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The Summer Wife
Deirdre married Rory Mallon because he had temporarily lost his sight, and only a wife could help him finish the work he was doing. Soon she fell in love with him.
But Deirdre was plain, while all the other women in his life had been beautiful. What would happen when he recovered his sight?
But Deirdre was plain, while all the other women in his life had been beautiful. What would happen when he recovered his sight?
186 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1976
2 people are currently reading
104 people want to read
About the author
Flora Kidd
136 books34 followersFlora Mildred Cartwright was born on 1926 in Liverpool, England, UK. The youngest of four children, Flora and her family lived in the same house until she was a teen. In 1949, she graduated from Liverpool University, where she met Robert Kidd, her husband. They moved to her beloved Scotland, where she began teaching, writing, and raised their four children: Richard, Patricia, Peter and David.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
Flora Kidd published her first novel, Visit To Rowanbank, in 1966 at Mills & Boon. In 1977, the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, where she continued her romance career with Mills & Boon until 1989, when she retired. In 1994, she published the first of the The Marco Polo Project novels, to support a project to build a replica of the 19th century ship Marco Polo.
Flora Kidd passed away on March 19, 2008 at Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 6, 2011
Deidre is a plain woman. She teaches school at an all girls school. She is resigned to not dating or marrying.
Rory Mallon is a somewhat famous photographer of beautiful models. After meeting her old friend, Toni, Deidre is talked into visiting Rory in the hospital. He was climbing and photographing a mountain when he and his friend fell. His friend died and he was left with frostbite and snow blindness.
Deidre had met him at one of Toni's parties before and found him rude but she visited him for a week in the hospital. When Toni sent a note that she would be back, Deidre stopped visiting as she assumed they would be together.
Rory askes Deidre to go with him to Scotland to work on a book, he realizes with her morals she would have to marry him. She does. As each day goes by she dreads the time when he will see again and not need her any longer.
It was a good story. It is told only from Deidre's side. I prefer stories told from both views but this was good.
Rory Mallon is a somewhat famous photographer of beautiful models. After meeting her old friend, Toni, Deidre is talked into visiting Rory in the hospital. He was climbing and photographing a mountain when he and his friend fell. His friend died and he was left with frostbite and snow blindness.
Deidre had met him at one of Toni's parties before and found him rude but she visited him for a week in the hospital. When Toni sent a note that she would be back, Deidre stopped visiting as she assumed they would be together.
Rory askes Deidre to go with him to Scotland to work on a book, he realizes with her morals she would have to marry him. She does. As each day goes by she dreads the time when he will see again and not need her any longer.
It was a good story. It is told only from Deidre's side. I prefer stories told from both views but this was good.
February 1, 2026
“The Summer Wife” is the story of Deirdre and Rory.
Started out well but ended messy.
Heroine is a puritan schoolteacher, who’s a tad bit curvy and very underconfident. When her friend ditches an ex beau, the heroine decides to help him out.. learning that an accident has left him blind!
Circumstances lead to a marriage of convenience- well the heroine is basically coerced into it- which soon turns into much more as the hero is very keen on practicing his husbandly rights (the first sexual encounter is dubcon and rest is consensual).
As the couple moves to Scotland, things get messy. We have a widower neighbor, mysterious dead wives, folklores, bitchy friends and the mystery of his eyesight complicating things. The story started derailing in the second half, and the ending was very anticlimactic as everyone got their comeuppance but in a dissatisfying manner.
Oh I don’t forgive the hero for alluding to the heroine as plump and many such adjectives during his vision drama.
SWE
2/5
Started out well but ended messy.
Heroine is a puritan schoolteacher, who’s a tad bit curvy and very underconfident. When her friend ditches an ex beau, the heroine decides to help him out.. learning that an accident has left him blind!
Circumstances lead to a marriage of convenience- well the heroine is basically coerced into it- which soon turns into much more as the hero is very keen on practicing his husbandly rights (the first sexual encounter is dubcon and rest is consensual).
As the couple moves to Scotland, things get messy. We have a widower neighbor, mysterious dead wives, folklores, bitchy friends and the mystery of his eyesight complicating things. The story started derailing in the second half, and the ending was very anticlimactic as everyone got their comeuppance but in a dissatisfying manner.
Oh I don’t forgive the hero for alluding to the heroine as plump and many such adjectives during his vision drama.
SWE
2/5
March 1, 2020
I really enjoyed this novel I loved the characters and the storyline very much. It is number 4 currently but originally number 1 in my collection of Flora Kidd books.
On last reading it I would probably downgrade to 3 star but I will stand by my original rating for that was my original thoughts on it.
On last reading it I would probably downgrade to 3 star but I will stand by my original rating for that was my original thoughts on it.
March 5, 2012
Deirdre met Rory Mallon through Toni, Rory was in the hospital from an accident on a mountain. He was temporarily blind as well. When Rory proposed to Deirdre, she accepted because she felt sorry for him. When they went to Scotland for their "honeymoon", Deirdre and Rory ran into a bunch of problems that just may end in disaster, especially when Rory gets his eye sight back.
The character depth wasn't really there. We only touched the surface of it. I can't say that I was too overall impressed but it wasn't just okay either. The plot was weak, the villains barely existed. I wanted more drama.
The character depth wasn't really there. We only touched the surface of it. I can't say that I was too overall impressed but it wasn't just okay either. The plot was weak, the villains barely existed. I wanted more drama.
April 10, 2020
Better than the average Harlequin
January 11, 2022
I enjoyed seeing Deirdre grow.
August 23, 2025
Plain heroine marries blind hero because he needs her for the summer. His eyesight is expected to return, but heroine thinks she only has a short time with him because once he can see, he won't want to be married. Hero thinks he only has her for a short time because everyone in his life has left him and he doesn't want to be disappointed again.
So, the H/h have a magical summer on an island off the coast of Scotland. There's a feeling of melancholia since - you know - no time. There's an OW, an OM, a mystery about a death five years before, a book to be complied, folklore to be explained. Lots going on this story.
Hero is cranky. Heroine is repressed and prim. It's the usual blind guy storyline.
The hero doesn't tell the heroine he can see for a few days, because he obviously wants to stay married. Heroine is very clueless, but she finally figures it out for an HEA.
So, the H/h have a magical summer on an island off the coast of Scotland. There's a feeling of melancholia since - you know - no time. There's an OW, an OM, a mystery about a death five years before, a book to be complied, folklore to be explained. Lots going on this story.
Hero is cranky. Heroine is repressed and prim. It's the usual blind guy storyline.
The hero doesn't tell the heroine he can see for a few days, because he obviously wants to stay married. Heroine is very clueless, but she finally figures it out for an HEA.
May 8, 2023
YUCK!!!
The hero is a lazy, egotistical lout, and the heroine is basically his maid. I don't mind arrogant heroes as long as they have SOME form of chivalry. This one expected the heroine to carry all the luggage, and sleep in the kitchen while he took the bedroom. A happy ending would have been him falling off a cliff.
The hero is a lazy, egotistical lout, and the heroine is basically his maid. I don't mind arrogant heroes as long as they have SOME form of chivalry. This one expected the heroine to carry all the luggage, and sleep in the kitchen while he took the bedroom. A happy ending would have been him falling off a cliff.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews