It takes a perfect love to break an imperfect heart.
An outstider among Newport's graceful debutantes, modest Anne Foster was the perfect choice to fulfill the desires of at least one man. But Henry Owen's intentions were far from honorable -- marriage was merely his last recourse to secure his inheritance. For a time it gave Anne a chance to dream. Until she was abandoned and discovered her first love's true movtive....
In a world where beauty defines society, the perfect wife has devised the perfect revenge: become a jewel among her peers, draw her errant husband back into her arms...and break his heart. Yet nothing is as simple as it seems -- and the secrets that once destroyed a perfect love, may be the very secrets that can save it.
An outstider among Newport's graceful debutantes, modest Anne Foster was the perfect choice to fulfill the desires of at least one man. But Henry Owen's intentions were far from honorable -- marriage was merely his last recourse to secure his inheritance. For a time it gave Anne a chance to dream. Until she was abandoned and discovered her first love's true movtive....
In a world where beauty defines society, the perfect wife has devised the perfect revenge: become a jewel among her peers, draw her errant husband back into her arms...and break his heart. Yet nothing is as simple as it seems -- and the secrets that once destroyed a perfect love, may be the very secrets that can save it.
Handsome, charming gentleman deviously weds fat, pitiful but adoring girl in order to gain inheritance. Girl discovers duplicity and flees marriage, only to return a couple of years later thin, gorgeous, and seductive and plotting her revenge. Well, what do YOU think happens...?
Beautiful story. Loved the heroine. Hero came around in the end.
Man marries a larger woman to gain his inheritance, and leaves her. Wife loses weight and man notices her again a few years later. A good read.
This book had such great reviews that I had high hopes. But I found the heroine insipid, both before and after her transformation from a plain overweight girl into a beautiful woman. And don't get me started on the hero's character. He was totally unsympathetic to me - although the author threw everything but the kitchen sink at his character (lost parents; raised by strict old grandfather), to try to excuse his really awful behavior toward the heroine. Absolutely unsubtle characterizations; poorly researched historically as regards divorce laws and the manners of American 19th century high society. Combine these two strikes with a flat, draggy and very weak revenge plot turning into ultra-predictable love, and it's a total loss. Very, very disappointing.
Good Book
This is one of my favorite authors. She is a great writer.
