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Living with Adam
She remembered Adam as an older brother.
So, when Maria wanted to get away from home, who better to go and stay with while she decided what to do with her life?
But she hadn't seen him for five years. The Adam she met in London now was a successful doctor--a sophisticated man of the world, who, after all, was not actually related to her.
Loren Griffiths was another unexpected factor. She made it clear that Adam was hers and she'd deal ruthlessly with any competition.
So, when Maria wanted to get away from home, who better to go and stay with while she decided what to do with her life?
But she hadn't seen him for five years. The Adam she met in London now was a successful doctor--a sophisticated man of the world, who, after all, was not actually related to her.
Loren Griffiths was another unexpected factor. She made it clear that Adam was hers and she'd deal ruthlessly with any competition.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1972
23 people are currently reading
266 people want to read
About the author
Anne Mather
799 books360 followersAnne Mather is the pseudonym used by Mildred Grieveson, a popular British author of over 160 romance novels. She also signed novels as Caroline Fleming and Cardine Fleming.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
Mildred Grieveson began to write down stories in her childhood years. The first novel that she actually finished, Caroline (1965), was also her first book to be published. Her novel, Leopard in the Snow (1974), was developed into a 1978 film.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 23, 2020
Interesting premise: 18 year-old heroine moves in with her hostile 30-something step-brother so she can take a secretarial course in London. Step-bro is a dedicated doctor and charmless.
Seriously. This guy has no personality.
Heroine is a teenager and acts like one. She believes what she wants to believe. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she flounces – a lot.
OW is a vampy actress with a purple carpet in her living room.
Rounding out the cast – a duo of housekeepers (hero’s and OW’s) – who gossip just enough for the heroine to get the wrong idea and are probably taking bets on who the hero ends up with.
This was a fascinating story with not much of a romance. Heroine is too young for the hero and doesn’t even finish her six-month secretarial course. Hero was just a jerk most of the time. And it wasn’t because of sexual frustration – he was a jerk to the OW as well.
I’m left contemplating when the OW changed out her purple carpet. This was written in 1972 as an ode to the swinging 60’s. Orange shag carpet next? Pink in the 1980’s? One of Penny Jordan’s interior decorators would know.
Seriously. This guy has no personality.
Heroine is a teenager and acts like one. She believes what she wants to believe. She wears her heart on her sleeve and she flounces – a lot.
OW is a vampy actress with a purple carpet in her living room.
Rounding out the cast – a duo of housekeepers (hero’s and OW’s) – who gossip just enough for the heroine to get the wrong idea and are probably taking bets on who the hero ends up with.
This was a fascinating story with not much of a romance. Heroine is too young for the hero and doesn’t even finish her six-month secretarial course. Hero was just a jerk most of the time. And it wasn’t because of sexual frustration – he was a jerk to the OW as well.
I’m left contemplating when the OW changed out her purple carpet. This was written in 1972 as an ode to the swinging 60’s. Orange shag carpet next? Pink in the 1980’s? One of Penny Jordan’s interior decorators would know.
July 20, 2023
A possessive mother from hell sends her 18 year-old stepdaughter from an Irish village to the bright lights, big city of London to live with her thirty something doctor son. It's done under the guise of the young girl taking a secretarial course there but really, it is because Mother Dearest wants to use her stepdaughter to spy on her son and his actress mistress.
The innocent young girl is elated to spend some time with her stepbrother who she hasn't seen in 5 years, but to her dismay, he is completely cold, cruel and aloof from her. We don't get his POV but it is clear that he is this cranky mood because of repressed lust for his little stepsister. The stepsister tries to occupy herself with a couple of limp lettuce leaf OMs, do a little London sightseeing, and finally, reluctantly, takes that secretarial course she was supposed to. She is not exactly an idiot but not the brightest light bulb in the house either.
Slowly, it dawns on her that her feelings for her stepbrother are becoming something more than mere sibling affection or admiration. She is tortured by jealousy especially as the hero will not give up his atrocious, rude bitch mistress and in a particularly sadistic streak, he keeps forcing heroine and mistress together in vacations, parties, etc.
I really hated the hero and was not too impressed by the heroine either. The author tried to make up for his horridness towards the conclusion of the story by having him finally put both his meddling mother and his bitchy mistress in their place and then romantically dashing in pursuit of the heroine in the middle of the night. It was too little too late for me. I do believe they are in lust and having a happy enough ending FOR NOW but as one of the secondary characters points out, beauty doesn't always come with depth and I wonder if the hero will go back to his cold, callous ways once his not too bright wife isn't the hot little nubile number he married anymore.
The innocent young girl is elated to spend some time with her stepbrother who she hasn't seen in 5 years, but to her dismay, he is completely cold, cruel and aloof from her. We don't get his POV but it is clear that he is this cranky mood because of repressed lust for his little stepsister. The stepsister tries to occupy herself with a couple of limp lettuce leaf OMs, do a little London sightseeing, and finally, reluctantly, takes that secretarial course she was supposed to. She is not exactly an idiot but not the brightest light bulb in the house either.
Slowly, it dawns on her that her feelings for her stepbrother are becoming something more than mere sibling affection or admiration. She is tortured by jealousy especially as the hero will not give up his atrocious, rude bitch mistress and in a particularly sadistic streak, he keeps forcing heroine and mistress together in vacations, parties, etc.
I really hated the hero and was not too impressed by the heroine either. The author tried to make up for his horridness towards the conclusion of the story by having him finally put both his meddling mother and his bitchy mistress in their place and then romantically dashing in pursuit of the heroine in the middle of the night. It was too little too late for me. I do believe they are in lust and having a happy enough ending FOR NOW but as one of the secondary characters points out, beauty doesn't always come with depth and I wonder if the hero will go back to his cold, callous ways once his not too bright wife isn't the hot little nubile number he married anymore.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2018
Another one down on the first 100 quest. This one is numbered 17 and was published in 1972. This one was about step siblings falling in love. There was a pretty big age gap so they never lived together as siblings. She wants to get away from home so her step mom sends her to live with Adam in London and take a secretarial course. He is totally in love with an actress who wants him to move his doctor practice to a more swanky location and stop treating poor people before she will marry him. But he falls in love with the step sister and dumps her. This story was somewhat uneven in that he sort of blew hot and cold. And weirdly when the step mom finds out about their relationship she has a cow. Not because of the age factor or even the squick factor but because she is jealous of the heroine for having a more important part in her sons life than she does.
Still not the worst of the first 100 I've read.
And just because I've got to say this...Goodreads will no longer let me choose what day I read this. The only option which works is "set to today". Grrrr
Still not the worst of the first 100 I've read.
And just because I've got to say this...Goodreads will no longer let me choose what day I read this. The only option which works is "set to today". Grrrr
July 16, 2021
"Living with Adam" is the story of Maria and Adam.
We delve into a different type of stepsibling romance in this book.
Firstly, its dual POV. The hero has had no contact with the heroine and is actually in mood to marry his very selfish and flighty fiancé. The heroine comes to his sedate medical life, and shakes it up- and he behaves in an antagonistic manner. She is openly affectionate, goes out with men and parties, wears bikinis and causes much distress to his girlfriend. He is dedicated to his career (which seemed to be a major plot at times and ignored in other parts). When feelings begin to develop, they face opposition from the scheming fiancé as well as mother. Loads of drama with the heroine behaving in an indecisive and immature manner more times than needed. The ending and confession was rushed. However, the tiny epilogue was endearing.
SWE
2.5/5
We delve into a different type of stepsibling romance in this book.
Firstly, its dual POV. The hero has had no contact with the heroine and is actually in mood to marry his very selfish and flighty fiancé. The heroine comes to his sedate medical life, and shakes it up- and he behaves in an antagonistic manner. She is openly affectionate, goes out with men and parties, wears bikinis and causes much distress to his girlfriend. He is dedicated to his career (which seemed to be a major plot at times and ignored in other parts). When feelings begin to develop, they face opposition from the scheming fiancé as well as mother. Loads of drama with the heroine behaving in an indecisive and immature manner more times than needed. The ending and confession was rushed. However, the tiny epilogue was endearing.
SWE
2.5/5
December 22, 2015
This book started out really interesting. I really liked Maria (our h). She is innocent and really enthusiastic about everything new. Her emotions as to how she believes it will be living with her step-brother Adam and the disappointment she feels due to his rude behavior was well drawn out.
When I started reading this I expected this will be a humorous book but it wasn't. It had great potential to be.
Adam (H) was a different matter all together. He was rude, his feelings were never apparent and his behavior was more like an Uncle than a step-brother. The change in his feelings from Loren (OW) to Maria was not very apparent and seemed really abrupt. At the start of the book he really wanted to marry Loren but his feelings changed and the way he behaved with Loren was really bad (If you were in a relationship with someone and even if your feelings have changed, you can't mistreat the other person if they have feelings for you. It was really inconsiderate and I did not like this part at all).
Also he says that he wants a chaste wife even though he is unchaste and is one of the reasons he wants Maria over Loren!!
Loren was a really selfish person and she was really really mean to Maria but at the end the way Adam treats her made me feel bad.
When I started reading this I expected this will be a humorous book but it wasn't. It had great potential to be.
Adam (H) was a different matter all together. He was rude, his feelings were never apparent and his behavior was more like an Uncle than a step-brother. The change in his feelings from Loren (OW) to Maria was not very apparent and seemed really abrupt. At the start of the book he really wanted to marry Loren but his feelings changed and the way he behaved with Loren was really bad (If you were in a relationship with someone and even if your feelings have changed, you can't mistreat the other person if they have feelings for you. It was really inconsiderate and I did not like this part at all).
Also he says that he wants a chaste wife even though he is unchaste and is one of the reasons he wants Maria over Loren!!
Loren was a really selfish person and she was really really mean to Maria but at the end the way Adam treats her made me feel bad.
August 13, 2012
I have a "thing" for the step siblings novel. It's all kinds of forbidden, which just intrigues me more. I loved this novel, it was a really really great read. Young love, teenage/adult angst, it was pretty close to perfect!
February 16, 2016
it was ok nothing special.
July 20, 2011
Story involves stepsiblings with at least 12 years difference (Maria is 18 while Adam is over 30) with a little bit of class overtures. Maria is a country hick from Ireland and Adam is an East End doctor in London. However, Adam dates an actress who prefers that he moves up to a more lucrative Harley Street practice. Maria is set loose in London to stay with Adam while she attends a secretarial school.
In steaminess factor, this Anne Mather story pales in comparison to her recent ones. After all, this book was printed in 1972 and is almost 40 years old. Some social conventions may even sound quaint to today’s generation, like the concept of chaperones for weekend getaways or the unsavoriness of mistresses or the preservation of the heroine’s chastity before marriage. That’s why the brief epilogue was cute. It showed them home after the honeymoon and they were both roused up from bed for a pre-dawn emergency for the doctor.
But even way back then, the Anne Mather archetype of a hero is nascent. Adam blows hot and cold. He represses his attraction for the heroine but fumes with jealousy when she dates other guys. He hides his concern by being highhanded and overbearing. The scene in the end when the girl went missing and he went on a frantic-panic mode is so typical.
While Maria is young and provincial, she’s definitely no doormat. She can hold her own against the older OW. In their first meeting, she pointedly told the actress that it was none of her (the OW) business where she (Maria) resided. And she knows the buttons to push with Adam. Ignoring the times she ran out of the room to the bedroom and burst into tears in her pillow (ooh the melodrama!), she answered back pretty feisty. That’s why the name Maria seems to be a misnomer. She wasn’t at all a subdued, chastened, tame Maria. She’s more like an Eve.
No angst. Easy read.
In steaminess factor, this Anne Mather story pales in comparison to her recent ones. After all, this book was printed in 1972 and is almost 40 years old. Some social conventions may even sound quaint to today’s generation, like the concept of chaperones for weekend getaways or the unsavoriness of mistresses or the preservation of the heroine’s chastity before marriage. That’s why the brief epilogue was cute. It showed them home after the honeymoon and they were both roused up from bed for a pre-dawn emergency for the doctor.
But even way back then, the Anne Mather archetype of a hero is nascent. Adam blows hot and cold. He represses his attraction for the heroine but fumes with jealousy when she dates other guys. He hides his concern by being highhanded and overbearing. The scene in the end when the girl went missing and he went on a frantic-panic mode is so typical.
While Maria is young and provincial, she’s definitely no doormat. She can hold her own against the older OW. In their first meeting, she pointedly told the actress that it was none of her (the OW) business where she (Maria) resided. And she knows the buttons to push with Adam. Ignoring the times she ran out of the room to the bedroom and burst into tears in her pillow (ooh the melodrama!), she answered back pretty feisty. That’s why the name Maria seems to be a misnomer. She wasn’t at all a subdued, chastened, tame Maria. She’s more like an Eve.
No angst. Easy read.
September 17, 2020
Original rating 4 stars.
Lowered to 3 on the re-read.
Lowered to 3 on the re-read.
August 1, 2023
I've written and posted a review and GR lost it. It's not attached to the other editions either. Second time in a week that GR makes me grrrr.
This had all the ingredients but didn't quite hit the spot. It was a good setup in one of my favourite tropes.The H, Adam is an older step brother cum guardian figure, handsome, big house in Kensington, doctor (nobly eschewing his surgical training and the opportunity of Harley Street riches to be GP to the poor). Frankly I was already halfway there 😉. When his not so little anymore stepsister from Ireland turns up I was rubbing my hands. But no. He's of the hot and cold nutso HP school, inclined to sneer and shake, react in bizarre and immoderate ways to nothing much at all. And not in a nostril flaring, I should put you over my knee because I can't resist you sort of way. Just in a detached, coming/going to work, rattling the breakfast newspaper and smoking a cigar kind of way. Very little sexual tension or hints of unwilling response. He's also been merrily boning and multiply-proposing to the OW actress for a couple of years but suddenly, in the last quarter of the book dumps her and makes a move on the h, virginal and I felt excessively dim Maria, because he wants chastity in a wife and she is "so untouched". Like I say, could have been really good but was just one of the painfully disappointing vintage types rather than the tension-to-get-me-panting vintage types.
This had all the ingredients but didn't quite hit the spot. It was a good setup in one of my favourite tropes.The H, Adam is an older step brother cum guardian figure, handsome, big house in Kensington, doctor (nobly eschewing his surgical training and the opportunity of Harley Street riches to be GP to the poor). Frankly I was already halfway there 😉. When his not so little anymore stepsister from Ireland turns up I was rubbing my hands. But no. He's of the hot and cold nutso HP school, inclined to sneer and shake, react in bizarre and immoderate ways to nothing much at all. And not in a nostril flaring, I should put you over my knee because I can't resist you sort of way. Just in a detached, coming/going to work, rattling the breakfast newspaper and smoking a cigar kind of way. Very little sexual tension or hints of unwilling response. He's also been merrily boning and multiply-proposing to the OW actress for a couple of years but suddenly, in the last quarter of the book dumps her and makes a move on the h, virginal and I felt excessively dim Maria, because he wants chastity in a wife and she is "so untouched". Like I say, could have been really good but was just one of the painfully disappointing vintage types rather than the tension-to-get-me-panting vintage types.
November 30, 2015
A forbidden love.
Maria is one of those sweet unawakened women that believes she is worldly and can handle herself......but really is in for a rude awakening. She had good intentions of flying the nest and spreading her wings, she does not come to live with her stepbrother with the goal of landing him.
Adam is a busy man with set goals and is annoyed to be landed with his young innocent stepsister. Maria doesn't make it easy and complicates his life with her innocence and sweet ways that slowly draw him in.
I liked how they start to get slowly drawn to each other more and more as the story evolves but they both try to resist to certain degrees......but love finds a way past the jealous mistress Loren and her lies.
A nicely done older read.
Maria is one of those sweet unawakened women that believes she is worldly and can handle herself......but really is in for a rude awakening. She had good intentions of flying the nest and spreading her wings, she does not come to live with her stepbrother with the goal of landing him.
Adam is a busy man with set goals and is annoyed to be landed with his young innocent stepsister. Maria doesn't make it easy and complicates his life with her innocence and sweet ways that slowly draw him in.
I liked how they start to get slowly drawn to each other more and more as the story evolves but they both try to resist to certain degrees......but love finds a way past the jealous mistress Loren and her lies.
A nicely done older read.
May 18, 2016
Readable but not enough passion 2 1/2 stars, July 6, 2008
MY THOUGHTS: I got into an Anne Mather phase and actually bought a whole loads of Mather books online - Loads. Anyway, this is one of them. This book is definitely old - it was written in 1972 (I wasn't even born yet!) So maybe this is why it sorta lacks passion. The back cover tells the story, so I don't have to re-tell it. Obviously this was an old book so the hero and heroine had quite an age gap - 18 to 35 I think. I have no problem with the age gap, just that I couldn't really see from the story how the hero was attracted to the heroine, or should I say, how Adam came to "love" Maria. (I always think of Sound of Music with the name Maria) Anyway, the story shows Maria as being young, naive, and doing silly mistakes, etc. If these were the qualities that made Adam fall in love with her, ah, ok... To me it seemed like they both had an infatuation/attraction with each other since they were living in one roof. Not really sure about the love part. Anyway, this book was sorta readable but it lacked passion in my mind. Granted she was really young, but I didn't really belive that Adam would be SO in love with Maria that he would immediately want to marry her. Although it is commendable that he waits until they get married to do the deed ^_^
MY THOUGHTS: I got into an Anne Mather phase and actually bought a whole loads of Mather books online - Loads. Anyway, this is one of them. This book is definitely old - it was written in 1972 (I wasn't even born yet!) So maybe this is why it sorta lacks passion. The back cover tells the story, so I don't have to re-tell it. Obviously this was an old book so the hero and heroine had quite an age gap - 18 to 35 I think. I have no problem with the age gap, just that I couldn't really see from the story how the hero was attracted to the heroine, or should I say, how Adam came to "love" Maria. (I always think of Sound of Music with the name Maria) Anyway, the story shows Maria as being young, naive, and doing silly mistakes, etc. If these were the qualities that made Adam fall in love with her, ah, ok... To me it seemed like they both had an infatuation/attraction with each other since they were living in one roof. Not really sure about the love part. Anyway, this book was sorta readable but it lacked passion in my mind. Granted she was really young, but I didn't really belive that Adam would be SO in love with Maria that he would immediately want to marry her. Although it is commendable that he waits until they get married to do the deed ^_^
April 13, 2019
ليست اجمل ما قرأت لكنها خقيفه
May 15, 2021
It was hard to sympathize with the heroine. She seemed immature, without more substantial carrier’s plans than some secretarial course. She pined after her older step brother who was in relationship with the OW. In the end the H chose a younger model upon an used one. And that talk he had with her mother about future bride’s chastity? Such a cliché. I wonder if he’ll get tired of Maria in a few years....I didn’t like his mother who thought no one was good enough for her son.
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July 17, 2013أتيت من بعيد - آن ميثر
كثيرا ما نخبئ في الذاكرة والخيال صورة معينة لشخص معين, ويروح الحنين يغذي تلك الصورة حتى يصبح الشخص رمزا من رموز حياتنا وبطلا من ابطال توقنا...وهكذا ماريا التي تزوج والدها من ارملة, ابنها طبيب يعيش في لندن ويدعى آدم, كانت ماريا تراه في زياراته الى قريتها الايرلندية طفلة صغيرة, فتحفظ في قلبها صورته ,الا انها حين قررت النزول ضيفة عليه في لندن للدراسة وجدته متورطا مع ممثلة بارعة الجمال, ذائعة الصيت ,بالغة التعلق به ...ولا يبدو ان آدم يعيرها أي انتباه ا,لا ان ديفيد هالام ولاري هادلي يعرضان خدماتهما والحياة في المدينة شديدة الجاذبية كذلك... فهل تبقى وتنتظر؟ ام تفقد صبرها وتعود الى ايرلندا؟
كثيرا ما نخبئ في الذاكرة والخيال صورة معينة لشخص معين, ويروح الحنين يغذي تلك الصورة حتى يصبح الشخص رمزا من رموز حياتنا وبطلا من ابطال توقنا...وهكذا ماريا التي تزوج والدها من ارملة, ابنها طبيب يعيش في لندن ويدعى آدم, كانت ماريا تراه في زياراته الى قريتها الايرلندية طفلة صغيرة, فتحفظ في قلبها صورته ,الا انها حين قررت النزول ضيفة عليه في لندن للدراسة وجدته متورطا مع ممثلة بارعة الجمال, ذائعة الصيت ,بالغة التعلق به ...ولا يبدو ان آدم يعيرها أي انتباه ا,لا ان ديفيد هالام ولاري هادلي يعرضان خدماتهما والحياة في المدينة شديدة الجاذبية كذلك... فهل تبقى وتنتظر؟ ام تفقد صبرها وتعود الى ايرلندا؟
October 9, 2020
Maria wanted to escape her father's scheme to wed her to his neighbor, and so with the help of her stepmother, she left home to go and live with her stepbrother, Adam, to have a secretarial course in London. She hadn't seen Adam for 5 years when she was 12 so his different personality was a shock to her. He saw her as a schoolchild and she saw him as a brute and therefore they clashed. Soon enough though Maria started to fall in love with him even though she knew he was engaged to be married!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 12, 2018
This one was interesting. I did feel, though, that the hero should have ditched the OW earlier and also told his mother what he loved about the heroine when he had the chance.
September 10, 2022
Honestly I didn't mind this novel.The 18y old stepsister h moves into 30ish doctor H's London home, apparently for a short secretary course. h is frankly a bit immature, dresses in loud colors (purple, orange, red) and often pouts or answers back to the H. The H has a super cutting tongue but to be fair he uses it on LITERALLY EVERY CHARACTER in the book: the h, his OW, his housekeeper, his friends, etc.
I was not happy at the H being in a committed 2 year old relationship with an OW. They are clearly sleeping together when the book starts and we see the H take out his key and enter the OW's apartment casually. We also see H and OW go to OW's lush villa in the countryside for a long weekend (the fact that he drags the h and OW's housekeeper there is not usual, and is pointed out viciously by the OW).
It is very clear early on that the H was attracted to the h on first sight, and we see him blowing hot and cold with her, seeking her company after work, asking her to come see a patient with him, not wanting her to go out with boys her age, and having issues with her revealing bikini in mixed company lol. H does go out a few more times with the OW and it is not made clear whether he is still sleeping with OW while he figures out his feelings. H finally breaks up with OW and the same night H and h make out (h is drunk). Unfortunately they are caught by the H's mom, who turns into an evil MIL and packs off the h back to Ireland next day - it is shown that the mom is a bit jealous of her highly achieved son finally struck, and she feels that the h has nothing to recommend her, as at least the OW was a super gorgeous blonde.
H travels straight to Ireland, his transport breaks down, and he walks the remaining miles to h's farmhouse: Over there he confesses that he loves h and wants to marry her. We see them 2 months later, back from their honeymoon and snuggling in bed.
I wish H and author hadn't told us about him proposing a dozen times to the OW and claiming he loved OW in the past. Made me feel he was just in lust with the h, but tbh his reactions with the h in the whole book make me hope it was true love. May December and the age gap SHOWS, but at least the h loves him for who he is!
I was not happy at the H being in a committed 2 year old relationship with an OW. They are clearly sleeping together when the book starts and we see the H take out his key and enter the OW's apartment casually. We also see H and OW go to OW's lush villa in the countryside for a long weekend (the fact that he drags the h and OW's housekeeper there is not usual, and is pointed out viciously by the OW).
It is very clear early on that the H was attracted to the h on first sight, and we see him blowing hot and cold with her, seeking her company after work, asking her to come see a patient with him, not wanting her to go out with boys her age, and having issues with her revealing bikini in mixed company lol. H does go out a few more times with the OW and it is not made clear whether he is still sleeping with OW while he figures out his feelings. H finally breaks up with OW and the same night H and h make out (h is drunk). Unfortunately they are caught by the H's mom, who turns into an evil MIL and packs off the h back to Ireland next day - it is shown that the mom is a bit jealous of her highly achieved son finally struck, and she feels that the h has nothing to recommend her, as at least the OW was a super gorgeous blonde.
H travels straight to Ireland, his transport breaks down, and he walks the remaining miles to h's farmhouse: Over there he confesses that he loves h and wants to marry her. We see them 2 months later, back from their honeymoon and snuggling in bed.
I wish H and author hadn't told us about him proposing a dozen times to the OW and claiming he loved OW in the past. Made me feel he was just in lust with the h, but tbh his reactions with the h in the whole book make me hope it was true love. May December and the age gap SHOWS, but at least the h loves him for who he is!
December 12, 2021
The heroine is extremely immature, not to say impulsive. She’s also too young to make a permanent commitment.
The hero, it is not clear. Who is he? What does he think? He’s a doctor. He comes and goes. Smokes cigars. Appears to be in love with an older woman, an actress. But abruptly in the end he’s not. Then he very callously breaks up with her. Now he wants to marry the heroine.
He threatens violence to the heroine and to the OW. Treats his mother quite badly. He is so violent to the heroine that she falls down and hurts her head.
Then suddenly in the end, he’s domesticated and she’s making him coffee at 4 am after he comes back from a work call.
Not very well written.
With Anne Mather I find the weakest link is the dialogues between the hero and heroine. They are pointless and inane and achieve nothing.
Half the time in this book the hero is asking the heroine what other people have said to her. About him.
There was zero chemistry to be honest.
Also a controlling and violent man like that. Not to say impulsive himself. Their marriage hardly bodes well.
I don’t know. I used to like Anne Mather ten years ago. But no longer find her as mesmerising as before.
Tastes change with age I suppose.
The hero, it is not clear. Who is he? What does he think? He’s a doctor. He comes and goes. Smokes cigars. Appears to be in love with an older woman, an actress. But abruptly in the end he’s not. Then he very callously breaks up with her. Now he wants to marry the heroine.
He threatens violence to the heroine and to the OW. Treats his mother quite badly. He is so violent to the heroine that she falls down and hurts her head.
Then suddenly in the end, he’s domesticated and she’s making him coffee at 4 am after he comes back from a work call.
Not very well written.
With Anne Mather I find the weakest link is the dialogues between the hero and heroine. They are pointless and inane and achieve nothing.
Half the time in this book the hero is asking the heroine what other people have said to her. About him.
There was zero chemistry to be honest.
Also a controlling and violent man like that. Not to say impulsive himself. Their marriage hardly bodes well.
I don’t know. I used to like Anne Mather ten years ago. But no longer find her as mesmerising as before.
Tastes change with age I suppose.
December 1, 2020
Maria goes to London to live with her stepbrother while taking a secretarial course. His fiancee feels threatened and does what she can to make Maria feel unwelcome and gauche. But in the end love wins.
I enjoyed this book. It is dated but the writing and story are still good. I like that Maria has a mind of her own and can stand her grounds at times but she does need to grow up which she will when she feels certain of Adam and his feelings. I like how she gentles Adam.
Anne Mather is one of my favorite authors.
I enjoyed this book. It is dated but the writing and story are still good. I like that Maria has a mind of her own and can stand her grounds at times but she does need to grow up which she will when she feels certain of Adam and his feelings. I like how she gentles Adam.
Anne Mather is one of my favorite authors.
October 11, 2021
One of my favorites
March 13, 2022
This had little romance. I suppose it was just a forbidden love (lust) story with the H/h fighting their feelings. They spent very little time together to see any feelings.
July 28, 2022
guilty pleasure
I read this as a teen and enjoyed the quick read this time around, as well. Predicable but overcome easily by nostalgia.
I read this as a teen and enjoyed the quick read this time around, as well. Predicable but overcome easily by nostalgia.
March 5, 2025
Really shows its age. Characters are a bit bland and the age gap/step sibling relationship makes it really lean into the woman-child characterization a lot of old romances uses
April 30, 2013
Mais um livro ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....
Convém, antes de mais, referir que é da Anne Mather a história mais bonita que eu li em adolescente. Lembro-me da história, do nome das personagens e até de excertos do texto que decorei. Por isso, ler outra história desta autora foi para mim uma experiência; saber se hoje, muitos anos mais tarde, ainda lhe ia encontrar o mesmo encanto.
Confesso que a primeira parte da história não me estava a entusiasmar muito. O personagem principal, Adam Massey, é impecavelmente sexy e algo arrogante, bem à maneira british; mas, claro, no fundo, é delicado, gentil e generoso (como convém nestas histórias). Já a personagem feminina, Maria, é uma jovenzinha que me pareceu muito imatura e algo mimada, apesar de ela fazer sempre os possíveis por não o ser. Até ao fim, ela foi a única coisa que não me convenceu.
Depois vem o problema das idades. Fui ver o ano da publicação do livro: 1972. Que diabo se passava naquela altura e porque é que uma boa parte destas histórias se parte com teenagers e homens já na casinha dos trinta?? É que olhando para essa geração, atualmente, os casais raramente têm mais de quatro ou cinco anos de diferença de idades. Será que era algum fetiche? E se sim, de quem? Deles ou delas?!
O problema maior é quando a gente vai lendo os livros aos poucos. E, quando de manhã acordámos com saudades dos personagens e não podemos retomar a leitura porque o trabalho nos chama, então... está a paixão instalada. E daí as quatro estrelas. Daí e das divagações da irlandesa Maria por Londres. E de um Adam que é um tipo todo interessante, atraente, seguro de si... e que passa a vida a fumar, mesmo nas situações mais românticas, mesmo quando há contacto físico. Irra, isso não abonou a favor das quatro estrelas. Mas pronto... outros tempos... poucos cancros conhecidos e diagnosticados, numa época em que fumar era estiloso. E nem vou referir que o Adam é médico...
Convém, antes de mais, referir que é da Anne Mather a história mais bonita que eu li em adolescente. Lembro-me da história, do nome das personagens e até de excertos do texto que decorei. Por isso, ler outra história desta autora foi para mim uma experiência; saber se hoje, muitos anos mais tarde, ainda lhe ia encontrar o mesmo encanto.
Confesso que a primeira parte da história não me estava a entusiasmar muito. O personagem principal, Adam Massey, é impecavelmente sexy e algo arrogante, bem à maneira british; mas, claro, no fundo, é delicado, gentil e generoso (como convém nestas histórias). Já a personagem feminina, Maria, é uma jovenzinha que me pareceu muito imatura e algo mimada, apesar de ela fazer sempre os possíveis por não o ser. Até ao fim, ela foi a única coisa que não me convenceu.
Depois vem o problema das idades. Fui ver o ano da publicação do livro: 1972. Que diabo se passava naquela altura e porque é que uma boa parte destas histórias se parte com teenagers e homens já na casinha dos trinta?? É que olhando para essa geração, atualmente, os casais raramente têm mais de quatro ou cinco anos de diferença de idades. Será que era algum fetiche? E se sim, de quem? Deles ou delas?!
O problema maior é quando a gente vai lendo os livros aos poucos. E, quando de manhã acordámos com saudades dos personagens e não podemos retomar a leitura porque o trabalho nos chama, então... está a paixão instalada. E daí as quatro estrelas. Daí e das divagações da irlandesa Maria por Londres. E de um Adam que é um tipo todo interessante, atraente, seguro de si... e que passa a vida a fumar, mesmo nas situações mais românticas, mesmo quando há contacto físico. Irra, isso não abonou a favor das quatro estrelas. Mas pronto... outros tempos... poucos cancros conhecidos e diagnosticados, numa época em que fumar era estiloso. E nem vou referir que o Adam é médico...
July 9, 2014
I love stepsiblings stories, all that forbbiden thing going on. I liked Maria, but I didn't think much of Adam, at least until the end when he stood up to Geraldine - who turned out to be completely different than the image I got from Maria's opinions of her - and finally owned up to his feelings for Maria. Oh, and the epilogue is too sweet!
November 4, 2014
OK - I'm a sucker for romances about guardians and wards who live together and fall in love. I read this when I was a teenager and remember enjoying it (probably would find it old fashioned now) 3.5 stars for this one (why don't we add 1/2 stars to the rating system?)
April 23, 2013
read at a bad time in my life but it was still good
August 1, 2025
#17 of first 100 HP’s
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews