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Love Only Once
a Malory novel
First published 1985 · 440 pages
A tempestuous battle of wills where fiery indignation melts into all-consuming, scandalous passion.
What it feels like
Reading this classic historical romance feels like stepping into a lavish, tempestuous whirlwind of high-stakes scandal and undeniable chemistry. The narrative moves at a brisk, dramatic clip, propelled by the fiery banter and stubborn pride of two fiercely matched protagonists. There is a distinctly opulent, old-school romance mood here, where emotions are always dialed up to eleven and every glance is laden with sweeping intensity. The prose is lush and dialogue-heavy, capturing the theatricality of a society where reputation is everything and passion is a dangerous game. It is a deeply angsty, swoony experience that delights readers who crave bodice-ripping drama, arrogant but secretly tortured rakes, and the comforting chaos of a sprawling, fiercely loyal family dynamic.
- Mood
- tempestuous
- opulent
- swoony
- angsty
- Tone
- passionate
- melodramatic
- fiery
- sweeping
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- enemies to lovers · scandal and reputation · healing past trauma · fierce family loyalty · all-consuming passion
- The writing
- Lush, dramatic, and dialogue-heavy, leaning into the sweeping theatricality of classic 1980s romance.
- The arc
- Moves from furious indignation and stubborn pride to overwhelming passion and hard-won vulnerability.
- Who it's for
- Readers who crave old-school historical romances filled with fiery banter, arrogant rakes, and sprawling, fiercely loyal families.
Content notes
- abduction
- dubious consent
- emotional manipulation
About the book
The exquisite 19 year old niece of Lord Edward and Lady Charlotte Malory, Regina Ashton is outraged over her abduction by the arrogant, devilishly handsome 27 year old Nicholas Eden—and is determined to make the rogue pay... with his heart. A golden-haired seducer, Nicholas has been hardened by a painful secret in his past. And now that he has besmirched Reggie's good name, the hot-tempered lady has vowed to wed him. Her fiery beauty stirs Nicholas as no woman ever has—and the rake arouses Reggie's passion to an unendurable level. Such uncontrolled desires can lead only to dangerous misunderstandings... and, perhaps, to a love that can live only once in a lifetime.
Description from Open Library.
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