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Blue Caribbean
The tiny breathtakingly beautiful island of Farando Cay in the Bahamas had been divided between three owners: Bryn Sherard, an uncompromising autocratic Englishman; Madame de Meulen, matriarchal ruler of an aristocratic French family; and Gray Murray, who was dead.
When Gray's widow came out with her young sister and brother to see her inheritance, she guessed that the three of them would be regarded with suspicion and that, in so small a white community, this fact could give rise to a good many difficulties. But it hadn't occurred to anyone that three love stories, and a spice of intrigue, would grow out of this quiet invasion.
When Gray's widow came out with her young sister and brother to see her inheritance, she guessed that the three of them would be regarded with suspicion and that, in so small a white community, this fact could give rise to a good many difficulties. But it hadn't occurred to anyone that three love stories, and a spice of intrigue, would grow out of this quiet invasion.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1964
15 people want to read
About the author
Lilian Warren
87 books10 followersLilian Warren aka Rosalind Brett, Kathryn Blair, Katrina Britt, and Celine Conway.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
Lilian Warren was born in London, England, UK. She worked as secretary, when at 19, her first magazine story was accepted. She married and moved to South Africa, where she continued writing. In the 1950s, she started to write to Rich & Cowan, and later to Mills & Boon, under various pseudonyms Rosalind Brett, Celine Conway, and Kathryn Blair. She passed away on 1961 in South Africa. Some of her books were published posthumuously.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 13, 2018
As a romance, this book is boring and slow-going, although the H and h were decent people. There are three romances in the book, which made for a little bit of hopping back and forth even though two of them were quite minor in comparison to the main relationship.
However, there is a big, BIG problem for this book for me. It's set on an island where the three leading families are the only white people, and most of the time there is an implied attitude of, "We're the only people on this island." For example, when they learn there is a doctor on the island, they ask, "Is he white?" (The answer: No, he's Creole, but still a good doctor.) They regularly remark on their status as the only white people. What it boils down to is that you have a wealthy white ruling class and the rest of the island doesn't matter, except to be picturesque, serve the white people, or be the recipients of charity. Don't get me wrong, a lot of old-school M&Bs contain racist elements consistent with the times they were written; this is an entirely different thing because the whole plot can be boiled down to: "Insular white ruling families have long history because they are rich and the only white people. New white people arrive. Romance and conflict ensue."
However, there is a big, BIG problem for this book for me. It's set on an island where the three leading families are the only white people, and most of the time there is an implied attitude of, "We're the only people on this island." For example, when they learn there is a doctor on the island, they ask, "Is he white?" (The answer: No, he's Creole, but still a good doctor.) They regularly remark on their status as the only white people. What it boils down to is that you have a wealthy white ruling class and the rest of the island doesn't matter, except to be picturesque, serve the white people, or be the recipients of charity. Don't get me wrong, a lot of old-school M&Bs contain racist elements consistent with the times they were written; this is an entirely different thing because the whole plot can be boiled down to: "Insular white ruling families have long history because they are rich and the only white people. New white people arrive. Romance and conflict ensue."
October 28, 2014
Celine Conway was one of the first Mills & Boon writers I took a shine to back in the day. The book that introduced me to her was Three Women which followed the romances of three women in Ceylon at a tea plantation. I couldn't find it on my shelves when I had a sudden urge to read it again so I chose this one which has a similar premise.
The main heroine, Julie, comes to a remote Carribean island with her older sister Ann and brother Noel. Ann married the owner of a plantation knowing he was dying and on his death inherited his property. This means a bad start for the three when they are met by old friends of the dead man who are suspicious of Ann's motives and anyone associated with her.
The residents of the island include Bryn Sheriden, his manager, Luke and Mme de Meulen who has grandchildren Louis and Fleur. All of them become entangled in the closed society of an island populated mostly by Cayans with only the three properties owned by British or French expatriates.
The most interesting thing about this story is that although the main romance takes precedence, the other romances are reasonably well developed also. This is not often seen in category length romance with the modern consensus being that there is not enough room in a category for more than one centralised romance.
Overall I enjoyed this story and the ending was sweet and satisfactory.
The main heroine, Julie, comes to a remote Carribean island with her older sister Ann and brother Noel. Ann married the owner of a plantation knowing he was dying and on his death inherited his property. This means a bad start for the three when they are met by old friends of the dead man who are suspicious of Ann's motives and anyone associated with her.
The residents of the island include Bryn Sheriden, his manager, Luke and Mme de Meulen who has grandchildren Louis and Fleur. All of them become entangled in the closed society of an island populated mostly by Cayans with only the three properties owned by British or French expatriates.
The most interesting thing about this story is that although the main romance takes precedence, the other romances are reasonably well developed also. This is not often seen in category length romance with the modern consensus being that there is not enough room in a category for more than one centralised romance.
Overall I enjoyed this story and the ending was sweet and satisfactory.
April 19, 2025
I read this book because it was part of a three-book hardcover which was included with the Mary Burchell book I was having a hard time finding (Dear Sir). At first, I didn't like Ann, but I liked her brother Noel and her sister Julie. But I thought I would read it since it was part of this whole book. Bryn had a talent for being quite a jerk, at times. But when Julie was hurt, his soft side showed. I'm glad I decided to read it.
I enjoyed the story for the most part, but the racism was shocking. It has to be read as a product of its time. In this story, for white people to mix with non-white people as friends was not even to be considered. They were only concerned about how many white people lived there. The non-whites were either employees, merchants or servants.
A warning to anyone who may be thinking of buying the Harlequin gold hardcover books like this one: If all of the books are printed the same way, the paper is so fragile that it is damaged if the utmost care is not taken to make sure it does not tear or crumble. I have books many years older than this one (published in 1971) that have paper that is not fragile at all. Even books over 100 years old! The paperback versions of the Harlequin books do not have this problem. So if you want to collect some of the sweet old Harlequin books, I advise sticking to the paperbacks.
Grey eyes: All three of these books have characters with grey eyes. Even though grey eyes are rare, they seem to be popular among authors from this time. Just as later romance books often have violet-eyed heroines. I noticed that years ago when I was reading Love Inspired books. I once asked my sister and mother, "Is it just me, or do romance novels have a lot of violet-eyed heroines?" They both said it wasn't just me.
I enjoyed the story for the most part, but the racism was shocking. It has to be read as a product of its time. In this story, for white people to mix with non-white people as friends was not even to be considered. They were only concerned about how many white people lived there. The non-whites were either employees, merchants or servants.
A warning to anyone who may be thinking of buying the Harlequin gold hardcover books like this one: If all of the books are printed the same way, the paper is so fragile that it is damaged if the utmost care is not taken to make sure it does not tear or crumble. I have books many years older than this one (published in 1971) that have paper that is not fragile at all. Even books over 100 years old! The paperback versions of the Harlequin books do not have this problem. So if you want to collect some of the sweet old Harlequin books, I advise sticking to the paperbacks.
Grey eyes: All three of these books have characters with grey eyes. Even though grey eyes are rare, they seem to be popular among authors from this time. Just as later romance books often have violet-eyed heroines. I noticed that years ago when I was reading Love Inspired books. I once asked my sister and mother, "Is it just me, or do romance novels have a lot of violet-eyed heroines?" They both said it wasn't just me.
June 29, 2021
This had so many problems:
*First and foremost, the racism is ugly and pervasive.
*Bryn is an abusive asshole.
*
*Julie is an idiot.
I did love Anne, though. Too bad she’s surrounded by idiots and/or garbage humans.
*First and foremost, the racism is ugly and pervasive.
*Bryn is an abusive asshole.
*
*Julie is an idiot.
I did love Anne, though. Too bad she’s surrounded by idiots and/or garbage humans.
November 7, 2025
I must have been in a bad mood the first time I read this and only gave it 3 stars. On a re-read I absolutely loved it.
The heroine (19) is lovely and the hero (34) is crazy about her, although he comes across as mocking for most of the book. I missed the nuances the first time, but they are both great main characters.
It has a really romantic ending.
The heroine (19) is lovely and the hero (34) is crazy about her, although he comes across as mocking for most of the book. I missed the nuances the first time, but they are both great main characters.
It has a really romantic ending.
September 28, 2020
This too was one of my mum's books however she had the 1960s copy and not this 1970s one and I prefer the book cover on the older copy much better. Not a bad read all in all.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews