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kellyjcm's review against another edition
4.0
One of my favorite gothic romance titles. This was an author my mother introduced me to when I was in middle school (so I wouldn't read Danielle Steel). I have read many of Holt's books, but this is my favorite of them all. It made me want to visit Cornwall, because it seems so mysterious.
jackelynvb's review against another edition
5.0
So good. I just finished and I *can't* even with how good this book was. I didn't see the ending coming, and was kept in suspense the whole time. It takes a skilled hand to combine romance and gothic thrills the way Victoria Holt has in this book.
caitlinxmartin's review against another edition
4.0
Victoria Holt was an incredibly prolific writer, writing under several pseudonyms - most prominently Victoria Holt, Jean Plaidy, and Philippa Carr. Victoria Holt was her pseudonym for writing Gothic romance and these books are wonderful and old-fashioned and fun to read. I remember staying up all night at my Mississippi grandmother's house when I was in high school reading The Legend of the Seventh Virgin and loving every minute of it. I've also read The Mistress of Mellyn although I thought it was just okay. I grabbed this one because I'm reading books published in my birth year and I'm glad I did.
This was great fun! The plot obviously owes a lot to Rebecca, although to Holt's credit her heroine is much less whiney and annoying than Du Maurier's - I never once had the desire to smack her around. The Cornish setting combined with mysterious and dangerous happenings, family surprises, sexy nurses and governesses with husband-stealing on their minds, and (I kid you not) evil twins - this makes for lots of Gothic fun and some chills and thrills. Great escapist reading.
This was great fun! The plot obviously owes a lot to Rebecca, although to Holt's credit her heroine is much less whiney and annoying than Du Maurier's - I never once had the desire to smack her around. The Cornish setting combined with mysterious and dangerous happenings, family surprises, sexy nurses and governesses with husband-stealing on their minds, and (I kid you not) evil twins - this makes for lots of Gothic fun and some chills and thrills. Great escapist reading.
xjjfkfi's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
teastastestubsandtales's review against another edition
5.0
Reminiscent of one of my all-time favs "Rebecca", I enjoyed this book greatly!
rainnbooks's review
3.0
This is probably the 2nd or 3rd book by Victoria Holt that I am reading even though I love Gothic romance genre but somehow Victoria Holt's books has not captured my interest as much as all the other authors in this genre. I can still go back to read Phyllis A Whitney's or Mary Stewart's books anytime with utter glee and rapture and I think it's mostly my fault because Ms. Holt's Bride of Pendorric was absolutely delightful if one loves reading these kind of books. But there was an element of spark missing so it was making me feel bored rather than happy with the usual large mansion, creepy atmosphere, distant husband and menace around the heroine milieu.
bernab's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a good gothic romance/mystery. Favel was more sensible than most of the Gothic heroines and the atmosphere of the house and the town Pendorric was in was described really good. I could not solve the mystery until the 90% mark which is impressive considering the book had cliches. But the cliches were inserted into the book professionally.
I would advise this book to mystery lovers because the Favel and Roe's romance is not the main story in the book.
I would advise this book to mystery lovers because the Favel and Roe's romance is not the main story in the book.
piepieb's review against another edition
4.0
Gothic novels are my thing, and I'm a big fan of Victoria Holt. Bride of Pendorric was a nice surprise -- family secrets, paintings of unfortunate brides, twins (twins run in the Pendorric family) - including the identical pair nicknamed Hy and Lo, nieces of Favel's new husband. This book kept me guessing, with plots and twists throughout. Very long chapters (only 7 chapters!), but I was engrossed by this story, and by the Pendorrics, who live in an incredible castle, that is almost like a character itself...
triciaschneider's review against another edition
5.0
I think this might be one of my favorite Victoria Holt novels. Bride of Pendorric is a gripping romantic suspense. Favel Farrington falls hopelessly in love with Roc Pendorric when he arrives for a visit on her Mediterranean island home. It is a compulsive and quick courtship, but Favel knows he is the one for her and they marry. Shortly after, tragedy strikes, but Roc whisks Favel away to his home in Cornwall where he introduces his new Bride of Pendorric to his family.
Meeting the family, the neighbors and the villagers would be overwhelming enough, but Favel is still coming to understand her new life as a married woman to a man who is still mostly a stranger to her. As she learns about her husband and the legends surrounding her new home, she begins to wonder if she made a mistake. Is Roc the man she fell in love with or did he have ulterior motives to marrying her?
With each page, the danger escalates as it becomes increasingly evident that Favel's life is in danger. Is it the ghost that is said to haunt the house or is it someone much more closer to her?
There is so much in this story that I don't want to give away any spoilers. The author wove the elements of this gothic mystery superbly. It had everything necessary to instill a sense of foreboding and fear within the reader. I had to turn the pages faster to find out what happened next. And by the climax, I had a list of suspects, each with a clear motive, but I was completely surprised by the ending. The book was a pleasure to read! I can see why other readers have referred to this as a timeless classic.
If you like books like Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, then you'll be sure to enjoy Bride of Pendorric.
Meeting the family, the neighbors and the villagers would be overwhelming enough, but Favel is still coming to understand her new life as a married woman to a man who is still mostly a stranger to her. As she learns about her husband and the legends surrounding her new home, she begins to wonder if she made a mistake. Is Roc the man she fell in love with or did he have ulterior motives to marrying her?
With each page, the danger escalates as it becomes increasingly evident that Favel's life is in danger. Is it the ghost that is said to haunt the house or is it someone much more closer to her?
There is so much in this story that I don't want to give away any spoilers. The author wove the elements of this gothic mystery superbly. It had everything necessary to instill a sense of foreboding and fear within the reader. I had to turn the pages faster to find out what happened next. And by the climax, I had a list of suspects, each with a clear motive, but I was completely surprised by the ending. The book was a pleasure to read! I can see why other readers have referred to this as a timeless classic.
If you like books like Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier, then you'll be sure to enjoy Bride of Pendorric.