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Every Wise Man
When Olivia Darcy went to work as secretary in the delightful Raynor household, she got on happily with everybody - with her boss, Charles Raynor, and two of his sons, Paul and Julian. Everybody except one, the third son, Matthew, who had seemed to take an instant dislike to her. But why? It wasn't as if he could possibly know her secret...
191 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1977
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 27, 2022
3.5
I reckon this author had a theatrical background. This is the third I've read of hers and the second set amongst thespians. I'm a fan of the detailed, believable world she creates which I think must be due to personal experience! Trademark lovely, intelligent dialogue. The father is an ac-tor and he lives in a big house with his medical doctor widowed son Paul, Paul's son Toby, his director son Matthew and actor son Julian. They are all vivid creations. Resting actress Olivia turns up as a temp typist. She hadn't known in advance who they were and keeps her acting experience secret as she doesn't wish to look like she's only using them and their connections.
Anyway it's all very luvvie and fascinating and there is the usual enemies to lovers between her and Matthew with the other brothers also throwing hats into the ring. Matthew is a stern, dry, self-possessed type if you like that sort of thing (I definitely do these days. I seem to have outgrown the excitable latin lovers of my youthful reading!)
Solid story.
I reckon this author had a theatrical background. This is the third I've read of hers and the second set amongst thespians. I'm a fan of the detailed, believable world she creates which I think must be due to personal experience! Trademark lovely, intelligent dialogue. The father is an ac-tor and he lives in a big house with his medical doctor widowed son Paul, Paul's son Toby, his director son Matthew and actor son Julian. They are all vivid creations. Resting actress Olivia turns up as a temp typist. She hadn't known in advance who they were and keeps her acting experience secret as she doesn't wish to look like she's only using them and their connections.
Anyway it's all very luvvie and fascinating and there is the usual enemies to lovers between her and Matthew with the other brothers also throwing hats into the ring. Matthew is a stern, dry, self-possessed type if you like that sort of thing (I definitely do these days. I seem to have outgrown the excitable latin lovers of my youthful reading!)
Solid story.
October 22, 2011
It's a Harlequin, not much to add. But when I need a quick, easy, don't-need-to-think-too-much read I fall back on my stack of Harlequins from High School. The fun of this one is the backstage look at theater life taking place in England. What more can a theater-loving Anglophile ask for?
March 6, 2023
There is a slow spot about half through then it picks back up.
Excellent characters and fun plot and dialogue
Excellent characters and fun plot and dialogue
January 14, 2026
This was a nice story with a good many likeable characters and a few of them are the main leads of another book by the same author.
The whole story and it's characters are based on people who act in stage dramas.
Olivia joins Charles as his secretary as he is recovering from an accident.
Charles is an actor and director of plays.He has 3 sons Paul eldest a doctor and widower with a son,Matthew the second son who is also an actor,writer and producer and lastly Julian an actor. So basically the whole family is into theatre.
Olivia also has similar background coming from.acting but now she has moved onto office job
.Right from the beginning she is at loggerheads with Matthew who suspects her to be someone else because his father Charles is very famous and people want to use him for their growth.
Olivia jells with the family very well except Matthew.
When Olivia's job comes to an end she returns back to her bed sitter and there she meets Adam a director whose wife Elizabeth is her friend.Adam offers Olivia a role in his play and she resumes her acting career. She then meets up with Justin Matthew and they are all part of the play.Olivia realises she loves Matthew and Adam and Elizabeth play a role in bringing them together.
This was a nice story with simple likeable characters with no OM or OW or negative characters.
The whole story and it's characters are based on people who act in stage dramas.
Olivia joins Charles as his secretary as he is recovering from an accident.
Charles is an actor and director of plays.He has 3 sons Paul eldest a doctor and widower with a son,Matthew the second son who is also an actor,writer and producer and lastly Julian an actor. So basically the whole family is into theatre.
Olivia also has similar background coming from.acting but now she has moved onto office job
.Right from the beginning she is at loggerheads with Matthew who suspects her to be someone else because his father Charles is very famous and people want to use him for their growth.
Olivia jells with the family very well except Matthew.
When Olivia's job comes to an end she returns back to her bed sitter and there she meets Adam a director whose wife Elizabeth is her friend.Adam offers Olivia a role in his play and she resumes her acting career. She then meets up with Justin Matthew and they are all part of the play.Olivia realises she loves Matthew and Adam and Elizabeth play a role in bringing them together.
This was a nice story with simple likeable characters with no OM or OW or negative characters.
November 27, 2025
4 ½ Stars
This is a real treat of a read! I'd forgotten how wonderful Ms. Gilbert's characters are and how well the plot all comes together. Matthew and Olivia get under each other's skin from the first pages, their heated exchanges often leave both upset and full of misconceptions. The secondary characters are delightful and know Matt and Olivia belong together before they do. There's humour, tension, deep emotion and a sigh worthy HEA.
Another treat is a reunion with Adam and Liz from Dear Villain. I hope we get a glimpse of Matt and Olivia in another book by Ms. Gilbert.
This is a real treat of a read! I'd forgotten how wonderful Ms. Gilbert's characters are and how well the plot all comes together. Matthew and Olivia get under each other's skin from the first pages, their heated exchanges often leave both upset and full of misconceptions. The secondary characters are delightful and know Matt and Olivia belong together before they do. There's humour, tension, deep emotion and a sigh worthy HEA.
Another treat is a reunion with Adam and Liz from Dear Villain. I hope we get a glimpse of Matt and Olivia in another book by Ms. Gilbert.
January 10, 2026
Nice vintage story set in the world of theatre. Heroine, an orphan, is an actress who has been working as a typist for the past year. She gave up the stage when her father died and realized she needed a steady pay check.
She goes to work for hero's father - a Shakespearean actor who is writing a series of lectures as he convalesces from a car accident.* Hero accuses heroine of being a wanna be actress and is using her proximity to his father to further her career. Heroine is angry that the hero would think her an opportunist so she is hostile to him for most of the story.
There are two other brothers - a doctor and another actor - in the family. She goes out with both of them as any good vintage heroine would do. So lots of jealousy and miscommunication.
Heroine does end up acting in a couple of plays for the family's theatre. Hero is pulled in to act when an actor breaks his leg (literally). But heroine thinks hero is marrying a co-star and .. .
It all works out when hero follows her bus as she leaves the company, thinking hero is getting married.
Typical vintage, but very well done.
*Hero was also hurt in the accident, but it's only important at the end of the story when hero leaves to have an operation.
She goes to work for hero's father - a Shakespearean actor who is writing a series of lectures as he convalesces from a car accident.* Hero accuses heroine of being a wanna be actress and is using her proximity to his father to further her career. Heroine is angry that the hero would think her an opportunist so she is hostile to him for most of the story.
There are two other brothers - a doctor and another actor - in the family. She goes out with both of them as any good vintage heroine would do. So lots of jealousy and miscommunication.
Heroine does end up acting in a couple of plays for the family's theatre. Hero is pulled in to act when an actor breaks his leg (literally). But heroine thinks hero is marrying a co-star and .. .
It all works out when hero follows her bus as she leaves the company, thinking hero is getting married.
Typical vintage, but very well done.
*Hero was also hurt in the accident, but it's only important at the end of the story when hero leaves to have an operation.
September 14, 2016
1,5 stars.
Thank you GR to have ruined this book for me, I explain better: in the characters list there's written the name of the female protagonist and the brother of the male protagonist, and from that I thought the hero was him and not Matthew. So, that ruined it for me. è__é
Thank you GR to have ruined this book for me, I explain better: in the characters list there's written the name of the female protagonist and the brother of the male protagonist, and from that I thought the hero was him and not Matthew. So, that ruined it for me. è__é
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews