What do you think?
Rate this book
Come Love a Stranger
A woman with no name and no memory...The two men who claim one with love, the other with fear...A dazzling tale of secret passions—and a love tragically lost and miraculously reborn—by the incomparable storyteller.
Mere days after Ashton Wingate's wedding to the enchanting Lierin, capricious Fate stole the Mississippi plantation owner's beloved from him. Now, three years later, his carriage has collided with a cloaked rider on a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the young bride who was swallowed up by the merciless river.
She awakens from unconsciousness in his magnificent home with no memory of who she is. Yet the tenderness of this noble, caring stranger who lovingly calls her ""Lierin"" soon captures her heart and enflames her with wanting. Then another enters their lives, threatening to destroy the happiness they have rediscovered in each other's arms—the dark and dangerous Malcolm Sinclair, who claims the enigmatic beauty is, in fact, his own wife, Lenore. But Ashton has sworn that he will not lose his adored one a second time, and he will risk any peril to preserve their newfound joy—no matter what the unremembered secrets of his lady's past ultimately reveal.
Mere days after Ashton Wingate's wedding to the enchanting Lierin, capricious Fate stole the Mississippi plantation owner's beloved from him. Now, three years later, his carriage has collided with a cloaked rider on a woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to the young bride who was swallowed up by the merciless river.
She awakens from unconsciousness in his magnificent home with no memory of who she is. Yet the tenderness of this noble, caring stranger who lovingly calls her ""Lierin"" soon captures her heart and enflames her with wanting. Then another enters their lives, threatening to destroy the happiness they have rediscovered in each other's arms—the dark and dangerous Malcolm Sinclair, who claims the enigmatic beauty is, in fact, his own wife, Lenore. But Ashton has sworn that he will not lose his adored one a second time, and he will risk any peril to preserve their newfound joy—no matter what the unremembered secrets of his lady's past ultimately reveal.
Audible Audio
First published January 1, 1980
453 people are currently reading
1875 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
53 books1,931 followersKathleen Erin Hogg was born on June 3, 1939, in Alexandria, Louisiana, she was the youngest of eight siblings by Gladys (Coker) and Charles Wingrove Hogg, a disabled World War I veteran. She long relished creating original narratives, and by age 6 was telling herself stories at night to help herself fall asleep. At age 16, she met U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Ross Eugene Woodiwiss at a dance, and they married the following year. She wrote her first book in longhand while living at a military outpost in Japan.
She is credited with the invention of the modern historical romance novel: In 1972 she released The Flame and the Flower, an instant New York Times bestseller that created a literary precedent. The novel revolutionized mainstream publishing, featuring an epic historical romance with a strong heroine and impassioned sex scenes. The Flame and the Flower was rejected by agents and hardcover publishers, who deemed it as "too long" at 600 pages. Rather than follow the advice of the rejection letters and rewrite the novel, she instead submitted it to paperback publishers. The first publisher on her list, Avon, quickly purchased the novel and arranged an initial 500,000 print run. The novel sold over 2.3 million copies in its first four years of publication.
The success of The Flame and the Flower prompted a new style of writing romance, concentrating primarily on historical fiction tracking the monogamous relationship between a helpless heroines and the hero who rescued her, even if he had been the one to place her in danger. The romance novels which followed in her example featured longer plots, more controversial situations and characters, and more intimate and steamy sex scenes.
She was an avid horse rider who at one time lived in a large home on 55 acres (220,000 m2) in Minnesota. After her husband's death in 1996, she moved back to Louisiana. She died in a hospital on July 6, 2007 in Princeton, Minnesota, aged 68, from cancer. She was survived by two sons, Sean and Heath, their wives, and numerous grandchildren. Her third son, Dorren, predeceased her.
She is credited with the invention of the modern historical romance novel: In 1972 she released The Flame and the Flower, an instant New York Times bestseller that created a literary precedent. The novel revolutionized mainstream publishing, featuring an epic historical romance with a strong heroine and impassioned sex scenes. The Flame and the Flower was rejected by agents and hardcover publishers, who deemed it as "too long" at 600 pages. Rather than follow the advice of the rejection letters and rewrite the novel, she instead submitted it to paperback publishers. The first publisher on her list, Avon, quickly purchased the novel and arranged an initial 500,000 print run. The novel sold over 2.3 million copies in its first four years of publication.
The success of The Flame and the Flower prompted a new style of writing romance, concentrating primarily on historical fiction tracking the monogamous relationship between a helpless heroines and the hero who rescued her, even if he had been the one to place her in danger. The romance novels which followed in her example featured longer plots, more controversial situations and characters, and more intimate and steamy sex scenes.
She was an avid horse rider who at one time lived in a large home on 55 acres (220,000 m2) in Minnesota. After her husband's death in 1996, she moved back to Louisiana. She died in a hospital on July 6, 2007 in Princeton, Minnesota, aged 68, from cancer. She was survived by two sons, Sean and Heath, their wives, and numerous grandchildren. Her third son, Dorren, predeceased her.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews
February 26, 2010
Usually a one-star review means I didn't finish a book, but for some reason I did trudge through to the end of this one. I think I was drawn by the potential, even though I knew early on that because of the rigid HEA structure of a romance novel, that potential could never be fulfilled. Not that I don't appreciate a good HEA, but there are some stories that can't be told that way, and this was one of them.
It was utterly unbelievable, even if you forgive it for using the trite combination of convenient amnesia and identical twins.
The rest of this review contains spoilers, although since I don't recommend reading the book, you may as well finish. :=)
****Spoiler warning***
So here's the setup: Man gets married in a passionate rush and woman seemingly drowns when pirates attack their riverboat. Three years later, he still misses her. Then one night, he gets into a carriage accident with a woman who looks just like his wife -- who he becomes convinced IS his wife. Yes, she has a twin sister, but he'd know her anywhere. This couldn't possibly be her twin.
Of course, she wakes up with amnesia so she doesn't know who she is. No help there.
He seduces her despite the fact that she doesn't even know her own identity. Of course, she is "drawn" to him. At every point he is utterly confident that this is his wife and doesn't even entertain the possibility that his loneliness might be making him want something that isn't so.
Which, IMO, would have been the satisfying ending. I knew it wasn't going to turn out to be the ending, but not because of the way it was written. Every single clue was meant to mislead us into thinking that he had the wrong twin, but there was that gosh darn HEA hanging over our head, so we knew it was the right one. We knew it was his wife, even if that answer defied all logic and common sense and even though it might have even been a better love story if he had come to know and fall in love with the sister in her own right, and not because she was her twin.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. We have yet another unbelievable twist -- a man comes forward, says this is her wife, and that she is not she but her twin. She gets tricked into going with him when he threatens to challenge the man she loves to a duel.
After that, the eye rolling got a bit severe. This man who claims he's her husband, who is a rapist and murderer, doesn't touch our heroine in a remotely intimate way. Why? Not because it makes any sense, but because you can't do that in an HEA romance.
Then when her hero parks his riverboat near their home in an attempt to win her back, this raping, murdering, fake husband of hers does not kill him. Oh, he makes one rather feeble attempt toward the end, but it was pathetic.
So then comes the big reveal at the end. She didn't drown on the riverboat, one of the pirates saved her and told her that her husband was dead. Some time later, he convinces her to marry him but she catches him committing a murder and runs away on their wedding night (conveniently before they had sex because, of course, they can't do that in an HEA romance).
Then her father and sister show up just in time to confirm that she is who she's supposed to be. Conveniently, they were gone during this whole convoluted story.
Ack! Why do I finish books like this?
It was utterly unbelievable, even if you forgive it for using the trite combination of convenient amnesia and identical twins.
The rest of this review contains spoilers, although since I don't recommend reading the book, you may as well finish. :=)
****Spoiler warning***
So here's the setup: Man gets married in a passionate rush and woman seemingly drowns when pirates attack their riverboat. Three years later, he still misses her. Then one night, he gets into a carriage accident with a woman who looks just like his wife -- who he becomes convinced IS his wife. Yes, she has a twin sister, but he'd know her anywhere. This couldn't possibly be her twin.
Of course, she wakes up with amnesia so she doesn't know who she is. No help there.
He seduces her despite the fact that she doesn't even know her own identity. Of course, she is "drawn" to him. At every point he is utterly confident that this is his wife and doesn't even entertain the possibility that his loneliness might be making him want something that isn't so.
Which, IMO, would have been the satisfying ending. I knew it wasn't going to turn out to be the ending, but not because of the way it was written. Every single clue was meant to mislead us into thinking that he had the wrong twin, but there was that gosh darn HEA hanging over our head, so we knew it was the right one. We knew it was his wife, even if that answer defied all logic and common sense and even though it might have even been a better love story if he had come to know and fall in love with the sister in her own right, and not because she was her twin.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. We have yet another unbelievable twist -- a man comes forward, says this is her wife, and that she is not she but her twin. She gets tricked into going with him when he threatens to challenge the man she loves to a duel.
After that, the eye rolling got a bit severe. This man who claims he's her husband, who is a rapist and murderer, doesn't touch our heroine in a remotely intimate way. Why? Not because it makes any sense, but because you can't do that in an HEA romance.
Then when her hero parks his riverboat near their home in an attempt to win her back, this raping, murdering, fake husband of hers does not kill him. Oh, he makes one rather feeble attempt toward the end, but it was pathetic.
So then comes the big reveal at the end. She didn't drown on the riverboat, one of the pirates saved her and told her that her husband was dead. Some time later, he convinces her to marry him but she catches him committing a murder and runs away on their wedding night (conveniently before they had sex because, of course, they can't do that in an HEA romance).
Then her father and sister show up just in time to confirm that she is who she's supposed to be. Conveniently, they were gone during this whole convoluted story.
Ack! Why do I finish books like this?
December 22, 2012
ben böyle bir kitap görmedim......kitabın sonuna kadar heyecan doruktaydı...
durağan bir noktası yoktu..okurken kesinlikle sıkılmassınız...
Kitabın tanıtımındada gördüğünüz üzre Ashton eşini bir kaza sonucu kaybediyor...Yada öğle düşünüyor...
Ama kader bu ya tam acısı azalmak üzereyken karanlık ve yağmurlu bir günde karsıyla karşılaşıyor...
Daha doğrusu çarpışıyor...Ata binmiş olan Lierin Ashton'un arabasına çarpıyor..ve hafızasını kaybediyor...
Ashton Lierin'i evine götürüyor ve herkese onun karısı olduğunu söylüyor...
Lierin hafızasını kaybetmişte olsa kendisine büyük bir sevgi ve şefkatle yaklaşan Ashton'la mutlu olmaya karar veriyor...
Tam böyle mutluluğu yakalamışken Malcolm Sinclair -kitabın sonuna kadar nefret ettim- ortaya çıkıp onun Lierin değil de ikiz kardeşi Lenore olduğunu ..hatta kendisinin karısı olduğunu delilleriyle beraber Ashton'a gösterir..Ama Ashton çok sevdiği karısını ikinci kez kaybetmeye tahammül edemez...
Ama Malcolm'un kanıtlarınıda göz ardı edemez..Ve Lierin-Lenore 'un peşini Bioxin-olması lazım-'e kadar takipeder..Zira Lierin-Lenore babası ve orda olacağını bilmediği Malcolmla beraber o evde yaşamaya başlamıştır...
İşte asıl olaylar bundan sonra başlar...Hırsızlıklar..Saldırılar..Ölümler...
ve en önemlisi bir satranç ustalığıyla..zekice planladığı yöntemlerle Ashton'un hamleleri...
Kitapta öyle yerler olduki kadın kahramanımızın Lierin mi Lenore mu olduğunu çözemedim...
Merak edenlere önerilir...
Ben beğendim..mutlaka okumalısınız..Sinirimi bozan tek sorun kitabın bitişiydi...
Bence biraz daha uzun olabilirdi...
Birde benim sinir olunacaklar listem var...
Listemin başını Malcolm alırken onu Ashton'un peşini bi türlü bırakmayan Marelda takip ediyor...
Birkaç ufak tefek insanlar daha var...Ama onlarda o kadar büyütülecek tipte değiller...
Son olarak söylemeliyimki bu yazar işini biliyor:)
durağan bir noktası yoktu..okurken kesinlikle sıkılmassınız...
Kitabın tanıtımındada gördüğünüz üzre Ashton eşini bir kaza sonucu kaybediyor...Yada öğle düşünüyor...
Ama kader bu ya tam acısı azalmak üzereyken karanlık ve yağmurlu bir günde karsıyla karşılaşıyor...
Daha doğrusu çarpışıyor...Ata binmiş olan Lierin Ashton'un arabasına çarpıyor..ve hafızasını kaybediyor...
Ashton Lierin'i evine götürüyor ve herkese onun karısı olduğunu söylüyor...
Lierin hafızasını kaybetmişte olsa kendisine büyük bir sevgi ve şefkatle yaklaşan Ashton'la mutlu olmaya karar veriyor...
Tam böyle mutluluğu yakalamışken Malcolm Sinclair -kitabın sonuna kadar nefret ettim- ortaya çıkıp onun Lierin değil de ikiz kardeşi Lenore olduğunu ..hatta kendisinin karısı olduğunu delilleriyle beraber Ashton'a gösterir..Ama Ashton çok sevdiği karısını ikinci kez kaybetmeye tahammül edemez...
Ama Malcolm'un kanıtlarınıda göz ardı edemez..Ve Lierin-Lenore 'un peşini Bioxin-olması lazım-'e kadar takipeder..Zira Lierin-Lenore babası ve orda olacağını bilmediği Malcolmla beraber o evde yaşamaya başlamıştır...
İşte asıl olaylar bundan sonra başlar...Hırsızlıklar..Saldırılar..Ölümler...
ve en önemlisi bir satranç ustalığıyla..zekice planladığı yöntemlerle Ashton'un hamleleri...
Kitapta öyle yerler olduki kadın kahramanımızın Lierin mi Lenore mu olduğunu çözemedim...
Merak edenlere önerilir...
Ben beğendim..mutlaka okumalısınız..Sinirimi bozan tek sorun kitabın bitişiydi...
Bence biraz daha uzun olabilirdi...
Birde benim sinir olunacaklar listem var...
Listemin başını Malcolm alırken onu Ashton'un peşini bi türlü bırakmayan Marelda takip ediyor...
Birkaç ufak tefek insanlar daha var...Ama onlarda o kadar büyütülecek tipte değiller...
Son olarak söylemeliyimki bu yazar işini biliyor:)
August 20, 2008
Entertaining Amnesia Plot, but slightly flawed 3.5 stars. 7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
Entertaining Amnesia Plot, but slightly flawed 3.5 stars, November 16, 2007
Newly wed Ashton Wingate and his wife Lierin are set upon by river pirates and Lierin is swept off the boat into the river and presumed drowned. Three years later Ashton's carriage collides with a woman on horseback and he is shocked to see that it is his "dead" wife, who recalls nothing of her past, including her husband. But is she really Lierin or her twin sister Lenore? Thus begins KEW's entertaining take on your basic amnesia plot.
Woodiwiss does a nice job with the romance of Ashton and Lierin, plenty of mystery, suspense and evil villains -- albeit the villains were just a tad bit over the top for me. I give Ashton extra points in the hero category, despite his strong desire for Lierin, he gave her space to make her own decisions while she sorted out her lost memory of their past together. I have to admit about 2/3 of the way through the book I was onto at least a part of the big surprise, but there was more to it than I had guessed. My major quibble is the very abrupt ending to the book; I would very much have appreciated an epilogue to round the end out. All in all, a pleasant romance and while it's not a great novel it's still a worthwhile way to spend a rainy afternoon. 3.5 stars
Entertaining Amnesia Plot, but slightly flawed 3.5 stars, November 16, 2007
Newly wed Ashton Wingate and his wife Lierin are set upon by river pirates and Lierin is swept off the boat into the river and presumed drowned. Three years later Ashton's carriage collides with a woman on horseback and he is shocked to see that it is his "dead" wife, who recalls nothing of her past, including her husband. But is she really Lierin or her twin sister Lenore? Thus begins KEW's entertaining take on your basic amnesia plot.
Woodiwiss does a nice job with the romance of Ashton and Lierin, plenty of mystery, suspense and evil villains -- albeit the villains were just a tad bit over the top for me. I give Ashton extra points in the hero category, despite his strong desire for Lierin, he gave her space to make her own decisions while she sorted out her lost memory of their past together. I have to admit about 2/3 of the way through the book I was onto at least a part of the big surprise, but there was more to it than I had guessed. My major quibble is the very abrupt ending to the book; I would very much have appreciated an epilogue to round the end out. All in all, a pleasant romance and while it's not a great novel it's still a worthwhile way to spend a rainy afternoon. 3.5 stars
August 7, 2014
This book has a problem. Bear with me for a moment:
There a frigging adjective. before. every. noun.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against adjectives per se.
I just dislike being told that peace is quiet, murmurs are hushed and a pulse is steady.
Goodbye, Ms Woodiwiss
The quiet peace of the moonlit river was broken by the hushed murmur of voices and the steady pulsing of pistons in a powerful engine.
The rushing burble of water beneath a stout hull softly harmonized with the long sighs of these monster steam pistons and the chugging splash of water under the paddle wheel...
There a frigging adjective. before. every. noun.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have anything against adjectives per se.
I just dislike being told that peace is quiet, murmurs are hushed and a pulse is steady.
Goodbye, Ms Woodiwiss
December 9, 2007
One of the better books by this author. Her earlier books were all wonderful. I don't know what happened to her later books, but I didn't care for most of them. Come Love a Stranger is a wonderful romance. If you have not read it and like romance, I highly recommend it. Be sure to check out this author's Shanna, too.
March 9, 2017
I couldn't get into this one. I enjoy some of Woodiwiss's books, but this one was so...bleh. It's dull, the characters are the most boring stock 1-dimensional archetypes you can imagine, and nothing happens. This is to say nothing of the racism, which became more and more difficult to stomach. Woodiwiss had this tendency to refer to black characters as simply "the black." She never says black MAN or black WOMAN; she never even refers to them as people! She did this same thing quite a bit in Ashes in the Wind, but at least the story was interesting. In this one, she has every black character address Ashton, the hero, as "Massa." Yes, you read that correctly: "Massa." And she doesn't even try to use it in an interesting or critical way. I understand the slaves would have been forced to address Ashton that way, but there is nothing suggesting the slaves in any way resent it; in fact, they seem thrilled to be serving white people. Every black character (or I should say caricature) revels in serving the white family, but has no existence of his or her own outside of the Wingates. There are some more blatantly racist white characters, and we know they're "bad people" because they use the n-word. Yet, the reason we're not supposed to like the racists' slurs is because we as readers know Ashton's slaves are indeed "good blacks" because they serve the white people with the altruism expected. Truly, this is one of the most racist books I've read in a while, and I'm shocked this was published in the 80's.
As if the racism weren't enough, the two lovers were the dullest couple Woodiwiss ever wrote. They have no personality, no life, no real struggle. And I'm so tired of the jealous-evil-girlfriend trope. It adds nothing to the story and only serves to pit the women against each other. Even worse, we're supposed to like Lierin better because she's more beautiful and has a "fuller bosom." I don't know whether the girl called Lierin really is Lierin because I couldn't make it that far (I read about 170 pages). The fact that I really don't care speaks to how dull this story was.
Overall, I still like Woodiwiss despite her shortcomings, but, Lord, this was bad.
As if the racism weren't enough, the two lovers were the dullest couple Woodiwiss ever wrote. They have no personality, no life, no real struggle. And I'm so tired of the jealous-evil-girlfriend trope. It adds nothing to the story and only serves to pit the women against each other. Even worse, we're supposed to like Lierin better because she's more beautiful and has a "fuller bosom." I don't know whether the girl called Lierin really is Lierin because I couldn't make it that far (I read about 170 pages). The fact that I really don't care speaks to how dull this story was.
Overall, I still like Woodiwiss despite her shortcomings, but, Lord, this was bad.
December 1, 2018
I started this book a couple of times, just couldn't get into it. Very unusual because I have, I believe, read pretty much all of her books. KW is one of my favourite authors and one of the best ever. Her earlier works are some of the best books ever written and TWaTD is my all time favourite. Sadly this was a DNF for me hence the one star.
August 15, 2015
This is the first romance novel I ever read, back when I was like 11? 12? Also, incidentally the one my name came from. I absolutely adore this book. I've come to...'outgrow'...the writings of Kathleen E. Woodiwiss- she was someone I read as a young teen- and as I have grown so have my tastes...but I can't pretend Woodiwiss hasn't set my bar high. Extremely high for romance and I find I can't look at the genre since. Every romance novel I pick up 'yeah, no, this isn't Woodiwiss.' I can FEEL the lack.
I particularly am in love with this book, and feel like I'd love it even if it weren't for my name (you know, that does help it's case.)
I won't pretend romance authors haven't, since, tried to recapture this plot in their own multitude of ways---
But Come Love a Stranger has always and will always own the Amnesia-Love-Story.
I particularly am in love with this book, and feel like I'd love it even if it weren't for my name (you know, that does help it's case.)
I won't pretend romance authors haven't, since, tried to recapture this plot in their own multitude of ways---
But Come Love a Stranger has always and will always own the Amnesia-Love-Story.
August 24, 2011
Reviewed for THC Reviews
Come Love a Stranger was a re-read for me, and although I did correctly remember the heroine's identity, there was little else about the story that I could recall. Although it didn't quite reach the heights of perfection for me, it was still a very good read, about as good as I remembered it being over fifteen years ago. I've only read a few of Kathleen Woodiwiss' books, the last one being about four years ago, which was before I started reviewing and really analyzing how each author writes. Either that book was different, or I had forgotten how dense Ms. Woodiwiss' prose can be. I usually like detailed narratives, but sometimes I found myself zoning out a bit during these long passages. At other times though, I could see the story playing out in my head just like a movie. Although I don't have a lot of experience with it, I believe Ms. Woodiwiss, at least in part, wrote the book from the third person omniscient viewpoint. She skips around a lot between an overarching narrative and the various characters' points of view, but rarely gets inside their heads to really let the reader in on what they are feeling and thinking. This often made me feel like I was experiencing the story at a distance rather than becoming immersed in it, and for that reason, I don't think I became as deeply connected to the characters as I typically like to be. Occasionally, there were also big time jumps from one paragraph to the next which could be a little jarring, and once the truth started coming out and the heroine began to remember her identity, the ending seemed somewhat rushed and confusing. I think I finally got everything straight, but had to sit and think about it for a few minutes after turning the last page.
Ashton, the hero, was my favorite character. He is a rakishly charming seducer who had some really swoon-worthy lines. I love how he never wavered in his belief that the heroine was indeed his long-lost wife, Lieren, and even if she did turn out to be Lenore, he didn't care, because he loved her no matter what. It was very romantic how he followed her when she left to go back to Mississippi, and he persisted in doing everything he could to stay near her, not only to protectively watch over her but also to keep himself in the forefront of her mind. I loved how Ashton was able to drive Malcolm crazy by always remaining cool and collected, while the other man was livid. It made for some very amusing moments. Ashton was definitely a cocky hero, but in a good way.
Lierin/Lenore, I don't feel like I got to know quite as well, probably because she doesn't know herself. Due to her amnesia, the author spends the entire story making the reader guess which sister she really is, and to which man she is truly married. Lierin/Lenore was a likable heroine, although I think perhaps she gave in to the notion that she was not Ashton's wife a bit too easily. However, I suppose I can forgive that since there wouldn't have been as much excitement in the story otherwise, and Ashton wouldn't have had the opportunity to show how deeply he loved her either. She was a fairly clever woman who managed to get herself out of a few difficult situations and start to piece together the events of the past when the memories began to return. I also like how she was drawn to Ashton like a moth to a flame and just couldn't resist his charms even though she couldn't remember him.
When Lierin/Lenore awakens with no memory of who she is and Ashton claiming her as his bride, she is understandably frightened and reticent, but Ashton easily won her over with his gentleness. Once she started warming up to Ashton, they had a very sweet, emotional connection. I always enjoyed their scenes together. They shared some playful, teasing moments, and although the love scenes were pretty mild and bordering on being purple, there was an underlying sensuality to them which I found to be very sweet.
Since this novel takes place in the Antebellum South, primarily Mississippi to be exact, Ashton is a slave owner, although I don't recall them ever outright being referred to as slaves. However, he is a kind man who treats them with the utmost respect and allows them to purchase their freedom through their work if they wish. Also, the black characters in the story speak with a dialect that I believe is considered rather demeaning nowadays. Although these things didn't bother me or affect my opinion of the story, I thought them worth mentioning, as I know some readers might find them troublesome if not outright offensive.
Overall, Come Love a Stranger was an enjoyable re-read. Already knowing the heroine's true identity made it somewhat less suspenseful, but nonetheless, it was still fun to reconnect with the characters and go through the steps as they discover who she is. Although, not my favorite Kathleen Woodiwiss book to date, it is one that I would recommend and that in my opinion is one of her more underrated works.
Come Love a Stranger was a re-read for me, and although I did correctly remember the heroine's identity, there was little else about the story that I could recall. Although it didn't quite reach the heights of perfection for me, it was still a very good read, about as good as I remembered it being over fifteen years ago. I've only read a few of Kathleen Woodiwiss' books, the last one being about four years ago, which was before I started reviewing and really analyzing how each author writes. Either that book was different, or I had forgotten how dense Ms. Woodiwiss' prose can be. I usually like detailed narratives, but sometimes I found myself zoning out a bit during these long passages. At other times though, I could see the story playing out in my head just like a movie. Although I don't have a lot of experience with it, I believe Ms. Woodiwiss, at least in part, wrote the book from the third person omniscient viewpoint. She skips around a lot between an overarching narrative and the various characters' points of view, but rarely gets inside their heads to really let the reader in on what they are feeling and thinking. This often made me feel like I was experiencing the story at a distance rather than becoming immersed in it, and for that reason, I don't think I became as deeply connected to the characters as I typically like to be. Occasionally, there were also big time jumps from one paragraph to the next which could be a little jarring, and once the truth started coming out and the heroine began to remember her identity, the ending seemed somewhat rushed and confusing. I think I finally got everything straight, but had to sit and think about it for a few minutes after turning the last page.
Ashton, the hero, was my favorite character. He is a rakishly charming seducer who had some really swoon-worthy lines. I love how he never wavered in his belief that the heroine was indeed his long-lost wife, Lieren, and even if she did turn out to be Lenore, he didn't care, because he loved her no matter what. It was very romantic how he followed her when she left to go back to Mississippi, and he persisted in doing everything he could to stay near her, not only to protectively watch over her but also to keep himself in the forefront of her mind. I loved how Ashton was able to drive Malcolm crazy by always remaining cool and collected, while the other man was livid. It made for some very amusing moments. Ashton was definitely a cocky hero, but in a good way.
Lierin/Lenore, I don't feel like I got to know quite as well, probably because she doesn't know herself. Due to her amnesia, the author spends the entire story making the reader guess which sister she really is, and to which man she is truly married. Lierin/Lenore was a likable heroine, although I think perhaps she gave in to the notion that she was not Ashton's wife a bit too easily. However, I suppose I can forgive that since there wouldn't have been as much excitement in the story otherwise, and Ashton wouldn't have had the opportunity to show how deeply he loved her either. She was a fairly clever woman who managed to get herself out of a few difficult situations and start to piece together the events of the past when the memories began to return. I also like how she was drawn to Ashton like a moth to a flame and just couldn't resist his charms even though she couldn't remember him.
When Lierin/Lenore awakens with no memory of who she is and Ashton claiming her as his bride, she is understandably frightened and reticent, but Ashton easily won her over with his gentleness. Once she started warming up to Ashton, they had a very sweet, emotional connection. I always enjoyed their scenes together. They shared some playful, teasing moments, and although the love scenes were pretty mild and bordering on being purple, there was an underlying sensuality to them which I found to be very sweet.
Since this novel takes place in the Antebellum South, primarily Mississippi to be exact, Ashton is a slave owner, although I don't recall them ever outright being referred to as slaves. However, he is a kind man who treats them with the utmost respect and allows them to purchase their freedom through their work if they wish. Also, the black characters in the story speak with a dialect that I believe is considered rather demeaning nowadays. Although these things didn't bother me or affect my opinion of the story, I thought them worth mentioning, as I know some readers might find them troublesome if not outright offensive.
Overall, Come Love a Stranger was an enjoyable re-read. Already knowing the heroine's true identity made it somewhat less suspenseful, but nonetheless, it was still fun to reconnect with the characters and go through the steps as they discover who she is. Although, not my favorite Kathleen Woodiwiss book to date, it is one that I would recommend and that in my opinion is one of her more underrated works.
November 10, 2018
Oh my god!!! I want to give this ZERO count 'em, ZERO stars!!!! This read more like a soap opera than a romance novel. I know romance novels aren't exactly of the highest caliber, but this one was atrocious. Ashton was a weak romantic hero on his good days, but I give him a pass for treating his workers with respect. I could never understand why he didn't just order the ever present Woodiwiss vixen, Marelda, out of his house (since his aunts are always proclaiming how strong willed he is). The whole novel was convoluted to say the least, what with the ever changing perspectives without any warning ( a simple page break would suffice). This is the last Woodiwiss novel I will ever read. her others had adventure in their romances, this one was incredibly stagnant, there was no love between the characters Lieren and Ashton, they remained strangers themselves even after their connection was "established". I enjoy strong heroines, armed with wit or if they are quiet (such as the case with Heather from TFAF), she needs to know her own mind and know that the alpha hole is out of his. I guess amnesia and secret babies are my no sale options on historical romances. Maybe Ms. Woodiwiss was trying to right the wrongs critics had with her earlier novels of not fleshing out the antagonists, but instead it went way beyond the call of duty. Was she trying to make us feel sympathy for Marelda with her sob story of "I had him and lost him, and I won't lose him again" bit, after having this same woman storm into the invalid Lieren's room and accuse her of not standing a chance in Ashton's world, despite the fact that she "is" his wife? Overall, the novel was hard to get into, and even harder to keep at. I did every thing in my power to not DNF this: lower my page count to 50 pages a day, instead of 100, read it every other day, or restrict it to night reading. I'm so happy to be done with it and moving onto Christina Skye next. Hopefully, she and her heroines will kick some serious reading slump ass. (Scratch that. Ms. Skye was even more atrocious in retrospect).
March 20, 2023
"Di que estoy endemoniado, que estoy loco. Di que estoy completa, desesperadamente enamorado de un sueño que sólo tú puedes satisfacer. Ya sé cómo era la vida sin ti y no quiero volver a eso. He venido a luchar, amor mío, y lucharé".
Me gusta mucho la temática de "pérdida de memoria" y en este libro la autora hizo un trabajo magnífico con la intriga respecto a la personalidad de nuestra protagonista. Llegas a estar tan confundida como la protagonista pero también, al igual que ella, sabemos que se ama mucho más a Ashton 😍, qué hombre tan leal a su amor.
Ahston es un hombre que logra conquistarte con la pasión tan abierta que demuestra hacía su amada "Lierin". Desde el momento en el que ve el rostro de la mujer herida que lleva en brazos para ser atendida después de un accidente contra su carruaje, y descubre que esa mujer se parece demasiado a su fallecida esposa, las dudas y esperanzas lo asaltan y cuando la mujer despierta sin memoria, él asegura que ella no puede ser otra que Lierin, su amada esposa que creía muerta tras una caída al mar pero por algún milagro, ella está de nuevo ahí, en su casa, con él y no dejará que nada ni nadie la vuelva a alejar de él.
Para "Lierin" es terrible no saber quién es, no tiene recuerdos de nada y está asustada porque unas pesadillas que le hacen pensar que algo oscuro y terrible pasó en su vida, sin embargo, su corazón y cuerpo parece aceptar que siente algo por Ashton, así que, espera recuperar su memoria mientras es amada y cuidada por su esposo, sin embargo, su mundo vuelve a derrumbarse cuándo aparece Malcom Sinclair afirmando ser su esposo y llamándola "Lenore".
La historia es adictiva, la autora logra engancharte completamente con la historia. Solo quieres seguir leyendo para descubrir el misterio que envuelve a nuestros protagonistas. La historia está llena de pasión, amor, odio e intriga. Realmente disfruté mucho de esta lectura.
Me gusta mucho la temática de "pérdida de memoria" y en este libro la autora hizo un trabajo magnífico con la intriga respecto a la personalidad de nuestra protagonista. Llegas a estar tan confundida como la protagonista pero también, al igual que ella, sabemos que se ama mucho más a Ashton 😍, qué hombre tan leal a su amor.
Ahston es un hombre que logra conquistarte con la pasión tan abierta que demuestra hacía su amada "Lierin". Desde el momento en el que ve el rostro de la mujer herida que lleva en brazos para ser atendida después de un accidente contra su carruaje, y descubre que esa mujer se parece demasiado a su fallecida esposa, las dudas y esperanzas lo asaltan y cuando la mujer despierta sin memoria, él asegura que ella no puede ser otra que Lierin, su amada esposa que creía muerta tras una caída al mar pero por algún milagro, ella está de nuevo ahí, en su casa, con él y no dejará que nada ni nadie la vuelva a alejar de él.
Para "Lierin" es terrible no saber quién es, no tiene recuerdos de nada y está asustada porque unas pesadillas que le hacen pensar que algo oscuro y terrible pasó en su vida, sin embargo, su corazón y cuerpo parece aceptar que siente algo por Ashton, así que, espera recuperar su memoria mientras es amada y cuidada por su esposo, sin embargo, su mundo vuelve a derrumbarse cuándo aparece Malcom Sinclair afirmando ser su esposo y llamándola "Lenore".
La historia es adictiva, la autora logra engancharte completamente con la historia. Solo quieres seguir leyendo para descubrir el misterio que envuelve a nuestros protagonistas. La historia está llena de pasión, amor, odio e intriga. Realmente disfruté mucho de esta lectura.
August 4, 2015
what a fantastic book. kudos to woodiwiss for hitting another one out of the park. if nora roberts is the queen of contemporary romances woodiwiss certainly holds the title for historical ones. she always manages to find the sweet spot in dialogue between modern and historically accurate speech giving it the proper tone without being hard to read. her plots are always well thought out gripping and brilliantly executed. the characters as always are extremely endearing or revolting (villains) and realistic. if you love historical romances you should definitely check all of her books out especially this one.
March 12, 2020
3 Stars
December 26, 2012
Great story by a favorite author.
July 25, 2024
Çıtır çerez olarak okunabilecek, hoş bir kitaptı. Başlarını merakla okudum ve acaba ne olacak diye düşündüm. Fakat yazarın ilişkileri üstünkörü yazdığını düşünüyorum, zira bana pek geçmedi. Ben biraz uzun soluklu, yavaş işlenen ilişkileri daha çok seviyorum. Kitap kendini sıkmadan okuttu, ama sonlara doğru yazarın işleri çok karıştırdığını ve Malcolm denen sünepeyi her yerden çıkartmalarını pek sevmedim. Kitabın sonundaki olayların açığa kavuşma anları beni çok sinirlendirdi, çünkü yazar hem açıklıyor, hem de açıklamıyor gibiydi. Bu tarafını hiç sevmedim. Kitap bitmek üzere ve ben hala ona ne oldu, bu neden ve nasıl oldu diyerek okudum ve doğal olarak bu canımı sıktı. Ashton'ın karısına olan bağlılığı güzeldi, ama karaktere pek düştüğümü söyleyemem.
Sanırım beni bu hikayede iten olay örgüsüydü. Biraz karışık, dağınık bulmuş olabilirim.
Hikayede -özellikle sonlara doğru- çok kopukluk yaşadım, ama tek oturuşta okuyup bitirebilecek, kafa dağıtmalık bir romandı. Yazarın daha önce kitaplarını okudum ve en sevdiğim rüzgarda savrulan küller olmuştu. Bu kitapta pek beklediğim performansı bulamadığımı üzülerek belirtmeliyim. En azından aptal bir kadın karakter okumadığım için seviniyorum.
Sanırım beni bu hikayede iten olay örgüsüydü. Biraz karışık, dağınık bulmuş olabilirim.
Hikayede -özellikle sonlara doğru- çok kopukluk yaşadım, ama tek oturuşta okuyup bitirebilecek, kafa dağıtmalık bir romandı. Yazarın daha önce kitaplarını okudum ve en sevdiğim rüzgarda savrulan küller olmuştu. Bu kitapta pek beklediğim performansı bulamadığımı üzülerek belirtmeliyim. En azından aptal bir kadın karakter okumadığım için seviniyorum.
June 26, 2011
ben böyle bir kitap görmedim......kitabın sonuna kadar heyecan doruktaydı...
durağan bir noktası yoktu..okurken kesinlikle sıkılmassınız...
Kitabın tanıtımındada gördüğünüz üzre Ashton eşini bir kaza sonucu kaybediyor...Yada öğle düşünüyor...
Ama kader bu ya tam acısı azalmak üzereyken karanlık ve yağmurlu bir günde karsıyla karşılaşıyor...
Daha doğrusu çarpışıyor...Ata binmiş olan Lierin Ashton'un arabasına çarpıyor..ve hafızasını kaybediyor...
Ashton Lierin'i evine götürüyor ve herkese onun karısı olduğunu söylüyor...
Lierin hafızasını kaybetmişte olsa kendisine büyük bir sevgi ve şefkatle yaklaşan Ashton'la mutlu olmaya karar veriyor...
Tam böyle mutluluğu yakalamışken Malcolm Sinclair -kitabın sonuna kadar nefret ettim- ortaya çıkıp onun Lierin değil de ikiz kardeşi Lenore olduğunu ..hatta kendisinin karısı olduğunu delilleriyle beraber Ashton'a gösterir..Ama Ashton çok sevdiği karısını ikinci kez kaybetmeye tahammül edemez...
Ama Malcolm'un kanıtlarınıda göz ardı edemez..Ve Lierin-Lenore 'un peşini Bioxin-olması lazım-'e kadar takipeder..Zira Lierin-Lenore babası ve orda olacağını bilmediği Malcolmla beraber o evde yaşamaya başlamıştır...
İşte asıl olaylar bundan sonra başlar...Hırsızlıklar..Saldırılar..Ölümler...
ve en önemlisi bir satranç ustalığıyla..zekice planladığı yöntemlerle Ashton'un hamleleri...
Kitapta öyle yerler olduki kadın kahramanımızın Lierin mi Lenore mu olduğunu çözemedim...
Merak edenlere önerilir...
Ben beğendim..mutlaka okumalısınız..Sinirimi bozan tek sorun kitabın bitişiydi...
Bence biraz daha uzun olabilirdi...
Birde benim sinir olunacaklar listem var...
Listemin başını Malcolm alırken onu Ashton'un peşini bi türlü bırakmayan Marelda takip ediyor...
Birkaç ufak tefek insanlar daha var...Ama onlarda o kadar büyütülecek tipte değiller...
Son olarak söylemeliyimki bu yazar işini biliyor:)
durağan bir noktası yoktu..okurken kesinlikle sıkılmassınız...
Kitabın tanıtımındada gördüğünüz üzre Ashton eşini bir kaza sonucu kaybediyor...Yada öğle düşünüyor...
Ama kader bu ya tam acısı azalmak üzereyken karanlık ve yağmurlu bir günde karsıyla karşılaşıyor...
Daha doğrusu çarpışıyor...Ata binmiş olan Lierin Ashton'un arabasına çarpıyor..ve hafızasını kaybediyor...
Ashton Lierin'i evine götürüyor ve herkese onun karısı olduğunu söylüyor...
Lierin hafızasını kaybetmişte olsa kendisine büyük bir sevgi ve şefkatle yaklaşan Ashton'la mutlu olmaya karar veriyor...
Tam böyle mutluluğu yakalamışken Malcolm Sinclair -kitabın sonuna kadar nefret ettim- ortaya çıkıp onun Lierin değil de ikiz kardeşi Lenore olduğunu ..hatta kendisinin karısı olduğunu delilleriyle beraber Ashton'a gösterir..Ama Ashton çok sevdiği karısını ikinci kez kaybetmeye tahammül edemez...
Ama Malcolm'un kanıtlarınıda göz ardı edemez..Ve Lierin-Lenore 'un peşini Bioxin-olması lazım-'e kadar takipeder..Zira Lierin-Lenore babası ve orda olacağını bilmediği Malcolmla beraber o evde yaşamaya başlamıştır...
İşte asıl olaylar bundan sonra başlar...Hırsızlıklar..Saldırılar..Ölümler...
ve en önemlisi bir satranç ustalığıyla..zekice planladığı yöntemlerle Ashton'un hamleleri...
Kitapta öyle yerler olduki kadın kahramanımızın Lierin mi Lenore mu olduğunu çözemedim...
Merak edenlere önerilir...
Ben beğendim..mutlaka okumalısınız..Sinirimi bozan tek sorun kitabın bitişiydi...
Bence biraz daha uzun olabilirdi...
Birde benim sinir olunacaklar listem var...
Listemin başını Malcolm alırken onu Ashton'un peşini bi türlü bırakmayan Marelda takip ediyor...
Birkaç ufak tefek insanlar daha var...Ama onlarda o kadar büyütülecek tipte değiller...
Son olarak söylemeliyimki bu yazar işini biliyor:)
September 27, 2023
I was reminded of a line spoken by Bill Murray's character Jeff in the movie "Tootsie" and to paraphrase, this is one nutty family.
SPOILER ALERT
As usual, Kathleen Woodiwiss had me wound around her story like a too small rubber band. I had to deconstruct the action at the end though, muttering it to myself and aloud, several times. The boat was attacked by pirates, handsome husband was shot and thought dead by beautiful wife swept overboard and hauled ashore by the pirates who shot handsome husband. But, handsome husband wasn't dead. Beautiful wife was rescued from pirate camp by seemingly valiant man. Seemingly valiant man courted beautiful wife, unbeknownst, now formerly valiant man was married and needed money so he committed his current missus after spending all of her money and courted beautiful wife who finally agreed to marry him. Meanwhile, handsome husband recovered and spent a miserable period of time mourning beautiful wife. Beauiful wife finally agreed to marry formerly valiant man. Formerly valiant man then sought to burn down the asylum he had had his current missus commited to. Current missus' brother showed up to tell beautiful wife that formerly valiant man was a schmuck. Formerly valiant man killed the brother as the brother warned the beautiful wife of the man's shennigans. Beautiful wife fled into the darkness and was struck by a carriage losing her memory. The carriage was owned by, and handsome husband was a passenger in the carriage that night and tried to reclaim beautiful wife as Formerly valiant man schemed to take all or die trying. Whew. Totally worth reading, more turns than a Minnesota corn maze.
SPOILER ALERT
As usual, Kathleen Woodiwiss had me wound around her story like a too small rubber band. I had to deconstruct the action at the end though, muttering it to myself and aloud, several times. The boat was attacked by pirates, handsome husband was shot and thought dead by beautiful wife swept overboard and hauled ashore by the pirates who shot handsome husband. But, handsome husband wasn't dead. Beautiful wife was rescued from pirate camp by seemingly valiant man. Seemingly valiant man courted beautiful wife, unbeknownst, now formerly valiant man was married and needed money so he committed his current missus after spending all of her money and courted beautiful wife who finally agreed to marry him. Meanwhile, handsome husband recovered and spent a miserable period of time mourning beautiful wife. Beauiful wife finally agreed to marry formerly valiant man. Formerly valiant man then sought to burn down the asylum he had had his current missus commited to. Current missus' brother showed up to tell beautiful wife that formerly valiant man was a schmuck. Formerly valiant man killed the brother as the brother warned the beautiful wife of the man's shennigans. Beautiful wife fled into the darkness and was struck by a carriage losing her memory. The carriage was owned by, and handsome husband was a passenger in the carriage that night and tried to reclaim beautiful wife as Formerly valiant man schemed to take all or die trying. Whew. Totally worth reading, more turns than a Minnesota corn maze.
December 26, 2017
Ashton Wingate trova sulla riva del Mississipi una donna svenuta e senza memoria, ma il suo volto lo riconoscerebbe tra mille: lei è sua moglie che credeva scomparsa. La povera smemorata però non è convinta delle parole del suo salvatore e come se non bastasse un misterioso Malcolm Sinclair dichiara di essere il vero marito della donna che sarebbe appunto la gemella della defunta moglie di Ashton.
La Woodwiss è una maestra del romance storico, inutile dire che si rimane rapiti dai personaggi e si finisce dentro alla storia anche se a mio parere rimane una delle meno riuscite di questa autrice. La premessa misteriosa delle prime pagine a mio parere si perde non poco e l’autore spera davvero che Ashton sia il marito della smemorata rivissuta misteriosamente, eppure conoscendo i canoni di questa autrice l’attesa per scoprire la verità non si rivela affatto sofferta.
Inoltre la protagonista non è pienamente padrona della scena e forse un po’ troppo in balia degli eventi e fino all’ultimo non ricorda nulla di importante, lasciando che la storia sia portata avanti dal solito tira e molla dei due personaggi maschili.
In definitiva tre stelle. Ormai ho letto quasi tutto di questa autrice e mi spiace che ormai le scorte stiano finendo eppure trovo sempre meno romanzi appassionanti come il suo “Il lupo e la colomba”. In ogni caso questa autrice rimane la regina incontrastata del genere.
October 27, 2024
Come Love A Stranger
I’ve been reading & rereading Ms Woodiwiss’s books since I was 18 yrs old. I’m now 69. Her first book was the first romance other than Barbra Cartland I had ever read. I had an infant but stayed awake all night to finish The Flame & The Flower. Same with her next book. The wolf & The Dove. I’ve read every book she’s ever written. There are doom I had to doubt she had actually peened. Her characters come alive for the reader, her descriptions of the story line are spot on. Even though most of them end with the hero & heroine happily ever after. It’s the way she gets them there that holds the interest & the reader guessing how it’ll happen. There are a few of her books that I didn’t enjoy, but the first two are still dear to my heart. I’ve even got them on audio. I’m more a sci fi reader & always have been,but occasionally I like to go back to an author that can put you right where she wants you. She’s articulate without being condescending, she can bring her stories to life. I would have enjoyed finding out more from this book or The Wolf & The Dove. The Flame & The Flower were continued & I enjoyed them as much as her first. Thank you Ms Woodiwiss for many enjoyable hours of reading your special kind of magic.
I’ve been reading & rereading Ms Woodiwiss’s books since I was 18 yrs old. I’m now 69. Her first book was the first romance other than Barbra Cartland I had ever read. I had an infant but stayed awake all night to finish The Flame & The Flower. Same with her next book. The wolf & The Dove. I’ve read every book she’s ever written. There are doom I had to doubt she had actually peened. Her characters come alive for the reader, her descriptions of the story line are spot on. Even though most of them end with the hero & heroine happily ever after. It’s the way she gets them there that holds the interest & the reader guessing how it’ll happen. There are a few of her books that I didn’t enjoy, but the first two are still dear to my heart. I’ve even got them on audio. I’m more a sci fi reader & always have been,but occasionally I like to go back to an author that can put you right where she wants you. She’s articulate without being condescending, she can bring her stories to life. I would have enjoyed finding out more from this book or The Wolf & The Dove. The Flame & The Flower were continued & I enjoyed them as much as her first. Thank you Ms Woodiwiss for many enjoyable hours of reading your special kind of magic.
June 14, 2015
Expected more after reading The Flame and the Flower. Sad to say I was disappointed with this.
The reason I like Woodiwiss is because unlike a lot of authors in the romance genre, she can actually write.
You can tell she's been inspired by classics like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, she writes plot driven and descriptive stories. She's been a pioneer for historical romance and with good reason.
Come Love a Stranger had an amazing premise, but it just didn't live up to its potential.
There were random bouts of useless meandering. Too much plot. And while this was well written, the characters and dialouge are all very cartoon-ish and melodramatic. The ending was really entertaining but felt rushed. One too many twists to be believable.
I wouldn't recommend unless you're a fan of Woodiwiss.
Three stars for decent writing and entertaining read. I didn't hate it.
The reason I like Woodiwiss is because unlike a lot of authors in the romance genre, she can actually write.
You can tell she's been inspired by classics like Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, she writes plot driven and descriptive stories. She's been a pioneer for historical romance and with good reason.
Come Love a Stranger had an amazing premise, but it just didn't live up to its potential.
There were random bouts of useless meandering. Too much plot. And while this was well written, the characters and dialouge are all very cartoon-ish and melodramatic. The ending was really entertaining but felt rushed. One too many twists to be believable.
I wouldn't recommend unless you're a fan of Woodiwiss.
Three stars for decent writing and entertaining read. I didn't hate it.
July 1, 2017
I have to say that the entire time, I was afraid of, or rather disliked, the possibility of the heroine being Lenore and not Lierin. Had she been Lenore after all, it would've been wrong in some way, as it would be wrong for Lenore to take her sister's place, and it would nonetheless be a proof that Ashton is after the illusion of the woman and not the woman herself had he taken Lenore. Thankfully, that didn't happen, and as usual, Kathleen Woodiwiss drew both logic and the emotions necessary to the plot.
Yet, the method Mrs. Woodiwiss usually follows in writing her novels adds sparks of surprise and beauty to the story. Each of the characters got what he/she deserved.
The novel was extremely puzzling, yet wonderful.
Yet, the method Mrs. Woodiwiss usually follows in writing her novels adds sparks of surprise and beauty to the story. Each of the characters got what he/she deserved.
The novel was extremely puzzling, yet wonderful.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2017
Este libro ha sido un tanto extraño... me ha resultado enredoso y raro, para luego tener un final para mi opinion, muy poco creible
5/10
5/10
June 26, 2013
I loved this book. It was exciting, action-packed, mysterious and romantic and you the mystery doesn't get solved until the very end.
Is she Lieren or Lenore? I thought I had it all figured out before I hit the last hundred pages but no such luck. I totally missed the whole thing. I'm not good at figuring out mysteries anyway but I really did think I had this one nailed. Nah. The ending was a total surprise to me.
The story was filled with twists and turns and even a few, "No ways" and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I thought I'd read it years ago but after reading it, I must have it mixed up with something else. I would have remembered this if I had.
So good!
Is she Lieren or Lenore? I thought I had it all figured out before I hit the last hundred pages but no such luck. I totally missed the whole thing. I'm not good at figuring out mysteries anyway but I really did think I had this one nailed. Nah. The ending was a total surprise to me.
The story was filled with twists and turns and even a few, "No ways" and I thoroughly enjoyed this book.
I thought I'd read it years ago but after reading it, I must have it mixed up with something else. I would have remembered this if I had.
So good!
July 29, 2016
Esta historia desde el inicio me mantuvo con el suspenso de quién era la chica: Lierin o Lenore, aunque estaba casi convencida de que era Lierin, estaba como Ashton :)
Muy buen desenvolvimiento de todo el trama, Kathleen me mantuvo encantada con la historia y personalidad de cada uno de los personajes.
Lo único de lo que me quejo es que me esperaba un poco más en el final.
Muy recomendable, y más si te gustan los libros de época...
July 23, 2014
Another good story by Ms Woodiwiss. Not my favorite but one I still keep on my keeper shelf to enjoy again and again. Ashton Wingate loses his wife three years before and then one day his carriage collides with a woman on horseback who looks like his lost wife, Lierin. But there is another man who claims that she is not Lierin but Lenore.
March 17, 2011
Found that it was similar to other books of hers, which is understandable. I do enjoy her books, but I found that I had to plod through this one and it never seemed to end. There was no mystery as it was quite blatant what had happened.
June 19, 2013
4,5 hatta 4,75 :)
Full 5 yıldız olmama sebebi, bir resamın masterpiece'ini yaparken boyasının bitmesi ve resminin yarım kalması gibi bir sonu olması kitabın.(?!?)
Ama gene de: Pardon daa Kathleen E. Woodwiss yani boru değil.
Full 5 yıldız olmama sebebi, bir resamın masterpiece'ini yaparken boyasının bitmesi ve resminin yarım kalması gibi bir sonu olması kitabın.(?!?)
Ama gene de: Pardon daa Kathleen E. Woodwiss yani boru değil.
December 30, 2015
An engaging tale that keeps you hooked throughout the story. As you progress through the story, you get hints as to what is fact and fiction in the characters' lives and how events unfolded to create the situation they find themselves embroiled in. A very engaging and involving story.
December 12, 2023
As always...Kathleen Woodiwiss comes through with another winning novel!!
Leirin and her twin sister fight for the right to live...and for Leiren to have her husband back. After she had been thought dead for three years.
Leirin and her twin sister fight for the right to live...and for Leiren to have her husband back. After she had been thought dead for three years.
October 11, 2014
absolutely fabulous a eondetful read have read about 20 times just love it
Displaying 1 - 30 of 169 reviews