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Margaret of Milton
Margaret Hale loses her father unexpectedly and must marry the man she refused months earlier- the same man who has said he no longer cares for her. At the same time John Thornton is compelled by his sense of honor to offer his name and a home to the woman he believes is in love with another man. How will our couple find their way to happiness and love in a union born of obligation?
243 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 29, 2020
67 people are currently reading
79 people want to read
About the author
Elaine Owen
11 books48 followersElaine Owen was born in Seattle, Washington and was a precocious reader from a young age. She read Pride and Prejudice for the first time in ninth grade, causing speechless delight for her English teacher when she used it for an oral book report. She practiced writing in various forms throughout her teen years, writing stories with her friends and being chief editor of the high school yearbook. She moved to Delaware when she married.
In 1996 she won a one year contract to write guest editorials in the Sunday edition of The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware, and she continued her writing habit in political discussion groups and occasional forays into fiction.
In 2014 she began to write Pride and Prejudice fan fiction and decided to publish her works herself to see if she might possibly sell a few copies. Thousands of books later, the results have been beyond her wildest hopes, and she plans to continue writing fiction for the foreseeable future.
When she's not writing her next great novel, Elaine relaxes by working full time, raising two children with special needs, and earning a third degree black belt in karate. She can be contacted at elaineowen1@lycos.com. Look for her on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/ElaineOwenAu...
In 1996 she won a one year contract to write guest editorials in the Sunday edition of The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware, and she continued her writing habit in political discussion groups and occasional forays into fiction.
In 2014 she began to write Pride and Prejudice fan fiction and decided to publish her works herself to see if she might possibly sell a few copies. Thousands of books later, the results have been beyond her wildest hopes, and she plans to continue writing fiction for the foreseeable future.
When she's not writing her next great novel, Elaine relaxes by working full time, raising two children with special needs, and earning a third degree black belt in karate. She can be contacted at elaineowen1@lycos.com. Look for her on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/ElaineOwenAu...
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
May 31, 2020
3.5 rounded up to 4 stars: This is a variation of North & South, one of my favorite stories.
This book really has no surprises and thus no angst. The events we know from canon are there but happen in a slightly different way. For example the inheritance from Mr. Bell does not come about until several months after marriage.
As the author's blurb tells us: Margaret's father dies but as he does he extracts a promise from John Thornton that he will take care of Margaret. John thinks this might be that he makes arrangements to close up the house they are leasing and to then send Margaret to live with her aunt or her cousin in London or even to contact Mr. Bell, her godfather and the best friend to her father to arrange for Margaret's future. However, her aunt and cousin are in Corfu and plan to be there for several years. Mr. Bell doesn't answer John's letter...so what's a man to do?
He offers marriage and states up front that it will be a marriage of convenience but he also stipulates that they are to be open and honest with each other...no secrets. Margaret has a demand of her own: she doesn't want to give up the charity work she does nor the friends from among the work force, i.e., Nicolas Higgins.
Yes, there is a happy ending and as I said most of what occurs is not a surprise. This was a quick and pleasant read. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them.
This book really has no surprises and thus no angst. The events we know from canon are there but happen in a slightly different way. For example the inheritance from Mr. Bell does not come about until several months after marriage.
As the author's blurb tells us: Margaret's father dies but as he does he extracts a promise from John Thornton that he will take care of Margaret. John thinks this might be that he makes arrangements to close up the house they are leasing and to then send Margaret to live with her aunt or her cousin in London or even to contact Mr. Bell, her godfather and the best friend to her father to arrange for Margaret's future. However, her aunt and cousin are in Corfu and plan to be there for several years. Mr. Bell doesn't answer John's letter...so what's a man to do?
He offers marriage and states up front that it will be a marriage of convenience but he also stipulates that they are to be open and honest with each other...no secrets. Margaret has a demand of her own: she doesn't want to give up the charity work she does nor the friends from among the work force, i.e., Nicolas Higgins.
Yes, there is a happy ending and as I said most of what occurs is not a surprise. This was a quick and pleasant read. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them.
May 25, 2022
Review Published at:
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
What if Mr. Hale died shortly after his wife and on his deathbed asked John Thornton to take care of Margaret? What if there was no one else to help her after her father’s dead, and marriage to Mr. Thornton was the only option? Can a marriage without love grow into one of the most epic love stories of all times?
Margaret of Milton is a beautiful and poignant story that I could not stop reading. It starts with the marriage of Margaret and John, and through several flashbacks we start to understand how that came to happen. The initial chapters of the book are full of intensity and grabbed my attention immediately, but the events that kept occurring and the development of the relationship between the newlyweds kept me glued to it until the last page.
I absolutely love stories where the couple is already in love with one another but unaware that their feelings are reciprocated, so this book was simply perfect for me as both Thornton and Margaret are clearly already in love with one another when they both believe to be entering into a marriage of convenience .
I loved to witness their relationship develop, and I loved how John handled his jealousy throughout the entire book! He proved to be a true gentleman who puts the happiness of his loved ones above his own. He was kind, patient, and passionate just as a true romantic hero should be. Margaret was also a very interesting character in this book and through the eyes of Mrs. Thornton we can see how Margaret’s strength of character allied with her compassion is perfect for someone with Mr. Thornton’s personality and station in life. Mrs. Thornton was also a nice surprise and I loved to see her help the couple reach an understanding instead of antagonizing their relationship.
Margaret of Milton is a beautiful and well written book that offers readers a love story built out of mutual respect, and which can overcome sorrow, misery, and jealousy. It is an emotional book where the main characters are there to support one another in their worst times, but where love, and little bit of luck, overcome everything. There wasn’t anything I disliked in this book, even if the ending was a little anticlimactic, and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves Ms. Gaskell’s North and South.
https://frompemberleytomilton.wordpre...
What if Mr. Hale died shortly after his wife and on his deathbed asked John Thornton to take care of Margaret? What if there was no one else to help her after her father’s dead, and marriage to Mr. Thornton was the only option? Can a marriage without love grow into one of the most epic love stories of all times?
Margaret of Milton is a beautiful and poignant story that I could not stop reading. It starts with the marriage of Margaret and John, and through several flashbacks we start to understand how that came to happen. The initial chapters of the book are full of intensity and grabbed my attention immediately, but the events that kept occurring and the development of the relationship between the newlyweds kept me glued to it until the last page.
I absolutely love stories where the couple is already in love with one another but unaware that their feelings are reciprocated, so this book was simply perfect for me as both Thornton and Margaret are clearly already in love with one another when they both believe to be entering into a marriage of convenience .
I loved to witness their relationship develop, and I loved how John handled his jealousy throughout the entire book! He proved to be a true gentleman who puts the happiness of his loved ones above his own. He was kind, patient, and passionate just as a true romantic hero should be. Margaret was also a very interesting character in this book and through the eyes of Mrs. Thornton we can see how Margaret’s strength of character allied with her compassion is perfect for someone with Mr. Thornton’s personality and station in life. Mrs. Thornton was also a nice surprise and I loved to see her help the couple reach an understanding instead of antagonizing their relationship.
Margaret of Milton is a beautiful and well written book that offers readers a love story built out of mutual respect, and which can overcome sorrow, misery, and jealousy. It is an emotional book where the main characters are there to support one another in their worst times, but where love, and little bit of luck, overcome everything. There wasn’t anything I disliked in this book, even if the ending was a little anticlimactic, and I highly recommend it to everyone who loves Ms. Gaskell’s North and South.
October 31, 2021
After reading (or re-reading) North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell it's hard for a reader to leave that world behind, and there aren't nearly as many sequels or tributes as there are for Jane Austen's novels. This alternative storyline worked nicely. Mrs. Thornton (the mother) seems slightly out of character at a few points, but I imagine she's a difficult one to pin down as a writer. It's a sweet and engaging what-if that changes the timing of things around from the end of the original novel, with pretty good results.
December 9, 2025
Status: Read December 8-9, 2025 via kindle edition
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edition Read:
Margaret of Milton
by Elaine Owen
Kindle Edition, 231 pages
Published April 29, 2020
ASIN: B087WR8T7W
[ kindle unlimited ]
Margaret Hale loses her father unexpectedly and must marry the man she refused months earlier- the same man who has said he no longer cares for her. At the same time John Thornton is compelled by his sense of honor to offer his name and a home to the woman he believes is in love with another man. How will our couple find their way to happiness and love in a union born of obligation?
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Edition Read:
Margaret of Milton
by Elaine Owen
Kindle Edition, 231 pages
Published April 29, 2020
ASIN: B087WR8T7W
[ kindle unlimited ]
Margaret Hale loses her father unexpectedly and must marry the man she refused months earlier- the same man who has said he no longer cares for her. At the same time John Thornton is compelled by his sense of honor to offer his name and a home to the woman he believes is in love with another man. How will our couple find their way to happiness and love in a union born of obligation?
November 22, 2020
2.5 rounded up - A variation with Margaret somewhat forced to accept John’s proposed marriage of convenience as her aunt and cousin remain in Corfu, Frederick is in Spain and she doesn’t want to become a burden. Mr. Bell is ill and cannot help.
I’m fine with the set up, but a few things bothered me. First, once married, Margaret and Dixon do the cooking...what?!? I don’t pretend to be an expert in Victorian era servants, but I feel very confident that the Thortons had servants to cook and clear dishes. This is referenced repeatedly and just really stuck out each time. It almost seems like Dixon is the ONLY servant in the house, which is just insane. Who was taking care of the house before!?!? Fanny was certainly NOT cooking! Just a huge oversight in my opinion.
Second, there is a misunderstanding about some letters that leads to about a day of conflict that seemed illogical. Without giving it away, there are two letters left on a desk, but only one is found (apparently, as it is not explained) and it just happens to be the ambiguous one that could cause a misunderstanding. There is a much better scene earlier that succeeds in bringing the angst - this just takes away from it.
The ending is nice and it was an ok read, but the issues took away from my enjoyment.
I’m fine with the set up, but a few things bothered me. First, once married, Margaret and Dixon do the cooking...what?!? I don’t pretend to be an expert in Victorian era servants, but I feel very confident that the Thortons had servants to cook and clear dishes. This is referenced repeatedly and just really stuck out each time. It almost seems like Dixon is the ONLY servant in the house, which is just insane. Who was taking care of the house before!?!? Fanny was certainly NOT cooking! Just a huge oversight in my opinion.
Second, there is a misunderstanding about some letters that leads to about a day of conflict that seemed illogical. Without giving it away, there are two letters left on a desk, but only one is found (apparently, as it is not explained) and it just happens to be the ambiguous one that could cause a misunderstanding. There is a much better scene earlier that succeeds in bringing the angst - this just takes away from it.
The ending is nice and it was an ok read, but the issues took away from my enjoyment.
May 24, 2020
Very enjoyable
I have read many variations and continuations of North & South which is one of my favourite novels. I enjoyed this book very much and read it in 2 days as couldn't put it down.
I have read many variations and continuations of North & South which is one of my favourite novels. I enjoyed this book very much and read it in 2 days as couldn't put it down.
February 20, 2023
Extremely saccharine but competently written. Has the distinction of being the best North & South fan fiction I’ve encountered (low bar). Should have been edited to remove like the last 30 pages where nothing happened but I could see the gears of Christian romance churning inevitably towards the birth scene. As if a baby is necessary to seal the happiness of a marriage—and a boy too!
I’m being salty because until the artificially extended HEA I was really vibing with the pining and angst and tenderness of the romance. A true 3 star read, as I will not be thinking about this in like 24 hours.
I’m being salty because until the artificially extended HEA I was really vibing with the pining and angst and tenderness of the romance. A true 3 star read, as I will not be thinking about this in like 24 hours.
November 22, 2025
LOVE LOVE LOVE
I loved North and South and I have longed for more. I wanted to look into the future of Mr Thornton and Margaret. Somehow I happened upon this book and I am absolutely thrilled. I know there were many differences than the original book but you still managed to kindly keep to the overall guidelines of the original book and giving us so much context with their relationship after they became married. I will certainly read this many times over. It has made my heart happy to see a happy ending for them and a glimpse into their future. Thank you.
I loved North and South and I have longed for more. I wanted to look into the future of Mr Thornton and Margaret. Somehow I happened upon this book and I am absolutely thrilled. I know there were many differences than the original book but you still managed to kindly keep to the overall guidelines of the original book and giving us so much context with their relationship after they became married. I will certainly read this many times over. It has made my heart happy to see a happy ending for them and a glimpse into their future. Thank you.
June 23, 2022
A most fulfilling story
Well written! I'm glowing with happiness myself as I finish reading this. I would love more about the lives and life of the Thornton family as they grow and change. Much happiness and no angst. The story flowed so well, and felt as dear to me as EG original story.
I enjoyed this tremendously and will reread it often.
Well written! I'm glowing with happiness myself as I finish reading this. I would love more about the lives and life of the Thornton family as they grow and change. Much happiness and no angst. The story flowed so well, and felt as dear to me as EG original story.
I enjoyed this tremendously and will reread it often.
May 31, 2023
Sweet and Classy Spin on North & South
I enjoyed this read! I found it realistic and heartwarming. Some authors treat intimacy very crassly, but this author describes their married life in a very respectful manner. I enjoy reading novels that don't detract from the modesty of the original work.
I enjoyed this read! I found it realistic and heartwarming. Some authors treat intimacy very crassly, but this author describes their married life in a very respectful manner. I enjoy reading novels that don't detract from the modesty of the original work.
December 22, 2024
Misunderstandings abound in this North & South variation. When John Thornton makes a promise to a dying Mr Hale to look after his daughter, Margaret, the pair enter a marriage of convenience. Well, at least on her side. Allegedly.
Bound by social conventions, it takes a while for these two to communicate effectively. Thankfully, wedded bliss eventually prevails.
Bound by social conventions, it takes a while for these two to communicate effectively. Thankfully, wedded bliss eventually prevails.
May 22, 2020
Very Well Done
Elaine Owen has taken two beloved characters and enhanced their journey for our imaginations.
I love that their core characters are the same, even as they grow and change within her story.
Well written and lovely.
Elaine Owen has taken two beloved characters and enhanced their journey for our imaginations.
I love that their core characters are the same, even as they grow and change within her story.
Well written and lovely.
June 4, 2024
North & South is one of my favorites, and this book did a good job of incorporating Elizabeth Gaskell’s original story while also giving us a bit of a sequel. Nothing can be as good as the original in this case, so that is why I gave it 4 stars.
August 3, 2024
Exceptional!
I love this story! This book was the gateway into getting me reading JAFF! Mrs. Owens did such a great job with getting Margaret and John together earlier than in the original!
I love this story! This book was the gateway into getting me reading JAFF! Mrs. Owens did such a great job with getting Margaret and John together earlier than in the original!
October 2, 2025
I really loved being back in this story. I love these two together, even though they have so much miscommunication. This ending was much more romantic than the original North and South, which ended very abruptly in my opinion.
October 19, 2025
3.5 stars rounded up to 4. After finally reading North and South, with its incredibly abrupt ending, this book gives all of the romantic feels that I wanted. It is missing the vocabulary and the style of prose of the 1850’s but it is still written pretty well.
May 27, 2020
It was a lovely story.
May 27, 2020
Good
A nice read. New author for me. Looking for more by her to read, I just found this one by chance
A nice read. New author for me. Looking for more by her to read, I just found this one by chance
January 21, 2023
Rating : 4 stars
I love Margaret and John they r perfect 🥹🤌
I love Margaret and John they r perfect 🥹🤌
January 2, 2024
So romantic …. 🤩
August 19, 2024
Wonderful fan fiction
Loved every minute of reading it. Well done Elaine Owen a lovely extension of the book and movie that I & many others love
Loved every minute of reading it. Well done Elaine Owen a lovely extension of the book and movie that I & many others love
May 27, 2021
One of the better ones
I am a sucker for staying up late and reading North & South fanfic! This is one of the better ones. It’s not too long although I did skip a lot in the beginning. I do wish it was sexier but I was not disappointed!
I am a sucker for staying up late and reading North & South fanfic! This is one of the better ones. It’s not too long although I did skip a lot in the beginning. I do wish it was sexier but I was not disappointed!
May 28, 2021
A nice read, but predictable.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews