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When Harriet Denby became companion to old Mrs. Mayhew, she expected a quiet, busy country life with few excitements. Instead she became involved in a dramatic family tangle. At first, she tried to remain an onlooker, but soon she realized that her whole happiness had become bound up with the Mayhew family - whether things worked out for her or not.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1949
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About the author
Mary Burchell
158 books84 followersIda Cook was born on 1904 at 37 Croft Avenue, Sunderland, England. With her eldest sister Mary Louise Cook (1901), she attending the Duchess' School in Alnwick. Later the sisters took civil service jobs in London, and developed a passionate interest in opera. The sisters helped 29 jews to escape from the Nazis, funded mainly by Ida's writing. In 1965, the Cook sisters were honored as Righteous Gentiles by the Yad Vashem Martyrs and Heroes Remembrance Authority in Israel.
As Mary Burchell, she published more than 125 romance novels by Mills & Boon since 1936. She also wrote some western novels as James Keene in collaboration with the author Will Cook (aka Frank Peace). In 1950, Ida Cook wrote her autobiography: "We followed our stars". She helped to found the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was its president from 1966 to her death on December 22, 1986.
As Mary Burchell, she published more than 125 romance novels by Mills & Boon since 1936. She also wrote some western novels as James Keene in collaboration with the author Will Cook (aka Frank Peace). In 1950, Ida Cook wrote her autobiography: "We followed our stars". She helped to found the Romantic Novelists' Association, and was its president from 1966 to her death on December 22, 1986.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 reviews
November 20, 2015
Another Burchell dating from post war. I find these fascinating as they often have ex-servicemen and women in them.
Harriet would have been a school girl going through the war but the hero Lindsay and his brother Roddy were adults and the brother is obviously suffering from PTSD after a bad air-crash.
This is a fairly convoluted plot with the brother involving Harriet in his romance and the heroes fiancée Dilys and her bad lot brother Brent making for difficulties that would result in inevitable misunderstandings between the hero and the heroine.
It was not dissimilar to another of Burchell books I recall reading but still an enjoyable easy read. with a sweet but easily manipulated heroine and a 'Nice' hero.
Harriet would have been a school girl going through the war but the hero Lindsay and his brother Roddy were adults and the brother is obviously suffering from PTSD after a bad air-crash.
This is a fairly convoluted plot with the brother involving Harriet in his romance and the heroes fiancée Dilys and her bad lot brother Brent making for difficulties that would result in inevitable misunderstandings between the hero and the heroine.
It was not dissimilar to another of Burchell books I recall reading but still an enjoyable easy read. with a sweet but easily manipulated heroine and a 'Nice' hero.
May 18, 2022
3.5 stars is more like it, but when it comes to Mary Burchell, I always tend to over rate :))
Harriet is the sweet English girl, gets a job as companion to a widow in a remote British town house. The lady of the house has 2 sons, both living and working in London. Lindsay, the hero is a lawyer. Roddy, the younger is an out of work pilot just drifting away.
Lindsay is engaged to a local girl. Roddy is crazy about Lindsay's fiance, they meet in secret and make plans to elope. But the girl has money obligations you see. She cant afford to jilt a rich barrister like Lindsay and marry an out-of-work Roddy !!! There is another character in this crazy melee, and that's Brent, her elder brother. Its because Brent is deeply in debt, that the girl is persisting with Lindsay and the sham engagement.
Enter Harriet into this mess. Roddy claims Harriet is his mystery woman, in order to cover up for a gaffe in front of Lindsay. Harriet very quickly figures out all these fellows are out to play havoc with Lin's life, her sympathies are locked with him right from the start.
The 2 ladies manage to have a frank conversation about the whole mess. After which, some dramatic turns take place. Lindsay's fiance elopes with Roddy and marries him. Brent begins to blackmail Harriet that she was instrumental in breaking up the engagement with her "advice" to elope !!! He guesses rightly that Harriet goes all gooey eyed at Lindsay.
Then comes a bizarre twist, Brent forces Harriet to get engaged to him. Why? Because by then he has figured out that Lin is also turning sweet on Harriet, and he would pay up some of Brent's debts if it meant Harriet's happiness. All sorts of crazy assumptions and events unfold.
Amidst all this is the dumb fellow Lindsay. His whole universe is turning up side down in front of him, with his brother, fiance, and then Harriet pulling fast ones on him. But the fellow never sees through any of these things. I don't particularly like heroes who appear dumb !!
In fact, our con man Brent turns out to be a much more spicy and remarkable character in the end. When his blackmail game is busted in front of Lin because Harriet decides to come clean, Brent dramatically exits the scene and lets Harriet have her man !!
And then he also asks her to keep the engagement ring he gave her. He never had an intention of marrying Harriet, but his logic is that he is unlikely to meet a worthier female in his life, who deserves his dead mother's ring !!!
On her part, Harriet donates a vast sum of money to Brent to settle his debts. How? She asks Lin for it, as her wedding present !!
So Lin is the only undramatic character in this whole crazy set piece of characters. Good fellow, but not spicy enough for my appetite.
Harriet is the sweet English girl, gets a job as companion to a widow in a remote British town house. The lady of the house has 2 sons, both living and working in London. Lindsay, the hero is a lawyer. Roddy, the younger is an out of work pilot just drifting away.
Lindsay is engaged to a local girl. Roddy is crazy about Lindsay's fiance, they meet in secret and make plans to elope. But the girl has money obligations you see. She cant afford to jilt a rich barrister like Lindsay and marry an out-of-work Roddy !!! There is another character in this crazy melee, and that's Brent, her elder brother. Its because Brent is deeply in debt, that the girl is persisting with Lindsay and the sham engagement.
Enter Harriet into this mess. Roddy claims Harriet is his mystery woman, in order to cover up for a gaffe in front of Lindsay. Harriet very quickly figures out all these fellows are out to play havoc with Lin's life, her sympathies are locked with him right from the start.
The 2 ladies manage to have a frank conversation about the whole mess. After which, some dramatic turns take place. Lindsay's fiance elopes with Roddy and marries him. Brent begins to blackmail Harriet that she was instrumental in breaking up the engagement with her "advice" to elope !!! He guesses rightly that Harriet goes all gooey eyed at Lindsay.
Then comes a bizarre twist, Brent forces Harriet to get engaged to him. Why? Because by then he has figured out that Lin is also turning sweet on Harriet, and he would pay up some of Brent's debts if it meant Harriet's happiness. All sorts of crazy assumptions and events unfold.
Amidst all this is the dumb fellow Lindsay. His whole universe is turning up side down in front of him, with his brother, fiance, and then Harriet pulling fast ones on him. But the fellow never sees through any of these things. I don't particularly like heroes who appear dumb !!
In fact, our con man Brent turns out to be a much more spicy and remarkable character in the end. When his blackmail game is busted in front of Lin because Harriet decides to come clean, Brent dramatically exits the scene and lets Harriet have her man !!
And then he also asks her to keep the engagement ring he gave her. He never had an intention of marrying Harriet, but his logic is that he is unlikely to meet a worthier female in his life, who deserves his dead mother's ring !!!
On her part, Harriet donates a vast sum of money to Brent to settle his debts. How? She asks Lin for it, as her wedding present !!
So Lin is the only undramatic character in this whole crazy set piece of characters. Good fellow, but not spicy enough for my appetite.
December 20, 2022
3,5/5
This was a nice story with a strong female character Hariet who comes to work as a companion to Mrs Mayhew. She soon gets caught in the family tangle and how she comes out of it successfully and finds love and happiness constitutes the story.It was well written but dragging at some places,nevertheless a good read.
This was a nice story with a strong female character Hariet who comes to work as a companion to Mrs Mayhew. She soon gets caught in the family tangle and how she comes out of it successfully and finds love and happiness constitutes the story.It was well written but dragging at some places,nevertheless a good read.
October 20, 2012
I've been going through the old romance paperbacks I kept from my childhood. Mary Burchell is my favorite genre romance writer but this is not one of her best. Written in 1949, my edition was published in 1971. The main character is a bit of a ninny, and it contains a truly annoying secondary character.
July 28, 2015
3.5 stars
The road to happiness had a good number of detours and curves but they got there eventually. The main characters were quite likable. I love books that have medical and mental health conditions references.
The road to happiness had a good number of detours and curves but they got there eventually. The main characters were quite likable. I love books that have medical and mental health conditions references.
June 11, 2025
Enjoyable story. 3.5 stars.
Harriet needs a job, and becomes a companion to an older woman who lives in the country. She finds her encounter with a young man at a party has already introduced her to the two sons, Roddy and Lin, of her new employer. Enter siblings Dilys and Brent, their neighbors. Dilys is Lin's fiancee and Brent is definitely a shady guy. The relationships shift, so someone is in love with someone else, someone is engaged to another, there is a sudden marriage, a letter, money, deceit, blackmail...
I loved the unusual ending.
One of the most unusual names MB has come up with is Dilys. (joining Hilma, Marigold, Anthea, Auriel, Ursula, Avril, Alma, Leoni and Ismay--many of these are also grey-eyed characters)
Gray-eyed character: Harriet has "curious green" eyes, "which could sometimes look a clear, still gray"
Harriet needs a job, and becomes a companion to an older woman who lives in the country. She finds her encounter with a young man at a party has already introduced her to the two sons, Roddy and Lin, of her new employer. Enter siblings Dilys and Brent, their neighbors. Dilys is Lin's fiancee and Brent is definitely a shady guy. The relationships shift, so someone is in love with someone else, someone is engaged to another, there is a sudden marriage, a letter, money, deceit, blackmail...
I loved the unusual ending.
One of the most unusual names MB has come up with is Dilys. (joining Hilma, Marigold, Anthea, Auriel, Ursula, Avril, Alma, Leoni and Ismay--many of these are also grey-eyed characters)
Gray-eyed character: Harriet has "curious green" eyes, "which could sometimes look a clear, still gray"
October 11, 2020
Not sure I think the heroine deserved her happy ending. No one who behaves as stupidly as she does deserves to have all her lies and deceptions forgiven as readily as the hero shrugs off hers. I just kept wondering what her long game was?
1. Lie to the hero about everythingIt's too bad, really, because it was an excellent setup between likeable characters, and I was enjoying it thoroughly until the heroine lost her mind. Frankly, I finished the novel thinking the hero deserved better.
2. Play on his feelings to chisel favors out of him
3. Tell him you love someone else
4. ???
5. Happily ever after
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
August 6, 2022When Harriet Denby became companion to old Mrs. Mayhew, she expected a quiet, busy country life with few excitements. Instead she became involved in a dramatic family tangle. At first, she tried to remain an onlooker, but soon she realized that her whole happiness had become bound up with the Mayhew family - whether things worked out for her or not.
August 7, 2022
"Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive!" (Sir Walter Scott, 1808)
That is all I could think of while reading this! Just tell the truth! The h needlessly created problems by deceiving the H thus making a tangled web!!
That is all I could think of while reading this! Just tell the truth! The h needlessly created problems by deceiving the H thus making a tangled web!!
May 3, 2017
All characters thoroughly redeemed! Okay, maybe not "thoroughly", but the
Displaying 1 - 10 of 11 reviews