Magic Symphony

by Eleanor Farnes

No one suspected Erica's heartbreak at having to put aside her musical training and career to take over the family affairs.

Only when the conductor, Charles Winlake, aware of Erica's talent, brought her back into the world of music did she fully realize what she'd missed.

Then she began to wonder if Charles would have a permanent place in this bright new world.

Genres: Harlequin Romance

Paperback

First published January 1, 1952

About the author

Eleanor Farnes is a British writer, who wrote over 60 romance novels at Mills & Boon from 1935 to 1979. Eleanor Farnes lived in England, but her family had a home in Spain, where she also spend part of each year. She also traveled widely in Europe, South Africa, and North America. She started to write after marrying and having 2 children. Her hobbies included the restoring of old houses and traveling, that had brought the charm and beauty of exotic locales to her novels, like Spain, Italy or Switzerland, that she knew personally. She also wrote doctor/nurse romances.

Reviews

[Fiona Marsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really sweet story about the classic self sacrificing heroine who gives up a promising music career to care for her family upon the death of her step-mother.

The hero is a leading light in the music world that she hoped to enter and when they meet there is an instant connection though the hero is very slow to realise just why he wants to visit the heroine and make her life a little brighter.

There is a jealous half-sister and a sleazy hanger on to complicate things but the angst is low key and the ending as charming as the blurb suggests.

[Aarathi Burki · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
Sweet little story with a likeable hero and heroine.
Heroine Erica sacrifices her ambitions and passion to become a music star when her step mom dies and she has to take up the reins of running the house taking care of her father,a step sister and 2 young step brothers.
A chance meet with musical conductor Charles develops into a nice friendship and Erica starts attending his musical concerts and enjoys her time.
Angela her step sister is jealous of her friendship with Charles and when her supposed boyfriend Maurice too falls for Erica she is violent.Finally Angela sees the truth while Erica and Charles confess their love for one another.
This was a nice story with likeable characters except for selfish Angela and Maurice.

[Karen-Leigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

In this book the misunderstandings come from the heroine's brash younger step-sister Angela and her philandering boyfriend Maurice, who decides he likes Erica better. Lovely hero in the conductor Charles Winlake. As usual it all hangs on our hero not telling our heroine that the woman he is protecting is his sister. However, this heroine is a confident and level headed. One odd bit was she would not leave the family to go back to her musical training but jumps at marrying him and travelling the world away from said family and no mention of her training ever comes up again.