What do you think?
Rate this book
Dark Night Dawning
How could Abigail Paston refuse her old friend's request to attend a party with him, especially after all he had done for her since the accident which had finished her career as a concert pianist? But she defintely would have refused if she'd known just what the party was in air of and who would be there. For she might have been in love with Keir Minto once, but now she wanted nothing more to do with him. And it was not just because he had caused her so much heartache when he broke off their engagement, but because he frightended her.
190 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1985
About the author
Stacy Absalom
5 books5 followersStacy Absalom wrote four romance novels from 1983 to 1986. She lives with her husband Derek, on the fringe of a small English village overlooking the rolling Leicestershire countryside. She In her spare time, she enjoys listening to classical music, knitting very complicated patterns, and driving fast cars.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
March 14, 2021
Old Skool Hero
He wants to marry her so he can have sex with her.
He’s also an uber cool Canadian with a scar he got in a lumber jack camp. An unfortunate reference as I could not get Monty Python’s Lumberjack song out of my head.
Old Skool Heroine
British. Wants to have sex too but wants him to put a ring on it first. A typical beleaguered Absolam heroine. She’s lost her love, maimed in a car accident, lost her career as a concert pianist, her grandmother died, is living in poverty, and now wears a Goth black glove to hide her deformity. I guess Stacy Absalom forgot to give her a dog to kill off.
Old Skool Evil OW
Mensa member compared to the other two. Nothing will stop her, including murder, to get her man.
Lost the plot when the heroine tries to talk about the fact she saw the evil OW coming out of his room. The H simply breaks up with her for being insanely jealous, gets in his car and leaves. The heroine and I were both left waiting for him to come back. That's it?
When he sees her a year later, oh the passion, he makes a mild comment about making a lot out of nothing regarding her accident. Did you not see the black glove?
The Lumberjack song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FshU5...
He wants to marry her so he can have sex with her.
He’s also an uber cool Canadian with a scar he got in a lumber jack camp. An unfortunate reference as I could not get Monty Python’s Lumberjack song out of my head.
Old Skool Heroine
British. Wants to have sex too but wants him to put a ring on it first. A typical beleaguered Absolam heroine. She’s lost her love, maimed in a car accident, lost her career as a concert pianist, her grandmother died, is living in poverty, and now wears a Goth black glove to hide her deformity. I guess Stacy Absalom forgot to give her a dog to kill off.
Old Skool Evil OW
Mensa member compared to the other two. Nothing will stop her, including murder, to get her man.
Lost the plot when the heroine tries to talk about the fact she saw the evil OW coming out of his room. The H simply breaks up with her for being insanely jealous, gets in his car and leaves. The heroine and I were both left waiting for him to come back. That's it?
When he sees her a year later, oh the passion, he makes a mild comment about making a lot out of nothing regarding her accident. Did you not see the black glove?
The Lumberjack song
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FshU5...
March 20, 2026
1984
MILD SPOILERS
Twenty five year old Abigail was living in her isolated cottage in a village in England for the last year.
She rarely saw anyone and the struggle for survival took up most of her energies.
She felt safer shut down from the world that could inflict more damage on her. She was trying to pick up the shattered pieces of her life as her future became non existent the moment the black Porsche tried to run her down, injuring her hand so badly that her career was in ruins.
After her parents tragic death her granny brought her up in the village.
She attended music school and became a successful international concert pianist.
After the incident that irreversibly damaged her hand, she started writing music.
Though Abigail the concert pianist was dead, Abigail the composer had risen from her ashes.
One day her elderly, beloved music teacher persuaded her to attend this celebrity concert party in London, given by a patron of music.
For Abigail it was painful being reduced to a nonentity when she had been a shining star.
She soon realised that the concert was to her honour and for her benefit. She was touched by their gesture but she was the object of charity and that made her feel humiliated, but she was pleased to see that her own works was performed too.
Suddenly Abigail's face drained of colour.
Keir, the man she had once loved with all her heart, the man who had carelessly turned that love and trust into pain and uncertainty until he had cruelly and ruthlessly thrown it back in her face.
The man who had finally staged that nightmare trap and executed the deliberate hit and run that had robbed her of her livelihood and had been intended to rob her of her life.
The shock of seeing him again turned to sheer terror for this cold blooded monster.
A YEAR EARLIER
Abigail first met Keir on her first Canadian tour, in Toronto. He was a handsome, wealthy Canadian businessman in his mid thirties.
He pursued her, she fell head over heels in love, there was a powerful sexual attraction between them.
Been a virgin and possessing strong moral values, Abigail did not give in to him.
Feeling such a strong attraction, Keir proposed marriage mainly to have sex with her.
They flew back to England where he took her to his London mansion.
They fixed a wedding day and started to make wedding arrangements.
Enter Zena, Keir's very beautiful secretary.
From that point on things started to go south and the whole thing ended up in disaster.
Abigail had legitimate reasons to believe that there was something going on between him and Zena.
She objected to his continued blatant association with his mistress even while he was planning marriage to herself. She voiced her protest, and he broken off their engagement calling her unreasonably and obsessively jealous.
I hate the way he dumped her, l was crying for her.
This Hero is a liar, or lies to himself, or stretches the truth, in any way he has no problem lying and l wanted to strangle him, but still could not put the book down.
MILD SPOILERS
Twenty five year old Abigail was living in her isolated cottage in a village in England for the last year.
She rarely saw anyone and the struggle for survival took up most of her energies.
She felt safer shut down from the world that could inflict more damage on her. She was trying to pick up the shattered pieces of her life as her future became non existent the moment the black Porsche tried to run her down, injuring her hand so badly that her career was in ruins.
After her parents tragic death her granny brought her up in the village.
She attended music school and became a successful international concert pianist.
After the incident that irreversibly damaged her hand, she started writing music.
Though Abigail the concert pianist was dead, Abigail the composer had risen from her ashes.
One day her elderly, beloved music teacher persuaded her to attend this celebrity concert party in London, given by a patron of music.
For Abigail it was painful being reduced to a nonentity when she had been a shining star.
She soon realised that the concert was to her honour and for her benefit. She was touched by their gesture but she was the object of charity and that made her feel humiliated, but she was pleased to see that her own works was performed too.
Suddenly Abigail's face drained of colour.
Keir, the man she had once loved with all her heart, the man who had carelessly turned that love and trust into pain and uncertainty until he had cruelly and ruthlessly thrown it back in her face.
The man who had finally staged that nightmare trap and executed the deliberate hit and run that had robbed her of her livelihood and had been intended to rob her of her life.
The shock of seeing him again turned to sheer terror for this cold blooded monster.
A YEAR EARLIER
Abigail first met Keir on her first Canadian tour, in Toronto. He was a handsome, wealthy Canadian businessman in his mid thirties.
He pursued her, she fell head over heels in love, there was a powerful sexual attraction between them.
Been a virgin and possessing strong moral values, Abigail did not give in to him.
Feeling such a strong attraction, Keir proposed marriage mainly to have sex with her.
They flew back to England where he took her to his London mansion.
They fixed a wedding day and started to make wedding arrangements.
Enter Zena, Keir's very beautiful secretary.
From that point on things started to go south and the whole thing ended up in disaster.
Abigail had legitimate reasons to believe that there was something going on between him and Zena.
She objected to his continued blatant association with his mistress even while he was planning marriage to herself. She voiced her protest, and he broken off their engagement calling her unreasonably and obsessively jealous.
I hate the way he dumped her, l was crying for her.
This Hero is a liar, or lies to himself, or stretches the truth, in any way he has no problem lying and l wanted to strangle him, but still could not put the book down.
October 7, 2014
3.5 stars
I am having a real hard time rating this book. The book was a solid 5 star until Keir took her back to his home and confronted his secretary. It dropped to 2 star at that point for me. These are my reasons.
This is a book you are not going to easily forget. The angst is worth 4.5 stars and you are going to feel Abby's anguish in the first part of the book.
Sorry for the VERY long rant, but this is one of those books that you either are going to just give it a rating and move on or you are going to write a review immediately because by reviewing it, you are really reexamining your own feeling about the book as a whole and trying to figure out why you said, WTH when you clicked on the last page or banged it against the wall. I came to the conclusion, it didn't leave me satisfied and content at the end, hence the 3.5 stars.
I am having a real hard time rating this book. The book was a solid 5 star until Keir took her back to his home and confronted his secretary. It dropped to 2 star at that point for me. These are my reasons.
This is a book you are not going to easily forget. The angst is worth 4.5 stars and you are going to feel Abby's anguish in the first part of the book.
Sorry for the VERY long rant, but this is one of those books that you either are going to just give it a rating and move on or you are going to write a review immediately because by reviewing it, you are really reexamining your own feeling about the book as a whole and trying to figure out why you said, WTH when you clicked on the last page or banged it against the wall. I came to the conclusion, it didn't leave me satisfied and content at the end, hence the 3.5 stars.
May 14, 2019
The backdrop of music and a tormented disabled pianist in the story was a nice touch. This is my second Stacy Absalom with a troubled, wronged and scarred h.
The H falls for the upcoming star pianist h and what follows is their courtship and engagement while on her Canadian tour and then their subsequent estrangement thanks to a MU engendered by the ow, a disabling accident and lastly the patch up/grovel. The story is good but the execution could have been better, and the mcs more engaging. The angst seems to fizzle down in this long-winded narrative. I liked it more or less but just letting out some exasperation here.
The H falls for the upcoming star pianist h and what follows is their courtship and engagement while on her Canadian tour and then their subsequent estrangement thanks to a MU engendered by the ow, a disabling accident and lastly the patch up/grovel. The story is good but the execution could have been better, and the mcs more engaging. The angst seems to fizzle down in this long-winded narrative. I liked it more or less but just letting out some exasperation here.
January 17, 2016
4 1/2 stars. This is an angst fest from start to finish. The heroine is someone who doesn't deserve all of her misfortune, and the hero unwittingly added to it to make things even worse. *sigh* This is squirm in your seat angst. The only reason I'd knock off a half star is that the secretary doesn't get her comeuppance. The hero's remorse is there and the heroine has such an indomitable spirit the you know they'll be okay. But I didn't want the secretary to be okay - not at all. (not giving spoilers because that will lessen the impact)
October 29, 2021
My god what a book!
I couldn't sleep all night and I think I'll have nightmares for some time.
There's so much angst and drama that as an angst addict I almost overdosed!
Really, such and emotional reading, and such a good book.
But...
If I may give you some advice, if you meet the hero please, please, run like the wind, and even faster if you can: the man is a real jinx! (...touching wood)
He really destroyed the heroine's life with his presence.
She was a young promising artist, a pianist touring around the world, she was happy and lived for her music, when one day she met the loser...ehem, the hero, and her whole life goes straight into the toilet.
He wanted to have an affair with her but she refused because she was still a virgin and she didn't want a sexual relationship so he asks her to marry him (it's obviously because he wants to have sex with her, he doesn't even try to deny the fact)
She's young and naive and very much in love, he's a jaded billionaire, a womanizer, and I could feel he was attracted to her but I couldn't feel any love.
Enter the evil ow.
She starts making innuendos and the poor heroine starts having some doubts that her relationship with the hero is only businnes...
When she asks an explanation the hero reacts very badly.
This is where he was lost to me.
A man, an older and more experienced man, who's been engaged only for some weeks to the young and naive heroine, should reassure her and tell her that she doesn't have to worry because he only wants her.
After all, trust must be build in time.
But he shows no patience, and is angry with the heroine.
Then one night she sees the ow going out of the hero's bedroom. The bitch tells her she had some fantastic sex with the hero and he doesn't want to give up their affair even after he's married.
At this point I would have gone into his room and would have smashed his stupid head with my bare hands.
But the heroine is not the bloodthirsty bitch that I am, she's a sweet loving creature and she doesn't tell the hero she saw the ow going out of his room dressed only with a flimsy negligee, no, she asks him if he has an affair with his PA.
And he jilts her.
Because she's too jealous.
Then, the vengeaful bitch in me would have given him a taste of his own medicine and the day after I would have gone with another man and then asked his PA to tell him, after taking some photos of us together.
But that's me, while the heroine, sweet loving child, calls him back the day after and asks ow to talk to him. She wants to tell him she will also accept that he has an affair with his PA, but she doesn't want to lose him.
What happens next is something you rarely find in HP, because the ow is also a psycho killer and she tries to run over the heroine with the hero's car.
Just like that.
The heroine jumps and avoid the car but she smashes her left hand.
Badly.
So she won't play the piano any more, loses her chance of a career and of course her sustenance, her granny dies of a broken heart, she is destitute and of course terrified and shattered because she thinks it was the hero who tried to kill her.
One year later the jiynx is back, I touch wood and roll my eyes.
The heroine is a shadow of her former self, thin, sad, with PTSD, but since she's a lovely and sweet soul, she has many friends that tries to hel her, organizing a charity play, and the hero, who has been abroad for the most part of the year, doesn't know anything and is angry and upset by her accusation.
He says he asked info about her, guess to whom? but his wonderful PA of course, who told him she had moved on with another man and was happy touring Europe.
The man doesn't deserve voting right. He's far below average.
He needs a nurse, not a wife.
Seems that he tried to call her but nobody answered, of course, she was in hospital.
Seems he was angry that he found another man (why, since he had jilted her?)
But now he's back.
Why?
Because he wanted to see her again? and her new boyfriend? Oh, how I wish she really did what evil ow told him!
Ok, long story short, the psycho killer ow is exposed but the heroine refuses to press charges, and the hero wants to marry the heroine because he feels so guilty for all that happened to her.
I would advise the heroine to run very fast and to hide very well from him because a jiynx like him is difficult to find. He will surely destroy her life again.
Whatever, of course eventually she takes him back, but I really would have liked that she didn't.
He jilted her for a stupid reason, and that's not a good sign of his character.
He chose to believe his pa, and not her.
He had had an affair with his pa, (so he lied to the heroine when she asked him if he had an affair with her) even if it ended well before he met the heroine but this says how much stupid is the man, who keeps a woman with whom he had an affair in close contact with his young fiancee.
All the tragedies in the heroine's life happened because of him, and thank god the heroine tells him exactly that, when she refuses to press charges against the ow, because she tells him that it was all his fault, and it is him that has to pay.
This was the best part of the book.
The heroine in the second part of the book doesn't pull a punch, and I really loved her for this.
She may have lost the use of one hand, but she grew a backbone.
So, I can say that I loved the heroine as much as I hated the hero.
The story is very good, the author makes it very emotional and it's difficult to find such a compelling and moving story in latest HPs.
It would be 5 stars if the story were a little longer and the hero grovelled more. She really took him back too soon and too easily.
And what about ow?
Since she's a psycho, I think next time she will run over the hero, more resolutely this time...
And the heroine could be a rich and merry widow.
One can only hope.
ps: while ow was in hero's bedroom, he was in his office, it was all made up.
I couldn't sleep all night and I think I'll have nightmares for some time.
There's so much angst and drama that as an angst addict I almost overdosed!
Really, such and emotional reading, and such a good book.
But...
If I may give you some advice, if you meet the hero please, please, run like the wind, and even faster if you can: the man is a real jinx! (...touching wood)
He really destroyed the heroine's life with his presence.
She was a young promising artist, a pianist touring around the world, she was happy and lived for her music, when one day she met the loser...ehem, the hero, and her whole life goes straight into the toilet.
He wanted to have an affair with her but she refused because she was still a virgin and she didn't want a sexual relationship so he asks her to marry him (it's obviously because he wants to have sex with her, he doesn't even try to deny the fact)
She's young and naive and very much in love, he's a jaded billionaire, a womanizer, and I could feel he was attracted to her but I couldn't feel any love.
Enter the evil ow.
She starts making innuendos and the poor heroine starts having some doubts that her relationship with the hero is only businnes...
When she asks an explanation the hero reacts very badly.
This is where he was lost to me.
A man, an older and more experienced man, who's been engaged only for some weeks to the young and naive heroine, should reassure her and tell her that she doesn't have to worry because he only wants her.
After all, trust must be build in time.
But he shows no patience, and is angry with the heroine.
Then one night she sees the ow going out of the hero's bedroom. The bitch tells her she had some fantastic sex with the hero and he doesn't want to give up their affair even after he's married.
At this point I would have gone into his room and would have smashed his stupid head with my bare hands.
But the heroine is not the bloodthirsty bitch that I am, she's a sweet loving creature and she doesn't tell the hero she saw the ow going out of his room dressed only with a flimsy negligee, no, she asks him if he has an affair with his PA.
And he jilts her.
Because she's too jealous.
Then, the vengeaful bitch in me would have given him a taste of his own medicine and the day after I would have gone with another man and then asked his PA to tell him, after taking some photos of us together.
But that's me, while the heroine, sweet loving child, calls him back the day after and asks ow to talk to him. She wants to tell him she will also accept that he has an affair with his PA, but she doesn't want to lose him.
What happens next is something you rarely find in HP, because the ow is also a psycho killer and she tries to run over the heroine with the hero's car.
Just like that.
The heroine jumps and avoid the car but she smashes her left hand.
Badly.
So she won't play the piano any more, loses her chance of a career and of course her sustenance, her granny dies of a broken heart, she is destitute and of course terrified and shattered because she thinks it was the hero who tried to kill her.
One year later the jiynx is back, I touch wood and roll my eyes.
The heroine is a shadow of her former self, thin, sad, with PTSD, but since she's a lovely and sweet soul, she has many friends that tries to hel her, organizing a charity play, and the hero, who has been abroad for the most part of the year, doesn't know anything and is angry and upset by her accusation.
He says he asked info about her, guess to whom? but his wonderful PA of course, who told him she had moved on with another man and was happy touring Europe.
The man doesn't deserve voting right. He's far below average.
He needs a nurse, not a wife.
Seems that he tried to call her but nobody answered, of course, she was in hospital.
Seems he was angry that he found another man (why, since he had jilted her?)
But now he's back.
Why?
Because he wanted to see her again? and her new boyfriend? Oh, how I wish she really did what evil ow told him!
Ok, long story short, the psycho killer ow is exposed but the heroine refuses to press charges, and the hero wants to marry the heroine because he feels so guilty for all that happened to her.
I would advise the heroine to run very fast and to hide very well from him because a jiynx like him is difficult to find. He will surely destroy her life again.
Whatever, of course eventually she takes him back, but I really would have liked that she didn't.
He jilted her for a stupid reason, and that's not a good sign of his character.
He chose to believe his pa, and not her.
He had had an affair with his pa, (so he lied to the heroine when she asked him if he had an affair with her) even if it ended well before he met the heroine but this says how much stupid is the man, who keeps a woman with whom he had an affair in close contact with his young fiancee.
All the tragedies in the heroine's life happened because of him, and thank god the heroine tells him exactly that, when she refuses to press charges against the ow, because she tells him that it was all his fault, and it is him that has to pay.
This was the best part of the book.
The heroine in the second part of the book doesn't pull a punch, and I really loved her for this.
She may have lost the use of one hand, but she grew a backbone.
So, I can say that I loved the heroine as much as I hated the hero.
The story is very good, the author makes it very emotional and it's difficult to find such a compelling and moving story in latest HPs.
It would be 5 stars if the story were a little longer and the hero grovelled more. She really took him back too soon and too easily.
And what about ow?
Since she's a psycho, I think next time she will run over the hero, more resolutely this time...
And the heroine could be a rich and merry widow.
One can only hope.
ps: while ow was in hero's bedroom, he was in his office, it was all made up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 25, 2016
I'm going to give this a 4, even though I had some issues. The plot was definitely fun in an over-the-top angsty sort of way. I've only ever read one other Absalom novel and she definitely likes to put her heroine's through some serious misery.
The h was a professional classical pianist from England and the hero a Canadian tycoon. I think he's my very first :D
The hero is much older and more experienced, but when he sees the heroine play he has to meet her. He pursues her heavily and finally offers marriage when he realizes he's not going to get it any other way. I'm not saying there weren't other feelings involved, but I'm not sure he was quite aware of them at the time.
The hero has a bitchtastic secretary who he's apparently slept with several times in the past. The secretary is obviously in love with the hero, but he's blind to it (or just doesn't care). The secretary really works on the heroine's confidence when the hero's back is turned. The hero is very antagonistic to the heroine's jealousy. BUT, thing is, he denies ever sleeping with her... or perhaps he phrases it as he's not (currently) sleeping with her. I think I need to go back and find that passage to see exactly what sort of chicanery he used to throw all suspicion off himself. In any event, he doesn't disclose that 'yes' there was a time, even if it was a couple of years ago. He even compounds his misleading statements by saying something like good secretaries were hard to find and he'd never muddy those waters. *cough* Dude, you did exactly that!
You later learn that the hero has issues with jealousy due to his childhood and mother (of course). I did learn to like him in the last quarter of the book. Before that, I admit I just couldn't warm up to him. He seemed cold due to his quick anger over anything and his completely dismissing the heroine's legitimate fears without even bothering to really reassure her. He just seemed easily pissed off in general. He was always using the crushing grip.
The big conflict centered around the heroine injuring her left hand which ended her pianist career forever and almost destroyed her because she thought the hero did it with the intention of killing her, and didn't understand why he'd hate her so much. Still not sure why she didn't tell the police... but this is Harleyland.
The hero had broken up with her after she attempted to confront him with a half dressed secretary coming out of his room. Turns out the hero wasn't even in the room and the secretary set it all up to look bad. Problem was, the hero didn't let the heroine explain what was going on. Once he learned her upset had to do with his secretary and the heroine's 'unreasonable/insane jealousy' he walked without giving her a chance to tell her side. The heroine then sets up a meeting with the hero a week or so later (all through the secretary) and they supposedly agree to meet in a neutral and isolated spot. The heroine ends up getting run down and getting her left hand crushed by the hero's Porsche. I think we all know who was actually behind the wheel.
Anyway, despite my problems warming up to the hero, this was an engrossing read.
The h was a professional classical pianist from England and the hero a Canadian tycoon. I think he's my very first :D
The hero is much older and more experienced, but when he sees the heroine play he has to meet her. He pursues her heavily and finally offers marriage when he realizes he's not going to get it any other way. I'm not saying there weren't other feelings involved, but I'm not sure he was quite aware of them at the time.
The hero has a bitchtastic secretary who he's apparently slept with several times in the past. The secretary is obviously in love with the hero, but he's blind to it (or just doesn't care). The secretary really works on the heroine's confidence when the hero's back is turned. The hero is very antagonistic to the heroine's jealousy. BUT, thing is, he denies ever sleeping with her... or perhaps he phrases it as he's not (currently) sleeping with her. I think I need to go back and find that passage to see exactly what sort of chicanery he used to throw all suspicion off himself. In any event, he doesn't disclose that 'yes' there was a time, even if it was a couple of years ago. He even compounds his misleading statements by saying something like good secretaries were hard to find and he'd never muddy those waters. *cough* Dude, you did exactly that!
You later learn that the hero has issues with jealousy due to his childhood and mother (of course). I did learn to like him in the last quarter of the book. Before that, I admit I just couldn't warm up to him. He seemed cold due to his quick anger over anything and his completely dismissing the heroine's legitimate fears without even bothering to really reassure her. He just seemed easily pissed off in general. He was always using the crushing grip.
The big conflict centered around the heroine injuring her left hand which ended her pianist career forever and almost destroyed her because she thought the hero did it with the intention of killing her, and didn't understand why he'd hate her so much. Still not sure why she didn't tell the police... but this is Harleyland.
The hero had broken up with her after she attempted to confront him with a half dressed secretary coming out of his room. Turns out the hero wasn't even in the room and the secretary set it all up to look bad. Problem was, the hero didn't let the heroine explain what was going on. Once he learned her upset had to do with his secretary and the heroine's 'unreasonable/insane jealousy' he walked without giving her a chance to tell her side. The heroine then sets up a meeting with the hero a week or so later (all through the secretary) and they supposedly agree to meet in a neutral and isolated spot. The heroine ends up getting run down and getting her left hand crushed by the hero's Porsche. I think we all know who was actually behind the wheel.
Anyway, despite my problems warming up to the hero, this was an engrossing read.
March 14, 2021
"Dark Night Dawning" is the story of Abigail and Keir.
Oof the delicious angst in this one.
We meet our heroine, a pianist who is forced to give up her career due to a tragic and life altering accident. She has spent months recuperating, until her mentor organizes a surprise charity event in her honor. It is there, she unexpectedly encounters the hero.. the man she believes tried to murder her.
We go in flashbacks, where a young smitten heroine is relentlessly pursued by an arduous hero. When she refuses to bed him, he proposes marriage and blind in love, she accepts. But wait, we meet one of the most evil villains in HQN-landia, the insane OW. Not only does she convince the heroine that the hero is cheating on her, she also crosses all lines of sanity..
Heartbreaking, really angsty but with a good story and pace. I enjoyed the climactic confrontations in the end, followed by an extensive grovel.
Enjoyed it.
Safe
3.75/5
Oof the delicious angst in this one.
We meet our heroine, a pianist who is forced to give up her career due to a tragic and life altering accident. She has spent months recuperating, until her mentor organizes a surprise charity event in her honor. It is there, she unexpectedly encounters the hero.. the man she believes tried to murder her.
We go in flashbacks, where a young smitten heroine is relentlessly pursued by an arduous hero. When she refuses to bed him, he proposes marriage and blind in love, she accepts. But wait, we meet one of the most evil villains in HQN-landia, the insane OW. Not only does she convince the heroine that the hero is cheating on her, she also crosses all lines of sanity..
Heartbreaking, really angsty but with a good story and pace. I enjoyed the climactic confrontations in the end, followed by an extensive grovel.
Enjoyed it.
Safe
3.75/5
February 12, 2022
Ooo the music stuff is so good and the accident that ends Abby’s career as a concert pianist (and the accident’s aftermath) is the kind of HP drama that I live for.
I don’t like how Keir treats her insecurities, however—getting irritated and defensive over her jealousy is one thing, but being contemptuous and belittling her is another. AND STOP GRABBING HER.
That being said, the makeup and caretaking parts in the ending chapters were satisfying. She blames herself too much and him/the secretary not enough (this is a typical playboy hero/shy virgin/evil OW scenario), but I still enjoyed this one.
I don’t like how Keir treats her insecurities, however—getting irritated and defensive over her jealousy is one thing, but being contemptuous and belittling her is another. AND STOP GRABBING HER.
That being said, the makeup and caretaking parts in the ending chapters were satisfying. She blames herself too much and him/the secretary not enough (this is a typical playboy hero/shy virgin/evil OW scenario), but I still enjoyed this one.
September 9, 2013
This author writes really great train wrecks. The kind where the heroine has more than she can realistically handle...the kind where you think maybe jumping off the cliff might be the answer. Of course it's a hqn so you know there is a better answer, there's got to be a HEA.
So if you like train wrecks with heroines with sublimated death wishes (no overt suicide threat, just forget to eat or take care of self), evil other women who should legitimately be in prison, then this is the book for you.
So if you like train wrecks with heroines with sublimated death wishes (no overt suicide threat, just forget to eat or take care of self), evil other women who should legitimately be in prison, then this is the book for you.
November 3, 2021
H was a cruel idiot, h was spineless dumb but I love the angst.
May 21, 2020
As I read this book, I felt a growing sense of disbelief -- surely this book couldn't be the exquisite piece of OTT, angsty dramafest it was setting up to be.
The book is overwhelming from the beginning. The opening chapters throw you into the deep end. The OW was superlative. The H was a cold, unworthy jerk who had to live with dawning realization after dawning realization that he had messed up, badly. The h was a wraith of a human, destroyed by the H's love. The H grovel, although interrupted and then resumed, was extended -- no grand gesture and a passionate speech for this guy. He put in TIME. There is also enough stuff that will leave you sputtering with...rage? confusion? admiration? I NO LONGER UNDERSTAND WHAT EMOTIONS I AM FEELING.
How, I asked myself, had I missed this author before? Well, I didn't. It turns out that she is also the author of Ishbel's Party, a book that, to me, has forever earned the award for The Most Wronged Heroine of All Time.
I am almost frightened to look for more books from her, because the two I have read are so extreme.
Suffice to say, you don't read this one because you are looking for romance. You read this because you are looking for a maelstrom of drama. Also, it's 4 stars rather than 5 because the pacing was off at times, and because I hadn't expected...that.
The book is overwhelming from the beginning. The opening chapters throw you into the deep end. The OW was superlative. The H was a cold, unworthy jerk who had to live with dawning realization after dawning realization that he had messed up, badly. The h was a wraith of a human, destroyed by the H's love. The H grovel, although interrupted and then resumed, was extended -- no grand gesture and a passionate speech for this guy. He put in TIME. There is also enough stuff that will leave you sputtering with...rage? confusion? admiration? I NO LONGER UNDERSTAND WHAT EMOTIONS I AM FEELING.
How, I asked myself, had I missed this author before? Well, I didn't. It turns out that she is also the author of Ishbel's Party, a book that, to me, has forever earned the award for The Most Wronged Heroine of All Time.
I am almost frightened to look for more books from her, because the two I have read are so extreme.
Suffice to say, you don't read this one because you are looking for romance. You read this because you are looking for a maelstrom of drama. Also, it's 4 stars rather than 5 because the pacing was off at times, and because I hadn't expected...that.
March 26, 2022
Woah! What an angst fest! I would recommend this only for card-carrying extreme angst junkies. Everyone else is likely to experience dangerous levels of high blood pressure.
It's got a gifted ingenue, a ruthless and clueless hero and a bunny-boiler OW.
Rather than a romance it probably would have been better categorised in suspense/thriller/horror genres. I could see Hitchcock making an interesting film out of this.
I would have given it more stars but
It's got a gifted ingenue, a ruthless and clueless hero and a bunny-boiler OW.
Rather than a romance it probably would have been better categorised in suspense/thriller/horror genres. I could see Hitchcock making an interesting film out of this.
I would have given it more stars but
September 25, 2014
4 1/2 Stars ~ From the first pages, Ms. Absalom pulled me in to Abigail's living nightmare. Here's a woman who has lost everything she's ever held dear in only a few short months. Gone was her career, her hope of marriage, her trust in love. And upon her grandmother's death, she was utterly alone except for her music mentor, a dear elderly man. Abigail lives on the edge of breakdown, and seeing Keir again nearly pushes her over that edge. Keir is devastated when he learns of all the mistakes he's made and the consequences Abigail has endured because of them. This intensely emotional read is one I shall not soon forget.
March 24, 2026
Super angst-y. StMargarets' review is a good one! Here
That said, I agree with others that the H, Keir, was pretty creepy, and I'm not sure he was really redeemed enough at the end.
On the other hand, I couldn't put this down and got so involved in the story I read this in one sitting.
That said, I agree with others that the H, Keir, was pretty creepy, and I'm not sure he was really redeemed enough at the end.
On the other hand, I couldn't put this down and got so involved in the story I read this in one sitting.
July 5, 2021
So incredibly angst filled! 😭
But it was good. I liked it. It had more than just the usual evil OW causing misunderstanding between the couple, although this one is truly truly evil!
The heroine goes through a wringer! Her fiancé breaks up with her, she gets into an accident and is not only maimed, she loses her career and ability to earn a living. She is a concert pianist and her fingers get crushed in the accident. Then her only living relative dies! WOW!
I liked that she made the hero grovel, and made him work for it in the end. Though I believe he cared for her in the beginning, I think he was spoiled and used to getting his way, so he took her for granted and treated her callously when he broke up with her.
I docked a star because the heroine refused to press charges against the villain. 🙄 Why are they always such martyrs?! 🤨
But it was good. I liked it. It had more than just the usual evil OW causing misunderstanding between the couple, although this one is truly truly evil!
The heroine goes through a wringer! Her fiancé breaks up with her, she gets into an accident and is not only maimed, she loses her career and ability to earn a living. She is a concert pianist and her fingers get crushed in the accident. Then her only living relative dies! WOW!
I liked that she made the hero grovel, and made him work for it in the end. Though I believe he cared for her in the beginning, I think he was spoiled and used to getting his way, so he took her for granted and treated her callously when he broke up with her.
I docked a star because the heroine refused to press charges against the villain. 🙄 Why are they always such martyrs?! 🤨
April 5, 2019
My goodness this was a complete angst fest. Rather than go into the whole plot, it’s basically about two people who fall in love but there’s a lot of interference from another person, namely the leading mans personal assistant, he had slept with her a few times, but then he’s engaged to the heroine parading her in front of the other woman. I’m assuming the author didn’t want the readers to feel any sympathy for the p.a. so she took her interference in the two main characters relationship to extreme levels of craziness. But the leading man was much more to blame in my opinion he was a user, a liar and quite honestly not a character that I felt any empathy with, as for the heroine she was just weak. Why 4 stars well because I couldn’t put it down.
October 1, 2022
I'm giving it 3 stars for a h, Abby, who is really put through the mill. He, Keir, just felt 'off' from the start and about 90 pages in I realized he was a total gaslighter. Ladies, never trust a gaslighter. Accusing her of possessive and jealous behaviour, such that he dismissed all her concerns about his secretary's (evil OW) behaviour, flouncing out and breaking off their engagement. Then accuses her of never saying anything! and "not trusting him enough "!! Despite his own experience of jealousy and possessiveness at the mere thought of another man touching her!!! Double standard hello. He also comes across as quite manipulative " come on, admit it honey. It was that devastating honesty of yours that set you apart from other women, made you special. " That would be the same honesty that you chose to ignore when it didn't suit you then, hmmm? Nut job. Avoid men like this. Not hero material, despite (and also maybe because of) his manwhore ways. And I am generally very forgiving of manwhoring - a guy's gotta practise those skills 😜. For balance, I'm relaxed on women practising as well. I just enjoy a virginal h getting extra special care from a H with experienced daddy vibes 😂
November 4, 2021
This one is just totally bonkers I have lots of feels for the poor h whose life is pretty much ruined because of an really really evil OW.
The OW PA is super jealous of the h's relationship with the H and when the h tries to warn the H that she's up to no good he blows her off and takes off. the OW runs the h over with a car and totally destroys her hand in the process. h is a piano prodigy/musical genius and her career is ruined.
When the H turns up a while later the h has finally been persuaded to leave her house by her friend. She has been hiding out since the accident 12+months ago and he wants her to attend this event as its a surprise benefit for her. She wears a glove over her damaged hand all the time as she is very self conscious of it.
H has no idea of what happened to her but the h is bitter and wants nothing to do with him. Turns out the h an write pretty amazing music when shes around the H and it all goes to pot when she kicks him out.
Low rating because the OW got no come uppance. I mean she nearly killed the h!
The
The OW PA is super jealous of the h's relationship with the H and when the h tries to warn the H that she's up to no good he blows her off and takes off. the OW runs the h over with a car and totally destroys her hand in the process. h is a piano prodigy/musical genius and her career is ruined.
When the H turns up a while later the h has finally been persuaded to leave her house by her friend. She has been hiding out since the accident 12+months ago and he wants her to attend this event as its a surprise benefit for her. She wears a glove over her damaged hand all the time as she is very self conscious of it.
H has no idea of what happened to her but the h is bitter and wants nothing to do with him. Turns out the h an write pretty amazing music when shes around the H and it all goes to pot when she kicks him out.
Low rating because the OW got no come uppance. I mean she nearly killed the h!
The
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2024
Weird plot that I couldn’t connect with. Old school and way too much music and concert details that I found boring. The h is jarred, physically and emotionally thanks to her ex fiancé who apparently also tried to finish her life. He breaks off with her because she complains of seeing him still hot and heavy with his secretary and he doesn’t like that. 🙄
They reconnect a year later and the h is still holding a candle for him. I didn’t find the H to be romantic or gentlemanly or even fun to be with. Didn’t interest me..
They reconnect a year later and the h is still holding a candle for him. I didn’t find the H to be romantic or gentlemanly or even fun to be with. Didn’t interest me..
March 15, 2022
The hero really didn’t suffer or grovel as much as he should have. Only his deep and utter anguish and suffering and months long grovelling could redeem him, but a preferable ending would have been the appearance of a wonderful OM who could sweeep the heroine off her feet. Also her idiotic refusal to report the psychotic OW to the authorities was unforgivable.
September 10, 2013
This novel was like watching a musical, from start to finish. It was full of passion, angst, hatred, sorrow and love. I thought it was great and VERY well written.
February 2, 2023
Holy evil OW Batman!!! Since I have been reading tons of insta love KU books for the past few months, I forgot how truly diabolical a Harlequin/Mills Boon OW can be. This is the 2nd book I have read by this author which means I am halfway through the books she has written. The first one I read Ishbel's Party was a doozy that I thoroughly enjoyed. This one is also good, so it makes me sad that I won’t have too many more of hers to look forward to(and I think that these 2 have the best reviews, so it will probably be a let down to read the last 2. )
This story starts in the present then reverts to the characters love story for the next 100 pages and comes back to the present.
Heroine, Abigail, mid 20’s, Orphaned virgin and was once a sought after pianist. Her career was really taking off when she met the older, handsome hero Keir.
Hero, Keir, 35-very successful Canadian businessman and definitely not a virgin. He is instantly smitten with the heroine. Normally, Keir gets what he wants when he wants it, but our little heroine has been somewhat sheltered being raised by her Gran and then attending music schools. She wants her first lover to be her forever lover. Keir ends up following her on her tour of Canada. At times things get a little tense between the two, but Keir decides to be patient with the h.
After only a couple of weeks of knowing each other, he proposes marriage. The h accepts but her Gran tells her that she insists that they wait at least 3 months. Seems reasonable enough, since they haven’t known each other long. Plus, the H does much of his business in England, where he owns a home not far from where the h lived with her grandma. He also has an apartment in London.
Red Flags:
*The H refuses to have the h meet his mom in Canada
*The H’s very sexy red haired secretary/assistant who even has a sexy name Zena Wilde.
After the H introduces the h to his housekeeper even she says, “Does Zena know?” That is not a good sign. You know what is even a worse sign…
*The secretary has her own conveniently located bedroom at the H’s estate
*She also seems to stay at the H’s London flat at all hours of the night “working”
*The secretary is obviously in love with the H(the h knows it, the house keeper knows it) and the H doesn’t see it. Abigail is threatened yet, in fact she sort of feels bad for the secretary since the H is such a hunk!
🛑The following contains some spoilers, although I don’t give it all away, my spoilers give enough away that you may not want to read. So 🛑 now to avoid spoilage!
Now it may sound like I didn’t enjoy this book, but I really enjoyed all the delicious angst throughout. The evil ow was a plus!!
This story starts in the present then reverts to the characters love story for the next 100 pages and comes back to the present.
Heroine, Abigail, mid 20’s, Orphaned virgin and was once a sought after pianist. Her career was really taking off when she met the older, handsome hero Keir.
Hero, Keir, 35-very successful Canadian businessman and definitely not a virgin. He is instantly smitten with the heroine. Normally, Keir gets what he wants when he wants it, but our little heroine has been somewhat sheltered being raised by her Gran and then attending music schools. She wants her first lover to be her forever lover. Keir ends up following her on her tour of Canada. At times things get a little tense between the two, but Keir decides to be patient with the h.
After only a couple of weeks of knowing each other, he proposes marriage. The h accepts but her Gran tells her that she insists that they wait at least 3 months. Seems reasonable enough, since they haven’t known each other long. Plus, the H does much of his business in England, where he owns a home not far from where the h lived with her grandma. He also has an apartment in London.
Red Flags:
*The H refuses to have the h meet his mom in Canada
*The H’s very sexy red haired secretary/assistant who even has a sexy name Zena Wilde.
After the H introduces the h to his housekeeper even she says, “Does Zena know?” That is not a good sign. You know what is even a worse sign…
*The secretary has her own conveniently located bedroom at the H’s estate
*She also seems to stay at the H’s London flat at all hours of the night “working”
*The secretary is obviously in love with the H(the h knows it, the house keeper knows it) and the H doesn’t see it. Abigail is threatened yet, in fact she sort of feels bad for the secretary since the H is such a hunk!
🛑The following contains some spoilers, although I don’t give it all away, my spoilers give enough away that you may not want to read. So 🛑 now to avoid spoilage!
Now it may sound like I didn’t enjoy this book, but I really enjoyed all the delicious angst throughout. The evil ow was a plus!!
July 10, 2024
What an amazing story this was! This author is so talented. She evokes so many different feelings of through her writing. The way Stacy Absalom used music and its composition to illustrate the complex and damaged but still beautiful relationship the heroine has with the hero was one of the highlights of this book for me. This was not a revenge story but a story of courage, self-reflection and redemption. The character of Abby tugged at my heart. She was so strong throughout the greatest trials of her life. She lost everything. Her dreams, love and faith in humankind and yet she never gave up or became bitter towards those around her. While she was at her lowest she still made time to help students at the local school learn the piano. I really loved how the focus was not on the secretary but it was on how Kerr needed to redeem himself and be worthy of Abby's love. For me it was the perfect ending when Abby said, "It's finished. when I sent you away you took my music with you. But last night you bought it back." One of my favourite books of all time!!
March 24, 2024
Pontos Negativos:
O Keir passa um ano sem ver a mocinha e ainda acredita nas histórias falsas ditas pela secretária.
Se ele a amava de verdade e era louco pela Abigail, não deveria ter sido tão fácil se afastar.
Pontos Positivos:
O resto do enredo é maravilhoso.
A Abigail é uma jovem pianista talentosa, o acidente a deixar melindrosa e fraca.
O medo que ela possui contra o ex noivo é bem real(mesmo que ele não tenha sido o causador do acidente). A nova vida que antes era glamourosa e depois de um ano é quieta e calma.
Boa parte do livro é sobre o relacionamento da Abby e do Keir, tem também muito diálogo interno que é bem escrito. O Keir me deu uma vibe de Gideon Cross nesse livro.
Não teve uma introdução do porque ele abandonou tão rapidamente a Abigail devido ao suposto ciúme. Só no final é explicado, a autora poderia ter dado uma sugestão anterior a esse trauma.
Gostei que o Keir é a inspiração para as músicas da Abigail.
O Keir passa um ano sem ver a mocinha e ainda acredita nas histórias falsas ditas pela secretária.
Se ele a amava de verdade e era louco pela Abigail, não deveria ter sido tão fácil se afastar.
Pontos Positivos:
O resto do enredo é maravilhoso.
A Abigail é uma jovem pianista talentosa, o acidente a deixar melindrosa e fraca.
O medo que ela possui contra o ex noivo é bem real(mesmo que ele não tenha sido o causador do acidente). A nova vida que antes era glamourosa e depois de um ano é quieta e calma.
Boa parte do livro é sobre o relacionamento da Abby e do Keir, tem também muito diálogo interno que é bem escrito. O Keir me deu uma vibe de Gideon Cross nesse livro.
Não teve uma introdução do porque ele abandonou tão rapidamente a Abigail devido ao suposto ciúme. Só no final é explicado, a autora poderia ter dado uma sugestão anterior a esse trauma.
Gostei que o Keir é a inspiração para as músicas da Abigail.
June 2, 2016
*review to come*
I am reading so much because I'm running away from studying. I know, I know, I shouldn't. Inshaa Allah, this is my last book until I finish my exams.
ALSO, CAN I JUST SAY
WOW. One of the most incredibly powerful, emotion-AND-gut-wrenchingly poignant and beautiful books. Stacy Absalom is an incredible writer.
I am reading so much because I'm running away from studying. I know, I know, I shouldn't. Inshaa Allah, this is my last book until I finish my exams.
ALSO, CAN I JUST SAY
WOW. One of the most incredibly powerful, emotion-AND-gut-wrenchingly poignant and beautiful books. Stacy Absalom is an incredible writer.
June 8, 2021
This was hard to put down!!!!
March 31, 2024
Such a freaking liar. 'She was never my lover but wait maybe once or twice but before I met you'. Just stupid. I really didn't like him. Poor heroine was severely traumatized and rightly so. I was just mad that the ow got away with it. Just sickening. he was a jerk. He chases her, catches her and then dumps her because his ex-lover gas-lighted her and she was righteously jealous. But wait he gas-lighted her too saying she was never his lover. What a flipping moron. I am so over this book right now. It did make me cry though. Kudos for that. Glad I read it but never again. I don't know if he was celibate for that year apart but I doubt it. He thought she'd moved on because his ex-lover told him so. Just a bunch of crud!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 27, 2023
This was the worst hp I read in ages. I was disappointed because I wanted the angst but the hero took gaslighting to a new level and I couldn’t get past how annoying he was even though I enjoy cruel heroes.Skip past this one.
September 12, 2024
A lot of angst which I liked. The H behaved badly and he was responsible for the whole drama even if he didn’t cheat he was really obtuse regarding vicious OW. I would slightly shorten the book though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews