Mary Burchell.
Edit to add: I just bought 6 of Mary Burchell's books in hard cover. Three are first editions. It took 20 days to get them from Australia to the US. There were three special things in them. Two were "To my sweetheart on our anniversary with love" from 1953 and 1956. How sweet that he bought her love stories for their 26th and 29th anniversaries. And his was the most beautiful scrolly handwriting I've ever seen from a man. Even more of a surprise was finding the original receipt for Such is Love from 1949. 5 shillings and 4 d. for postage. I worked it out to current US dollars, and it was $11.10, which I think was a pretty hefty amount for a book at the time. Including postage, I paid $10.50 per book. They are in good shape and all have their paper covers.
August 13, 2016
I loved the revenge plot and the angst, but I wish the end had been written better. It was missing something.
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