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My Enemy, My Love
When Baroness Sophie von Korvacs meets British painter, James Fraser, one hot summer’s day in Vienna, the attraction is instant. A whirlwind romance follows, with Vienna bathed in the brilliance of the last days of the emperor. And when James proposes to Sophie it seems a fitting end to that wonderful, enchanting summer. But darker days are on the horizon as Europe teeters on the brink of war.
From the Hardcover edition.
From the Hardcover edition.
360 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1978
14 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Robert Tyler Stevens
11 books8 followersRobert Tyler Stevens is a pseudonym used by British author Reginald Thomas Staples (1911-2005). He is also published under the name R.T. Stevens, James Sinclair, and Mary Jane Staples.
Many re-prints have been given new titles and appear under the Staples name.
Many re-prints have been given new titles and appear under the Staples name.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 13, 2014
First off, this book was also sold under the title "Appointment in Sarajevo " by Robert Tyler Stevens and "The Longest Winter" by Mary Jane Staples. Ask me how I know :/ Why oh why do authors DO that??? That's the second time IN A WEEK that that has happened to me!
Ok, rant over :)
I loved this book, I really did!! And I wasn't sure I would when I started it. It seemed a bit slow, very easy, like everyone 's life was just so peachy ...but that soon changed with the whispers that "a good archduke is a dead archduke"...
Before you know it, a Serbian extremist recognizes James (who is an acquaintance with a police officer so he must be on to them!) and theres a kidnapping followed by a nail biting chase in the mountains (and a rather. "just dessert" involving fire ants which I wont spoil for you) as well as the climax of an otherwise pleasant engagement party ~ The declaration of war.. .
Yes, thanks to the polititions, Austria and Britain are now enemies. Which means a rather tearjerking separation of our hero / heroine. But far more is to come so just keep reading.
The book is fascinating. The first half is titled "The Last Summer " which appropriately brings to mind the peace and optimismm which reigned prior to the outbreak of WW1.
The second half is titled "An Empire Lost ". This half was gutsy and exciting. Through the characters we see how war changes people. .. and there are no winners.
BOTTOM LINE : Loved it loved it loved it.
CONTENT :
SEX : None. Some minor references to "sowing wild oats "
VIOLENCE : Considering this is a book set during a war, the violence is minimal. A few shots, a few blows. Nothing major.
PROFANITY : Mild cussing
PARANORMAL REFERENCES : None
MY RATING : G
Ok, rant over :)
I loved this book, I really did!! And I wasn't sure I would when I started it. It seemed a bit slow, very easy, like everyone 's life was just so peachy ...but that soon changed with the whispers that "a good archduke is a dead archduke"...
Before you know it, a Serbian extremist recognizes James (who is an acquaintance with a police officer so he must be on to them!) and theres a kidnapping followed by a nail biting chase in the mountains (and a rather. "just dessert" involving fire ants which I wont spoil for you) as well as the climax of an otherwise pleasant engagement party ~ The declaration of war.. .
Yes, thanks to the polititions, Austria and Britain are now enemies. Which means a rather tearjerking separation of our hero / heroine. But far more is to come so just keep reading.
The book is fascinating. The first half is titled "The Last Summer " which appropriately brings to mind the peace and optimismm which reigned prior to the outbreak of WW1.
The second half is titled "An Empire Lost ". This half was gutsy and exciting. Through the characters we see how war changes people. .. and there are no winners.
BOTTOM LINE : Loved it loved it loved it.
CONTENT :
SEX : None. Some minor references to "sowing wild oats "
VIOLENCE : Considering this is a book set during a war, the violence is minimal. A few shots, a few blows. Nothing major.
PROFANITY : Mild cussing
PARANORMAL REFERENCES : None
MY RATING : G
March 20, 2015
What a beautiful summer… what a hideous winter.
James gave up his fathers motorcar business to become a teacher for one year in Vienna. In just the summer alone of that year his life changes completely. He meets Sofia. Sofia Von Korvacs. Baroness Sofia Von Korvacs. That is the end of his daydreams of being free from his father's business, the end of his humble plans. For Sofia he would do anything, be anything. But war changes everything… everyone. The one thing Sofia wants James to give up he can't, and neither will budge.
The war freezes Sofia, but when she unfrezes she will be the same Sofia as before the war. Won't she? James dearly hopes so, he would do anything to make up for the past, for the war.
Carl Von Korvacs was a care free young man, he enjoyed womens company yet, he liked his Benz motorcar better. Then 1914 struck. Changing lives and ruining others. Carl would never be the same but he would carry on, for himself, for his country and for heaven only knows what. He certainly doesn't.
Pia Amaraldi is a poor Italian emigrant who though born in Austria still has strong attachments to her family's home land, Italy. Her fiery temper and quick tongue land her in a lot of trouble. But then, Captain Carl Korvacs comes to lodge with her family, dividing her loyalties. Now whether the Italian army wins or the Austrian, Pia's heart will break.
Anne, sweet, kind, mischievous, Anne Von Korvacs. The sort of soul who can't understand why people do bad things. Why they kill one another and steal, taking what others hold dear. She means no one harm. Yet war brings more harm to her than she can take in. Perhaps that it a good thing, maybe it shields her from the long, cold war. Whatever the case, Anne will never be the same. She is too gentle, too lost during the war however well she holds up. Whatever the case, all she wants is for the cruel war to be over.
I'm impressed that without ever taking the reader to the battlefield R.T. Stevens still made you feel the war. The caracters all were effected by the war and they all changed. Beautiful and horrible yet satisfying. There were times I felt like slapping Sofia, times I wanted Anne to see what she just wouldn't or couldn't and moments when Pia's sharp tongue made me cringe. But I still loved them all.
James was likable, he was an artist who knew he'd never make anything so he stuck to teaching and motorcars. Carl was laied back and in my humble opinion the more likable of the two.
Prejudices didn't hold him back from anything, I could have understood him having hard feelings against those who won the war, but he didn't. Yes, he felt it was a waste of four years and goodness knows how many lives, but it was in the past and he was done with the past. He moved forward, picking up pieces of his life as ge went.
I loved Appointment in Sarajevo, and I will be rereading it, I just have to. There was everything from hiding in caves, assassination and best friend enemies. Everyone who likes a beautiful written world war 1 novel should take a look at this as the descriptions put you right there without you feeling the mud on your face and the cannons in your ears.
A few swears, a couple shootings and an incident with Ants. (I rather liked the ants)
James gave up his fathers motorcar business to become a teacher for one year in Vienna. In just the summer alone of that year his life changes completely. He meets Sofia. Sofia Von Korvacs. Baroness Sofia Von Korvacs. That is the end of his daydreams of being free from his father's business, the end of his humble plans. For Sofia he would do anything, be anything. But war changes everything… everyone. The one thing Sofia wants James to give up he can't, and neither will budge.
The war freezes Sofia, but when she unfrezes she will be the same Sofia as before the war. Won't she? James dearly hopes so, he would do anything to make up for the past, for the war.
Carl Von Korvacs was a care free young man, he enjoyed womens company yet, he liked his Benz motorcar better. Then 1914 struck. Changing lives and ruining others. Carl would never be the same but he would carry on, for himself, for his country and for heaven only knows what. He certainly doesn't.
Pia Amaraldi is a poor Italian emigrant who though born in Austria still has strong attachments to her family's home land, Italy. Her fiery temper and quick tongue land her in a lot of trouble. But then, Captain Carl Korvacs comes to lodge with her family, dividing her loyalties. Now whether the Italian army wins or the Austrian, Pia's heart will break.
Anne, sweet, kind, mischievous, Anne Von Korvacs. The sort of soul who can't understand why people do bad things. Why they kill one another and steal, taking what others hold dear. She means no one harm. Yet war brings more harm to her than she can take in. Perhaps that it a good thing, maybe it shields her from the long, cold war. Whatever the case, Anne will never be the same. She is too gentle, too lost during the war however well she holds up. Whatever the case, all she wants is for the cruel war to be over.
I'm impressed that without ever taking the reader to the battlefield R.T. Stevens still made you feel the war. The caracters all were effected by the war and they all changed. Beautiful and horrible yet satisfying. There were times I felt like slapping Sofia, times I wanted Anne to see what she just wouldn't or couldn't and moments when Pia's sharp tongue made me cringe. But I still loved them all.
James was likable, he was an artist who knew he'd never make anything so he stuck to teaching and motorcars. Carl was laied back and in my humble opinion the more likable of the two.
Prejudices didn't hold him back from anything, I could have understood him having hard feelings against those who won the war, but he didn't. Yes, he felt it was a waste of four years and goodness knows how many lives, but it was in the past and he was done with the past. He moved forward, picking up pieces of his life as ge went.
I loved Appointment in Sarajevo, and I will be rereading it, I just have to. There was everything from hiding in caves, assassination and best friend enemies. Everyone who likes a beautiful written world war 1 novel should take a look at this as the descriptions put you right there without you feeling the mud on your face and the cannons in your ears.
A few swears, a couple shootings and an incident with Ants. (I rather liked the ants)
February 24, 2014
"It was a day for the old as well as the young, with Europe sunning in the brilliance of its empires and kingdoms, the era brave with the majesty of kings and princes, and Queen Alexandra still its inspiration and Kaiser Wilhelm its proud, ceremonial mouthpiece."
I'm not sure what else I can say in my review that won't mirror what Dorcas has said in her review here. This really was like two separate books, the first half beginning in Vienna in 1914 and sets up the events leading up to the beginning of The Great War.
"When Austria goes to war with Serbia, Russia will go to war with Austria. Germany will fight in support of Austria. France will fight in support of Russia. Then the whole of Europe will go up in flames. "
The latter half switches to events towards the end of the war, and while you still get glimpses of James and Sophie, the focus is a bit of a switch that I hadn't expected. Not a bad thing, just not quite what I expected.
I loved the glimpse of Vienna life pre-WWI, and loved the relationship between James and Sophie. James was pretty dishy in a quiet way, and a nice plus to have a hero named James Fraser. That was some nail-biting, page-turning escape from the evil baddies plotting against the arch-duke - I could not put the book down at that point.
Definitely recommended, and I will be reading more by this author who goes by so many names and the titles switched at the drop of a hat.
I'm not sure what else I can say in my review that won't mirror what Dorcas has said in her review here. This really was like two separate books, the first half beginning in Vienna in 1914 and sets up the events leading up to the beginning of The Great War.
"When Austria goes to war with Serbia, Russia will go to war with Austria. Germany will fight in support of Austria. France will fight in support of Russia. Then the whole of Europe will go up in flames. "
The latter half switches to events towards the end of the war, and while you still get glimpses of James and Sophie, the focus is a bit of a switch that I hadn't expected. Not a bad thing, just not quite what I expected.
I loved the glimpse of Vienna life pre-WWI, and loved the relationship between James and Sophie. James was pretty dishy in a quiet way, and a nice plus to have a hero named James Fraser. That was some nail-biting, page-turning escape from the evil baddies plotting against the arch-duke - I could not put the book down at that point.
Definitely recommended, and I will be reading more by this author who goes by so many names and the titles switched at the drop of a hat.
April 16, 2025
I haven’t the patience for this book. It definitely didn’t age well. The writing is painful filled with nonsense & the dramatization of the female characters is pathetic! I’m dumbfounded how any female could enjoy this sexist stereotypical writing. Absolutely wild!
June 29, 2019
Uno de mis historias favoritas de adolescencia, no solo por todos los datos históricos sino porque es una historia que vale por tres en más de un sentido.
Primero por el relato de todo lo q ocurre alrededor de nuestros protagonistas los días previos al magnicidio en Sarajevo en 1914, luego con todo lo q implica q Inglaterra y Austria entren en la guerra en bandos separados, especialmente para nuestra pareja protagonista Sophie y James.
Y luego con la devastación post guerra, para los vencidos y para las parejas que han tenido la desgracia de nacer en bandos opuestos. Aún ahora, décadas después no puedo decidirme sobre cual pareja me gusta más: James y Sophie o Karl y Francesca. Siento q pudimos saber más sobre Anne y Toni y sobre todo, debimos saber sobre esa reconciliación al final.
Primero por el relato de todo lo q ocurre alrededor de nuestros protagonistas los días previos al magnicidio en Sarajevo en 1914, luego con todo lo q implica q Inglaterra y Austria entren en la guerra en bandos separados, especialmente para nuestra pareja protagonista Sophie y James.
Y luego con la devastación post guerra, para los vencidos y para las parejas que han tenido la desgracia de nacer en bandos opuestos. Aún ahora, décadas después no puedo decidirme sobre cual pareja me gusta más: James y Sophie o Karl y Francesca. Siento q pudimos saber más sobre Anne y Toni y sobre todo, debimos saber sobre esa reconciliación al final.
April 12, 2023
This novel is a sad story about a couple - an Englishman and an Austrian woman of aristocratic origins - who met in Vienna in June 1914, fell in love, and were to be married. But by August 1914, Europe went to war and the couple was separated for 4 years. If you want to know more, READ THE BOOK.
July 28, 2011
Better than I was expecting it to be. There were times when I really got into the story but I didn't really like the politics and war side of things.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews