Heartbroken Melody

by Kathleen Thompson Norris

The tremendous audience that eagerly awaits each new novel by Kathleen Norris will be delighted with this long, richly-detailed book. Mrs. Norris here presents the story of a business girl in a way that will touch not only all girls of Honor’s kind everywhere, but every woman who has known the joys of a first love and the later, half-amused comprehension in her own mind when she looked back on that love as a thing finished.

Honor Brownell was in love with Paul Cartwright, the San Francisco lawyer for whom she worked, and the day came when she told her family and the man to whom she was engaged that she would marry Paul as soon as he could get a divorce.

Paul’s wife, however, refused to divorce him, and Honor was prepared to follow any course to find fulfillment of their love. But by a trick of fate, her whole life was to be altered by an accident. It happened as, unseen and in bitter despair, she watched Paul and his wife and two sons leave by plane for the East.

During a long convalescence Honor began to write, and to be successful at it. In Birge Persons, her publisher’s son, she found a new kind of friend. Then, in New England, she met Paul again, and this time he was free. With the emotions of five years before still strongly binding them, they planned their marriage.

Kathleen Norris concludes her book with a surprise ending which will delight the most avid story-reader and will again evoke universal admiration of her talent for interpreting modern people and their consciously-complicated lives.

Genres: Fiction

307 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1938

About the author

Educated at the University of California, Kathleen married Charles Gilman Norris, brother of the late Benjamin Franklin Norris, Junior, in 1909. She was a prolific author, producing over 80 novels in addition to numerous short stories and articles. Norris was a regular contributor to leading magazines such as Atlantic and Ladies' Home Journal. Her first novel, Lost Sunrise, appeared in 1909 and was immediately popular. By the end of her career her books had sold over ten million copies and made her the highest paid female author of her day.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Large sections of this book were unenjoyable because the "heroine" is such an idiot about a weasel of a man. Really, the only parts where I liked her were at the ranch, when no men were around, and maybe the last page and a half, which is the only part where she's thinking like a reasonable person.

I think I like Faith Baldwin better, now that I've read both of these; she writes stronger/more sensible women, and has more hilarious quotations.

[Kathleen Vincenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

She married a man named Birge! She could have married a Hugh or a Paul. But no, a Birge. All I could think of was Bilge. It's not really a spoiler. It's a romance novel and you know she has to marry the nicest, richest man.

But it is a good novel about perseverance and believing that one huge mistake will lead you to ... something better. Nice to read to about people who pray, listen to their elders (mostly), and believe in family (mostly). Also women who do something!

[Annie Jarman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Solid 3.5 stars. The best parts of this book were when Honor was not wrapped up in a man. I wanted more of that, but I did very much enjoy the ending.