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The Virginia Brides #1
Rapture In His Arms
Slave of desire...
Sold into slavery following Cromwell's conquest of his divided homeland, fiery Irish patriot Donovan Shay had never known anything but life's cruel hardships. Yet even as he toiled on the exotic shores of a faraway island, he swore that someday he would be a free man. Then a rich Virginia planter and his alluring, aqua-eyed young bride claimed him as chattel. Consumed by a fiery hunger he could neither explain nor deny, Donovan vowed that Jillian Cameron would be his.
Prisoner of love...
Alone in the world after her father died, Jillian had wed to gain protection. But hers was a marriage in name only, and one glimpse of her new servant -- all bronzed-bodied and golden-haired -- was enough to undo her. When fate and her husband's wishes threw her into Donovan's strong arms, she fought her desire for him. Would she -- could she -- surrender to the man whose soaring passion had enslaved her heart?
Sold into slavery following Cromwell's conquest of his divided homeland, fiery Irish patriot Donovan Shay had never known anything but life's cruel hardships. Yet even as he toiled on the exotic shores of a faraway island, he swore that someday he would be a free man. Then a rich Virginia planter and his alluring, aqua-eyed young bride claimed him as chattel. Consumed by a fiery hunger he could neither explain nor deny, Donovan vowed that Jillian Cameron would be his.
Prisoner of love...
Alone in the world after her father died, Jillian had wed to gain protection. But hers was a marriage in name only, and one glimpse of her new servant -- all bronzed-bodied and golden-haired -- was enough to undo her. When fate and her husband's wishes threw her into Donovan's strong arms, she fought her desire for him. Would she -- could she -- surrender to the man whose soaring passion had enslaved her heart?
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 1993
19 people are currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Lynette Vinet
22 books28 followersBorn in New Orleans, Louisiana, I have always been intrigued by the history of the city and the south. New Orleans is unique, there is no other place like it and once you’ve lived there, you can never forget the sights, sounds and smells of the city. I am also intrigued by other countries, especially Ireland and England, probably because my ancestors were born there. So, I feel it is only natural that I have combined my love of history, New Orleans, and the British Isles in many of my novels.
EMERALD DESIRE was my first novel, published in 1985, and begins in Ireland and sweeps the reader to the French Colonial city of New Orleans. That was the first book in the Emerald Trilogy, followed by EMERALD ENCHANTMENT and EMERALD ECSTASY. Eight more books followed. I am pleased that ereads.com will eventually publish my backlist of books. At the present time EMERALD DESIRE, EMERALD ENCHANTMENT and PIRATE’S BRIDE are available on Amazon Kindle.
EMERALD DESIRE was my first novel, published in 1985, and begins in Ireland and sweeps the reader to the French Colonial city of New Orleans. That was the first book in the Emerald Trilogy, followed by EMERALD ENCHANTMENT and EMERALD ECSTASY. Eight more books followed. I am pleased that ereads.com will eventually publish my backlist of books. At the present time EMERALD DESIRE, EMERALD ENCHANTMENT and PIRATE’S BRIDE are available on Amazon Kindle.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 22, 2017
Loved it.
An Irish slave and a wealthy widow fall in love. Donovan Shay is a slave bought by Jillian Cameron's elderly husband Edwin, whom got Donovan at a game of chance. Edwin dies leaving Jillian with a strange will. Her children will inherit if she marries again and Donovan is appointed as her protector. Will she fall for a former slave?
An Irish slave and a wealthy widow fall in love. Donovan Shay is a slave bought by Jillian Cameron's elderly husband Edwin, whom got Donovan at a game of chance. Edwin dies leaving Jillian with a strange will. Her children will inherit if she marries again and Donovan is appointed as her protector. Will she fall for a former slave?
April 23, 2022
This was a good story and as a welcome bonus, I learned something more in the way of history. I never knew that some Irish were enslaved by the British (as if they hadn't treated them rotten enough)! Such was the case for Donovan Shay, the H of the novel, who spent too many years on an island plantation doing field work service for the master and bedroom play service for the mistress (as well as many another horny society wife, frustrated by older husbands in need of Viagra). He's won in a card game by elderly Edwin Cameron (who hasn't long to live), another plantation owner from Virginia, who wants to use him as a stud to give his young virgin wife, Jillian a child, to inherit his estate and carry on his family name, since his son and only child from his first marriage died. Jillian had no idea what he had in mind, though she had her own desires when it came to Donovan, that she tried to deny.
I won't spoil the story with details, I'll just say a few things. The novel is set during Bacon's Rebellion, which plays a part in the story. There's also the OM/Villain, Jillian's former suitor, Grayson Chandler, a murder, an attempted one, misunderstandings, and a kind of cute subplot, where Jillian teaches Donovan to read and write. Their relationship may have started out strange, but there's soon no doubt how much they love each other.
A really good story!
I won't spoil the story with details, I'll just say a few things. The novel is set during Bacon's Rebellion, which plays a part in the story. There's also the OM/Villain, Jillian's former suitor, Grayson Chandler, a murder, an attempted one, misunderstandings, and a kind of cute subplot, where Jillian teaches Donovan to read and write. Their relationship may have started out strange, but there's soon no doubt how much they love each other.
A really good story!
June 26, 2014
This is an historical romance at the time of the uprising by Bacon in Virginia.
Jillian was married at an early age to her father's friend Edwin. Edwin has no children and being impotent he will have none with Jillian. They are friends who respect each other. Edwin knows he is dying and he wants to find a young, good husband for her before he dies. They are in the Bahamas where Edwin is hoping to buy some new slaves to bring home to their plantation in Virginia. One of the slaves he wants is a white Irishman whose owner keeps refusing to sell him. But Edwin ends up winning Donovan in a card game, so they board a ship with all the new slaves and head home. Jillian saw Donovan making love to their married hostess. She dislikes him, yet she also stopped his owner from beating him for a minor offense.
Edwin charges Jillian with teaching Donovan to read and do math. Edwin makes Donovan his overseer and puts much faith in him. Knowing that he will leave Jillian a very rich widow he puts some unusual things in his will. One, the land will always be Jillian's as long as she lives. If she marries, her children will inherit the land, but never her husband. And Donovan has to OK the marriage.
After Edwin dies, Jillian is heartbroken. Having men hit on her at the funeral really makes her mad. Her best friend drowns, leaving her husband and Jillian's godson looking for a woman in their lives. The widower believes Jillian is that woman.
In Jamestown they are taking bets on who Jillian will marry. She is drawn to Donovan, and repelled at the same time. But they agree to marry and at last she can avoid all the men showing up wanting to woo her. She finds the sexual part of marriage overwhelming. She is determined to keep her husband faithful to her and at times she can be quite wanton. Meanwhile, Donovan's family is searching for him. They track him down in Virginia and they are not impressed by Jillian due to circumstantial evidence. Everyone is telling Jillian that Donovan died in an uprising. But she can't believe it. Donovan is in hiding with the help of his family who tracked him to VA. Donovan dresses with a mask and kidnaps Jillian, keeping her in a cabin on her property. He believes she has been unfaithful to him and he wants to treat her like the whore he believes she is, but his love for her won't let him. From their first kiss, Jillian knows it can only be Donovan who has her and is making love to her.
Can Donovan get over his anger and mistrust toward his wife. Will his family ever accept her? Can Jillian forgive Donovan for his harsh treatment of her? What happens to Edwin's land if Jillian dies with no children to inherit it?
Jillian was married at an early age to her father's friend Edwin. Edwin has no children and being impotent he will have none with Jillian. They are friends who respect each other. Edwin knows he is dying and he wants to find a young, good husband for her before he dies. They are in the Bahamas where Edwin is hoping to buy some new slaves to bring home to their plantation in Virginia. One of the slaves he wants is a white Irishman whose owner keeps refusing to sell him. But Edwin ends up winning Donovan in a card game, so they board a ship with all the new slaves and head home. Jillian saw Donovan making love to their married hostess. She dislikes him, yet she also stopped his owner from beating him for a minor offense.
Edwin charges Jillian with teaching Donovan to read and do math. Edwin makes Donovan his overseer and puts much faith in him. Knowing that he will leave Jillian a very rich widow he puts some unusual things in his will. One, the land will always be Jillian's as long as she lives. If she marries, her children will inherit the land, but never her husband. And Donovan has to OK the marriage.
After Edwin dies, Jillian is heartbroken. Having men hit on her at the funeral really makes her mad. Her best friend drowns, leaving her husband and Jillian's godson looking for a woman in their lives. The widower believes Jillian is that woman.
In Jamestown they are taking bets on who Jillian will marry. She is drawn to Donovan, and repelled at the same time. But they agree to marry and at last she can avoid all the men showing up wanting to woo her. She finds the sexual part of marriage overwhelming. She is determined to keep her husband faithful to her and at times she can be quite wanton. Meanwhile, Donovan's family is searching for him. They track him down in Virginia and they are not impressed by Jillian due to circumstantial evidence. Everyone is telling Jillian that Donovan died in an uprising. But she can't believe it. Donovan is in hiding with the help of his family who tracked him to VA. Donovan dresses with a mask and kidnaps Jillian, keeping her in a cabin on her property. He believes she has been unfaithful to him and he wants to treat her like the whore he believes she is, but his love for her won't let him. From their first kiss, Jillian knows it can only be Donovan who has her and is making love to her.
Can Donovan get over his anger and mistrust toward his wife. Will his family ever accept her? Can Jillian forgive Donovan for his harsh treatment of her? What happens to Edwin's land if Jillian dies with no children to inherit it?
September 9, 2014
A really wonderful exciting book. So full of passion, longing, & love. You can just feel the passion explode between Jillian & Donovan when their eyes meet. Such a touching love story for these two. The elements of danger are well written & thrilling. The historical aspect of the book is well done. All around great read & could not put it down.
February 20, 2015
I could not stop reading once I started. I read somewhat fast, but wished I could read faster to see what was next. Started the book about mid day and other than stopping to take a nap, I had to finish the book before going to bed.
January 26, 2015
GREAT!
This story was great and told of many aspects of rebellions whether English or in the Colonies. Slavery and the difference in masters was also great.
This story was great and told of many aspects of rebellions whether English or in the Colonies. Slavery and the difference in masters was also great.
February 24, 2015
Total, complete, utter romance novel. I liked it a lot.
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April 12, 2017
This is definitely dated. Can't imagine something like this being published now, but the first 3/4 was interesting and enjoyable. Last 1/4 was a wee bit absurd with all the (unnecessary) plot points and wild explanations.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews