Beloved Sparrow

by Henrietta Reid

Trudy resented Clive Rankin when he bought her old family home, but she could not resist his invitation to go back there as governess to his young niece. Then it began to look as if Trudy would be driven from the Grange yet again — either by the difficult little girl or by her love for Clive

Genres: Harlequin Romance

Paperback

First published September 1, 1968

Reviews

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ½ Stars ~ This is the story of a young woman, Trudy, who after her father dies, tries to figure out her future. Due to debts, the family home, the Grange, must be sold. An ambitious solicitor, Richard, is eager to help settle the estate, and then he's determined that Trudy will marry him. Trudy has been putting him off, but knows that he'll persist.

The Grange is sold to Clive, a renown businessman, who is seeking a home to raise his eight year old niece, Lucille. The girl is a trouble child, expelled from one boarding school and soon another. Clive hires Trudy to be Lucille's governess and to help her settle in to country life. Attaching herself to Clive is a merry widow, Valerie, who dislikes Lucille and wants her back in boarding school. She's also very astute and views Trudy as competition for Clive's attention.

So we have a young innocent heroine and a world wise successful hero; an ambitious pompous solicitor who wants the heroine; an opportunistic barracuda widow after the hero; and a lonely child who acts up for the attention. Also, a small town filled with gossipy neighbours who share the most shocking stories of the hero's past and possible future. Combined, this made for an engaging read.

He could feel the alarm that quivered and throbbed through her slight frame and for a fleeting moment he thought with detachment that she was like a young bird, captured and afraid.

She was rather attractive, he thought with fleeting interest, like a sparrow with puffed feathers

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was okish with not much of a story.The OW and OM both were extremely irritating. There were hardly any romantic scenes between the leads. They were all the time having a war of words. I really failed to see what the hero saw in the heroine to fall for her.

[Margo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was heading into three star territory, but the last 30 pages or so just ruined it. The OW seize control of the H even though the H and the h were almost engaged and the h never really fought for him, and by fought I mean offered one word of explanation about what happened.

[Noemail]

might have 2

[Lori Nemitz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read between January & July 1983.

Original notes on book from 1983: Interesting love story. A little different for Harlequin. Set in England.