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HaBO: Beautiful Island Woman is Actually His Wife

This HaBO is from Yaya, who wants to find this historical romance:

Ok, so the first time is always memorable, right? Well I’ve kinda sorta forgotten the first historical romance I’ve read eons ago. The hero and our BLACK/RAVEN haired heroine gets married – marriage of convenience? I think so – not sure…but he hates her. Probably because he’s in love with someone else, she’s keeping him from his “one true love” by offering him her fortune (because she’s an heiress and he desperately needs that ka-ching) in exchange for his hand in marriage. Part of her face is scarred thus she’s been kept under a veil most her life. So he does the consummating thing, sight unseen – wham!-bam! … whatnow!? and poofff! He’s gone. He boards his ship and sets sail for parts unknown never to return.

The next day our heroine, very distraught by his thoughtless treatment of her, boards another ship, to beezuz knows where…buuuutttt she never makes it to the where, since her ship gets wrecked by a storm – I think…or it could be pirates – and a crew member puts her in a chest to keep her safe.

She’s found days later, moored on an island – basically paradise – by its inhabitants…sooo, soooo faaaarrr from civilization as she knows it. She’s adopted by the Island Chief/King and spends her days frolicking in the water, sunbathing and tanning, and getting to know the islanders, their culture, etc. The island doctor/healer uses a miracle flower with healing properties on her scarred face and WOWZA! she’s a stunner.

She’s happy…until HE “discovers” the island. He sees her, the beautiful island princess and he wants her, not knowing that she’s actually his estranged abandoned wife. She in turn doesn’t reveal her true identity to him…she’s a bit miffed, understandably – she makes the “courtship” a bit hard for him in all the ways that matters. Until she finally gives in. He declares his undying love for her, he plans to spend the rest of his life with her.. .I don’t know what happens, but she goes back to where she came from without him, her true identity still hidden from him. A few months later he finds his beautiful island princess there in his homeland (could be England or America) and discovers that’s she’s actually his WIFE. I was about 14 when I read this book, at the time I thought it was a naughty read. PLEASE HaBO!

Wow, this hero sounds like an absolute louse.

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  1. Blue says:

    Parts of it reminded me of The Windflower by Lauran London, but I’m not sure about the island part (it’s been years since I read it).

  2. Blue says:

    (and that would be Laura, not Lauran)

  3. Susanna says:

    I have never read this one, because I think I’d remember one that full of crazy sauce. I will say it sounds very 1980s.

  4. Karin says:

    Looking for an HEA where the louse dies and the heroine goes back to paradise and marries the Island Chief/King(or his son if he’s too old).

  5. Liz says:

    This sounds awesome if there’s grovelling. Epic grovelling is needed.

  6. Ellie M says:

    Parts of this sound like The Hidden Heart by Laura Kinsale. Her first novel and full of crazy sauce. It’s been many years since I’ve read it, but the hero does follow the heroine to Tahiti.

  7. ciem says:

    @Liz Epic groveling indeed! Or epic misunderstanding where he totally loves her actually but someone hit him on the head, shipped him away, then told him she was dead when he regained consciousness.

  8. MGW says:

    It’s not The Windflower. Not sure what it is but I know it’s not that one!

  9. Blue says:

    @MGW

    Yes, I went back to read blurbs for The Windflower and I take it back. 😀 I think the whole sailing vibe made me think of it.

    It definitely sounds old school, like the first romances I read in the late 80s/early 90s. I hope someone knows it!

  10. Gloriamarie Amalfitano says:

    The amount of crazy sauce appeals to me. I love Laura Kinsale’s books and wish she’d write more. The only one I can think of is The Hidden Heart but it doesn’t fit the amount of detail the OP offered us as clues.

  11. LJO says:

    It feels I like I read this as an abridged novel when Good Housekeeping used to run them.

  12. Kit says:

    Not only is the hero an absolute a hole but it contains one of my pet hates, a character being “cured” of their disfigurement or disability and they’re beautiful now!

    Ugh! Hate it but agree, very old school! Though the I have found the “cured from disability” trope still in circulation sadly.

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