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Unholy Love
Young Philippa Cranley is living a lie. Her tyrannical father Archer forces her to masquerade as a man in order to comply with the terms of her maternal grandfather's Will, and enable him to inherit the glassworks. By threatening her fragile mother with imprisonment in a mental institution, he forces Philippa to become Philip, wearing men's clothes and unable to reveal her identity to anyone.
To increase her humiliation, Archer Cranley forces 'Philip' to do a stint in the glassworks, which puts her in danger from her rough co-workers as well as from the machinery itself. There the girl is befriended by Joshua Fairley, whose pity is aroused by the gentle 'lad'. But soon Joshua finds his feelings for 'Philip' are more than just pity, and is tormented by the thought that he is being tempted into a homosexual relationship. Luckily, by the end of the novel Philippa is able to reveal the truth and marry Joshua.
To increase her humiliation, Archer Cranley forces 'Philip' to do a stint in the glassworks, which puts her in danger from her rough co-workers as well as from the machinery itself. There the girl is befriended by Joshua Fairley, whose pity is aroused by the gentle 'lad'. But soon Joshua finds his feelings for 'Philip' are more than just pity, and is tormented by the thought that he is being tempted into a homosexual relationship. Luckily, by the end of the novel Philippa is able to reveal the truth and marry Joshua.
512 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
About the author
Meg Hutchinson
38 books27 followersThis author has also released books under the name Margaret Astbury.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 24, 2017
It was really good. I really Love Meg Hutchinson.
May 3, 2023
Ok, too much S.A and threat of S.A for me to rate higher, the miscommunication in the last 50 pages annoyed me. quick to read but the unclear changing pov's got confusing very fast
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2016
Philippa Cranley comes from a family that owns a glassworks but with a bed ridden mother and cruel father and aunt who by a quirk of fate will not inherit unless a son marries by the age of twenty finds Philippa playing the guise of a man due to her brother dying as a child and having to fulfil the role to please Archer Cranley.
Now Phillip lives a life of misery, hiding many family secrets, abuse and the love she feels for another glassworker.
How can she ever reveal her true self and save her mother from the tyrannies of her Aunt Edna and increasingly mad father?
Who will win in this game of charades? Can "Philip" ever find happiness and will to the world the love she feels for Joshua Fairley be classed as an "Unholy love"?
A very inventive storyline that keeps you guessing how the plot will unfold, a wonderful historical novel that fans of the genre will truly appreciate.
Now Phillip lives a life of misery, hiding many family secrets, abuse and the love she feels for another glassworker.
How can she ever reveal her true self and save her mother from the tyrannies of her Aunt Edna and increasingly mad father?
Who will win in this game of charades? Can "Philip" ever find happiness and will to the world the love she feels for Joshua Fairley be classed as an "Unholy love"?
A very inventive storyline that keeps you guessing how the plot will unfold, a wonderful historical novel that fans of the genre will truly appreciate.
August 17, 2012
Set back in the 1900's. Definately different to what i expected a really good read. Lots of my books are from the library or bags of books for sale from the library so i do have quite a variety to have a go at. I past this book on to my 86 yr old mum to see what her views were too.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews