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Forget and Forgive
French and English -- they just don't mix!
Her grandmother had instilled that misconception in Brianna's mind. So it was no wonder that the attempted reconciliation with her sister and French mother proved such a disaster.
That was years ago, however. Brianna was an adult now, determined to try again. Unfortunately her arrogant stepbrother, Philippe d'Hellier, wasn't making it easy.
"I'm prejudiced," he said bluntly. "You were so objectionable the last time you were here!"
Her grandmother had instilled that misconception in Brianna's mind. So it was no wonder that the attempted reconciliation with her sister and French mother proved such a disaster.
That was years ago, however. Brianna was an adult now, determined to try again. Unfortunately her arrogant stepbrother, Philippe d'Hellier, wasn't making it easy.
"I'm prejudiced," he said bluntly. "You were so objectionable the last time you were here!"
Paperback
First published October 1, 1978
39 people want to read
About the author
Dorothy Cork
72 books22 followersAs an author for Mills and Boon and later for Harlequin Romance, Dorothy Cork wrote 38 romance novels. She was born in 1918 and is still alive. Her first book was published in 1965 and the last in 1985.
Quite a number of her books have been translated into a diversity of languages: Japanese, Greek, Italian, French and so on.
She also wrote a number of short stories - about half of which were published in various Australian magazines.
Quite a number of her books have been translated into a diversity of languages: Japanese, Greek, Italian, French and so on.
She also wrote a number of short stories - about half of which were published in various Australian magazines.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 2, 2016
This was such a weird story that I don't know how to rate it. I kept reading because . . . well it was a weird story and I wondered what other outrageous, ridiculous things the characters were going to say to each other.
The premise. Twenty something English Rose heroine has been estranged from her French mother since she was 9. Her mother had two children with the English dad and took the younger daughter with her. She quickly remarried into a French family with a couple of daughters and an older son. When the h was 15 her father died and she moved in with her mother's French family.
It did not go well.
One of the stepsisters was mean and made fun of her all the time. She didn't speak French very well. Her mother was more worried about the younger sister's nose being out of joint and her husband than her grieving daughter from England. The h ran away and her older (20 something) stepbrother found her and convinced the mother to send her back to England. The heroine went, much to her evil English grandmother's glee - since she always hated the French and now she has someone to care for her.
So - seven years later. Grandmother is dead and the stepbrother H shows up after the funeral and tells her that her mother is ill and could the h plan on visiting after her surgery? Heroine is conflicted, but she's been taking French lessons on the fly and she's lost weight, so she thinks that she can hold her own with the French step-family. Hero is treated to gossip from the neighbor, so he thinks h is engaged.
Heroine goes to Paris, only to have a 15 min. conversation with her mother who is going to Switzerland to recover. She wants the h to stay with her stepbrother at his vineyard and help take care of one of the stepsister's children. Oh, and her younger sister will be there, too and they can get acquainted. Mother is one cold fish and I felt sorry for the heroine - but not for long.
Hero is terrible to her - bringing up her bratty behavior at the weirdest times. Her younger sister is a 16 year-old OW in the making since she flirts with anything in pants. The H is trying to set some boundaries, but the h makes this difficult since she takes sides with the sister because she hates/loves the H and she is ENGLISH and won't let someone FRENCH tell her what to do.
It's all very tiresome.
There's a scary French neighbor grandma who wants her grandchildren to marry into the step family so she is always insulting the h. There is an OM English artist wannabe. A "peasant" rapey-type neighbor whom the younger sister keeps meeting in the woods. They are all horrible except for the poor children who were abandoned by their mother so the h and her horrible sister can babysit them. They are cast aside as soon as something dramatic happens.
Everyone bickers and is hateful until the page count is exhausted and the H/h finally "forget and forgive." Until the younger sister claims that the now 30 year-old hero is waiting for her to turn 18.
And the heroine believes her. Good lord.
We never do see a mother/daughter reunion. There are a lot of loose ends. I like to think the younger sister grew into an OTT OW and got her just rewards in another HP. Descriptions of Paris and France are fun - as is the request for "a fresh rabbit with no head" so they can make supper.
The premise. Twenty something English Rose heroine has been estranged from her French mother since she was 9. Her mother had two children with the English dad and took the younger daughter with her. She quickly remarried into a French family with a couple of daughters and an older son. When the h was 15 her father died and she moved in with her mother's French family.
It did not go well.
One of the stepsisters was mean and made fun of her all the time. She didn't speak French very well. Her mother was more worried about the younger sister's nose being out of joint and her husband than her grieving daughter from England. The h ran away and her older (20 something) stepbrother found her and convinced the mother to send her back to England. The heroine went, much to her evil English grandmother's glee - since she always hated the French and now she has someone to care for her.
So - seven years later. Grandmother is dead and the stepbrother H shows up after the funeral and tells her that her mother is ill and could the h plan on visiting after her surgery? Heroine is conflicted, but she's been taking French lessons on the fly and she's lost weight, so she thinks that she can hold her own with the French step-family. Hero is treated to gossip from the neighbor, so he thinks h is engaged.
Heroine goes to Paris, only to have a 15 min. conversation with her mother who is going to Switzerland to recover. She wants the h to stay with her stepbrother at his vineyard and help take care of one of the stepsister's children. Oh, and her younger sister will be there, too and they can get acquainted. Mother is one cold fish and I felt sorry for the heroine - but not for long.
Hero is terrible to her - bringing up her bratty behavior at the weirdest times. Her younger sister is a 16 year-old OW in the making since she flirts with anything in pants. The H is trying to set some boundaries, but the h makes this difficult since she takes sides with the sister because she hates/loves the H and she is ENGLISH and won't let someone FRENCH tell her what to do.
It's all very tiresome.
There's a scary French neighbor grandma who wants her grandchildren to marry into the step family so she is always insulting the h. There is an OM English artist wannabe. A "peasant" rapey-type neighbor whom the younger sister keeps meeting in the woods. They are all horrible except for the poor children who were abandoned by their mother so the h and her horrible sister can babysit them. They are cast aside as soon as something dramatic happens.
Everyone bickers and is hateful until the page count is exhausted and the H/h finally "forget and forgive." Until the younger sister claims that the now 30 year-old hero is waiting for her to turn 18.
And the heroine believes her. Good lord.
We never do see a mother/daughter reunion. There are a lot of loose ends. I like to think the younger sister grew into an OTT OW and got her just rewards in another HP. Descriptions of Paris and France are fun - as is the request for "a fresh rabbit with no head" so they can make supper.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2018
EVERYONE in this book is horrid, except for the h, who is just extremely annoying. The author's depiction of the people in this French village makes me think she was a Francopath, because all of them deserved to crushed by a large wheel of fromage.
May 19, 2022
Brianna blamed her impulsive youthful stubborness and her English grandmother's prejudice against the French for causing the miscommuncation and the bad memories about her visit to her mother and sister long time ago in France. Therefore, when her mother sent her a letter inviting her to visit France after her grandmother's death, she seized the opportunity to rebuild her relationship with her. She had all the intention to be kind, loving and understanding towards the d'Hellier whom her mother choose to marry from, but Philippe d'Hollier was making it extremely hard for Brianna to show her mature self because of his interferance, domanant attitude and rules. He kept reminding her of a past she was most ashamed of so Brianna fought for the injustace she faced from his part. Yet, there was always that nagging idea in her mind that neither Philippe nor she looked at each other as stepbrother and stepsister at all after each fight! This idea was confirmed when she learned that he was soon to be engaged to the beautiful Albertine!
The story started fine, yet it soon became a bore, especially at the end. The cover shows two smiling couple yet in true honesty the main characters never once were described at "smiling" or "laughing" and their romance left much to be desired! They didn't seem compatiable with equal prejudice towards their own nationalities! The issue of Isabelle was solved from nowhere which is another nail in this novel's coffin!
The story started fine, yet it soon became a bore, especially at the end. The cover shows two smiling couple yet in true honesty the main characters never once were described at "smiling" or "laughing" and their romance left much to be desired! They didn't seem compatiable with equal prejudice towards their own nationalities! The issue of Isabelle was solved from nowhere which is another nail in this novel's coffin!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 17, 2019
Overall a crazy bunch of people.
March 5, 2014
brianna was such a cold fish i dunt see y all these men were after her! she was no stunning beauty as well; she was pretty n had panache but the coldness was definitely unattractive n i dunt feel she n philip had any chemistry. i was also annoyed 2 hell as brianna was so naive concerning isabel. she trusted her sister blindly n after all those proofs n every1's warning abt isabel's penchant 4 outrageous n flirtatious behaviour, also lies, she still believed her when isabel told her philip wanted her only 4 some property. this was unbelievable ! isabel went even further assuring her dat it was isabel herself philip wanted 2 marry ! brianna even gobbed this one !LOL
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews