Swan's Reach

by Margaret Way

The bitter irony of fate, Rachel thought. She had resented Nick Retford for so long that it was hard to believe she could be in love with him.What was the use anyway? Loving Nick Retford was like reaching for the moon. He was just as magnetic and just as difficult to attain. Only one name dominated his world - Vanessa Maybury.The news of their proposed marriage hit Rachel like a thunderbolt!

Genres: Harlequin Romance

304 pages, Paperback

First published December 10, 1976

About the author

Margaret Way was born and educated in the river city of Brisbane, Australia. Before her marriage she was a well-known pianist, teacher, vocal coach and accompanist, but her hectic musical career came to a halt when her son was born and the demands of motherhood dictated a change of pace.

On a fortuitous impulse she decided to try her hand at romance writing and was thrilled when Mills & Boon accepted her first effort, Time of the Jacaranda, which they published less than a year later in 1970; a feat that brought tears to her father's eyes. Some seventy odd books have followed resulting in a loyal readership whose letters provide a source of support and encouragement. A driving force in all her writing has been the promotion of her much loved country, Australia. She delights in bringing it alive for her readers; its people, way of life, environment, flora and fauna. Her efforts so far have not excited official recognition, but she expects one day she will be awarded the "Order of Australia."

Her interests remain with the arts. She still plays the piano seriously, but her "top Cs" have gone. She is still addicted to collecting antiques and paintings and browsing through galleries. She now lives within sight and sound of beautiful Moreton Bay and its islands, inspiration for some of her books. Her house is full of books, spectacular plants, Chinese screens and pots. She is devoted to her garden and spends much time "directing the design and digging and providing cold drinks and chocolates."

Reviews

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of MW’s more annoying heroine’s!

[Margo · Rating 2 out of 5]

You'd think from the description that this book would at least have some genuine tension to it. You'd be wrong. I'm starting to get the impression that Margaret Way's earlier books are lackluster efforts -- she's got all of the elements of a good plot, but the writing doesn't build on it.

[Naksed · Rating 2 out of 5]

A haughty, spoiled brat of a girl has to give up the family mansion, the titular Swan’s Reach, because of the enormous “death” taxes imposed on her after the death of her grandfather. She is unbearably rude to the prospective buyer, a famous criminal defense lawyer who is a young widower with an 8 year old son. A coldly beautiful divorcee has set her sights on him, making the heroine even more disgusted about spoiling her illustrious grandfather’s legacy with these uncouth upstarts. Before long, the lawyer is giving her punishing kisses on the sly, while the divorcee is threatening her to keep her hands off her man. The heroine bonds with the little son, and then quite inexplicably falls in love with his father as violently as she fell in hate with him only weeks ago. There are rumors that he will marry the divorcee by New Year, which breaks the heroine’s heart. Knowing she won’t be able to handle seeing her unrequited lover marry another woman, the heroine plans to go on a six month cruise to nurse her broken heart, as young heiresses do, even ones who have fallen on hard times lol. The lawyer is stabbed in court by an irate psychiatric patient, precipitating mutual avowals of love. Between the hero and heroine, that is, not the hero and the attempted murderer! Hero finally explains that he was never engaged to the divorcee but let heroine believe the gossip because… why? I don’t know, these are the kinds of games lovers play in vintage Harlequinlandia. This was a very color-by-number, very typical “romance” of its times. I will remember this for the red-headed heroine sneaking into the courtroom disguised in a brunette wig to spy on the hero while he is doing his closing argument in a murder case.

[StMargarets · Rating 2 out of 5]

One of MW's high-strung, pure bred society heroines. And this one is young - just 21 - and spoiled. But she's breaking her heart at having to sell the family manor to the hero and everyone is understanding. *rolls eyes*

Hero, a widower, is a defense lawyer and wealthy in his own right. He has an 8 year-old son who is the best character in the novel. And I believe the age difference between heroine and son and heroine and hero is about the same. *ick*

Anyway, the hero gently woes the heroine who gets the guy, the cute kid, and the family manor without working a day in her life. A true HEA - for the heroine.

The scenes between the H/h could have been a short story - too much page time was spent with OMs, the OW and all the antiques at the manor.

I prefer MW's Outback stories.

[RomLibrary]

The bitter irony of fate, Rachel thought. She had resented Nick Retford for so long that it was hard to believe she could be in love with him.

What was the use anyway? Loving Nick Retford was like reaching for the moon. He was just as magnetic and just as difficult to attain. Only one name dominated his world - Vanessa Maybury.

The news of their proposed marriage hit Rachel like a thunderbolt!

[Terri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was a cute book and a fast read. If you can get past Rachael’s immaturity and impulsiveness her character does show depth in time. Angsty moments in the book and you can’t help but feel for her as she realizes she’s falling in love with the hero. I especially liked her relationship with hero’s young son.
The very end was a bit anticlimactic but otherwise a good story.

[Prac Agrl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ridiculous!!!

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

quick and fast read