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A Mountain For Luenda
She would never marry without love!
When her stepfather's death left Luenda in debt, and with three children to support, she seemed to need a miracle -- and that's just what a friend's will provided.
A year free of expense on an isolated farm with the possibility of inheriting half the property. But Gwillym Vaughan owned the other half, and he was obsessed with gaining complete control -- and marriage to Luenda would secure it.
But Luenda refused to marry for his profit, no matter how he tried to weaken her resistance. And he wasn't an easy man to resist!
When her stepfather's death left Luenda in debt, and with three children to support, she seemed to need a miracle -- and that's just what a friend's will provided.
A year free of expense on an isolated farm with the possibility of inheriting half the property. But Gwillym Vaughan owned the other half, and he was obsessed with gaining complete control -- and marriage to Luenda would secure it.
But Luenda refused to marry for his profit, no matter how he tried to weaken her resistance. And he wasn't an easy man to resist!
336 pages, Hardcover
First published February 1, 1983
About the author
Essie Summers
106 books54 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 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 10, 2013
A sweet romance story, about an impoverished girl, Luenda, an orfan who is in charge of her three younger siblings. Her stepfather was good to her and took care of her and his three children (by Luenda’s mother) after her mother died, but the man took to gambling and squandered all the money and the house where they lived. After her stepfather’s death, Luenda finds herself and her three (half) siblings totally destitute, practically on the street. So it comes as a very good opportunity the offer contained in the will of an old family friend. If she goes to live at the Mount Serenity Station during a year, in a very faraway and remote place in New Zealand’s Southern Island, she will have all her expenses covered (and those of her siblings), apart from obtaining a 50% share of the Station benefits during the year of her stay there.
Luenda takes the offer, no other possibility is open for her and she must suffer the contempt of Gwyllym Vaughan, owner of the other half of the Station and who had to be the sole heir to the propierty. But anyway, as Gwyllym is kind with her siblings, she knows she must put up with the difficult situation. And there is also a possibility that after the “test” year, she is entitled to keeping her half share of the property.
After reading this story, my first book by this vintage author, Essie Summers, I understand why she was awarded for contributing to New Zealand’s tourism, as she conveys very well her love for her land and its natural beauty.
I also liked the complement of the fidelity to the old roots (Welsh), the (for me) picturesque names of the protagonists and the attachment to the new land chosen by their ancestors.
Luenda takes the offer, no other possibility is open for her and she must suffer the contempt of Gwyllym Vaughan, owner of the other half of the Station and who had to be the sole heir to the propierty. But anyway, as Gwyllym is kind with her siblings, she knows she must put up with the difficult situation. And there is also a possibility that after the “test” year, she is entitled to keeping her half share of the property.
After reading this story, my first book by this vintage author, Essie Summers, I understand why she was awarded for contributing to New Zealand’s tourism, as she conveys very well her love for her land and its natural beauty.
I also liked the complement of the fidelity to the old roots (Welsh), the (for me) picturesque names of the protagonists and the attachment to the new land chosen by their ancestors.
March 6, 2021
She would never marry without love!
When her stepfather's death left Luenda in debt, and with three children to support, she seemed to need a miracle -- and that's just what a friend's will provided.
A year free of expense on an isolated farm with the possibility of inheriting half the property. But Gwillym Vaughan owned the other half, and he was obsessed with gaining complete control -- and marriage to Luenda would secure it.
But Luenda refused to marry for his profit, no matter how he tried to weaken her resistance. And he wasn't an easy man to resist!
When her stepfather's death left Luenda in debt, and with three children to support, she seemed to need a miracle -- and that's just what a friend's will provided.
A year free of expense on an isolated farm with the possibility of inheriting half the property. But Gwillym Vaughan owned the other half, and he was obsessed with gaining complete control -- and marriage to Luenda would secure it.
But Luenda refused to marry for his profit, no matter how he tried to weaken her resistance. And he wasn't an easy man to resist!
June 5, 2015
This book is over 30 years old. How things have changed. I could only give it 3 stars because I felt like I was in a time warp.
But it still held my attention.
But it still held my attention.
July 20, 2018
When Luenda's beloved stepfather dies, she is shocked to discover that he has gambled away everything, leaving her guardian to her half-brother and -sisters, without the necessary resources. What can she possibly do? But then, she receives an unexpected inheritance from an old family friend, offering half the profits of a South Island hill station for a year, if she and her siblings will live there. Luenda can't pass this up — despite the obvious misgivings of her new partner, Gwillym Vaughan, owner of the other half of the estate. Will she be able to stick it out, or will she have to drag the children away from this new life that they love? Very enjoyable. Good characterization — I especially like the author's way of including very realistic children in her stories. Recommended.
June 10, 2023
Typical Essie Summers setup with the mistaken first impression and misunderstanding leading to hostile beginnings between our main couple. It doesn't get taken too far here, they use their brains and figure out that the other person is in fact a good, integral, honest human being and they learn to trust and love. This I like so much better than hostilities raging on until the bitter end (I think it might have been Bachelors Galore when the H hangs onto his misconceptions and childish bratty behavior until the very very end and I was like duuude relax)
There is an OW but she's weak game and doesn't feature much. Some really cute kids (ES writes amazing, funny kids) and charming side characters. Oh and NZ of course!
There is an OW but she's weak game and doesn't feature much. Some really cute kids (ES writes amazing, funny kids) and charming side characters. Oh and NZ of course!
June 20, 2023
This is a typical ES New Zealand romance. The heroine is a fish out of water at a South Island sheep station. The hero is a poetry-loving man of the soil who is suspicious of the city-girl heroine.
They start off on the wrong foot and that minor conflict carries them through 3/4 of the story. But it's not all bickering and suspicions. They are very attracted to each other and there is actual sexual tension! Imagine. In an Essie Summers book.
The first time the hero sees the heroine, she has been roped into modeling an evening gown - with no bra. The scandal. And she wears a cute ice skating outfit later on in the story. And the H/h have an awkward look around the master bedroom very early in the story. No wonder it only took three months of aquaintance for the wedding.
They start off on the wrong foot and that minor conflict carries them through 3/4 of the story. But it's not all bickering and suspicions. They are very attracted to each other and there is actual sexual tension! Imagine. In an Essie Summers book.
The first time the hero sees the heroine, she has been roped into modeling an evening gown - with no bra. The scandal. And she wears a cute ice skating outfit later on in the story. And the H/h have an awkward look around the master bedroom very early in the story. No wonder it only took three months of aquaintance for the wedding.
January 24, 2026
A average, rather flat effort by Ms. Summers. For those who really enjoy her books, this is ok, but otherwise it’s not a particular stand-out. All her usual tropes/elements are redeployed, and although published in the 80s, (as always) you could easily mistake this for something written a decade or two earlier. Perhaps because the author was trying to find a ‘different’ way to once again land an impoverished FMC on a NZ farm/station, obviously with kids thrown in the mix, the premise and backstory here came across as unnecessarily convoluted and too much of a stretch for me. Nor did the romance or characters grab me.
More 2.5 stars, rounded up.
More 2.5 stars, rounded up.
March 30, 2026
Well, this was wonderfully written. The book was fairly short but packed full of descriptions and dialogue that made me really love these characters. Some of these Harlequin romance books have a lot of conflict or insta-love that doesn’t develop the relationship. This book really took the time to have the characters fall in love and it was a wonderful read. I enjoyed every page!!
January 21, 2025
I didn't especially like this one, although it is very worthy, of course. Typically a mid-20s heroine who is chaste and good teams up with an early 30s hero who is likeminded. There's no angst, no real conflict and as usual the heroine comes across as middle-aged. I quite liked the hero though and the heroine's siblings were cute.
There are better Essie Summer's stories.
2 1/2 stars from me.
There are better Essie Summer's stories.
2 1/2 stars from me.
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May 19, 2024…..boring?
December 17, 2013
Luenda is a typical Summers heroine, struggling to make ends meet for her siblings and doing the best she can. What a great way to throw two people together by forcing the heroine to live with the hero on his isolated farm with the children.
Gwillym naturally resents her being thrust upon him but he soon becomes a favourite with the children and much more to Luenda. The complication of the ambiguous nature of the requirement and the meddling of another woman make things interesting but of course it all works out in the end.
We get to meet a few of Gwillym's neighbours who featured in their own books as well. One of the nice feature of an Essie Summers book.
Gwillym naturally resents her being thrust upon him but he soon becomes a favourite with the children and much more to Luenda. The complication of the ambiguous nature of the requirement and the meddling of another woman make things interesting but of course it all works out in the end.
We get to meet a few of Gwillym's neighbours who featured in their own books as well. One of the nice feature of an Essie Summers book.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews