Love Me Forever is an Arrow (UK) publication from 1975. In the 1780's, the Duke of Melyncourt in in France to carry out a dangerous mission for the prime minister. Ame is a young girl who escaped from a convent into the duke's carriage. Many exciting adventures occur before he realizes that she is the duchess for him!
Francis Marshall illustrates our couple in a pleasure garden. Note the exquisite clothing and wigs they are wearing! I like the details of their clothes and the gazebo in the background. Marshall does a great job conveying the party atmosphere of this scene. Too bad we don't dress like this; at least for masquerades!!
This was my first Barbara Cartland book! I LOVED it. Ame is so sweet, and "Monseigneur" is so romantic... (I love it when he kisses the hem of her dress!) I really enjoyed Hugo and Isabella's story too... I've been looking for more BC books ever since I read this one. Thank you so much for making this blog... It is such a help!
ReplyDeleteMy cover is different. Will always remember this novel because this is the only Barbara Cartland I've read where the hero & heroine are not a coupe at the end .Ame chooses to become a nun & refuses to marry the Duke.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like "These Old Shades" inspired plot. Good. I liked These Old Shades and if this book contains more interaction between the hero and heroine - the better.
ReplyDeleteIf I understand correctly, Love Me Forever originally ended with Amé taking her vows. But the Kindle edition has the Reverend Mother helping them to escape back to England with an alternate plan. Was this an updated ending for the Kindle edition?
ReplyDeleteI just looked at my Arrow copy and it ends with the RM helping them and giving them her blessing. So that was the original ending.
DeleteI understand the original ending had Amé taking her vows. Is that true? In the Kindle edition the Reverend Mother offers an additional plan that enables the Duke and Amé to escape back to England.
ReplyDeleteAme went back to the convent to take her vows but the duke went after her and in my Arrow copy, the RM had a plan to allow the duke to take her to England to marry.
DeleteIt seems this was originally one book where the lovers did not stay together. I just read the Kindle edition where they they reunited. Do you know when Dame Cartland changed the ending?
ReplyDeleteNo, I don't know. I imagine at some point when they republished it or it was being published for the US market? She was a published author for decades before she started putting out 2 books a month in the 1970's. Some of her older books may have been repackaged for a new audience.
DeleteDo you have any information on when Dame Cartland changed the ending so that the Duke and Amé stayed together? It seems Amé took her vows in the original. I just read the Kindle version.
ReplyDelete