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Unwanted Wife
Tanya dazedly tried to understand what Adrian was saying. "Six years ago," he went on, "your government announced that all its citizens who were married to foreigners had divorced them. So seeing you was something of a shock."
Something of a shock! The understatement almost made Tanya laugh, except that she was the butt of the joke.
Not only was she in an alien country, but the man to whom she had come no longer wanted her. Even worse, for five years he had believed that she no longer wanted him!
Something of a shock! The understatement almost made Tanya laugh, except that she was the butt of the joke.
Not only was she in an alien country, but the man to whom she had come no longer wanted her. Even worse, for five years he had believed that she no longer wanted him!
192 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1978
About the author
Rachel Lindsay
66 books64 followersRachel Lindsay is the pen name of an author who also published as Roberta Leigh, Janey Scott, and Rozella Lake. See the "Roberta Leigh" entry for full biographical information.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 18, 2024
SPOILERS
1960 Publication
Handsome 27 year old Briton, Adrian, took a post at the British Embassy in Rovnia, somewhere in Europe.
At the Rovnian festival he met a local girl, 18 year old Tanya.
Tanya was not only very beautiful but also highly intelligent, mature and principled.
Their friendship quickly ripened into something deeper.
"I will love you all my life " Adrian told Tanya.
They got married and while on honeymoon there was a coup d' etat in Rovnia.
Adrian was recalled to Britain, so 10 days after their marriage, Tanya kissed him goodbye.
She was to follow him in a week's time when her papers and passport would be in order.
But she never did, as she was no longer allowed by the new military Government.
Rovnia was now behind the Iron curtain.
His letters to her were never answered as she'd never received them.
Two years after the marriage the Rovnian Government announced that all their citizens who had married foreigners had requested their marriages to be dissolved.
As the years slipped by, Adrian's love begun to ebb and he put his marriage into the past.
Eight years after the marriage, he got engaged to Diana, daughter of a local Lord.
Adrian was also running to be the member of Parliament for his district.
That particular night Adrian was at his family Estate with his mother, sister and family and his fiancee Diana, having pre-dinner drinks, when the butler announced that there was a young lady to see him.
A woman in an ill fitting, shabby coat, wearing a scarf and holding a battered suitcase, came in.
She was too thin from lack of food, her face was pale, her hands roughered and red from work, the nails broken.
"You can't be Tanya!!!".
Hearing him say her name, the woman gave a sob and flung herself at his chest.
Awkwardly Adrian patted her shoulder, at the same time looking over to where his mother and Diana were staring at him in horror.
But it was nothing to the horror he felt within himself.
He led Tanya to his office and immediately stepped away from her. Tanya felt the recoil.
She told him that she had managed to escape. She was in the underground resistance for years, fighting the regime. She had lived and witnessed unimaginable horrors and her parents were dead.
Adrian asked her "What are your plans?"
"I have come here to you. You are my husband. All the time we've been apart l have lived for the moment when l would see you, be together again".
"Naturally you will stay here until you have decided what you want to do. It's 8 years since we saw one another and in that time we've changed. "
"Not me, l am the same as always. Have you forgotten the past Adrian? Doesn't seeing me again make you remember how you felt about me?"
"No, it doesn't. I am sorry Tanya, but we can't turn back the clock. "
"Then l will go."
Adrian convinced her to stay the night. She was exhausted and he felt responsible for her.
Tanya could not think of that cold, forbidding stranger as the same man she had married.
The next morning Tanya was determined to leave even though she had nowhere to go.
Adrian told her that as Tanya asked several people in the village for directions to his Estate and as people knew he had a foreign ex wife, there might be gossip, and as he was standing for Parliament, if it leaked out that he had both a wife and a fiancee, it could be disastrous for him and the election.
He told her about his engagement to Diana.
He asked her to stay as a nanny to his sister's children. Tanya agreed so she would not spoil his chances at the election, and he thanked her.
"Do not thank me. Beggars cannot be choosers, and in the house of my husband l am truly a beggar."
As the days passed, the effects of good food and rest showed on Tanya.
She would have her meals with the children and she would very rarely see Adrian.
Weeks went by and one afternoon Tanya met Adrian in the garden. He said he did not recognise her, she now looked more like her old self.
He told her that when the Rovnian Embassy told him that she'd divorced him he determined to forget her. He put love behind him.
When on rare occasions Tanya would see Diana at the house waiting for Adrian, she would feel a pang of jealousy and pain. She loved him still as much as she had ever done.
Tanya met Adrian's political opponent, Roger, and became friends.
Roger knew who Tanya really was. He was in love with Diana.
Tanya encouraged him to let Diana know of his feelings.
He said that her aristocratic father would never let her be with him coming as he was from a working class family, and Diana always obeyed her father.
When Adrian found out that Tanya was going out with Roger, he confronted her.
He said Roger was his political opponent and Tanya was still his wife.
"If it hadn't been for your election, Adrian, you'd have sent me away. You begged me to stay and never stopped to consider the pain l would feel been here and you, my husband, treating me like a stranger."
She burst into tears and Adrian kissed her with passion and she responded until she remembered that he belonged to another woman.
Adrian realised that to expect a woman who loved him, who had travelled halfway across Europe in search of him, to remain in his home when she knew he was going to marry someone else, had been the height of cruelty.
One day Adrian strode angrily into his home and told Diana that everybody knew now that Tanya was his wife. Tanya must have told Roger and he gave the information to a newspaper.
Diana told him that the wise thing to do was to acknowledge Tanya as his wife, at least until the election and break their own engagement for the time being.
Roger was not the one who leaked the information.
Adrian regretted having Tanya hide her identity and pretend to be his sister's nanny.
It was a lousy thing to do.
He asked Tanya to take her place as his wife and say to the world that he kept her arrival secret for her own safety.
Tanya agreed, as she said, she wanted to leave the place with a clear conscience.
Adrian was now very conscious of Tanya. She was no longer the ugly waif he encountered months ago.
He wondered how could he want one woman when he was engaged to another. He could also put the question another way, and ask how he could be engaged to the other woman when he was married to the original one.
He came to the realisation that he loved Tanya.
He had numbed his senses these past eight years, but now the numbess had begun to recede.
He decided to let things be as they were, until the election.
On election day Tanya quietly left.
Adrian lost the election to Roger, and she knew that her coming on the scene ruined his chances.
Adrian looked everywhere for her, he even hired a private detective agency and got the police involved, but to no avail.
He knew he loved her even more now than when he married her. He was devastated and lost weight.
Eight months later his lawyer telephoned to say that Tanya conducted him to ask if there were any divorce papers for her to sign.
The lawyer could only tell Adrian that Tanya was in the Scilly Isles.
Adrian found her working in a flower farm.
He told her that he've been searching for her for so long he could not believe he've found her.
He went through hell looking for her.
He loved her and Tanya told him that she never ever stopped loving him.
1960 Publication
Handsome 27 year old Briton, Adrian, took a post at the British Embassy in Rovnia, somewhere in Europe.
At the Rovnian festival he met a local girl, 18 year old Tanya.
Tanya was not only very beautiful but also highly intelligent, mature and principled.
Their friendship quickly ripened into something deeper.
"I will love you all my life " Adrian told Tanya.
They got married and while on honeymoon there was a coup d' etat in Rovnia.
Adrian was recalled to Britain, so 10 days after their marriage, Tanya kissed him goodbye.
She was to follow him in a week's time when her papers and passport would be in order.
But she never did, as she was no longer allowed by the new military Government.
Rovnia was now behind the Iron curtain.
His letters to her were never answered as she'd never received them.
Two years after the marriage the Rovnian Government announced that all their citizens who had married foreigners had requested their marriages to be dissolved.
As the years slipped by, Adrian's love begun to ebb and he put his marriage into the past.
Eight years after the marriage, he got engaged to Diana, daughter of a local Lord.
Adrian was also running to be the member of Parliament for his district.
That particular night Adrian was at his family Estate with his mother, sister and family and his fiancee Diana, having pre-dinner drinks, when the butler announced that there was a young lady to see him.
A woman in an ill fitting, shabby coat, wearing a scarf and holding a battered suitcase, came in.
She was too thin from lack of food, her face was pale, her hands roughered and red from work, the nails broken.
"You can't be Tanya!!!".
Hearing him say her name, the woman gave a sob and flung herself at his chest.
Awkwardly Adrian patted her shoulder, at the same time looking over to where his mother and Diana were staring at him in horror.
But it was nothing to the horror he felt within himself.
He led Tanya to his office and immediately stepped away from her. Tanya felt the recoil.
She told him that she had managed to escape. She was in the underground resistance for years, fighting the regime. She had lived and witnessed unimaginable horrors and her parents were dead.
Adrian asked her "What are your plans?"
"I have come here to you. You are my husband. All the time we've been apart l have lived for the moment when l would see you, be together again".
"Naturally you will stay here until you have decided what you want to do. It's 8 years since we saw one another and in that time we've changed. "
"Not me, l am the same as always. Have you forgotten the past Adrian? Doesn't seeing me again make you remember how you felt about me?"
"No, it doesn't. I am sorry Tanya, but we can't turn back the clock. "
"Then l will go."
Adrian convinced her to stay the night. She was exhausted and he felt responsible for her.
Tanya could not think of that cold, forbidding stranger as the same man she had married.
The next morning Tanya was determined to leave even though she had nowhere to go.
Adrian told her that as Tanya asked several people in the village for directions to his Estate and as people knew he had a foreign ex wife, there might be gossip, and as he was standing for Parliament, if it leaked out that he had both a wife and a fiancee, it could be disastrous for him and the election.
He told her about his engagement to Diana.
He asked her to stay as a nanny to his sister's children. Tanya agreed so she would not spoil his chances at the election, and he thanked her.
"Do not thank me. Beggars cannot be choosers, and in the house of my husband l am truly a beggar."
As the days passed, the effects of good food and rest showed on Tanya.
She would have her meals with the children and she would very rarely see Adrian.
Weeks went by and one afternoon Tanya met Adrian in the garden. He said he did not recognise her, she now looked more like her old self.
He told her that when the Rovnian Embassy told him that she'd divorced him he determined to forget her. He put love behind him.
When on rare occasions Tanya would see Diana at the house waiting for Adrian, she would feel a pang of jealousy and pain. She loved him still as much as she had ever done.
Tanya met Adrian's political opponent, Roger, and became friends.
Roger knew who Tanya really was. He was in love with Diana.
Tanya encouraged him to let Diana know of his feelings.
He said that her aristocratic father would never let her be with him coming as he was from a working class family, and Diana always obeyed her father.
When Adrian found out that Tanya was going out with Roger, he confronted her.
He said Roger was his political opponent and Tanya was still his wife.
"If it hadn't been for your election, Adrian, you'd have sent me away. You begged me to stay and never stopped to consider the pain l would feel been here and you, my husband, treating me like a stranger."
She burst into tears and Adrian kissed her with passion and she responded until she remembered that he belonged to another woman.
Adrian realised that to expect a woman who loved him, who had travelled halfway across Europe in search of him, to remain in his home when she knew he was going to marry someone else, had been the height of cruelty.
One day Adrian strode angrily into his home and told Diana that everybody knew now that Tanya was his wife. Tanya must have told Roger and he gave the information to a newspaper.
Diana told him that the wise thing to do was to acknowledge Tanya as his wife, at least until the election and break their own engagement for the time being.
Roger was not the one who leaked the information.
Adrian regretted having Tanya hide her identity and pretend to be his sister's nanny.
It was a lousy thing to do.
He asked Tanya to take her place as his wife and say to the world that he kept her arrival secret for her own safety.
Tanya agreed, as she said, she wanted to leave the place with a clear conscience.
Adrian was now very conscious of Tanya. She was no longer the ugly waif he encountered months ago.
He wondered how could he want one woman when he was engaged to another. He could also put the question another way, and ask how he could be engaged to the other woman when he was married to the original one.
He came to the realisation that he loved Tanya.
He had numbed his senses these past eight years, but now the numbess had begun to recede.
He decided to let things be as they were, until the election.
On election day Tanya quietly left.
Adrian lost the election to Roger, and she knew that her coming on the scene ruined his chances.
Adrian looked everywhere for her, he even hired a private detective agency and got the police involved, but to no avail.
He knew he loved her even more now than when he married her. He was devastated and lost weight.
Eight months later his lawyer telephoned to say that Tanya conducted him to ask if there were any divorce papers for her to sign.
The lawyer could only tell Adrian that Tanya was in the Scilly Isles.
Adrian found her working in a flower farm.
He told her that he've been searching for her for so long he could not believe he've found her.
He went through hell looking for her.
He loved her and Tanya told him that she never ever stopped loving him.
August 15, 2016
This one was hard for me to rate. I know I won't forget this story, because the plot and characters are so unusual but as far as a romance goes, it fell a little short.
The premise: H/h met and married at the British Embassy in a fictional country behind the Iron Curtain. h was 18, H wasn't much older. They had a two week honeymoon and then heroine had to stay behind because of visa problems. Letters never got through and they had no contact. Two years after they married, hero got a government letter saying he was divorced. This killed his hope. The story opens six years after the divorce letter, with the heroine showing up at his country estate. She had finally escaped. The problem: Hero is engaged to a childhood friend and he's in the middle of an election for MP. The title is spot on in this instance.
I have to say that Rachel Lindsey does an amazing job with the "white space" in this novel. It's what she *doesn't* tell us that creates another level of angst. We don't get much info about the heroine's horrible life behind the Iron Curtain, but because of what I know about conditions at the time, I, the reader, can fill in that blank. I can just imagine the day-to-day privations and how the heroine kept the idea of her hero in her head as a beacon of hope. Now that's some weapons grade angst when he rejects her. And it does hurt to read it.
It's harder to sympathize with the hero and the zombie state he's in now that he's lost all hope. We get to feel the heroine lose hope (briefly - she's made of stern stuff) and we get the hero's thoughts when he loses her *again*, but he so understated even in his thoughts, that it's not the same agony. (Plus we know he'll find her - it's almost the end of the book).
While reading, their pain didn't seem balanced enough. But thinking it over, I can see that the author tried to even it out. By losing the election, the hero did lose the status that was so important at the beginning of the story. But that status was only important because zombie hero truly didn't think he had anything else to strive for - certainly not love or happiness.
This is a memorable book. And Tanya, the heroine, is a wonderful character. I would have liked to know more about the hero and more interaction between them. There was a lot of page time given to the other couple. At first I found the dialogue a little stilted - Tanya because English is her second language - and Adrian (the hero) because he's so repressed and zombie-like. Once I got used to it, it was an effective device to round out their characters.
The premise: H/h met and married at the British Embassy in a fictional country behind the Iron Curtain. h was 18, H wasn't much older. They had a two week honeymoon and then heroine had to stay behind because of visa problems. Letters never got through and they had no contact. Two years after they married, hero got a government letter saying he was divorced. This killed his hope. The story opens six years after the divorce letter, with the heroine showing up at his country estate. She had finally escaped. The problem: Hero is engaged to a childhood friend and he's in the middle of an election for MP. The title is spot on in this instance.
I have to say that Rachel Lindsey does an amazing job with the "white space" in this novel. It's what she *doesn't* tell us that creates another level of angst. We don't get much info about the heroine's horrible life behind the Iron Curtain, but because of what I know about conditions at the time, I, the reader, can fill in that blank. I can just imagine the day-to-day privations and how the heroine kept the idea of her hero in her head as a beacon of hope. Now that's some weapons grade angst when he rejects her. And it does hurt to read it.
It's harder to sympathize with the hero and the zombie state he's in now that he's lost all hope. We get to feel the heroine lose hope (briefly - she's made of stern stuff) and we get the hero's thoughts when he loses her *again*, but he so understated even in his thoughts, that it's not the same agony. (Plus we know he'll find her - it's almost the end of the book).
While reading, their pain didn't seem balanced enough. But thinking it over, I can see that the author tried to even it out. By losing the election, the hero did lose the status that was so important at the beginning of the story. But that status was only important because zombie hero truly didn't think he had anything else to strive for - certainly not love or happiness.
This is a memorable book. And Tanya, the heroine, is a wonderful character. I would have liked to know more about the hero and more interaction between them. There was a lot of page time given to the other couple. At first I found the dialogue a little stilted - Tanya because English is her second language - and Adrian (the hero) because he's so repressed and zombie-like. Once I got used to it, it was an effective device to round out their characters.
March 16, 2016
Someone needs to die, and I think it is the hero.
Long lost love, his wife no less, shows up and gets shuffled to the side to act as his sister's nanny. TSTL and most insensitive male.
I wasted about 45 minutes skimming this darn thing, and could feel my BP rise. Not to mention the mother is a cow.
Long lost love, his wife no less, shows up and gets shuffled to the side to act as his sister's nanny. TSTL and most insensitive male.
I wasted about 45 minutes skimming this darn thing, and could feel my BP rise. Not to mention the mother is a cow.
May 17, 2021
Cover artist is Cliff Kearns who AFAICT didn't do many for Harlequin. This one is nice though probably the least distinctive of the lot, still the detail in her blouse and the tiny folk dancers are nice.
My condolences to Tanya, heroine of Unwanted Wife, who after eight bleak years with nothing but the cherished memory of her British husband to uplift her, manages to escape the deprivations of her fake iron curtain country only to discover Adrian is not a man to put one's faith in.
Adrian's treatment of Tanya is pure ignoble selfishness;
Still the unusual plot and resilient heroine felt worth my time—and based on Tanya and Janos, hero from Passionate Stranger, I'm going to have to start looking for more harley MCs who are emigres from iron curtain countries. If only the Coriolanus theme vaguely hinted at had been expanded. Adrian was no more genuinely interested in being a politician than Corialanus was and no more interested in his wife; both were egged on by mom and their own self-importance....I can't help thinking a mother who went all Volumnia on his ass, urging him towards his own destruction and a final homoerotic fight to the death with his political rival would have added that missing spark here.
My condolences to Tanya, heroine of Unwanted Wife, who after eight bleak years with nothing but the cherished memory of her British husband to uplift her, manages to escape the deprivations of her fake iron curtain country only to discover Adrian is not a man to put one's faith in.
Adrian's treatment of Tanya is pure ignoble selfishness;
Still the unusual plot and resilient heroine felt worth my time—and based on Tanya and Janos, hero from Passionate Stranger, I'm going to have to start looking for more harley MCs who are emigres from iron curtain countries. If only the Coriolanus theme vaguely hinted at had been expanded. Adrian was no more genuinely interested in being a politician than Corialanus was and no more interested in his wife; both were egged on by mom and their own self-importance....I can't help thinking a mother who went all Volumnia on his ass, urging him towards his own destruction and a final homoerotic fight to the death with his political rival would have added that missing spark here.
March 6, 2012
There are actually two romances in this book - Adrian and Tanya's; Diane and Roger's. In both, much could be avoided if only someone would be brave enough to express how they truly feel. Tanya's brutal honesty shakes up the lives of the others. Adrian came off rather selfish at first, thankfully, we've been given glimpses into his heart otherwise he might not have been redeemable. Roger and Diane are that couple who love to get under the other's skin but neither have the courage to reach for more. I enjoyed this vintage Presents very much.
December 10, 2021
The reviews are all over the place on this one, and for good reason. The H appears heartless and weak, and depending on how you look at it, the h pathetically put up with some unbelievably selfish behavior from the H. I don't look at it that way, though.
The h is simply magnificent. Years of living as a rebel in an Iron Curtain country have left her with few things, but what remains is her reverence for political freedom, her desire for others to achieve true happiness as their best selves, and her love for the H. She loves him despite the fact that he has become a calculating automaton who has to be reminded that his behavior is despicable; after all, it was the memory of their idealistic love that helped her survive starvation and the loss of her family. She loves him even when she has no illusions left concerning his behavior.
She stays with him and endures his repugnant behavior because of this love, but what saves her from being a pathetic doormat is that she leaves him for good as soon as she has honored her promise. He has to chase her down and convince her he has changed. Is he worthy of her? Naah, but he will always aspire to it, and she loves him and deserves to get what she wants.
The h is simply magnificent. Years of living as a rebel in an Iron Curtain country have left her with few things, but what remains is her reverence for political freedom, her desire for others to achieve true happiness as their best selves, and her love for the H. She loves him despite the fact that he has become a calculating automaton who has to be reminded that his behavior is despicable; after all, it was the memory of their idealistic love that helped her survive starvation and the loss of her family. She loves him even when she has no illusions left concerning his behavior.
She stays with him and endures his repugnant behavior because of this love, but what saves her from being a pathetic doormat is that she leaves him for good as soon as she has honored her promise. He has to chase her down and convince her he has changed. Is he worthy of her? Naah, but he will always aspire to it, and she loves him and deserves to get what she wants.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2023
H was a total ass and deserved her contempt.
Did Not Finish
February 22, 2024DNF @12% - Depressing with a passive hero. And the reviews say he stays passive and doesn’t admit to his love until he no longer has anything to lose. 🙄😵💫
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 20, 2011
Melodramatic.
When I first read this in the 80s, it was unusual to have a heroine who’s a refugee. In addition, there’s the stuffy, upper-crust, mama’s boy of a hero who nearly commits bigamy, the other woman who is actually likeable for a change and the other man who is a sympathetic foil and political rival of the hero. Given this cast of characters, this book wasn’t easy to forget.
Ultimate humiliation: for the sake of her husband’s political ambitions, she’s asked to pretend to be the nanny to the children of her sis-in-law. Utterly believable considering politics and cover-ups.
Advantage: definitely the heroine…for not letting him have his cake and eat it, too. And for reminding him that HE was the one who chose to give her up.
Comeuppance: her disappearance after the elections.
Grovelling: this is why this book is rated only 4 instead of 5 stars.
Two-hanky read.
When I first read this in the 80s, it was unusual to have a heroine who’s a refugee. In addition, there’s the stuffy, upper-crust, mama’s boy of a hero who nearly commits bigamy, the other woman who is actually likeable for a change and the other man who is a sympathetic foil and political rival of the hero. Given this cast of characters, this book wasn’t easy to forget.
Ultimate humiliation: for the sake of her husband’s political ambitions, she’s asked to pretend to be the nanny to the children of her sis-in-law. Utterly believable considering politics and cover-ups.
Advantage: definitely the heroine…for not letting him have his cake and eat it, too. And for reminding him that HE was the one who chose to give her up.
Comeuppance: her disappearance after the elections.
Grovelling: this is why this book is rated only 4 instead of 5 stars.
Two-hanky read.
August 27, 2021
I loved this one, precisely because it was so unusual and different from any other Harlequin Presents I'd ever read. However, I do agree with other reviewers that the romance between the main couple was lacking due to page space being taken up by other plotlines. I knew that going into it, so it didn't surprise me. But consider yourself forewarned.
One of the most interesting parts about this is the h herself. She has a strong will, and very little need to change. Unlike most h's of the HP variety, girl has her head screwed on straight. She's been through a real hell, living on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, losing her dad to prison and death, eventually her mom as well, and not being able to escape to her estranged husband until 6 years later. But due to that, she didn't really have any need to change, so she was more of a catalyst for the other characters rather than a protagonist in her right. But having said that, she made this book very enjoyable, because she refused to go along with the usual HP form of communication of not saying anything. No, when this h had something to say, she said it. It was refreshing.
I'll put the H aside for the moment. To round out the cast, we had an OM, an OW, the H's sister, her husband, plot moppets, the H's overbearing mother, and the OW's overbearing father. The h blows through them all, and pushes good changes into their lives. It helped that unlike the normal OM's and OW's in HP-land, these two were actually decent, interesting people. We got a lot of story from both of their POV's, and in a lot of ways, their interactions with each other were a lot more interesting than those between the H and h. The H's sister also got some serious changes to her life because of the h.
Now we come to the problem child of the book, the H himself. I get why the H gave up on the marriage. He had no way of getting the h out of her country, especially after her government said they were divorced. I get his initial reaction to the h after having not seen her in six years. However, I do fault him for how he treated her throughout the course of the election. I did feel their chemistry with one another, which is a plus, since there are some HP's I've read where the H and h had no chemistry whatsoever. But the H is the one who really needed to work on his communication skills, and never really did. He was just kind of there, for plot purposes, because this is a romance, and he happened to be the H. But beyond that, there's not really much to him.
However, I did give the book 5 stars because it was unusual, especially for its time. We got POVs from the h, the H, the OM, and the OW, so at least we got to know what everyone was thinking about, and have some idea of their motivations. The h, and the subplot between the OM and the OW really makes this worth a read, but do not expect the typical HP romance.
One of the most interesting parts about this is the h herself. She has a strong will, and very little need to change. Unlike most h's of the HP variety, girl has her head screwed on straight. She's been through a real hell, living on the wrong side of the Iron Curtain, losing her dad to prison and death, eventually her mom as well, and not being able to escape to her estranged husband until 6 years later. But due to that, she didn't really have any need to change, so she was more of a catalyst for the other characters rather than a protagonist in her right. But having said that, she made this book very enjoyable, because she refused to go along with the usual HP form of communication of not saying anything. No, when this h had something to say, she said it. It was refreshing.
I'll put the H aside for the moment. To round out the cast, we had an OM, an OW, the H's sister, her husband, plot moppets, the H's overbearing mother, and the OW's overbearing father. The h blows through them all, and pushes good changes into their lives. It helped that unlike the normal OM's and OW's in HP-land, these two were actually decent, interesting people. We got a lot of story from both of their POV's, and in a lot of ways, their interactions with each other were a lot more interesting than those between the H and h. The H's sister also got some serious changes to her life because of the h.
Now we come to the problem child of the book, the H himself. I get why the H gave up on the marriage. He had no way of getting the h out of her country, especially after her government said they were divorced. I get his initial reaction to the h after having not seen her in six years. However, I do fault him for how he treated her throughout the course of the election. I did feel their chemistry with one another, which is a plus, since there are some HP's I've read where the H and h had no chemistry whatsoever. But the H is the one who really needed to work on his communication skills, and never really did. He was just kind of there, for plot purposes, because this is a romance, and he happened to be the H. But beyond that, there's not really much to him.
However, I did give the book 5 stars because it was unusual, especially for its time. We got POVs from the h, the H, the OM, and the OW, so at least we got to know what everyone was thinking about, and have some idea of their motivations. The h, and the subplot between the OM and the OW really makes this worth a read, but do not expect the typical HP romance.
January 30, 2018
This is a book I’ve read several times over the years. It’s an older book from around 1960.
The premise is simple. A young English diplomat is working in Central European county on the verge of revolution. He meets a local girl, they fall in love and marry. While on their honeymoon, the country is taken over by the revolutionaries and Adrian has to leave the country, leaving Tanya and her parents behind.
Eight years later, her parents are dead and Tanya finally escapes and makes her way to England and Adrian’s home. Only trouble is that Adrian was told she divorced him and he’s made a new life, running for parliament and with a suitable fiancée.
His knee jerk reaction is pretty bad. Poor Tanya is in rags, half starved and had endured eight years under a repressive regime. And his first reaction is that he doesn’t want her here, complicating his life.
She stays of course, under the guise of being a nanny to Adrian’s niece and nephew.
This was a very subtle story but the sexual awareness between Adrian and Tanya is a little more obvious than in most books of this era. I enjoyed the secondary romance between Tanya’s new friend, Adrian’s political rival and the OW.
The ending was very sweet.
The premise is simple. A young English diplomat is working in Central European county on the verge of revolution. He meets a local girl, they fall in love and marry. While on their honeymoon, the country is taken over by the revolutionaries and Adrian has to leave the country, leaving Tanya and her parents behind.
Eight years later, her parents are dead and Tanya finally escapes and makes her way to England and Adrian’s home. Only trouble is that Adrian was told she divorced him and he’s made a new life, running for parliament and with a suitable fiancée.
His knee jerk reaction is pretty bad. Poor Tanya is in rags, half starved and had endured eight years under a repressive regime. And his first reaction is that he doesn’t want her here, complicating his life.
She stays of course, under the guise of being a nanny to Adrian’s niece and nephew.
This was a very subtle story but the sexual awareness between Adrian and Tanya is a little more obvious than in most books of this era. I enjoyed the secondary romance between Tanya’s new friend, Adrian’s political rival and the OW.
The ending was very sweet.
March 18, 2023
This was an oldie but a goodie. It's a bit angsty where the Hero had to grovel and find the heroine who had run away because she thought she'd burdened him.
Chemistry was so - so between the MCs though.
There was another couple in addition to the MCs which I found a bit disturbing at first, but upon further reading, they were the ones who more passionate than the MCs.
Funny, huh.
Heroine came back to meet with the Hero whom she married a few years ago only to find that due to the political situation between their two countries - no longer her husband. The Hero assumed they were divorced and had taken another fiance.
It was a tricky situation as he was campaigning for a political situation and news such as this could not be made public. Therefore, he asked her to stay at least until the campaign was over - to pretend to be his sister's nanny.
Heroine found a friend in the Hero's political opponent, though. At first I thought it was to be a love triangle but it's not. You'd have to read it yourself to find out.
Chemistry was so - so between the MCs though.
There was another couple in addition to the MCs which I found a bit disturbing at first, but upon further reading, they were the ones who more passionate than the MCs.
Funny, huh.
Heroine came back to meet with the Hero whom she married a few years ago only to find that due to the political situation between their two countries - no longer her husband. The Hero assumed they were divorced and had taken another fiance.
It was a tricky situation as he was campaigning for a political situation and news such as this could not be made public. Therefore, he asked her to stay at least until the campaign was over - to pretend to be his sister's nanny.
Heroine found a friend in the Hero's political opponent, though. At first I thought it was to be a love triangle but it's not. You'd have to read it yourself to find out.
February 27, 2024
I’m not sure that the title of “unwanted wife” is correct. Lost and found wife? Maybe.
A very poignant story with four main characters instead of two. In both cases it’s about first love turning into forever love.
There is a lot of growth on all sides, a lot of angst, sadness, hopelessness all disguising unrequited love.
After the trials and tribulations for these four individuals, an HEA for each couple ends the story.
A very poignant story with four main characters instead of two. In both cases it’s about first love turning into forever love.
There is a lot of growth on all sides, a lot of angst, sadness, hopelessness all disguising unrequited love.
After the trials and tribulations for these four individuals, an HEA for each couple ends the story.
October 13, 2019
Zzzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzz
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Zzzzzzzzzzz
Zzzzzzz
Z
July 20, 2020
I liked the heroine and not much else. The other love story over took the main one. The hero is bland and doesn't do anything to romance the heroine who has loved him for years. Skip.
October 13, 2024
It's as if Ms. Lindsay said to herself: "Let's see, how can I start out with a really good story idea, then mess it up?" and proceeded to do exactly that; what a disappointment!
The biggest problem I had with it, was the author's decision to make this a two-couple book, giving the SC about as much time as she did the MC, which weakened the story we're supposed to be reading. This was made worse by the H2 and h2 both being so damned annoying, you just wanted to punch them both! The fact that this guy is the H's political rival, as well as in love with the H's fiancée, just bogs the whole story down in unnecessary drama. The whole thing is about H2 coming from a working-class background, while h2 is a from the wealthy class, and her daddy has other plans for her (including marriage to the H). She's a real doormat when it comes to her father, feeling guilty for being a daughter when he wanted a son so badly, and just goes along with what he says, and refuses to acknowledge her feelings for H2. He, meanwhile, is stubborn, opinionated, and a real pain in the butt, one minute kissing h2, the next putting her down for being rich, and acting so unappealing it was a wonder h2 could love him and the h could be friends with him.
But enough of those losers, back to the MC! There was great potential here, all wasted! The H met the h while doing government work in her country (one of those Iron Curtain places), they fell in love really fast, got married really fast and got separated really fast, as the H had to go back to his country and his bride couldn't go with him right away. Between a father in prison (political reasons), a mother in bad health, and other troubles, then Visa issues, a hostile government takeover, etc., they ended up separated for eight years! During that time, phone calls were few, letters were lost (or deliberately not delivered), and something always went wrong, until the H was misinformed that the h had divorced him! He forced himself to forget her and get on with his life, threw himself into his work, ran for office, and got engaged and in the midst of his political campaign, the h shows up, having escaped from her country and travelled many miles to find the man she loved and who (unbeknownst to him) she was still married to!
And here is all this potential, and then the author wastes it! The h somehow managed to leave her political nightmare of a country after losing both her parents and losing touch with friends, so she was all alone and longing for the husband she'd never stopped loving and when she makes her way back to him, she's given a cold reception, told they're no longer married as she divorced him (not true), finds out he's planning to get married again and that, though he'll look after her for the time being (that "do my duty" mode), there's no future for them. At first, she's so miserable she thinks it's because she's too thin and not as pretty as she used to be! After a time, she gains in confidence and spirit and stands up for herself, but at first you feel so sorry for her.
Later, you understand that the H's attitude was a defense mechanism, because he had been miserable when they were first separated, then heartbroken when he thought they were divorced, and the only way he could survive was to force her out of his thoughts and his heart. Then just when he's getting his life on track again, she shows up and it's turned upside-down. But still, all his stoicism and coldness got annoying. There's also too much back-and-forth, one minute he seems to want to get closer to her, the next he's keeping her at a distance.
Then again, her determination later on to hide her feelings by acting indifferent and as if she was eager to make a new life for herself without him got to be a bit much, as well. She was so crazy about him the thought of living without him was tearing her apart, but she put on such a good act, he never guessed how she felt, and figured she didn't love him at all anymore, and meanwhile she's thinking the same about him. It went on and on for way too long, with only a couple of moments where they kissed to break that monotony, but of course they pretend to regret it later.
Then, to complicate things more, the h becomes friends with H2, the H's political rival and the man his fiancée (h2) really loves. It was just so DUMB to see the H and h2 putting on a facade of a couple looking forward to a life together when they both know it'd just be a sham. Meanwhile, you get all these scenes where H2 and h2 keep running into each other, trade snarky remarks, make out like crazy, pretend it was nothing but meaningless attraction, he keeps getting sarcastic about her wealthy background, she accuses him of having a giant chip on his shoulder, etc., ad nauseum! So much wasted time that should have gone into the MC story!
There was also a lot of switching to different POV: from the H to the H, then to the H2 and then the h2, and that can really get on your nerves!
Also, nothing was mentioned except in passing of how the h endured those years in her country among all that turmoil; how she survived, how she escaped, not much of anything, and no one even asked, except H2 once, and she just brushed it off. All we know is she cared for her sick mother until she passed away, her father died too, and in all those years she never even looked at another man. But there had to be a lot more to the story, we're just never told.
Worse, to protect his campaign (since it would hardly do for the candidate to have a wife and a fiancée at the same time), they pretend the h is the nanny to the H's sister's kids! Unbelievable! Later, the truth comes out, and the public is sympathetic, but if she was a political refugee who defected to England, wouldn't her being in the public eye be a risk? Yet, nothing's ever mentioned about this.
There's also a side story about the H's sister and brother-in-law living in the family mansion, along with the H and h, as well as the H's mother, who wants everyone together and won't here of her daughter and her family leaving and getting their own place. Next thing you know, not only are they leaving but so is she, figure that one out!
What's really DUMB is the author having the h do one of those disappearing acts after the election, thinking the H only wanted her around because it became good for his campaign and planned to divorce her later. (It had been established that she had never divorced him, so they were still legally married.) Meanwhile, he had been planning to tell her he loved her and wanted to start over, but he hadn't wanted to say anything until after the election, afraid she'd think he was lying and was just using her until he got elected. So, on election night, we the results are in, she runs off and then it's months before he finds her, while H2 and h2 finally got together and have their HEA (like anyone cares)!
Even dumber: the h kept encouraging h2 to tell H2 how she really felt about him, that you shouldn't hide from love, yet should she be the one to talk? She sure didn't practice what she preached!
Then, when the H finally finds her, both appear shocked to discover the other really loves them, and the next thing you know, they're getting naked in the greenhouse where she works, and an employee peeks in! SO DAMNED RIDICULOUS!!! All the time wasted, and this is the (so-called) love scene we get???? BLAH!!!!
This book was a real SNAFU!
The biggest problem I had with it, was the author's decision to make this a two-couple book, giving the SC about as much time as she did the MC, which weakened the story we're supposed to be reading. This was made worse by the H2 and h2 both being so damned annoying, you just wanted to punch them both! The fact that this guy is the H's political rival, as well as in love with the H's fiancée, just bogs the whole story down in unnecessary drama. The whole thing is about H2 coming from a working-class background, while h2 is a from the wealthy class, and her daddy has other plans for her (including marriage to the H). She's a real doormat when it comes to her father, feeling guilty for being a daughter when he wanted a son so badly, and just goes along with what he says, and refuses to acknowledge her feelings for H2. He, meanwhile, is stubborn, opinionated, and a real pain in the butt, one minute kissing h2, the next putting her down for being rich, and acting so unappealing it was a wonder h2 could love him and the h could be friends with him.
But enough of those losers, back to the MC! There was great potential here, all wasted! The H met the h while doing government work in her country (one of those Iron Curtain places), they fell in love really fast, got married really fast and got separated really fast, as the H had to go back to his country and his bride couldn't go with him right away. Between a father in prison (political reasons), a mother in bad health, and other troubles, then Visa issues, a hostile government takeover, etc., they ended up separated for eight years! During that time, phone calls were few, letters were lost (or deliberately not delivered), and something always went wrong, until the H was misinformed that the h had divorced him! He forced himself to forget her and get on with his life, threw himself into his work, ran for office, and got engaged and in the midst of his political campaign, the h shows up, having escaped from her country and travelled many miles to find the man she loved and who (unbeknownst to him) she was still married to!
And here is all this potential, and then the author wastes it! The h somehow managed to leave her political nightmare of a country after losing both her parents and losing touch with friends, so she was all alone and longing for the husband she'd never stopped loving and when she makes her way back to him, she's given a cold reception, told they're no longer married as she divorced him (not true), finds out he's planning to get married again and that, though he'll look after her for the time being (that "do my duty" mode), there's no future for them. At first, she's so miserable she thinks it's because she's too thin and not as pretty as she used to be! After a time, she gains in confidence and spirit and stands up for herself, but at first you feel so sorry for her.
Later, you understand that the H's attitude was a defense mechanism, because he had been miserable when they were first separated, then heartbroken when he thought they were divorced, and the only way he could survive was to force her out of his thoughts and his heart. Then just when he's getting his life on track again, she shows up and it's turned upside-down. But still, all his stoicism and coldness got annoying. There's also too much back-and-forth, one minute he seems to want to get closer to her, the next he's keeping her at a distance.
Then again, her determination later on to hide her feelings by acting indifferent and as if she was eager to make a new life for herself without him got to be a bit much, as well. She was so crazy about him the thought of living without him was tearing her apart, but she put on such a good act, he never guessed how she felt, and figured she didn't love him at all anymore, and meanwhile she's thinking the same about him. It went on and on for way too long, with only a couple of moments where they kissed to break that monotony, but of course they pretend to regret it later.
Then, to complicate things more, the h becomes friends with H2, the H's political rival and the man his fiancée (h2) really loves. It was just so DUMB to see the H and h2 putting on a facade of a couple looking forward to a life together when they both know it'd just be a sham. Meanwhile, you get all these scenes where H2 and h2 keep running into each other, trade snarky remarks, make out like crazy, pretend it was nothing but meaningless attraction, he keeps getting sarcastic about her wealthy background, she accuses him of having a giant chip on his shoulder, etc., ad nauseum! So much wasted time that should have gone into the MC story!
There was also a lot of switching to different POV: from the H to the H, then to the H2 and then the h2, and that can really get on your nerves!
Also, nothing was mentioned except in passing of how the h endured those years in her country among all that turmoil; how she survived, how she escaped, not much of anything, and no one even asked, except H2 once, and she just brushed it off. All we know is she cared for her sick mother until she passed away, her father died too, and in all those years she never even looked at another man. But there had to be a lot more to the story, we're just never told.
Worse, to protect his campaign (since it would hardly do for the candidate to have a wife and a fiancée at the same time), they pretend the h is the nanny to the H's sister's kids! Unbelievable! Later, the truth comes out, and the public is sympathetic, but if she was a political refugee who defected to England, wouldn't her being in the public eye be a risk? Yet, nothing's ever mentioned about this.
There's also a side story about the H's sister and brother-in-law living in the family mansion, along with the H and h, as well as the H's mother, who wants everyone together and won't here of her daughter and her family leaving and getting their own place. Next thing you know, not only are they leaving but so is she, figure that one out!
What's really DUMB is the author having the h do one of those disappearing acts after the election, thinking the H only wanted her around because it became good for his campaign and planned to divorce her later. (It had been established that she had never divorced him, so they were still legally married.) Meanwhile, he had been planning to tell her he loved her and wanted to start over, but he hadn't wanted to say anything until after the election, afraid she'd think he was lying and was just using her until he got elected. So, on election night, we the results are in, she runs off and then it's months before he finds her, while H2 and h2 finally got together and have their HEA (like anyone cares)!
Even dumber: the h kept encouraging h2 to tell H2 how she really felt about him, that you shouldn't hide from love, yet should she be the one to talk? She sure didn't practice what she preached!
Then, when the H finally finds her, both appear shocked to discover the other really loves them, and the next thing you know, they're getting naked in the greenhouse where she works, and an employee peeks in! SO DAMNED RIDICULOUS!!! All the time wasted, and this is the (so-called) love scene we get???? BLAH!!!!
This book was a real SNAFU!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2021
2021 READ: 4 STARS!
BE WARNED - SPOILERS AHEAD
I am torn between liking and not liking this one. In all honesty, I like my romance novels to have angst or a pint of unrequited love or a sort of moping and I expected it on this novel. I like the background of the story about the main characters. There is so much potential about miscommunication and long lost love and reunion and all. Though I understand the ML's feelings about the whole fiasco, I did not much like his decisions pertaining FL. He was clouded by his ambition to realize (he realized very late) about her sacrifices just to come to him - - 8 years!
I actually like the FL - very straightforward and pragmatic. She knew where she stood although it broke her heart. She did not also pine for her estranged husband nor she whined. She really had a backbone and wanted to move forward.
As I read the story, I wanted to know more about the FL's hardships - what she did for the 8 years but it's all blank. Being the reader, I felt the gap between the couple and I actually did not see any sparks between them. ML was engaged to someone else and he was practically busy on his political campaign and ML and FL did not really have much interactions.
The story was alright but I sensed that in the middle of it, the author seemed to invest on the secondary couple more. To be honest, I actually liked the story of Roger and Diana more compared to the main characters. I felt the passion over their interactions more and I was more interested with them.
I am giving this story 4 stars because I enjoyed it but I withold 1 star because I do not much like the details pertaining to the main casts.
My review is not for intelligent discussion. It's what I felt/thought while reading the book. For 2021, I would rate the book this way:
1 - DNF'ed
2 - does not exist
3 - did not like
4 - it was okay
5 - I like it / I enjoy reading it (but it doesn't mean I recommend it)
BE WARNED - SPOILERS AHEAD
I am torn between liking and not liking this one. In all honesty, I like my romance novels to have angst or a pint of unrequited love or a sort of moping and I expected it on this novel. I like the background of the story about the main characters. There is so much potential about miscommunication and long lost love and reunion and all. Though I understand the ML's feelings about the whole fiasco, I did not much like his decisions pertaining FL. He was clouded by his ambition to realize (he realized very late) about her sacrifices just to come to him - - 8 years!
I actually like the FL - very straightforward and pragmatic. She knew where she stood although it broke her heart. She did not also pine for her estranged husband nor she whined. She really had a backbone and wanted to move forward.
As I read the story, I wanted to know more about the FL's hardships - what she did for the 8 years but it's all blank. Being the reader, I felt the gap between the couple and I actually did not see any sparks between them. ML was engaged to someone else and he was practically busy on his political campaign and ML and FL did not really have much interactions.
The story was alright but I sensed that in the middle of it, the author seemed to invest on the secondary couple more. To be honest, I actually liked the story of Roger and Diana more compared to the main characters. I felt the passion over their interactions more and I was more interested with them.
I am giving this story 4 stars because I enjoyed it but I withold 1 star because I do not much like the details pertaining to the main casts.
My review is not for intelligent discussion. It's what I felt/thought while reading the book. For 2021, I would rate the book this way:
1 - DNF'ed
2 - does not exist
3 - did not like
4 - it was okay
5 - I like it / I enjoy reading it (but it doesn't mean I recommend it)
February 4, 2023
This is so unlike any Harley I've ever read. And I've read a few...
hundred maybe more. But it's not like I'm obsessed.
Married behind the iron curtain H and h are seperated due to machinations of evil government overlords. H is told h has divorced him. Evil government overlords keep correspondence from reaching either party.
H buries his heart deep beneath his chest and moves on running estate, running for office, and being engaged to a very suitable woman. Giving our waifish forlorn h a very inhospitable welcome when she finds him in England. H contrived to hide h's identity by making her nanny to his sister's children so her presence doesn't hurt his chances of being elected, because she is foreign or something. In a detour from Harley tradition; H's sister is a delightful human being and they become fast friends. After election H can h can divorce quietly and avoid scandal. Our h is devastated because she is still in love with the H, and at this point I hate the H with the heat and fury of a thousand suns.
Then in another very un-Harley like way the H and h have very little interaction with one another for the first half of the book. Instead we take an odd little journey while our h developes strong ties to the H's political opponent and fiance. Neither of which are nasty nor evil.
Then the story turns into a love quadrangle.
Election over our h feels she has served her purpose and runs away. H in hot pursuit and HEA.
Somewhat angsty but not overly dramatic this book had me happily turning pages in a "what the hell is this?" And "dufuq is going on?" kind of way. I enjoyed it immensely.
hundred maybe more. But it's not like I'm obsessed.
Married behind the iron curtain H and h are seperated due to machinations of evil government overlords. H is told h has divorced him. Evil government overlords keep correspondence from reaching either party.
H buries his heart deep beneath his chest and moves on running estate, running for office, and being engaged to a very suitable woman. Giving our waifish forlorn h a very inhospitable welcome when she finds him in England. H contrived to hide h's identity by making her nanny to his sister's children so her presence doesn't hurt his chances of being elected, because she is foreign or something. In a detour from Harley tradition; H's sister is a delightful human being and they become fast friends. After election H can h can divorce quietly and avoid scandal. Our h is devastated because she is still in love with the H, and at this point I hate the H with the heat and fury of a thousand suns.
Then in another very un-Harley like way the H and h have very little interaction with one another for the first half of the book. Instead we take an odd little journey while our h developes strong ties to the H's political opponent and fiance. Neither of which are nasty nor evil.
Then the story turns into a love quadrangle.
Election over our h feels she has served her purpose and runs away. H in hot pursuit and HEA.
Somewhat angsty but not overly dramatic this book had me happily turning pages in a "what the hell is this?" And "dufuq is going on?" kind of way. I enjoyed it immensely.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 20, 2022
"Unwanted Wife" is the story of Tanya and Adrian.
Did I read the worst romance hero ever?? YES I DID.
Hero and heroine are married, after which she is forced to leave to take care of her parents to a war torn country. Laws change, hero divorces the heroine and moves on. She returns years later, impoverished, malnourished and looking for the man she loved. Low behold, he is now a politician running for elections, he is unhappy she is back because it will affect his political aspirations, wants her to pretend to be his maid and cruelly informs her that he has divorced her?
OH MY GOD THE RAGE I FELT WHEN I READ THIS. The heroine perseveared and kept loving this asshole and he treated her like dirt. Also, the secondary storyline is between his new fiance and political rival, who is also the heroine's friend.
If I could go back in time and unread this, I would. I hope the hero is ******.
UNSAFE
1/5
Did I read the worst romance hero ever?? YES I DID.
Hero and heroine are married, after which she is forced to leave to take care of her parents to a war torn country. Laws change, hero divorces the heroine and moves on. She returns years later, impoverished, malnourished and looking for the man she loved. Low behold, he is now a politician running for elections, he is unhappy she is back because it will affect his political aspirations, wants her to pretend to be his maid and cruelly informs her that he has divorced her?
OH MY GOD THE RAGE I FELT WHEN I READ THIS. The heroine perseveared and kept loving this asshole and he treated her like dirt. Also, the secondary storyline is between his new fiance and political rival, who is also the heroine's friend.
If I could go back in time and unread this, I would. I hope the hero is ******.
UNSAFE
1/5
October 3, 2021
The starting made me cry but the story didn’t keep up the angst very well for me. The romance of the MCs is not the only plot line and not enough time is spent on it. It’s pretty clear at about the halfway point that the hero loves the h - that’s where the angst was totally lost for me. I did read spoilers before starting the book though - so maybe that’s why I didn’t enjoy the book as much but I think it had something to do with the authors writing style too.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 22, 2021
2.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ This plot was nuts!!! Refuge wife forced to be nanny to her SIL while “estranged” husband runs for parliament and runs around with fiancé. The secondary story line was more interesting. I wish h had ended up with Roger and his red hair!
March 18, 2026
Honestly? meh
Al vato le tomó muchooo tiempo darse que siempre sí la quería, que nunca la dejó de querer, más bien.
Y a ella le tomó muchooo tiempo agarrar sus maletas e irse de la casa de su marido que estaba prometido con alguien más.
Al vato le tomó muchooo tiempo darse que siempre sí la quería, que nunca la dejó de querer, más bien.
Y a ella le tomó muchooo tiempo agarrar sus maletas e irse de la casa de su marido que estaba prometido con alguien más.
August 23, 2019
This is one of those rare books where you get the H's point of view but I would have liked it if the author had spent more time showing us how H rediscovered his love for his wife.
July 4, 2024
Tanya’s past wasn’t touched upon much. Those hands when she first came, what was the story there? I wanted to know what all difficulties she faced and how she survived.
March 3, 2026
I felt it was about the other couple more than Tanya and Adrian the H is not likeable Roger is more thrilling
November 10, 2025
I’m struggling to finish this one although I truly love the h and the setting. But the second love story is overtaking the main one, both insufferable characters, rude to the heroine and refusing to admit that they’re in love. The author is focusing so much on the second leads that we barely have any scenes with the hero and heroine.. there are HARDLY any scene more than a short paragraph or two about the H every two chapters!
Edit: so I just finished it and my opinion did not improve. Though I enjoyed the atmosphere and the authenticity of the h. There was a moment where the H was ready to throw out the h due to a misunderstanding and immediately thought the worst of her, which in my opinion would have made a great angst and conflict for some chapters if the author chose to focus on it and make the hero grovel rather than focusing on the other two love story. The author only paid attention to the main characters in the very last two chapters, solved all their conflict in the same last chapters. Even towards the end of the story it was all Diana this and Diana that (the second female character) that I nearly DNF!
Edit: so I just finished it and my opinion did not improve. Though I enjoyed the atmosphere and the authenticity of the h. There was a moment where the H was ready to throw out the h due to a misunderstanding and immediately thought the worst of her, which in my opinion would have made a great angst and conflict for some chapters if the author chose to focus on it and make the hero grovel rather than focusing on the other two love story. The author only paid attention to the main characters in the very last two chapters, solved all their conflict in the same last chapters. Even towards the end of the story it was all Diana this and Diana that (the second female character) that I nearly DNF!
pback-to-read
February 9, 2021Tanya dazedly tried to understand what Adrian was saying. "Six years ago," he went on, "your government announced that all its citizens who were married to foreigners had divorced them. So seeing you was something of a shock."
Something of a shock! The understatement almost made Tanya laugh, except that she was the butt of the joke.
Not only was she in an alien country, but the man to whom she had come no longer wanted her. Even worse, for five years he had believed that she no longer wanted him!
Something of a shock! The understatement almost made Tanya laugh, except that she was the butt of the joke.
Not only was she in an alien country, but the man to whom she had come no longer wanted her. Even worse, for five years he had believed that she no longer wanted him!
August 3, 2015
Invented countries always make me squee!!! a bit. Don't recall too many details, but seem to recall that the hero was mostly an ass, but that the heroine was great and that the other woman was quite nice too.
September 7, 2011
I think the book made a great impression on its twists of situations!!!
My kind of books should beat my imagination, and it just did that....
My kind of books should beat my imagination, and it just did that....
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