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Battle of Love
When Catherine's husband was killed in a motor-racing accident, she and her young son were summoned to France to live with her domineering father-in-law, Leon Verender, who had never approved of his son's marriage but was determined to bring up his grandson in his own way.
A clash of wills followed, but Catherine eventually won Leon's affection and respect, as well as finding a new happiness and love with Dr. Philippe Sellier.
A clash of wills followed, but Catherine eventually won Leon's affection and respect, as well as finding a new happiness and love with Dr. Philippe Sellier.
544 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1966
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Warren
87 books10 followersLilian Warren aka Rosalind Brett, Kathryn Blair, Katrina Britt, and Celine Conway.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
February 2, 2019
This is a wonderful story though the romance takes a bit of a backseat to the growing relationship between a widowed young woman and her stern father in law.
Catherine is a young, beautiful widow with a small son. She has come to France to live with her billionaire father in law since her late husband has named him co-guardian of their son. The father in law had disowned his son when he married the heroine, so there is no love lost between her and her father in law. Both have preconceived misconceptions of the other.
One of the good friends of the father in law is the town doctor, the Hero, thouh he is much younger than the father in law. The reader can see that the Hero is attracted to the heroine, and is frustrated as he sees her devoting her whole life to her son, without any thoughts to her own happiness. The romance is vey subtle and there are a few other secondary characters that add complications to their relationship.
What is unusual in the story is the character of the main OW, Lucille. She is not in competition for the Hero, rather, she is trying to trap the wealthy father in law into marriage. Though the focus is the father in law, the level of angst the author is able to create between her and the heroine is well done. The OW is a scheming gold-digger and she can very well affect the decisions made about the heroine’s child if she succeeds in snaring the old man.
The ending, though abrupt, was good too. I like how father in law dealt with this OW and how he finally appreciated his daughter in law for herself.
Catherine is a young, beautiful widow with a small son. She has come to France to live with her billionaire father in law since her late husband has named him co-guardian of their son. The father in law had disowned his son when he married the heroine, so there is no love lost between her and her father in law. Both have preconceived misconceptions of the other.
One of the good friends of the father in law is the town doctor, the Hero, thouh he is much younger than the father in law. The reader can see that the Hero is attracted to the heroine, and is frustrated as he sees her devoting her whole life to her son, without any thoughts to her own happiness. The romance is vey subtle and there are a few other secondary characters that add complications to their relationship.
What is unusual in the story is the character of the main OW, Lucille. She is not in competition for the Hero, rather, she is trying to trap the wealthy father in law into marriage. Though the focus is the father in law, the level of angst the author is able to create between her and the heroine is well done. The OW is a scheming gold-digger and she can very well affect the decisions made about the heroine’s child if she succeeds in snaring the old man.
The ending, though abrupt, was good too. I like how father in law dealt with this OW and how he finally appreciated his daughter in law for herself.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2016
Its not really a passionate love story.
Its the story of a woman whose life finds a new meaning after her husband's death. In a rather unexpected way, the aristocratic tyrant father-in-law who refuses to acknowledge her wedding with his only son, finally accepts her wholeheartedly.
She transforms from the alleged gold digger daughter-in-law to his respected and much loved daughter.
Where is the hero in all this you may ask. Well, in this story he is more of a supporting character than a hero. He is the doctor in the town, the only man the father-in-law listens to, and the only person the daughter-in-law looks up to for support. Their romance is completely understated, rather subtle and blooms only on the last page.
But never mind, it was an engaging story nevertheless and I loved the heroine, she has spunk and character! I grudgingly admit that kind of liked the bully father-in-law too.
There is also a kid in the picture, a cute 4 year boy, who the father-in-law thinks is not sufficiently manly !?!?? At 4 years !! Yes, thats the kind of guy the old man is , a tough nut to crack. But the girl manages him just fine :)
The hero ?? Oh, he was ok. For a change, he is a pragmatic Frenchman, not a gorgeous Greek tycoon or an Italian millionaire !
Its the story of a woman whose life finds a new meaning after her husband's death. In a rather unexpected way, the aristocratic tyrant father-in-law who refuses to acknowledge her wedding with his only son, finally accepts her wholeheartedly.
She transforms from the alleged gold digger daughter-in-law to his respected and much loved daughter.
Where is the hero in all this you may ask. Well, in this story he is more of a supporting character than a hero. He is the doctor in the town, the only man the father-in-law listens to, and the only person the daughter-in-law looks up to for support. Their romance is completely understated, rather subtle and blooms only on the last page.
But never mind, it was an engaging story nevertheless and I loved the heroine, she has spunk and character! I grudgingly admit that kind of liked the bully father-in-law too.
There is also a kid in the picture, a cute 4 year boy, who the father-in-law thinks is not sufficiently manly !?!?? At 4 years !! Yes, thats the kind of guy the old man is , a tough nut to crack. But the girl manages him just fine :)
The hero ?? Oh, he was ok. For a change, he is a pragmatic Frenchman, not a gorgeous Greek tycoon or an Italian millionaire !
March 7, 2020
I found this too earnest and real for my tastes, with not much romance.
October 22, 2015
An okay read. This author does Canada, England and Africa very well. Her stories that are set in Italy, Spain or France are not my favs. ..
Violet Winspear is much better at describing the Latin male!
Violet Winspear is much better at describing the Latin male!
April 27, 2025
The heroine (26) is a widow with a 4 year old son who goes to her father-in-law’s house in France after he is left joint guardian. The hero (late 30s) is a polished French doctor who struggles with the fact she has been married before.
The story is more about getting the FIL to accept the grandson as he is, rather than a chip off the old block. There is a sort of OW who he has been seeing, and is polite to, but it’s going nowhere. The OM are temporary and only superficial.
There’s not a lot of romance, but it’s an interesting story with a happy ending (although I can see her son being largely raised by the grandfather or at boarding school).
3 1/2 stars
The story is more about getting the FIL to accept the grandson as he is, rather than a chip off the old block. There is a sort of OW who he has been seeing, and is polite to, but it’s going nowhere. The OM are temporary and only superficial.
There’s not a lot of romance, but it’s an interesting story with a happy ending (although I can see her son being largely raised by the grandfather or at boarding school).
3 1/2 stars
September 30, 2018
One of my mum's books by Kathryn Blair set in France in its contemporary setting of the 1960s. Enjoyed it at the time of reading in about 1975.
November 21, 2025
An okish story with too many bossy and scheming characters not to my liking.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews