Falling in Love Again

De: Cathy Maxwell

Narrado por: Vanessa Moroney

Author Cathy Maxwell's popular romance novels are appreciated for their proud-yet-passionate heroines and strong, roguish heroes. Falling in Love Again is set amongst the castles and woodlands of 18th-century England.

Born into wealthy family, heiress Mallory Edwards honorably marries John Barron to fulfill a family obligation. Although he seems charming at first, she soon discovers that he is a beast of a man. Abandoned on her wedding night, she survives by her wit and resourcefulness until her errant husband's debts became too much for her to overcome.

Facing debtor's prison, Mallory won't rest until she finds John and nullifies their marriage. But he may not be the villain she believes him to be.

Author Cathy Maxwell has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award from the Romance Writer's of America. Narrator Vanessa Moroney lends a special radiance to Maxwell's tale of bedlam and bliss.

©1997 Cathy Maxwell (P)2002 Recorded Books

Certainly not Cathy Maxwell‘s best

Tedious. Shallow uninteresting characters. I did rally enough interest to dislike the selfish arrogant hero.
As for the sex, it was just what you would expect from a selfish arrogant guy. Mercifully there weren’t many of them.

Kind of boring....

Neither Mallory Edwards nor John Barron knew that their parents had agreed to an arranged marriage until the day it happened. The day after the wedding, John left without looking back. Mallory and her mother lived in their ancestral castle for seven years until creditors threw them out. After a long search, Mallory finally found John and demanded a divorce. John knew nothing about the debts that had been run up. He also didn't know what happened to the money that he had been sending to his wife all these years. With an enraged mob demanding money, John and Mallory go on the run in hopes he can figure out who took his fortune and clear their names.

John and Mallory change their names. He gets a job as an Estate Manager where he knows nothing about farming, animals, or how the estate works. Mallory has to coach him through his job and help him deal with the people who live and work on the estate.

This is a historical romance that was originally issued in 1997. This book did not age well. So much of the story was John groveling about how he abandoned Mallory. Their relationship would start to get better when suddenly she was mad at him again. There were also lots and lots of talks about the Harvest Home, a festival that the farmers held after harvesting the crops. That conversation seemed to come up every time John and Mallory were actually talking to each other. I was very bored with it. My rating: 2.5 Stars.

A Good Storyline

After reading the reviews, I decided to trust the more positive reviews. I enjoyed this story and the narrator performed the character voices rather well. I will definitely hope that the narrator performs other stories that I choose. Some reviewer thought the heroine was too whiny. I just think the author was showing how uncertain it was for women in that era (and even today) when it comes to trusting a man that the woman has feelings for. I'm glad I chose this title.

reviews are misleading

Before I read this book I read the reviews where they were complaining about the heroine being too whiny I do not agree... this book is worth listening to

Very Sweet Story!

I love stories about relationships that can endure adversity. This is a classic example.

Very enjoyable

I had some reservations about the story given how brief the description was and I have found other stories by this author to be a little overly emotional. This one was an excellent balance with a realistic conflict, although it did, perhaps, go back and forth a few times too many. I thought it was a great narration which always helps.

Hard to Like Hero

I take exception to all of the reviews re: heroine & her so-called whining too much & making him pay. Author got her just right. Her responses to deep betrayal, destruction of any trust, & the loss of her youth, basic care, & simple respect by the "hero" were just. And accurate to real life emotions as she walked out the reconciliation story of their marriage.

The difficult part was that I never felt he ever truly redeemed himself or made up for his sneering, jeering, humiliating behavior, expressed contempt, & complete dismissal towards her. There was a change in him & I think the author captured his perspective well, too - though his selfish nature seemed like it would never truly understand what he stole from her & broke in her. His constant attitude, even after dropping the "love" bomb was that she should just get over it. It was so offensive to the reader. Particularly galling was his taking of her virginity (the sex was mutual- don't worry) without revealing he never did it the first time on their wedding night. To disrespect her so intimately and carelessly not think it mattered was truly my last straw of thinking he should just get his ass kicked out the door. Especially when the reader gets to meet the wonderful suitor she could have had, and he was everything she deserved. This hero just was never worth any of it.

In the end, however, it was tied up nicely as all novels do, with a reconciled marriage that they both decided to work on & seemed to both be willing to do.

This is not the HEA that most reader's will find tingly & satisfying, I don't think. But I gave it a high rating because it was so true-to-life in its relationship accuracy of rebuilding trust that I felt it needed recognition. This author did a phenomenal job with the intricacies. But Reader, be aware that its not the typical romance or rogue-to-reformed true love story. Appreciate it for what it is. Don't lament what it isn't.

Hated the FMC

The story had potential in the uniqueness of the plot but there are too many inaccuracies or illogical situations and assumptions that just dont make sense. They are all attributed to the FMC. She starts out a sympathic characterr but her personality turns bitter and unlikable. She, FMC, is too much a shrew. At first, she has a point, but she takes her resentment WAY too far.

The MMC was wrong at the beginning, but his explanations and actions more than make up for his foibles. He is definitely worth forgiving but she is too self-centered to seeit. The FMC is too immature and selfish she jumps to ridiculous conclusions that dont allow her to grow or develop. Then boom aymt the end we are supposed just accept her. The real problem is that her behavior is so over the top that it ruins the romantic relationship. There is nothing fun or enjoyable about the journey. Thank goodness I've read this author before and liked her other books. I guess everyone as a one off.

The narrator did a good job.

Whiny

I had a very hard time finishing this book -- more than once I almost gave up. I am not sure if it was because of the narration, but the heroine seemed to whine her way through this book.

I was willing to give her some leeway at the start, she is 16 and thrust into a rushed wedding with an unknown boy, so perhaps some whining is in order. But years later, she still is whining. Listen to the sound snippet, Mallory at 16 is pretty much Mallory at 24. As for the love story (afterall this is a romance, so of course they fall in love) -- I couldn't buy it. It seems as if out of the blue the hero is besotted with his wife, cannot live without her, but I wasn't sure why? He wants to be nagged through life?

I have enjoyed Cathy Maxwell's books in the past, but not this one. Check out The Marriage Contract, that story had more humour, and the heroine was actually feisty, unlike this book, where the heroine was almost obnoxious.

Did Not Like

I did not like this book. The hero had a mistress. Not my type of romance novel.