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The Primrose Bride
Karen was young and vulnerable and very much in love with her new husband, and it was a shattering blow when she found, only a few days after the wedding, that he had only married her to further his own career, as a Government official in the romantic South Sea Islands.What was she to do now? One thing was certain, she could never stop loving him.
- GenresHarlequin Romance
Paperback
First published January 1, 1961
About the author
Lilian Warren
79 books10 followersLilian Warren aka Rosalind Brett, Kathryn Blair, Katrina Britt, and Celine Conway.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 16 reviews
August 31, 2016
This is a time-capsule romance, written in the 1960's where everyone smokes and drinks buckets of cocktails and the use of a "mild tranquilizer" to get through the first meeting with the husband's boss is considered common sense.
The premise - sheltered heroine marries the up-and-coming government official hero home on leave before he has to return to his South Seas posting. They have known each other since they were children, but she hadn't seen him for years because his career kept him away from his native Cornwall. He is a good ten years older - she's twenty or so - and very idealistic and naive.
The story begins in the middle of their long trip to the South Sea island. They had married in a short ceremony and spent their wedding night on various planes. The hero is all focused on the work he has to do when he returns and hardly gives the heroine the time of day. The heroine is bewildered (and jet-lagged) but before she can go to bed, she has to attend a dinner party (we're keeping up appearances here) . All goes well, until she overhears gossip about the hero only marrying because the governor told him to or else his career would stall. The gossip continues - the OW he was hanging around with was from a dubious family, so the H had to bring in someone acceptable from England.
Heroine is horrified. Blurts out what she heard to the hero, who is coldly angry. And we're off to the misunderstanding races.
They don't sleep together. They don't talk. The OW shows up to pour more poison in the heroine's ear. The not-really OM shows up with tea and sympathy for the h, only to have the hero go into a towering jealous rage. They attend parties where every move is scrutinized and every motive is political.
It's fascinating because the hero refuses to explain himself and the heroine refuses to tell him any more of the gossip that's poisoning her. There is another couple in their circle who is also having marital trouble, and the h gets involved with them.
The hero does not come off well at the beginning, but there's a scene with the children's orphanage that shows he's just as idealistic as the heroine. It's confirmed at the end when they're finally talking. This is just how clueless he is about relationships:
"I was determined to make no explanations and no apologies till I was sure of you. Perhaps it was foolish and autocratic, but I was almost fanatically opposed to outside influences making any difference whatsoever to you and me. Either you loved me or you didn’t; the things that happened before we met couldn’t alter that. "
I also think he was very sexually frustrated and not sure how to proceed. He said over and over again that he didn't want to scare her. No - new age male here, no psychoanalyzing, no seduction. Just "I want you and would you just say yes." Underpinning all of this for both h/H is the knowledge that they are committed to each other and have to make the best of it.
I know this sounds like damning with faint praise, but it isn't. This cold stretch in their relationship lasted about a month - and the heroine learned a lot about herself and the hero obviously did, too. I had to laugh at the description of the h/H the morning after they finally have sex. The heroine is "radiant" and the hero is "serene." LOL Hopefully they'll continue on that way.
The premise - sheltered heroine marries the up-and-coming government official hero home on leave before he has to return to his South Seas posting. They have known each other since they were children, but she hadn't seen him for years because his career kept him away from his native Cornwall. He is a good ten years older - she's twenty or so - and very idealistic and naive.
The story begins in the middle of their long trip to the South Sea island. They had married in a short ceremony and spent their wedding night on various planes. The hero is all focused on the work he has to do when he returns and hardly gives the heroine the time of day. The heroine is bewildered (and jet-lagged) but before she can go to bed, she has to attend a dinner party (we're keeping up appearances here) . All goes well, until she overhears gossip about the hero only marrying because the governor told him to or else his career would stall. The gossip continues - the OW he was hanging around with was from a dubious family, so the H had to bring in someone acceptable from England.
Heroine is horrified. Blurts out what she heard to the hero, who is coldly angry. And we're off to the misunderstanding races.
They don't sleep together. They don't talk. The OW shows up to pour more poison in the heroine's ear. The not-really OM shows up with tea and sympathy for the h, only to have the hero go into a towering jealous rage. They attend parties where every move is scrutinized and every motive is political.
It's fascinating because the hero refuses to explain himself and the heroine refuses to tell him any more of the gossip that's poisoning her. There is another couple in their circle who is also having marital trouble, and the h gets involved with them.
The hero does not come off well at the beginning, but there's a scene with the children's orphanage that shows he's just as idealistic as the heroine. It's confirmed at the end when they're finally talking. This is just how clueless he is about relationships:
"I was determined to make no explanations and no apologies till I was sure of you. Perhaps it was foolish and autocratic, but I was almost fanatically opposed to outside influences making any difference whatsoever to you and me. Either you loved me or you didn’t; the things that happened before we met couldn’t alter that. "
I also think he was very sexually frustrated and not sure how to proceed. He said over and over again that he didn't want to scare her. No - new age male here, no psychoanalyzing, no seduction. Just "I want you and would you just say yes." Underpinning all of this for both h/H is the knowledge that they are committed to each other and have to make the best of it.
I know this sounds like damning with faint praise, but it isn't. This cold stretch in their relationship lasted about a month - and the heroine learned a lot about herself and the hero obviously did, too. I had to laugh at the description of the h/H the morning after they finally have sex. The heroine is "radiant" and the hero is "serene." LOL Hopefully they'll continue on that way.
April 15, 2019
Nice vintage story by Kathryn Blair (Rosalind Brett).
Once again, a very young heroine marries and older Hero, a friend of the family whom she has known since she was a child. The Hero is based on one of the pacific islands, set in the last stages of the old British empire, where governors ruled their satellite colonies. The ambitious Hero is an aide to a Governor and is currently on home leave when he gets to see the heroine again. They start to date, fall in love and get married within the span of a few weeks. The Hero definitely rushed the heroine so he could take her back to the island.
The story opens as they arrive in the island, those where the days of 36 hour trips across the globe to get from London to the pacific. They left immediately after the wedding. Soon after they arrive, the heroine overhears a conversation outside a window of two men discussing her ambitions husband. Apparently, only married men can advance in this career, and he was told to come home with a wife. They speculate that the Hero would indeed go so far as to marry someone suitable just to further his career. It seems, the woman he was going out with, before his leave, was unsuitable so he could not marry her.
From this moment on the heroine is now supremely insecure about her new husbands feelings for her. The husband’s motives are also suspect because instead of going on a honeymoon, he immediately brings her out to the island. Further, he starts work immediately. Without mentioning what she overheard, the heroine confronts the husband about his marrying her because she is suitable and her fears that she will not be able to cope with this ‘job’ of marriage.
The husband gives her some time to adjust so they are not sleeping together. Instead of helping the situation, their relationship gets more and more strained. The other woman visits the heroine one day when the Hero is out and does the usual...”he couldn’t marry me so he chose you instead, just to advance his career, but he will always love me!” Of course the heroine believes her, and does not tell the Hero about this confrontation. So of course all the angst is ramped up again!
This book was good and filled with the usual angst between the couple. In fairness the Hero does try to talk to the heroine about the situation many times, he even declares his love for her, but she does not believe him. But then, he does not explain the full situation to her either, so it never alleviates her insecurities.
In the end they manage to work it out. The Hero finally gets to talk properly to the heroine and explain everything. Yes, he was told to come home with a wife, but actually the governor had a niece in mind to introduce to him. The Hero did get to meet w her when he was on leave, but he really didn’t feel anything for her so he couldn’t do it. He did date some other women in the hopes of finding a wife, but no dice either. He only went back home to their town on a “duty” visit when he saw the heroine and fell in love with her. He told her frankly that she was NOT actually his idea of a wife since she was too young, she was shy and he wasn’t sure she could cope with his career, but, he wanted her anyway. He was willing to give up his precious career and return to England if she really wanted to.
He was never in a relationship with the other woman, he used to go visit with her dad and he felt sorry for her since she didn’t have much social life on the island, so he started to invite her to some of the outings of the local ex-pat community. He is actually livid she tried to destroy his marriage.
Anyway they are a lovely couple. The wife was too young so maybe that’s why she was so insecure, but they get their happy ever after in the end.
Once again, a very young heroine marries and older Hero, a friend of the family whom she has known since she was a child. The Hero is based on one of the pacific islands, set in the last stages of the old British empire, where governors ruled their satellite colonies. The ambitious Hero is an aide to a Governor and is currently on home leave when he gets to see the heroine again. They start to date, fall in love and get married within the span of a few weeks. The Hero definitely rushed the heroine so he could take her back to the island.
The story opens as they arrive in the island, those where the days of 36 hour trips across the globe to get from London to the pacific. They left immediately after the wedding. Soon after they arrive, the heroine overhears a conversation outside a window of two men discussing her ambitions husband. Apparently, only married men can advance in this career, and he was told to come home with a wife. They speculate that the Hero would indeed go so far as to marry someone suitable just to further his career. It seems, the woman he was going out with, before his leave, was unsuitable so he could not marry her.
From this moment on the heroine is now supremely insecure about her new husbands feelings for her. The husband’s motives are also suspect because instead of going on a honeymoon, he immediately brings her out to the island. Further, he starts work immediately. Without mentioning what she overheard, the heroine confronts the husband about his marrying her because she is suitable and her fears that she will not be able to cope with this ‘job’ of marriage.
The husband gives her some time to adjust so they are not sleeping together. Instead of helping the situation, their relationship gets more and more strained. The other woman visits the heroine one day when the Hero is out and does the usual...”he couldn’t marry me so he chose you instead, just to advance his career, but he will always love me!” Of course the heroine believes her, and does not tell the Hero about this confrontation. So of course all the angst is ramped up again!
This book was good and filled with the usual angst between the couple. In fairness the Hero does try to talk to the heroine about the situation many times, he even declares his love for her, but she does not believe him. But then, he does not explain the full situation to her either, so it never alleviates her insecurities.
In the end they manage to work it out. The Hero finally gets to talk properly to the heroine and explain everything. Yes, he was told to come home with a wife, but actually the governor had a niece in mind to introduce to him. The Hero did get to meet w her when he was on leave, but he really didn’t feel anything for her so he couldn’t do it. He did date some other women in the hopes of finding a wife, but no dice either. He only went back home to their town on a “duty” visit when he saw the heroine and fell in love with her. He told her frankly that she was NOT actually his idea of a wife since she was too young, she was shy and he wasn’t sure she could cope with his career, but, he wanted her anyway. He was willing to give up his precious career and return to England if she really wanted to.
He was never in a relationship with the other woman, he used to go visit with her dad and he felt sorry for her since she didn’t have much social life on the island, so he started to invite her to some of the outings of the local ex-pat community. He is actually livid she tried to destroy his marriage.
Anyway they are a lovely couple. The wife was too young so maybe that’s why she was so insecure, but they get their happy ever after in the end.
October 9, 2018
The h is young, sweet and very, very naive. The H is proud and bossy and quite hopelessly in love with the h, but makes mistake after mistake. He knows he has placed the h in a position where she is not ready for, but he makes it harder for her by withholding information.
June 30, 2024
Pages and pages and pages...and pages of explanation really amount to 3 things: 1) hero feels entitled to lie, both expressly and by omission, to his wife because he expects blind trust from her, 2) he let the OW get away with everything because he is a big fat wuss, and 3) heroine must settle for life as second best to her husband’s ambitions and machinations.
December 21, 2020
Hard hero. Immature heroine. The best part was the last few pages.
September 3, 2020
Set back in the days of colonial rule, this is a story of a government official who’s very career minded. But to climb further up the ladder of success he’s going to need a suitable wife.
That’s one of the reasons why when on leave back in England Andrew marries Karen, a complete innocent with stars in her eyes every time she looks at Andrew her new husband. Everything is right in her world until she arrives in her new home she overhears a conversation that completely shatters her. The situation then gets worse when the OW adds to her unhappiness.
Unfortunately for her Andrew is far more sophisticated and experienced, so Karen doesn’t feel able to confront him. Although eventually something has to give.
I wasn’t keen on the setting for this story, but that’s my personal view. The days of colonialism are nothing to be proud of IMO. As to the characters I found Andrew a little bit too concerned with appearances, he seemed not to realise that his young wife needed more of his support. As for Karen I don’t understand why she didn’t confront him about what she overheard, and the OW situation. I felt she just sulked like a spoilt child. Overall this was okay if a bit dated.
That’s one of the reasons why when on leave back in England Andrew marries Karen, a complete innocent with stars in her eyes every time she looks at Andrew her new husband. Everything is right in her world until she arrives in her new home she overhears a conversation that completely shatters her. The situation then gets worse when the OW adds to her unhappiness.
Unfortunately for her Andrew is far more sophisticated and experienced, so Karen doesn’t feel able to confront him. Although eventually something has to give.
I wasn’t keen on the setting for this story, but that’s my personal view. The days of colonialism are nothing to be proud of IMO. As to the characters I found Andrew a little bit too concerned with appearances, he seemed not to realise that his young wife needed more of his support. As for Karen I don’t understand why she didn’t confront him about what she overheard, and the OW situation. I felt she just sulked like a spoilt child. Overall this was okay if a bit dated.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 11, 2022
another uni stinker!
This novel was a romance but not about two people, about society and the institution of heterosexual marriage. If this concept wasn’t clear enough through the primary plot of Karen and Andrew, it was ridiculously clear through Rita and Clive. The entire purpose of this novel is propaganda to promote the religious and conservative institutions of marriage.
This novel was a romance but not about two people, about society and the institution of heterosexual marriage. If this concept wasn’t clear enough through the primary plot of Karen and Andrew, it was ridiculously clear through Rita and Clive. The entire purpose of this novel is propaganda to promote the religious and conservative institutions of marriage.
September 30, 2018
Another one from my mum's collection not one of my fav's I'm afraid
October 11, 2021
My edition was under her Blair pseudonym.
March 18, 2023
The most beautiful story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 29, 2024
The story about misunderstandings. Hard to get into that.
December 15, 2025
This line had me in spasms---"Darling. In this case the word was synonymous with perfidy. No wonder he wanted her tranquillized."
December 27, 2020
Pretty good! I would read it again for the angst.
Add: There are some pretty good lines here about marriage by the Hero that makes me go hmmm. As a sort of newlywed (ahem) when I read this, I appreciate that it gave an encouraging perspective on how complicated and daunting it is the gamble and effort to make a “successful” marriage.
Ahh, Harlequins, teaching me about love since I was a little lassie (I didn’t marry an official in a tropical island though).
Add: There are some pretty good lines here about marriage by the Hero that makes me go hmmm. As a sort of newlywed (ahem) when I read this, I appreciate that it gave an encouraging perspective on how complicated and daunting it is the gamble and effort to make a “successful” marriage.
Ahh, Harlequins, teaching me about love since I was a little lassie (I didn’t marry an official in a tropical island though).
March 6, 2025
Updating to 4 stars after a re-read.
It's quite a gripping read and I very much liked the heroine's determination even though she is enthralled by her older, rigid new husband. It's not terribly romantic, but it's so well written because the level of anxiety is maintained throughout and the HEA is rather sweet.
It's quite a gripping read and I very much liked the heroine's determination even though she is enthralled by her older, rigid new husband. It's not terribly romantic, but it's so well written because the level of anxiety is maintained throughout and the HEA is rather sweet.
December 22, 2012
It was really slow in some parts. I loved that once the heroine found out the 'truth' she developed a backbone and didn't back down. The hero went about everything the wrong way but he was still charming underneath. The villain was a pain in the ass, she deserved to be shot.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 16 reviews