Even though this was a favorite trope of mine (older woman, younger man) it was still just okay. It was vague in places where it really shouldn't have been. He was crushing on her in the past evidently and we could have used a flashback or at least some explanation. Plus I don't think it was very realistic that she didn't recognize him when she first meets him again. After all she was on her way to visit his mother and she knew he lived there. But she didn't so having her fall in love with him within a week was just too much for my willing suspension of disbelief. Her feelings for him were so instant that it would have made much more sense if they'd had an ongoing relationship of some sort even if not sexual. What really bothered me was they slept together while he was still engaged to someone else. And neither one of them seemed to be bothered much by it. I lacked a whole bunch of respect for either one of them but especially for the heroine. She was just coming off of a nervous breakdown after having inadvertently had some sort of relationship with a married man who she didn't know was married and she didn't feel any qualms about doing it again? At least he wanted to come out with his feelings and dump his fiancé fairly quickly but only after he had shagged the heroine 2 separate times. He kept saying he was a grown man but really acted a bit like a little boy. ( )

Ben has been in love with Shelly since he was a teenager. Though she is older than him, his feelings have not changed when he meets her as a man. Shelly, not knowing who he is at first, is powerfully attracted to him. When she learns who he is, she feels their relationship is inappropriate and tries to drive a wedge between them. Will it work?

This is very dated. The age gap is only six years and her friendship with his mother has nothing to do with what is between them. His fiancée is a horror and I knew she would not last. Others try to do damage to Shelly but she manages to free herself from all of that. I liked the kindly listening ear of the village doctor who helps her straighten herself out. Ben is aggressive. When he doesn't get his way, look out.

While I have always liked Anne Mather's books, this is not a keeper. ( )

Excellent book! This book is one of the few times that Ms. Mather does a reverse of her usual older man/younger woman plot staple, and it works! Sex, but not too much of it. Plot--just the right amount. Characters with character. I really liked it. ( )