Vanishing Bride

Harlequin Mystique #2

by Madeleine Magali

"Your husband will never find you..."
In the desolate mountain fortress, Marion Maresco tried to piece together the shattered remnants of her life. But her precious calm was soon swallowed up in a maelstrom of intrigue and trickery, which swarmed through the ancient walls of Castel Terralba.

Not the least of her problems was the fiercely handsome Marquis, Don Carlo de Terralba, who did not suspect the real reason for Marioun's sudden appearance in remote Sardinia.

Fearing detection, Marion attempted to escape another situation that had become unbearable to her. But no one escaped the Marquis!

Genres: Romance

187 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1969

Reviews

[Taylor - Muse Ignited Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. A better than average take on the midcentury Romantic Suspense, i was surprised by this one. I didn’t have very high expectations and this is my first of the “Mystique” books i’ve read. Fast moving interesting and full of intrigue plus good secondary characters. Is it gonna blow your hair back? No, but its an entertaining read for a summers day.

Note: Like most “retro reads” there are some “un-PC” things which might bother some modern readers, however they were pretty mild in this case.

[Eileen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It certainly was full of intrigue. Because of a mix-up (actually, two mix-ups) at the airport, Marion is not on a plane that explodes mid-flight. By the time she gets home to Paris, she decides to break the news gently to her husband. Then she overhears and sees something shocking that leaves her whole world upside-down. With no friends to turn to and no access to money or home, Marion takes a position as governess to a little girl separated from her mother by her father's family. As Marion grows closer to the family, her reasons for coming become more and more terrible to her. She must choose between the place she has come to love and belong in and her duty to the people who helped her when she had no one else to turn to.

The characters were interesting and the twists of the plot were believable and interesting, though somewhat predictable. The description was fun, and most of the book takes place in Sardinia, which I have not read about before.

At first, Marion was a little pathetic, but not unlikeable. She wasn't plucky and talented at everything, which was refreshing, plus she grew by the end of the story. The story's ending is just a little cheesy, but I like cheese, so that's good. A happy resolution, in spite of everything.

A book I would read again, and one I own because of the wonders of garage sale prices! I would read more by this author.

[Evelyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a re-read for me. I didn't remember the story. It was okay but I'm not keeping the book.

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