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The Devil Drives
A dream of love or a nightmare of revenge?
Una Keith's sudden marriage to Greek artist Zante Diomed seemed like a dream come true... until she learned she was merely a pawn.
Una's testimony had caused Zante's young cousin to be convicted of theft, and the youth's consequent suicide had shamed the Diomed family. Now Una was being forced to right the wrong by pretending her marriage to Zante was perfect.
But the lie became unbearable, especially once Una met Zante's beautiful model--and mistress!
Una Keith's sudden marriage to Greek artist Zante Diomed seemed like a dream come true... until she learned she was merely a pawn.
Una's testimony had caused Zante's young cousin to be convicted of theft, and the youth's consequent suicide had shamed the Diomed family. Now Una was being forced to right the wrong by pretending her marriage to Zante was perfect.
But the lie became unbearable, especially once Una met Zante's beautiful model--and mistress!
- GenresHarlequin Romance
189 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1979
About the author
Jane Arbor
102 books11 followersEileen Norah Murphy Owbridge was born on 8 September 1903 in Yeovil, Somerset, England, she lived in Preston, Sussex, England, and passed away on 4 February 1994 in Worthing, West Sussex.
Under the pseudonym Jane Arbor she wrote over 55 romance novel for Mills & Boon from 1948 to 1985. She started writing doctor-nurse romances, and many have been reedited with diferent titles, that included the words "nurse", "doctor" or "surgeon". Later, she focused her writing in foreign settings like the continental Europe, the Caribbean, Morocco...
Under the pseudonym Jane Arbor she wrote over 55 romance novel for Mills & Boon from 1948 to 1985. She started writing doctor-nurse romances, and many have been reedited with diferent titles, that included the words "nurse", "doctor" or "surgeon". Later, she focused her writing in foreign settings like the continental Europe, the Caribbean, Morocco...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 12, 2024
As a new bride wed to the man of her dreams, Una should be bursting with happiness. But it turns out that her husband had ulterior motives in wedding her - chiefly, to revenge himself on her for the death of his young cousin.
Leave aside the rather convoluted premise, as Zante's reasons for blaming Una and plan for revenge against her alike are pretty silly, in the manner of olden time Harlequins. But the writing is lovely, bringing idyllic Greece to life, and the tension between Una and Zante crackles throughout, lifting an otherwise straightforward book into a quite enjoyable reading experience.
The way the so-called other woman was handled made me laugh too - she's perhaps not to be tarred with as black a brush as the book's blurb would have you believe, though she is just as empty-headed as you'd expect.
Leave aside the rather convoluted premise, as Zante's reasons for blaming Una and plan for revenge against her alike are pretty silly, in the manner of olden time Harlequins. But the writing is lovely, bringing idyllic Greece to life, and the tension between Una and Zante crackles throughout, lifting an otherwise straightforward book into a quite enjoyable reading experience.
The way the so-called other woman was handled made me laugh too - she's perhaps not to be tarred with as black a brush as the book's blurb would have you believe, though she is just as empty-headed as you'd expect.
December 25, 2021
On the good side Jane Arbor does good characterizations, describes settings, uses dialogue to advance the story. On the negative side this plot is complete bunk. He is convinced she set up his cousin on a bogus? real? theft charge and blames her for the dishonor and cousin's subsequent supposed suicide. In reality cousin was a thieving con man who cheated more than one girl.
Let's look at the bunk:
1. In reality what he is saying is that he expected her to commit perjury, to claim she didn't witness what she saw, that she knew nothing. So, she was supposed to open herself to a perjury conviction, potential jail sentence and criminal record to protect someone she scarcely knew just because the thief was a member of our illustrious hero's family. Not happening.
2. He claimed he believed she acted with malice, to accuse his cousin because cousin had rejected her romantically. This is after she had described her work life on the archaeological dig and he noted she was working 12+ hours a day. Again, he's assuming that because cousin was his relative any girl would chase him, automatically just because he's so wonderful.
3. He insists she's to pretend they are having a gloriously happy honeymoon and wedding supposedly to "protect" her from his revenge-minded, histrionic, self-pitying aunt. And to "protect" her father who is coming to his island for a dig. She goes along with it, thinking that just maybe he'll come to his senses and that just one betrayal isn't enough to kill he love.
4. He sees her trying to fight off a Lothario, who claims he had gotten encouragement, and accuses her of being promiscuous.
The worst thing? He finds out cousin died in an accident, not suicide, and that he was doing a bunk, getting out the country ahead of the law. We have the big apology scene, complete with heart-rending sorrow and breast-beating on his part. And she tells him it's OK! Huh? I understand forgiving someone you love, but how on earth is it OK? He judged her guilty and decided to punish her without any evidence other than the fact it was his cousin and she was asked to give evidence.
She points out that it's pretty awful that he's now allowing her to be innocent, not because he loves her or he knows her well enough to realize she's not the malicious woman-scorned type, but because someone else showed him proof cousin was perfidious thief.
She's smart enough to know that's not true forgiveness or true contrition on his part, it is conditional, depends on outside evidence. She should have said she accepted his apology, forgave him, but wanted time away, that he obviously didn't know her well enough for them to be married and that she had no reason to expect something similar wouldn't happen in future.
This stupid plot makes it impossible to rate higher, despite the author's skills.
Let's look at the bunk:
1. In reality what he is saying is that he expected her to commit perjury, to claim she didn't witness what she saw, that she knew nothing. So, she was supposed to open herself to a perjury conviction, potential jail sentence and criminal record to protect someone she scarcely knew just because the thief was a member of our illustrious hero's family. Not happening.
2. He claimed he believed she acted with malice, to accuse his cousin because cousin had rejected her romantically. This is after she had described her work life on the archaeological dig and he noted she was working 12+ hours a day. Again, he's assuming that because cousin was his relative any girl would chase him, automatically just because he's so wonderful.
3. He insists she's to pretend they are having a gloriously happy honeymoon and wedding supposedly to "protect" her from his revenge-minded, histrionic, self-pitying aunt. And to "protect" her father who is coming to his island for a dig. She goes along with it, thinking that just maybe he'll come to his senses and that just one betrayal isn't enough to kill he love.
4. He sees her trying to fight off a Lothario, who claims he had gotten encouragement, and accuses her of being promiscuous.
The worst thing? He finds out cousin died in an accident, not suicide, and that he was doing a bunk, getting out the country ahead of the law. We have the big apology scene, complete with heart-rending sorrow and breast-beating on his part. And she tells him it's OK! Huh? I understand forgiving someone you love, but how on earth is it OK? He judged her guilty and decided to punish her without any evidence other than the fact it was his cousin and she was asked to give evidence.
She points out that it's pretty awful that he's now allowing her to be innocent, not because he loves her or he knows her well enough to realize she's not the malicious woman-scorned type, but because someone else showed him proof cousin was perfidious thief.
She's smart enough to know that's not true forgiveness or true contrition on his part, it is conditional, depends on outside evidence. She should have said she accepted his apology, forgave him, but wanted time away, that he obviously didn't know her well enough for them to be married and that she had no reason to expect something similar wouldn't happen in future.
This stupid plot makes it impossible to rate higher, despite the author's skills.
October 23, 2024
Goshhhhhhh!!
Jane Arbor hitted the nail on the head in this book..
I love itttttttt
Jane Arbor hitted the nail on the head in this book..
I love itttttttt
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2024
A dream of love or a nightmare of revenge?
Una Keith's sudden marriage to Greek artist Zante Diomed seemed like a dream come true... until she learned she was merely a pawn.
Una's testimony had caused Zante's young cousin to be convicted of theft, and the youth's consequent suicide had shamed the Diomed family. Now Una was being forced to right the wrong by pretending her marriage to Zante was perfect.
But the lie became unbearable, especially once Una met Zante's beautiful model--and mistress!
Una Keith's sudden marriage to Greek artist Zante Diomed seemed like a dream come true... until she learned she was merely a pawn.
Una's testimony had caused Zante's young cousin to be convicted of theft, and the youth's consequent suicide had shamed the Diomed family. Now Una was being forced to right the wrong by pretending her marriage to Zante was perfect.
But the lie became unbearable, especially once Una met Zante's beautiful model--and mistress!
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews