---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This was the Hart Eleanor had known years…"
description: "\"“This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one she'd agreed without hesitation to marry. He'd had the body of a god, a smile that melted her h..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg"
---

#  This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one…

![“This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one she'd agreed without hesitation to marry. He'd had the body of a god, a smile that melted her heart, a sinful glint in his eyes that had been just for her and her alone.” quote by Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg)

> ““This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one she'd agreed without hesitation to marry. He'd had the body of a god, a smile that melted her heart, a sinful glint in his eyes that had been just for her and her alone.””

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The protagonist recalls an idealized lover, perfect in body and emotion, devoted solely to her.

**In simple terms:** She remembers a perfect, devoted lover.

Key Takeaway

Recognize idealizations versus reality.

Themes

love idealization memory

Mood

nostalgic reflective

Type

literary romantic

When to use this quote

- relationship counseling
- personal reflection
- creative writing

Key Concepts

romantic idealism psychology of attachment

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you idealize past partners?
- How does idealization affect current relationships?

A Different Perspective

Idealized memories may distort present expectations.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/)

## Related quotes

> [“Eleanor had known that for so long, she couldn’t even remember figuring it out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/eleanor-had-known-that-for-so-long-she-couldn-t-even-remember/)

[Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/)

> [“She sent me a sunny smile, and what a smile, George; it was a smile that could have melted the whole world, because if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jostein-gaarder/she-sent-me-a-sunny-smile-and-what-a-smile-george-it-was-a-smile-that/)

[Jostein Gaarder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jostein-gaarder/)

> [“The smile, the look, tugged at Eleanor's heart. Even in the fleeting glance, she'd seen great love in Ian's eyes, his determination to finish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/the-smile-the-look-tugged-at-eleanor-s-heart-even-in-the-fleeting/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“You know women when they get talking. They don't stop for anything but unconsciousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/you-know-women-when-they-get-talking-they-don-t-stop-for-anything-but/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“On her head perched a pillbox hat with an absurd little veil. She'd pulled the dotted veil up out of her eyes, but not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/on-her-head-perched-a-pillbox-hat-with-an-absurd-little-veil-she-d/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [My past is no secret to anyone. I'm a blackguard and a sinner, and everyone knows it. These days, that's almost an asset to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/my-past-is-no-secret-to-anyone-i-m-a-blackguard-and-a-sinner-and/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“...Mac, I want you to go back to the house and make sure the ladies don't get the idea to go searching as well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/mac-i-want-you-to-go-back-to-the-house-and-make-sure-the-ladies-don-t/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Hart, you'd schedule Christ's second comimg and have Wilfred send him an itinery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/hart-you-d-schedule-christ-s-second-comimg-and-have-wilfred-send-him/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“For God's sake!" Hart sprang to his feet. Everyone at the table stopped and stared at him, including Ian. "Do I have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/for-god-s-sake-hart-sprang-to-his-feet-everyone-at-the-table-stopped/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“You are very cross tonight, Hart. Perhaps the lady disappointed you." Hart stared at her over the glass he'd started to raise. "What lady?"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/you-are-very-cross-tonight-hart-perhaps-the-lady-disappointed-you/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [Love that I bear within my breast how is my armour melted how my heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilda-doolittle/love-that-i-bear-within-my-breast-how-is-my-armour-melted-how-my-heart/)

[Hilda Doolittle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilda-doolittle/)

> [But she woke up just then, and in the moonlight covered herself with a blanket. She smiled at him drowsily and called him "Yero,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/but-she-woke-up-just-then-and-in-the-moonlight-covered-herself-with-a/)

[Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/)

> [She might have melted a heart of stone, but nothing can melt a heart of wood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/she-might-have-melted-a-heart-of-stone-but-nothing-can-melt-a-heart/)

[Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/)

> [“Shining with craving, his emerald gaze penetrated her soul. "I desire you so much". His whisper melted her heart. His soft touch set her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-lange/shining-with-craving-his-emerald-gaze-penetrated-her-soul-i-desire/)

[Chris Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-lange/)

> [I bow in reverence before the emotions of every melted heart…The more intense the delight in their presence, the more poignant the impression of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-martineau/i-bow-in-reverence-before-the-emotions-of-every-melted-heart-the-more/)

[James Martineau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-martineau/)

## More by Jennifer Ashley

> [“Sean, my mate. Mate of my Heart(Jennifer Ashley, Primal Bonds).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/sean-my-mate-mate-of-my-heart-jennifer-ashley-primal-bonds/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“We’ve had a banshee in residence,” Jim argued with a wave at Talia. “So we have,” Adam answered. A banshee. A weapon. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/we-ve-had-a-banshee-in-residence-jim-argued-with-a-wave-at-talia-so/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“All of us are mad in some way,” Ian said. “I have a memory that won’t let go of details. Hart is obsessed with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/all-of-us-are-mad-in-some-way-ian-said-i-have-a-memory-that-won-t-let/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Oh. Lord have mercy. Victor wasn’t here to help with the interview. This wasn’t an interview at all. It was an audition. Her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/oh-lord-have-mercy-victor-wasn-t-here-to-help-with-the-interview-this/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“There are no right and wrong choices,” Tain said trying to keep his voice gentle. “There is only what we do with the choices…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/there-are-no-right-and-wrong-choices-tain-said-trying-to-keep-his/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“They all had them, dark secrets of the soul. The only way to deal with them was to live, and forget.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/they-all-had-them-dark-secrets-of-the-soul-the-only-way-to-deal-with/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“I'm not a bloodhound, your lordships." "Woof, woof," Cameron said, giving Fellows an evil grin. "Good dog.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/i-m-not-a-bloodhound-your-lordships-woof-woof-cameron-said-giving/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Sorry, Ian," Cameron said. He found himself saying that to Ian quite a bit. "I didn't understand." Ian gave him a faint nod but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/sorry-ian-cameron-said-he-found-himself-saying-that-to-ian-quite-a/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Blackmailers are never satisfied." His laughter faded into bitterness. "Aren't they? How do you know?" His words were empty, hollow. "When you're the brother…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/blackmailers-are-never-satisfied-his-laughter-faded-into-bitterness/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Ian closed his eyes. Beth watched emotions flicker across his face, the uncertainty, the stubbornness, the raw pain he’d lived with for so long.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/ian-closed-his-eyes-beth-watched-emotions-flicker-across-his-face-the/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Hart having arrived before them, insisted they lift at least one glass to old Mrs. McCray. "May she, her husband, and our father be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/hart-having-arrived-before-them-insisted-they-lift-at-least-one-glass/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“My heart is where you are, Ainsley. So when you leave..." Cameron made an empty gesture. "I'll come back," she said stubbornly. "To this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/my-heart-is-where-you-are-ainsley-so-when-you-leave-cameron-made-an/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“You’ve been in the mating frenzy before.” Eric looked up at her, his eyes quiet. “Yes.” ”With Kirsten.” ”Yes.” Iona touched her hands together.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/you-ve-been-in-the-mating-frenzy-before-eric-looked-up-at-her-his/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Love,you don´t know what you do to me." "I have a pretty good idea.I make you stiff and hard,and when I touch you,you want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/love-you-don-t-know-what-you-do-to-me-i-have-a-pretty-good-idea-i/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

> [“Love I want you for my mate because you have eyes the color of smoke. Because you are wicked sexy, because you're fearless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/love-i-want-you-for-my-mate-because-you-have-eyes-the-color-of-smoke/)

[Jennifer Ashley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

[Explore all 158 Jennifer Ashley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/)

## More Heart quotes

> [Against his own will, almost, Will felt himself understanding; he would have done anything, he thought, told any lie, taken any risk, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/against-his-own-will-almost-will-felt-himself-understanding-he-would/)

[Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/)

> [“He held her like a new woman and what she felt felt almost as good as love had, and each of them called it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-dunn/he-held-her-like-a-new-woman-and-what-she-felt-felt-almost-as-good-as/)

[Stephen Dunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-dunn/)

> [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/)

[Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/)

> [My heart jumps out of its cage to see what the fuss is about. Damn thing. Always so hopeful, but my voice hides it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wylie/my-heart-jumps-out-of-its-cage-to-see-what-the-fuss-is-about-damn/)

[Sarah Wylie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wylie/)

> [I love because there is not enough room in my heart to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rena-kornreich-gelissen/i-love-because-there-is-not-enough-room-in-my-heart-to-hate/)

Rena Kornreich Gelissen

> [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/)

[Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/)

> [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/)

[Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/)

> [Love is like that, fragile and light. No wonder it rests upon our hearts in intangible moments, bids us follow fleeting thoughts and ideas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-like-that-fragile-and-light-no-wonder-it-rests-upon-our/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [When we are capable of living in the moment free from the tyranny of "shoulds," free from the nagging sensation that this moment isn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-z-borysenko/when-we-are-capable-of-living-in-the-moment-free-from-the-tyranny-of/)

[Joan Z. Borysenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-z-borysenko/)

> [My father longed for a better life for us, and when I was nine he got a job as a heart surgeon in Belfast.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-melua/my-father-longed-for-a-better-life-for-us-and-when-i-was-nine-he-got/)

[Katie Melua](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-melua/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Love will fan the flame, and that flame will warm the heart that's waiting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-w-smith/love-will-fan-the-flame-and-that-flame-will-warm-the-heart-that-s/)

[Michael W. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-w-smith/)

> [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/)

[Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/)

> [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“She couldn't break the orbit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-schwab/she-couldn-t-break-the-orbit/)

[Victoria Schwab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-schwab/)

[Browse all 45,172 Heart quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one she'd agreed without hesitation to marry. He'd had the body of a god, a smile that melted her heart, a sinful glint in his eyes that had been just for her and her alone.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Jennifer Ashley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-years-ago-the-one-she-d-agreed/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Heart"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-years-ago-the-one-she-d-agreed/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a57/jennifer-ashley-2595_heart_this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-year_323070.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“This was the Hart Eleanor had known years ago, the one she'd agreed without hesitation to marry. He'd had…” — Jennifer Ashley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Jennifer Ashley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ashley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“This was the Hart Eleanor had...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-years-ago-the-one-she-d-agreed/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ashley/this-was-the-hart-eleanor-had-known-years-ago-the-one-she-d-agreed/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
