8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Sarah Thorton was living a lie, June 13, 2004
This review is from: The Mistaken Widow (Harlequin Historical) (Paperback)
Sarah Thorton, pregnant and with no one in the world to turn to, thought fate had smiled kindly upon her when a pair of newlyweds, Stephen and Claire Halliday, took her in while traveling on a train and allowed her to share their berth. During the night, however, there was a terrible accident, and Sarah awoke in a hospital with a broken leg, a newborn son, and the hospital staff calling her Mrs. Halliday. Sarah, penniless and unable to provide for her son or herself, wanted to set things right, but upon seeing the grief of Stephen's brother and mother, she just couldn't do it quite yet. Things snowballed out of control, until she found herself in love with Stephen's older brother - and knowing there could be no future between them because of her lies.
Nicholas Halliday could hardly believe that the somber Claire Halliday was the same person his younger brother Stephen had described in his letters, but she was his brother's widow, and he would take care of her and her son. The only problem was, he didn't expect to have feelings for his brother's wife! He couldn't let his feelings get the best of him because he had a foundry to run, and he was still unsure of Claire's motives for marrying Stephen in the first place. Was she just a gold digger, or had she truly loved his brother? Either way, it was going to spell trouble for him if he couldn?t keep his feelings for her in check.
As usual, Ms. St. John has written another emotionally charged story. The first Harlequin Historical I ever read was 'The Tenderfoot Bride' by Ms. St. John, and I've been hooked on her work ever since then. In this story, the character of Sarah is wonderful - she's desperate to provide a safe place for her son, but torn with guilt at her deception. One really has to wonder what they would do if put into a similar situation. At first, I didn't care too much for Nicholas, because he was always suspicious of Claire/Sarah being a gold digger, so he was rude to her and didn't trust her, but he couldn't fight his feelings of attraction for her. There were times when he let his hair down, though, and he was very tender and gentle, especially with Sarah's baby. In the end, he redeemed himself in my eyes. I won't tell you what happened at the end, but the last 50 pages or so were excellent!
Altogether, this is a lovely book. Once I started reading it, I found it almost impossible to tear myself away from it. Ms. St. John has a wonderful gift when it comes to writing and creating heart-warming characters, and I can't wait to read more of her books!
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Cheryl St. John is a top notch writer, June 14, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: The Mistaken Widow (Harlequin Historical) (Paperback)
Cheryl St. John is a top notch writer who fills the pages of her books with genuine characters in heartwrenching situations. She puts her readers right there inside the hearts and heads of her characters, making it impossible not to care what happens to them. The Mistaken Widow was a joy to read. Watching these two people fall in love, in spite of the odds against them, renewed my own faith in love and romance. Not an easy thing to do. Keep it up, Cheryl, and I'll keep on buying.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
It would be a mistake not to read The Mistaken Widow!, September 4, 1998
This review is from: The Mistaken Widow (Harlequin Historical) (Paperback)
In Cheryl St. John's newest historical novel, Sarah Thornton finds herself trapped in another woman's identity and isn't quite sure how to escape it. As Claire Halliday she has servants and money, but the deception is eating away at her heart - a heart that finds itself aching for Claire's brother-in-law, Nicholas Halliday. The Mistaken Widow kept me up last night, reading it straight through. CSJ has the ability to not just create realistic characters, but to set their hearts beating and make them as real as any flesh-and-blood people. Sarah and Nicholas are a prime example of what she does best, creating characters that live long after the book is closed. Cheryl's on my must buy list and The Mistaken Widow is an example of why - she tells a story that doesn't just delight you for an evening, it takes up permanent residence in your heart.
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