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Broken Destiny
Jancy's world lay in ruins...
She was just twenty-three--and she had cancer. Her successful modeling career would be over now. As would her engagement to Duncan.
Duncan. He was an honorable man and would no doubt refuse to call off their marriage. But you couldn't expect a man to love someone who was only half the woman he'd desired. And if she couldn't have Duncan's love, she certainly didn't want his pity.
So Jancy ran away to Yorkshire and hoped that Duncan would forget her. She soon realized, however, that Duncan wasn't the type to let go quite so easily... .
She was just twenty-three--and she had cancer. Her successful modeling career would be over now. As would her engagement to Duncan.
Duncan. He was an honorable man and would no doubt refuse to call off their marriage. But you couldn't expect a man to love someone who was only half the woman he'd desired. And if she couldn't have Duncan's love, she certainly didn't want his pity.
So Jancy ran away to Yorkshire and hoped that Duncan would forget her. She soon realized, however, that Duncan wasn't the type to let go quite so easily... .
189 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1990
7 people are currently reading
212 people want to read
About the author
Sally Wentworth
106 books93 followersDoreen was born on 1936 or 1937 in Watford, Hertfordshire, England, UK. She married Donald Alfred Hornsblow, with whom she has a son Keith, in 1968. The family lived in Braughing, England.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
Doreen began her publishing career at a Fleet Street newspaper in London, where she thrived in the hectic atmosphere. She started writing after attending an evening class and sold her first novel to Mills & Boon in 1977, she published her novels under the pseudonym Sally Wentworth. Her novels were principally set in Great Britain or in exotic places like Canary Islands or Greece. Her first works are stand-alone novels, but in 1990s, she decided to create her first series. In 1991, she wrote a book in two parts about the Barclay twins and their great love, and in 1995, she wrote the Ties of Passion Trilogy about the Brodey family, that have money, looks, style, everything... except love.
Doreen was an accounts clerk at Associated Newspapers Ltd. in London, England, and accounts clerk at Consumers' Association in Hertford, England. In 1985, she was the founding chair of the Hertford Association of National Trust Members, and named its life president. She also collected knife rests and she was member of The Knife Rest Collectors Club.
Doreen Hornsblow died from cancer on 30 August 2001, at 64 years of age.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 11, 2017
Re Broken Dreams - Sally Wentworth does the HP version of the real world in this one and it has the added distinction of being on a level with Lindsay Armstrong's Saved from Sin and Sharon Kendrick's Bought by Her Husband with one of most unusual opening scenes in HPlandia ever - but in a much nicer way than either of the other two books.
In fact, when you start this book you will probably flip back and check the cover, just to make sure that you are actually IN HPlandia. SW sets her opening at a Blitz party and the scene is so realistic where our H and h meet, that you might think you were in the war time London of WWII. Then the lights come up and our story really begins.
The h is a 23 yr old model and the H is a slightly older architect/artist and it is love at first sight. There are romantic dates and roofie smoochie passion and neither of our leads are petting unicorns. True love is declared and an engagement is announced. Then the H has to leave on an extended business trip and the drama of the story starts.
The h finds out she has breast cancer and will have to have a mastectomy. She is devastated by this and since so much of her attraction for the H seems to be dependent on how he worships her body, in particular her breasts, the h just doesn't have the emotional wherewithal to deal with her own shattered self image and the H's sure to be massive disappointment and disgust too.
So the h goes through her treatment alone, dumps the ring and the engagement to the H in a note claiming she has met another guy,(since there was no text messaging yet,) and takes off for the wilds of Yorkshire. Where she holes up in an isolated farmstead with the nearest neighbor being a very nice potential OM and begins the slow process of trying to figure out just who and what she is after such a major body image change.
Not since Violet Winspear's Secret Fire has any HQN author attempted to navigate a heroine through the multiple changes that a mastectomy can inflict on a woman's life and SW does an EXCELLENT job of showing how our h really doesn't manage to cope all that well. The h actually has the added shame of feeling that she is too concerned over her body issues due to vanity, but this is one time that personal vanity can be completely understood and forgiven in HPlandia.
Even today with much more public knowledge of breast cancer, body image issues are still paramount and in the 1990's, it was even worse as breast cancer was just starting to come out of the shadows as a disease that people needed to be aware of and talk about. The h understandably feels that her life is over and in several ways she is absolutely right.
Her life HAS changed, having that kind of diagnosis at such an early age means that her chances for survival are diminished, it also means that her hopes for children may have to go unfulfilled. SW doesn't dwell on this information, but she does work hard to make the knowledge available and mostly positive in presentation, so for once illness information is accurate, if a little vague and there is no HP Gold Standard American Cure to make this right.
Naturally this is still a romance, so the H is soon in hot pursuit. There is an H fight with the potential OM next door, who really is more of an h touchstone friend and the h decides that she needs to haul in her London BFF, another model, and fling the woman at the H to distract him from her now much reduced in glamour and style self.
There is fighting, there is a potential love triangle with the H, the h and her BFF and in the end, the h finally has to show the H what has happened to her and the H's initial reaction is horror. The h kicks him out and begs her BFF to be good to him in their future together.
The H doesn't stay away tho and the BFF and H are really not interested in each other. Naturally, this h and H have bona fide HP True Love, so of course the H loves the h for more than her magnificent rack and she is not just a body. He isn't letting her break the engagement and he sets a wedding date, the h now has a few more months of solitude to bundle up her fertilizer and dump it.
Which the h manages to do, after she meets another women close to her in age who is obviously doing much better with the self image issues and reminds the h of her formerly stylistic and fashionable self.
For once in HPlandia, there is a beautiful and attractive OW type who turns out to be the most supportive and helpful character, when she tells the h that life is for living, anything can happen and the h needs to take that chance and live for all she is worth. This should be OW is actually inspirational and helps the h to rebuild her shattered life.
The h, finally accepting that she is still herself and should continue to be herself, dresses up in her fashionable best, fixes her hair and hies to back to the H for a huge lurved up HEA.
This book is an HP classic and is on the HP required reading list. SW does an excellent job in puzzling out the after effects of a life torn apart by a vicious disease and she does it with compassion and understanding and a believable HEA.
SW is probably best know for her OTT revenge and whacktastic drama, there is a hint of that here as the h tries to pawn her H off onto her friend. But overall this an informative, hopeful and inspiring book, well worth the time invested in this journey to HPlandia.
In fact, when you start this book you will probably flip back and check the cover, just to make sure that you are actually IN HPlandia. SW sets her opening at a Blitz party and the scene is so realistic where our H and h meet, that you might think you were in the war time London of WWII. Then the lights come up and our story really begins.
The h is a 23 yr old model and the H is a slightly older architect/artist and it is love at first sight. There are romantic dates and roofie smoochie passion and neither of our leads are petting unicorns. True love is declared and an engagement is announced. Then the H has to leave on an extended business trip and the drama of the story starts.
The h finds out she has breast cancer and will have to have a mastectomy. She is devastated by this and since so much of her attraction for the H seems to be dependent on how he worships her body, in particular her breasts, the h just doesn't have the emotional wherewithal to deal with her own shattered self image and the H's sure to be massive disappointment and disgust too.
So the h goes through her treatment alone, dumps the ring and the engagement to the H in a note claiming she has met another guy,(since there was no text messaging yet,) and takes off for the wilds of Yorkshire. Where she holes up in an isolated farmstead with the nearest neighbor being a very nice potential OM and begins the slow process of trying to figure out just who and what she is after such a major body image change.
Not since Violet Winspear's Secret Fire has any HQN author attempted to navigate a heroine through the multiple changes that a mastectomy can inflict on a woman's life and SW does an EXCELLENT job of showing how our h really doesn't manage to cope all that well. The h actually has the added shame of feeling that she is too concerned over her body issues due to vanity, but this is one time that personal vanity can be completely understood and forgiven in HPlandia.
Even today with much more public knowledge of breast cancer, body image issues are still paramount and in the 1990's, it was even worse as breast cancer was just starting to come out of the shadows as a disease that people needed to be aware of and talk about. The h understandably feels that her life is over and in several ways she is absolutely right.
Her life HAS changed, having that kind of diagnosis at such an early age means that her chances for survival are diminished, it also means that her hopes for children may have to go unfulfilled. SW doesn't dwell on this information, but she does work hard to make the knowledge available and mostly positive in presentation, so for once illness information is accurate, if a little vague and there is no HP Gold Standard American Cure to make this right.
Naturally this is still a romance, so the H is soon in hot pursuit. There is an H fight with the potential OM next door, who really is more of an h touchstone friend and the h decides that she needs to haul in her London BFF, another model, and fling the woman at the H to distract him from her now much reduced in glamour and style self.
There is fighting, there is a potential love triangle with the H, the h and her BFF and in the end, the h finally has to show the H what has happened to her and the H's initial reaction is horror. The h kicks him out and begs her BFF to be good to him in their future together.
The H doesn't stay away tho and the BFF and H are really not interested in each other. Naturally, this h and H have bona fide HP True Love, so of course the H loves the h for more than her magnificent rack and she is not just a body. He isn't letting her break the engagement and he sets a wedding date, the h now has a few more months of solitude to bundle up her fertilizer and dump it.
Which the h manages to do, after she meets another women close to her in age who is obviously doing much better with the self image issues and reminds the h of her formerly stylistic and fashionable self.
For once in HPlandia, there is a beautiful and attractive OW type who turns out to be the most supportive and helpful character, when she tells the h that life is for living, anything can happen and the h needs to take that chance and live for all she is worth. This should be OW is actually inspirational and helps the h to rebuild her shattered life.
The h, finally accepting that she is still herself and should continue to be herself, dresses up in her fashionable best, fixes her hair and hies to back to the H for a huge lurved up HEA.
This book is an HP classic and is on the HP required reading list. SW does an excellent job in puzzling out the after effects of a life torn apart by a vicious disease and she does it with compassion and understanding and a believable HEA.
SW is probably best know for her OTT revenge and whacktastic drama, there is a hint of that here as the h tries to pawn her H off onto her friend. But overall this an informative, hopeful and inspiring book, well worth the time invested in this journey to HPlandia.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 12, 2022
"Broken Destiny" by Sally Wentworth had been on my want-to-read list for ageessss. One of the reasons i am annoyed by myself for not picking this book up sooner. It hurt so good that it felt marvelous. Sally Wentworth is the queen of angst, capable of tormenting both her characters and the readers to such to an extent that you keep coming back for her, wanting to experience that toxic drug all over again. This author is so talented and i always come to cherish her stories and she has definitely created some master-pieces in her time. Jancy Bruce who is a model decides to sacrifice the love of her life Duncan Lyle when she finds out she has breast cancer. Furious with heartbreak and jealousy Duncan stops at nothing to find Jancy. My heart hurt for both Duncan and Jancy, who both are incredible and beautiful individuals. Duncan for never letting go of her, despite his anger he couldn`t hold on to any pride. His pride had been battered and bruised by Jancy. Even thinking she left him for another man he still came for her to bring her back and marry her.He loved her so much it hurt. He is one of those heroes who can`t stay cold for a long time, he wear his heart on his sleeve.
This is a very intense and thoughtful love-story. I am so glad i found another keeper by this author!
This is a very intense and thoughtful love-story. I am so glad i found another keeper by this author!
April 30, 2016
Subversive Harlequin.
This plot actually deals with some serious stuff. While the heroine sacrifices herself on the altar of love, there is some validity and honesty to her actions especially as this book ranks as a little old school.
Duncan and Jancy are both beautiful people: attracted to each other and fall in love. No hateful MIL, no secret babies, no revenge plots or blackmail, no evil sisters - twin or otherwise. What the heck?
The subversiveness of it all: the heroine goes to bed with her beau BEFORE marriage. There is even the subtle hint that he may not be the first. This is big stuff for a vintage Harlequin. Jancy is a model and Duncan, an architect, and as a part time artist, relishes her beautiful body especially her breasts. Yeah, 'cause breast men only exist in fiction. He does several contemporary paintings of her partially nude.
While Duncan is gone on a long business trip, Jancy finds out she has breast cancer and has to have a mammectomy on her left breast. No reconstructive surgery for at least two years. At 23, she is traumatized and decides to cut herself out of all contact with everyone. She leaves Duncan a note saying she's fallen for someone else. She moves to Yorkshire.
Now on the surface this has all the attributes of a TSTL heroine. However given that the year was 1992, and where the public was in terms of knowledge about breast cancer treatment and survival her actions were not so unbelievable. I thought SW did a good job showing how destructive the mammectomy was to Jancy; it destroyed her whole self worth. She even makes one comment how she had no idea she was this shallow. I think for many women then and now, having one breast would be ego destroying. It is the one feminine physical characteristic that defines women, and it's no coincidence it is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries. I have a friend that is about 5' 2" and had D's put in. Huge for her tiny body, but after being flat all her life she said she finally felt feminine.
Back to the plot, Duncan finally tracks her down and does some arm twisting and yelling, but give the guy a break.
Not the best Harlequin or the best SW, but it is a well-done story about how a couple can survive something like this. Surprisingly angst free given the fact that most angst is inner drama queen driven, and this is actually true drama.
This plot actually deals with some serious stuff. While the heroine sacrifices herself on the altar of love, there is some validity and honesty to her actions especially as this book ranks as a little old school.
Duncan and Jancy are both beautiful people: attracted to each other and fall in love. No hateful MIL, no secret babies, no revenge plots or blackmail, no evil sisters - twin or otherwise. What the heck?
The subversiveness of it all: the heroine goes to bed with her beau BEFORE marriage. There is even the subtle hint that he may not be the first. This is big stuff for a vintage Harlequin. Jancy is a model and Duncan, an architect, and as a part time artist, relishes her beautiful body especially her breasts. Yeah, 'cause breast men only exist in fiction. He does several contemporary paintings of her partially nude.
While Duncan is gone on a long business trip, Jancy finds out she has breast cancer and has to have a mammectomy on her left breast. No reconstructive surgery for at least two years. At 23, she is traumatized and decides to cut herself out of all contact with everyone. She leaves Duncan a note saying she's fallen for someone else. She moves to Yorkshire.
Now on the surface this has all the attributes of a TSTL heroine. However given that the year was 1992, and where the public was in terms of knowledge about breast cancer treatment and survival her actions were not so unbelievable. I thought SW did a good job showing how destructive the mammectomy was to Jancy; it destroyed her whole self worth. She even makes one comment how she had no idea she was this shallow. I think for many women then and now, having one breast would be ego destroying. It is the one feminine physical characteristic that defines women, and it's no coincidence it is one of the most popular cosmetic surgeries. I have a friend that is about 5' 2" and had D's put in. Huge for her tiny body, but after being flat all her life she said she finally felt feminine.
Back to the plot, Duncan finally tracks her down and does some arm twisting and yelling, but give the guy a break.
Not the best Harlequin or the best SW, but it is a well-done story about how a couple can survive something like this. Surprisingly angst free given the fact that most angst is inner drama queen driven, and this is actually true drama.
June 30, 2020
"Broken Destiny" is the story of Jancy and Duncan.
A heartbreaking and angst filled story, so keep the tissues close.
The book begins with the hero and heroine meeting in a WRAF fair, and madly falling in love. They have a passionate romance, and the hero worships her body and soul. She too, is crazy in love- and when he proposes- she eagerly agrees.
Things are going well, when her world comes crashing down. The heroine is diagnosed with cancer, has to undergo a drastic but lifesaving procedure, and loses her faith in her love.
Afraid to tell the truth to the hero, she mercilessly breaks up with him by lying to him and runs away to York. However, the hero just does not give up on her and chases her, hell bent on revenge.
Thus begins a sad tale of lies and deceit. I felt really bad for the hero- he was genuinely crazy for the heroine and was broken by her "betrayal". He goes after the heroine abandoning everything, but she continues running away and hiding the truth. She even goes as far as to ask her best friend to seduce him.
The heroine was a complex character. She initially came off as vain- which I get because of her profession- and soon goes through five stages of grief, ranging from disbelief/ denial, anger to sadness and bargaining- the acceptance came at the very end, and after lots of insight and help from others. She was mad at the world, at the unfairness of it all- and a bit selfish in her decisions- but all was understandable in the context of the plot. She eventually did learn to love herself again.
All the stars for the angst. Ends in a HEA and hope for the future.
Safe
3.5/5
A heartbreaking and angst filled story, so keep the tissues close.
The book begins with the hero and heroine meeting in a WRAF fair, and madly falling in love. They have a passionate romance, and the hero worships her body and soul. She too, is crazy in love- and when he proposes- she eagerly agrees.
Things are going well, when her world comes crashing down. The heroine is diagnosed with cancer, has to undergo a drastic but lifesaving procedure, and loses her faith in her love.
Afraid to tell the truth to the hero, she mercilessly breaks up with him by lying to him and runs away to York. However, the hero just does not give up on her and chases her, hell bent on revenge.
Thus begins a sad tale of lies and deceit. I felt really bad for the hero- he was genuinely crazy for the heroine and was broken by her "betrayal". He goes after the heroine abandoning everything, but she continues running away and hiding the truth. She even goes as far as to ask her best friend to seduce him.
The heroine was a complex character. She initially came off as vain- which I get because of her profession- and soon goes through five stages of grief, ranging from disbelief/ denial, anger to sadness and bargaining- the acceptance came at the very end, and after lots of insight and help from others. She was mad at the world, at the unfairness of it all- and a bit selfish in her decisions- but all was understandable in the context of the plot. She eventually did learn to love herself again.
All the stars for the angst. Ends in a HEA and hope for the future.
Safe
3.5/5
February 16, 2018
Sweet story about Jancy who discovers she has cancers and her battle with self image hindering her from being with her one true love Duncan. This was different and loved how the Hero pursued to get her back.
October 9, 2017
2.5 stars
August 14, 2011
When the hero Duncan and the heroine Jancy meet at a party they are immediately drawn to one another. They begin dating, which quickly leads to them falling in love and to Duncan proposing. Jancy couldn't be happier but all this comes crashing down when Jancy is diagnosed with breast cancer and informed that she needs a mastectomy on her left breast. Jancy is devastated and with Duncan away on a business trip she has no one to turn too. She begins to realise that her entire life will change and she can no longer work as a model. She also realises that she doesn't want to burden Duncan with her illness, so she goes ahead with the operation without telling him then packs up her life and moves away leaving a note for Duncan saying their relationship is over as she has met someone else. As the months go by she begins to feel better but struggles to get used to what she sees as her deformed body, and misses Duncan terribly. She knows that he has been looking for her and that he is angry, but she doesn't expect him to find her. She is shocked when he turns up and refuses to leave until he gets an explanation, but Jancy is too scared to tell him the truth.
This is a very emotional book, and at times tough to read. It deals with the cancer plot with sensitivity and a very refreshing honesty. The fact that the heroine's main worry about losing a breast was that she would 'feel' less of a woman is, on the surface, very shallow but something that I honestly think many women would feel, I appreciated the frankness of it. The book is well thought out and wonderfully written. However, I found it very slow to begin with and it only really hit it's stride when the illness was discovered. I also think this lacked a little depth from the hero's side, it would have benefited from including his point of view.
This is a really enjoyable read though, and I would recommend having tissues on hand when reading!
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
This is a very emotional book, and at times tough to read. It deals with the cancer plot with sensitivity and a very refreshing honesty. The fact that the heroine's main worry about losing a breast was that she would 'feel' less of a woman is, on the surface, very shallow but something that I honestly think many women would feel, I appreciated the frankness of it. The book is well thought out and wonderfully written. However, I found it very slow to begin with and it only really hit it's stride when the illness was discovered. I also think this lacked a little depth from the hero's side, it would have benefited from including his point of view.
This is a really enjoyable read though, and I would recommend having tissues on hand when reading!
Originally posted at http://everyday-is-the-same.blogspot....
May 7, 2018
I really liked this book about 95% of it... like really liked.
This story is different. Its a serious theme-H find out she has breast cancer and has a mastectomy.
h is a model and H is an architect and in his free time an artist.
SW did a great job with this story. Jancy is devastated when she finds out and the only way she can deal with it is leave her now fiance( because she thinks that he will be disgusted) and run away.
The great job is this part of the story:Jancy hides in an isolated village and she cant deal with this major changes her life.
We cant forget this is still a romance so H is coming back into the picture. Poor H :D(H lied to him and told him via a letter that she met someone else and is leaving with him) so you can imagine how angry is he when he finds her. There is a potential om and her bff(and her stupid idea). Its all working out in the end. She tells him the truth and the wedding is back on track. And here goes the part that i kinda didnt like: the end was rushed( at least for me) thru the story we see exposed beautifully this issues and at the end she workes it out bc she saw this beautiful and confident woman at the clinic who gives her the advice to live her life- dont get me wrong I love this moment but not it does it for the story. After this meeting H magically accepts that there is life after this and she is still herself and dresses fashionably and goes to the H. I wanted to see in writing that she is on the path to be ok and really accepting herself now and not just implying.
This story is different. Its a serious theme-H find out she has breast cancer and has a mastectomy.
h is a model and H is an architect and in his free time an artist.
SW did a great job with this story. Jancy is devastated when she finds out and the only way she can deal with it is leave her now fiance( because she thinks that he will be disgusted) and run away.
The great job is this part of the story:Jancy hides in an isolated village and she cant deal with this major changes her life.
We cant forget this is still a romance so H is coming back into the picture. Poor H :D(H lied to him and told him via a letter that she met someone else and is leaving with him) so you can imagine how angry is he when he finds her. There is a potential om and her bff(and her stupid idea). Its all working out in the end. She tells him the truth and the wedding is back on track. And here goes the part that i kinda didnt like: the end was rushed( at least for me) thru the story we see exposed beautifully this issues and at the end she workes it out bc she saw this beautiful and confident woman at the clinic who gives her the advice to live her life- dont get me wrong I love this moment but not it does it for the story. After this meeting H magically accepts that there is life after this and she is still herself and dresses fashionably and goes to the H. I wanted to see in writing that she is on the path to be ok and really accepting herself now and not just implying.
December 3, 2016
3.5 stars.
I actually liked the book and the concept was pretty good. I liked Jancy, Duncan and Rob. At the end, I felt bad for Rob, cause a good guy didn't get any HEA. Don't get me wrong the book was not based on triangle love story. Jancy and Duncan both characters are well written. The only complaint I had is that I felt like the author finished the book suddenly.
I actually liked the book and the concept was pretty good. I liked Jancy, Duncan and Rob. At the end, I felt bad for Rob, cause a good guy didn't get any HEA. Don't get me wrong the book was not based on triangle love story. Jancy and Duncan both characters are well written. The only complaint I had is that I felt like the author finished the book suddenly.
October 3, 2021
I thought this was going to be a decent visit to Hplandia. Ms. Wentworth wrote about a health situation that is all too prevalent these days. Maybe it was too close to home, but I thought she could have written a much better romance. I have relatives, friends and co-workers whom have suffered from this medical issue; several who've died.
The main problem I ran into was Jancy, the heroine of the story. She's 23 years old, in love and loved by a man who would do anything for her.
They were temporarily in a holding pattern while she had some modeling work to do and her fiancee was working out of the country. Then Jancy was given some very bad news and instead of sharing her anger, frustrations and fears, she lied. I understood her initial thoughts, but she simply wasn't fair to Duncan. Then she left the city without an explanation while Duncan frantically looked for her. And when he finally found her after a long time, she still lied. I didn't like how Duncan manhandled her (actually, I couldn't imagine her not screaming because of the pain), but by that time I lost all my patience with Jancy.
Foolish me, for reading until the end. I should have marked this story with a DNF.
The main problem I ran into was Jancy, the heroine of the story. She's 23 years old, in love and loved by a man who would do anything for her.
They were temporarily in a holding pattern while she had some modeling work to do and her fiancee was working out of the country. Then Jancy was given some very bad news and instead of sharing her anger, frustrations and fears, she lied. I understood her initial thoughts, but she simply wasn't fair to Duncan. Then she left the city without an explanation while Duncan frantically looked for her. And when he finally found her after a long time, she still lied. I didn't like how Duncan manhandled her (actually, I couldn't imagine her not screaming because of the pain), but by that time I lost all my patience with Jancy.
Foolish me, for reading until the end. I should have marked this story with a DNF.
January 8, 2022
This plot is different. A very unusual story line.
He is a very besotted H. I love how he never gave up trying to find her. And how emotional he was when he talked about what he felt after she had left him so suddenly and he found her note.
His anger about not knowing why she left him. His frustration about not getting through to her. His stubbornness, not willing to give up on her. All very raw.
She was no easy push-over like most other HP h’s. She made up her mind and she stuck to it. He really had to fight for her.
He is a very besotted H. I love how he never gave up trying to find her. And how emotional he was when he talked about what he felt after she had left him so suddenly and he found her note.
His anger about not knowing why she left him. His frustration about not getting through to her. His stubbornness, not willing to give up on her. All very raw.
She was no easy push-over like most other HP h’s. She made up her mind and she stuck to it. He really had to fight for her.
April 16, 2021
Jancy's world lay in ruins...
She was just twenty-three--and she had cancer. Her successful modeling career would be over now. As would her engagement to Duncan.
Duncan. He was an honorable man and would no doubt refuse to call off their marriage. But you couldn't expect a man to love someone who was only half the woman he'd desired. And if she couldn't have Duncan's love, she certainly didn't want his pity.
So Jancy ran away to Yorkshire and hoped that Duncan would forget her. She soon realized, however, that Duncan wasn't the type to let go quite so easily...
She was just twenty-three--and she had cancer. Her successful modeling career would be over now. As would her engagement to Duncan.
Duncan. He was an honorable man and would no doubt refuse to call off their marriage. But you couldn't expect a man to love someone who was only half the woman he'd desired. And if she couldn't have Duncan's love, she certainly didn't want his pity.
So Jancy ran away to Yorkshire and hoped that Duncan would forget her. She soon realized, however, that Duncan wasn't the type to let go quite so easily...
June 3, 2024
It's been quite some time since I've read a romance written by Ms. Wentworth. She truly is a master of her craft, stirring up every emotion from page to page. Jancy miscalculated thinking her 'be cruel to be kind' method of ending her engagement would keep Duncan away. I'm glad Duncan refused to accept her reasoning and pushed for the truth. This is a sensitive read for some, especially those who have been affected by cancer. I couldn't put this romance down until Duncan and Jancy found their HEA.
September 19, 2021
Wow!! This was a very Un HQ!! I loved the opening where you thought you were in a WW2 historical fiction story. It was heartbreaking and frustrating, too. All the time you are reading you want the h to tell the H what happened! Glad I read it and made my heart hurt 😞. But the ending was great and glad I hung on for the HEA.
July 11, 2015
I read this one long time ago under the name of القدر المشؤوم . Oh I love it deeply.
February 9, 2022
I cannot believe this is a Harlequin and one 20+ years old.
What a departure from the normal HQL! If it was published now it would still be relevant and poignant. In so many ways its a coming of age story as well as coming face to face with fears, self love/hatred and our own mortality. In order to lessen the angst of the book the author added levity in the form of the reactions of the other main characters.
It does seem a lot of Harlequin novels have the main female character having less than ideal parental relationships as in this case but this also highlighted the need for family and friends and any support system you can have.
What a departure from the normal HQL! If it was published now it would still be relevant and poignant. In so many ways its a coming of age story as well as coming face to face with fears, self love/hatred and our own mortality. In order to lessen the angst of the book the author added levity in the form of the reactions of the other main characters.
It does seem a lot of Harlequin novels have the main female character having less than ideal parental relationships as in this case but this also highlighted the need for family and friends and any support system you can have.
November 27, 2025
I will say, for such a short novel, the writer really packed a decent amount of character depth into the storyline. Was hoping for a good second-chance romance but the interim in between the FMC leaving the MMC wasn’t that long, so it was a bit of a letdown. It’s a bit dated that Jancy felt like she should leave Duncan before he realized her diagnosis, but I could see this being something a woman would struggle with. Like most novels from this time-frame, the man says some questionable things that wouldn’t pass for today. I’m interested enough to read more from this author though.
April 5, 2021
Excellent story with realistic people I'd like to know. She found it impossible to trust her fiancé enough to give him the opportunity to be with her through the operation and aftermath. If you are used to being strong and taking of things and taking care of yourself then it's terribly difficult to allow someone else to suffer with you. It's called maturity and marriage and it took our heroine the entire book to achieve it.
April 14, 2018
Well written.
January 6, 2019
A very special book, wonderfully written.
June 14, 2019
This was an unexpectedly good story and I liked every single character which is rare.
September 9, 2024
Excellent story! Very well written.
March 10, 2025
idk honestly
August 24, 2023
I was in the mood for a category romance. Angsty with a big fat miscommunication and misunderstanding trope. For a HQN in the 90s, it dealt with cancer very well.
February 25, 2024
This was good, but could have been so much better, as it concerned a very serious topic and more attention to it could have given this book four or five stars.
Instead of focusing more on what the h went through, too much was spent on her pretense of changing her mind about marrying the H, finding another man, etc., which made her seem callous and heartless, while he un turn acted bitter, stubborn and a little spiteful, refusing to leave her retreat and dogging her every move, until he discovers the truth.
There was a token OM, just a friend and neighbor, but he could have been used differently, as someone who found her attractive and made her realize nothing had really changed, given her the confidence she needed. There's also a woman who's gone through the same thing she has and could have been a tremendous help, but the author brings her into the story at the very end, and then rushes everything, when having her show up in the middle would have been perfect.
Where she really goofed was in not having the H find out the truth earlier, and have the two of them work through it together, and have the reader be a part of the process.
Too much potential wasted.
Instead of focusing more on what the h went through, too much was spent on her pretense of changing her mind about marrying the H, finding another man, etc., which made her seem callous and heartless, while he un turn acted bitter, stubborn and a little spiteful, refusing to leave her retreat and dogging her every move, until he discovers the truth.
There was a token OM, just a friend and neighbor, but he could have been used differently, as someone who found her attractive and made her realize nothing had really changed, given her the confidence she needed. There's also a woman who's gone through the same thing she has and could have been a tremendous help, but the author brings her into the story at the very end, and then rushes everything, when having her show up in the middle would have been perfect.
Where she really goofed was in not having the H find out the truth earlier, and have the two of them work through it together, and have the reader be a part of the process.
Too much potential wasted.
May 14, 2023
Re-read. Still such a heart breaking but beautiful love story.
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May 19, 2016القدر المشؤوم - سالي وينتوورث
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