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Only You
Sara vowed she would not be hurt again.
Sara had been horrified when she learned that her new boss was to be Mark Fenwick. Now she listened to him anxiously.
"I thought every trace of the old Sara was gone," he said enigmatically, "until I saw the nervous flutter of your lashes. I recognize this more easily than the depressingly hostile facade you've presented since I came."
Sara had made a fool of herself over Mark Fenwick three years before; she'd been hurt enough to last a lifetime. Mark must never know she still loved him!
Sara had been horrified when she learned that her new boss was to be Mark Fenwick. Now she listened to him anxiously.
"I thought every trace of the old Sara was gone," he said enigmatically, "until I saw the nervous flutter of your lashes. I recognize this more easily than the depressingly hostile facade you've presented since I came."
Sara had made a fool of herself over Mark Fenwick three years before; she'd been hurt enough to last a lifetime. Mark must never know she still loved him!
- GenresHarlequin Romance
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1979
84 people want to read
About the author
Margaret Pargeter
104 books75 followersMargaret Pargeter was a popular writer of 50 romance novels in Mills & Boon from 1975 to 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 28, 2018
Another journey into the fascinating, politically incorrect world of yester year's Harlequin Presents ! This novel was so trainwrecky that it kept me turning pages just to see what was gonna happen next. Yeah this novel is not for everybody. If you're an extremely somber, serious person who analyzes every romance novel for Gender Studies thesis debate topics, then stay away from this PLEASE. But, if you're a joker like me, who reads drama filled, OTT novels just for a good laugh then you might have fun with this disasterfest. We have a H called Mark, who is the 18 yr old heroine's big bad boss. Mark is one of those super cynical and entitled chauvinists who break young Sara's heart because he's also a selfish prick. He's one of those guys who are allergic to saying "I Love You" and are afraid to fall in love. Sara is a wonderful but not too smart Mary Sue. She's come to London to work in the typing pool of Astro Chemicals, which is owned by the H. She lives in an old fashioned ladies' hostel and is courted by an adulterous dirtbag called Dickie Gordon. Dickie ( aka Richard White ) is also Mark's brother in law but our Sara Sue doesn't know that Dickie has a wife.
Sara is not attracted to Dickie and only goes out with him a few times because she has no friends in London. She's unaware that Dickie is only using her for his own master plan: to get his wife to agree to divorce him. Dickie has his own secret OW but this marriage wrecking whorebag doesn't want to be named in a public divorce scandal so Dickie decides to cultivate a friendship with the clueless heroine. Sara and Dickie meet each other and become platonic pals long before she encounters the H. Her relationship with Mark soon goes from the fond/pseudo older brother category to full blown platonic romance. The H doesn't strong arm her into a relationship but he does do a few politically incorrect things that present day readers will interpret as a mild form of sexual harassment. The MC's date each other in secret, for a few months, because they don't want anyone at work to know they're together. The relationship takes a dramatic turn when Mark invites Sara to spend a weekend at his love shack in the country. Sara thinks it's going to be a cute platonic little trip and Mark doesn't actually come on too heavy until a make out session heats up.
They're about to insert body part P into V when the heroine stammers out a comment about it being her first time. The asshole H goes into full retreat mode and starts to get angry ( we all know how these skankaholic guys have a love-hate obsession with virgins ). Mark's shock is amusing to me. This novel is set in the '70's after all: does this guy really expect this sheltered, 18 year old country girl to be an experienced sexpert ? The entire episode ends in an ugly argument that has me feeling a lot of pain for the poor heroine, because Mark makes demeaning comments about her innocence. They return to London and their parting is hostile. She doesn't see him for a week and decides to go out on a date with the Dickie the dirtbag. This is all part of Dickie's big master plan of course. They end up listening to music at Dickie's apartment and Sara makes a huge mistake by letting the dirtbag kiss her. The H and his sister ( aka Dickie's wife ) walk in and all hell breaks loose ! I felt sorry for Sara and Dickie's wife because Dickie is a lying asshole who throws Sara under the bus. He states calmly that Sara knew that he was married.
Mark believes Dickie and is mean and cruel to poor Sara. He fires her. Sara begs him to keep her name out of any divorce scandal and he agrees. The novel actually begins 3 years after this disaster has happened. Sara is back home in Coventry and she is shocked to discover that her elderly boss has sold his firm to Mark. The H is now gonna be Sara's employer again. Most of this new story line deals with the usual love dance where the MC's are fighting their attraction for each other but failing miserably. Mark inserts himself into Sara's life and refuses to mind his own business. There are the usual jealous misunderstandings about a wannabe OW called Dolores and Mark's assumption that Sara's cousin Claude is her OM. In the end of the novel, Mark claims that he knew Sara wasn't involved with Dickie because he had forced the asshole to tell the truth years ago. The H also adds that he had made a "noble" sacrifice ( I'm holding Harold's furry head while he pukes right now...) to give Sara a few years to grow up before re entering her life. What I find difficult to understand, however, is: if this is true, then why does Mark still act like a major asshole when he does meet Sara again ? But, I will go with the author's rationale, of his male pride taking precedence over a minor thing as true love. The author does not mention anything about Mark's sex life during the 3 yr separation period but I guess the reader can use common sense and work that out herself...
This isn't for everybody because some readers will not be entertained by the OTT drama and a H who's a bit chauvinistic. But I choose not to dig deep when I read romance novels. I just read this stuff to be entertained in the same way that a tacky soap opera can be riveting.
Sara is not attracted to Dickie and only goes out with him a few times because she has no friends in London. She's unaware that Dickie is only using her for his own master plan: to get his wife to agree to divorce him. Dickie has his own secret OW but this marriage wrecking whorebag doesn't want to be named in a public divorce scandal so Dickie decides to cultivate a friendship with the clueless heroine. Sara and Dickie meet each other and become platonic pals long before she encounters the H. Her relationship with Mark soon goes from the fond/pseudo older brother category to full blown platonic romance. The H doesn't strong arm her into a relationship but he does do a few politically incorrect things that present day readers will interpret as a mild form of sexual harassment. The MC's date each other in secret, for a few months, because they don't want anyone at work to know they're together. The relationship takes a dramatic turn when Mark invites Sara to spend a weekend at his love shack in the country. Sara thinks it's going to be a cute platonic little trip and Mark doesn't actually come on too heavy until a make out session heats up.
They're about to insert body part P into V when the heroine stammers out a comment about it being her first time. The asshole H goes into full retreat mode and starts to get angry ( we all know how these skankaholic guys have a love-hate obsession with virgins ). Mark's shock is amusing to me. This novel is set in the '70's after all: does this guy really expect this sheltered, 18 year old country girl to be an experienced sexpert ? The entire episode ends in an ugly argument that has me feeling a lot of pain for the poor heroine, because Mark makes demeaning comments about her innocence. They return to London and their parting is hostile. She doesn't see him for a week and decides to go out on a date with the Dickie the dirtbag. This is all part of Dickie's big master plan of course. They end up listening to music at Dickie's apartment and Sara makes a huge mistake by letting the dirtbag kiss her. The H and his sister ( aka Dickie's wife ) walk in and all hell breaks loose ! I felt sorry for Sara and Dickie's wife because Dickie is a lying asshole who throws Sara under the bus. He states calmly that Sara knew that he was married.
Mark believes Dickie and is mean and cruel to poor Sara. He fires her. Sara begs him to keep her name out of any divorce scandal and he agrees. The novel actually begins 3 years after this disaster has happened. Sara is back home in Coventry and she is shocked to discover that her elderly boss has sold his firm to Mark. The H is now gonna be Sara's employer again. Most of this new story line deals with the usual love dance where the MC's are fighting their attraction for each other but failing miserably. Mark inserts himself into Sara's life and refuses to mind his own business. There are the usual jealous misunderstandings about a wannabe OW called Dolores and Mark's assumption that Sara's cousin Claude is her OM. In the end of the novel, Mark claims that he knew Sara wasn't involved with Dickie because he had forced the asshole to tell the truth years ago. The H also adds that he had made a "noble" sacrifice ( I'm holding Harold's furry head while he pukes right now...) to give Sara a few years to grow up before re entering her life. What I find difficult to understand, however, is: if this is true, then why does Mark still act like a major asshole when he does meet Sara again ? But, I will go with the author's rationale, of his male pride taking precedence over a minor thing as true love. The author does not mention anything about Mark's sex life during the 3 yr separation period but I guess the reader can use common sense and work that out herself...
This isn't for everybody because some readers will not be entertained by the OTT drama and a H who's a bit chauvinistic. But I choose not to dig deep when I read romance novels. I just read this stuff to be entertained in the same way that a tacky soap opera can be riveting.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2021
Poor hero. Only cruelty is standing between him and marriage to a hot teenager. After throwing her out of bed for being a virgin, and escalating his slut-shaming when she is caught with his brother-in-law, hero is finally safe from true love.
Three years later, hero buys the company where heroine works and the cycle of misunderstandings begins again. It's a vintage-style courtship, complete with an OW and a heroine who leaves out all of the important details of her life.
When the page count reaches 182, the hero finally explains his weird behavior for an HEA. lol
For vintage lovers only.
Three years later, hero buys the company where heroine works and the cycle of misunderstandings begins again. It's a vintage-style courtship, complete with an OW and a heroine who leaves out all of the important details of her life.
When the page count reaches 182, the hero finally explains his weird behavior for an HEA. lol
For vintage lovers only.
October 8, 2018
In a kingdom of dim-witted, fluttering, sputtering Mary Sues, the heroine of Margaret Pargeter's Only You is the reigning idiot queen. And let's not forget the pig of a hero, he was no prize either!
February 18, 2022
This was anachronistic.
The heroine is 18, virgin and naive. She’s never had a boyfriend and works as a typist for the hero, who’s much older and experienced.
He sees her and dates her, then offers a weekend in his cottage with the purpose of shagging her of course.
The poor darling is in love with him instead and since the book was written more than 40 years ago, she’s probably so innocent that doesn’t even understand the danger of being alone with a man in a house for the weekend.
The hero thinks that since she accepted to stay the night, she’s experienced and accepted also to have sex with him.
And there’s a very exhilarating scene where he goes into her bedroom and starts with his seduction project but stops and freezes midair when she candidly declares she’s a virgin.
He rejects her completely and tells her that he doesn’t do virgins, they cry and complain afterwards ( I wonder what a lousy lover he is) and the day after he takes her back home and leaves for some week.
The heroine is sad and miserable and decides to accept a date with a friend of hers, a young man she met some weeks before. They are just friends but that evening he offers her to have coffee at his house and she, having gained nothing at all by her experience with the hero, accepts.
Of course the man gets horny and kisses her passionately and she doesn’t know what to do, because her brain is not her best feature, but in that moment enter a woman screaming that her husband is a cheater, and with her there’s the hero who’s her brother.
So now the heroine is a slut and a tramp and a man eater and the hero fires her after telling her just that.
Not that I can disagree with him.
Ok she didn’t know he was married but anyway she shouldn’t have accepted his invitation after what happened with the hero if she didn’t mean to make out with om. What if he became violent? Abusive?
Our heroine goes back to her town and finds another job there.
Three years later the hero is back and he’s the new boss, so he asks her to be is PA.
For the first week the heroine shows a maturity and a character that I wouldn’t have bet she had in her, and I was quite pleased with her change, but when she meets the hero in the same hotel where she lives with her uncle and aunt ( they own the place) she loses all her cool and aplomb, and he kisses her and mauls her without a claim from her.
Some other mauling and kissing and weekends later, and the presence of a ow who is not a ow but is a business partner’s daughter, we have understood that the hero is back because he wants the heroine and this time not for a roll in the hay, but as a wife.
And eventually he confesses that he loved her and waited for her since she was too young when they first met and he was afraid that she could change her mind about him.
He believes she was innocent with his bil, but he was angry for some time and now he wants her as his wife.
All is well, even if I don’t understand what he found so interesting in her. She was really a naive and young girl, and yes, ok maybe she loved him but I have the impression that he had enough of changing partners and he wanted a lil homebody to shackle at the kitchen counter, barefoot and pregnant, while he travelled around the world for business.
It is a funny story, I don’t know how a man in the 70’s could think that a 18 yo country girl could be that experienced, especially one so meek and blushing as the heroine. In that time and age it was the norm.
Celibacy is of course unclear, his, not hers, but I wasn’t annoyed since there’s really nothing to hint that he was with women after the heroine and he told her he had been waiting and pining for her. So, discretion works for me here. (And we know that those heroes of old thought that celibacy was a very dangerous disease…)
The heroine is 18, virgin and naive. She’s never had a boyfriend and works as a typist for the hero, who’s much older and experienced.
He sees her and dates her, then offers a weekend in his cottage with the purpose of shagging her of course.
The poor darling is in love with him instead and since the book was written more than 40 years ago, she’s probably so innocent that doesn’t even understand the danger of being alone with a man in a house for the weekend.
The hero thinks that since she accepted to stay the night, she’s experienced and accepted also to have sex with him.
And there’s a very exhilarating scene where he goes into her bedroom and starts with his seduction project but stops and freezes midair when she candidly declares she’s a virgin.
He rejects her completely and tells her that he doesn’t do virgins, they cry and complain afterwards ( I wonder what a lousy lover he is) and the day after he takes her back home and leaves for some week.
The heroine is sad and miserable and decides to accept a date with a friend of hers, a young man she met some weeks before. They are just friends but that evening he offers her to have coffee at his house and she, having gained nothing at all by her experience with the hero, accepts.
Of course the man gets horny and kisses her passionately and she doesn’t know what to do, because her brain is not her best feature, but in that moment enter a woman screaming that her husband is a cheater, and with her there’s the hero who’s her brother.
So now the heroine is a slut and a tramp and a man eater and the hero fires her after telling her just that.
Not that I can disagree with him.
Ok she didn’t know he was married but anyway she shouldn’t have accepted his invitation after what happened with the hero if she didn’t mean to make out with om. What if he became violent? Abusive?
Our heroine goes back to her town and finds another job there.
Three years later the hero is back and he’s the new boss, so he asks her to be is PA.
For the first week the heroine shows a maturity and a character that I wouldn’t have bet she had in her, and I was quite pleased with her change, but when she meets the hero in the same hotel where she lives with her uncle and aunt ( they own the place) she loses all her cool and aplomb, and he kisses her and mauls her without a claim from her.
Some other mauling and kissing and weekends later, and the presence of a ow who is not a ow but is a business partner’s daughter, we have understood that the hero is back because he wants the heroine and this time not for a roll in the hay, but as a wife.
And eventually he confesses that he loved her and waited for her since she was too young when they first met and he was afraid that she could change her mind about him.
He believes she was innocent with his bil, but he was angry for some time and now he wants her as his wife.
All is well, even if I don’t understand what he found so interesting in her. She was really a naive and young girl, and yes, ok maybe she loved him but I have the impression that he had enough of changing partners and he wanted a lil homebody to shackle at the kitchen counter, barefoot and pregnant, while he travelled around the world for business.
It is a funny story, I don’t know how a man in the 70’s could think that a 18 yo country girl could be that experienced, especially one so meek and blushing as the heroine. In that time and age it was the norm.
Celibacy is of course unclear, his, not hers, but I wasn’t annoyed since there’s really nothing to hint that he was with women after the heroine and he told her he had been waiting and pining for her. So, discretion works for me here. (And we know that those heroes of old thought that celibacy was a very dangerous disease…)
January 18, 2022
On one hand this Hero is an autocratic, mean, jealous/possessive, aloof, semi-abusive, insulting, grouchy, manipulative, sexual-harassing asshat, bipolar HR nightmare.
On the other hand:
🤷🏼♀️😬 I can’t explain these things.
Bottom Line? This would have been a solid 4-stars if their 2nd meeting THREE YEARS LATER wasn’t a chance situation. He takes full bulldozery advantage of the chance situation, but he did not orchestrate it, much to my disappointment. I need my H to pursue the h relentlessly, and not let her go to “get some experience”. I know that’s a popular trope in these vintage books but it really rubs me the wrong way. Also, he never says whether he’s been faithful to the h he claims to love, just that he didn’t have sex with the particular OW who makes an appearance in this book. Not the same thing. I still really enjoyed the drama and asshat H. 🤷🏼♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing within the pages of this book
- OW drama - the H is squiring around a mysterious beauty for reasons unknown, til the end, and this is the cause of all sorts of angst for the h - also the H is pictured with several OW during their 3-year separation but they are never talked about
- OM drama - the H constantly thinks the h is getting it on with random men
- definitely some attempts at Forced Seduction in this one - loads of forced Torrid Embraces and very rough punishing kisses
- h is a 18-22 yr old virgin - she is celibate during their separation
- the H is an older (30’s??) manwhore - it is not confirmed that he was celibate during their separation - he left her to her own devices for 3 years so that she could date other men and grow up 🙄, so my assumption is that he also dated and gained more experience. 😐 Convenient, that. 🤨 But maybe not. 🤷🏼♀️ That’s just my cynical imagination. 😅
- no actual intercourse happens in this book. Just heavy petting and a naked near miss.
On the other hand:
🤷🏼♀️😬 I can’t explain these things.
Bottom Line? This would have been a solid 4-stars if their 2nd meeting THREE YEARS LATER wasn’t a chance situation. He takes full bulldozery advantage of the chance situation, but he did not orchestrate it, much to my disappointment. I need my H to pursue the h relentlessly, and not let her go to “get some experience”. I know that’s a popular trope in these vintage books but it really rubs me the wrong way. Also, he never says whether he’s been faithful to the h he claims to love, just that he didn’t have sex with the particular OW who makes an appearance in this book. Not the same thing. I still really enjoyed the drama and asshat H. 🤷🏼♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- no cheating or sharing within the pages of this book
- OW drama - the H is squiring around a mysterious beauty for reasons unknown, til the end, and this is the cause of all sorts of angst for the h - also the H is pictured with several OW during their 3-year separation but they are never talked about
- OM drama - the H constantly thinks the h is getting it on with random men
- definitely some attempts at Forced Seduction in this one - loads of forced Torrid Embraces and very rough punishing kisses
- h is a 18-22 yr old virgin - she is celibate during their separation
- the H is an older (30’s??) manwhore - it is not confirmed that he was celibate during their separation - he left her to her own devices for 3 years so that she could date other men and grow up 🙄, so my assumption is that he also dated and gained more experience. 😐 Convenient, that. 🤨 But maybe not. 🤷🏼♀️ That’s just my cynical imagination. 😅
- no actual intercourse happens in this book. Just heavy petting and a naked near miss.
April 12, 2022
This is awful. She is the Empress of the stupid h’s.
She made me cringe because of her stupidity. The reason I give it two stars instead of one is that it kept me engaged and I kept turning the pages to see what other cringe things she would do.
And the man is no Jackpot either. They are making out, she stands naked in his arms and he suddenly stops because he thinks about the agreement he has with another woman that he would call her. And then he leaves the room. Wow, if that isn’t an insult to her.
She made me cringe because of her stupidity. The reason I give it two stars instead of one is that it kept me engaged and I kept turning the pages to see what other cringe things she would do.
And the man is no Jackpot either. They are making out, she stands naked in his arms and he suddenly stops because he thinks about the agreement he has with another woman that he would call her. And then he leaves the room. Wow, if that isn’t an insult to her.
April 20, 2020
Sara vowed she would not be hurt again.
Sara had been horrified when she learned that her new boss was to be Mark Fenwick. Now she listened to him anxiously.
"I thought every trace of the old Sara was gone," he said enigmatically, "until I saw the nervous flutter of your lashes. I recognize this more easily than the depressingly hostile facade you've presented since I came."
Sara had made a fool of herself over Mark Fenwick three years before; she'd been hurt enough to last a lifetime. Mark must never know she still loved him!
Sara had been horrified when she learned that her new boss was to be Mark Fenwick. Now she listened to him anxiously.
"I thought every trace of the old Sara was gone," he said enigmatically, "until I saw the nervous flutter of your lashes. I recognize this more easily than the depressingly hostile facade you've presented since I came."
Sara had made a fool of herself over Mark Fenwick three years before; she'd been hurt enough to last a lifetime. Mark must never know she still loved him!
May 21, 2016
This novel seemed so familiar to another I've read and for the life of me I can't remember the other novel. I have read a lot of vintage harlequins, so it doesn't come as a surprise that I have no idea. Anyways, it was a likable novel but the hero was all sorts of an asshole, he basically destroyed her so badly at 18, that she didn't even want to deal with another male... EVER! Fucked up!
February 3, 2021
This story by MP is basically an 'office' romance where clandestine meetings between a juvenile inexperienced secretary (whose innocence makes ber sound like she may be underaged -14 or 15) and, the (seemingly pervert overaged lecher) boss set the ball in motion. I'm sorry but that was just the first impression I got which I later discovered was not entirely true. The romance between the virginal heroine and alpha Hero was good but there was some confusion. .. Nonetheless, it is an interesting read and the ending pretty much explains the heros cruel beahvior.
September 14, 2024
Lynne Graham would have spun gold from a premise like this, Margaret Pargeter simply led us on to a very unsatisfying end with a hero who’s obviously been confused himself for the better part of the past three years and who has been trying, very clumsily I might add, to woo the heroine and maker her fall back into his arms.
May 17, 2021
Typical MP old type romance with a very young innocent heroine and much older cynical hero. Not much happens but MP keeps the tension high for the most part. Enjoyable but not very memorable.
September 17, 2025
Ew hero. Ew heroine.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews