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True Colours #2
Scarlet Lady
The Hon. Leo and his Scarlet Lady
Ginny loved her modeling career, just as she had always loved Leo Brandon. But a lost libel case bringing the Brandon name into disrepute meant the last straw for her marriage. Leo wanted a divorce.
Two years later an ad asking Ginny to contact a man who could be her real father drew her to Saint Lucia. It was a timely moment for a woman in love. Not least of all because Leo had followed her. His pretend reason: to prevent Ginny dishonoring his precious family name again through any association with the infamous St. Honore. His real reason: to love, protect and remarry the woman he had once let go.
Three women are looking for their family --what they truly seek is love. Things are rarely as they seem in Sara Wood's intriguing family trilogy.
186 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
About the author
Sara Wood
261 books35 followersSara Wood was born in England. She has wonderful memories of her childhood. Her parents were desperately poor but their devotion to family life gave her a feeling of great security. Sara's father was one of four fostered children and never knew his parents, hence his joy with his own family. Birthday parties were sensational her father would perform brilliantly as a Chinese magician or a clown or invent hilarious games and treasure hunts. From him she learnt that working hard brought many rewards, especially self-respect. During her degree course she met her husband, a kind, thoughtful, attentive man who is her friend and soulmate. At 21, she married and had her first son at 22. Now she has another three children. She loved teaching in Sussex which she did for twelve years.
Her switch into writing came about in a peculiar way. Richie, her elder son, had always been nuts about natural history and had a huge collection of animal skulls. At the age of fifteen he decided he'd write an information book about collecting. Heinemann and Pan, prestigious publishers, eagerly fell on the book and when it was published it won the famous Times Information Book award. Interviews, TV and magazine articles followed. Encouraged by his success, she thought she could write too and had several information books for children published. Then she saw Charlotte Lamb being wined and dined by Mills & Boon on a television programme and decided she could do Charlotte's job! But she'd rarely read fiction before, so she bought twenty books and analysed them carefully, then wrote one of her own. Amazingly it was accepted and she began writing full time.
Sara and her husband moved to a small country estate in Cornwall which was a paradise. Her sons visited often; Richie being married to Heidi and with two daughters; Simon rushing in after some danger- filled action in Alaska or Hawaii etc, protecting the environment with Greenpeace. Sara qualified as a homeopath, caring for the health of her family and friends. But Paradise is always fleeting. Sara's husband became seriously ill and it was clear that they had to move somewhere less demanding on time and effort. After a nightmare year of worrying about him, nursing and watching him like a hawk, she was relieved when they'd sold up and moved back to Sussex. Their current house is large and thatched and sits in the pretty rolling downs with wonderful walks and views all around. They live nearer to the boys (men!) and see them often. Richie and Heidi are expecting another baby, Simon has a baby son and a new, dangerous, passion flinging himself off mountains (paragliding). The three hills nearby frequently entice him down. She adores seeing her family (mother, mother-in-law too) around the table at Christmas. Sara feels fortunate that although she's had tough times and has sometimes been desperately unhappy, she is now surrounded by love and feels she can weather any storm to come.
Her switch into writing came about in a peculiar way. Richie, her elder son, had always been nuts about natural history and had a huge collection of animal skulls. At the age of fifteen he decided he'd write an information book about collecting. Heinemann and Pan, prestigious publishers, eagerly fell on the book and when it was published it won the famous Times Information Book award. Interviews, TV and magazine articles followed. Encouraged by his success, she thought she could write too and had several information books for children published. Then she saw Charlotte Lamb being wined and dined by Mills & Boon on a television programme and decided she could do Charlotte's job! But she'd rarely read fiction before, so she bought twenty books and analysed them carefully, then wrote one of her own. Amazingly it was accepted and she began writing full time.
Sara and her husband moved to a small country estate in Cornwall which was a paradise. Her sons visited often; Richie being married to Heidi and with two daughters; Simon rushing in after some danger- filled action in Alaska or Hawaii etc, protecting the environment with Greenpeace. Sara qualified as a homeopath, caring for the health of her family and friends. But Paradise is always fleeting. Sara's husband became seriously ill and it was clear that they had to move somewhere less demanding on time and effort. After a nightmare year of worrying about him, nursing and watching him like a hawk, she was relieved when they'd sold up and moved back to Sussex. Their current house is large and thatched and sits in the pretty rolling downs with wonderful walks and views all around. They live nearer to the boys (men!) and see them often. Richie and Heidi are expecting another baby, Simon has a baby son and a new, dangerous, passion flinging himself off mountains (paragliding). The three hills nearby frequently entice him down. She adores seeing her family (mother, mother-in-law too) around the table at Christmas. Sara feels fortunate that although she's had tough times and has sometimes been desperately unhappy, she is now surrounded by love and feels she can weather any storm to come.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 31, 2018
Re Scarlet Lady - Sara Wood continues with her True Colors mini series and it only goes downhill from here.
The h in this one is a supermodel and when the book starts, she has just lost a libel case that she pursued because a jealous rival spread nasty rumors about her and it is affecting her work. She sees the H, her husband with the rival outside the courthouse and wonders, but does nothing.
The h and her husband get back to his home, they have a passion moment and the H is convinced that the news stories about the h are true because apparently the passion is more than there ever was before in their four year marriage. Also, the H's aristocratic family and friends despise the nobody h and she isn't producing any heirs for the family title and estate. They fight and the H storms off.
Then the H returns with the h's malicious, gossip spewing rival and he tells the h that the woman will be staying with them for a few days. The h walks in to find the H and the OW rolling around naked on the marital bed, the H wants a divorce and this is his way of getting it.
After a sufficient amount of OW bopping time has passed, the H tracks down the heartbroken h and tells her he is divorcing her, the h leaves and two years pass. The h had to pay close to a million pounds for losing the court case, but now she is at a good place in her life and since she was abandoned to foster care at a young age, she is trying to track down her father.
She goes to the island of the elderly man from the last book, her birth details match the daughter he is searching for and the H shows up. He forces his way into her life under the guise of 'protecting his family name' but since they are divorced, that should no longer be a cause for concern for him.
(What actually is going on is that the H has a rival for his ancient Scottish estate. The H will be the next Earl and inherit the title, but his father's favorite is his female cousin/sister Amber, who is the heroine of the next book, and the H knows that his father plans to leave the estate and his fortune to the girl.
So the H likes his high priced, high brow aristocratic life, but he needs a woman who will supply him with the lifestyle he wants to maintain and he believes that the h could be the elderly man's child. Since it is an open secret that the elderly guy is really rich and planning on leaving everything to his child, the H is capitalizing his opportunity to cash in and thus he shows up to reclaim his ex-wife.)
The h doesn't know any of this tho, (and the reader won't until the next book, but like I said in the first one, this series is a convoluted mess of drama and plot holes, so I am trying to explain all this in a way that makes sense.) Because the h is clueless, she allows the H to accompany her as she establishes a connection with the rich, sick elderly guy and the h and the elderly guy come together like they are long lost kin.
DNA tests are sent off, but the results aren't back and there is a lot of drama because the H and h are shagging it up whenever he can force her into it, but the h is still hurt by his cheating in the marital bed.
Finally, after pages of drama and back and forth and sheer exhaustion from all the whiplash of the last 190 pages, the h almost gets trapped by a python and the H saves her. The H claims that he loves the h so much that he will even eat the snake to prove it, since the h knows the H loathes snakes, this convinces her that he loves her and she agrees to remarry.
The fortune hunting H claims that he and the OW were just rolling around on the bed and that he never did anything else with her, the h swallows that outrageous lie whole and they go back to arrange the wedding with the elderly guy willing to turn over his estate to the H and h for the HEA.
This is a very brief synopsis of the utter whacktasticness that goes on in this book. Unfortunately SW drives me nuts with her inane and confusing plot lines and her really disgusting heroes, so if you want the full effect, you will have to read the book.
But be warned, this H is truly disgusting and it is recommended you have a two bottle Captain Consult before beginning this HPlandia outing. I personally plan to run away screaming if I ever run into it again.
The h in this one is a supermodel and when the book starts, she has just lost a libel case that she pursued because a jealous rival spread nasty rumors about her and it is affecting her work. She sees the H, her husband with the rival outside the courthouse and wonders, but does nothing.
The h and her husband get back to his home, they have a passion moment and the H is convinced that the news stories about the h are true because apparently the passion is more than there ever was before in their four year marriage. Also, the H's aristocratic family and friends despise the nobody h and she isn't producing any heirs for the family title and estate. They fight and the H storms off.
Then the H returns with the h's malicious, gossip spewing rival and he tells the h that the woman will be staying with them for a few days. The h walks in to find the H and the OW rolling around naked on the marital bed, the H wants a divorce and this is his way of getting it.
After a sufficient amount of OW bopping time has passed, the H tracks down the heartbroken h and tells her he is divorcing her, the h leaves and two years pass. The h had to pay close to a million pounds for losing the court case, but now she is at a good place in her life and since she was abandoned to foster care at a young age, she is trying to track down her father.
She goes to the island of the elderly man from the last book, her birth details match the daughter he is searching for and the H shows up. He forces his way into her life under the guise of 'protecting his family name' but since they are divorced, that should no longer be a cause for concern for him.
(What actually is going on is that the H has a rival for his ancient Scottish estate. The H will be the next Earl and inherit the title, but his father's favorite is his female cousin/sister Amber, who is the heroine of the next book, and the H knows that his father plans to leave the estate and his fortune to the girl.
So the H likes his high priced, high brow aristocratic life, but he needs a woman who will supply him with the lifestyle he wants to maintain and he believes that the h could be the elderly man's child. Since it is an open secret that the elderly guy is really rich and planning on leaving everything to his child, the H is capitalizing his opportunity to cash in and thus he shows up to reclaim his ex-wife.)
The h doesn't know any of this tho, (and the reader won't until the next book, but like I said in the first one, this series is a convoluted mess of drama and plot holes, so I am trying to explain all this in a way that makes sense.) Because the h is clueless, she allows the H to accompany her as she establishes a connection with the rich, sick elderly guy and the h and the elderly guy come together like they are long lost kin.
DNA tests are sent off, but the results aren't back and there is a lot of drama because the H and h are shagging it up whenever he can force her into it, but the h is still hurt by his cheating in the marital bed.
Finally, after pages of drama and back and forth and sheer exhaustion from all the whiplash of the last 190 pages, the h almost gets trapped by a python and the H saves her. The H claims that he loves the h so much that he will even eat the snake to prove it, since the h knows the H loathes snakes, this convinces her that he loves her and she agrees to remarry.
The fortune hunting H claims that he and the OW were just rolling around on the bed and that he never did anything else with her, the h swallows that outrageous lie whole and they go back to arrange the wedding with the elderly guy willing to turn over his estate to the H and h for the HEA.
This is a very brief synopsis of the utter whacktasticness that goes on in this book. Unfortunately SW drives me nuts with her inane and confusing plot lines and her really disgusting heroes, so if you want the full effect, you will have to read the book.
But be warned, this H is truly disgusting and it is recommended you have a two bottle Captain Consult before beginning this HPlandia outing. I personally plan to run away screaming if I ever run into it again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 1, 2016
What have I just read?
What a prince our H is not sticking by his wife, moping around and making our h think he is a cheat by being caught naked rolling in the marital bed with a flagrant hussy. to add to the insult he divorces said wife and then comes after her 2 years later and expects all is forgiven with zero grovelling. Whatever hit the road mate you don't deserve her.
Our h has some parental issues so has a bit of a chip on her shoulder but she earns good £££ as a model so certainly isn't asking for Earl Snobalots spondoolies! She is stitched up good and proper by the press and made out to be a promiscuous harlot (which of course she isn't). Don't get me wrong shes a little selfish but doesn't deserve the treatment she gets from the hubs. Then shes a total doormat when it comes to the hubs/exhubs/hubs and this ruins her for me.
There is also a 2 year missing chunk of story where although we find out a bit of what the h is up to theres no mention of whether the H was manhoring his way round the UK - which he probably was.
The story just ignore all the fundamental things which broke these 2 apart in the first place - his family made her feel unwelcome and he just wanted to be lord of the manor in deepest darkest Scotland and she didn't want to provide a heir because of the responsibility - all of a sudden hes happy to shack up in the Caribbean and leave the family seat. Whatever! Unbelievable hence the 2 stars
What a prince our H is not sticking by his wife, moping around and making our h think he is a cheat by being caught naked rolling in the marital bed with a flagrant hussy. to add to the insult he divorces said wife and then comes after her 2 years later and expects all is forgiven with zero grovelling. Whatever hit the road mate you don't deserve her.
Our h has some parental issues so has a bit of a chip on her shoulder but she earns good £££ as a model so certainly isn't asking for Earl Snobalots spondoolies! She is stitched up good and proper by the press and made out to be a promiscuous harlot (which of course she isn't). Don't get me wrong shes a little selfish but doesn't deserve the treatment she gets from the hubs. Then shes a total doormat when it comes to the hubs/exhubs/hubs and this ruins her for me.
There is also a 2 year missing chunk of story where although we find out a bit of what the h is up to theres no mention of whether the H was manhoring his way round the UK - which he probably was.
The story just ignore all the fundamental things which broke these 2 apart in the first place - his family made her feel unwelcome and he just wanted to be lord of the manor in deepest darkest Scotland and she didn't want to provide a heir because of the responsibility - all of a sudden hes happy to shack up in the Caribbean and leave the family seat. Whatever! Unbelievable hence the 2 stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 9, 2012
Leo Brandon’s family motto is – family first unto death. He is constantly telling Ginny that they cared for their own, the protected them from others. Yet for some reason Leo failed in that area w/ Ginny repeatedly, and it really just seemed like lip service to me.
She had issues from her childhood and he never seemed to know about them or acknowledge them throughout their four year marriage! She was working a lot and even more w/ the tabloids rumors about her and her fight to clear her name and redeem her reputation. This annoyed Leo as he wanted her to ignore it and let it go, which made no sense to me – considering he is so caught up on reputations. Ginny feels inferior to Leo and his social status and constantly tries to overcome this by being on a level playing field. Leo doesn’t help matters when he tells her that it is better for those of the same social class to marry each other as they know what to expect.
Ginny losing the trial didn’t help their marriage, but the belief that she HAD been w/ OM was the last straw!
It was way too convenient how Leo found out about Ginny’s whereabouts because she didn’t tell the other person why she was going there. Yet this spurs Leo on after a very enlightening conversation w/ his father. He comes upon her in a compromising position and of course believes the worst of her again. He even tells Ginny that she deserved what she got when she found him rolling around in be w/ OW!!
He seemed to be a tabloid connoseuer and didn’t seem to know how to trust his instincts and follow his gut about people. He doesn’t search for hard facts and it seemed that he really was out for revenge in the end. He just needed to get the gullible Ginny to trust him. He doesn’t want her there and he doesn’t want her to find out the truth it.
Leo already had all the answers, but he was leading her on a merry chase because he wanted to woo her back. He lied and manipulated her and it was all for her own good he claims. He got most of his “facts” from his father, but didn’t believe the other portion until confronted w/ it. However, one wonders how his father couldn’t have seen that little nugget before. Did he never look at Ginny?
Leo lied about several things and he continued to lie and really he seemed more like a manipulative diabolical evil villain and less like a hero by the end of the story. How can she trust him? He claims because he is trustworthy, but I never saw it! Ginny’s thoughts in regards to Leo toward the big reveal were very believable and painted a dreary picture of Leo. I believed Leo was now out for revenge! He knew so much before coming on the scene and one wondered why he even bothered when he didn’t try to contact her over the two year separation while waiting for the finalization in their divorce, unless he was seeing an opportunity for revenge for his family through Ginny.
There were unanswered questions left in this story as well. Not sure if they will be answered in the following book, or if I really even care that much. In the end, what is Leo really giving up? Sounds like he stands to gain a lot more than lose anything. We were never given his POV or these secret conversations that he has w/ others and I don’t trust him not one dang bit!! I think deep down Ginny knows the truth, but won’t admit it. She is so enamored of Leo – for now anyways. But IMHO she has her doubts about him these doubts have been planted for now.
Ginny remarks that Leo has an ability to hide his feelings and to deceive. I think Leo saw how she forgave the other man and heard how she says he was genuinely sorry for what he did and so Leo concocted his story to get what he wants in the end.
She had issues from her childhood and he never seemed to know about them or acknowledge them throughout their four year marriage! She was working a lot and even more w/ the tabloids rumors about her and her fight to clear her name and redeem her reputation. This annoyed Leo as he wanted her to ignore it and let it go, which made no sense to me – considering he is so caught up on reputations. Ginny feels inferior to Leo and his social status and constantly tries to overcome this by being on a level playing field. Leo doesn’t help matters when he tells her that it is better for those of the same social class to marry each other as they know what to expect.
Ginny losing the trial didn’t help their marriage, but the belief that she HAD been w/ OM was the last straw!
It was way too convenient how Leo found out about Ginny’s whereabouts because she didn’t tell the other person why she was going there. Yet this spurs Leo on after a very enlightening conversation w/ his father. He comes upon her in a compromising position and of course believes the worst of her again. He even tells Ginny that she deserved what she got when she found him rolling around in be w/ OW!!
He seemed to be a tabloid connoseuer and didn’t seem to know how to trust his instincts and follow his gut about people. He doesn’t search for hard facts and it seemed that he really was out for revenge in the end. He just needed to get the gullible Ginny to trust him. He doesn’t want her there and he doesn’t want her to find out the truth it.
Leo already had all the answers, but he was leading her on a merry chase because he wanted to woo her back. He lied and manipulated her and it was all for her own good he claims. He got most of his “facts” from his father, but didn’t believe the other portion until confronted w/ it. However, one wonders how his father couldn’t have seen that little nugget before. Did he never look at Ginny?
Leo lied about several things and he continued to lie and really he seemed more like a manipulative diabolical evil villain and less like a hero by the end of the story. How can she trust him? He claims because he is trustworthy, but I never saw it! Ginny’s thoughts in regards to Leo toward the big reveal were very believable and painted a dreary picture of Leo. I believed Leo was now out for revenge! He knew so much before coming on the scene and one wondered why he even bothered when he didn’t try to contact her over the two year separation while waiting for the finalization in their divorce, unless he was seeing an opportunity for revenge for his family through Ginny.
There were unanswered questions left in this story as well. Not sure if they will be answered in the following book, or if I really even care that much. In the end, what is Leo really giving up? Sounds like he stands to gain a lot more than lose anything. We were never given his POV or these secret conversations that he has w/ others and I don’t trust him not one dang bit!! I think deep down Ginny knows the truth, but won’t admit it. She is so enamored of Leo – for now anyways. But IMHO she has her doubts about him these doubts have been planted for now.
Ginny remarks that Leo has an ability to hide his feelings and to deceive. I think Leo saw how she forgave the other man and heard how she says he was genuinely sorry for what he did and so Leo concocted his story to get what he wants in the end.
May 25, 2024
The one where the hero wrestles a boa constrictor to save the heroine while yelling “I’ll eat this damn thing if it’ll convince you! I love you and I always have!”.
Also the one where the hero and heroine are actually first cousins (revealed when the heroine discovers who her real parents are). Wtf
Also the one where the hero and heroine are actually first cousins (revealed when the heroine discovers who her real parents are). Wtf
June 15, 2012
A TSTL heroine and a truly unlikeable hero that was too much even for me. Throw in a convoluted story that at times (at least for me) didn't make a whole lot of sense, I found myself wondering "why am I reading this?" I dislike writing negative reviews - and I'm an unabashed lover of cruel-hero stories and at times, I admit, doormat heroines - but I guess we all have our limits.
February 9, 2017
Sara Wood wrote a controversial story line with this book. Here Gina is a model and married to a man that she loves. But lies were told and she lost both. Two years later she reads an add that could lead her to her father. Enters her ex, Leo. He was a sleaze of the highest order. He had an affair in their marriage bed while she was in the house. He doesn't apologize ever. She deserved better even in the end. This is one of several stories that interlink by Sara Wood. I am wondering if I want to finish this set of books. I think I will reread this one later to decide. I gave S. Wood three stars for the content, story line. Haven't seen this type in any Harlequin Presents books before. But did not like the so called hero here. The heroine was easily swayed by him. I understand that she loved/s him but she still needed back bone. It was written in the 90's. Don't remember reading books like this back then.
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November 24, 2019I didn't really like the H nor the h. The h loved the H ´´soooo much´´ but never told him about her family situation, feelings and fears. She knew he wanted a child but kept him waiting while she tried to make everybody to like her through her fame while the only one that mattered should have been the H. Also when the H asked her about having a child she avoided that question by trying to distract his attention with kisses.
The H was stupid, manipulative liar, he loved the h ´´sooo much´´ that he divorced her to get a child with some other willing woman. He could have just told the h that she can work until she can pay off her dept and that if after that she still does not want any children they can to reconsider their marriage. But no, he just jumped into bed with the evil ow. I also wonder if he would have come back after the h if there hadn't been any connection between his and her family.
The heroes had been married 4 years and it's hard to believe in their love because they didn't seem to know or really interest each other that much. Correct me if I am wrong but if you love someone, you trust that person and tell about things and feelings that has been bothering you. Or if the one you love seems to have some trauma you try to dig a little deeper, understand and support him /her. Also nether of the heroes wanted to listen and compromise. They didn't really behave like adults.
The H was stupid, manipulative liar, he loved the h ´´sooo much´´ that he divorced her to get a child with some other willing woman. He could have just told the h that she can work until she can pay off her dept and that if after that she still does not want any children they can to reconsider their marriage. But no, he just jumped into bed with the evil ow. I also wonder if he would have come back after the h if there hadn't been any connection between his and her family.
The heroes had been married 4 years and it's hard to believe in their love because they didn't seem to know or really interest each other that much. Correct me if I am wrong but if you love someone, you trust that person and tell about things and feelings that has been bothering you. Or if the one you love seems to have some trauma you try to dig a little deeper, understand and support him /her. Also nether of the heroes wanted to listen and compromise. They didn't really behave like adults.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 6, 2023
This story had its good points, but some pretty bad ones, too. The whole "Who's my Daddy?" thing was pretty annoying, and the man's sudden metamorphosis from sinner to saint just a tad ridiculous!
As for our H and h: both were a bit dense (make that a lot) when it came to marriage. Leo married a fashion model, was proud of that fact, and didn't ask Ginny to stop working, despite his being a wealthy man. Then, he does an about face and resents her work, her time away from home, etc. He knows she was a virgin before him, and that she never took assignments where she'd have to wear too revealing clothes or act provocative, and never flirted with other men, yet he chose to believe all the garbage the tabloids said about her, the old "where there's smoke there's fire" trope, and took her decision to sue for libel as an admission of guilt, rather than standing up for the truth, and her losing the case clinched it for him! He wanted a divorce!
On Ginny's part, while I can understand her not liking having to live in Leo's isolated family home (where she stayed when not working, even when he was away on frequent business trips), she could have tried a bit harder to adjust, instead of setting her mind against it so much. Also, she knows it bothered her husband that she took so many assignments where she'd have to be away for a while, yet she kept on taking them, as if his opinion didn't matter. Part of her wanting to be a success so much had to do with a childhood full of insecurities (she was the nerd to end all nerds), and also her belief that she wasn't good enough to be a part of Leo's family, but instead of sharing that with him so he'd understand her better, she kept it to herself.
Ironically, she makes a last-ditch effort to save her marriage by being seductive and passionate (something she had trouble with before, afraid of letting herself go), but that only makes Leo suspect that the rumors about her playing around were true (some other guy must have taught her those sexy moves, because she never acted that way with him before) and her efforts backfired badly.
Even more ironic, was Ginny doing something so out of character for a h: she was willing to fight for her man, even when she thought he cheated!! (Usually, they run off in angry tears, even when the guy's not guilty.) Leo, however, had deliberately made her think he was cheating so she'd leave, and then told her in no uncertain terms to go!
He wanted nothing more to do with her...until he did!
There are more ironies, like when Leo, who had refused to give Ginny any of the financial help she needed to pay her legal debts (which had led to her taking more modeling assignments) while they were married, suddenly offered to pay them when they were divorced! Also: Ginny's later willingness to compromise and take less long-term modeling assignments that required travel should have been something she did when they first got married, which would have saved a lot of trouble.
Leo, on his part, should have told her the truth he had discovered about her identity from the start, instead of playing games to "protect" her, when all he did was make things worse.
But what was worst of all, is that it appears these two are related, and shouldn't be married at all! The author never cleared that up, which leaves this book with an ICK!!! factor!
No great loss if you skip this one.
As for our H and h: both were a bit dense (make that a lot) when it came to marriage. Leo married a fashion model, was proud of that fact, and didn't ask Ginny to stop working, despite his being a wealthy man. Then, he does an about face and resents her work, her time away from home, etc. He knows she was a virgin before him, and that she never took assignments where she'd have to wear too revealing clothes or act provocative, and never flirted with other men, yet he chose to believe all the garbage the tabloids said about her, the old "where there's smoke there's fire" trope, and took her decision to sue for libel as an admission of guilt, rather than standing up for the truth, and her losing the case clinched it for him! He wanted a divorce!
On Ginny's part, while I can understand her not liking having to live in Leo's isolated family home (where she stayed when not working, even when he was away on frequent business trips), she could have tried a bit harder to adjust, instead of setting her mind against it so much. Also, she knows it bothered her husband that she took so many assignments where she'd have to be away for a while, yet she kept on taking them, as if his opinion didn't matter. Part of her wanting to be a success so much had to do with a childhood full of insecurities (she was the nerd to end all nerds), and also her belief that she wasn't good enough to be a part of Leo's family, but instead of sharing that with him so he'd understand her better, she kept it to herself.
Ironically, she makes a last-ditch effort to save her marriage by being seductive and passionate (something she had trouble with before, afraid of letting herself go), but that only makes Leo suspect that the rumors about her playing around were true (some other guy must have taught her those sexy moves, because she never acted that way with him before) and her efforts backfired badly.
Even more ironic, was Ginny doing something so out of character for a h: she was willing to fight for her man, even when she thought he cheated!! (Usually, they run off in angry tears, even when the guy's not guilty.) Leo, however, had deliberately made her think he was cheating so she'd leave, and then told her in no uncertain terms to go!
He wanted nothing more to do with her...until he did!
There are more ironies, like when Leo, who had refused to give Ginny any of the financial help she needed to pay her legal debts (which had led to her taking more modeling assignments) while they were married, suddenly offered to pay them when they were divorced! Also: Ginny's later willingness to compromise and take less long-term modeling assignments that required travel should have been something she did when they first got married, which would have saved a lot of trouble.
Leo, on his part, should have told her the truth he had discovered about her identity from the start, instead of playing games to "protect" her, when all he did was make things worse.
But what was worst of all, is that it appears these two are related, and shouldn't be married at all! The author never cleared that up, which leaves this book with an ICK!!! factor!
No great loss if you skip this one.
October 9, 2022
Neither the characters, their motivation or the plot make any sense. This is one of the worst books I have ever tried reading and I didn’t quite finish it. I was curious if it could get worse, it did to a point I stopped reading.
The h who is a model is defamed and wrongly accused and ends up suing the newspaper for libel but ends up losing the case. When she turns to her husband for support, he not only accuses her but ends up asking her for a divorce and flaunting his affair with a rival model in their bedroom.
The h is an idiot who is still in love with a man who has shown through so many action his contempt for her and if she can’t rely on him for support during a time in life where she needs help why then ask for help? The whole plot about her finding her father and a mother who didn’t care for her and abandoned her too not just over the top melodramatic but really flimsy.
The h who is a model is defamed and wrongly accused and ends up suing the newspaper for libel but ends up losing the case. When she turns to her husband for support, he not only accuses her but ends up asking her for a divorce and flaunting his affair with a rival model in their bedroom.
The h is an idiot who is still in love with a man who has shown through so many action his contempt for her and if she can’t rely on him for support during a time in life where she needs help why then ask for help? The whole plot about her finding her father and a mother who didn’t care for her and abandoned her too not just over the top melodramatic but really flimsy.
April 4, 2022
Even though this is a Harlequin Romance, it had the bones of a good story, with several potential plot lines and conflicts between characters that could develop in interesting ways. But since these books have a page limit, it ignored the interesting plot lines and wrapped everything up very unsatisfactorily in a happily ever after ending.
September 20, 2020
Older book, but still like a good romance.
June 6, 2013
Harlequin ala jaman bahola lho ini terbitnya aja thn 97:)
Walo terjemahannya tdk sebagus penerbit harlequin skrg tapi alurnya lumayan kok. Gw lahap dlm waktu 2.5 jam utk novel yg tebalnya 250 halaman ini.
Heroine-nya seorang model dg latar belakang klrga angkat&tdk mengetahui pasti siapa orang tua kandunya menikah dengan hero-nya di umur 19 thn. Hero-nya sendiri adl seorang berdarah biru yg tergila2 dengan heroine-nya. Tetapi kesibukan heroine di dunia permodelan membuat hubungan pasangan ini kacau balau dan penuh kecurigaan sampai akhirnya hero memutuskan utk bercerai dari heroine.
2 tahun stlh perceraian, heroine menemukan iklan yg mencari dirinya. Bertekad utk menjawab iklan tsb dg niat mencari orang tua kandungnya, heroine cuti dr pekerjaannya dan pergi ke St. Louis. Yang tdk disangka adl bertemu kembali dg hero-nya. Keinginan utk kembali ke pelukan hero-nya sangat kuat tapi heroine-nya sadar kalo luka yg ditorehkan dari perceraian mereka masih membekas&mengoyahkan kepercayaan dirinya. Ditambah lagi dengan cemoohan mantan suaminya tsb akan ketidakbutuhan dirinya ditemani oleh heroine membuat dia makin menyakini bahwa perasaan cinta ini hanya bertepuk sblh tangan.
Walo terjemahannya tdk sebagus penerbit harlequin skrg tapi alurnya lumayan kok. Gw lahap dlm waktu 2.5 jam utk novel yg tebalnya 250 halaman ini.
Heroine-nya seorang model dg latar belakang klrga angkat&tdk mengetahui pasti siapa orang tua kandunya menikah dengan hero-nya di umur 19 thn. Hero-nya sendiri adl seorang berdarah biru yg tergila2 dengan heroine-nya. Tetapi kesibukan heroine di dunia permodelan membuat hubungan pasangan ini kacau balau dan penuh kecurigaan sampai akhirnya hero memutuskan utk bercerai dari heroine.
2 tahun stlh perceraian, heroine menemukan iklan yg mencari dirinya. Bertekad utk menjawab iklan tsb dg niat mencari orang tua kandungnya, heroine cuti dr pekerjaannya dan pergi ke St. Louis. Yang tdk disangka adl bertemu kembali dg hero-nya. Keinginan utk kembali ke pelukan hero-nya sangat kuat tapi heroine-nya sadar kalo luka yg ditorehkan dari perceraian mereka masih membekas&mengoyahkan kepercayaan dirinya. Ditambah lagi dengan cemoohan mantan suaminya tsb akan ketidakbutuhan dirinya ditemani oleh heroine membuat dia makin menyakini bahwa perasaan cinta ini hanya bertepuk sblh tangan.
March 13, 2018
The Hon. Leo and his Scarlet Lady! Ginny loved her modeling career, just as she had always loved Leo Brandon. But a lost libel case bringing the Brandon name into disrepute meant the last straw for her marriage. Leo wanted a divorce.Two years later an ad asking Ginny to contact a man who could be her real father drew her to Saint Lucia. It was a timely moment for a woman in love. Not least of all because Leo had followed her. His pretend reason: to prevent Ginny dishonoring his precious family name again through any association with the infamous St. Honore. His real reason: to love, protect and remarry the woman he had once let go.Three women are looking for their family --what they truly seek is love. Things are rarely as they seem in Sara Wood's intriguing family trilogy.
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