Song Above the Clouds

by Rosemary Pollock

When Candy realized that John Ryland didn't care as much about her as she did for him, she was thankful for the chance to go to Rome and forget about him.

But that wasn't easy, when no sooner had she arrived in Rome than she met John again -- with the new woman in his life.

Genres: Harlequin Romance, Harlequin, Hqn, Italy

190 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 1972

About the author

Rosemary Pollock was born on 1944 in England, UK, daugther of Ida Pollock (1908-2013), writer and painter, and Hugh Alexander Pollock (1888–1971), editor, veteran of World War I and assistant to Winston Churchill. Her father had been married three times. In 1913, he married Marion Atkinson, with whom he had two sons, William Cecil Alexander (1914–1916) and Edward Alistair (1915–1969); they divorced after World War I. In 1924, he married the children's writer Enid Blyton (1897–1968), with whom he had two daughters, Gillian Baverstock (1931–2007) and Imogen Smallwood (1935-2022), they divorced in 1943, to get a quick divorce, Hugh blamed himself for adultery at divorce petition. Immediately Enyd married her lover, Kenneth Fraser Darrell Waters, and six days after Hugh married Ida Crowe, and the the following year they had her only child. Enid changed the name of their daughters and Hugh did not see them again. After Enid's death Rosemary was put in touch with her half-sisters.

After World War II, George Newnes, Hugh's old firm, decided not to work with him anymore. They also represented Enid Blyton and were not willing to let her go. After this the marriage experienced financial problems and, in 1950, her husband had to declare bankruptcy while he struggled with alcoholism and her mother decided to write popular contemporary romances. During her childhood the family travelled widely and lived in many parts of England, and her asthma brought they to Cornwall. The family also lived in Ireland, France, Italy, Malta and Switzerland, where they successfully obtained a lasting cure for her debilitating condition. Her father died on 8 November 1971 in Malta, where he is buried in the British military cemetery. After her father's death, her mother returned with her to England and they lived for several years in Wiltshire, before moving to Lanreath in 1986. Rosemary worked as editor, and also wrote nine romance novels from 1969 to 1981. During years she helped her mother with some of her many projects. In 2009, her mother published her autobiography, Starlight. Retired, she helped her mother to transcribe her latest romance novels, which her mother became the world's oldest novelist who was still active. Her mother died at 105, on 3 December 2013 in Lanreath.

Reviews

[StMargarets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, this was lovely. I must have been in the mood for something with a melancholy tone, because this story set in winter in England and then in Rome has that dark, angsty feel that would get old in a longer novel, but was just right for a category.

The story opens with the heroine and her sister walking from their abandoned car. The heroine is missing an audition with an Italian tenor, but she really doesn't care because she doesn't have a lot of confidence in her abilities and she has just heard that the man she has a crush on is going to be at their destination. Unfortunately, later on that night, she realizes that her crush (OM) is no longer interested in her because he has met someone in Italy. Heroine feels all of her dreams crashing down, so she leaves the drawing room and hears someone playing the piano. (Hero)

She listens and feels as if the hero is playing all of her emotions of pain and desolation and hopelessness. She makes herself known and he continues to play for her. Later on she sings for him and it's the best she's ever sounded. The hero is an Italian noble from Rome and he encourages her to continue with her singing. He makes arrangements for her to study opera and to stay in a convent while in Rome.

Heroine feels she has nothing to lose, so she flies to Rome. Once she arrives, she finds out the nuns don't have room for her. The hero has asked his "friend"(OW) to watch out for the heroine and this friend takes her home and puts her up for the next few months. Hero takes heroine around Rome for the day, and then to see his mother who is a femme fatale. Really. Heroine's crush (OM) is her latest victim - and he's there that night with the hero's mother. It's obvious they're having some kind of an affair. Heroine feels all kinds of pain, but hero gets her through the night and reminds her to channel her emotions in her music.

Heroine works hard and comes to like the OW, who is always hanging around the convent. She sings with the orphans at the convent Christmas party and the hero worries about her taxing her voice. Heroine starts to notice that the hero isn't looking well. At the hero's mother's Christmas party, the hero's uncle almost lets the cat out of the bag about what's up with the hero, but heroine is too polite to interrogate him. When she sees the hero, she looks into his eyes and something dawns on her. She realizes that she doesn't care about the OM anymore and that she is in love with the hero. Hero seems to see that in her eyes, too, because he starts to avoid her.

Heroine is distressed, by this new polite coldness in the hero, but she continues on with her studies. When it's time for her big debut in Florence, hero tells her he won't be there - he'll be in Switzerland with the OW. Heroine is upset, but knows she must go to Florence, since there is nothing else in her life. OM shows up and says it's all over with hero's mother and he wants her back, but heroine isn't listening. She doesn't meet him or go into long explanations. It's a decisive break. Well done, heroine.

Hero's mother barges in right before showtime and tells heroine that the hero is dying and is now having a last -ditch surgery in Switzerland. Heroine sings her heart out and then goes with the hero's mother to Switzerland.

Hero is going to be okay. He declare his love for heroine. (He had just found out his diagnosis the day he met heroine and she was the bright ray of hope in his life. Through her, he could hear the "Song Above the Clouds", which made him hold on for his slim chances in the future. ) OW is going to join the convent - they really are just friends. Hero's mother is going to marry hero's uncle (she married the wrong brother and they've been at odds all this time).

I have to say that anytime a complicating character becomes a nun, I'm thrilled. We just don't have that option for a pesky side character any more.

But all joking aside, I really liked the characters in this story. The heroine was a sweetheart who felt deeply, but wasn't hysterical. Hero was young with "even features" and a slight build - a true beta who really understood the heroine and was happy to just see her succeed. Based on the physical descriptions of the heroine and the hero, they will have beautiful children.

A word about this brand of vintage romance:
I don't think they even kissed in this story and they were apart alot, so that might put off some readers. However, they were so intense every time they were together that their connection came through loud and clear - at least to this reader.

There's a lot to see in Rome and Rosemary Pollock, made sure we saw a lot of it.

[Naksed · Rating 2 out of 5]

The 30 year old, glamorous, sexy, fashionable, sensual, Italian OW turns out to be H's platonic friend that she was spending so much time with because they were discussing her lifelong dream of........entering a convent, which she eventually did. LMFAO.

[Margo · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is some ridiculous drama and a lot of heavy-handed sentimentality, but this book works because the h and the H are true soul mates, united by their love of music. There are some misunderstandings, but there is always a sense that these two kind people are destined to be together.

[Leona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was my first vintage harlequin by this author. It was an okay read but outside of the heroine, the other characters had little development until the end. Most of the story was just a series of incidents and a lot of internal musings by the heroine. Though the hero was sweet, he was too removed from the story for it to be a powerful love story.

[Sonia With an I · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for a retro romance read a thon and I’ll have to say it wasn’t bad. Yes, there were some cringe moments, a lot of obsession with being a “young girl” and now that is the best thing to be as a woman, and insta-love. That being said, the book was very descriptive, I felt like I was there. I had some questions like why doesn’t anyone talk to each other?!? How can you not know your friend is making a huge life decision? Once I got over the 17 year old/37 year old romance at the beginning, it was kind of enjoyable. I do love how Candy… yes I said Candy grows some courage and tells off John Ryland, and yes his name is always John Ryland.. never just John. 2.5 ⭐️

[Wendy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has been sitting on my shelf for a long, long time and I finally decided to read it because it was set in Rome, which I visited last September. Although the location didn't have much to do with the story, this was a classic Harlequin romance. Quick read and they lived happily ever after!

[Chon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am starting to appreciate vintage Harlequin romances. It's interesting when the love for what seems to be the love of their life fades and is replaced by another. I wish there was more to the ending as it is usually abrupt once the feeling has been realized and put out in the open.

[Tia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought it was pretty good and accomplished from when it was first published.

[Noemail]

Might have 2 copies

[PAINTED BOX]

When Candy realized that John Ryland didn't care as much about her as she did for him, she was thankful for the chance to go to Rome and forget about him.

But that wasn't easy, when no sooner had she arrived in Rome than she met John again -- with the new woman in his life.