Sara Seale: The only Charity

THE ONLY CHARITY by Sara Seale is a romance from 1962. Well, I am not that sure that this is a romance - but that's something I will talk about later in this post. First:

In a nutshell:

UK. Christobel "Christy" Tavener is a financially independent young lady. Not till she marries the man her grandfather Sir Harry has chosen for her the family estate Fairmile will be passed on to her. So Christy - in a panic reaction - declares that she is already married - to Joss, a man she had met in an inn. But Miss Brown, the caretaker of her grandfather has her own plans and Christy (of course!) falls for Joss.

I picked this book because I wanted to read an easy book with a bit of romance in it - and I was disappointed:

Although I liked Christy (who paints though she knows she is completely free of any talent), I catched myself wishing that the book's personal would start to kill each other - only this way I could get rid of an awful cast! (And maybe it would have been a good mystery..)

Joss is just arrogant (as are all other "grown up" people in this book) he wants to make Christy laugh about herself - by ridiculing her. (arrgh!) At first she is annoyed by him but kind of Stockholm syndrome-relationship she thinks that he (and the other people around her are/) is right about her being not grown up enough and starts loving this ... this ... this ... - I just can't think of a name for him. Well, I think you get the point.

Maybe it is too the German translation but the way everybody was restricting Christy made my quite angry. The German title means: Luck does not pass. (I wish that I had passed this book.)

I was (and am) happy that I finished this book. Maybe I'll read it again in some years and think that it is quite cute but right now I do not like it. And maybe it is exactely the kind of book which makes you happy..

Anyhow it fits in one of my challenges:

The Forgotten Treasures Challenge 2011

(if you aks for my opinion it could have stayed forgotten.)

See my progress in this challenge here.

Forgotten Trasures Challenge - progress

I am going to list every book I read for this challenge - and link to the entry of course. ;")

1. VALLEY OF THE DOLLS by Jacqueline Susann (1966)

2. THE ONLY CHARITY by Sara Seale (1962)

3. THE GRASS IS SINGING by Doris Lessing (1950)

- Level one!!! -

4. THE STEPFORD WIVES by Ira Levin (1972)

5. CANDY by Terry Southern and Mason Hoffenberg (1958)

6.
7.
- Level two!!! -
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11.
12.
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18.
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20.
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22.
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24.
25.
- Bonus Level!!! -

So, fingers crossed for me! - Can't cross my own - I need them to turn the pages.. ;")

Forgotten treasures Challenge

Retroredux's Reviews is doing a challenge, which I could not resist:

"The goal of this challenge is to read and review (or just share a few thoughts on the book) books that are 25 years old or older. "

"The Rules:

Open to all-bloggers and non bloggers alike.

Open to all books-bought, loaned or ones you already own.

The only rule is on AGE. The books printing date must be at least 25 years old- 1986 or older please.

Level one- read 3 books 25+ years old or older

Level two-read 7 books 25+ years old or older

Bonus* Level three-read 25 books 25+ years old or older (all those who complete Level three will receive a nifty "Vintage Book Fan" award to post on their blog)"

- sounds like this one is made for me! Actually this is the first challenge I am going to participate in. Normally I don't like to read under pressure, so I am going to head for Level two. (And maybe I'll hit the Bonus Level..)

Read about more about it (& maybe sign in) here: Forgotten Treasures Challenge