365 books in 365 days Challenge ... book #217

Velvet Promise - Carole Mortimer
Mills & Boon Romance
Mills & Boon, 1986
ISBN: 9780263755312





My rating




From the back cover:

"No one but Willow knew the true facts behind her marriage to Russell. Everyone assumed they had married for the sake of their little daughter Dani; but there had been more to it than that. Now, however, it was all over, and Willow has made a new and better life for herself and Dani in the lovely island of Jersey. So why on earth had Russell's cousin Jordan St James suddenly turned up in her life again? He had never made any secret of his dislike of her. Wasn't she ever going to be allowed to put the past behind her for good?"


This is another book that I had on my list of suggested Presents/Modern books.

The heroine Willow is finally beginning to enjoy her freedom after he divorce, thinking that she may finally be free from the clutches of her ex husband. She is shocked and nervous when her ex-husband's cousin Jordan, the hero, comes to see her. Willow has always felt that Jordan does not like her, and that is proved right by some of the barbs her throws at her, although after when she experienced in her marriage Jordan's insults have very little effect on her. But she is not expecting him to admit that her wants her, and she finds herself feeling very confused over her feelings towards Jordan and her fear of her past. When her ex-husband returns Willow is very upset and runs into Jordan's arms and they slowly begin to get to know one another. But Willow knows she can never tell Jordan the heartbreaking truth of her marriage and therefore he will never love her thinking what he does about her.

This book started off very slow, the story was a little dull and I couldn't really sympathise with either character especially the hero, whom I thought was a bit too cruel for my liking. The suddenly it all clicked and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. The heroine had so much pain and so many secrets that I was really drawn in to the story, wanting to know more.
But the truth isn't revealed until the closing pages, and it is simply horrendous. I feel that by revealing it right near the end made the whole thing seem trivial and it most definitely is not. In my opinion it would have been better if it was revealed (at least to the reader) earlier in the book, and that way we could see and experience the journey that the heroine goes on in order to come to terms with both her ordeal and relationship with the hero.
I did like the way the relationship between the hero and heroine developed, it felt almost desperate and that added to the whole atmosphere of the story.

This is a very provocative, yet enjoyable romance, very much a 'classic' style Mills & Boon.

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