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Beyond Sunrise
Can life ever be a real adventure without falling in love?
Ever since she can remember, India McKnight has craved adventure, dreaming of lands past the horizon. Following her calling, she becomes a travel writer, a vocation that takes her far and wide. All the while, she vows never to risk her freedom by falling in love. But when she sails to the exotic and unknown regions of the South Pacific, a rugged man brave enough to be her guide just may be the one who can lay claim to her heart.
Having turned his back on the “civilized” world long ago, Jack Ryder has been living in seclusion, hiding from the pain and betrayal buried in his past. When the beautiful, hotheaded Scotswoman arrives at his hut looking for a guide, he agrees to take her to the island of Takaku—despite the challenge—just to prove that her stubborn theories about native life are wrong. But when their journey turns dangerous, their fates become forever entwined. Forced to rely on each other for their very survival, they soon discover that passion and even deeper peril await them . . . just beyond the sunrise.
Ever since she can remember, India McKnight has craved adventure, dreaming of lands past the horizon. Following her calling, she becomes a travel writer, a vocation that takes her far and wide. All the while, she vows never to risk her freedom by falling in love. But when she sails to the exotic and unknown regions of the South Pacific, a rugged man brave enough to be her guide just may be the one who can lay claim to her heart.
Having turned his back on the “civilized” world long ago, Jack Ryder has been living in seclusion, hiding from the pain and betrayal buried in his past. When the beautiful, hotheaded Scotswoman arrives at his hut looking for a guide, he agrees to take her to the island of Takaku—despite the challenge—just to prove that her stubborn theories about native life are wrong. But when their journey turns dangerous, their fates become forever entwined. Forced to rely on each other for their very survival, they soon discover that passion and even deeper peril await them . . . just beyond the sunrise.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
28 people are currently reading
345 people want to read
About the author
Candice Proctor
7 books204 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 44 reviews
July 15, 2023
If you are a fan of author C.S. Harris and enjoy her Sebastian St.Cyr Regency mystery series, this earlier historical romance by her may pique your interest. Before she developed the St.Cyr series, Harris wrote as Candice Proctor, who, from 1997-2003, was the author of historical romances. Another interesting fact about Proctor/Harris is that she is the sister of Penelope Williamson, a very successful romance and suspense author who released books from the 1980s until 2005.
I had never read Proctor's early historical romances written almost two decades ago but discovered recently that six of them are now available for Kindle. I've read three so far, two set in colonial Australia and this one set in the South Seas. All three have been satisfying reads for me. I am enjoying the settings, which are not your usual fare in HRs.
Now I'm going to go off on another little memory lane tangent. Anybody remember that old 1984 movie "Romancing the Stone" with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas? About an inhibited romance novelist who is thrown into an adventure in Colombia with a roguish American mercenary and adventurer? Or how about an even farther-away memory lane trip to the 1951 movie "The African Queen" with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn? Well, this story by Proctor, which was published in 2003 and takes place in the South Seas in the 1880s, seems to have been inspired by those two very popular old movies. In an old blurb of this book, Proctor's sister Penelope Williamson even says as much: "Think The African Queen meets Romancing the Stone--only better."
In this story our heroine, India McKnight, is a Scottish woman in her late 20s who travels the world and publishes successful books about those travels. She is in the South Seas for her latest travelogue and needs a guide to get to a certain intriguing spot on an island partly inhabited by cannibals. Enter our hero, Australian Jack Ryder, former British naval seaman, now an outlaw accused by the British Navy of causing the wreck of a naval ship and the death of many sailors some ten years ago. He's "gone native" to a large extent, is hard-drinking, rather crude and foulmouthed and uninterested in following any of society's strictures.
He has been recommended to India to serve as her guide to this area of interest and an oil/water//chalk/cheese relationship develops between prim, follow-the-rules India and free-living Jack. He very, very reluctantly agrees to help her and off the story goes. Lots of dangerous adventures ensue. The Navy has recently revived its desire to capture and convict Jack, so they are hot in pursuit of the couple as they "derring do" their way across the island in a rollicking adventure.
There is also backstory for Ryder and India, so we can understand why their personalities as presented at the beginning of the story are as they are. This allows for even more satisfaction as we watch their character growth and the development of their romantic relationship.
This is escape fiction at its escape best. I confess to having watched "Romancing the Stone" several times over the years. This book was better. And I didn't have to listen to Michael Douglas mangle the pronunciation of Cartagena over and over.
I had never read Proctor's early historical romances written almost two decades ago but discovered recently that six of them are now available for Kindle. I've read three so far, two set in colonial Australia and this one set in the South Seas. All three have been satisfying reads for me. I am enjoying the settings, which are not your usual fare in HRs.
Now I'm going to go off on another little memory lane tangent. Anybody remember that old 1984 movie "Romancing the Stone" with Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas? About an inhibited romance novelist who is thrown into an adventure in Colombia with a roguish American mercenary and adventurer? Or how about an even farther-away memory lane trip to the 1951 movie "The African Queen" with Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn? Well, this story by Proctor, which was published in 2003 and takes place in the South Seas in the 1880s, seems to have been inspired by those two very popular old movies. In an old blurb of this book, Proctor's sister Penelope Williamson even says as much: "Think The African Queen meets Romancing the Stone--only better."
In this story our heroine, India McKnight, is a Scottish woman in her late 20s who travels the world and publishes successful books about those travels. She is in the South Seas for her latest travelogue and needs a guide to get to a certain intriguing spot on an island partly inhabited by cannibals. Enter our hero, Australian Jack Ryder, former British naval seaman, now an outlaw accused by the British Navy of causing the wreck of a naval ship and the death of many sailors some ten years ago. He's "gone native" to a large extent, is hard-drinking, rather crude and foulmouthed and uninterested in following any of society's strictures.
He has been recommended to India to serve as her guide to this area of interest and an oil/water//chalk/cheese relationship develops between prim, follow-the-rules India and free-living Jack. He very, very reluctantly agrees to help her and off the story goes. Lots of dangerous adventures ensue. The Navy has recently revived its desire to capture and convict Jack, so they are hot in pursuit of the couple as they "derring do" their way across the island in a rollicking adventure.
There is also backstory for Ryder and India, so we can understand why their personalities as presented at the beginning of the story are as they are. This allows for even more satisfaction as we watch their character growth and the development of their romantic relationship.
This is escape fiction at its escape best. I confess to having watched "Romancing the Stone" several times over the years. This book was better. And I didn't have to listen to Michael Douglas mangle the pronunciation of Cartagena over and over.
February 23, 2021
3.75 stars ...
I've said it before ... I really like this author. Set on the high seas of the South Pacific, it's not exactly a swashbuckling, pirate tale but has a nautical theme ... "nautical", I said, not "naughty"!! Balmy sea breezes and trade winds are the background to this tale of Jack Ryder, a renegade on the run from the British Navy and India McKnight, a scholarly Scottish Miss, a travel writer who cherishes her independence and is happy with her lot ... or so she thinks.
JACK ...
INDIA ...
Maybe a bit too heavy on the descriptions of the flora and fauna but, overall, an enjoyable read.
I've said it before ... I really like this author. Set on the high seas of the South Pacific, it's not exactly a swashbuckling, pirate tale but has a nautical theme ... "nautical", I said, not "naughty"!! Balmy sea breezes and trade winds are the background to this tale of Jack Ryder, a renegade on the run from the British Navy and India McKnight, a scholarly Scottish Miss, a travel writer who cherishes her independence and is happy with her lot ... or so she thinks.
JACK ...
"Are you telling me that Mr. Ryder spent last night gambling? And drinking?"
INDIA ...
"I am Scottish, not English."
It had been only a kiss, she reminded herself.
Only a kiss.
And yet it had changed everything, and they both knew it.
"A man gets used to running. Sometimes, it takes more courage to revisit the past than to just keep running."
Maybe a bit too heavy on the descriptions of the flora and fauna but, overall, an enjoyable read.
January 28, 2021
An enjoyable and very readable adventure romance set in the South Seas, or as we might refer to it today, the islands of the South Pacific Ocean. It's a bit Indiana Jones, a bit Romancing the Stone. The hero, Jack, is an Australian who grew up on a sheep station in Queensland, and went on to serve with the British Navy. Now in disgrace, he is on the run from a slightly obsessed British naval captain and his lieutenant who are under orders to capture him.
The heroine, India McKnight, is a likeable and independent young Scot who makes her living travelling to exotic locations around the world and writing books about her travels.
Jack and India meet on a South Pacific Island when India hires him to be a guide. And let the adventures begin! There are crazy chases through the jungle and by sea, navigation through terrifying reefs, spooky caves full of skulls, a sinking raft, a giant phallic sculptural artefact, a rescue from cannibals (yes, really!), a fistfight on the edge of a cliff, secret documents hidden in a cave.... and so it goes on. Lots of fun, although the story did get rather angsty at times, especially for Jack and his terrible past experiences.
But it's balanced out by moments of sheer beauty and the glory of the natural world around them. Jack and India form a strong and deeply felt relationship, and the ending of the book is satisfying, with redemption, a HEA, and some surprises.
Ms Proctor is very good at conveying the fabulous settings of her books. She is becoming a new favourite author of mine. A pity she did not write many HRs, but at least they are available on kindle now.
The heroine, India McKnight, is a likeable and independent young Scot who makes her living travelling to exotic locations around the world and writing books about her travels.
Jack and India meet on a South Pacific Island when India hires him to be a guide. And let the adventures begin! There are crazy chases through the jungle and by sea, navigation through terrifying reefs, spooky caves full of skulls, a sinking raft, a giant phallic sculptural artefact, a rescue from cannibals (yes, really!), a fistfight on the edge of a cliff, secret documents hidden in a cave.... and so it goes on. Lots of fun, although the story did get rather angsty at times, especially for Jack and his terrible past experiences.
But it's balanced out by moments of sheer beauty and the glory of the natural world around them. Jack and India form a strong and deeply felt relationship, and the ending of the book is satisfying, with redemption, a HEA, and some surprises.
Ms Proctor is very good at conveying the fabulous settings of her books. She is becoming a new favourite author of mine. A pity she did not write many HRs, but at least they are available on kindle now.
March 5, 2010
4.5 stars. A wonderful high-adventure story that takes you on a wild chase through the South Pacific island jungles as our H/h try to out run the British Navy to prove the hero's innocence of a crime committed 10-years earlier. It had it all: Cannibles, volcanos, burial caves, rope bridges over deep canyons, crocodiles, sharks, ship races, tretchory and lies, great local native characters...etc. I half expected King Kong to enter the story, it was such a wild adventure ride. The action never let up, and the romance was so touching. The romance is a PG-13 (warm), but overall very satisfying. The book reminded me of Indian Jones, King Kong, The Mummy...etc. kind of action and romance. My mind was hearing big orchestra music through many of the scenes! Fun book.
February 9, 2021
South Pacific 1883, gave this 3.5 stars.
Jack a rude & crude Australian, & former Royal Navy
man, agreed to transport for a fee, Scots spinster travel
writer, India, to an isle known for its stone carvings.
Also home to cannibals. Over time, we saw Jack as a more
complex man, based on an event 10 yrs prior where nearly
all Navy men aboard drowned during a ship's accident.
Jack encouraged India to live in the present, ironic b/c of
his past regrets & knowledge that the Royal Navy planned
to capture and hang him, weighed heavily on him.
Jack + India underestimated each other's knowledge,
strength, stamina & attraction. They went on the run,
which made for an interesting romance. Patu, a young
island man, showed loyalty & quick-thinking to assist
the MCs.
Some of the nautical, climate & geographical features
seemed interesting but beyond my full comprehension.
Jack added to the natural beauty by his frequent nude
or semi-nude state. Why stand on ceremony?
Jack a rude & crude Australian, & former Royal Navy
man, agreed to transport for a fee, Scots spinster travel
writer, India, to an isle known for its stone carvings.
Also home to cannibals. Over time, we saw Jack as a more
complex man, based on an event 10 yrs prior where nearly
all Navy men aboard drowned during a ship's accident.
Jack encouraged India to live in the present, ironic b/c of
his past regrets & knowledge that the Royal Navy planned
to capture and hang him, weighed heavily on him.
Jack + India underestimated each other's knowledge,
strength, stamina & attraction. They went on the run,
which made for an interesting romance. Patu, a young
island man, showed loyalty & quick-thinking to assist
the MCs.
Some of the nautical, climate & geographical features
seemed interesting but beyond my full comprehension.
Jack added to the natural beauty by his frequent nude
or semi-nude state. Why stand on ceremony?
March 9, 2016
I really enjoyed this book and had the gem on my TBR for a long time. I will say I wish Candice still wrote pure romances, because she does such a great job. I love her mystery suspense, but wish she would write in the genre as well again.
The time frame of this book is just prior to the turn of the century I believe, just based on some descriptions that I read. It was made real clear. India, our heroine is a straight-laced spinster, whom also writes travelogues for the masses. She is in the beautiful, lush South Pacific needing a guide to take her to an island to look at some rock carvings. Enter our hero, Jack Ryder. A self-described, "antisocial renegade wanted by the British bloody navy for mayhem and murder." But India is made of sterner stuff and still wants to hire Jack. It has absolutely nothing to do with those deep blue eyes or those wide shoulders....NOTHING. ;-) That island has reported to have cannibals and evidently Jack has lived among them in the past.
Now on the surface this seems like a pretty cut and dried romance, but there is more going on below the surface. Did Jack really murder all those men 10 years ago? After we get his painful story, one begins to see his point of view. I think India was at first surprised and dismayed at Jack's history and then once she begin to get to know the people around her, she became a staunch supporter of those people's rights. India was afraid though, afraid of her feelings and what they represented to her freedom as a woman. She makes Jack work way to hard to make her trust him.
This book is like a cross between The African Queen and Romancing the Stone. So if you like those kinds of stories you might like this. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the ending was way too short. We went through a lot with India and Jack and I would have liked to have had a bit more ending. I wanted to know them, with them being happy and in love without anybody chasing them or shooting at them. We also didn't get a real resolution with Jack and Ulani. Those were small things in comparison to the big love that I had for this book.
The time frame of this book is just prior to the turn of the century I believe, just based on some descriptions that I read. It was made real clear. India, our heroine is a straight-laced spinster, whom also writes travelogues for the masses. She is in the beautiful, lush South Pacific needing a guide to take her to an island to look at some rock carvings. Enter our hero, Jack Ryder. A self-described, "antisocial renegade wanted by the British bloody navy for mayhem and murder." But India is made of sterner stuff and still wants to hire Jack. It has absolutely nothing to do with those deep blue eyes or those wide shoulders....NOTHING. ;-) That island has reported to have cannibals and evidently Jack has lived among them in the past.
Now on the surface this seems like a pretty cut and dried romance, but there is more going on below the surface. Did Jack really murder all those men 10 years ago? After we get his painful story, one begins to see his point of view. I think India was at first surprised and dismayed at Jack's history and then once she begin to get to know the people around her, she became a staunch supporter of those people's rights. India was afraid though, afraid of her feelings and what they represented to her freedom as a woman. She makes Jack work way to hard to make her trust him.
This book is like a cross between The African Queen and Romancing the Stone. So if you like those kinds of stories you might like this. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the ending was way too short. We went through a lot with India and Jack and I would have liked to have had a bit more ending. I wanted to know them, with them being happy and in love without anybody chasing them or shooting at them. We also didn't get a real resolution with Jack and Ulani. Those were small things in comparison to the big love that I had for this book.
August 4, 2022
A great adventure romance! Great sexual tension although low steam (only a few kisses and 1 full love scene - brief and not explicit). Oh, but the longing, the longing on both sides was fantastic.
July 3, 2021
I have not posted anything here on Goodreads for at least a couple of months...and I am at least 15 books behind with at least a rating/date read. However, I can't let this book become one of those 15. This book deserves at least a few sentences of praise...it deserves more than that actually but my life is a bit crazy lately. For me, this was easily a 5 star read. Jack Ryder (even his name is cool) is one of the best heroes I have encountered. What a guy....we all could use a Jack Ryder in our life. Handsome, brash, kind, honorable, fearless, cool, capable, handsome (did I already mention that?). And author India McKnight was a woman I would like as well. That is not often the case in romance novels. This book has been compared to Romancing the Stone, a movie I definitely saw but can't remember a whole lot of. I would also compare Jack to a 1880s James Bond type character. I can see him now, shirtless and guiding his boat through treacherous waters.
For all Jack and India's narrow escapes, this book is not some slapstick adventure. There is suspense and adventure to be sure, but it is also a book with much feeling. I love me some angst and there is plenty to go around.
My admiration for author C.S. Harris/Candice Proctor is growing with each book. I have already read all but the last from the St Cyr series and now have read three books she wrote as Candice Proctor. She certainly has the ability to make you feel like you are right there with the characters...whether that is Australia, New Orleans, the South Pacific or England.
Do yourself a favor and pry yourself away from the ton and stuffy ballrooms and spend some time with Jack Ryder and India. It will be time well spent and you just may miss them, like I do right now, when you finish.
For all Jack and India's narrow escapes, this book is not some slapstick adventure. There is suspense and adventure to be sure, but it is also a book with much feeling. I love me some angst and there is plenty to go around.
My admiration for author C.S. Harris/Candice Proctor is growing with each book. I have already read all but the last from the St Cyr series and now have read three books she wrote as Candice Proctor. She certainly has the ability to make you feel like you are right there with the characters...whether that is Australia, New Orleans, the South Pacific or England.
Do yourself a favor and pry yourself away from the ton and stuffy ballrooms and spend some time with Jack Ryder and India. It will be time well spent and you just may miss them, like I do right now, when you finish.
January 9, 2008
I should have reviewed this one right after I read it; I'm a bit fuzzy about what I wanted to say about it.
Overall, I liked it. Fun! Adventure! Romance!
The hero seemed to spend a ridiculous amount of time nude. Was I supposed to find this hot? I found it bizarre. I find romance novels fascinating; I am forever baffled by what other people apparently get off on.
I wanted to like the heroine more. I didn't dislike her, but I did occasionally want to smack her.
Oh, and the hero and villain had more chemistry than the hero and heroine.
And I liked the villain's second-in-command dude. I kept wishing the book was more about him and less about everyone else.
Also, the villain and his second-in-command dude had more chemistry than the hero and heroine.
I think I was also annoyed at the end when the heroine, after having vowed never to marry, gave in and said she would marry the hero instead of just living in sin with him forever. I do wish I could read a romance novel where the heroine says she will never marry and actually sticks to it. Apparently this is taboo in the world of romance; a happy ending is incomplete without a marriage. Boo to that, says I. I'd rather a heroine who sticks to her beliefs and a hero that respects her for it.
It was enjoyable enough though.
Overall, I liked it. Fun! Adventure! Romance!
The hero seemed to spend a ridiculous amount of time nude. Was I supposed to find this hot? I found it bizarre. I find romance novels fascinating; I am forever baffled by what other people apparently get off on.
I wanted to like the heroine more. I didn't dislike her, but I did occasionally want to smack her.
Oh, and the hero and villain had more chemistry than the hero and heroine.
And I liked the villain's second-in-command dude. I kept wishing the book was more about him and less about everyone else.
Also, the villain and his second-in-command dude had more chemistry than the hero and heroine.
I think I was also annoyed at the end when the heroine, after having vowed never to marry, gave in and said she would marry the hero instead of just living in sin with him forever. I do wish I could read a romance novel where the heroine says she will never marry and actually sticks to it. Apparently this is taboo in the world of romance; a happy ending is incomplete without a marriage. Boo to that, says I. I'd rather a heroine who sticks to her beliefs and a hero that respects her for it.
It was enjoyable enough though.
February 23, 2021
2.5-3 stars. This book was TEDIOUS. This was the second Candice Proctor I have read and I did not enjoy this one as much as I did Night in Eden. The main problem I had with this book was the hero. He was a dick! He abused the heroine for no reason whatsoever, he misjudged her without ever having gotten to know her, and he made fun of her at every opportunity possible. I understand that he had a tortured past but that did not excuse his behavior towards India.
The other reason why I didn't exactly love this book was the exhausting descriptions of all the flora and fauna of the island. I can handle a bit of description but dear Lord did it get exhausting. For a book about a couple fleeing through the jungle to avoid the hero being hanged this book was surprisingly boring for the most part.
Also, they fell in love out of nowhere. Jack and India went from loathing everything about each other to randomly being in love? I get that they were fleeing together in the jungle but I didn't really see where the emotional depth came from. If anything I think they were just in lust with one another
because of the thrill of the chase. And Jack never truly apologized for holding India hostage and kidnapping her, which was BS. Also, would have liked an epilogue to see how everything turned out between them as an actual couple.
The other reason why I didn't exactly love this book was the exhausting descriptions of all the flora and fauna of the island. I can handle a bit of description but dear Lord did it get exhausting. For a book about a couple fleeing through the jungle to avoid the hero being hanged this book was surprisingly boring for the most part.
Also, they fell in love out of nowhere. Jack and India went from loathing everything about each other to randomly being in love? I get that they were fleeing together in the jungle but I didn't really see where the emotional depth came from. If anything I think they were just in lust with one another
because of the thrill of the chase. And Jack never truly apologized for holding India hostage and kidnapping her, which was BS. Also, would have liked an epilogue to see how everything turned out between them as an actual couple.
October 14, 2021
I’ve been meaning to read something by this author for some time. This was a great place to start: full of adventure, with very evocative prose. The South Pacific setting is beautifully rendered (so many types of vegetation I’ve never heard of!) - plenty of warm breezes and silver seas, sunrises and gold-drenching sunsets, thundering reefs… all very lush and lovely.
Jack and India are appealing characters, both of themselves and together. Their connection builds quickly, but it’s believable. What starts out as a rollicking yarn takes on a more serious note as the tragedy in Jack’s past is revealed. And as the net closes in around him, the story has a few surprises in store.
All up an entertaining, very satisfying read, and I’ll definitely read more by this author.
Jack and India are appealing characters, both of themselves and together. Their connection builds quickly, but it’s believable. What starts out as a rollicking yarn takes on a more serious note as the tragedy in Jack’s past is revealed. And as the net closes in around him, the story has a few surprises in store.
All up an entertaining, very satisfying read, and I’ll definitely read more by this author.
May 15, 2022
Well, between 3 and 4 stars.
Too much landscape description, adventure, too little steam and sexy time.
Needed more happily ever after
Epilogue or something more
Interesting unique plot
Not safe
Too much landscape description, adventure, too little steam and sexy time.
Needed more happily ever after
Epilogue or something more
Interesting unique plot
Not safe
August 4, 2014
More like a 3.5/5. It was fun but I felt the ending was a little lackluster.
I tracked down Beyond Sunrise after realizing Candice Proctor is also the wonderful author, C.S. Harris (of the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries). I had no idea that Harris also wrote historical romances under another name, so I had to check one out considering how obsessed I am with the St. Cyr series. While there was a lot to like in Beyond Sunrise I do think the author's mystery series is much stronger.
India McKnight is a travel writer and she has come to the South Pacific to work on a new piece. Unluckily, India stumbles into a bit of a trap that's been set for reluctant guide, Jack Ryder, who is a wanted man. When she's taken hostage by the brash Jack she soon learns there's more to the events that have put a price on Jack's head, and there's much more behind that man's careless smile.
For his part, Jack's not all that thrilled to be dragging India around. He's not a fan of her prim and spinsterish ways, but like India learns about him, Jack also discovers that there's more to India than she appears on first meeting. Thankfully for both of them, the British navy and cannibals are hunting them down, forcing the pair into closer contact. The more time they spend together, the more they realize that the other might just be what they are looking for.
Overall, I thought Beyond Sunrise was a nice beach read. I'm happy to have read it, but I don't think it's one that will stick out in my memory. What I did like was the sense of adventure and exotic locale that was part of Beyond Sunrise. Readers were treated to a great setting and with this author, it was more than window dressing. One of the things I love most about the St. Cyr mysteries is the rich historical London setting; Harris does an amazing job of conveying daily life in the Regency era. This sense of place is no different in Beyond Sunrise. The setting was lush and exotic and it became part of the story in Beyond Sunrise.
India and Jack were both interesting characters, and their bantering dynamic was amusing, and reminded me of several movies that I've included at the end of this post. India especially was an interesting character. In a lot of ways she reminded me of Hero from the St. Cyr series, which I liked. She also reminded me of Amity, also a travel writer, from Amanda Quick's Otherwise Engaged. However, when I finished the book I realized the characters both seemed a little one dimensional, which was disappointing because I find Harris' characters from St. Cyr to be so well developed. For both India and Jack I found that certain things from their past were just dropped in to make them seem like they had more depth, but in each case these past experiences weren't used to their full effect. I'll go into that, so be warned, spoilers ahead.
Ultimately, I liked Beyond Sunrise. The exotic location was great and it really became part of the story. What didn't work for me was the characters. Both Jack and India were fun, but they lacked depth. I still recommend it, it's a great book to read this summer if you don't get to go on vacation (armchair travel, if you will), but I wouldn't go in expecting the level of detail that some romances go into.
For my recommended movies, see my blog.
I tracked down Beyond Sunrise after realizing Candice Proctor is also the wonderful author, C.S. Harris (of the Sebastian St. Cyr mysteries). I had no idea that Harris also wrote historical romances under another name, so I had to check one out considering how obsessed I am with the St. Cyr series. While there was a lot to like in Beyond Sunrise I do think the author's mystery series is much stronger.
India McKnight is a travel writer and she has come to the South Pacific to work on a new piece. Unluckily, India stumbles into a bit of a trap that's been set for reluctant guide, Jack Ryder, who is a wanted man. When she's taken hostage by the brash Jack she soon learns there's more to the events that have put a price on Jack's head, and there's much more behind that man's careless smile.
For his part, Jack's not all that thrilled to be dragging India around. He's not a fan of her prim and spinsterish ways, but like India learns about him, Jack also discovers that there's more to India than she appears on first meeting. Thankfully for both of them, the British navy and cannibals are hunting them down, forcing the pair into closer contact. The more time they spend together, the more they realize that the other might just be what they are looking for.
Overall, I thought Beyond Sunrise was a nice beach read. I'm happy to have read it, but I don't think it's one that will stick out in my memory. What I did like was the sense of adventure and exotic locale that was part of Beyond Sunrise. Readers were treated to a great setting and with this author, it was more than window dressing. One of the things I love most about the St. Cyr mysteries is the rich historical London setting; Harris does an amazing job of conveying daily life in the Regency era. This sense of place is no different in Beyond Sunrise. The setting was lush and exotic and it became part of the story in Beyond Sunrise.
India and Jack were both interesting characters, and their bantering dynamic was amusing, and reminded me of several movies that I've included at the end of this post. India especially was an interesting character. In a lot of ways she reminded me of Hero from the St. Cyr series, which I liked. She also reminded me of Amity, also a travel writer, from Amanda Quick's Otherwise Engaged. However, when I finished the book I realized the characters both seemed a little one dimensional, which was disappointing because I find Harris' characters from St. Cyr to be so well developed. For both India and Jack I found that certain things from their past were just dropped in to make them seem like they had more depth, but in each case these past experiences weren't used to their full effect. I'll go into that, so be warned, spoilers ahead.
Ultimately, I liked Beyond Sunrise. The exotic location was great and it really became part of the story. What didn't work for me was the characters. Both Jack and India were fun, but they lacked depth. I still recommend it, it's a great book to read this summer if you don't get to go on vacation (armchair travel, if you will), but I wouldn't go in expecting the level of detail that some romances go into.
For my recommended movies, see my blog.
November 18, 2025
I am obsessed with this book. How is there only one from this author left!
August 5, 2012
Victorian Adventure and Love in Polynesia from a master of Historical Romance!
Set in 1868 in the South Pacific, this tells the story of India McKnight, a tall Scottish spinster and travel writer who arrives in the Polynesian islands determined to find passage to the island of Takaku for her research. But the only person who will take her to the cannibal-infested island is Jack Ryder, an Australian being pursued by the British Navy, ostensibly for causing the death of most of a ship's crew 10 years before. In the course of his reluctantly helping India reach her goal, he holds her captive in the jungle to save himself from the pursuing British Navy.
Two people from very different walks of life, thrust together in intimate circumstances can get to know each other very well. Such is the substance of this story: a woman who carved out an independent life trying to avoid society’s expectations for her, and a man who, in some ways, had thrown his life away, must find a way to communicate as they are pursued by cannibals and the British Navy, including a man Jack once called his friend.
As always, Proctor slowly and wonderfully builds the layers of her characters and the challenges they faced in the past and the ones confronting them now. Often stripped of their clothes due to cold, heat or misadventures, they are also stripped of the veneer that both wear, until they see that what lies between them is too unique to ignore, or to cast away. The setting is exotic and beautiful and there is adventure on the sea as well.
Another great from Candice Proctor…I recommend it!
Set in 1868 in the South Pacific, this tells the story of India McKnight, a tall Scottish spinster and travel writer who arrives in the Polynesian islands determined to find passage to the island of Takaku for her research. But the only person who will take her to the cannibal-infested island is Jack Ryder, an Australian being pursued by the British Navy, ostensibly for causing the death of most of a ship's crew 10 years before. In the course of his reluctantly helping India reach her goal, he holds her captive in the jungle to save himself from the pursuing British Navy.
Two people from very different walks of life, thrust together in intimate circumstances can get to know each other very well. Such is the substance of this story: a woman who carved out an independent life trying to avoid society’s expectations for her, and a man who, in some ways, had thrown his life away, must find a way to communicate as they are pursued by cannibals and the British Navy, including a man Jack once called his friend.
As always, Proctor slowly and wonderfully builds the layers of her characters and the challenges they faced in the past and the ones confronting them now. Often stripped of their clothes due to cold, heat or misadventures, they are also stripped of the veneer that both wear, until they see that what lies between them is too unique to ignore, or to cast away. The setting is exotic and beautiful and there is adventure on the sea as well.
Another great from Candice Proctor…I recommend it!
May 14, 2016
By all means this is not a bad book. There are a couple of reasons why I think it deserves 3.5 stars. First, there are way too much description of the surroundings. After a while you get so tired of reading about vegetation, trees, fruits, cliffs, ocean ,etc, etc. Second, and most important, the romance is not convincing. It seems that the hero still loves someone else. The chemistry between the hero and the heroine is weak . I read" Whispers of Heavens" and "Night in Eden" and they were really good books. This one was not as good...
August 27, 2021
Other reviewers nailed it! This book is Romancing the Stone meets The African Queen (two of my favorite movies). It was action pretty much from the beginning, which is always fun. I would call this slow burn, except unlike other Candice Proctor books, these two MC’s had an attraction from the beginning and you could tell they were into each other. I love that suppressed sizzle!
I loved both MC’s, especially Jack! He was dealt a pretty shitty hand, but he maintained his humor and that added a lot of fun to this book.
India was great because even though she wasn’t conventional (because of her occupation) she tried to make up for it by being very haughty and conservative. Jack had a grand time whittling her down. She was smart, funny, loyal, forward thinking and best of all she had a spine! Great book!
I loved both MC’s, especially Jack! He was dealt a pretty shitty hand, but he maintained his humor and that added a lot of fun to this book.
India was great because even though she wasn’t conventional (because of her occupation) she tried to make up for it by being very haughty and conservative. Jack had a grand time whittling her down. She was smart, funny, loyal, forward thinking and best of all she had a spine! Great book!
March 31, 2024
Really enjoyed this! Kept me up till very late reading, as the adventure and action throughout was intriguing. The romance started off as a slow burn, but I think once India and Jack began to act on their attraction the feelings evolved quite quickly, especially from Jack's perspective. These characters only knew each other for a week or so for a lot of the book, but I suppose a lot happened to them and between them, so their chemistry and ultimate relationship was believeable. I enjoyed this authors writing style, although it was a little over-descriptive at times especially in relation to talk of the history of the natives and land etc, a lot of it was lost on me. But overall, I was relieved to find Beyond Sunrise when I did as I've been in a bit of a book-slump recently. Will definitely read more by Candice Proctor. 3.5 stars.
May 5, 2018
In my experience, the most fascinating and rewarding places to visit are always those I have been expressly warned to avoid."
After all the tears this author has caused me, it was nice to have a light-hearted and fun read! This book is full of adventure and contains an excellent enemies to lovers theme. India is a delightful heroine; I adored her. Like all this author's books, the scenery and knowledge of history is outstanding.
After all the tears this author has caused me, it was nice to have a light-hearted and fun read! This book is full of adventure and contains an excellent enemies to lovers theme. India is a delightful heroine; I adored her. Like all this author's books, the scenery and knowledge of history is outstanding.
August 11, 2024
Beyond Sunrise promises an intriguing premise: a travel writer thrown into the untamed wilderness with a convicted felon. The concept is undeniably captivating, and the author certainly doesn’t shy away from creating a tense atmosphere. However, the novel's greatest strength is also its downfall. While the plot is undeniably interesting, the pace is agonizingly slow. The build-up is extensive, and readers eager for the story to unfold might find themselves growing impatient. The character development of the travel writer is compelling, but the overall narrative lacks the urgency needed to truly grip the reader. It’s a book that rewards patience, but for those seeking a fast-paced thrill ride, this might not be the journey for you.
March 14, 2022
This one definitely top the list of my favorite books by candice proctor. This is my first time reading a book about a female travel writer, and i enjoyed it immensely.. how i love the hero and the heroine, their banter, their fights, and their lovey dovey moments.. candice proctor is truly a great writer, but please please please provide an epilogue too :(
January 7, 2024
Despite being an adventure romance, it plodded. I feel like it needed a strong editor to raise the external stakes and keep the tension high, and instead it’s a lot of virginal blushing and thought monologues.
November 4, 2020
4.5 stars—a thoroughly enjoyable swashbuckling adventure that I could not put down, so read it in a day! My only complaint was that it ended abruptly, very anticlimactic after all the adventure.
October 8, 2021
Not sure what to make of the racial politics here. Ending was wrapped up a little too quickly.
April 1, 2022
Well, I didn't expect a romantic adventure story! But since I took about two days to read it, I guess it was engagingly written :)
February 28, 2023
Dare I say the mummy 1999 vibes?
(Less banter, also a lot of talk about cultural elitism but also all indigenous tribes referred to as 'savages and cannibals' the entire time)
(Less banter, also a lot of talk about cultural elitism but also all indigenous tribes referred to as 'savages and cannibals' the entire time)
May 29, 2023
I accidentally picked up this book, quickly realized I had read it before, but enjoyed reading it again. Now I will move on to more of Candice Proctor's books. Yes, I recommend it.
July 14, 2023
4 stars
A bit of an African Queen vibe....the starchy scottish travel writer meets the renegrade sensualist but an enjoyable romp.
A bit of an African Queen vibe....the starchy scottish travel writer meets the renegrade sensualist but an enjoyable romp.
July 28, 2023
4.5⭐️
March 7, 2024
I can’t believe this book made it in my top 10. I’m never going to stop thinking about this holy shit
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