SOLVED. Actually from Silhouette -- Very old Mills & Boon or Harlequin mistaken identity plot, heroine mistaken as daughter in law or fiance by rich family of dead guy because wearing ring of a dead woman after car accident. [s]

[Lolodono]

Read this decades ago, and it was on the sly coz i was not yet a teen, so details provided can be inaccurate. Romance book from 1980s, or maybe even 1970s. Blonde heroine on cover, hero could be brunette. I think it was either Mills&Boon or Harlequin, but possible it's by another publisher.

Plot spoilers ahead...
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Heroine (name could be Ann or Anne or Anna) is an orphan and ran away from home because being forced to marry cousin or someone. She then hitchhikes with a stranger couple. Woman C of the couple (name could be Caroline) has engagement or wedding ring, and asks heroine to wear it as a joke or for kicks. Car accident happens and couple is killed. Heroine wakes up in hospital and is mistaken as the dead Woman C by brother in law (the hero) and rest of family who never met Woman C before, because she is wearing the ring. Hero thinks Woman C is a gold digger hence is mean to heroine. Family eventually warms up to heroine while attraction increases between her and hero. There is a scene where they are in a motel room together and he has to help her brush teeth and change clothes coz she broke her arm from the accident, and think there was a love scene. People who heroine ran away from eventually find her and make threats or try to kidnap her, but hero and family to the rescue. Big reveal and HEA. Lots of similarities with Mrs Winterbourne movie.

Hope you guys can help me. I have searched internet for so long with no luck. No idea on title nor author.

[Ann aka Iftcan]

This sounds like it could have been a reprint of I Married a Dead Man. Possibly an updated one, much like they do with the Hardy Boys and the Nancy Drew books.

This was made into 2 different movies--one "serious" one (this one was in black and white I think and was made in the 40's or 50's) and then a comedy one starring Ricki Lake and Brendan Fraser.

[Lolodono]

Yes, the book i am looking for is a derivative of “I married a dead man”, but not that book itself. I am 100% certain it’s a run-of-the-mill romance book publication. Just can’t remember if by Harlequin or Mills & Boon, could even be Silhouette or Candlelight 🙈

[Lolodono]

Oh and the heroine was single and a virgin before meeting the hero

[MJ]

Oh I loved Mrs Winterbourne(?)... The movie with Ricky & Fraser!

You think it was made from this book? I'd be interested in reading it if it can be found.

[Lolodono]

The movie is based on the original souce mentioned by Ann aka Iftcan, according to wikipedia anyway. If only the book i am looking for is mentioned somewhere 😞

[Lolodono]

Oh my gosh, found it!!

To Start Again by Phyllis Halldorson

Found it by going through each book listed here 😂
https://www.librarything.com/publishe...

Well just went through the early books with all-white borders, since that's what my memory told me.

[Kris]

Glad you found your book, Lolodono. Here's the link - To Start Again by Phyllis Halldorson.