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An Independent Wife
Linda Howard sweeps fans into the high-stakes, high-pressure world of a top news magazine in this exciting and romantic story of rediscovered passion . . . Sallie wondered if Rhy would recognize her after seven years. She'd lost weight, loosened up and turned her talents to news reporting for one of the nation's leading magazines. After all this time, would Rhy Baines, the news publisher, recognize his wife? Sallie Jerome, a.k.a. Mrs. Baines, had picked up the pieces of shattered dreams after Rhy walked out. She'd become the independent, self-possessed woman he'd always wanted. Only now, she didn't want him. . . . Or did she?
256 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1982
116 people are currently reading
1080 people want to read
About the author
Linda Howard
223 books7,183 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
Linda S. Howington is an American best-selling romance author writing under the pseudonym Linda Howard. After 21 years of penning stories for her own enjoyment, she submitted a novel for publication which was very successful. Her first work was published by Silhouette in 1982. She is a charter member of Romance Writers of America and in 2005 Howard was awarded their Career Achievement Award.
Linda Howard lives in Gadsden, Alabama with her husband, Gary F. Howington, and two golden retrievers. She has three grown stepchildren and three grandchildren.
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to-avoid
December 5, 2013From MelissaB @ Ami:
'The "hero" marries a young vulnerable girl, treats her like crap for awhile then basically leaves her after she has a miscarriage and forgets about her for a few years. He sees her again a few years later, she is thinner, beautiful and a successful investigative reporter. So what does he do? He systematically destroys her life and takes away everything that allows her to be independent and successful because he thinks her job is too dangerous and because he wants her in his house, barefoot and pregnant under his control. And of course she lets him do this and falls in love with the SOB. The title of this book is a joke.'
'The "hero" marries a young vulnerable girl, treats her like crap for awhile then basically leaves her after she has a miscarriage and forgets about her for a few years. He sees her again a few years later, she is thinner, beautiful and a successful investigative reporter. So what does he do? He systematically destroys her life and takes away everything that allows her to be independent and successful because he thinks her job is too dangerous and because he wants her in his house, barefoot and pregnant under his control. And of course she lets him do this and falls in love with the SOB. The title of this book is a joke.'
November 18, 2019
This one hit all my buttons. H/h married when h was 18. Hero was a war correspondent, adrenaline junkie who wouldn’t change jobs for his clingy wife. Tragedy struck when heroine had a still-born son before their first year of marriage was up. Hero walked out a few months later, telling her to call him when she was woman enough for him. He sent support checks for the first few years and then those stopped after heroine explained she could support herself.
Heroine got a degree and became a reporter – hooked on adrenaline just like the hero. She changed her name, lost weight and became outgoing and independent.
The H/h haven’t seen each other for 7 years when the H buys the news magazine where heroine is working. Hero arrives with a hot model(OW) on his arm and heroine is so detached from her feelings that she doesn’t care the love of her life has another woman. That soon changes as the H/h finally acknowledge each other and hero declares he wants to reconcile.
Heroine wants a divorce, but hero threatens to fire her and then blackball her in the industry. He also grounds her from foreign assignments. Heroine starts writing a novel because she’s so bored at work.
The H/h go to a made-up country together so heroine can interview the new queen, her friend from college days. They start having sex again, and heroine is considering reconciliation. The OW shows up the next morning so heroine disappears for two days until the day of the interview. It’s nice payback for the hero.
The hero retaliates by having her apartment packed up while she is at work. Heroine was planning on moving away without telling the hero, but he has her manuscript. Heroine has to beg for it back and then succumbs to the allure of having a luxury place to stay to finish it. She then finds she’s pregnant and all is well while she finishes her book and hero stays domesticated.
For a last-minute black moment, OW shows up and tells heroine she’s pregnant by the hero. Heroine moves back to her small town without telling hero. Hero goes to Europe to work on a documentary. He flies back every weekend to look for her.
Hero is haggard and has lost weight when he finally finds heroine. (This is LH’s idea of a grovel). He declares his love and swears he never had sex with any other woman since his marriage. He just squired them around. (Ok, Boomer)
Heroine believes him for an HEA.
This hit all my buttons but I can only give it three stars because the pacing is horrible. It takes pages and pages for the H/h to finally meet again at the beginning. There is a lot of repetition. The OW is not at all convincing. LH also skips angst opportunities – that stillborn baby!
I’m not disappointed with the ending where the heroine is content to start a new career as a novelist and have babies. LH seems to imply ( by the actions of the H, the h, and the wannabe OM who is trying to decide to quit his job for his girlfriend )that this adrenaline junkie job is a way to run from feelings and relationships and is not sustainable. This fits into a sub genre of romances with war correspondent/photographer heroes that were so popular back in the late 1970’ and early 80’s. A reader would know right away there was going to be tension between adventure and domesticity and war and peace.
That LH lets the heroine have that conundrum is a nice innovation. To fit the conventions of the sub-genre, the ending is domesticity. Heroine has the same fate a male war correspondent is given.
In 1982 I probably would have bristled at the heroine’s compromise and would have seen it as LH is advocating for the stay-at-home brigade. In 2019 I see it as just another turn in the road for the heroine. I can say that because I’m old. Most women I know have had a lot of turns with their careers and relationships and the idea of staying in one job until the gold watch would never occur to me now. I'm also comforted that since the heroine carved out her own life without the hero once, she can do it again.
You’re on notice, hero.
Heroine got a degree and became a reporter – hooked on adrenaline just like the hero. She changed her name, lost weight and became outgoing and independent.
The H/h haven’t seen each other for 7 years when the H buys the news magazine where heroine is working. Hero arrives with a hot model(OW) on his arm and heroine is so detached from her feelings that she doesn’t care the love of her life has another woman. That soon changes as the H/h finally acknowledge each other and hero declares he wants to reconcile.
Heroine wants a divorce, but hero threatens to fire her and then blackball her in the industry. He also grounds her from foreign assignments. Heroine starts writing a novel because she’s so bored at work.
The H/h go to a made-up country together so heroine can interview the new queen, her friend from college days. They start having sex again, and heroine is considering reconciliation. The OW shows up the next morning so heroine disappears for two days until the day of the interview. It’s nice payback for the hero.
The hero retaliates by having her apartment packed up while she is at work. Heroine was planning on moving away without telling the hero, but he has her manuscript. Heroine has to beg for it back and then succumbs to the allure of having a luxury place to stay to finish it. She then finds she’s pregnant and all is well while she finishes her book and hero stays domesticated.
For a last-minute black moment, OW shows up and tells heroine she’s pregnant by the hero. Heroine moves back to her small town without telling hero. Hero goes to Europe to work on a documentary. He flies back every weekend to look for her.
Hero is haggard and has lost weight when he finally finds heroine. (This is LH’s idea of a grovel). He declares his love and swears he never had sex with any other woman since his marriage. He just squired them around. (Ok, Boomer)
Heroine believes him for an HEA.
This hit all my buttons but I can only give it three stars because the pacing is horrible. It takes pages and pages for the H/h to finally meet again at the beginning. There is a lot of repetition. The OW is not at all convincing. LH also skips angst opportunities – that stillborn baby!
I’m not disappointed with the ending where the heroine is content to start a new career as a novelist and have babies. LH seems to imply ( by the actions of the H, the h, and the wannabe OM who is trying to decide to quit his job for his girlfriend )that this adrenaline junkie job is a way to run from feelings and relationships and is not sustainable. This fits into a sub genre of romances with war correspondent/photographer heroes that were so popular back in the late 1970’ and early 80’s. A reader would know right away there was going to be tension between adventure and domesticity and war and peace.
That LH lets the heroine have that conundrum is a nice innovation. To fit the conventions of the sub-genre, the ending is domesticity. Heroine has the same fate a male war correspondent is given.
In 1982 I probably would have bristled at the heroine’s compromise and would have seen it as LH is advocating for the stay-at-home brigade. In 2019 I see it as just another turn in the road for the heroine. I can say that because I’m old. Most women I know have had a lot of turns with their careers and relationships and the idea of staying in one job until the gold watch would never occur to me now. I'm also comforted that since the heroine carved out her own life without the hero once, she can do it again.
You’re on notice, hero.
May 10, 2018
Howard is famous for writing Romantic Suspense books and in the past I have mostly enjoyed the books I have read by her. I somehow thought this book will be something similar to other Linda Howard books that I have read.
I did not realize that this is one of the older books written by Ms.Howard. I did not enjoy it. In fact by the end of this I kind of started hating what was happening.
*Spoilers Ahead because I am definitely going on a rant!*
The Start: This story is about Sallie and Rhy, they were married but then later Sallie left him because he never had any time for her and when she showed concern about his life (he was a journalist traveling to countries with political imbalanced situations), he behaved as if she is a roadblock in his career and they parted ways.
The Good Part: Years later she re-invents herself, completes her education and becomes a journalist. At this point I was like 'You go Girl'. But then he takes over the magazine for which she is working, takes one look at her and decides he wants her back. Irritating but still tolerable!
Things start going bizarre: It started irritating me when he stopped her from going on assignments because 'he feared for her life'. He basically sabotaged her career and all that she worked on! She stood up to him and till this point I liked her but then he blackmails and raid-rolls her into giving up her career and moving in with him.
It gets Rotten: At first she is sulky but then after sometime she just accepts that she likes this better and doesn't want to work anymore. She also tells him that he knew ALL ALONG what was best for her and I was like
I have to keep in mind that this is a much older novel but I was still not able to take this ending because that's not how Sallie's character was build at the start.
Alternate Ending: She sues him for sexual harassment, wins the case and continues with her glorious career. (Not much of a romantic ending but this book did not feel like much of a romance)
I did not realize that this is one of the older books written by Ms.Howard. I did not enjoy it. In fact by the end of this I kind of started hating what was happening.
*Spoilers Ahead because I am definitely going on a rant!*
The Start: This story is about Sallie and Rhy, they were married but then later Sallie left him because he never had any time for her and when she showed concern about his life (he was a journalist traveling to countries with political imbalanced situations), he behaved as if she is a roadblock in his career and they parted ways.
The Good Part: Years later she re-invents herself, completes her education and becomes a journalist. At this point I was like 'You go Girl'. But then he takes over the magazine for which she is working, takes one look at her and decides he wants her back. Irritating but still tolerable!
Things start going bizarre: It started irritating me when he stopped her from going on assignments because 'he feared for her life'. He basically sabotaged her career and all that she worked on! She stood up to him and till this point I liked her but then he blackmails and raid-rolls her into giving up her career and moving in with him.
It gets Rotten: At first she is sulky but then after sometime she just accepts that she likes this better and doesn't want to work anymore. She also tells him that he knew ALL ALONG what was best for her and I was like
I have to keep in mind that this is a much older novel but I was still not able to take this ending because that's not how Sallie's character was build at the start.
Alternate Ending: She sues him for sexual harassment, wins the case and continues with her glorious career. (Not much of a romantic ending but this book did not feel like much of a romance)
June 15, 2016
I think this is the first Linda Howard that I didn't enjoy.
I would've liked for the resolution of the story and characters not to involve her The whole point of the book was to show how she changed from the beginning and gained her independence, and LH .
Here, a happy end would be if the MCs didn't end up together. I can't believe I'm saying this but it would be the most satisfying scenario possible.
I would've liked for the resolution of the story and characters not to involve her The whole point of the book was to show how she changed from the beginning and gained her independence, and LH .
Here, a happy end would be if the MCs didn't end up together. I can't believe I'm saying this but it would be the most satisfying scenario possible.
April 4, 2016
One of Linda Howard's unapologetic, rude, thoughtless PIG male characters masquerading as an Alpha hero. He tells our heroine that he married her out of pity because it was so obvious she could not take care of herself. He left her after the stillborn death of their 6 month old baby, telling her to give him a call when she was woman enough for him. Left her without another thought for 8 years. Paraded his catty girlfriend when he did reappear into his life. Threatened to fire her and blackball her around town if she didn't comply with his order to resume their marriage. And all the time this stupid doormat is swooning about how much she looooooooves him, how she had to stay celibate for 7 years because no other man could make her feel the way he does, and that she just has to accept him for who he is because he just can't help his super virile, insatiable sexual appetite and she cannot change him. BARF!!!! This is one of those "throwback" romances that I absolutely can't stomach. Linda Howard is usually a great writer who can make even the worst characters come to life and connect with you but here, even her writing was so sub par. So many repetitions, so snail-paced, and of course full of non-p.c., cringeworthy, racist-ish characterizations of other ethnicities and races, never mind the absolutely skewed misogynist outlook on gender relations. The most annoying thing of all though was that the H never spoke, uttered, whispered, stated, or claimed. He either snarled or growled. Ugh. This was a bad one, not as spectacularly bad as Sarah's Child, but definitely going to the Vault of Novels I'd Rather Forget.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 13, 2023
I wanted the hero dead.
Seriously.
Since he was a journalist and often left for dangerous missions I hoped he would die in one of those, freeing the heroine from his nasty presence once and for all.
Sadly not this time.
He married the heroine because he pitied her, a young, shy, plump and insecure creature that was completely dependent on him, and only sex was good.
So, after a painful miscarriage and a nasty scene because he wouldn’t give up dangerous missions he dumped her.
Just like that.
She could have died since she was alone, depressed and sad.
Thank god he gave her money but he never ever checked how she was.
I wished him dead.
The heroine thank god found some strength in her, got a degree, lost some weight ( even if I must admit that was never an issue to the hero) and became a journalist herself, and a very good one.
And forgot about the hero.
Really forgot.
Almost moved on. Not quite but she was ok, this book is old and women had to stay celibate or else they were sluts.
They weren’t divorced.
Then one day her new boss came and it was him, the hero.
And he immediately started to ruin the heroine’s life again.
Starting from preventing her from going abroad;
Then he threatened her because she was dating a colleague- while he of course had a model glued by his side but the heroine couldn’t say anything about.
I hated him.
I must admit that the heroine did a good job in survival. She decided that since he wouldn’t let her work as before she could write a book during her hours in office, and I liked that.
The hero paid while she was doing her business.
I hated also that she suffered of severe TBS and accepted his offer to try again to stay married even if she wanted a divorce and of course he didn’t.
So she slept with him but didn’t really wanted to go back to him and there were several moments where she dumped him and run away because his gf turned up at the most unsuitable moments.
The hero tries to reassure her telling he’s been celibate for years and the model was only to make her jealous, but the heroine doesn’t believe him and I didn’t believe the author.
The man was too much a jerk and a pig to be celibate a sole week never mind seven long years.
The author did a very unlikely choice, of course he has been celibate if he says he has, because he’s too much of a bastard to even care for anyone to tell the heroine lies.
He would have told her if he had ow, since he doesn’t care about her.
So they are together again, and the heroine falls pregnant soon, but ow comes to spoil it all and tells her she’s pregnant too, and the heroine runs away leaving the hero for good.
Months later he finds her and explains that he’s always loved her, he didn’t mean to dump her but he only wanted to scare her, but when he saw that she wouldn’t come back and also rejected his money he thought she was better without him, and after seven years he wanted to look for her again.
Yeah right.
- he was an insensitive brute. He didn’t want the child the first time the heroine was pregnant and he was cold and cruel to her,
- he dumped her instead of staying near her after her miscarriage.
- when he finds her again he’s pissed because she’s become the independent woman he wanted her to be, but since now he’s not her main focus of attention he resents her and tries to ruin her life
- ow always around and he admits he likes her, but he doesn’t have sex with ow since he only wants the heroine. Go and ***k yourself dude.
- never said he’s sorry for the way he behaved when they married
- the heroine gave up her career for him. After what he did the first time she should have known better.
- the plot was interesting and entertaining but sadly the hero had to die and he didn’t. So 2 pissed stars it’s enough for me.
Seriously.
Since he was a journalist and often left for dangerous missions I hoped he would die in one of those, freeing the heroine from his nasty presence once and for all.
Sadly not this time.
He married the heroine because he pitied her, a young, shy, plump and insecure creature that was completely dependent on him, and only sex was good.
So, after a painful miscarriage and a nasty scene because he wouldn’t give up dangerous missions he dumped her.
Just like that.
She could have died since she was alone, depressed and sad.
Thank god he gave her money but he never ever checked how she was.
I wished him dead.
The heroine thank god found some strength in her, got a degree, lost some weight ( even if I must admit that was never an issue to the hero) and became a journalist herself, and a very good one.
And forgot about the hero.
Really forgot.
Almost moved on. Not quite but she was ok, this book is old and women had to stay celibate or else they were sluts.
They weren’t divorced.
Then one day her new boss came and it was him, the hero.
And he immediately started to ruin the heroine’s life again.
Starting from preventing her from going abroad;
Then he threatened her because she was dating a colleague- while he of course had a model glued by his side but the heroine couldn’t say anything about.
I hated him.
I must admit that the heroine did a good job in survival. She decided that since he wouldn’t let her work as before she could write a book during her hours in office, and I liked that.
The hero paid while she was doing her business.
I hated also that she suffered of severe TBS and accepted his offer to try again to stay married even if she wanted a divorce and of course he didn’t.
So she slept with him but didn’t really wanted to go back to him and there were several moments where she dumped him and run away because his gf turned up at the most unsuitable moments.
The hero tries to reassure her telling he’s been celibate for years and the model was only to make her jealous, but the heroine doesn’t believe him and I didn’t believe the author.
The man was too much a jerk and a pig to be celibate a sole week never mind seven long years.
The author did a very unlikely choice, of course he has been celibate if he says he has, because he’s too much of a bastard to even care for anyone to tell the heroine lies.
He would have told her if he had ow, since he doesn’t care about her.
So they are together again, and the heroine falls pregnant soon, but ow comes to spoil it all and tells her she’s pregnant too, and the heroine runs away leaving the hero for good.
Months later he finds her and explains that he’s always loved her, he didn’t mean to dump her but he only wanted to scare her, but when he saw that she wouldn’t come back and also rejected his money he thought she was better without him, and after seven years he wanted to look for her again.
Yeah right.
- he was an insensitive brute. He didn’t want the child the first time the heroine was pregnant and he was cold and cruel to her,
- he dumped her instead of staying near her after her miscarriage.
- when he finds her again he’s pissed because she’s become the independent woman he wanted her to be, but since now he’s not her main focus of attention he resents her and tries to ruin her life
- ow always around and he admits he likes her, but he doesn’t have sex with ow since he only wants the heroine. Go and ***k yourself dude.
- never said he’s sorry for the way he behaved when they married
- the heroine gave up her career for him. After what he did the first time she should have known better.
- the plot was interesting and entertaining but sadly the hero had to die and he didn’t. So 2 pissed stars it’s enough for me.
August 20, 2015
You definitely have to keep in mind that this was written in 1982 and keep telling yourself that (multiple times). No '82 wasn't the dark ages, but I also remember that all the mothers on the street I grew up on were stay-at-home moms. Yes, there were some kids at school with working moms, but those were the exception at least when I was elementary aged. I'm sure it depends on where you lived, etc. But, that was my reality.
That being said, the term 'Independent Wife' is subjective, perhaps even ironic.
This was one of Howard's early works when she was writing category romance. They were Silhouette's, which was basically America's version of a Mills&Boon/Harlequin (Hqn even owns the Silhouette label now).
Fitting of a category romance, the H is a super ruthless alpha, willing to do anything to put his h where he wants her and some of his moves will make you want to kill him. Fans of category romance love/hate this sort of thing. It keeps us turning the pages wanting to know what the bastard H will do next.
Sarah/Sally started out as a sheltered 18 year old when she married her next-door-neighbor's nephew, Rhy. Rhy was an investigative reporter 10 years her senior and an adrenaline junky, mostly married to his job. The more dangerous the assignment, the better.
The honeymoon was over quickly when the h realized that she wouldn't be seeing much of her husband and that when he was gone she spent her time worried sick about him reporting from one unstable/war torn country or another.
When the H came home, she would explode and nag him to quit his job. He would refuse, they'd have hot, angry sex and he'd fly off again. This lasted for a year. Then one day when he came home tired and cranky and she lit into him again, he left. Told her to 'call him when she thought she was woman enough for him'.
The h was devastated when he never came home, but instead sent regular support checks with no accompanying letters.
She finally picks herself up and goes to college where she picks up the nickname of 'Sally' and sticks with it. She really grows up and becomes a much more confident/self-reliant person. After trying out all sorts of courses, she realizes she too had a love for journalism and ended up working for a magazine and thriving on the same sort of dangerous assignments she once demanded Rhy stay away from.
Once she begins to support herself she sends back the support checks and begins using her maiden name as a way of not 'trading on her famous husband's name'. She wasn't deliberately trying to hide, she honestly thought he didn't care and was just too busy being a high flyer to bother with getting a divorce. She also correctly assumed that being technically married was probably quite convenient for Rhy as it kept other women from expecting too much.
Sally was a smart, likeable character. I love that she moved on. But remember CATEGORY ROMANCE here, she obviously had to go into sexual deep freeze, which is why she felt no need to seek a divorce.
Rhy, on the other hand... L.H. leaves it open enough for a reader to argue either way. Some probably choose to interpret that he was celibate for the 7 years they were apart. I interpreted it that he was not a huge man-ho and didn't have any serious girlfriends, but most likely had a few casual sexual encounters over those years. I think LH does this on purpose. The wording used by the hero was rather ambiguous. I do believe he never slept with the OW/villain, but otherwise it's up for interpretation.
On the 'Independent Woman' front, Rhy was semi-evolved. He decided he was tired of the danger and he certainly didn't want his wife exposed to the life of a traveling reporter. There was real concern for her welfare there, I think. Not simply a women shouldn't work attitude. He had fewer issues with her doing less dangerous work. I say fewer because, it did take him some time to realize just how important it was to the h to have something in her life aside from him and kids. He knew her when she was 18 and her life ambition was to be a stay at home wife with children. He had a learning curve with her changes. He wanted both. He liked the more confident, mature woman but wanted her at home. So, I'm sticking with semi-evolved.
Oh and since this is a category romance, you'll have to suspend disbelief about Rhy's less than stellar investigative reporting skills when it comes to finding the h.
That being said, the term 'Independent Wife' is subjective, perhaps even ironic.
This was one of Howard's early works when she was writing category romance. They were Silhouette's, which was basically America's version of a Mills&Boon/Harlequin (Hqn even owns the Silhouette label now).
Fitting of a category romance, the H is a super ruthless alpha, willing to do anything to put his h where he wants her and some of his moves will make you want to kill him. Fans of category romance love/hate this sort of thing. It keeps us turning the pages wanting to know what the bastard H will do next.
Sarah/Sally started out as a sheltered 18 year old when she married her next-door-neighbor's nephew, Rhy. Rhy was an investigative reporter 10 years her senior and an adrenaline junky, mostly married to his job. The more dangerous the assignment, the better.
The honeymoon was over quickly when the h realized that she wouldn't be seeing much of her husband and that when he was gone she spent her time worried sick about him reporting from one unstable/war torn country or another.
When the H came home, she would explode and nag him to quit his job. He would refuse, they'd have hot, angry sex and he'd fly off again. This lasted for a year. Then one day when he came home tired and cranky and she lit into him again, he left. Told her to 'call him when she thought she was woman enough for him'.
The h was devastated when he never came home, but instead sent regular support checks with no accompanying letters.
She finally picks herself up and goes to college where she picks up the nickname of 'Sally' and sticks with it. She really grows up and becomes a much more confident/self-reliant person. After trying out all sorts of courses, she realizes she too had a love for journalism and ended up working for a magazine and thriving on the same sort of dangerous assignments she once demanded Rhy stay away from.
Once she begins to support herself she sends back the support checks and begins using her maiden name as a way of not 'trading on her famous husband's name'. She wasn't deliberately trying to hide, she honestly thought he didn't care and was just too busy being a high flyer to bother with getting a divorce. She also correctly assumed that being technically married was probably quite convenient for Rhy as it kept other women from expecting too much.
Sally was a smart, likeable character. I love that she moved on. But remember CATEGORY ROMANCE here, she obviously had to go into sexual deep freeze, which is why she felt no need to seek a divorce.
Rhy, on the other hand... L.H. leaves it open enough for a reader to argue either way. Some probably choose to interpret that he was celibate for the 7 years they were apart. I interpreted it that he was not a huge man-ho and didn't have any serious girlfriends, but most likely had a few casual sexual encounters over those years. I think LH does this on purpose. The wording used by the hero was rather ambiguous. I do believe he never slept with the OW/villain, but otherwise it's up for interpretation.
On the 'Independent Woman' front, Rhy was semi-evolved. He decided he was tired of the danger and he certainly didn't want his wife exposed to the life of a traveling reporter. There was real concern for her welfare there, I think. Not simply a women shouldn't work attitude. He had fewer issues with her doing less dangerous work. I say fewer because, it did take him some time to realize just how important it was to the h to have something in her life aside from him and kids. He knew her when she was 18 and her life ambition was to be a stay at home wife with children. He had a learning curve with her changes. He wanted both. He liked the more confident, mature woman but wanted her at home. So, I'm sticking with semi-evolved.
Oh and since this is a category romance, you'll have to suspend disbelief about Rhy's less than stellar investigative reporting skills when it comes to finding the h.
March 21, 2009
When plain Sarah Jerome catches the attention of the gorgeous and confident Rhy Baines, she doesn't think life could get any better. After a few dates, Rhy proposes marriage and the previously lonely and needy Sarah latches on to the delights of married life. You know what they say, marry in haste, repent at lesiure. In this case, 7 years of leisure. Sarah was unable to deal with Rhy's potentially dangerous job as a foreign correspondent. For a year their marriage became moments of ecstasy followed by long periods of separation and fear. After having lost her family, Sarah is unable to cope and eventually drives Rhy away. He walks out on her with the parting shot, "when you think you're woman enough for me, give me a call."
He's arrogant, unyielding, uncompromising and a wee bit of a bastard. But Sarah could also be described as weak, emotional, needy, clingy, and a pushover. Determined to better herself and to become a woman worthy enough of someone like Rhy Baines she strives to better herself. She starts to take college classes and gets a job. With her first paycheck comes the awe of financial freedom and the realization that yes, little Sarah Jerome can stand on her own two feet. She slowly but surely creates a new, independent life for herself but in doing so, she realizes that she and Rhy weren't all that different after all. A chance encounter sets her onto the path of being a reporter and she soon starts to crave the thrill of chasing a hot story. 7 years pass and suddenly Rhydon Baines walks back into her life. Their reunion is explosive and Rhy lets her know that while he may have walked out on her 7 years ago, he has never forgotten her and he all but demands that they start up where they left off. The new and improved Sallie Jerome has no intentions of letting her estranged husband back into her life but unfortunately, as her new boss, Rhy has ways to hound her into submission. His power and connections cuts off the possibilities of divorce or changing jobs. He systematically strips her of her friends, her job, her sense of freedom and purpose and to top it all off, he even steals all her personal possessions. It's quite stalkerific. While he never physically abuses Sallie, though he does grab her roughly a few times, he does put her through the emotional wringer. When's she's been beaten down to as low as she can get, he's waiting to swoop in and tuck her away, so that when he comes homes from a hard day on the job, he has his little wife there to play with.
While Sallie is definitely adrift at that moment, she's never down for the count. She steadfastly refuses to be his little homemaker and instead gloms onto writing and soon loses herself in the thrill of writing a book of which Rhy is both supportive and helpful. He just refused to see her in a job where she might be physically harmed. It's all looking quite rosy when Rhy's past arm candy steps in and plays upon all of the old Sarah's fears and doubts and in a rush of tears, Sallie once again escapes the hold Rhy has over her. It's up to Sarah/Sallie to come to terms with herself and to finally become woman enough to fight for Rhydon Bains and it's up to Rhydon Bains to become man enough to open up his heart and let the woman he's always loved finally know it.
Alright. I'm going out on a limb here but I have to be honest. I really really liked this book. I did. It's totally unPC and at times Rhy's highhandedness made me want to punch him, but I have to say that I enjoyed his character. He certainly kept me on my toes. He was a little rough with Sallie/Sarah but despite everything, I still really, really liked this book.
The main reason is that despite his arrogance, his rude take charge attitude and his excessive high handedness, I knew that he absolutely, positively, one hundred percent adored her. I'm bypassing the years that they spent apart on the principle that Sarah was too young to understand him for what he was and on the principle that Rhy was also too young to understand what a treasure he had in Sarah. And I'm blaming them both for their refusal to meet each other half way. Normally I hate stories that have long separations but in this instance it was definitely for the best and I felt like there was actual growth. When Rhy walks back into the new and improved Sallie's life, the sparks start flying all over the place. This story, while not told in first person, was done entirely from Sallie's point of view. We never get any of Rhy's thoughts (until the end and it was a beautiful groveling scene) but in my eyes there was enough glimpses into the actual man behind the implacable mask that I was able to enjoy this story.
While I really enjoyed this story, I am not blind to it's faults. Rhy was too quick to ride roughshod over Sallie's life and Sallie was too quick to let him. It's the standard ol moment in Romanceland when the heroine is spitting mad and is about to let the hero have it with both barrels when all he has to do is gather her up in his arms and kiss the fury right out of her. *eyeroll* This book is chock full of moments like that. Plus, despite Sally's new confidence she's real quick to let the old fears and doubts creep back in and of course the current arm candy in Rhy's life is quick to take advantage of it.
When Sallie hit rock bottom and stopped fighting Rhy I felt for her. I really did. But I also know that once she had a good cry about it, she rallied back pretty quickly. She finds writing to be an excellent replacement for her exciting job as a foreign correspondent and Rhy is both supportive and helpful with her new life.
So while it does need to be said that this type of behavior should not be encouraged and should in fact be severely punished if ever your husband tries to tell you what to do, this is fiction, so I don't have to apologize. I'm going to say it loud and proud. I really liked this story. *blows raspberry*
He's arrogant, unyielding, uncompromising and a wee bit of a bastard. But Sarah could also be described as weak, emotional, needy, clingy, and a pushover. Determined to better herself and to become a woman worthy enough of someone like Rhy Baines she strives to better herself. She starts to take college classes and gets a job. With her first paycheck comes the awe of financial freedom and the realization that yes, little Sarah Jerome can stand on her own two feet. She slowly but surely creates a new, independent life for herself but in doing so, she realizes that she and Rhy weren't all that different after all. A chance encounter sets her onto the path of being a reporter and she soon starts to crave the thrill of chasing a hot story. 7 years pass and suddenly Rhydon Baines walks back into her life. Their reunion is explosive and Rhy lets her know that while he may have walked out on her 7 years ago, he has never forgotten her and he all but demands that they start up where they left off. The new and improved Sallie Jerome has no intentions of letting her estranged husband back into her life but unfortunately, as her new boss, Rhy has ways to hound her into submission. His power and connections cuts off the possibilities of divorce or changing jobs. He systematically strips her of her friends, her job, her sense of freedom and purpose and to top it all off, he even steals all her personal possessions. It's quite stalkerific. While he never physically abuses Sallie, though he does grab her roughly a few times, he does put her through the emotional wringer. When's she's been beaten down to as low as she can get, he's waiting to swoop in and tuck her away, so that when he comes homes from a hard day on the job, he has his little wife there to play with.
While Sallie is definitely adrift at that moment, she's never down for the count. She steadfastly refuses to be his little homemaker and instead gloms onto writing and soon loses herself in the thrill of writing a book of which Rhy is both supportive and helpful. He just refused to see her in a job where she might be physically harmed. It's all looking quite rosy when Rhy's past arm candy steps in and plays upon all of the old Sarah's fears and doubts and in a rush of tears, Sallie once again escapes the hold Rhy has over her. It's up to Sarah/Sallie to come to terms with herself and to finally become woman enough to fight for Rhydon Bains and it's up to Rhydon Bains to become man enough to open up his heart and let the woman he's always loved finally know it.
Alright. I'm going out on a limb here but I have to be honest. I really really liked this book. I did. It's totally unPC and at times Rhy's highhandedness made me want to punch him, but I have to say that I enjoyed his character. He certainly kept me on my toes. He was a little rough with Sallie/Sarah but despite everything, I still really, really liked this book.
The main reason is that despite his arrogance, his rude take charge attitude and his excessive high handedness, I knew that he absolutely, positively, one hundred percent adored her. I'm bypassing the years that they spent apart on the principle that Sarah was too young to understand him for what he was and on the principle that Rhy was also too young to understand what a treasure he had in Sarah. And I'm blaming them both for their refusal to meet each other half way. Normally I hate stories that have long separations but in this instance it was definitely for the best and I felt like there was actual growth. When Rhy walks back into the new and improved Sallie's life, the sparks start flying all over the place. This story, while not told in first person, was done entirely from Sallie's point of view. We never get any of Rhy's thoughts (until the end and it was a beautiful groveling scene) but in my eyes there was enough glimpses into the actual man behind the implacable mask that I was able to enjoy this story.
While I really enjoyed this story, I am not blind to it's faults. Rhy was too quick to ride roughshod over Sallie's life and Sallie was too quick to let him. It's the standard ol moment in Romanceland when the heroine is spitting mad and is about to let the hero have it with both barrels when all he has to do is gather her up in his arms and kiss the fury right out of her. *eyeroll* This book is chock full of moments like that. Plus, despite Sally's new confidence she's real quick to let the old fears and doubts creep back in and of course the current arm candy in Rhy's life is quick to take advantage of it.
When Sallie hit rock bottom and stopped fighting Rhy I felt for her. I really did. But I also know that once she had a good cry about it, she rallied back pretty quickly. She finds writing to be an excellent replacement for her exciting job as a foreign correspondent and Rhy is both supportive and helpful with her new life.
So while it does need to be said that this type of behavior should not be encouraged and should in fact be severely punished if ever your husband tries to tell you what to do, this is fiction, so I don't have to apologize. I'm going to say it loud and proud. I really liked this story. *blows raspberry*
Read
October 27, 2022Read the reviews and even I am not tempted.
June 26, 2016
Sallie and Rhys. I tried to read this once before and couldn't stand Rhys. But it's Linda Howard, so I felt I should try again to finish it. The second half is better than the first, but it's still my second least favourite by her (the worst being Sarah's Child). Rhys is a well to do journalist who works in dangerous foreign countries. He married Sallie when she was quite young in a whirlwind romance. She gets pregnant but then looses the child. She looses Rhys too as he has no patience for her neediness. Not taking into account that she is alone in the world. He takes off and then so does she leaving no forwarding address.
Seven years later she is the one working a dangerous job as a reporter, when she runs into him again with an OW in tow. He's arrogant, dictatorial, hypocritical and humourless. Sallie's back is up right from the get go as she has no fond memories of being set aside and forgotten like a piece of furniture. Rhys takes every opportunity to flaunt the OW in her face. He wants her back and he uses his money and influence to cut off all her avenues of escape.
When things finally start to go smoothly between the two... well up pops the OW of course. I'm not saying Rhys is entirely to blame, but he does nothing to calm Sallie's insecurities until the last chapter of the book. In fact he seems to enjoy making her more insecure. Enjoying her jealousy. He does some decent grovelling, but I still didn't like him. It really could have used an epilogue and I would've liked an assurance that he would never see Coral (the OW) again...
For those who hate OWs
Seven years later she is the one working a dangerous job as a reporter, when she runs into him again with an OW in tow. He's arrogant, dictatorial, hypocritical and humourless. Sallie's back is up right from the get go as she has no fond memories of being set aside and forgotten like a piece of furniture. Rhys takes every opportunity to flaunt the OW in her face. He wants her back and he uses his money and influence to cut off all her avenues of escape.
When things finally start to go smoothly between the two... well up pops the OW of course. I'm not saying Rhys is entirely to blame, but he does nothing to calm Sallie's insecurities until the last chapter of the book. In fact he seems to enjoy making her more insecure. Enjoying her jealousy. He does some decent grovelling, but I still didn't like him. It really could have used an epilogue and I would've liked an assurance that he would never see Coral (the OW) again...
For those who hate OWs
July 10, 2014
SERIOUSLY!
Even though this was first published in 1982 that wasn't the dark ages. But this story is almost medieval except it's set in modern times.
Seven years ago Sarah had married Rhy, he was 28 to her 18. He was a reporter often travelling away on dangerous assignments, Sarah unable to cope with this asked him to stop. He refused and walked out. He never made any attempt to contact her after that.
Present day and Sarah has reinvented herself, instead of Sarah she's now called Sallie, she's no longer the innocent and niaeve chubby little teenager. She has a degree, she's lost weight, gained self confidence, and ironically is a reporter travelling the world on dangerous assignments as her husband Rhy once did. Then suddenly the magazine that she works for has a new owner, it's her husband Rhy. Hoping that he won't recognise her she tries to stay out of his way.
There may be some SPOILERS here. Once Rhy realises that his wife is one of his employees he goes all out to get her back. That's after not bothering where she was for seven years. He stops her travelling telling her it's too dangerous. He threatens any man she talks to, he stops her from leaving the job saying he will get her blacklisted. When she arrives home one day he's had all her furniture put in storage and moved her clothes to his flat. He wants her back he wants children as well. But during all this he's still seeing another woman. As for Sarah/Sallie, weak doesn't quite describe her, she has no backbone at all. She thought a good fight, but just caved into Rhy every single time. This is the first time I've read anything by this author I won't be reading anymore.
Even though this was first published in 1982 that wasn't the dark ages. But this story is almost medieval except it's set in modern times.
Seven years ago Sarah had married Rhy, he was 28 to her 18. He was a reporter often travelling away on dangerous assignments, Sarah unable to cope with this asked him to stop. He refused and walked out. He never made any attempt to contact her after that.
Present day and Sarah has reinvented herself, instead of Sarah she's now called Sallie, she's no longer the innocent and niaeve chubby little teenager. She has a degree, she's lost weight, gained self confidence, and ironically is a reporter travelling the world on dangerous assignments as her husband Rhy once did. Then suddenly the magazine that she works for has a new owner, it's her husband Rhy. Hoping that he won't recognise her she tries to stay out of his way.
There may be some SPOILERS here. Once Rhy realises that his wife is one of his employees he goes all out to get her back. That's after not bothering where she was for seven years. He stops her travelling telling her it's too dangerous. He threatens any man she talks to, he stops her from leaving the job saying he will get her blacklisted. When she arrives home one day he's had all her furniture put in storage and moved her clothes to his flat. He wants her back he wants children as well. But during all this he's still seeing another woman. As for Sarah/Sallie, weak doesn't quite describe her, she has no backbone at all. She thought a good fight, but just caved into Rhy every single time. This is the first time I've read anything by this author I won't be reading anymore.
dnf
November 4, 2015DNFed at 57%
Can't take this "hero". He's such an asshole! After abandoning her at at time where she went through something traumatic, he finds her 7 years later and decide that now he's ready for marriage! If I'd been her, I'd have kick him in the balls and taken up with somebody else.
Can't take this "hero". He's such an asshole! After abandoning her at at time where she went through something traumatic, he finds her 7 years later and decide that now he's ready for marriage! If I'd been her, I'd have kick him in the balls and taken up with somebody else.
September 25, 2018
A ver que os puedo contar de este libro que ha sido el elegido para el mes de septiembre del #RetoRita2 #RitaHoward
Lo primero dejar claro que es un viejunismo del 82 (Cosa a tener en cuenta pues en esa época se estilaba una romántica muy concreta que seguro que ahora no gusta tanto). Pues la historia apuntaba a feminista y a liberación de la mujer, cosa que me hizo muy feliz para la época que es, pero se queda en un quiero y no puedo.
Os cuento, nuestra protagonista Sallie, se entera que la revista donde trabaja ha sido vendida y va a contar con un nuevo jefazo, su sorpresa será mayúscula cuando se entere que dicho jefe es su marido Rhy Baines, del que está separada y al que no ve desde hace siete años.
Pues nada, Sallie nos rememora su historia con Baines. Ojo que no me apetece sintetizar y os lo voy a contar de pe a pa, así que seguro que os voy a spoilear de lo lindo así que bajo vuestra responsabilidad...
Ya no os cuento más para que quede algo que descubrir si os animáis a leer este libro, pero el problema de todo esto y lo que hace que sea un quiero y no puedo es que la Sallie que se nos presenta como una mujer de fuerte caracter se queda en nada. Ella se rebela (en su cabeza), traza planes (en su cabeza) que él acaba frustrando y ella acatando como buena esposa sumisa que es... ¿dónde ha quedado la garra que se le veía al comienzo a nuestra protagonista?
Rhy me ha resultado un gañan insufrible, manipulador y egoísta que intenta disfrazar de amor y preocupación lo que solo es control y prepotencia, que se dedica a destrozar sistemáticamente todo lo que hace de Sallie una mujer fuerte e independiente acorralándola hasta el punto que ella no tiene a donde agarrarse y solo puede resignarse y acudir a él. Lo peor de todo es que ella se deja... :(
Me dejó un sabor agridulce de que podía haber sido una gran historia llevada de otra manera y no en la forma en la que la autora la ha llevado, pero claro hay que tener en cuenta que está historia tiene ya sus décadas y la vida se veía de una manera muy distinta.
Lo primero dejar claro que es un viejunismo del 82 (Cosa a tener en cuenta pues en esa época se estilaba una romántica muy concreta que seguro que ahora no gusta tanto). Pues la historia apuntaba a feminista y a liberación de la mujer, cosa que me hizo muy feliz para la época que es, pero se queda en un quiero y no puedo.
Os cuento, nuestra protagonista Sallie, se entera que la revista donde trabaja ha sido vendida y va a contar con un nuevo jefazo, su sorpresa será mayúscula cuando se entere que dicho jefe es su marido Rhy Baines, del que está separada y al que no ve desde hace siete años.
Pues nada, Sallie nos rememora su historia con Baines. Ojo que no me apetece sintetizar y os lo voy a contar de pe a pa, así que seguro que os voy a spoilear de lo lindo así que bajo vuestra responsabilidad...
Ya no os cuento más para que quede algo que descubrir si os animáis a leer este libro, pero el problema de todo esto y lo que hace que sea un quiero y no puedo es que la Sallie que se nos presenta como una mujer de fuerte caracter se queda en nada. Ella se rebela (en su cabeza), traza planes (en su cabeza) que él acaba frustrando y ella acatando como buena esposa sumisa que es... ¿dónde ha quedado la garra que se le veía al comienzo a nuestra protagonista?
Rhy me ha resultado un gañan insufrible, manipulador y egoísta que intenta disfrazar de amor y preocupación lo que solo es control y prepotencia, que se dedica a destrozar sistemáticamente todo lo que hace de Sallie una mujer fuerte e independiente acorralándola hasta el punto que ella no tiene a donde agarrarse y solo puede resignarse y acudir a él. Lo peor de todo es que ella se deja... :(
Me dejó un sabor agridulce de que podía haber sido una gran historia llevada de otra manera y no en la forma en la que la autora la ha llevado, pero claro hay que tener en cuenta que está historia tiene ya sus décadas y la vida se veía de una manera muy distinta.
June 14, 2022
To be frank, I hate Linda Howard sometimes for writing vulnerable and stupid heroines and Sallie might be the stupidest one she has ever written.
Sallie, who's husband leaves her for being vulnerable and dependant after her miscarriage ( talk about being there for his wife in her hard times 'eyeroll'). Rhys, her husband thinks she is a big hurdle in his life and career and leaves her penniless, basically forgets he even had a wife.
Few years later, Sallie has become independent and has a good paying job. What Rhys does? He methodically destroys everything and keeps her at comfort of his house, pregnant and dependant.
How's that something good.
Rhys basically is a hypocrite, Male chauvinist pig. What (objectifying his wife of course) he did not want as a wife at first, i.e. dependant and miserable, he does the same to the independent and confidant sallie , basically reduces Sallie to the same old Sallie the one without confidence.
Are you kidding me really?
What is even worse is that Sallie lets him. What the hell is wrong with Sallie? Sallie needs to get her brains checked. Her life was perfect, she didn't need that control freak, asshole of a husband but yet she let him win her over (did he really win her over though???) and basically keep her prisoner of his will?
Hated it. Don't even touch this one.
Sallie, who's husband leaves her for being vulnerable and dependant after her miscarriage ( talk about being there for his wife in her hard times 'eyeroll'). Rhys, her husband thinks she is a big hurdle in his life and career and leaves her penniless, basically forgets he even had a wife.
Few years later, Sallie has become independent and has a good paying job. What Rhys does? He methodically destroys everything and keeps her at comfort of his house, pregnant and dependant.
How's that something good.
Rhys basically is a hypocrite, Male chauvinist pig. What (objectifying his wife of course) he did not want as a wife at first, i.e. dependant and miserable, he does the same to the independent and confidant sallie , basically reduces Sallie to the same old Sallie the one without confidence.
Are you kidding me really?
What is even worse is that Sallie lets him. What the hell is wrong with Sallie? Sallie needs to get her brains checked. Her life was perfect, she didn't need that control freak, asshole of a husband but yet she let him win her over (did he really win her over though???) and basically keep her prisoner of his will?
Hated it. Don't even touch this one.
October 24, 2019
I don't agree with some viewers who think because h quited reporting, she compromised her career but she became an author so it's not a sacrifice for me. However, accepting a cheating husband due to the great love she felt, no way my friends, no way!
June 12, 2016
Cheater heroine. I can't believe I read that!
September 13, 2022
Да, припомням си защо някои сюжети от 80-те хич не са романтични.
Тук баба Линда е подхванала една от любимите ми теми в романтичните романи - вторият шанс. Сали и Райс са катастрофирали брака си преди 7 години с дете, починало при раждснето си. На Райс, който е военен кореспондент, изобщо не му идва на тъпия акъл, че съпругата му - само на 18 - може евентуално да е травмирана?! Откъде накъде. И си тръгва човекът към поредната командировка. При завръщането си намира една все още депресирана съпруга, която му казва, че общо взето, той е пълен егоист. И какво прави умникът? Зарязва я, като в рамките на 24 часа си вдига куфарите, заявявайки и, че още не била жена като за него (и остроумен иначе). Честно казано, ако го беше гръмнала с домашно оръжие, съдът можеше и да я оправдае…
Но ето ти на, 7 години по-късно момичето се е съвзело, образовало, отслабнало, и станало нелош репортер. И кого да види като новия главен акционер? Точно така, благоверния умник с претенциите. Който междувременно изиграва гениална партия “как да си върнем съпругата обратно”:
1. Реже и задграничните командировки - опасно било
2. Натриса и се непрекъснато, включително за репортаж, където искат нея като журналист
3. Развява (евентуалното си) друго гадже
4. Заплашва с тлъсти адвокатско хонорари, които ще осуетят неин иск за развод
5. Манипулира я непрекъснато и даже и опразва квартирата и от мебели - любезна покана да се пренесе при него
6. Спира я окончателно от работа и я разтръбява като “жената на шефа” на всичките и колеги
7. За миналите проблеми - нито дума, братче, те са нейни, той - пичът - проблеми няма…
И хепи енд! В интерес на истината - направила го е Линда, да и се чуди човек на акъла…Ноже би заради усещането за някаква искреност у неандерталеца - иска си я действително човекът обратно, и точка. И не му пука от миш-маша в главата му, нито че си е идиот, пък баба Линда и тя какви гъби е пушила, кой я знае…
Баба Линда тук е проявила бая талант, защото въпреки цялата идиотия все пак звучи почти романтично! Абе на моменти направо си е! От сантимент към едновремешните Арлекини (не днешните, дето заглавието е цялата книга) закръглям нагоре. Все пак ако и втория път го беше бутнала през люка на самолета, журито пак щеше да намери аргументи в нейна защита…
2,5⭐️
Тук баба Линда е подхванала една от любимите ми теми в романтичните романи - вторият шанс. Сали и Райс са катастрофирали брака си преди 7 години с дете, починало при раждснето си. На Райс, който е военен кореспондент, изобщо не му идва на тъпия акъл, че съпругата му - само на 18 - може евентуално да е травмирана?! Откъде накъде. И си тръгва човекът към поредната командировка. При завръщането си намира една все още депресирана съпруга, която му казва, че общо взето, той е пълен егоист. И какво прави умникът? Зарязва я, като в рамките на 24 часа си вдига куфарите, заявявайки и, че още не била жена като за него (и остроумен иначе). Честно казано, ако го беше гръмнала с домашно оръжие, съдът можеше и да я оправдае…
Но ето ти на, 7 години по-късно момичето се е съвзело, образовало, отслабнало, и станало нелош репортер. И кого да види като новия главен акционер? Точно така, благоверния умник с претенциите. Който междувременно изиграва гениална партия “как да си върнем съпругата обратно”:
1. Реже и задграничните командировки - опасно било
2. Натриса и се непрекъснато, включително за репортаж, където искат нея като журналист
3. Развява (евентуалното си) друго гадже
4. Заплашва с тлъсти адвокатско хонорари, които ще осуетят неин иск за развод
5. Манипулира я непрекъснато и даже и опразва квартирата и от мебели - любезна покана да се пренесе при него
6. Спира я окончателно от работа и я разтръбява като “жената на шефа” на всичките и колеги
7. За миналите проблеми - нито дума, братче, те са нейни, той - пичът - проблеми няма…
И хепи енд! В интерес на истината - направила го е Линда, да и се чуди човек на акъла…Ноже би заради усещането за някаква искреност у неандерталеца - иска си я действително човекът обратно, и точка. И не му пука от миш-маша в главата му, нито че си е идиот, пък баба Линда и тя какви гъби е пушила, кой я знае…
Баба Линда тук е проявила бая талант, защото въпреки цялата идиотия все пак звучи почти романтично! Абе на моменти направо си е! От сантимент към едновремешните Арлекини (не днешните, дето заглавието е цялата книга) закръглям нагоре. Все пак ако и втория път го беше бутнала през люка на самолета, журито пак щеше да намери аргументи в нейна защита…
2,5⭐️
April 21, 2013
Yes, he is an Alpha male, he is overbearing, domineering, rich, powerful, good-looking, powerful, arrogant - all the things I love in a good hero. But I still liked him. Good story about a couple who have lived apart for a number of years. The years have changed them, especially her - she is no longer the quiet, somewhat downtrodden "wifey" who waited patiently at home for him to return. She is independent, career-orientated, beautiful. Nice story. Written a number of years ago but it still stands the test of time as do most of Ms Howards books.
May 30, 2018
"When you think you're woman enough for me, give me a call."
"An Independent Wife" is the story of Sallie and Rhys.
7 years ago, Sallie was abandoned by her husband Rhys after her stillborn tragedy, and because she dared question his absence.
Now, she lives her life as a new woman. The separation leads her to develop self confidence, and get a job as a reporter herself- emerging as a much better individual. Things come to a halt when Rhys re-enters her life, and wants his wife back.
Now this book really frustrated me. Linda can write good angst and struggle between characters- but in this one the hero was too overpowering and the heroine easily gave in to his "threats". Him literally coming back in 7 years and taking over her life was exasperating to read- and even though the heroine tries to resist, she is "taken" by his magical dick.
I wish we had a more male POV, more groveling, less of neanderthal behavior, more of understanding and though the passion was there, I felt the leads failed to communicate with each other (other than literally ignoring all their issues with sex)- and the end didnt reassure me at all as there was no trust.
Egh.
SWE
2/5
"An Independent Wife" is the story of Sallie and Rhys.
7 years ago, Sallie was abandoned by her husband Rhys after her stillborn tragedy, and because she dared question his absence.
Now, she lives her life as a new woman. The separation leads her to develop self confidence, and get a job as a reporter herself- emerging as a much better individual. Things come to a halt when Rhys re-enters her life, and wants his wife back.
Now this book really frustrated me. Linda can write good angst and struggle between characters- but in this one the hero was too overpowering and the heroine easily gave in to his "threats". Him literally coming back in 7 years and taking over her life was exasperating to read- and even though the heroine tries to resist, she is "taken" by his magical dick.
I wish we had a more male POV, more groveling, less of neanderthal behavior, more of understanding and though the passion was there, I felt the leads failed to communicate with each other (other than literally ignoring all their issues with sex)- and the end didnt reassure me at all as there was no trust.
Egh.
SWE
2/5
August 26, 2020
Rhy, the hero, deserves to be quartered and hung.
The more I read about toxic masculinity the more I wonder just how pervasive the physical and mental abuse of women must have been prior to the late 80s early 90s. It's sickening this was written back then and that apparently it was okay.
August 25, 2016
Ogre + doormat + ow + journalist + clichéd story that holds the reader's attention + old but good + married many years apart + reunion
May 27, 2011
What a headache giving book,i did'nt liked it
such weak plot,weak heroine,abusing hero and most idiotic thing that happened was heroine falls in love with that GFN Abusing Skunk again
the title itself is so wrong "Independent wife"there's nothing independent here only for 7 years she is shown working,that's it the author talked so much abt how the heroine growed n became strong nothing like that happens as soon as hero comes in picture she is scared n weak like anything
i will say avoid the book
such weak plot,weak heroine,abusing hero and most idiotic thing that happened was heroine falls in love with that GFN Abusing Skunk again
the title itself is so wrong "Independent wife"there's nothing independent here only for 7 years she is shown working,that's it the author talked so much abt how the heroine growed n became strong nothing like that happens as soon as hero comes in picture she is scared n weak like anything
i will say avoid the book
April 30, 2015
Gah. Not in the mood to write a review.
Another amazing Linda Howard book..
RTC...
Another amazing Linda Howard book..
RTC...
June 13, 2024
If Linda Howard has no fans, I am dead.
I picked this up for like $2 during the audible sale.
Second chance romance with formerly ugly (plump) duckling heroine turned successful journalist and her estranged, rich husband who buys her company.
Did I love this? Yes! Is this maybe Linda Howard’s most despicable hero? Also yes!
I picked this up for like $2 during the audible sale.
Second chance romance with formerly ugly (plump) duckling heroine turned successful journalist and her estranged, rich husband who buys her company.
Did I love this? Yes! Is this maybe Linda Howard’s most despicable hero? Also yes!
May 30, 2014
Written in 1982, this romance has some pretty outdated notions. I've never considered myself a rabid feminist but while reading this I rethought that. I would've really liked to have some explanation for the hero's behavior. There was a lot of hurt and she never even demanded an apology. There were moments where they would be arguing and she never asked the obvious questions. All in all a nice little romance if you can get past the H heavy handed behavior.
August 9, 2015
One of Linda Howard's earlier books. For whatever reason, I didn't love it. I barely tolerated it. As much as I LOVE Linda Howard it pains me to say, I just don't care for many of her earlier works. The heroes are usually Uber Alpha Jerks and I have developed a low tolerance for them in my old age.
August 31, 2021
Fiiiiiiiine. I’ll admit it.
All those scathing reviews?
The H is a Raging Twat-Waffle. His insufferable self is almost surpassed in eyerolliness (yes, this is now a word) by the h drowning in self-righteous early 80’s raging women’s lib.
I’m sure these two are loads of fun at parties.
You know I love me a controlling j/p asshole, but this guy was not even remotely likable. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find me a bigger douche-canoe.
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- 8 year separation (abandonment)
- he was celibate. 👀😐 Allegedly.
- she was celibate 🙄
- OW and OM drama
- no sharing
- miscarriage
- H abandons her (his traumatized 19 year old child bride) because she’s such a drag with all her whiney mourning, throwing out this zinger as he walks out the door : “Call me when you’re woman enough for me.” 🤡 Obviously, he’s a keeper
- dubcon-ish
All those scathing reviews?
The H is a Raging Twat-Waffle. His insufferable self is almost surpassed in eyerolliness (yes, this is now a word) by the h drowning in self-righteous early 80’s raging women’s lib.
I’m sure these two are loads of fun at parties.
You know I love me a controlling j/p asshole, but this guy was not even remotely likable. I think you’d be hard-pressed to find me a bigger douche-canoe.
⚠️SAFETY SQUAD SPOILERS⚠️
- 8 year separation (abandonment)
- he was celibate. 👀😐 Allegedly.
- she was celibate 🙄
- OW and OM drama
- no sharing
- miscarriage
- H abandons her (his traumatized 19 year old child bride) because she’s such a drag with all her whiney mourning, throwing out this zinger as he walks out the door : “Call me when you’re woman enough for me.” 🤡 Obviously, he’s a keeper
- dubcon-ish
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 9, 2016
I feels like reading an old Harlequin romance:)
November 13, 2025
no. ott drama 😕
October 13, 2024
He,said he,was,celibate,but I think that was bull. There were two comments that made me doubt. One he was thinking no one excited him since or something like that and then he said you'd be surprised how many of my dates ended,at the door. But later on he swears he was but I still don't know. He was a jerk. He had a current girlfriend. He said he went out on lots of dates and it was just so vague to me. I definitely fe!t it hadn't aged well. But I still love when they both stay celibate. If he did;!?;?!
Was this a Harlequin once?
Was this a Harlequin once?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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