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Dragonshill #3
Return to Dragonshill
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
- GenresRomanceHarlequin Romance
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1971
61 people want to read
About the author
Essie Summers
106 books52 followersEssie Summers was a New Zealand author who wrote so vividly of the people and landscape of her native country that she was offered The Order Of the British Empire for her contributions to New Zealand tourism.
Ethel Snelson Summers was born on on July 24, 1912 to a newly-emigrated couple, Ethel Snelson and Edwin Summers, situated in Bordesley Street in Christchurch, Essie was always proud of both her British heritage and her New Zealand citizenship. Both her parents were exceptional storytellers, and this, combined with her early introduction to the Anne of Green Gables stories, engendered in her a life-long fascination with the craft of writing and the colorful legacy of pioneers everywhere.
Leaving school at 14 when her father's butcher shop experienced financial difficulties, she worked for a number of years in draper's shops and later turned her experiences to good use in writing the romantic novels for which she became famous.
She met her husband-to-be William Flett when she was only 13 years old, but it was 13 years before she consented to marry him. A minister's wife and the mother of two, William and Elizabeth, she still found many opportunities to pen short stories, poetry and newspaper columns before embarking on her first novel, which sold to the firm of Mills & Boon in 1956.
Summers died in Taradale, Hawkes Bay on the August 27, 1998.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/...
Ethel Snelson Summers was born on on July 24, 1912 to a newly-emigrated couple, Ethel Snelson and Edwin Summers, situated in Bordesley Street in Christchurch, Essie was always proud of both her British heritage and her New Zealand citizenship. Both her parents were exceptional storytellers, and this, combined with her early introduction to the Anne of Green Gables stories, engendered in her a life-long fascination with the craft of writing and the colorful legacy of pioneers everywhere.
Leaving school at 14 when her father's butcher shop experienced financial difficulties, she worked for a number of years in draper's shops and later turned her experiences to good use in writing the romantic novels for which she became famous.
She met her husband-to-be William Flett when she was only 13 years old, but it was 13 years before she consented to marry him. A minister's wife and the mother of two, William and Elizabeth, she still found many opportunities to pen short stories, poetry and newspaper columns before embarking on her first novel, which sold to the firm of Mills & Boon in 1956.
Summers died in Taradale, Hawkes Bay on the August 27, 1998.
http://christchurchcitylibraries.com/...
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 26, 2019
This one did not leave me with a good feeling. The H definitely loved the h, but he proposed to the OW first and thought he was in love with the OW, while he knew the h (they were longtime friends). She had to break her heart witnessing that. Also, when the OW comes back, everyone, including the H, is like, "SHe's not just beautiful and shallow! Now she has character and is even more beautiful!" Blech.
September 14, 2013
This was a very emotional read. Henrietta and Johnny were friends from way back, staying with Johnny's friend Godfrey's family during school holidays while Henrietta's diplomatic family and Johnny's engineering father travelled the world. Then Johnny fell in love with the glamorous Deirdre one summer and broke her heart.
When Johnny left to work in Asia building bridges and lick his wounds, Henrietta was left to support Godfrey's family when he fell sick with leukaemia. To make him happy in his last days, Henrietta married him.
IN the past five years the only contact with Johnny was a marriage proposal offered by letter. He told her that he knew he could only offer second best but he thought they could be happy together. Henrietta said no, feeling that half a loaf was worse than none.
Now they have been thrown together again as Henrietta is returning to Dragonshill and JOhnny is there to build a bridge.
This story has a hint of melancholy as we meet all the people from Dragonshill including Charles and Penny from Moon Over The Alps and Charles' Grandmother. Madame is one hundred years old and there is a sense of saying goodbye to the indomitable old woman throughout the story. There are reminiscences from Madame about her early life and love and also little peeks into the lives of other residents around Dragonshill that we have met in other stories by Essie Summers.
This author has a wonderful way of weaving the romance within a background of charming family and friends and the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. Without sounding too much like a tourist blurb. I always want to rush over to New Zealand after reading her stories.
The romance is lovely and satisfying.
When Johnny left to work in Asia building bridges and lick his wounds, Henrietta was left to support Godfrey's family when he fell sick with leukaemia. To make him happy in his last days, Henrietta married him.
IN the past five years the only contact with Johnny was a marriage proposal offered by letter. He told her that he knew he could only offer second best but he thought they could be happy together. Henrietta said no, feeling that half a loaf was worse than none.
Now they have been thrown together again as Henrietta is returning to Dragonshill and JOhnny is there to build a bridge.
This story has a hint of melancholy as we meet all the people from Dragonshill including Charles and Penny from Moon Over The Alps and Charles' Grandmother. Madame is one hundred years old and there is a sense of saying goodbye to the indomitable old woman throughout the story. There are reminiscences from Madame about her early life and love and also little peeks into the lives of other residents around Dragonshill that we have met in other stories by Essie Summers.
This author has a wonderful way of weaving the romance within a background of charming family and friends and the beautiful scenery of New Zealand. Without sounding too much like a tourist blurb. I always want to rush over to New Zealand after reading her stories.
The romance is lovely and satisfying.
December 17, 2022
Johnny Carruthers had broken Henrietta's heart once, when he got engaged to another woman.
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
The woman Johnny broke Henrietta's heart for returns and everyone falls all over her again.
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
The woman Johnny broke Henrietta's heart for returns and everyone falls all over her again.
June 30, 2020
Ah, the classic romance! I love Essie Summers' books. Light romance, beautiful descriptions, and always a combination of serious and fun moments. If your looking for something that you can read on the beach, these are my go-to novels.
September 25, 2021
This one is intense! I was crying or fretting the whole time.
abrierto-to-read-hr-other
August 23, 2022Johnny Carruthers had broken Henrietta's heart once, when he got engaged to another woman.
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
July 2, 2016
Henrietta has two loves — the Southern Alps and Johnny Carruthers. But when Johnny left New Zealand to join his bridge-building father, he broke her heart, and she's not about to give him another chance. Not even when the two of them end up together at Dragonshill, site of Johnny's latest project, and also the place where he fell in love with Deirdre. But, Henrietta begins to wonder, maybe things have changed. And then Dierdre retutns. . . .
Like all of Summers' books, this has a great feeling of "place", as well as excellent characterization. However it has never been one of my favorites.
Like all of Summers' books, this has a great feeling of "place", as well as excellent characterization. However it has never been one of my favorites.
December 17, 2022
Johnny Carruthers had broken Henrietta's heart once, when he got engaged to another woman.
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
Now that engagement was over, and Johnny had come back into her life, offering her a second-best love. Would Henrietta have the courage to refuse, or would she decide anyway that half a loaf was better than no bread?
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews