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Mixed Emotions
Twenty-two-year-old Margot Seaton meets Paul Rayburn at a party. He is six years older, funny, impulsive, and charming. She's immediately taken by his role-playing, his funny voices and accents, his whimsy. And in a spur-of-the-moment decision, agrees to marry him only days after they meet. Ignoring the small voice in her head that urges caution, and ignoring all the good advice her parents ever gave her, she begins a life with a man she scarcely knows. Initially, it's fun. But then Paul begins dictating the terms of her life, where she can and cannot go, what she should and shouldn't do. She must pay -- initially in small but upsetting ways -- for what she wants. But as time goes by, the payments evolve into ever worse acts of abuse. Margot is being harmed, physically and emotionally, and she's too ashamed and too frightened to confide in her parents. So the assaults continue, growing worse with the passage of time. Until, finally, fearing for her life and with the support of her parents, Margot runs. She finds work keeping house for Cameron Harley and his father Claude. It is a surprising and ill-kept sanctuary where Margot gradually rediscovers herself and her ability to trust others.
- GenresFiction
228 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1977
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Charlotte Vale Allen
60 books40 followersCharlotte Vale-Allen was born in Toronto and lived in England from 1961 to 1964 where she worked as a television actress and singer. She returned to Toronto briefly, performing as a singer and in cabaret revues until she emigrated to the United States in 1966.
Shortly after her marriage to Walter Allen in 1970 she began writing and sold her first novel Love Life in 1974. Prior to this book's publication she contracted to do a series of paperback originals for Warner Books, with the result that in 1976 three of her books appeared in print.
Her autobiography, the acclaimed Daddy's Girl, was actually the first book she wrote but in 1971 it was deemed too controversial by the editors who read it. It wasn't until 1980, after she'd gained success as a novelist, that the groundbreaking book was finally published.
One of Canada's most successful novelists, with over seven million copies sold of her 30+ novels, Ms. Allen's books have been published in all English-speaking countries, in Braille, and have been translated into more than 20 languages.
In her writing she tries to deal with issues confronting women, being informative while at the same time offering a measure of optimism. "My strongest ability as a writer is to make women real, to take you inside their heads and let you know how they feel, and to make you care about them."
A film buff and an amateur photographer, Allen enjoys foreign travel. She finds cooking and needlework therapeutic, and is a compulsive player of computer Solitaire. The mother of an adult daughter, since 1970 she has made her home in Connecticut.
Shortly after her marriage to Walter Allen in 1970 she began writing and sold her first novel Love Life in 1974. Prior to this book's publication she contracted to do a series of paperback originals for Warner Books, with the result that in 1976 three of her books appeared in print.
Her autobiography, the acclaimed Daddy's Girl, was actually the first book she wrote but in 1971 it was deemed too controversial by the editors who read it. It wasn't until 1980, after she'd gained success as a novelist, that the groundbreaking book was finally published.
One of Canada's most successful novelists, with over seven million copies sold of her 30+ novels, Ms. Allen's books have been published in all English-speaking countries, in Braille, and have been translated into more than 20 languages.
In her writing she tries to deal with issues confronting women, being informative while at the same time offering a measure of optimism. "My strongest ability as a writer is to make women real, to take you inside their heads and let you know how they feel, and to make you care about them."
A film buff and an amateur photographer, Allen enjoys foreign travel. She finds cooking and needlework therapeutic, and is a compulsive player of computer Solitaire. The mother of an adult daughter, since 1970 she has made her home in Connecticut.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 30, 2019
Beautiful story
This is one of those beautifully written stories that you can read more than once and still enjoy it a second or third time as I have.
This is one of those beautifully written stories that you can read more than once and still enjoy it a second or third time as I have.
April 8, 2009
Great read!!
Twenty-two year old Margot Seaton meets Paul Rayburn at a party. He is six years older, funny, impulsive, and charming. Margot is immediately taken by his role-playing, his funny voices and accents, his whimsy. And in a spur-of-the-moment decision, agrees to marry him only days after they meet.
Ignoring the small voice in her head that urges caution, and ignoring all the good advice her parents ever gave her, she begins a life with a man she scarcely knows. Initially, it's fun. But then Paul begins dictating the terms of her life, where she can and cannot go, what she should and shouldn't do. She must pay--initially in small but upsetting ways--for what she wants. But as time goes by, the payments evolve into ever worse acts of abuse.
Margot is being harmed, physically and emotionally, and she's too ashamed and too frightened to confide in her parents. So the assaults continue, growing worse with the passage of time. Until, finally, fearing for her life and with the support of her parents, Margot runs. She finds work keeping house for Cameron Harley and his father Claude. It is a surprising and ill-kept sanctuary where Margot gradually rediscovers herself and her ability to trust others.
Twenty-two year old Margot Seaton meets Paul Rayburn at a party. He is six years older, funny, impulsive, and charming. Margot is immediately taken by his role-playing, his funny voices and accents, his whimsy. And in a spur-of-the-moment decision, agrees to marry him only days after they meet.
Ignoring the small voice in her head that urges caution, and ignoring all the good advice her parents ever gave her, she begins a life with a man she scarcely knows. Initially, it's fun. But then Paul begins dictating the terms of her life, where she can and cannot go, what she should and shouldn't do. She must pay--initially in small but upsetting ways--for what she wants. But as time goes by, the payments evolve into ever worse acts of abuse.
Margot is being harmed, physically and emotionally, and she's too ashamed and too frightened to confide in her parents. So the assaults continue, growing worse with the passage of time. Until, finally, fearing for her life and with the support of her parents, Margot runs. She finds work keeping house for Cameron Harley and his father Claude. It is a surprising and ill-kept sanctuary where Margot gradually rediscovers herself and her ability to trust others.
February 1, 2010
I couldn't get past the very dated language to find a way into this story, its a little too formal and dry. There is a very similar book I have read (the same era and subject) and it sort of felt like de ja vue (wish i could find it in my list but i think it predates my time at goodreads)
October 18, 2011
Deals with wife beating.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews