What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Star
"The ship is due to sail, " Ruiz said softly.
Quite involuntarily, Leigh leaned her head back against his shoulder and his arm tightened around her, while they both watched the distance from the dock imperceptibly broadening, like a chasm between the old life and the new, Leigh tried not to think that the new life was only for a while and that one day she would have to cross the chasm and go back to the old life.
Leigh's marriage to Ruiz Aldoret was purely a business arrangement made so that Ruiz could comply with the terms of his grandfather's will and inherit the large estate of Carastrano in Mexico. The intention was that after a short time at Carastrano, a quiet annulment would arranged.
But now Leigh was not at all sure that she wanted their marriage to end...
Quite involuntarily, Leigh leaned her head back against his shoulder and his arm tightened around her, while they both watched the distance from the dock imperceptibly broadening, like a chasm between the old life and the new, Leigh tried not to think that the new life was only for a while and that one day she would have to cross the chasm and go back to the old life.
Leigh's marriage to Ruiz Aldoret was purely a business arrangement made so that Ruiz could comply with the terms of his grandfather's will and inherit the large estate of Carastrano in Mexico. The intention was that after a short time at Carastrano, a quiet annulment would arranged.
But now Leigh was not at all sure that she wanted their marriage to end...
187 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1968
2 people are currently reading
156 people want to read
About the author
Nerina Hilliard
20 books13 followersNorma Kathleen Hemming was born on September 1928 in Ilford, Essex, England, UK., she migrated to Australia in 1948.
She wrote for local pulp magazine Thrills Incorporated and enthusiastically participated in the Australian fan scene. She was a founding member of the femme fan group Vertical Horizons, and wrote and acted for the SF theatrical group The Arcturian Players. She returned to international publishing in the late 1950s with stories in Nebula SF and New Worlds. She also wrote eight romance novels for Mills & Boon under the pseudonym of Nerina Hilliard, only one was published before her death, through these she had a long posthumous career, because her romances were published from 1958 to 1976, returning royalties to her estate for three decades. She passed away at the age of 31 of breast canceron 4 July 1960 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
She wrote for local pulp magazine Thrills Incorporated and enthusiastically participated in the Australian fan scene. She was a founding member of the femme fan group Vertical Horizons, and wrote and acted for the SF theatrical group The Arcturian Players. She returned to international publishing in the late 1950s with stories in Nebula SF and New Worlds. She also wrote eight romance novels for Mills & Boon under the pseudonym of Nerina Hilliard, only one was published before her death, through these she had a long posthumous career, because her romances were published from 1958 to 1976, returning royalties to her estate for three decades. She passed away at the age of 31 of breast canceron 4 July 1960 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
September 15, 2019
Heroine’s sister’s name is Stella, which means “dark star.” Dark Star, on hiatus from a movie she’s starring in, decides to steal her sister’s fiancé for sh*ts and giggles.
Secretary heroine discovers that her fiancé and Dark Star are in love and decides to bow out gracefully so they can both be happy. By coincidence, her cold fish, handsome boss needs a marriage of convenience so he can inherit an estate in Mexico. So, heroine decides to pretend she was in love with her boss all along and breaks off her engagement.
That takes up about half the story.
The H/h marry. Then there is a travelogue of Mexico. The H/h decide to make their marriage a real one and they are happy.
But Dark Star doesn’t want the fiancé now that her sister bowed out, so she decides to pursue her sister’s rich husband.
The H/h are both ready and willing to fight for their marriage, so Dark Star doesn’t get much traction. The OM (discarded fiancé) also shows up in Mexico in hopes the heroine will have him back. (There must have been a seat sale from London to Mexico City)
It was gratifying to this reader that the OM realized he had been duped as well as the heroine. I also liked that heroine was so generous at the beginning of the story and then set up boundaries when she realized her sister was a monster. Hero really did benefit from his marriage to the heroine and that was nice to see, too. I liked their relationship a lot.
One downside: there is a lot of head-hoping and interior monologues, so be warned.
Secretary heroine discovers that her fiancé and Dark Star are in love and decides to bow out gracefully so they can both be happy. By coincidence, her cold fish, handsome boss needs a marriage of convenience so he can inherit an estate in Mexico. So, heroine decides to pretend she was in love with her boss all along and breaks off her engagement.
That takes up about half the story.
The H/h marry. Then there is a travelogue of Mexico. The H/h decide to make their marriage a real one and they are happy.
But Dark Star doesn’t want the fiancé now that her sister bowed out, so she decides to pursue her sister’s rich husband.
The H/h are both ready and willing to fight for their marriage, so Dark Star doesn’t get much traction. The OM (discarded fiancé) also shows up in Mexico in hopes the heroine will have him back. (There must have been a seat sale from London to Mexico City)
It was gratifying to this reader that the OM realized he had been duped as well as the heroine. I also liked that heroine was so generous at the beginning of the story and then set up boundaries when she realized her sister was a monster. Hero really did benefit from his marriage to the heroine and that was nice to see, too. I liked their relationship a lot.
One downside: there is a lot of head-hoping and interior monologues, so be warned.
May 17, 2012
Great book! The heroine is 25 year old Leigh. She is engaged and madly in love with Bruce. Unfortunately she finds out that Bruce and her glamorous, movie star sister have fallen in love but won't fulfil their love because of her. She decides that she must break her engagement in such a way that they won't suspect that she knows about them. As luck would have it her icy, cold boss had asked her to enter a marriage in name only so he could fulfil the terms of his grandfather's will. She had turned him down as she was engaged but now she will accept so her sister can find happiness. Of course we the readers know that her sister is an evil bitch who broke up her engagement just for fun.
Leigh and the boss, Ruiz, get married and of course this causes Leigh's sister Stella a problem because she doesn't want Bruce. As a matter of fact she quite likes Ruiz who is tall, dark, handsome and very rich. Leigh and Ruiz go to live in Mexico where his grandfather's estate is and later Stella shows up to start her campaign to get Ruiz.
I like how the evil sister is dealt with and like that there are no big misunderstandings. This book is 45 years old but despite being a little dated is still a good read.
Leigh and the boss, Ruiz, get married and of course this causes Leigh's sister Stella a problem because she doesn't want Bruce. As a matter of fact she quite likes Ruiz who is tall, dark, handsome and very rich. Leigh and Ruiz go to live in Mexico where his grandfather's estate is and later Stella shows up to start her campaign to get Ruiz.
I like how the evil sister is dealt with and like that there are no big misunderstandings. This book is 45 years old but despite being a little dated is still a good read.
July 27, 2020
"Dark Star" is the story of Leigh and Ruiz.
To say the book's title refers to the antagonist's name should tell you a lot about the plot.
Plain jane heroine has a MUCH attractive actress sister, who is selfish, snobbish yet her family worships her. Heroine is engaged to spineless OM, who her sister easily seduces. Heartbroken, yet still in sacrificial lamb mood, the heroine decides to enter a marriage of convenience with her boss. But will the evil sister let her happiness be?
Average book with the first half told through the heroine's friend's POV, and second half through the heroine. I read it to kill time, and the one positive aspect I found was the honesty and maturity portrayed in the last chapter. Other than that, I was bored. Also the focus of the book remained on the sister/ ex/ friend more than the actual romance between the hero and the heroine.
SWE
2/5
To say the book's title refers to the antagonist's name should tell you a lot about the plot.
Plain jane heroine has a MUCH attractive actress sister, who is selfish, snobbish yet her family worships her. Heroine is engaged to spineless OM, who her sister easily seduces. Heartbroken, yet still in sacrificial lamb mood, the heroine decides to enter a marriage of convenience with her boss. But will the evil sister let her happiness be?
Average book with the first half told through the heroine's friend's POV, and second half through the heroine. I read it to kill time, and the one positive aspect I found was the honesty and maturity portrayed in the last chapter. Other than that, I was bored. Also the focus of the book remained on the sister/ ex/ friend more than the actual romance between the hero and the heroine.
SWE
2/5
February 2, 2013
This was a fun entertaining story about a young woman who happens to stumble upon her fiancé lip locked with her sister and professing his undying love. She decides to remove her self from the situation by pretending she has been secretly in love with her boss and is now going to marry him instead. Her boss (a rather cold unfeeling man) has proposed a very short marriage of convenience so that he can inherit his family estate.
It was fun to watch him "thaw" out as he got to know the real woman he married. It was also fun to see the heroin fall in love with an absolutely dazzling charismatic latin lover. It seems Mr. cold and unfeeling took a hike. I enjoyed this story immensely because both the hero and heroine were genuinely kind people. It was refreshing not to have to deal with all those Asshat moments.
I highly recommend.
It was fun to watch him "thaw" out as he got to know the real woman he married. It was also fun to see the heroin fall in love with an absolutely dazzling charismatic latin lover. It seems Mr. cold and unfeeling took a hike. I enjoyed this story immensely because both the hero and heroine were genuinely kind people. It was refreshing not to have to deal with all those Asshat moments.
I highly recommend.
August 30, 2021
This novel is a tiny gem. The h is a sweet, trusting, lovely girl, who, along with the rest of the family, worships the older sister, Stella, a glamorous actress who is nicknamed the Dark Star (by her family). The h's fiance falls in love with Stella, and the h doesn't want to ruin their happiness by making it clear that her heart is broken, so she arranges an MOC with her boss, who needs a wife to ensure his inheritance.
The H is everything you'd want him to be -- dashing, mysterious, ultimately kind, cool on the outside but passionate on the inside, and although he isn't exactly forthcoming, he is always wonderful to the h. The h wises up about a lot of things by the time the HEA rolls around.
The H is everything you'd want him to be -- dashing, mysterious, ultimately kind, cool on the outside but passionate on the inside, and although he isn't exactly forthcoming, he is always wonderful to the h. The h wises up about a lot of things by the time the HEA rolls around.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 25, 2024
Gaaaah I LOATHE this trope of the goody two shoes heroine thinking the sun shines out of her awful deadbeat lying cheating succubus boyfriend-stealing marriage-wrecking sister until the bitter end. How am I supposed to root for this dumb dumb? LOL even the featherbrained OM had put 2 and 2 together but for heroine apparently 2 and 2 will always make 5 when it comes to her sis. Hero was a stand-up guy who deserved better than this vomit-inducing spouse and in-laws.
July 7, 2022
4 Stars ~ It's been several years since I've read a romance by this author. I'd forgotten how much her writing appeals to me. Written in the 60's, it no longer fills the "contemporary" bill, and yet for this reader it doesn't fill the "historical" one either. I guess that shows my age :)
The plot of this story is actually quite similar to some of the plots of a Betty Neels romance. So if you enjoy her stories, I'm sure you'd find this one a pleasure as well.
In this romance, our heroine, Leigh 26 is secretary to the the hero, Ruiz 34, and has been for the last three years. In all that time, Leigh has noticed that Ruiz is good looking but she's never really been interested because of his off putting demeanor. Leigh is engaged to Bruce; she's the eldest of four siblings, Stella 24, Julie 16, twins Tess and Tom, 10. Leigh's parents are a typical 50's/60's couple, the father a solicitor and the mother a housewife. All the children still live at home except for actress Stella, and Julie goes to boarding school. This story opens with Julie at end of term and just receiving her certificate as a junior stenographer; and surprising Leigh at the restaurant where she is lunching with her best friend Kerry. Unknown to the three, in the booth beside is Ruiz, lunching alone and hearing some astounding things about himself. Julie thinks he's a dreamboat and doesn't understand how Leigh can work so closely with him and not fall in love. Leigh puts her sister straight...
Ruiz left his Mexican home 10 years before, where he was raised by his grandfather who forbade him to marry the woman of his choice (though it turned out she was a gold digger). So he went to his maternal family in England and joined their textile company, ultimately inheriting and becoming CEO. Though he's far from a celibate, he has no real interest in relationships and guards his heart carefully. When a letter arrives from Mexico letting him know of his grandfather's death and that he is the heir to the family estates, he's bitter to learn that there is a condition that he be married and bring his bride to live in Mexico. He notes his grandfather leaves the door open for him, that he hasn't insisted that there be an heir or any sort of length for the marriage. So Ruiz decides that a marriage of convenience is just the ticket, and who better than his super efficient secretary, Leigh. But when he broaches the subject to her, he's surprised to learn that she's already engaged to be married.
When Leigh's gorgeous starlet sister, Stella, comes home for brief holiday, Kerry notices her immediate eye on Leigh's fiancé, Bruce. Kerry had always suspected that Bruce was a bit wish-washy and knowing how self-centered Stella is, she had dreaded that she would want to steal Bruce away from Leigh, just as she had stolen her favourite toys when they were children. Leigh has never seen Stella's selfish catty side, so when she hears Bruce and Stella declaring their love and Stella refusing to go forward because of hurting Leigh, she does the only thing she can. She goes to Ruiz to see if he still needs a convenient wife, and she tells him why, that because of her, Stella and Bruce would forfeit their love and she would not allow that. Stella flies off to her new movie location before Leigh can set Bruce free, but Bruce is relieved and sets off to find his new bride to be. Leigh is rather surprised when her parents too seem relieved as they had felt Bruce was rather weak, but not knowing of the loveless bargain they are delighted with her choice of Ruiz. And in just a few weeks, Leigh and Ruiz marry and depart for Mexico.
Back in his home country, Ruiz slowly loses his aloofness and Leigh finds she enjoys his company. They form a friendship and allow their attraction to smolder. Leigh remarks to Ruiz that as soon as they can annul their marriage, he must find a suitable bride to give him an heir for it would be wrong for his beautiful family properties to fall to distant relatives. Ruiz surprises Leigh again, and suggest they make their marriage a real one, and Leigh very happily agrees. They have some blissful months and then a dark cloud arrives in the form of Stella, who sets her eye on Ruiz.
This is the fourth romance written by Ms Hilliard that I've read, and sadly of the four remaining books unread, I only possess two. Ms. Hilliard creates wonderful characters with equally wonderful settings. Of course, Ruiz and Leigh achieve their HEA in spite of Stella's mischief.
The plot of this story is actually quite similar to some of the plots of a Betty Neels romance. So if you enjoy her stories, I'm sure you'd find this one a pleasure as well.
In this romance, our heroine, Leigh 26 is secretary to the the hero, Ruiz 34, and has been for the last three years. In all that time, Leigh has noticed that Ruiz is good looking but she's never really been interested because of his off putting demeanor. Leigh is engaged to Bruce; she's the eldest of four siblings, Stella 24, Julie 16, twins Tess and Tom, 10. Leigh's parents are a typical 50's/60's couple, the father a solicitor and the mother a housewife. All the children still live at home except for actress Stella, and Julie goes to boarding school. This story opens with Julie at end of term and just receiving her certificate as a junior stenographer; and surprising Leigh at the restaurant where she is lunching with her best friend Kerry. Unknown to the three, in the booth beside is Ruiz, lunching alone and hearing some astounding things about himself. Julie thinks he's a dreamboat and doesn't understand how Leigh can work so closely with him and not fall in love. Leigh puts her sister straight...
"I thought too much of my career to be even remotely interested in him," she told Julie, “And when I came to know him a little better, I realised it was just as well that I hadn't conceived any romantic notions about him. He's a very good boss," she went on - for which the unsuspected listener in the next booth accorded her a mental and rather sardonic word of thanks, "if you can stand his moods," she added, thereby tempering the mental thanks she was receiving. "However, I confess I can't agree that he's in the least romantic." She ticked off his obvious good points on her fingers, dampeningly disposing of each of them in turn. "Tall and slim - nothing unusual about that. Very dark. Nothing unusual again. The majority of men with latin blood are dark - and as for being romantic -!" She laughed again, dispelling the final illusion, if Julie still harboured any. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, my child, but there's more romance in the leg of the chair on which you're at the moment sitting than in the whole of our esteemed boss. He wouldn't know how to make love to a girl if he tried."
Ruiz left his Mexican home 10 years before, where he was raised by his grandfather who forbade him to marry the woman of his choice (though it turned out she was a gold digger). So he went to his maternal family in England and joined their textile company, ultimately inheriting and becoming CEO. Though he's far from a celibate, he has no real interest in relationships and guards his heart carefully. When a letter arrives from Mexico letting him know of his grandfather's death and that he is the heir to the family estates, he's bitter to learn that there is a condition that he be married and bring his bride to live in Mexico. He notes his grandfather leaves the door open for him, that he hasn't insisted that there be an heir or any sort of length for the marriage. So Ruiz decides that a marriage of convenience is just the ticket, and who better than his super efficient secretary, Leigh. But when he broaches the subject to her, he's surprised to learn that she's already engaged to be married.
When Leigh's gorgeous starlet sister, Stella, comes home for brief holiday, Kerry notices her immediate eye on Leigh's fiancé, Bruce. Kerry had always suspected that Bruce was a bit wish-washy and knowing how self-centered Stella is, she had dreaded that she would want to steal Bruce away from Leigh, just as she had stolen her favourite toys when they were children. Leigh has never seen Stella's selfish catty side, so when she hears Bruce and Stella declaring their love and Stella refusing to go forward because of hurting Leigh, she does the only thing she can. She goes to Ruiz to see if he still needs a convenient wife, and she tells him why, that because of her, Stella and Bruce would forfeit their love and she would not allow that. Stella flies off to her new movie location before Leigh can set Bruce free, but Bruce is relieved and sets off to find his new bride to be. Leigh is rather surprised when her parents too seem relieved as they had felt Bruce was rather weak, but not knowing of the loveless bargain they are delighted with her choice of Ruiz. And in just a few weeks, Leigh and Ruiz marry and depart for Mexico.
Back in his home country, Ruiz slowly loses his aloofness and Leigh finds she enjoys his company. They form a friendship and allow their attraction to smolder. Leigh remarks to Ruiz that as soon as they can annul their marriage, he must find a suitable bride to give him an heir for it would be wrong for his beautiful family properties to fall to distant relatives. Ruiz surprises Leigh again, and suggest they make their marriage a real one, and Leigh very happily agrees. They have some blissful months and then a dark cloud arrives in the form of Stella, who sets her eye on Ruiz.
This is the fourth romance written by Ms Hilliard that I've read, and sadly of the four remaining books unread, I only possess two. Ms. Hilliard creates wonderful characters with equally wonderful settings. Of course, Ruiz and Leigh achieve their HEA in spite of Stella's mischief.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 5, 2016
Old harlequin, but such a lovely story. The couple starts of as a marriage of convenience (between boss and secretary). The boss needs to be married before he can claim his inheritance and the secretary found out that her fiancé is in love with her sister, so she wants to make it possible for them to be together without feeling guilty about her, since she will be married to someone else.
I liked that the couple respected each other as colleagues before their actual relationship happened. It's also believable that they fell in love, because they treated each other as friends as soon as they got engaged. Their engagement and the start of their marriage gave each of them a new perspective on each other's personality. They got to. Know each other better, and liked what they discovered.
Spoilers a bit:
The evil OW is the sister, she only wanted to lure away the fiancé for her own amusement. She had no intention of really marrying him. She is actually miffed when the heroine ends up marrying the more dashing and rich hero. Then later in the story, she tries again, this time to lure the rich, handsome husband away from her sister.
I liked that the couple respected each other as colleagues before their actual relationship happened. It's also believable that they fell in love, because they treated each other as friends as soon as they got engaged. Their engagement and the start of their marriage gave each of them a new perspective on each other's personality. They got to. Know each other better, and liked what they discovered.
Spoilers a bit:
The evil OW is the sister, she only wanted to lure away the fiancé for her own amusement. She had no intention of really marrying him. She is actually miffed when the heroine ends up marrying the more dashing and rich hero. Then later in the story, she tries again, this time to lure the rich, handsome husband away from her sister.
January 8, 2016
Seems like a typical secretary-boss romance of its time, but it isn't. It is so much better!
h has a large family, amongst whom is a movie star, of sociopathic tendencies. said sister detaches h's fiance, h overhears/sees them accidentally, breaks up with fiance by getting engaged to boss (who just happens to need to get married to inherit).
Plot-wise, we've seen it before. Or rather, in the years since this was written, this plot element is one of the most overused! (still is!).
What makes the story interesting is how the author characterizes everyone, and depicts everything (instead of telling), or making shallow scenes. eg, the H doesn't punch om when he find him kissing his wife, she punches him! in the stomach; on which the H remarks, it's usually the ears that are boxed. I thought that was funny as well. Lots of humor sprinkled throughout.
*The romantic in me wants to know if Kerry gets her Happy-Ever-After. That's who I most strongly associate with-- the one who can identify the sociopath, and has to keep her mouth shut about it!
*This book would never see the light of day in this day and age. Pretending to be Red Indians!
"Have I got to be a prisoner too?"
"No, you climb trees - too good to be a prisoner or a squaw."
"Well, that's something," Leigh thanked them. "I'm glad I'm not to be relegated to the lowly position of a squaw!"
Good gracious! Somebody come and burn this book!
I honestly think whitewashing/sweeping-under-the-rug of attitudes towards minorities, whether they be Native Americans, Blacks, or Latinos, to be silly, and rather dangerous. Attitudes and policies of today are based in attitudes and policies of yesterday. How are we to make sense of them if people forget... And the everyday, common "fun" activities like playing at red indians, well, it's only a matter of perspective how pc or un-pc it is... Yes, the short exchange in the quote shows an implicit attitude towards "squaws". Why should people not know about it. It might take away a little enjoyment, given our current sense of morality, but ... bleh... okay, enough on this topic :) hon. mention: i was thinking of tom sawyer/ huck finn, and how the classic american litt has been whitewashed. anything relating to evidence of discrimination is sort of censored. no censored is a strong word, just avoided, or not mentioned.*end of rant*
-- FYI, This also happens to be a very hilarious scene!!
* "It is impossible to pretend that they did not have some very bad customs, but I often find myself thinking that it is a pity so much was lost." ... The original colonists had converted them to Christianity and lived in equality with them, but sometimes ideals die and for a long time the Indians had existed in slavery. Now, four hundred years later, it seemed the old purpose was being brought back.
This perspective is exactly what is lost when we hide away everything related to discrimination and pretend like it never existed.
*wow. A lot of drama, but very little angst! Very very unusual. I'd say this is more like Georgette Heyer, but set in the "current" times (for when it was written). Except, I don't particularly like GH. I thought NH was much, much better! At least this one was.
h has a large family, amongst whom is a movie star, of sociopathic tendencies. said sister detaches h's fiance, h overhears/sees them accidentally, breaks up with fiance by getting engaged to boss (who just happens to need to get married to inherit).
Plot-wise, we've seen it before. Or rather, in the years since this was written, this plot element is one of the most overused! (still is!).
What makes the story interesting is how the author characterizes everyone, and depicts everything (instead of telling), or making shallow scenes. eg, the H doesn't punch om when he find him kissing his wife, she punches him! in the stomach; on which the H remarks, it's usually the ears that are boxed. I thought that was funny as well. Lots of humor sprinkled throughout.
*The romantic in me wants to know if Kerry gets her Happy-Ever-After. That's who I most strongly associate with-- the one who can identify the sociopath, and has to keep her mouth shut about it!
*This book would never see the light of day in this day and age. Pretending to be Red Indians!
"Have I got to be a prisoner too?"
"No, you climb trees - too good to be a prisoner or a squaw."
"Well, that's something," Leigh thanked them. "I'm glad I'm not to be relegated to the lowly position of a squaw!"
Good gracious! Somebody come and burn this book!
I honestly think whitewashing/sweeping-under-the-rug of attitudes towards minorities, whether they be Native Americans, Blacks, or Latinos, to be silly, and rather dangerous. Attitudes and policies of today are based in attitudes and policies of yesterday. How are we to make sense of them if people forget... And the everyday, common "fun" activities like playing at red indians, well, it's only a matter of perspective how pc or un-pc it is... Yes, the short exchange in the quote shows an implicit attitude towards "squaws". Why should people not know about it. It might take away a little enjoyment, given our current sense of morality, but ... bleh... okay, enough on this topic :) hon. mention: i was thinking of tom sawyer/ huck finn, and how the classic american litt has been whitewashed. anything relating to evidence of discrimination is sort of censored. no censored is a strong word, just avoided, or not mentioned.*end of rant*
-- FYI, This also happens to be a very hilarious scene!!
* "It is impossible to pretend that they did not have some very bad customs, but I often find myself thinking that it is a pity so much was lost." ... The original colonists had converted them to Christianity and lived in equality with them, but sometimes ideals die and for a long time the Indians had existed in slavery. Now, four hundred years later, it seemed the old purpose was being brought back.
This perspective is exactly what is lost when we hide away everything related to discrimination and pretend like it never existed.
*wow. A lot of drama, but very little angst! Very very unusual. I'd say this is more like Georgette Heyer, but set in the "current" times (for when it was written). Except, I don't particularly like GH. I thought NH was much, much better! At least this one was.
August 15, 2011
I love this book. I think it's one of the better marriage of convenience stories out there. Ruiz and Leigh both go into the marriage fully aware of the kind of deal they make, and yet they find themselves slowly becoming friends, feel attracted to each other, and fall in love.
There's several things I love about the story. It's 40 years old, so it has a lovely oldie British 60s vibe to it. (Esp the early scenes with Leigh's family have this a lot.) There's even a best friend that I'm convinced is a subtle lesbian! It's a bit dated yes, but to me that's part of its charm.
The romance develops slowly, but not entirely conventional.
But what's absolutely best about it is that when the final conflict arrives, thanks to the meddling evil sister, both Leigh and Ruiz have faith in their relationship and fight for it because they realize what they have, even if they haven't put it in words.
These people trust their own instincts and experiences, instead of following gossip/advise/misunderstandings, and they act upon them.
No Big Misunderstanding!!! No slamming doors, alpha assholeness, or broken trust!!! No pride nor prejudices coming between them! It's awesome in it's genuine loveliness. And there's a lot of character developement for such a tiny book!
I also love that both the title and the cover refer to the villain, and I really think the cover is very pretty. It's the reason I added the Dutch edition, because I couldn't find the english edition that has the same cover. It's also the 8th Harlequin translated to Dutch... It's almost a collector's item!
Love it, and on the unlikely chance you bump into a copy, I recommend it.
There's several things I love about the story. It's 40 years old, so it has a lovely oldie British 60s vibe to it. (Esp the early scenes with Leigh's family have this a lot.) There's even a best friend that I'm convinced is a subtle lesbian! It's a bit dated yes, but to me that's part of its charm.
The romance develops slowly, but not entirely conventional.
But what's absolutely best about it is that when the final conflict arrives, thanks to the meddling evil sister, both Leigh and Ruiz have faith in their relationship and fight for it because they realize what they have, even if they haven't put it in words.
These people trust their own instincts and experiences, instead of following gossip/advise/misunderstandings, and they act upon them.
No Big Misunderstanding!!! No slamming doors, alpha assholeness, or broken trust!!! No pride nor prejudices coming between them! It's awesome in it's genuine loveliness. And there's a lot of character developement for such a tiny book!
I also love that both the title and the cover refer to the villain, and I really think the cover is very pretty. It's the reason I added the Dutch edition, because I couldn't find the english edition that has the same cover. It's also the 8th Harlequin translated to Dutch... It's almost a collector's item!
Love it, and on the unlikely chance you bump into a copy, I recommend it.
August 14, 2018
Leigh is 25 years old and part of a large and happy family, her sister Stella is a famous actress the whole family are very proud of her. Leigh is happily engaged to Bruce, she also has a good job as secretary to Ruiz Aldoret.
When Stella telephones to say she’s coming home for a visit everyone is very happy. After about a week Leigh overhears her fiancé Bruce and her sister Stella together it’s obvious they’re in love. Rather than confront them and make them unhappy she agrees to marry her boss Ruiz who quite coincidentally has been looking for a temporary wife to fulfill the terms of his grandfathers will, if he marries he will inherit a large estate in Mexico. So Ruiz and Leigh marry and go off to Mexico, then Leigh’s sister turns up. But Stella isn’t with Bruce, instead she seems interested in Ruiz. It slowly begins to dawn on Leigh that just maybe her sister may not be the person she thought.
This is a very old Harlequin it dates all the way back to 1968. This story will either irritate you or make you laugh, I laughed. The heroine Leigh depending on how you view her is either the sweetest girl in the world, or dumber than a bucket of rocks. I’m going with the latter. After Stella deliberately ruined Leigh’s engagement to Bruce, she didn’t get the reaction she was expecting, now she’s left with Bruce whom she promptly dumps. While Leigh has gone off to Mexico married to her rich boss. So Stella follows determined to break up Leigh’s marriage. I never quite got why she was so malevolent towards her sister. Leigh doesn’t wake up to her sisters true character till the end of the story, like I said dumb.
When Stella telephones to say she’s coming home for a visit everyone is very happy. After about a week Leigh overhears her fiancé Bruce and her sister Stella together it’s obvious they’re in love. Rather than confront them and make them unhappy she agrees to marry her boss Ruiz who quite coincidentally has been looking for a temporary wife to fulfill the terms of his grandfathers will, if he marries he will inherit a large estate in Mexico. So Ruiz and Leigh marry and go off to Mexico, then Leigh’s sister turns up. But Stella isn’t with Bruce, instead she seems interested in Ruiz. It slowly begins to dawn on Leigh that just maybe her sister may not be the person she thought.
This is a very old Harlequin it dates all the way back to 1968. This story will either irritate you or make you laugh, I laughed. The heroine Leigh depending on how you view her is either the sweetest girl in the world, or dumber than a bucket of rocks. I’m going with the latter. After Stella deliberately ruined Leigh’s engagement to Bruce, she didn’t get the reaction she was expecting, now she’s left with Bruce whom she promptly dumps. While Leigh has gone off to Mexico married to her rich boss. So Stella follows determined to break up Leigh’s marriage. I never quite got why she was so malevolent towards her sister. Leigh doesn’t wake up to her sisters true character till the end of the story, like I said dumb.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 17, 2013
This is the story of Leigh's marriage of convenience to Mexican hero Ruiz Aldoret.
She enters the marriage to escape after finding her sister Stella, the Dark Star of the story, in the arms of Leigh's fiance Bruce.
The marriage works out surprisingly well but Stella's entry into the picture threatens everything.
A very sweet marriage of convenience with another of Hilliard's charming and very discerning heroes.
She enters the marriage to escape after finding her sister Stella, the Dark Star of the story, in the arms of Leigh's fiance Bruce.
The marriage works out surprisingly well but Stella's entry into the picture threatens everything.
A very sweet marriage of convenience with another of Hilliard's charming and very discerning heroes.
August 25, 2025
The heroine’s friend and little sister are stand out characters - the rest were duller than beige walls.
So the secretary heroine (25) has worked for hero (34) for THREE years and not been attracted to him (?!?!?!?!) and vice versa. They see each other as furniture apparently. Anyway, bitch film star sister comes home and takes heroine’s fiancé to ease the boredom of two weeks with her family, and so the noble heroine (after surreptitiously seeing them have a love scene) agrees to vapid hero’s request for a marriage of convenience to inherit his grandfather’s land in Mexico. He has three months to get married and not to the woman that the hero tried to marry ten years ago (a money grabbing chorus line girl - but he LOVED her and the pain was real *raised eyebrows* so he stayed away from all he loved in a fit of sulks for TEN YEARS and became a shell of his his former self… hmm).
Anyway, dull stick marries bland heroine and eventually they decide to make an heir. Then bitch sister travels to
Mexico to split them up as she noticed how handsome (RICH) the hero was at the wedding and wanted some of the action (money). She lies and flirts and the heroine is finally believing what her friend always knew - her sister is a monster. To add to it, former dim bulb fiancé of the heroine arrives to reclaim his second best girl. Problems ensue with the newly married couple until the heroine grows a backbone and sends the sister away and punches the cheating fiancé in the stomach (he tries to kiss her). To top it off, insipid hero also acknowledges that sister is a nasty piece of goods and tells her to sling her hook. It turns out that the day before he realised that he was in love with the office furniture wife and there is an HEA (for them anyway).
I am really in sure of how this is written by the same lady who wrote the compelling Nurse Carol’s Secret/The Time Is Short - which had a besotted hero and a beautifully tragic heroine.
2 stars - would be one as I really disliked it, but I guess that I have read worse.
So the secretary heroine (25) has worked for hero (34) for THREE years and not been attracted to him (?!?!?!?!) and vice versa. They see each other as furniture apparently. Anyway, bitch film star sister comes home and takes heroine’s fiancé to ease the boredom of two weeks with her family, and so the noble heroine (after surreptitiously seeing them have a love scene) agrees to vapid hero’s request for a marriage of convenience to inherit his grandfather’s land in Mexico. He has three months to get married and not to the woman that the hero tried to marry ten years ago (a money grabbing chorus line girl - but he LOVED her and the pain was real *raised eyebrows* so he stayed away from all he loved in a fit of sulks for TEN YEARS and became a shell of his his former self… hmm).
Anyway, dull stick marries bland heroine and eventually they decide to make an heir. Then bitch sister travels to
Mexico to split them up as she noticed how handsome (RICH) the hero was at the wedding and wanted some of the action (money). She lies and flirts and the heroine is finally believing what her friend always knew - her sister is a monster. To add to it, former dim bulb fiancé of the heroine arrives to reclaim his second best girl. Problems ensue with the newly married couple until the heroine grows a backbone and sends the sister away and punches the cheating fiancé in the stomach (he tries to kiss her). To top it off, insipid hero also acknowledges that sister is a nasty piece of goods and tells her to sling her hook. It turns out that the day before he realised that he was in love with the office furniture wife and there is an HEA (for them anyway).
I am really in sure of how this is written by the same lady who wrote the compelling Nurse Carol’s Secret/The Time Is Short - which had a besotted hero and a beautifully tragic heroine.
2 stars - would be one as I really disliked it, but I guess that I have read worse.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 6, 2012
I read this book several years ago but I still remember it fondly. I would still own it if not for the fact that I lost many of my books while I was away at school and my father decided I "really didn't need that many books". Anyway though, this book was extremely realistic and I liked how the relationship of the H/h didn't happen overnight like in some MofC books.
Ruiz was.... mmmmm.... that's all I can say. One of the kind of people where you see the crack in the sophisticated veneer that hides his primitive animal. I would love to see an update of this book because as much as the romance flows smoothly without ANY intimate details, I believe I'd ruin the book with drool if an update inserted the nitty-gritty details.
I really must find this book again.
Ruiz was.... mmmmm.... that's all I can say. One of the kind of people where you see the crack in the sophisticated veneer that hides his primitive animal. I would love to see an update of this book because as much as the romance flows smoothly without ANY intimate details, I believe I'd ruin the book with drool if an update inserted the nitty-gritty details.
I really must find this book again.
June 14, 2020
Published in the 1960s and reprinted in the 1970s .Enjoyable read. A good read for a schoolgirl in the 1970s. I liked the story very much and the characters of Leigh and Ruiz were both very likeable. I also liked the few paragraphs which described how he felt such as overhearing what the women talk about him in the restaurant and there not knowing he was in the next booth.
July 13, 2022
Leigh's marriage to Ruiz Aldoret was purely a business arrangement made so that Ruiz could comply with the terms of his grandfather's will and inherit the large estate of Carastrano in Mexico. The intention was that after a short time at Carastrano, a quiet annulment would arranged.
But now Leigh was not at all sure that she wanted their marriage to end.
But now Leigh was not at all sure that she wanted their marriage to end.
September 15, 2018
رواية عبير الزواج الابيض
من الرواية التي اعدت قراءتها مرار ولم امل منها
من الرواية التي اعدت قراءتها مرار ولم امل منها
June 1, 2020
The story is named after the bitchy OW !!!!!!! That's one star minus for me straight away !
The girl comes from a large happy family. She is the eldest. Works for a moody garment business tycoon. Engaged to a boring OM. Strictly business relationship with boss.
Boss, by the way is indeed the hero. Just that they spend the first 3 years of their association in strict business terms. Not even a flicker of emotion towards each other. Somehow, that doesn't speak of romance of the eternal kind !
Suddenly one day, they have a heart to heart about the advantages of marriage. Especially the special kind of marriage found only in romantic novels - MOC. He proposes, she accepts. Wait, isn't she engaged !?!?
You see, the fiance had a little dalliance with the heroine's movie star younger sister when she visits home for a short vacation. She was fooling around, the guy was dumb enough to take it seriously. The heroine gets to watch this first hand. Out of sheet altruism, she wants her sister and fiance to get their HEA. So she consents to marrying the bossy hero in haste.
Turns out, the bossy hero is actually a jackpot ! He is crazy rich, super sexy and an Spaniard to boot. What more can a girl ask for ? He breaks the boss mould and does some super flirting in the middle part of the book. Just to impress the girl's family. That part was good fun to read.
Finally, the younger sister who is the Dark Star, decides its not the dowdy OM that she wants, its the bossy hero instead. What a lovely sister to have !
There is some confusion, mistrust, really bitchiness from our dark star. But true love triumphs. Thankfully the dark star landed up to break the sister's happy matrimony a few months late. By then, the Spaniard and his secretary wife manage to build a solid relationship - full of love, sex, fun, happiness !!
So our Dark Star gets the boot. So does the dowdy OM. And our leads get their HEA !
The girl comes from a large happy family. She is the eldest. Works for a moody garment business tycoon. Engaged to a boring OM. Strictly business relationship with boss.
Boss, by the way is indeed the hero. Just that they spend the first 3 years of their association in strict business terms. Not even a flicker of emotion towards each other. Somehow, that doesn't speak of romance of the eternal kind !
Suddenly one day, they have a heart to heart about the advantages of marriage. Especially the special kind of marriage found only in romantic novels - MOC. He proposes, she accepts. Wait, isn't she engaged !?!?
You see, the fiance had a little dalliance with the heroine's movie star younger sister when she visits home for a short vacation. She was fooling around, the guy was dumb enough to take it seriously. The heroine gets to watch this first hand. Out of sheet altruism, she wants her sister and fiance to get their HEA. So she consents to marrying the bossy hero in haste.
Turns out, the bossy hero is actually a jackpot ! He is crazy rich, super sexy and an Spaniard to boot. What more can a girl ask for ? He breaks the boss mould and does some super flirting in the middle part of the book. Just to impress the girl's family. That part was good fun to read.
Finally, the younger sister who is the Dark Star, decides its not the dowdy OM that she wants, its the bossy hero instead. What a lovely sister to have !
There is some confusion, mistrust, really bitchiness from our dark star. But true love triumphs. Thankfully the dark star landed up to break the sister's happy matrimony a few months late. By then, the Spaniard and his secretary wife manage to build a solid relationship - full of love, sex, fun, happiness !!
So our Dark Star gets the boot. So does the dowdy OM. And our leads get their HEA !
January 13, 2025
I have been in love with Ruiz Aldoret since the very first time I read this book. It has been a long lovc affair. I visit this book at least once (or twice) every decade and I never tire of rereading it. It's nice to read a story where not every guy instantly falls in love with the "beautiful" sister and all her charms. Ruiz had Stella pegged from the moment he heard about her. Still love the restaurant scene(s) and horror of discovery. Honorable mention goes to the "boxing of the ears" comment. Also priceless is Leigh as Madame Geronimo.
September 14, 2017
I read this book for the first time sooooo many years ago. More than thirty years ago. It is one of the Harlequin Romance novels that I have hung onto. I am delightfully surprised to see Goodreads could even find it. I was drawn to this story because Leigh is adorable and I love the 'Apache war paint' scene. I also love that Ruiz is from Mexico and you get to see so many delightful places in Mexico. Perhaps this is where my love of Mexico and the Spanish language began.
May 21, 2024
This was the very first Harlequin Romance I ever read , $0.15! I remembered the name and basic plot and looked for it on Amazon. It was pretty typical of the many that I read later, weak boyfriend, scheming sister, mysterious wealthy boss in need of an arranged marriage but not bad, with a few humorous and a few very romantic moments and certainly not steamy.
September 5, 2021
This was sweet. "Mary Sue meets Days of our Lives"
A little too martyrdom for me! Where were feelings of a betrayal toward sister and ex fiancé ??? Isn't that a little more natural than guilt over keeping them apart potentially?? 🤦♀️
A little too martyrdom for me! Where were feelings of a betrayal toward sister and ex fiancé ??? Isn't that a little more natural than guilt over keeping them apart potentially?? 🤦♀️
June 7, 2019
Read uploady version. Looks to have been translated from possibly Spanish. Difficult to read but the story shone through. 3.5.
June 8, 2020
3.5 stars
March 29, 2021
Not good. The book is named after the villain! I can't get behind that. The points of view swaps wreck the entire story and it's flow. Skip this turd.
April 26, 2022
Excellent characters, setting and conflicts. I didn’t like how H’s hands were continually described as long and thin. Odd.
Read
July 14, 2013اسم الرواية : الزواج الابيض
شقيقتان ... الجميلة الموهوبة اعتادت منذ الطفولة أن تأخذ كل شيء يخص أختها حتى خطفت منها خطيبها , فما كان من ليلي ديرمونت إلا أن تنحت مفسحة المجال أمام شقيقتها صاحبة السحر الذي لا يقاوم , وقبلت عرضا بزواج أبيض ... زواج خدعة هدفه حصول مديرها الاسباني على أرث تركه جده مشترطا أن يكون الوارث قد تزوج , لكن الأمور تجري على غير ما تصورت وبات الزواج الأبيض يتلون بألوان آخري .. تحت شمس المكسيك .. لكن ماذا تريد تلك الشقيقة المعروفة باسم " النجمة الداكنة " لأنها نجمة سينمائية ذات مصير غامض ... وهل تستطيع أن تخطف من أختها زوجها الاسباني الوسيم؟
شقيقتان ... الجميلة الموهوبة اعتادت منذ الطفولة أن تأخذ كل شيء يخص أختها حتى خطفت منها خطيبها , فما كان من ليلي ديرمونت إلا أن تنحت مفسحة المجال أمام شقيقتها صاحبة السحر الذي لا يقاوم , وقبلت عرضا بزواج أبيض ... زواج خدعة هدفه حصول مديرها الاسباني على أرث تركه جده مشترطا أن يكون الوارث قد تزوج , لكن الأمور تجري على غير ما تصورت وبات الزواج الأبيض يتلون بألوان آخري .. تحت شمس المكسيك .. لكن ماذا تريد تلك الشقيقة المعروفة باسم " النجمة الداكنة " لأنها نجمة سينمائية ذات مصير غامض ... وهل تستطيع أن تخطف من أختها زوجها الاسباني الوسيم؟
January 4, 2017
Nothing special.
May 29, 2020
3 Stars
I loved how good the hero was to the heroine but I didn't like her stupid sister who couldn't let the heroine have her happy life just because she is a selfish bi*ch
I loved how good the hero was to the heroine but I didn't like her stupid sister who couldn't let the heroine have her happy life just because she is a selfish bi*ch
February 10, 2025
I've always loved this book. It's my go-to for whenever. Some romance novels have a knack in drawing you in, and this book is one of the few that does it for me
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews