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Song of a Wren
Song Of A Wren by Emma Darcy released on Jan 24, 1986 is available now for purchase.
186 pages, Paperback
Published February 1, 1986
2 people are currently reading
65 people want to read
About the author
Emma Darcy
640 books326 followersEmma Darcy is the pseudonym created by the married writing team of Wendy (1940-2020) and Frank Brennan (1936-1995). Their life journey has taken as many twists and turns as the characters in their stories, whose international popularity has resulted in over sixty-million book sales. With more than a hundred titles, Emma Darcy appeared regularly on the Waldenbooks bestseller lists in the U.S.A. and in the Nielson BookScan Top 100 chart in the U.K.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
Wendy was born 28 November 1940 in Australia. Her sister was the novelist Maureen Mary (Miranda Lee). Her father was a country school teacher and brilliant sportsman. Her mother was a talented dressmaker. She obtained an Honours degree in Latin and initially worked as a high school English/French teacher. She married Frank Brennan, an Australian businessman born in 1936. She changed careers to computer programming before marriage and motherhood settled her into a community life. She was reputedly the first woman computer programmer in the southern hemisphere.
As voracious readers, the step to writing their own books seemed a natural progression and the challenge of creating exciting stories was soon highly addictive. They were published since 1983. In 1993, for the Emma Darcy pseudonym's 10th anniversary, they created the "Emma Darcy Award Contest" to encourage authors to finish their manuscripts. After the death of Frank Brennan in 1995, Wendy wrotes books on her own. She lived in a beachside property on the central coast of New South Wales, and liked to travel extensively to research settings and increase her experience of places and people.
Wendy Brennan passed away on December 21, 2020. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, and sister, writer Miranda Lee.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 21, 2016
RE Song of a Wren - Emma Darcy explores love triangles and insecure, shy h's in this one and for the most part, she doesn't do a very good job of it. The almost femme fatal famous songwriter that made the h in Fantasy jealous is the h of this one. This book drives me nuts, the 23 yr old h cries at the drop of a hat and the 30 yr old H is absent for ¾'s of the book.
The story starts with the h accompanying her very patronizing and arrogant lodger from her small village home to his large Sydney residence. He has a marvelously accomplished family consisting of a high powered publisher father, an acclaimed children's author and artist mother, an older brother who is a wildly successful music producer, a popular actress sister and a mathematical genius little brother.
Lodger boy is an aspiring painter himself, continually brash and sneering to the others who occupy the wealthy circles in which he normally moves, but the h finds him charming and very grateful for his renting lodgings from her after her father died 6 months ago. The h has virtually no self-esteem and Lodger boy thinks he can bully her into it, he even gives her a nickname of Jenny-wren, which apparently is supposed to boost her ego.
What Lodger boy really likes is having an adoring female who lets him boss her around at his beck and call. He and the h aren't lovers, she doesn't think of him that way at all, yet he continually and deliberately makes snide insinuations about their living situation throughout the story. Even when the h asks him to stop, he just grins and continues doing it.
The h composes and sings her own songs and the family, (as arrogantly patronizing as Lodger boy is,) bullies her into performing them. The h is obviously uncomfortable with performing and she is also a guest in their home, but they all seem to think she needs to be managed by them and should sing for her supper.
The older brother meets the h and she falls in love at first sight, the father attempts to match make and after the h's performance, the older brother asks her to spend some time performing her other songs for him for his professional evaluation. She does and while they are working, he starts kissing her. She is very attracted, but he puts her off when he finds she is a virgin.
Lodger boy continues with his possessive obnoxious behavior, the sister decides she needs to match make between Lodger boy and the h, and older brother H becomes very professional and then personally cold and avoids the h after critiquing a few more songs. The h is hopelessly in love and crying because she can't compete with the women the H is always around.
The sister gives the h a makeover for a big party they are all going to. The h thinks maybe the H will want her then, but Lodger boy has a huge temper fit and denounces her makeover as comparable to a prostitute. This leads to more self-esteem issues and tears for the h, but she goes to the party as her own plain (in her eyes) little self.
After the H deliberately snubs her at the party, she allows Lodger boy to bully her into a performance. She sings a song the H had wanted her especially to work on, as it is now completed. Everyone is very impressed and begging for an encore. The h walks off and the H chases after her. He finally corners her and drunkenly starts kissing her passionately. The h is excited but scared too, then Lodger boy comes along and the brothers start throwing punches and the h is horrified.
Lodger boy takes the h home and she is fairly hysterical. The h decides she will sleep with Lodger boy, she figures if she can tell the H she isn't a virgin anymore, he will follow through on his attraction. (I guess she doesn't think enough of his morals to believe that he wouldn't reject his brother's sloppy seconds and actually sleep with her, but she was pretty neurotic by this point.) The h tries to seduce Lodger boy, but he won't be a substitute for another man, and then the H walks into her room. (All of these people were pretty free with just barging into the bedroom of a guest, that kinda irked me too.)
The brothers start beating each other in the hall and the h is horrified all over again. Finally the father comes out and threatens everybody with the Wrath Of Their Mother if they don't all go to their rooms, including the h - whom the father is very disappointed in. The h wants to leave and goes to tell the father the next morning, he acts patronizing again and tells her she can't, he then asks which of his sons she loves.
She confesses she loves the H, the father is delighted and then the H shows up with a man who wants to buy her music. The h listens to the sales pitch but delays a decision and then the H comes back to talk to her. He set her up for a sale in an attempt to give her something to help her, but the h is hurt that he won't love her. He confesses he isn't good enough for her and then Lodger boy shows up again. There is more bickering and threats until the H announces he is marrying the h.
The h finally tells Lodger boy she isn't interested in him and he goes off to be waylayed by his own soon to be romantic interest - the daughter of the host who held the party the night before and is an artist as well - and whom he very grossly insulted about the quality of her work and her appearance. We don't actually ever get that story, but given how I dislike Lodger boy, that is probably just as well.
The H and h avow mutual devotion and the H's elegant and moving proclamation of his love is really the only thing that saves this book. They go to announce their wedding plans, but the sister comes in and gives the h a hard time about Lodger boy, until the H announces that they love each other. Then the sister backs off and the H and h go on to an HEA and a guest appearance in the HR Blind Date.
Overall this is not a bad story with lots and lots of drama. I just don't like it all that much because I HATE the interfering family trope and these people were just too interfering over a woman they don't even know and who is obviously very intimidated by them and still grieving over her dad's death. I wasn't really buying the H's love either, but there couldn't have been any other reason for his behaviors in regards to the h - no motives were there, so I just went with it cause ED said so.
The h really cries too much and is way too neurotic for my taste, and it makes me agog with wonder at her sophisticated and highly successful,charming persona when she appears in the other ED books. That is the magic of love I guess. Anyways a lot of people like this book, so as always, take my perception with a grain of salt and try this one on for size if you feel like it.
The story starts with the h accompanying her very patronizing and arrogant lodger from her small village home to his large Sydney residence. He has a marvelously accomplished family consisting of a high powered publisher father, an acclaimed children's author and artist mother, an older brother who is a wildly successful music producer, a popular actress sister and a mathematical genius little brother.
Lodger boy is an aspiring painter himself, continually brash and sneering to the others who occupy the wealthy circles in which he normally moves, but the h finds him charming and very grateful for his renting lodgings from her after her father died 6 months ago. The h has virtually no self-esteem and Lodger boy thinks he can bully her into it, he even gives her a nickname of Jenny-wren, which apparently is supposed to boost her ego.
What Lodger boy really likes is having an adoring female who lets him boss her around at his beck and call. He and the h aren't lovers, she doesn't think of him that way at all, yet he continually and deliberately makes snide insinuations about their living situation throughout the story. Even when the h asks him to stop, he just grins and continues doing it.
The h composes and sings her own songs and the family, (as arrogantly patronizing as Lodger boy is,) bullies her into performing them. The h is obviously uncomfortable with performing and she is also a guest in their home, but they all seem to think she needs to be managed by them and should sing for her supper.
The older brother meets the h and she falls in love at first sight, the father attempts to match make and after the h's performance, the older brother asks her to spend some time performing her other songs for him for his professional evaluation. She does and while they are working, he starts kissing her. She is very attracted, but he puts her off when he finds she is a virgin.
Lodger boy continues with his possessive obnoxious behavior, the sister decides she needs to match make between Lodger boy and the h, and older brother H becomes very professional and then personally cold and avoids the h after critiquing a few more songs. The h is hopelessly in love and crying because she can't compete with the women the H is always around.
The sister gives the h a makeover for a big party they are all going to. The h thinks maybe the H will want her then, but Lodger boy has a huge temper fit and denounces her makeover as comparable to a prostitute. This leads to more self-esteem issues and tears for the h, but she goes to the party as her own plain (in her eyes) little self.
After the H deliberately snubs her at the party, she allows Lodger boy to bully her into a performance. She sings a song the H had wanted her especially to work on, as it is now completed. Everyone is very impressed and begging for an encore. The h walks off and the H chases after her. He finally corners her and drunkenly starts kissing her passionately. The h is excited but scared too, then Lodger boy comes along and the brothers start throwing punches and the h is horrified.
Lodger boy takes the h home and she is fairly hysterical. The h decides she will sleep with Lodger boy, she figures if she can tell the H she isn't a virgin anymore, he will follow through on his attraction. (I guess she doesn't think enough of his morals to believe that he wouldn't reject his brother's sloppy seconds and actually sleep with her, but she was pretty neurotic by this point.) The h tries to seduce Lodger boy, but he won't be a substitute for another man, and then the H walks into her room. (All of these people were pretty free with just barging into the bedroom of a guest, that kinda irked me too.)
The brothers start beating each other in the hall and the h is horrified all over again. Finally the father comes out and threatens everybody with the Wrath Of Their Mother if they don't all go to their rooms, including the h - whom the father is very disappointed in. The h wants to leave and goes to tell the father the next morning, he acts patronizing again and tells her she can't, he then asks which of his sons she loves.
She confesses she loves the H, the father is delighted and then the H shows up with a man who wants to buy her music. The h listens to the sales pitch but delays a decision and then the H comes back to talk to her. He set her up for a sale in an attempt to give her something to help her, but the h is hurt that he won't love her. He confesses he isn't good enough for her and then Lodger boy shows up again. There is more bickering and threats until the H announces he is marrying the h.
The h finally tells Lodger boy she isn't interested in him and he goes off to be waylayed by his own soon to be romantic interest - the daughter of the host who held the party the night before and is an artist as well - and whom he very grossly insulted about the quality of her work and her appearance. We don't actually ever get that story, but given how I dislike Lodger boy, that is probably just as well.
The H and h avow mutual devotion and the H's elegant and moving proclamation of his love is really the only thing that saves this book. They go to announce their wedding plans, but the sister comes in and gives the h a hard time about Lodger boy, until the H announces that they love each other. Then the sister backs off and the H and h go on to an HEA and a guest appearance in the HR Blind Date.
Overall this is not a bad story with lots and lots of drama. I just don't like it all that much because I HATE the interfering family trope and these people were just too interfering over a woman they don't even know and who is obviously very intimidated by them and still grieving over her dad's death. I wasn't really buying the H's love either, but there couldn't have been any other reason for his behaviors in regards to the h - no motives were there, so I just went with it cause ED said so.
The h really cries too much and is way too neurotic for my taste, and it makes me agog with wonder at her sophisticated and highly successful,charming persona when she appears in the other ED books. That is the magic of love I guess. Anyways a lot of people like this book, so as always, take my perception with a grain of salt and try this one on for size if you feel like it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 10, 2021
"Song of a Wren" is the story of Jenny and Robert.
Heroine is a sad belle, recently orphaned, sharing a house with vivacious OM. He invites her to his home from Christmas, obviously wanting to be more. His family is sweet, but what catches the heroine's eye is his macho older brother- a record producer. The hero wants to hear the heroine's songs, the heroine is eager to share them.. that is until she realizes they mean nothing to him. The book then has the heroine being a ping pong between the two siblings- gets rejected by one, tries to seduce another; longs for one, flirts with another yada yada. This continues until she tries to bang OM.. and he realizes he's a stand in for his brother. The family then helps her seduce the hero and that's the end.
Brother to brother- even if by chance- and especially in a love triangle creeps me out.
SWE
2/5
Heroine is a sad belle, recently orphaned, sharing a house with vivacious OM. He invites her to his home from Christmas, obviously wanting to be more. His family is sweet, but what catches the heroine's eye is his macho older brother- a record producer. The hero wants to hear the heroine's songs, the heroine is eager to share them.. that is until she realizes they mean nothing to him. The book then has the heroine being a ping pong between the two siblings- gets rejected by one, tries to seduce another; longs for one, flirts with another yada yada. This continues until she tries to bang OM.. and he realizes he's a stand in for his brother. The family then helps her seduce the hero and that's the end.
Brother to brother- even if by chance- and especially in a love triangle creeps me out.
SWE
2/5
March 12, 2012
Jenny is Tony's landlady and roommate, they have been together for quite a while and after Jenny's father passed away, Tony wanted to bring her home for Christmas, so she wouldn't be all alone. Tony has bit by bit fallen in love with Jenny and thought it appropriate for the family to meet her.
The only issue is Jenny isn't in love with Tony, she loves him as she would a brother. When she meet Robert, Tony's older brother suddenly things change and within seconds she is desperately in love with Rob.
As Jenny, Rob and Tony try to sort out their feelings, a lot of things go astray. Rob constantly thinks that Jenny is in love with Tony. Tony is in love with Jenny and thinks Rob will break her heart and destroy her innocents. Jenny is in love with Rob but Rob doesn't appear to love her or want to make love to her. She doesn't understand why no one wants her after begging Tony to make love to her and him denying her. It's a big mess and now Rob and Tony are fighting physically! Will they sort it out before Jenny leaves?
I thought this novel was quite beautiful. The fluent writing makes you fall in love as you read it. I don't think I could come up with a possible negative. I loved all the characters, it was great!
The only issue is Jenny isn't in love with Tony, she loves him as she would a brother. When she meet Robert, Tony's older brother suddenly things change and within seconds she is desperately in love with Rob.
As Jenny, Rob and Tony try to sort out their feelings, a lot of things go astray. Rob constantly thinks that Jenny is in love with Tony. Tony is in love with Jenny and thinks Rob will break her heart and destroy her innocents. Jenny is in love with Rob but Rob doesn't appear to love her or want to make love to her. She doesn't understand why no one wants her after begging Tony to make love to her and him denying her. It's a big mess and now Rob and Tony are fighting physically! Will they sort it out before Jenny leaves?
I thought this novel was quite beautiful. The fluent writing makes you fall in love as you read it. I don't think I could come up with a possible negative. I loved all the characters, it was great!
May 1, 2012
Well this book had a lot going on, the heroine was like a waif, prone to crying since she had lost her father. She was 23 and wasn't that confident and didn't see the beauty in herself or her talent when it came to composing and she didn't see how her roommate of six months Tony had deeper feelings for her. She went to his house for Christmas as a friend where his family assumed she was more and she asked Tony to tell them that is not the case. From the start she took a shining to his older brother Robert, but she was shy and not self confident and prone to belittling herself.
Now, the hero doesn't get that much of page time. He is quite cynical but loves her music and they almost make love, he stops when he finds out she is a virgin. She is hurt, and doesn't know what to do and he backs off. Then Tony kind of warns his brother off, she doesn't realize it is because he has feelings for her. I have to admit the heroine was like those old Victorian chicks, prone to crying jags and feeling down about herself.
The book was quite dramatic and I have to admit I have rarely read such a book.
May 3, 2021
3.5 rounded to 4...Boogenhagen gives a great summary of the plot(and made me laugh)...I’m not sure what I’m going to say but....
This romance story was a team effort. The family of the H featured predominantly in the story. In fact upon further review, I realized that the H had very few prominent scenes with the h. His brother, the om, on the other hand, seemed to have much more. I haven’t read a harlequin yet where the family members were so involved. They were a little over the top 🔝 ...they were a very artsy, rich, welcoming family, but their enthusiasm could be a little much.
The story spans a week...the h and H are engaged by the end. They might become the next Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager...google them...they were a little before my time/overlapped my time, but were quite famous once upon a time.👇🏻
“Once in your life you find her
Someone that turns your heart around
And next thing you know you're closing down the town
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wondering to yourself, "Hey, what've I found?"
The best that you can do is fall in love......
.......Arthur’s Theme
This romance story was a team effort. The family of the H featured predominantly in the story. In fact upon further review, I realized that the H had very few prominent scenes with the h. His brother, the om, on the other hand, seemed to have much more. I haven’t read a harlequin yet where the family members were so involved. They were a little over the top 🔝 ...they were a very artsy, rich, welcoming family, but their enthusiasm could be a little much.
The story spans a week...the h and H are engaged by the end. They might become the next Burt Bacharach and Carol Bayer Sager...google them...they were a little before my time/overlapped my time, but were quite famous once upon a time.👇🏻
“Once in your life you find her
Someone that turns your heart around
And next thing you know you're closing down the town
Wake up and it's still with you
Even though you left her way across town
Wondering to yourself, "Hey, what've I found?"
The best that you can do is fall in love......
.......Arthur’s Theme
March 14, 2012
Well, this was all flowing along nicely until the end when they emphasized several times that all of this occurred in ONE WEEK. It became ridiculous, when they started talking about overcoming emotional obstacles like the hero thinking he wasn't good enough to love her -- he must have overcome that in about 3 hours, because another plot point was that he spent about 4 days of that one week avoiding her.
I also had a hard time getting over the fact that he still lived with his parents -- granted, maybe it was one of those estate houses with a zillion bedrooms, but the book made such a point of describing how his bedroom was large and had a bar built into the bedframe, with a bunch of his records and stereo in another corner, and it started sounding pretty juvenile.
Still, this was still a pretty decent story if you can ignore the ridiculousness of the timeline. It was interesting for a change to have a heroine who immediately wanted a romantic relationship with the hero, instead of having to be forced into his company.
I also had a hard time getting over the fact that he still lived with his parents -- granted, maybe it was one of those estate houses with a zillion bedrooms, but the book made such a point of describing how his bedroom was large and had a bar built into the bedframe, with a bunch of his records and stereo in another corner, and it started sounding pretty juvenile.
Still, this was still a pretty decent story if you can ignore the ridiculousness of the timeline. It was interesting for a change to have a heroine who immediately wanted a romantic relationship with the hero, instead of having to be forced into his company.
August 22, 2014
I am rating this five stars not because it's the best romance novel ever, but because I have read it when I was a teenager and have searched for it relentlessly for at least past ten years, so it is very dear to me for having left an impression. The only thing about the book which I remembered was the dramatic scene of two brothers fist fighting for a girl they both loved. Having reread it again in 2013, I found it a cute Harlequin read: great background on Australia, sexy sweet parents, great portrayal of both brothers unique attractiveness, endearing displays of male protectiveness, and interesting music sub plot.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 29, 2020
She wasn't the type to come between brothers
Jenny Ross could cheerfully have killed Tony Knight, her lodger and friend -- one terrible tease. He shouldn't have introduced her to his family in Sydney as his "very special live-in lady."
And he shouldn't have gone on and on to his brother Robert about the songs Jenny wrote in her spare time. Anyone could see that Robert, a television producer, was weary of being used as a springboard to success.
No wonder he deliberately downplayed the attraction that wreaked havoc with Jenny's emotions. Wasn't she his brother's girl?
Jenny Ross could cheerfully have killed Tony Knight, her lodger and friend -- one terrible tease. He shouldn't have introduced her to his family in Sydney as his "very special live-in lady."
And he shouldn't have gone on and on to his brother Robert about the songs Jenny wrote in her spare time. Anyone could see that Robert, a television producer, was weary of being used as a springboard to success.
No wonder he deliberately downplayed the attraction that wreaked havoc with Jenny's emotions. Wasn't she his brother's girl?
May 2, 2021
She cries a lot.
I don’t like it when two brothers fight over the same girl. And I don’t like books where the H or the h is a singer/songwriter. Because unless she is Beyonce or Shakira or Adele or something, she is some kind of lowbudget wannabe singer.
I don’t like it when two brothers fight over the same girl. And I don’t like books where the H or the h is a singer/songwriter. Because unless she is Beyonce or Shakira or Adele or something, she is some kind of lowbudget wannabe singer.
November 13, 2013
"The expression in his eyes too enigmatic for her decipher". Beautiful romantic story .
January 17, 2024
Two brothers/one heroine. Not my favorite trope, to be honest. Sweet, shy heroine visits hero's family for Christmas. Younger brother is a blond, effervescent artist. Older brother is dark, cynical and a successful music executive.
Which one does she choose? LOL - unless this is your first HP rodeo - you know that brother is always the hero. And 99% of the time is lightweight OM material.
Since I've been around the HP block a few times, I didn't need to worry about who she would choose. Instead I could focus on all the parallels with Margaret Way heroines/family dynasties. Heroine is sensitive, unknowing of her own beauty, and super-talented. Her songwriting and singing bring party crowds to a stand still. The hero's family is multi-talented and speak in either witty or profound cliches.
It's a departure from ED's usual style, but it was interesting. If you like a large dollop of melodrama with Mary Sue heroines, you'll like this one.
Which one does she choose? LOL - unless this is your first HP rodeo - you know that brother is always the hero. And 99% of the time is lightweight OM material.
Since I've been around the HP block a few times, I didn't need to worry about who she would choose. Instead I could focus on all the parallels with Margaret Way heroines/family dynasties. Heroine is sensitive, unknowing of her own beauty, and super-talented. Her songwriting and singing bring party crowds to a stand still. The hero's family is multi-talented and speak in either witty or profound cliches.
It's a departure from ED's usual style, but it was interesting. If you like a large dollop of melodrama with Mary Sue heroines, you'll like this one.
May 7, 2025
I liked this book at first, but when the H rejected the h and she almost slept with the OM (the H's younger brother), it got to be too sleazy for me. (You shouldn't get naked for your future brother-in-law, especially when you've been friend zoning him while he wanted more. I could accept that behavior in a younger h (though not condone it), but 23 is NOT 18!
DNF
DNF
October 17, 2023
HAIKU BOOK REVIEW: Song of a Wren, by Emma Darcy
Two manwhore brothers,
One insufferable girl,
such melodrama :(
Two manwhore brothers,
One insufferable girl,
such melodrama :(
April 4, 2012
Prequel to one of my fave books: Blind Date - but not as strong. I found h to be weak.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews