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Crown's Spies #3
The Gift
Librarian's Note: Alternate-cover edition for ISBN13: 9780671702502
A child bride, Sara Winchester had grown into a winsome beauty, joyfully anticipating the day when her husband Nathan, Marquess of St. James, would return to claim her heart at last. Charmingly innocent, she dismissed the ancient feud that divided Nathan's family from her own...and she was totally unaware of his past exploits as the notorious pirate, Pagan. The man who now stood before her was perplexing, arrogant and powerfully handsome...a warrior-gentleman whose gentle touch aroused her to the wildest, deepest pleasures of love.
A child bride, Sara Winchester had grown into a winsome beauty, joyfully anticipating the day when her husband Nathan, Marquess of St. James, would return to claim her heart at last. Charmingly innocent, she dismissed the ancient feud that divided Nathan's family from her own...and she was totally unaware of his past exploits as the notorious pirate, Pagan. The man who now stood before her was perplexing, arrogant and powerfully handsome...a warrior-gentleman whose gentle touch aroused her to the wildest, deepest pleasures of love.
Nathan had never bared his soul to any woman, but he was soon utterly beguiled and exasperated by Sara's sweet, defiant ways. Aboard his ship, The Seahawk, she was brave, imperious and determined to win his heart completely -- yet upon their return to England, her love would be sorely tested as a vile conspiracy tried to tear them apart. With their future at stake, they would discover the true destiny of their passion...for all time!
373 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
809 people are currently reading
5753 people want to read
About the author
Julie Garwood
151 books12.6k followersWith more than 35 million books in print and 26 NEW YORK TIMES bestsellers, Julie Garwood has earned a position among America's favorite fiction writers.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 809 reviews
November 21, 2021
Re-read: 11/20/21
All the Stars. All the Time.
This is one of my most read books. Ever. It's been one of my favorites for decades and I adore it.
Nothing compares to classic Julie Garwood.
I adore them all.
That's all.
All the Stars. All the Time.
This is one of my most read books. Ever. It's been one of my favorites for decades and I adore it.
Nothing compares to classic Julie Garwood.
I adore them all.
That's all.
June 2, 2010
This book is awful. I have read Garwood before and thoroughly enjoyed the tale, but this one has such cardboard characters in search of a plot that I'm surprised I managed to finish plowing through it. Truly terrible and from an author I've enjoyed prior to this.
Sara, the female lead(can't even call this one a heroine) was married at the age of four to the then fourteen year old Nathan in order to settle a centuries old feud between their families. When this story begins it's years later and Nathan has come to collect his bride.
Sara is the most ridiculous insipid air-head that I've ever had the displeasure to come across. She sounds and behaves more like a ten year old crybaby than the grown woman she is supposed to be. I bet there isn't two pages in the entire book in which she isn't sobbing, weeping, crying, sniffling, about to burst into tears or her eyes watering in an emoting way of some kind. She even cries after the sexin, but those are tears of rapturous uncontrollable joy. Whatev. I really wanted to tell her to grow the heck up. She actually stomps on her husband's foot when they are having a disagreeement. That bears repeating: She stomps her dainty childlike foot on his to make a point. She is in love with him after about two days and all she can think about, when she's thinking at all, which is seldom, is how to make Nathan say he loves her since she's already sure that he does and even tells him what a perfect wife she is for him. Oh, if only that were true.
Nathan, for his part, glares, grunts, grumbles, groans and gets right down to the sexin, because they have to have a baby to get the land from the ..... oh never mind, this really isn't important to the story, oh wait, except that it's supposedly what this whole messy mishmash is about. He might be an interesting character, but we barely get to know him. What's his history? Who is he? Why is he how he is? Nathan has terrible scars on his back which are mentioned, but never really explained, much like everything in this book.
Of course, everyone simply falls in love with Sara because, who knows?
Silly, lacking of any story until about the last thirty pages. Basically it's have sex, she provokes him/does something stupd, have sex, provokes/does stupid, repeat.......
I'd give this one star, but I give those only to books I truly can't stand so it gets an extremely reluctant two.
Poorly done from an author who can certainly do better. My recommendation: Choose another of her novels.
Sara, the female lead(can't even call this one a heroine) was married at the age of four to the then fourteen year old Nathan in order to settle a centuries old feud between their families. When this story begins it's years later and Nathan has come to collect his bride.
Sara is the most ridiculous insipid air-head that I've ever had the displeasure to come across. She sounds and behaves more like a ten year old crybaby than the grown woman she is supposed to be. I bet there isn't two pages in the entire book in which she isn't sobbing, weeping, crying, sniffling, about to burst into tears or her eyes watering in an emoting way of some kind. She even cries after the sexin, but those are tears of rapturous uncontrollable joy. Whatev. I really wanted to tell her to grow the heck up. She actually stomps on her husband's foot when they are having a disagreeement. That bears repeating: She stomps her dainty childlike foot on his to make a point. She is in love with him after about two days and all she can think about, when she's thinking at all, which is seldom, is how to make Nathan say he loves her since she's already sure that he does and even tells him what a perfect wife she is for him. Oh, if only that were true.
Nathan, for his part, glares, grunts, grumbles, groans and gets right down to the sexin, because they have to have a baby to get the land from the ..... oh never mind, this really isn't important to the story, oh wait, except that it's supposedly what this whole messy mishmash is about. He might be an interesting character, but we barely get to know him. What's his history? Who is he? Why is he how he is? Nathan has terrible scars on his back which are mentioned, but never really explained, much like everything in this book.
Of course, everyone simply falls in love with Sara because, who knows?
Silly, lacking of any story until about the last thirty pages. Basically it's have sex, she provokes him/does something stupd, have sex, provokes/does stupid, repeat.......
I'd give this one star, but I give those only to books I truly can't stand so it gets an extremely reluctant two.
Poorly done from an author who can certainly do better. My recommendation: Choose another of her novels.
August 1, 2015
The parasols nearly sunk the boat...I mean ship
The Gift by Julie Garwood has always been one of my favourite historical romance novels. I haven't re-read it in years and when friends decided a Julie Garwood buddy read was in order, The Gift was chosen.
We are introduced to Nathan at the age of fourteen and Sara at the age of four. The daft King decided to stop the feuding between each of their families by joining the young couple in marriage. Sara's family are despicable and throughout the story we see them at their worst. Nathan's is not much better, but they are loyal. When the couple finally come together to live as man and wife, it's not all plain sailing.
I loved this couple. Sara is an absolute crack up. Her naive outlook on life and her unquestionable faith in her husband is sweet. Nathan is a gruff and impatient man who wants the contract fulfilled without his emotions getting involved. Their journey is filled with rough seas and dastardly parasols, but Sara's positive outlook and Nathan's determination help them survive the storms.
Julie Garwood is one of the most brilliant historical romance authors and her stories always leave me with a smile on my face. She brings her characters to life and makes you fall in love with them. This was a great reminder to step back in time more regularly and enjoy the fun, excitement, sexy times and adventure that a good historical romance provides.
This review and more can be found at http://edgyreviews.com/
The Gift by Julie Garwood has always been one of my favourite historical romance novels. I haven't re-read it in years and when friends decided a Julie Garwood buddy read was in order, The Gift was chosen.
We are introduced to Nathan at the age of fourteen and Sara at the age of four. The daft King decided to stop the feuding between each of their families by joining the young couple in marriage. Sara's family are despicable and throughout the story we see them at their worst. Nathan's is not much better, but they are loyal. When the couple finally come together to live as man and wife, it's not all plain sailing.
I loved this couple. Sara is an absolute crack up. Her naive outlook on life and her unquestionable faith in her husband is sweet. Nathan is a gruff and impatient man who wants the contract fulfilled without his emotions getting involved. Their journey is filled with rough seas and dastardly parasols, but Sara's positive outlook and Nathan's determination help them survive the storms.
Julie Garwood is one of the most brilliant historical romance authors and her stories always leave me with a smile on my face. She brings her characters to life and makes you fall in love with them. This was a great reminder to step back in time more regularly and enjoy the fun, excitement, sexy times and adventure that a good historical romance provides.
This review and more can be found at http://edgyreviews.com/
August 22, 2013
4 "fun-filled" stars!
I've LOVED listening to this series. The Gift is another charming and delightful book by the very talented Julie Garwood. I can't seem to get enough of this author and that says it all.
I've LOVED listening to this series. The Gift is another charming and delightful book by the very talented Julie Garwood. I can't seem to get enough of this author and that says it all.
October 28, 2015
The Gift was a great novel. It is a story of two fuding families and how won four year old girl is betrothed to won eighteen year old boy from the rival family are to put an end to this fight.
The young family grow to trust and love each other. The book was very well written a definite page turner. I would recommend this to people over eighteen because of the violents and explisit descriptions of sex.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
The young family grow to trust and love each other. The book was very well written a definite page turner. I would recommend this to people over eighteen because of the violents and explisit descriptions of sex.
Enjoy and Be Blessed.
Diamond
December 10, 2021
3.75 stars
omg this is L-O-W-K-E-Y the historical version of “IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER” by Tessa Bailey and IM HERE FOR IT.
the h annoyed me more than anything. i mean, the magnitude of what an airhead she was was truly confounding. i had no idea someone could be that dumb about the most basic things. i didnt find it cute or charming at all. she was fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loved though. she was also not totally helpless—in a sense that she was resourceful and knew how to defend herself or those who didnt know how. so that was a trait to be admired.
the h alone couldve been a deal breaker, and i think she would be for some readers. but something about this story captivated me. it could be the H, his crew, and/or the (sea) setting. in any case, i had fun reading this and i really liked how the third act played out as well. the way the H slowly and begrudgingly admit to his feelings for the h and how he learned to cherish her was simply too adorable. especially since he didnt know anything about romancing a lady lol.
this is the first book i read in the series, so i didnt read it in order. but im hoping to get on reading the others soon.
(read as an audiobook)
omg this is L-O-W-K-E-Y the historical version of “IT HAPPENED ONE SUMMER” by Tessa Bailey and IM HERE FOR IT.
the h annoyed me more than anything. i mean, the magnitude of what an airhead she was was truly confounding. i had no idea someone could be that dumb about the most basic things. i didnt find it cute or charming at all. she was fiercely loyal and protective of the people she loved though. she was also not totally helpless—in a sense that she was resourceful and knew how to defend herself or those who didnt know how. so that was a trait to be admired.
the h alone couldve been a deal breaker, and i think she would be for some readers. but something about this story captivated me. it could be the H, his crew, and/or the (sea) setting. in any case, i had fun reading this and i really liked how the third act played out as well. the way the H slowly and begrudgingly admit to his feelings for the h and how he learned to cherish her was simply too adorable. especially since he didnt know anything about romancing a lady lol.
this is the first book i read in the series, so i didnt read it in order. but im hoping to get on reading the others soon.
(read as an audiobook)
May 7, 2010
What can I say about Julie Garwood that I haven't said yet? I just love her writing. I know she's "formulaic" in her characterization of her H/h, but I happen to like her "formula". If it isn't broken, why fix it? :)
The St. Jameses and the Winchesters have been enemies since the middle age, but King George decides to put a stop to their warring by ordering a marriage between Nathan, the young Marquess of St. James, and Sara, the even younger daughter of the Earl of Winchester. Obviously, the groom and the bride are given some time to consummate the marriage, given the fact that he's 14 years old and, gasp, she's only 4.
Now, 14 years later, it's time Nathan collected his bride - and the King's gift (coins and lands) that comes with it, as he needs the money to jump start the shipping company he's opened with his friend Colin. Plus, he's a man of his word and it's his signature on the marriage contract, so he will consummate the marriage, no matter what. Unfortunately, Sara's father isn't a man of his word and he wants nothing to do with the St. James, so Nathan is "forced" to kidnap his own bride.
Sara has fantasized about her husband since childhood, picturing him as a knight in shining armor who would eventually come and rescue her from her unloving family. She's dismayed when she meets Nathan, as he's nothing like she's dreamed about, but she recovers - after a fit of temper - and decides to be the best wife he could ever want. Poor Nathan! His life is about to be turned upside down by her efforts to please him and he doesn't have the slightest clue, LOL.
The majority of this book - and Nathan and Sara's "honeymoon" - takes place on Nathan's ship, as they travel to Sara's aunt Nora's island to take her (Nora) back home. As they get to spend time together, Sara falls in love with Nathan - naturally! - and he starts to care for her. As most heroes in Romancelandia, Nathan is slow at realizing he loves Sara, but she's relentless and she'll have him admit it sooner or later. Stubborn that he is, that happens later than sooner, but it's worth the wait. :)
Nathan was a typical Garwood hero and we all know how they are: arrogant to the bone, dominant, possessive, strongly protective and more comfortable with grunting than speaking coherently. Awww, isn't that sweet? LOL! Sara was also a typical Garwood heroine: quirky, airheaded, naïve, funny and loving. That was all good to me, but she was also prone to opening the waterworks every other page and that became annoying after a while. She cried when she was sad, when she was mad, when she was happy, when she had an orgasm... I guess that was supposed to be funny/charming(?), but it got on my nerves. It wasn't bad enough to make me dislike Sara, but it was jarring enough to make me take notice.
All in all, this was a very pleasant read. There were a lot of LOL moments - provided not only by Nathan and Sara, but by several secondary characters too - and some sweet scenes between Nathan and Sara. I especially liked the scene where Nathan asks his brother-in-law Caine to make him a list of endearments he could use to call Sara, as he couldn't go on calling her "Damn It Sara" forever. Oh boy, he was a goner... and so was I. Great hero, great book!
Nitpicking: Nathan's brother-in-law Caine, who's the hero in Guardian Angel, was a marquess in his book. Now, he's an earl. What happened? Why was he "demoted"? Bad writing/editing?
The St. Jameses and the Winchesters have been enemies since the middle age, but King George decides to put a stop to their warring by ordering a marriage between Nathan, the young Marquess of St. James, and Sara, the even younger daughter of the Earl of Winchester. Obviously, the groom and the bride are given some time to consummate the marriage, given the fact that he's 14 years old and, gasp, she's only 4.
Now, 14 years later, it's time Nathan collected his bride - and the King's gift (coins and lands) that comes with it, as he needs the money to jump start the shipping company he's opened with his friend Colin. Plus, he's a man of his word and it's his signature on the marriage contract, so he will consummate the marriage, no matter what. Unfortunately, Sara's father isn't a man of his word and he wants nothing to do with the St. James, so Nathan is "forced" to kidnap his own bride.
Sara has fantasized about her husband since childhood, picturing him as a knight in shining armor who would eventually come and rescue her from her unloving family. She's dismayed when she meets Nathan, as he's nothing like she's dreamed about, but she recovers - after a fit of temper - and decides to be the best wife he could ever want. Poor Nathan! His life is about to be turned upside down by her efforts to please him and he doesn't have the slightest clue, LOL.
The majority of this book - and Nathan and Sara's "honeymoon" - takes place on Nathan's ship, as they travel to Sara's aunt Nora's island to take her (Nora) back home. As they get to spend time together, Sara falls in love with Nathan - naturally! - and he starts to care for her. As most heroes in Romancelandia, Nathan is slow at realizing he loves Sara, but she's relentless and she'll have him admit it sooner or later. Stubborn that he is, that happens later than sooner, but it's worth the wait. :)
Nathan was a typical Garwood hero and we all know how they are: arrogant to the bone, dominant, possessive, strongly protective and more comfortable with grunting than speaking coherently. Awww, isn't that sweet? LOL! Sara was also a typical Garwood heroine: quirky, airheaded, naïve, funny and loving. That was all good to me, but she was also prone to opening the waterworks every other page and that became annoying after a while. She cried when she was sad, when she was mad, when she was happy, when she had an orgasm... I guess that was supposed to be funny/charming(?), but it got on my nerves. It wasn't bad enough to make me dislike Sara, but it was jarring enough to make me take notice.
All in all, this was a very pleasant read. There were a lot of LOL moments - provided not only by Nathan and Sara, but by several secondary characters too - and some sweet scenes between Nathan and Sara. I especially liked the scene where Nathan asks his brother-in-law Caine to make him a list of endearments he could use to call Sara, as he couldn't go on calling her "Damn It Sara" forever. Oh boy, he was a goner... and so was I. Great hero, great book!
Nitpicking: Nathan's brother-in-law Caine, who's the hero in Guardian Angel, was a marquess in his book. Now, he's an earl. What happened? Why was he "demoted"? Bad writing/editing?
July 19, 2023
I read the first book in the series and really enjoyed it and recommend it. The second book I picked up and put down several times and it was returned to the library without being read. This book was a BOTM club choice and I enjoyed it. It was a Pollyana style book with a heroine who had a very sunny trusting outlook on life and a former pirate who was of course tough on the outside and a softy on the inside. I thought it was mainly character driven as there was little action and I really enjoyed it till they got to the island. Then for me my interest wandered a bit. It was a good book that just lacked a little something extra that I don't what it is.
December 10, 2016
This was an incredibly difficult book to rate. The story ended well but something was missing...what was it? Others would obsess or re-read the story, I moved on to the last book in the series hoping the answer would miraculously turn up.
The King has forced two feuding families into an alliance. A substantial gift is the carrot at the end of the stick. The two people stuck in this alliance are Nathan and Sara.
Nathan was surly but protective, Sara was naive but devoted. She never held anything back and wore her heart on her sleeve. Nathan kidnaps Sara so he can get his hands on the Gift and the rest is about both of them surviving each other.
He had believed he would have to protect his wife from the world. Now he knew the truth. It had become his duty to protect the world from his wife.
The Curse of the Infernal Weeping
Nathan's ship and crew are the victims of several accidents, the superstitious ones believe Sara is the harbinger of doom.
Sara's response to most situations is tears. She cries when she's happy, she cries when she's sad, she cries when she's troubled, she cries when she's mad... This made Nathan and his crew wary. Nathan got over his wariness. I didn't.
He sounded as if he was close to weeping when he bellowed, “She set my ship on fire.”
“She didn’t do it on purpose,” Matthew defended.
Nathan wasn’t listening. “She set my ship on fire,” he repeated in a roar.
There have been many hints about Nathan's backstory in the other books. He was a spy, he was caught in a conspiracy, he was betrayed by a woman he cared for, he was tortured and thanks to Jade, he was also Pagan. I couldn't contain my excitement waiting to learn more but none of this was explored. We don't even see much of his partner Colin which was a shame.
This let me down, I'm a miserable house elf.
Sara is consumed by her love for Nathan. While this works out extremely well for Nathan, it makes you feel like an outsider. You can't connect with her because you don't see her fall for him, it has already happened.
What will you do if a snake bites you?” she asked as she passed him.
“Bite him back,” Nathan drawled.
That ludicrous remark made her laugh. “You would, wouldn’t you?”
Sara gets annoyed with Nathan, she wants more but she melts around him, all her sensible plans disappear. If she were a little firm, things could have worked out sooner.
Me : Be firm, be a cheesecake or a brownie.
Sara : Nathan, Nathan, Nathan...
Me : Even mousse is acceptable at this point....
Sara : Nathan! Nathan!! Nathan !!!
Me : Fine. Be Jelly for life.
Still, this was an an enjoyable read. Caine and Jade make an appearance which was too cute. I like how Julie Garwood always has a support system for the young, married couple. In this book, this role is played by Jimbo, Matthew and Nora.
What was missing? I liked this book, but I didn't love it. This book has been friendzoned and the need for half stars is real, people.
August 1, 2023
Reread: 7/31/23
2.5 stars
I was hoping that I misjudged this book when i read it years ago. I did not! This is probably one of JG worst books.
JG is one of my favorite writers. Her books usually contain a quirky, loveable h and a gruff H with a soft heart. Her books are charming and funny, no matter how many times I read them.
So what happened with this book?
It comes down to the annoying h! She wasn't quirky but just dumb. She's really insufferable through the whole book! Why would the H fall in love with a h who is always weeping? The accidents on the ship were supposed to be cute, but I kept wanting the crew to push into the sea and call it a day!
The Lion's Lady (highly recommended) and Castles are the best in the series! I recommend skipping books 2 and 3.
2.5 stars
I was hoping that I misjudged this book when i read it years ago. I did not! This is probably one of JG worst books.
JG is one of my favorite writers. Her books usually contain a quirky, loveable h and a gruff H with a soft heart. Her books are charming and funny, no matter how many times I read them.
So what happened with this book?
It comes down to the annoying h! She wasn't quirky but just dumb. She's really insufferable through the whole book! Why would the H fall in love with a h who is always weeping? The accidents on the ship were supposed to be cute, but I kept wanting the crew to push into the sea and call it a day!
The Lion's Lady (highly recommended) and Castles are the best in the series! I recommend skipping books 2 and 3.
December 8, 2024
LOVED this one! The heroine and hero are betrothed when she's super young, so she doesn't even remember who he is. Now, he's come back to take her and finds her in the process of trying to run away from her family. He takes her aboard his ship and it was so fun how she interacted with the crew and was kind of "cursed." So many shenanigans happened and I was just entertained the whole time!
August 21, 2020
Re-read: August 2020
🔹 Overall feelings:
〰 Alright, where to start?
I first read this book about 5 years ago and I loved it. Although I had certain issues with it at the time (and I still have the same issues today), I have to admit that they never deterred from my overall enjoyment of this book which is why i’ve given it such a high rating. Although some things still grate on my nerves, the nostalgia that I feel when I think of this book will always ensure that it has a special place in my heart (as this is one of the first books that I ever read when I first started becoming a bookworm). That said, let’s get into reviewing this novel:
🔹 What I liked:
〰 If there’s one reason that could explain why I hold this book in such high regards its this: the characters are unlike any other historical romance characters i’ve ever read about. If you’ve read this novel you’re probably disagreeing with me about this statement but just hear me out. This is the only novel that I’ve ever read in which both main characters represent the stereotypical versions of the males/females of their time period. Usually, when I read historical romances, which I admit is quite often, we ALWAYS get this revolutionary female lead whose unlike all other females of her time (in the sense that she’s clever, witty and a feminist). We also get males that are extremely open-minded and see their spouses as their equal (which, of course they should, but if you look at the time period that just wasn’t the case for most men). The reason authors do this is because they want contemporary audiences to be able to actually like their female and male leads. And let’s be honest, we would never be able to actually root for a man who sees his wife as his inferior, or even for a women who makes us want to rip our hair out. That said, the reason I appreciate this author so much is because she gave us leads that actually fit well with what history told us about men and women of the 19th century. For instance...
🔹 Sarah:
〰 Meet sarah, our sweet, naive, trusting and VERY dependent female lead. She’s extremely stereotypical in the sense that she cries every two seconds and faints once or twice in this novel. She doesn’t believe that she needs to learn how to defend herself (or how to do anything really) as it is her husband’s duty to protect her at all costs. She’s a romantic at heart and has been in love with her husband for years now even though she only met him once when she was four years old. She’s absolutely convinced that her husband loves her back even though the latter has never said or done anything to indicate as much. Finally, she decides to make it her mission throughout the novel to show him how lucky he is to have her as his wife (she literally says those exact same words to him). That said, she’s a bad liar and often misses obvious stuff that happen right in front of her which, obviously, makes her seem kinda dumb sometimes.
〰 Although a description such as this one might make you change your mind about reading this book, I can guarantee that all of sarah’s flaws soon become quite endearing (even if a bit frustrating at times). The fact that she realizes at the end of the book just how dependent she makes herself ought to be also helps us as readers like her even more. Although she’s genuinely very sweet and kind hearted, her naivety never really bothered me since, as I mentioned previously, it added to the whole stereotypical image that I had of her (and that I found quite refreshing since, for once, I found that I was reading a historical novel with a character that’s very different from myself or from all women of my time period. That made the whole “historical” element seem more real and feel really well done in my opinion).
🔹 Nathan:
〰 Meet Nathan, a man who upon first meeting can only be described as a brute. This gem right here can be seen as stereotypical in the sense that his views about marriage belong very much to men of the early nineteenth century. He very much believes that his wife is not as clever as him (at least in the beginning) and does several things throughout the novel to remind her that since he’s the man in the relationship, he should get the last word in... well, everything really. He’s extremely cold towards his wife at first and is often irritated with her dramatics to the point where he might seem a bit of an ass to be honest.
〰 Nathan changes a bit throughout the course of this book of course but I still wish that he had groveled a bit more towards the end. I find that Sarah forgave him wayyy too quickly to be honest. And since we were often privy to his thoughts about his wife, it got to a point where I genuinely felt like Sarah deserved better since he seemed so unfeeling and unsympathetic at times. I still liked him but just not as much as I liked his wife.
🔹 Final thoughts:
〰 All that being said, the writing style was great, the dialogue was entertaining and let’s not forget that this book definitely made me laugh out loud NUMEROUS times which is always great (and never easy to do). In conclusion, I definitely recommend it and although it’s not the best historical romance that I’ve ever read, I have to say that it’s one that I often think about and that will always hold a special place in my heart.
🔹 Overall feelings:
〰 Alright, where to start?
I first read this book about 5 years ago and I loved it. Although I had certain issues with it at the time (and I still have the same issues today), I have to admit that they never deterred from my overall enjoyment of this book which is why i’ve given it such a high rating. Although some things still grate on my nerves, the nostalgia that I feel when I think of this book will always ensure that it has a special place in my heart (as this is one of the first books that I ever read when I first started becoming a bookworm). That said, let’s get into reviewing this novel:
🔹 What I liked:
〰 If there’s one reason that could explain why I hold this book in such high regards its this: the characters are unlike any other historical romance characters i’ve ever read about. If you’ve read this novel you’re probably disagreeing with me about this statement but just hear me out. This is the only novel that I’ve ever read in which both main characters represent the stereotypical versions of the males/females of their time period. Usually, when I read historical romances, which I admit is quite often, we ALWAYS get this revolutionary female lead whose unlike all other females of her time (in the sense that she’s clever, witty and a feminist). We also get males that are extremely open-minded and see their spouses as their equal (which, of course they should, but if you look at the time period that just wasn’t the case for most men). The reason authors do this is because they want contemporary audiences to be able to actually like their female and male leads. And let’s be honest, we would never be able to actually root for a man who sees his wife as his inferior, or even for a women who makes us want to rip our hair out. That said, the reason I appreciate this author so much is because she gave us leads that actually fit well with what history told us about men and women of the 19th century. For instance...
🔹 Sarah:
〰 Meet sarah, our sweet, naive, trusting and VERY dependent female lead. She’s extremely stereotypical in the sense that she cries every two seconds and faints once or twice in this novel. She doesn’t believe that she needs to learn how to defend herself (or how to do anything really) as it is her husband’s duty to protect her at all costs. She’s a romantic at heart and has been in love with her husband for years now even though she only met him once when she was four years old. She’s absolutely convinced that her husband loves her back even though the latter has never said or done anything to indicate as much. Finally, she decides to make it her mission throughout the novel to show him how lucky he is to have her as his wife (she literally says those exact same words to him). That said, she’s a bad liar and often misses obvious stuff that happen right in front of her which, obviously, makes her seem kinda dumb sometimes.
〰 Although a description such as this one might make you change your mind about reading this book, I can guarantee that all of sarah’s flaws soon become quite endearing (even if a bit frustrating at times). The fact that she realizes at the end of the book just how dependent she makes herself ought to be also helps us as readers like her even more. Although she’s genuinely very sweet and kind hearted, her naivety never really bothered me since, as I mentioned previously, it added to the whole stereotypical image that I had of her (and that I found quite refreshing since, for once, I found that I was reading a historical novel with a character that’s very different from myself or from all women of my time period. That made the whole “historical” element seem more real and feel really well done in my opinion).
🔹 Nathan:
〰 Meet Nathan, a man who upon first meeting can only be described as a brute. This gem right here can be seen as stereotypical in the sense that his views about marriage belong very much to men of the early nineteenth century. He very much believes that his wife is not as clever as him (at least in the beginning) and does several things throughout the novel to remind her that since he’s the man in the relationship, he should get the last word in... well, everything really. He’s extremely cold towards his wife at first and is often irritated with her dramatics to the point where he might seem a bit of an ass to be honest.
〰 Nathan changes a bit throughout the course of this book of course but I still wish that he had groveled a bit more towards the end. I find that Sarah forgave him wayyy too quickly to be honest. And since we were often privy to his thoughts about his wife, it got to a point where I genuinely felt like Sarah deserved better since he seemed so unfeeling and unsympathetic at times. I still liked him but just not as much as I liked his wife.
🔹 Final thoughts:
〰 All that being said, the writing style was great, the dialogue was entertaining and let’s not forget that this book definitely made me laugh out loud NUMEROUS times which is always great (and never easy to do). In conclusion, I definitely recommend it and although it’s not the best historical romance that I’ve ever read, I have to say that it’s one that I often think about and that will always hold a special place in my heart.
September 20, 2012
Julia Garwood has the distinct talent of creating the most unlikeable and annoying female characters on the planet. This girl got on my nerves so much I wanted to scream.
Charmingly innocent? Seriously? That’s what you’re going to call Sara?
Amazingly stupid, astoundingly aggravating, or unbelievably naïve are more apt terms.
The naiveté was supposed to be charming and funny, I’m sure, but it’s not. It’s absolutely the farthest thing from charming and funny as you can possibly get. After they have sex he rolls over and starts to go to sleep, saying nothing to her and frankly ignoring her, so what does she do? She feels the need for reassurance and to be told she pleased him, so she’s yelling in his ear to try to wake him up. Need I say more?
But the aggravation didn’t stop there. She goes on to perform every brainless, stupid and outlandish deed that can ever happen on a ship. She sets his cabin on fire and burns down the framing or something. There’s some nonsense about her parasols, and more crazy, ridiculous things occur. I’m not sure if it was this book, or The Charm School, that the woman got her hair caught in some roping on deck and he had to cut her hair short, but the scene was just over the top.
I love pirates, I love pirate ships, being on the ocean—everything about pirates, but this author managed to completely ruin that. I saw the ship on the front of the book and grabbed it up thinking I was in store for an exciting adventure, but my god, was I wrong.
I was like oh my god, shoot me now and put me out of my misery!
Nathan treated her like a dog, which was awful for a husband to treat his wife like that, but she deserved it—and a lot more. I wanted him to throw her overboard. She deserved to be fed to the sharks so I would never have to hear another word of hers ever again.
I think the only funny thing in this book was when she starts using cuss words in front of the priest to teach Nathan a lesson that cussing is bad, but it was only slightly funny, because nothing she did could ever be funny, and he overreacted and got more mad than the occasion warranted.
I am thoroughly convinced that Julie Garwood is one of the worst romance authors and her characters will drive you up the dang wall. I won’t be reading any more of her books.
Charmingly innocent? Seriously? That’s what you’re going to call Sara?
Amazingly stupid, astoundingly aggravating, or unbelievably naïve are more apt terms.
The naiveté was supposed to be charming and funny, I’m sure, but it’s not. It’s absolutely the farthest thing from charming and funny as you can possibly get. After they have sex he rolls over and starts to go to sleep, saying nothing to her and frankly ignoring her, so what does she do? She feels the need for reassurance and to be told she pleased him, so she’s yelling in his ear to try to wake him up. Need I say more?
But the aggravation didn’t stop there. She goes on to perform every brainless, stupid and outlandish deed that can ever happen on a ship. She sets his cabin on fire and burns down the framing or something. There’s some nonsense about her parasols, and more crazy, ridiculous things occur. I’m not sure if it was this book, or The Charm School, that the woman got her hair caught in some roping on deck and he had to cut her hair short, but the scene was just over the top.
I love pirates, I love pirate ships, being on the ocean—everything about pirates, but this author managed to completely ruin that. I saw the ship on the front of the book and grabbed it up thinking I was in store for an exciting adventure, but my god, was I wrong.
I was like oh my god, shoot me now and put me out of my misery!
Nathan treated her like a dog, which was awful for a husband to treat his wife like that, but she deserved it—and a lot more. I wanted him to throw her overboard. She deserved to be fed to the sharks so I would never have to hear another word of hers ever again.
I think the only funny thing in this book was when she starts using cuss words in front of the priest to teach Nathan a lesson that cussing is bad, but it was only slightly funny, because nothing she did could ever be funny, and he overreacted and got more mad than the occasion warranted.
I am thoroughly convinced that Julie Garwood is one of the worst romance authors and her characters will drive you up the dang wall. I won’t be reading any more of her books.
November 28, 2022
I could see a lot of people being annoyed by the heroine, Sara. But strangely, I had such a good laugh over her stupidity. She's so young and dumb, and I guess if you don't like that then don't read this one, folks. So, anyway, Julie Garwood has done it again! A wonderful romance.
This book is about Sara, who was wed to Nathaniel when she was only 4 years old... dun dun dun. Basically her family and his is feuding since the middle ages and the king wants to fix that. How can this be legal? Well dictatorship, of course.
This one is more comedic than usual, all thanks to our heroine, Sara st. James. I don't usually like TSTL girls, but this one... i don't know why but there's something about her. Like... She's so young and naive. It's like if you have a younger sister (a stupid, innocent, annoying one) and when her mishaps happen you just... shake your head and shrug, you know? She's the"ugh ur dumb but i love you" type. Her TSTL is not really that severe, it's just for comedic purposes and not for conflict plot. So cheers to that!
One thing that made the story work is the character dynamic. Sara is so open about her feelings (she cries a lot and spews out love declarations everywhere) and Nathan is such a worrier. I love how even though he promised to protect her, he still taught her how to fight and how to swim. He taught her to be more independent and she taught him how to be more open; that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call companionship.
Now, the story...
Sara and Nathan is one hell of a couple. It's like he's babysitting her all the time tbh. I really like it when Garwood's heroine is super honest. And even though Sara is the most emotional out of Garwoods heroine, I like her way of thinking. She's weepy, but also independent, and could actually think. My favorite part
was when Sara told Nathan she loved him and Nathan just grunts. She's a little upset at first, but unlike typical heroines, she continued to tell him she loves him even though he never said it back. She didn't think about it as much when she said it because she felt it and I find that so sweet and cute. (why am i crushing on her instead of the hero?) Anyway, Nathan, who refused to say it back, got used to her saying 'I love you's that he waited for it every day.
This one is not the best out of Julie Garwood's in my opinion. But take that statement with a grain of salt cause I'm unfamiliar with pirate stuff. Aside from that, this one is another good HR book from Garwood (no surprise there) and I'm more open to reading about pirates and other environments. yay.
This book is about Sara, who was wed to Nathaniel when she was only 4 years old... dun dun dun. Basically her family and his is feuding since the middle ages and the king wants to fix that. How can this be legal? Well dictatorship, of course.
This one is more comedic than usual, all thanks to our heroine, Sara st. James. I don't usually like TSTL girls, but this one... i don't know why but there's something about her. Like... She's so young and naive. It's like if you have a younger sister (a stupid, innocent, annoying one) and when her mishaps happen you just... shake your head and shrug, you know? She's the"ugh ur dumb but i love you" type. Her TSTL is not really that severe, it's just for comedic purposes and not for conflict plot. So cheers to that!
One thing that made the story work is the character dynamic. Sara is so open about her feelings (she cries a lot and spews out love declarations everywhere) and Nathan is such a worrier. I love how even though he promised to protect her, he still taught her how to fight and how to swim. He taught her to be more independent and she taught him how to be more open; that, ladies and gentlemen, is what I call companionship.
Now, the story...
Sara and Nathan is one hell of a couple. It's like he's babysitting her all the time tbh. I really like it when Garwood's heroine is super honest. And even though Sara is the most emotional out of Garwoods heroine, I like her way of thinking. She's weepy, but also independent, and could actually think. My favorite part
was when Sara told Nathan she loved him and Nathan just grunts. She's a little upset at first, but unlike typical heroines, she continued to tell him she loves him even though he never said it back. She didn't think about it as much when she said it because she felt it and I find that so sweet and cute. (why am i crushing on her instead of the hero?) Anyway, Nathan, who refused to say it back, got used to her saying 'I love you's that he waited for it every day.
"You're the one who would never tell me what was in your heart. I told you all the time, Nathan."
He shook his head. His grin was sheepish. "No, Sara, not all the time. You told me once a day. Some days you waited until after dinner. I'd find myself getting nervous."
She took a step toward him. "You waited each day for me to tell you I loved you?"
This one is not the best out of Julie Garwood's in my opinion. But take that statement with a grain of salt cause I'm unfamiliar with pirate stuff. Aside from that, this one is another good HR book from Garwood (no surprise there) and I'm more open to reading about pirates and other environments. yay.
February 8, 2021
Well, if you're easily get annoyed by clumsy, crybaby and swooning heroine, you're in for a treat here.
Me though, I did kinda like her later on. Sure she was a bit of a pain in the ass but I can see that she at least was trying. And one huge plus why she was likable enough for me was that she never give up on Nathan. Not when he was doubting her. Not when he was holding back his feelings. Not even when she thought everyone hated her. She never did give up.
Oh and man, that one was one of the most elaborate grovel I've ever seen.
Me though, I did kinda like her later on. Sure she was a bit of a pain in the ass but I can see that she at least was trying. And one huge plus why she was likable enough for me was that she never give up on Nathan. Not when he was doubting her. Not when he was holding back his feelings. Not even when she thought everyone hated her. She never did give up.
Oh and man, that one was one of the most elaborate grovel I've ever seen.
February 28, 2020
4 stars
Further RTC...
Overall, another well-written book by JG with a solid plot line, mystery/intrigue/suspense, likeable characters, and a satisfying HEA. The H was described exactly the way I like 'em, but the h was over-the-top with the damsel in distress and constant bursting into tears situation.
Further RTC...
Overall, another well-written book by JG with a solid plot line, mystery/intrigue/suspense, likeable characters, and a satisfying HEA. The H was described exactly the way I like 'em, but the h was over-the-top with the damsel in distress and constant bursting into tears situation.
May 16, 2019
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: I'm a little disappointed. The blurb sounded awesome and I've had some great success with Julie Garwood books in the past, but this is not going down as one of my favorites. I struggled with the characters. I didn't feel like I knew the H all that much and the h was waaaayyy too weepy for my liking. I also struggled with the pacing, as it felt too slow in some parts and the ending felt rushed with not nearly enough grovel. I did, however, like the shenanigans the h accidentally got into on the ship and her relationships with the H's men. Overall, it was a "just okay" 3 Stars read for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Sara and Nathan's story. This starts when they are forced to marry by the king to help settle a feud between their families. It continues ~14 years later when Nathan has waited long enough to make his marriage official and collect the king's gift of riches and land by producing an heir in his marriage. They end up facing their marriage on a long journey on one of Nathan's ships to help save Sara's aunt and return her home in the Caribbean. There are some funny moments, a few sexy times, some family drama...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Sara and Nathan in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not my favorite. I felt like this was slow at some parts and the ending was way too abrupt. I never skimmed though.
Instalove: Yes for the h and it takes a while for the H.
H rating: 3 stars. Nathan. I liked his sense of humor and how he appreciated the h's quirky ways even when she inadvertently caused mischief, but I also don't feel like we got very deep into his character.
h rating: 3 stars. Sara. I feel like I had a love hate relationship with her. I loved the quirks she had and her extreme loyalty, but I hated how she cried so much and sometimes acted pitiful (maybe to signify her age...?)
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had way too abrupt ending with what I would reluctantly call a HEA , but I definitely felt like I wanted more. A glimpse into their future would've been nice! It was like the conflict was resolved and then it was over with no time in between (or for the H to grovel).
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Overall Opinion: I'm a little disappointed. The blurb sounded awesome and I've had some great success with Julie Garwood books in the past, but this is not going down as one of my favorites. I struggled with the characters. I didn't feel like I knew the H all that much and the h was waaaayyy too weepy for my liking. I also struggled with the pacing, as it felt too slow in some parts and the ending felt rushed with not nearly enough grovel. I did, however, like the shenanigans the h accidentally got into on the ship and her relationships with the H's men. Overall, it was a "just okay" 3 Stars read for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Sara and Nathan's story. This starts when they are forced to marry by the king to help settle a feud between their families. It continues ~14 years later when Nathan has waited long enough to make his marriage official and collect the king's gift of riches and land by producing an heir in his marriage. They end up facing their marriage on a long journey on one of Nathan's ships to help save Sara's aunt and return her home in the Caribbean. There are some funny moments, a few sexy times, some family drama...and they get a HEA ending.
POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Sara and Nathan in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not my favorite. I felt like this was slow at some parts and the ending was way too abrupt. I never skimmed though.
Instalove: Yes for the h and it takes a while for the H.
H rating: 3 stars. Nathan. I liked his sense of humor and how he appreciated the h's quirky ways even when she inadvertently caused mischief, but I also don't feel like we got very deep into his character.
h rating: 3 stars. Sara. I feel like I had a love hate relationship with her. I loved the quirks she had and her extreme loyalty, but I hated how she cried so much and sometimes acted pitiful (maybe to signify her age...?)
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW/OM drama: No
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: Yes
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had way too abrupt ending with what I would reluctantly call a HEA , but I definitely felt like I wanted more. A glimpse into their future would've been nice! It was like the conflict was resolved and then it was over with no time in between (or for the H to grovel).
Safety: This one is probably either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
October 22, 2022
3.5 STARS
An enjoyable re-read. At times the MCs can be OTT but it entertains me more than anything else.
An enjoyable re-read. At times the MCs can be OTT but it entertains me more than anything else.
July 12, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.25 stars
I usually hate the child bride trope where ten years later the husband comes out of the blue. I find it kind of stupid, so I was hesitant about reading this book. However, Garwood actually did the trope justice!
Sara (18) was married at the age of four to her fourteen year old bridegroom, Nathan. I thought she was an adorable heroine at both four and eighteen! She was just feisty enough. I liked that she had a backbone, but wasn’t ridiculous about it like a lot of historical fiction heroines. Sometimes their independence and spitfire-ness can be extremely annoying.
Nathan (28) was not my favorite Garwood hero. His grudge against love was not really explained and the explanation that was given was kind of idiotic. Other than he was incredibly considerate and protective of the heroine, which was very nice. The whole him being Pagen thing was not really touched on though.
In conclusion, this wasn’t my favorite Garwood book since there is definitely stiff competition in that category, but it is a really good historical romance!
I usually hate the child bride trope where ten years later the husband comes out of the blue. I find it kind of stupid, so I was hesitant about reading this book. However, Garwood actually did the trope justice!
Sara (18) was married at the age of four to her fourteen year old bridegroom, Nathan. I thought she was an adorable heroine at both four and eighteen! She was just feisty enough. I liked that she had a backbone, but wasn’t ridiculous about it like a lot of historical fiction heroines. Sometimes their independence and spitfire-ness can be extremely annoying.
Nathan (28) was not my favorite Garwood hero. His grudge against love was not really explained and the explanation that was given was kind of idiotic. Other than he was incredibly considerate and protective of the heroine, which was very nice. The whole him being Pagen thing was not really touched on though.
In conclusion, this wasn’t my favorite Garwood book since there is definitely stiff competition in that category, but it is a really good historical romance!
February 18, 2022
4 STARS
Another sweet romance from Julie Garwood! This one had a little more. comedic charm to it. The heroine. Sara, was a bit of a ditz... or maybe a little more than a bit. Way to many tears... haha..
It annoyed me at first, but she won me over by the end. Nathan's character was spot-on. A little too sentimental there at the end, which didn't really fit his character, but now I'm just being picky. Loved the book. On to the next one!
Another sweet romance from Julie Garwood! This one had a little more. comedic charm to it. The heroine. Sara, was a bit of a ditz... or maybe a little more than a bit. Way to many tears... haha..
It annoyed me at first, but she won me over by the end. Nathan's character was spot-on. A little too sentimental there at the end, which didn't really fit his character, but now I'm just being picky. Loved the book. On to the next one!
May 31, 2015
I read this book 20 years ago and remember loving it. My perceptions have chanced a bit over the years and while I found this a bit corny and full of clichés, I still had a smile on my face the whole time I read and was a little misty eyed at the end. My findings? A Garwood will never go out of style. It's still a 5 star read :)
September 2, 2017
Maybe I just read this one in a wrong time...Because seriously what a meh!!!...The girl was a uuughhh!!!..What an idiot..(Im sorry I dont really use that word in real people but ugh!!!) It wasn't her first time boarding in a ship, for God's sake. She's not an effing child not to know the basic or even GET the do's and don'ts..But almost fifty percent of the book was about this girl's stupidity.
And she's so pushy, always trying her best to win other's confidence and trust.. WTF. And the guy, Goooood!!!..When I read about him at the previous book in this series, I was excited because his story seemed more interesting but what a disappointment. He was even more likable in the previous book...
And the sex scenes...especially the first ones...gawd!!!..,I hate them..
I just realize that I couldn't even use their names. because what's the point? And the only reason I gave this one 2 stars because I really like the beginning...
And she's so pushy, always trying her best to win other's confidence and trust.. WTF. And the guy, Goooood!!!..When I read about him at the previous book in this series, I was excited because his story seemed more interesting but what a disappointment. He was even more likable in the previous book...
And the sex scenes...especially the first ones...gawd!!!..,I hate them..
I just realize that I couldn't even use their names. because what's the point? And the only reason I gave this one 2 stars because I really like the beginning...
June 6, 2024
3.5 stars 🌟
I liked this story, Sara was annoying with her constant crying. Nathan was a quiet understanding ex pirate 🏴☠️.
I did like the older couples romance ❤️🔥, and the humour in this story.
I liked this story, Sara was annoying with her constant crying. Nathan was a quiet understanding ex pirate 🏴☠️.
I did like the older couples romance ❤️🔥, and the humour in this story.
March 20, 2025
I freaking loved it ! The smut scenes were amazing, the tension and all the flirting was on fire, there were so many funny moments and on top of all… action! I am obsessed with this book🥹❤️
May 16, 2013
I think my decision to re-read Garwood's historicals starting with the ones I've only read once was not my best idea ever.
I first read this when I was about 18 (the heroine's age) and many years later all I really remembered was not liking Sara as much as I'd liked Jade and Christina. Unfortunately, I now have a clear idea of why that was my only memory: Sara is a sugary mess. She's talked about like she's the cutest, most artlessly charming thing ever, but the way she acts ... I mean the level of selfish, brainless, delusional behavior is amazing. But I guess it's ok because she's smiling prettily the whole way through... except when she starts shrieking for no reason.
And Garwood's description of Sara's "repulsive" female relatives made me think of a Laurenston heroine: big, strong, and capable of laying a beat-down on anyone who crosses them. I'd rather read about one of them than Sara, who seems like a marshmallow peep in comparison. (In case that was too subtle: yes, there is some pretty blatant fat shaming.)
The hero... eh, he's from the alphahole mold, but an unfinished version of it. Really not well developed enough for me to have much of a reaction either way
As for the plot... childhood marriage contract with monetary consequences, pirate ships and tropical islands. So much potential, so little payoff. Mostly due to a surfeit of sugar in place of actual structure.
I now have one more only-read-once book to get through. I'll give it a chance, but so far this attempt at going on a Garwood glom has been so unpleasant that I'm kind of afraid to try the ones I did have fond memories of.
I first read this when I was about 18 (the heroine's age) and many years later all I really remembered was not liking Sara as much as I'd liked Jade and Christina. Unfortunately, I now have a clear idea of why that was my only memory: Sara is a sugary mess. She's talked about like she's the cutest, most artlessly charming thing ever, but the way she acts ... I mean the level of selfish, brainless, delusional behavior is amazing. But I guess it's ok because she's smiling prettily the whole way through... except when she starts shrieking for no reason.
And Garwood's description of Sara's "repulsive" female relatives made me think of a Laurenston heroine: big, strong, and capable of laying a beat-down on anyone who crosses them. I'd rather read about one of them than Sara, who seems like a marshmallow peep in comparison. (In case that was too subtle: yes, there is some pretty blatant fat shaming.)
The hero... eh, he's from the alphahole mold, but an unfinished version of it. Really not well developed enough for me to have much of a reaction either way
As for the plot... childhood marriage contract with monetary consequences, pirate ships and tropical islands. So much potential, so little payoff. Mostly due to a surfeit of sugar in place of actual structure.
I now have one more only-read-once book to get through. I'll give it a chance, but so far this attempt at going on a Garwood glom has been so unpleasant that I'm kind of afraid to try the ones I did have fond memories of.
January 29, 2024
4.5 stars! The Gift was so much fun! I’ve read a handful of Julie Garwood books in the past and this one was another hit! This was just so charming and full of humor, I had a great time with this one and the prologue immediately grabbed my attention!
The Gift is a historical romance with an arranged marriage (with a child bride and groom), where they don’t see one another again for 14 years! They meet again when he’s there to abduct her (for reasons) and she happens to be sneaking away in the night anyways. He ends up following her covertly and makes sure the path is cleared for her (without her knowing) so she ends up on his ship. 😂
Nathan is a marquess who also happens to have past exploits as a notorious pirate. I will say there isn’t much pirating happening in this book, besides them spending a good amount of time on his ship. Sara is one of those heroines who is naive but always trying to do the best thing, it just doesn’t always turn out right. I thought she was charmingly endearing! The way she wants to earn the crew’s liking, she tries helping on board and things always go horribly, she calls the men on board her “staff”, constantly calls the ship a “boat”, and when Nathan thinks she couldn’t do anything worse…she goes and sets the ship on fire! 😅 This book was just delightful. We get some period caretaking and her requesting aftercare from her husband when he was just ready to roll over and go to sleep.
The arranged marriage came about because King George was determined to end a feud between the two feuding families (that dated back to medieval times), so he arranged a marriage between Sara and Nathan. Their family’s country estates border the same tract of land and the marriage contract pretty much states that whoever owns the land, has say over the water feeding the fields of both estates.
This was just such a fun time and I’ve heard people say that the second book in this series, Guardian Angel, is a fav too! So many funny moments in this book and the banter was so good. A fav passage below!
“Do you own a pistol?”
“Yes.”
“May I borrow it?”
He forced himself not to laugh. “Now, why would you want to borrow my pistol Sara?”
“I want to shoot you Nathan.”
He did laugh then.
The Gift is a historical romance with an arranged marriage (with a child bride and groom), where they don’t see one another again for 14 years! They meet again when he’s there to abduct her (for reasons) and she happens to be sneaking away in the night anyways. He ends up following her covertly and makes sure the path is cleared for her (without her knowing) so she ends up on his ship. 😂
Nathan is a marquess who also happens to have past exploits as a notorious pirate. I will say there isn’t much pirating happening in this book, besides them spending a good amount of time on his ship. Sara is one of those heroines who is naive but always trying to do the best thing, it just doesn’t always turn out right. I thought she was charmingly endearing! The way she wants to earn the crew’s liking, she tries helping on board and things always go horribly, she calls the men on board her “staff”, constantly calls the ship a “boat”, and when Nathan thinks she couldn’t do anything worse…she goes and sets the ship on fire! 😅 This book was just delightful. We get some period caretaking and her requesting aftercare from her husband when he was just ready to roll over and go to sleep.
The arranged marriage came about because King George was determined to end a feud between the two feuding families (that dated back to medieval times), so he arranged a marriage between Sara and Nathan. Their family’s country estates border the same tract of land and the marriage contract pretty much states that whoever owns the land, has say over the water feeding the fields of both estates.
This was just such a fun time and I’ve heard people say that the second book in this series, Guardian Angel, is a fav too! So many funny moments in this book and the banter was so good. A fav passage below!
“Do you own a pistol?”
“Yes.”
“May I borrow it?”
He forced himself not to laugh. “Now, why would you want to borrow my pistol Sara?”
“I want to shoot you Nathan.”
He did laugh then.
March 25, 2019
Not as good as her others!
I love Julie Garwood but this is not one of her best in my honest opinion! I love the heroine so much but the hero just wasn't my favorite. He's no Broderick, or Ian , or Alec. Not even close. Least favorite of her heroes actually. I don't even know why but I just didn't love him. The heroine was just great. I loved the part where she is behind the villain and says "should I am Not him between the ears or the neck this time?" When she had never done that before. It was so funny. She saved her Aunt and just was awesome. I loved When all the men on the ship wore garlic around their necks because they thought she was cursed lol. The opening scene is precious too with the four year old heroine married the fourteen year old hero. Very cute. But the rest of the book was just so so. Of course I still have read it several times just because I love Garwood. And it still is on my favorite shelf as all her books are and will always be.
I love Julie Garwood but this is not one of her best in my honest opinion! I love the heroine so much but the hero just wasn't my favorite. He's no Broderick, or Ian , or Alec. Not even close. Least favorite of her heroes actually. I don't even know why but I just didn't love him. The heroine was just great. I loved the part where she is behind the villain and says "should I am Not him between the ears or the neck this time?" When she had never done that before. It was so funny. She saved her Aunt and just was awesome. I loved When all the men on the ship wore garlic around their necks because they thought she was cursed lol. The opening scene is precious too with the four year old heroine married the fourteen year old hero. Very cute. But the rest of the book was just so so. Of course I still have read it several times just because I love Garwood. And it still is on my favorite shelf as all her books are and will always be.
March 15, 2023
it was a fine read. h irritated me tho
July 12, 2010
Sara reaches a level of charming stupidity that can only be matched by a slow puppy. The kind that falls over a lot, barks at its reflection, and runs into glass doors. Adorable, but childish and annoying. She also cries at least once a chapter. Seriously.
Nathan's amusing, pirate-y, commanding, and can't understand love (shocking).
It made for an entertaining, exasperating, and cliched story. If you can handle a truly dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks heroine, enjoy a slightly slapstick/absurd humor, and love your heroes gruff/alpha, you might like this book.
Setting is mostly on a boat. Excuse me, ship. Annoying plot about convoluted marriage and a ridiculously "evil" family abounds. All the needless plot at the end was terrible.
Garwood's signatures are in full force here. Plenty of weeping, mouth slanting, finger crooking, refusing to obey, scowling, growling, hauling the wife to your side, forced marriage, and winning the loyalty of men.
I did like this line:
S: I can't imagine why you would need my parasols.
N: I'm throwing them in the ocean. With any luck they'll cripple a couple sharks.
Nathan's amusing, pirate-y, commanding, and can't understand love (shocking).
It made for an entertaining, exasperating, and cliched story. If you can handle a truly dumb-as-a-box-of-rocks heroine, enjoy a slightly slapstick/absurd humor, and love your heroes gruff/alpha, you might like this book.
Setting is mostly on a boat. Excuse me, ship. Annoying plot about convoluted marriage and a ridiculously "evil" family abounds. All the needless plot at the end was terrible.
Garwood's signatures are in full force here. Plenty of weeping, mouth slanting, finger crooking, refusing to obey, scowling, growling, hauling the wife to your side, forced marriage, and winning the loyalty of men.
I did like this line:
S: I can't imagine why you would need my parasols.
N: I'm throwing them in the ocean. With any luck they'll cripple a couple sharks.
September 23, 2016
Kitabı sevdim, evet. Belki başka bir yazarın olsa üç buçuk falan da verebilirdim ama. Çünkü kadın karakter biraz alıktı. Saftı. Pasifti, güçsüzdü. Hiç sevmediğim şeyler ve genelde Garwood'un kadınları güçlüdür, onun için Garwood'u bu kadar severim. Ama bu kıza azıcık uyuz oldum.
Önceki kitaptaki Jade'in abisi Nathan'a gelince... Bu önceki kitapta okuduğumuz adama hiç benzemiyordu. Yazar sanki başlı başına yeni bir karakter yaratmıştı.
Bunların dışında historicalı güzel bir dille aktaran, efso bir yazar var. Okuyun tabiisi.
Önceki kitaptaki Jade'in abisi Nathan'a gelince... Bu önceki kitapta okuduğumuz adama hiç benzemiyordu. Yazar sanki başlı başına yeni bir karakter yaratmıştı.
Bunların dışında historicalı güzel bir dille aktaran, efso bir yazar var. Okuyun tabiisi.
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