Heart Specialist

by Susan Barrie (Pseudonym), Ida Pollock

He was a famous Parisian doctor, reputed to know all that was to be known about the human heart, and doubtless few people could fault him on the goings on of auricles and ventricles, the superior and inferior, vena cava. And to judge by the way women patients flocked to him, he might have been supposed to have a special knowledge of their problems, But when his own heart, after long immunity, became, emotionally affected, and he wanted to win that of a shy young English girl, who had only a few months to spend, in his beautiful, glittering city and who had an attrac- tive fellow-cauntrymon intent on gaining that same heart if he could then Dr Daudet had to start learning all over again!

However long she lived, Valentine would never understand Amelia Constantia's will! Why would a woman who had known her so briefly leave her all that wealth on condition that she marry within a year? Dr. Leon Daudet was curious, too -- especially as the money would pass to him if Valentine defaulted. But why should he be so angry? As Valentine told him, she had no intention of getting married -- ever!

Genres: Harlequin Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 1958

About the author

One of many pseudonyms used by Ida Julia Pollock, née Crowe.

Mrs. Pollack was a British writer of several short-stories and 125 romance novels that were published under her married name and under a number of different pseudonyms: Joan M. Allen; Susan Barrie, Pamela Kent, Averil Ives, Anita Charles, Barbara Rowan, Jane Beaufort, Rose Burghley, Mary Whistler and Marguerite Bell. She has sold millions of copies over her 90-year career. She has been referred to as the "world's oldest novelist" who was still active at 105 and continued writing until her death.

Ida and her husband, Lt Colonel Hugh Alexander Pollock, DSO (1888–1971), a veteran of war and Winston Churchill's collaborator and editor, had a daughter, Rosemary Pollock, who is also a romance writer.

Reviews

[Margo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very typical Susan Barrie— older, withholding H supposedly loves naive, vulnerable h.

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a nice story with likable main leads, Valentine and Leon. They both come in for an inheritance at the end of a year and, during their frequent meetings, fall in love with each other. I found the writing to be very good and also liked the supporting characters.

[Lynn Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

First published 1958. This edition 1961. Reprinted again under Mills and Boon Classics in 1970s.
A nice easy read. A tender romance set in Paris.
SYNOPSIS:
He was a famous Parisian doctor, reputed to know all that was to be known about the human heart, and doubtless few people could fault him on the goings on of auricles and ventricles, the superior and inferior, vena cava. And to judge by the way women patients flocked to him, he might have been supposed to have a special knowledge of their problems, But when his own heart, after long immunity, became, emotionally affected, and he wanted to win that of a shy young English girl, who had only a few months to spend, in his beautiful, glittering city and who had an attractive fellow-country man intent on gaining that same heart if he could then Dr Daudet had to start learning all over again!

However long she lived, Valentine would never understand Amelia Constantia's will! Why would a woman who had known her so briefly leave her all that wealth on condition that she marry within a year? Dr Leon Daudet was curious, too -- especially as the money would pass to him if Valentine defaulted. But why should he be so angry? As Valentine told him, she had no intention of getting married -- ever!