What do you think?
Rate this book
Broken Rhapsody
"You taught me never to trust a woman!"
David's condemnation was deserved, but seeing him again brought back a past Elizabeth had thought buried. He had been her first love, and she had betrayed him.
The decision had not been hers. His mother's plans for her only son did not include a young penniless orphan, no matter how talented.
Now after five years there was still no way to vindicate herself without hurting him again. She knew that their ecstasy had been too brief, and their agony too long and beyond forgiveness...
David's condemnation was deserved, but seeing him again brought back a past Elizabeth had thought buried. He had been her first love, and she had betrayed him.
The decision had not been hers. His mother's plans for her only son did not include a young penniless orphan, no matter how talented.
Now after five years there was still no way to vindicate herself without hurting him again. She knew that their ecstasy had been too brief, and their agony too long and beyond forgiveness...
188 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
40 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Way
611 books162 followersMargaret Way was born and educated in the river city of Brisbane, Australia. Before her marriage she was a well-known pianist, teacher, vocal coach and accompanist, but her hectic musical career came to a halt when her son was born and the demands of motherhood dictated a change of pace.
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."
Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
March 1, 2024
I dislike giving negative reviews. But...
This was not good. I'm trying to be sensitive to the fact I'm relatively new to the genre and, published in 1982, HPs would have undoubtedly been a lot different in tone and content at a time when I was reading Eddings' Belgariad and watching Star Trek movies for the first time. But this unfortunately did not work for me on any level. It lacked the emotional depth I would have wanted. Most of the characters were snipping at each other and didn't REALLY love each other... or even like each other most of the time. The story had gaps and didn't have much development.
This was not good. I'm trying to be sensitive to the fact I'm relatively new to the genre and, published in 1982, HPs would have undoubtedly been a lot different in tone and content at a time when I was reading Eddings' Belgariad and watching Star Trek movies for the first time. But this unfortunately did not work for me on any level. It lacked the emotional depth I would have wanted. Most of the characters were snipping at each other and didn't REALLY love each other... or even like each other most of the time. The story had gaps and didn't have much development.
October 9, 2018
Not a lot of clarity about what happened at the end a bit too abrupt for an ending!
This would have been 5🌟 for me if there a less time focus on secondary character and more time either flash back or present time spent with the main couple it would have been better. I enjoyed reading this but it felt flat a bit for me because they didn't spend a lot of time together.
Song that came to mind with this story especially for the the way things wee with Elizabeth is cheryl cole's fight for this love!
This would have been 5🌟 for me if there a less time focus on secondary character and more time either flash back or present time spent with the main couple it would have been better. I enjoyed reading this but it felt flat a bit for me because they didn't spend a lot of time together.
Song that came to mind with this story especially for the the way things wee with Elizabeth is cheryl cole's fight for this love!
October 5, 2025
This is actually one of MW's better stories.
Heroine is a pianist, engaged to a dry stick, and trying not to think of her only love, the hero. Hero was the rich boy in the district. His evil mother ran the orphaned heroine off when she was 19 by threatning to ruin evil aunt and uncle finanacially. Heroine, who is as saintly as all MW heroines, gave up the hero for their sakes.
H/h meet again at a country house weekend. Heroine faints (she faints a lot) and hero growls and says cruel things. Heroine has to "play it again Sam" at the request of their host and she almost breaks down.
Good thing the heroine has a job to go to. She's a piano teacher at an exclusive Music Academy in Sydney. She has taken an interest in a neglected pupil who is up for a scholarship. This is the most interesting part of the story. The parents are evil as are all of MW's parents.
Meanwhile, hero tells heroine to ditch the fiance or he will make his life difficult in the business world. The fiance's OW is threatening her. Heroine has her pupil move in to her apartment before the exams as a buffer. And she takes a tycoon's middle aged daughter out for a makeover.
It's all a good diverstion from the flimsy romance plot. When H/h get engaged, heroine starts recieving hate mail. It's only then that hero realizes heroine was forced into breaking off their relationship five years before. He actually appologizes during the abrupt ending. (A rarity in MW's world)
An interesting story, but not really a romance.
Heroine is a pianist, engaged to a dry stick, and trying not to think of her only love, the hero. Hero was the rich boy in the district. His evil mother ran the orphaned heroine off when she was 19 by threatning to ruin evil aunt and uncle finanacially. Heroine, who is as saintly as all MW heroines, gave up the hero for their sakes.
H/h meet again at a country house weekend. Heroine faints (she faints a lot) and hero growls and says cruel things. Heroine has to "play it again Sam" at the request of their host and she almost breaks down.
Good thing the heroine has a job to go to. She's a piano teacher at an exclusive Music Academy in Sydney. She has taken an interest in a neglected pupil who is up for a scholarship. This is the most interesting part of the story. The parents are evil as are all of MW's parents.
Meanwhile, hero tells heroine to ditch the fiance or he will make his life difficult in the business world. The fiance's OW is threatening her. Heroine has her pupil move in to her apartment before the exams as a buffer. And she takes a tycoon's middle aged daughter out for a makeover.
It's all a good diverstion from the flimsy romance plot. When H/h get engaged, heroine starts recieving hate mail. It's only then that hero realizes heroine was forced into breaking off their relationship five years before. He actually appologizes during the abrupt ending. (A rarity in MW's world)
An interesting story, but not really a romance.
December 27, 2017
97-وأخيرا الجنة
روايات عبير الجديدة
لزابيث عازفة بيانو لامعة . تلقى حفلاتها الموسيقية نجاحا كبيرا في استراليا . لكن الاحتفاء بها والحماس لفنها لا يمكنه التخفيف من كآبتها .
هنا سر يرهقها اسمه دايفيد ، هذا الرجل الذي تعرفت عليه في الرابعة عشر من عمرها والذي احبته حبا جارفا لا يموت.
حاولت نسيانه وهي تستعد للزواج من كافن رجل الاعمال المشهور ، لكن ......ماذا سيحصل اذا دخل ديفيد فجأة حياتها من جديد ؟
روايات عبير الجديدة
لزابيث عازفة بيانو لامعة . تلقى حفلاتها الموسيقية نجاحا كبيرا في استراليا . لكن الاحتفاء بها والحماس لفنها لا يمكنه التخفيف من كآبتها .
هنا سر يرهقها اسمه دايفيد ، هذا الرجل الذي تعرفت عليه في الرابعة عشر من عمرها والذي احبته حبا جارفا لا يموت.
حاولت نسيانه وهي تستعد للزواج من كافن رجل الاعمال المشهور ، لكن ......ماذا سيحصل اذا دخل ديفيد فجأة حياتها من جديد ؟
April 8, 2021
This book wasn't that great as I found that there was like zero development what so ever of the main characters. There's no conflict, no direction, no resolution. Just have to accept the fact that David gets his way and Elizabeth has no choice but to be with him.
There's no chemistry between them. Elizabeth is so damn passive and bland. David is so forceful and demanding. Quick read and nothing memorable or worthwhile.
There's no chemistry between them. Elizabeth is so damn passive and bland. David is so forceful and demanding. Quick read and nothing memorable or worthwhile.
April 29, 2021
This whole story seemed out of kilter. I couldn’t tell where the heroine was coming from or where she was going. The hero didn’t have much to recommend him. The other man is a 40+ year old baby. There were 0ther women scattered here and there, plus manipulative mothers, cruel fathers, despicable aunts and some voices crying in the wilderness. I couldn’t get to the end quickly enough.
pback-to-read
February 8, 2021You taught me never to trust a woman!"
David's condemnation was deserved, but seeing him again brought back a past Elizabeth had thought buried. He had been her first love, and she had betrayed him.
The decision had not been hers. His mother's plans for her only son did not include a young penniless orphan, no matter how talented.
Now after five years there was still no way to vindicate herself without hurting him again. She knew that their ecstasy had been too brief, and their agony too long and beyond forgiveness..
David's condemnation was deserved, but seeing him again brought back a past Elizabeth had thought buried. He had been her first love, and she had betrayed him.
The decision had not been hers. His mother's plans for her only son did not include a young penniless orphan, no matter how talented.
Now after five years there was still no way to vindicate herself without hurting him again. She knew that their ecstasy had been too brief, and their agony too long and beyond forgiveness..
May 14, 2013
Overall, it was pretty great. The whole light at the end of a tunnel feeling. I did enjoy the characters and the HEA.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews