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James River Trilogy #3
River Lady
In a chance encounter on Virginia’s riverfront, Leah, a beautiful waif, unwittingly captured the one man she had always loved!
Handsome, well-born Wesley; in an unexpected twist of fate, becomes Leah's reluctant husband.
Determined to forge a new life in untamed Kentucky Wesley discovers that the bride he hopes to abandon is passionate, proud and brave--and may be the woman he cannot live without!
Handsome, well-born Wesley; in an unexpected twist of fate, becomes Leah's reluctant husband.
Determined to forge a new life in untamed Kentucky Wesley discovers that the bride he hopes to abandon is passionate, proud and brave--and may be the woman he cannot live without!
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1985
247 people are currently reading
1343 people want to read
About the author
Jude Deveraux
200 books7,068 followersJude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
February 5, 2013
Started off quite well but lost me half way through.
The story starts with rich planter, Wesley Stanford stopping at a inn. There he meets Leah Simmons, who has grown up in the swamp and is visiting her sister who works as a maid at the inn and also does a bit of whoring. Leah is presented as malnourished, unclean, and bruised and we are told that her father mistreats her but that she stays in order to protect her younger siblings. Due to an act of kindness when Leah was a child, she has idealised Wesley and believes herself to be in love with him - although he is obsessed with his fiancé Kimberly. In any event she leaves the tavern with Wesley and he kisses her. He then lays her on the ground, takes her virginity without much care and thinking her a whore too, takes himself off leaving her some coin.
Months later her father drags her beaten, with her hands bound at pistol point into the local church demanding to know who got her pregnant. Wesley comes forward and marries her but leaves her in his brother's care for almost a year. He does not seem to give even a second thought to her plight and pitiful condition or the effect his behaviour has had on her life.
Leah eventually recovers, has a miscarriage and learns how to be a lady. Lo and behold it emerges that she is very beautiful
When Wesley returns he makes it clear that he detests Leah, that he thinks she has ruined his life because he wants Kim and that he can't stand the thought of her as his wife. Leah agrees to go with him to Kentucky in the guise as his cousin so that when they get there, he can divorce her and marry Kimberly - yes - it is all rather far fetched to say the least. Wesley appears to be an insensitive boor.
They set off on the wagon trail and Kimberly is a pain in the neck who appears unable to do anything for herself. Wesley initially despises Leah for being so capable as he thinks that Kimberly's behaviour is endearing and lady like. Leah is treated as a servant by Kim and Wesley and they show little consideration towards her until Justin joins their party and starts to make his appreciation known.
By the end of the trip Wesley has come to grips with reality and is fed up with Kimberly. He announces that Leah is really his wife and that he intends to keep her after all. Leah does not trust him and points out that he is fickle, has abandoned her before and most likely will do so again. She does not want to be married to him in case he breaks her heart again.
For some crazy reason Wesley decides that instead of going to his house and courting her there, he will take her into the forest, where she will be afraid, will have to depend on him and that they will not return to civilisation until she submits. The whole thing goes down hill from here on in. They get accosted by an unpleasant customer, who is Leah's robber brother. Wesley knows that these men were up to no good and that Leah somehow knew them and feared them but instead of going home like any sensible person, he insists on going further into the forest.
Furthermore I was at a loss as to why Leah did not Just tell Wesley that the man was her brother Abe, that he was an untrustworthy robber who was up to no good, would harm them and that they needed to get Away and back to their house.
Instead Abe shoots Wesley and blackmails Leah into returning to their den into to ( she thinks) cook for them whilst Wesley recovers. It turns out one of the gang leaders has dishonourable intentions and Leah is left at constant risk of rape. Abe it seems has decided to act as a procurer for the other chap and who cares if it is his sister and the most convoluted contrivance ever...
Wesley recovers and knows that the story Leah gives him is rubbish, but when he finds out the truth, doesn't exactly go out of his way to rescue her or extract her from the situation.
The evil leader cons Leah into going for a ride with him ( at this point she falls into the TSTL category) and then robs and kills some people in front of her, threatening to kill more of the pioneers if she does not co- operate.
They eventually escape, Leah fears for her reputation as her identity was revealed at the robbery. The head of the gang is eventually revealed. The last hundred pages were skim read only.
A book of two halves. I quite enjoyed the first part and was looking forward to how Wesley would win Leah's trust when they got to his home.
Instead it ended up with all this stupid stuff in the forest and the introduction of the robber gang with the associated mystery elements was the last straw.
Leah was kind hearted but came across as too much of a doormat and Wesley's redemption was far from convincing.
This would have been far more interesting if it had remained as a romance with the requisite psychological progress of the parties.
Even the reasoning for taking her into the forest was stupid and thereafter nothing made any sense and the whole thing became a contrived convoluted mess.
Not a keeper.
The story starts with rich planter, Wesley Stanford stopping at a inn. There he meets Leah Simmons, who has grown up in the swamp and is visiting her sister who works as a maid at the inn and also does a bit of whoring. Leah is presented as malnourished, unclean, and bruised and we are told that her father mistreats her but that she stays in order to protect her younger siblings. Due to an act of kindness when Leah was a child, she has idealised Wesley and believes herself to be in love with him - although he is obsessed with his fiancé Kimberly. In any event she leaves the tavern with Wesley and he kisses her. He then lays her on the ground, takes her virginity without much care and thinking her a whore too, takes himself off leaving her some coin.
Months later her father drags her beaten, with her hands bound at pistol point into the local church demanding to know who got her pregnant. Wesley comes forward and marries her but leaves her in his brother's care for almost a year. He does not seem to give even a second thought to her plight and pitiful condition or the effect his behaviour has had on her life.
Leah eventually recovers, has a miscarriage and learns how to be a lady. Lo and behold it emerges that she is very beautiful
When Wesley returns he makes it clear that he detests Leah, that he thinks she has ruined his life because he wants Kim and that he can't stand the thought of her as his wife. Leah agrees to go with him to Kentucky in the guise as his cousin so that when they get there, he can divorce her and marry Kimberly - yes - it is all rather far fetched to say the least. Wesley appears to be an insensitive boor.
They set off on the wagon trail and Kimberly is a pain in the neck who appears unable to do anything for herself. Wesley initially despises Leah for being so capable as he thinks that Kimberly's behaviour is endearing and lady like. Leah is treated as a servant by Kim and Wesley and they show little consideration towards her until Justin joins their party and starts to make his appreciation known.
By the end of the trip Wesley has come to grips with reality and is fed up with Kimberly. He announces that Leah is really his wife and that he intends to keep her after all. Leah does not trust him and points out that he is fickle, has abandoned her before and most likely will do so again. She does not want to be married to him in case he breaks her heart again.
For some crazy reason Wesley decides that instead of going to his house and courting her there, he will take her into the forest, where she will be afraid, will have to depend on him and that they will not return to civilisation until she submits. The whole thing goes down hill from here on in. They get accosted by an unpleasant customer, who is Leah's robber brother. Wesley knows that these men were up to no good and that Leah somehow knew them and feared them but instead of going home like any sensible person, he insists on going further into the forest.
Furthermore I was at a loss as to why Leah did not Just tell Wesley that the man was her brother Abe, that he was an untrustworthy robber who was up to no good, would harm them and that they needed to get Away and back to their house.
Instead Abe shoots Wesley and blackmails Leah into returning to their den into to ( she thinks) cook for them whilst Wesley recovers. It turns out one of the gang leaders has dishonourable intentions and Leah is left at constant risk of rape. Abe it seems has decided to act as a procurer for the other chap and who cares if it is his sister and the most convoluted contrivance ever...
Wesley recovers and knows that the story Leah gives him is rubbish, but when he finds out the truth, doesn't exactly go out of his way to rescue her or extract her from the situation.
The evil leader cons Leah into going for a ride with him ( at this point she falls into the TSTL category) and then robs and kills some people in front of her, threatening to kill more of the pioneers if she does not co- operate.
They eventually escape, Leah fears for her reputation as her identity was revealed at the robbery. The head of the gang is eventually revealed. The last hundred pages were skim read only.
A book of two halves. I quite enjoyed the first part and was looking forward to how Wesley would win Leah's trust when they got to his home.
Instead it ended up with all this stupid stuff in the forest and the introduction of the robber gang with the associated mystery elements was the last straw.
Leah was kind hearted but came across as too much of a doormat and Wesley's redemption was far from convincing.
This would have been far more interesting if it had remained as a romance with the requisite psychological progress of the parties.
Even the reasoning for taking her into the forest was stupid and thereafter nothing made any sense and the whole thing became a contrived convoluted mess.
Not a keeper.
April 19, 2021
I’m forcing myself to weed through my old TBR’s, and this one has been on my kindle for a long time. River Lady follows the relationship (notice I didn’t say romance) between Leah and Wesley. It starts out well enough with a poor ugly duckling finding herself pregnant and married to a resentful man abandoning her while she blossoms into a beautiful swan, but instead of exploring that… in a developed, logical way... We take a side turn around the halfway mark into bizarro world with kidnapping/murdering bandits only to be abruptly dumped with an unsatisfactory ending. It’s weird, almost reads like two separate books with the same characters smooshed together. Add in an unlikeable H, an annoying h, and buckets of stupid/illogical decisions and you have River Lady.
Bottom Line- There was so much potential for this to be an angsty read, especially with the ex-fiancé Kim around, but Leah kisses her ass rather than feeling jealous or sad. Wesley is a blind, clueless jerk, while Leah has the biggest chip on her shoulder ever. She’s constantly bringing up her “poor roots” even up until the end lashing out at people…. except Kimberly who she caters too. (Wesley deserved it; Regan, Nicole, Clay, Justin, or anyone who tries to help her didn’t) I feel like I already wasted my afternoon, so I’m making this brief. If you’re interested in a better synopsis, check out Twiggy’s review. (should pop up first if not, sort out the 1⭐’s)
Bottom Line- There was so much potential for this to be an angsty read, especially with the ex-fiancé Kim around, but Leah kisses her ass rather than feeling jealous or sad. Wesley is a blind, clueless jerk, while Leah has the biggest chip on her shoulder ever. She’s constantly bringing up her “poor roots” even up until the end lashing out at people…. except Kimberly who she caters too. (Wesley deserved it; Regan, Nicole, Clay, Justin, or anyone who tries to help her didn’t) I feel like I already wasted my afternoon, so I’m making this brief. If you’re interested in a better synopsis, check out Twiggy’s review. (should pop up first if not, sort out the 1⭐’s)
June 24, 2017
Me emocioné mucho, cuando leí la sinopsis y dije este libro va a ser de los que me gustan
.
La primera parte y sobre todo el comienzo me gustó mucho y la verdad que si lo estaba disfrutando, todo empieza con la protagonista Leah que vive en la parte marginada del pueblo y ha estado enamorada de Westley desde siempre aunque sólo lo ha visto una vez hasta que se lo encuentra en el bar donde trabaja su hermana y como él está comprometido y se va a casar es la única
oportunidad de Leah para poder tener un recuerdo de él y sí sí es un beso esto lo que quiere pero él piensa que es igual que su hermana y pues sucede más que un beso y por lo que él día de la boda todo sale a la luz y él es obligado a casarse con ella. Wesley la odia porque cree que por su culpa perdió a la única mujer que ha amado.
Con todo lo anterior y más cosas que suceden a mí me estaba gustando hasta que no sé en qué parte las cosas se tuercen y cambia todo el rumbo y la trama de la historia, se me hizo cansada también la necedad de Leah que la entendí porque no puedes confiar en una persona que te ha tratado mal varias veces, pero como dice el dicho el que no habla Dios no lo escucha y ella nunca le dijo a él sus razones de su desconfianza ni nada.
Lleguemos al final que es ahí lo que me causo más conflicto is seriously? Así acaba?
No sé si a mi libro le faltan paginas o si así acaba porque quedaron muchos cabos sueltos al final y cosas sin resolver que a mí me causó conflicto, ¿Atraparon al bandido? ¿Muere Justin? I don´t Know
Sólo porque disfruté mucho la primera parte le daré tres estrellas
.
La primera parte y sobre todo el comienzo me gustó mucho y la verdad que si lo estaba disfrutando, todo empieza con la protagonista Leah que vive en la parte marginada del pueblo y ha estado enamorada de Westley desde siempre aunque sólo lo ha visto una vez hasta que se lo encuentra en el bar donde trabaja su hermana y como él está comprometido y se va a casar es la única
oportunidad de Leah para poder tener un recuerdo de él y sí sí es un beso esto lo que quiere pero él piensa que es igual que su hermana y pues sucede más que un beso y por lo que él día de la boda todo sale a la luz y él es obligado a casarse con ella. Wesley la odia porque cree que por su culpa perdió a la única mujer que ha amado.
Con todo lo anterior y más cosas que suceden a mí me estaba gustando hasta que no sé en qué parte las cosas se tuercen y cambia todo el rumbo y la trama de la historia, se me hizo cansada también la necedad de Leah que la entendí porque no puedes confiar en una persona que te ha tratado mal varias veces, pero como dice el dicho el que no habla Dios no lo escucha y ella nunca le dijo a él sus razones de su desconfianza ni nada.
Lleguemos al final que es ahí lo que me causo más conflicto is seriously? Así acaba?
No sé si a mi libro le faltan paginas o si así acaba porque quedaron muchos cabos sueltos al final y cosas sin resolver que a mí me causó conflicto, ¿Atraparon al bandido? ¿Muere Justin? I don´t Know
Sólo porque disfruté mucho la primera parte le daré tres estrellas
March 18, 2021
Лия Симънс и Уесли Станфорд
Тази книга съм я чела само веднъж и просто никога няма да я забравя, толкова нелепа и абсурдна, толкова глупава, с такива идиотски герои просто, не е истина колко ненавиждам тази книга.
Пиша направо в спойлер, който не иска да разбере да не чете.
Тази книга съм я чела само веднъж и просто никога няма да я забравя, толкова нелепа и абсурдна, толкова глупава, с такива идиотски герои просто, не е истина колко ненавиждам тази книга.
Пиша направо в спойлер, който не иска да разбере да не чете.
September 25, 2016
La primera parte me gustó mucho, aún a pesar de la forma de ser y actuar de los protagonistas. Me parecía que por momentos Leah se pasaba de sumisa y Wesley era demasiado prepotente e insoportable. Más tarde, en la segunda parte, los hechos pasaron demasiado rápido y me parecieron ilógicos, quedaron muchos puntos sin tocar porque el final fue así como de ¿y ya está? ¡Ya no dicen que pasa! Y eso me causa un conflicto tremendo. En fin, me quedo con la primera parte y con la sensación de que encontré un poco de lo que quería. Porque si tengo un placer culposo... bueno, son las novelas del oeste y los cowboys hahaha
July 9, 2016
Let's see:
✔ Sweet, naïve heroine treated badly by her malicious father
✔ Heroine in love with a man she had seen once as a child
✔ Hero feeling passion for the heroine when seeing her for the first time and her being ugly, dirty and malnourished thing
✔ Friends of the hero who believe that a girl they don't know a thing about would be a good wife for a hero
✔ Him doing the right thing and marring her and then leaving her instantly
✔ The heroine becoming an actually pretty lady
✔ Lots of drama
Well, we've got it all and even more.
I just couldn't finish this book. In fact, I have only started it and than abandoned for good at about 10%. Not for me.
✔ Sweet, naïve heroine treated badly by her malicious father
✔ Heroine in love with a man she had seen once as a child
✔ Hero feeling passion for the heroine when seeing her for the first time and her being ugly, dirty and malnourished thing
✔ Friends of the hero who believe that a girl they don't know a thing about would be a good wife for a hero
✔ Him doing the right thing and marring her and then leaving her instantly
✔ The heroine becoming an actually pretty lady
✔ Lots of drama
Well, we've got it all and even more.
I just couldn't finish this book. In fact, I have only started it and than abandoned for good at about 10%. Not for me.
April 20, 2018
Read this book years ago, and enjoyed it much less the second time around. In fact, it sucked. Here are the problems:
1. Not enough romance. The first half of the book was much better than second because the focus remained on Wesley and Leah's developing relationship. The latter part of the book steered away from the romance almost completely and was very action-oriented.
2. An annoying heroine. As the story progressed, Leah's chip on her shoulder (regarding her lowly origins) grew to the point that it became hard to see around. Her too-stupid-to-live actions also led those around her into trouble more than once.
3. The ending was abrupt and unromantic. I had to check the ebook to make sure pages were not missing. There was no resolution to Leah and Wesley's relationship (likewise with another character's storyline). Leah never told Wesley she loved him. He's told by his brother, Travis, that this is the case. This might have been sufficient for the author, but it's not enough for me. The reader is left to assume Leah and Wesley worked out their issues and walked off into the sunset together. Lame.
1. Not enough romance. The first half of the book was much better than second because the focus remained on Wesley and Leah's developing relationship. The latter part of the book steered away from the romance almost completely and was very action-oriented.
2. An annoying heroine. As the story progressed, Leah's chip on her shoulder (regarding her lowly origins) grew to the point that it became hard to see around. Her too-stupid-to-live actions also led those around her into trouble more than once.
3. The ending was abrupt and unromantic. I had to check the ebook to make sure pages were not missing. There was no resolution to Leah and Wesley's relationship (likewise with another character's storyline). Leah never told Wesley she loved him. He's told by his brother, Travis, that this is the case. This might have been sufficient for the author, but it's not enough for me. The reader is left to assume Leah and Wesley worked out their issues and walked off into the sunset together. Lame.
April 1, 2020
You know I have this rated like I've read it before and while I remember books 1 and 2.. I could not for the life of me, throughout the entire book, remember anything about this. Who knows maybe I haven't actually read it before and my previous rating was an accident? The rating of 3 to 3.5 stars is pretty spot on for me though so maybe I did read it before.
Other than the very large chip on her shoulder, our FMC, Leah, is amazeballs! For real I think I need to self evaluate and be more like her. The chip on her shoulder lasts the entire book though so get used to it lol. As for our MC, for the most part I couldn't stand the guy... Why Leah doesnt just run away with Justin is freaking beyond me. I wish that an FMC like Leah had someone worthy of her or at least got a guy that in the end realizes he isn't worthy of her and treats her like the bad a B queen she is but it never happened and so I ended up irritated at the whole book. The story itself is good and fun and totally entertaining but the MC is just a rotten apple for sure.
I want to take the time to say that amazon has this listed as book 1 in the series and it is most definitely not book 1, and is in fact book 3 of the series like goodreads has it listed. That is all lol.
Other than the very large chip on her shoulder, our FMC, Leah, is amazeballs! For real I think I need to self evaluate and be more like her. The chip on her shoulder lasts the entire book though so get used to it lol. As for our MC, for the most part I couldn't stand the guy... Why Leah doesnt just run away with Justin is freaking beyond me. I wish that an FMC like Leah had someone worthy of her or at least got a guy that in the end realizes he isn't worthy of her and treats her like the bad a B queen she is but it never happened and so I ended up irritated at the whole book. The story itself is good and fun and totally entertaining but the MC is just a rotten apple for sure.
I want to take the time to say that amazon has this listed as book 1 in the series and it is most definitely not book 1, and is in fact book 3 of the series like goodreads has it listed. That is all lol.
January 18, 2011
loved the first half but didn't like the turn story takes in second half..an absolute turn off for me..
December 21, 2011
Why do I continue to punish myself?
December 11, 2012
Hated it, hated it, hated it.
October 7, 2025
This is probably my least favorite of Derveaux’s novel’s. I can’t call it a romance as it was all so forced. Honestly, the first half started alright but once we got to Kentucky the plot just turned stupid.
February 15, 2019
#3 of 3. And Leah is so cute thinking she can make everyone feel useless until Wesley tells her she makes everyone feel useless. I am surprised how Kimberly turned out to be so brave, a funny brave, but brave.
March 21, 2012
This is the third and final installment in the James River trilogy. It is one of my absolute favorite series by Ms. Deveraux. Okay so everything she writes is pretty much my favorite, but enough of that!
Remember in Counterfeit Lady when Abe Simmons kidnapped Nicole and hid her deep in the swamp and Wesley Stanford was able to charm information from one of Abe's little sisters? That was Leah, who is in love with him all these years later still. No matter that her sister Bess warned her that there was no way that Wesley would have anything to do with a "swamp rat"; after all, he was engaged to the lovely and completely useless Kimberly Shaw. Wesley comes into the bar one night while Leah's there to visit her sister and pick up some clothes that people have left for the Simmons children. Leah's taken with him still, and ignores her sister's warning to leave him be and follows him out. One thing leads to another and he thinks she a whore like her sister and flips a coin at her...not even realizing he's taken her virginity.
Cue a few months later when he's sitting in church with Kimberly and Mr. Simmons comes in with a pregnant Leah, who's swollen with Wesley's child and her father's beatings. They marry and...you'll have to read to find out the rest!
Did I mention that I love this series? I do! Leah is as headstrong and temperamental as Nicole and Regan were in the two previous installments. She is everything that Wesley doesn't know he's looking for in a woman...and exactly the type of friend someone like Kimberly desperately needs.
This is not really a series that you need to read in order, but it's pretty helpful when it comes to piecing together some of the conjoined storylines. You could even read Sweetbriar between Lost Lady and River Lady as there are some key players in that that tie into River Lady.
The only negative I can say is the seemingly abrupt ending. I sometimes wish there was another book just to see how they're all doing.
Remember in Counterfeit Lady when Abe Simmons kidnapped Nicole and hid her deep in the swamp and Wesley Stanford was able to charm information from one of Abe's little sisters? That was Leah, who is in love with him all these years later still. No matter that her sister Bess warned her that there was no way that Wesley would have anything to do with a "swamp rat"; after all, he was engaged to the lovely and completely useless Kimberly Shaw. Wesley comes into the bar one night while Leah's there to visit her sister and pick up some clothes that people have left for the Simmons children. Leah's taken with him still, and ignores her sister's warning to leave him be and follows him out. One thing leads to another and he thinks she a whore like her sister and flips a coin at her...not even realizing he's taken her virginity.
Cue a few months later when he's sitting in church with Kimberly and Mr. Simmons comes in with a pregnant Leah, who's swollen with Wesley's child and her father's beatings. They marry and...you'll have to read to find out the rest!
Did I mention that I love this series? I do! Leah is as headstrong and temperamental as Nicole and Regan were in the two previous installments. She is everything that Wesley doesn't know he's looking for in a woman...and exactly the type of friend someone like Kimberly desperately needs.
This is not really a series that you need to read in order, but it's pretty helpful when it comes to piecing together some of the conjoined storylines. You could even read Sweetbriar between Lost Lady and River Lady as there are some key players in that that tie into River Lady.
The only negative I can say is the seemingly abrupt ending. I sometimes wish there was another book just to see how they're all doing.
August 23, 2013
Everything was a shock. A great shock indeed. All started tragic -what with all things turning into a very drastic change. I was angered by the young woman, Leah, but then come to think of it, I managed to judge her. Every chapter that I went through, I wanted to stop reading it and abandon the book, but I just can't.
As time goes by, as I read the book chapter by chapter, I learned to love what was inside. Yes, again, many tragic things happen -what with all the pain, struggles, beatings -yet things may be learned solely from the content. Things that ought to be left in the past, things that needed to be sacrificed in order to gain something, in other words, gaining love.
As it nears the end, I came to very much appreciate the humor in it -especially of Leah's brother, Abe who was once a very nasty person, and a woman of Sweetbriar Caroline Tucker. Then again, of course, the very one of a kind love between Wesley Stanford and his wife whom he came to love so much.
Now it dawned on me that Miss Jude really never fails her readers and set them to a state of discontentment. Honestly, I feared once to never finish as I started this book because it undeniably gave me a lick of gory behavior and greed of men, but then I was glad as I came to the end. Glad that I did not abandon it, but came to love it even more.
Godspeed!
As time goes by, as I read the book chapter by chapter, I learned to love what was inside. Yes, again, many tragic things happen -what with all the pain, struggles, beatings -yet things may be learned solely from the content. Things that ought to be left in the past, things that needed to be sacrificed in order to gain something, in other words, gaining love.
As it nears the end, I came to very much appreciate the humor in it -especially of Leah's brother, Abe who was once a very nasty person, and a woman of Sweetbriar Caroline Tucker. Then again, of course, the very one of a kind love between Wesley Stanford and his wife whom he came to love so much.
Now it dawned on me that Miss Jude really never fails her readers and set them to a state of discontentment. Honestly, I feared once to never finish as I started this book because it undeniably gave me a lick of gory behavior and greed of men, but then I was glad as I came to the end. Glad that I did not abandon it, but came to love it even more.
Godspeed!
February 19, 2022
2.5
Loved the beginning, which made me hopeful for the rest. I love unrequited love stories because that's the story of my life, but this wasn't what I was expecting.
Everything turned a little meh and then a little more meh and then it ended so abruptly that I was caught off guard. I literally was so shocked at how fast it ended that I looked for this book on a few more platforms just to make sure my app wasn't messing with me and it didn't have any missing pages. It ended without pretty much any resolution. We never found out what happened to any side love stories the author had going, if someone lived or died, or even what happens to the hero and heroine. It read like the author was bored with her writing and couldn't think of an ending, but then she shrugged her shoulders and said "good enough" and sent it on its way. Spoiler!!!! The h never even told the H she loved him unless I missed that part.
This is only my second book I've read of hers and so far they start out good, but end leaving me feeling an emptiness in my chest like I didn't just read a romance novel.
Loved the beginning, which made me hopeful for the rest. I love unrequited love stories because that's the story of my life, but this wasn't what I was expecting.
Everything turned a little meh and then a little more meh and then it ended so abruptly that I was caught off guard. I literally was so shocked at how fast it ended that I looked for this book on a few more platforms just to make sure my app wasn't messing with me and it didn't have any missing pages. It ended without pretty much any resolution. We never found out what happened to any side love stories the author had going, if someone lived or died, or even what happens to the hero and heroine. It read like the author was bored with her writing and couldn't think of an ending, but then she shrugged her shoulders and said "good enough" and sent it on its way. Spoiler!!!! The h never even told the H she loved him unless I missed that part.
This is only my second book I've read of hers and so far they start out good, but end leaving me feeling an emptiness in my chest like I didn't just read a romance novel.
February 6, 2021
Con este libro me he llevado una gran sorpresa. Creía que iba a ser como tantos otros de su género, pero me ha sorprendido para bien. Me ha encantado el protagonista femenino, tan fuerte y las ideas tan claras. El masculino que al principio era arrogante y despiadado con ella, llega un momento en la novela que cambia completamente y la ve con otros ojos. Ya no la compara con su prometida que solo sabía estorbar y "desmayarse".
Me ha gustado como poco a poco él se ha ido enamorando perdidamente de ella y ella nunca lo ha dejado de amar .
Lo que me ha gustado menos ha sido el final, pues algunos personajes secundarios no se ha sabido que ha sido de ellos. Podia haber alargado el libro un poco más la autora y haber así rematado las vidas de los secundarios que tanto me han gustado. Por eso no le doy 4 estrellas, por ese final tan pobre para ellos. 06/02/2021.
Me ha gustado como poco a poco él se ha ido enamorando perdidamente de ella y ella nunca lo ha dejado de amar .
Lo que me ha gustado menos ha sido el final, pues algunos personajes secundarios no se ha sabido que ha sido de ellos. Podia haber alargado el libro un poco más la autora y haber así rematado las vidas de los secundarios que tanto me han gustado. Por eso no le doy 4 estrellas, por ese final tan pobre para ellos. 06/02/2021.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2017
Disfruté la primera parte, a pesar de todo (de la ingenuidad extrema de la protagonista y la idiotez de Wesley). Sin embargo, la última parte fue la que no me gustó mucho.
No sé si sea porque no soy muy fanática del romance-aventura, pero sentí que se alargó innecesariamente (desde que Wesley decide llevar a Leah al bosque, específicamente). Después, la protagonista actuaba sin pensar, sin ser práctica en lo más mínimo. Eso me desesperó.
Y el final, en cambio, es abrupto. Después de toda la escena "dramática"... simplemente termina. ¿Quizá me faltó un epílogo? No lo sé, pero fue es un libro bueno para pasar el rato, en general.
No sé si sea porque no soy muy fanática del romance-aventura, pero sentí que se alargó innecesariamente (desde que Wesley decide llevar a Leah al bosque, específicamente). Después, la protagonista actuaba sin pensar, sin ser práctica en lo más mínimo. Eso me desesperó.
Y el final, en cambio, es abrupto. Después de toda la escena "dramática"... simplemente termina. ¿Quizá me faltó un epílogo? No lo sé, pero fue es un libro bueno para pasar el rato, en general.
January 19, 2010
I have read this book in the past and, while normally I enjoy Deveraux's historical fiction, this one could not keep me wanting to read it. The events were so unbelievably stupid. The heroine was so naive, really one of the most unlikable characters I have read about in a long time.
I don't remember having that type of reaction the first time that I read it. Maybe I am getting older, or maybe it was the other book that I really wanted to read that was sitting on my nightstand, but I could not finish this one.
I don't remember having that type of reaction the first time that I read it. Maybe I am getting older, or maybe it was the other book that I really wanted to read that was sitting on my nightstand, but I could not finish this one.
July 20, 2015
Read originally in 2004! --- 4*
Reread: June 2015 --- 3*
This was an OK romance overall - I liked it much less many years later when I reread it than I did originally.... I guess my
romance standards are higher now - ha ha :) Anyways - the hero seemed like a huge douche and the heroine was beyond annoying... She willingly got taken advantage of and never held a grudge ! I was annoyed by her throughout the book... Overall - meh... but 3* for nostalgia... I will not alter my original star rating though, just to be fair...
Reread: June 2015 --- 3*
This was an OK romance overall - I liked it much less many years later when I reread it than I did originally.... I guess my
romance standards are higher now - ha ha :) Anyways - the hero seemed like a huge douche and the heroine was beyond annoying... She willingly got taken advantage of and never held a grudge ! I was annoyed by her throughout the book... Overall - meh... but 3* for nostalgia... I will not alter my original star rating though, just to be fair...
August 12, 2014
The third book in the James River series by Jude Deveraux. Wesley Stanford gets Leah Simmons pregnant and marries her. Of course, he thought she was just a whore at the time. Well, he takes her to his brother's house and leaves her. Eventually, Wesley returns.
Another bodice ripper type book that I liked. Engaging story. I may not have liked the actions of the characters at times but it entertained me.
Another bodice ripper type book that I liked. Engaging story. I may not have liked the actions of the characters at times but it entertained me.
November 24, 2021
This one is about a woman who lives in the swamp with her crazy father and younger brothers and sisters. She stays to take care of her family but she really wants to leave. When she gets pregnant by one of the richest men in town, she gets her wish. He feels it’s his duty to marry her. But then he leaves. He comes back after building a home for her in Sweetbriar and by the time he returns his sisters-in-law have totally transformed Leah. It was a bit of fluff, but fun and fast to read.
January 12, 2019
Perhaps one of the worst books I’ve ever had the displeasure of reading. It was almost offensive. It’s surprisingly because I’ve read a few Deveraux books and none of them were this bad. Oh well, not all of them can be winners. I’m just glad this one is over so I never have to turn another page of this hot mess of a book ever again.
August 22, 2013
"Please, God," she prayed, "don't let anything
happen to Wesley. I'll be obedient from now on and never get into any more trouble and I'll always ask
for help with chimneys and murderers."
"If we get out of this alive I'm going to make you repeat that every morning," Kim said
Favorite part :)
happen to Wesley. I'll be obedient from now on and never get into any more trouble and I'll always ask
for help with chimneys and murderers."
"If we get out of this alive I'm going to make you repeat that every morning," Kim said
Favorite part :)
January 25, 2018
Desde el primer capitulo me atrapo, despues de un tiempo de no leer nada que me haga sentir emociones, aparecio "La mujer de la ribera" por solo 5 pesos.
Vale mucho más que eso...
Sinceramente me identifico con Leah, nadie es experto en el amor, y siempre la primera vez en contacto con el mismo nos agarra como niños inexpertos.
El amor emperdenido que siente ella por Wes, genera todas las situaciones venideras. Y valen la pena.
Me hubiese encantado poder decir que fue un "10/10", pero hay un "pero"... No es perfecta... De pasar a querer comerme el libro pagina por pagina, pasé a frustrarmen un poco con la ultima parte.
No fueron los personajes, fue la situación. No interesaba quien era el verdadero criminal mayor detras de todo el ultimo embrollo en el que se metieron Leah y Wes, y que se cerrara el libro al rededor de ese argumento... Fue molesto.
Fue tan medidamente pasional, que finalizará tan "light" sinceramente dejo un gusto a agrio.
Sin enbargo no dejaria de recomendarla.
Wes es un tipo que busca la manera de valerse por si mismo, muy sensato, pasional, amante, decidido. Que cuando en verdad ve a Leah como mujer y la trata como tal, logra que tales pasiones traspasen las palabras.
Leah que al comienzo era una mujer pobre que obligadamente vivia sobre la dominacion de su padre y solo velaba por sus hermanos, paso a crecer de manera extraordinaria. Su altruismo, amor por sus seres queridos no cambiaron, y se realzaron cuando su crecimiento personal llego al tope de no "necesitar" de Wesley para sobrevivir animicamente.
La recomiento, aun por su final, el recorrido de esta historia es lo emocionante de este libro.
Vale mucho más que eso...
Sinceramente me identifico con Leah, nadie es experto en el amor, y siempre la primera vez en contacto con el mismo nos agarra como niños inexpertos.
El amor emperdenido que siente ella por Wes, genera todas las situaciones venideras. Y valen la pena.
Me hubiese encantado poder decir que fue un "10/10", pero hay un "pero"... No es perfecta... De pasar a querer comerme el libro pagina por pagina, pasé a frustrarmen un poco con la ultima parte.
No fueron los personajes, fue la situación. No interesaba quien era el verdadero criminal mayor detras de todo el ultimo embrollo en el que se metieron Leah y Wes, y que se cerrara el libro al rededor de ese argumento... Fue molesto.
Fue tan medidamente pasional, que finalizará tan "light" sinceramente dejo un gusto a agrio.
Sin enbargo no dejaria de recomendarla.
Wes es un tipo que busca la manera de valerse por si mismo, muy sensato, pasional, amante, decidido. Que cuando en verdad ve a Leah como mujer y la trata como tal, logra que tales pasiones traspasen las palabras.
Leah que al comienzo era una mujer pobre que obligadamente vivia sobre la dominacion de su padre y solo velaba por sus hermanos, paso a crecer de manera extraordinaria. Su altruismo, amor por sus seres queridos no cambiaron, y se realzaron cuando su crecimiento personal llego al tope de no "necesitar" de Wesley para sobrevivir animicamente.
La recomiento, aun por su final, el recorrido de esta historia es lo emocionante de este libro.
July 30, 2021
This book had 2 parts and I love the first but I think that the second was a little OTT.
Leah is in love with a rich planter, Wesley Stanford. She has grown up in the swamp and she is presented as malnourished, unclean, with a violent father who is beating her. Even though he is obsessed with his fiancee Kimberly, Wesley takes Leah's virginity without much care and because she thinking her a whore, he gives her a coin " for her trouble". 9 months later, on his wedding day, Leah's father comes in the church with Leah in chains, beaten and bruised and with a gun as his head, and because Wesley finds out that he is the father of her child, he marries her on the spot and then leaves her with his brothers and sisters in law.
Months later, he comes home to find a new Leah, beautiful with lady-like skills, but he still wants Kimberly. Because Leah lost their child two days after their wedding, she is considering giving him a divorce and agrees to go with him to Kentucky in the guise of his cousin so that when they get there, he can divorce her and marry Kimberly.
On the road, he falls in love with Leah and out of love with Kimberly and doesn't want the divorce.
The second part is ott because, for some stupid reason, Wesley decides to take her into the forest, where she will be afraid, thinking that if she will be dependent on him, she will love him again *she loves him but she cannot forgive him and she thinks that Kimberly was the love of his life*. Insert in the story: an evil lost brother, some guns, a scared woman, two guys bigs as bears and I'm already bored. ..the story ends with a hea.
Leah is in love with a rich planter, Wesley Stanford. She has grown up in the swamp and she is presented as malnourished, unclean, with a violent father who is beating her. Even though he is obsessed with his fiancee Kimberly, Wesley takes Leah's virginity without much care and because she thinking her a whore, he gives her a coin " for her trouble". 9 months later, on his wedding day, Leah's father comes in the church with Leah in chains, beaten and bruised and with a gun as his head, and because Wesley finds out that he is the father of her child, he marries her on the spot and then leaves her with his brothers and sisters in law.
Months later, he comes home to find a new Leah, beautiful with lady-like skills, but he still wants Kimberly. Because Leah lost their child two days after their wedding, she is considering giving him a divorce and agrees to go with him to Kentucky in the guise of his cousin so that when they get there, he can divorce her and marry Kimberly.
On the road, he falls in love with Leah and out of love with Kimberly and doesn't want the divorce.
The second part is ott because, for some stupid reason, Wesley decides to take her into the forest, where she will be afraid, thinking that if she will be dependent on him, she will love him again *she loves him but she cannot forgive him and she thinks that Kimberly was the love of his life*. Insert in the story: an evil lost brother, some guns, a scared woman, two guys bigs as bears and I'm already bored. ..the story ends with a hea.
November 4, 2018
Once again, Ms. Deveraux starts well but ends too abruptly. I felt that there were several loose ends left dangling. Plus the story line wandered a bit before coming to a resolution. It was almost like two stories, one tagged onto the end of the other. I liked the two main characters, although I liked Wesley more in Counterfeit Lady than in this one. Leah too didn't quite live up to the promise she showed in Counterfeit Lady although I liked how work-oriented and capable she was. Although I didn't like her brother Abe at all in the first book, I did feel sorry for him. Being the oldest Simmons, he had born the brunt of their father's craziness and harshness for the longest. He didn't stand a chance of being able to rise above it, so I really enjoyed the interaction between Abe and Carolyn Tucker. She should be the making of him, but it was one of those loose ends so I guess I'll never know. And then there was Justin Stark, another loose end. I need another book in this series.
July 30, 2024
I loved this book it was the perfect ending to this series.
When we first meet Wesley in this first book he seems content to be a younger brother of plantation owner Travis Stanford however we learn in this book he really wants to be his own man. To build his own plantation care for his own family and be someone.
We also meet Leah in the first book she is a young girl abused by her father but still finds a way to help Wesley and of course, falls in love with a man he feels is her knight. What we learn about Leah is she is a strong woman who not only survives the abuse but takes care of her family the best she can.
When fate brings Wesley and Leah together again they both learn quickly that what they truly want isn't always so clear. Watching these two grow and learn about one another was fun. I also love that we got to return to SweetBriar and reconnect with other characters I fell in love with.
Overall this the the perfect ending to a wonderful series. I can't wait to return and revisit these characters again and again.
When we first meet Wesley in this first book he seems content to be a younger brother of plantation owner Travis Stanford however we learn in this book he really wants to be his own man. To build his own plantation care for his own family and be someone.
We also meet Leah in the first book she is a young girl abused by her father but still finds a way to help Wesley and of course, falls in love with a man he feels is her knight. What we learn about Leah is she is a strong woman who not only survives the abuse but takes care of her family the best she can.
When fate brings Wesley and Leah together again they both learn quickly that what they truly want isn't always so clear. Watching these two grow and learn about one another was fun. I also love that we got to return to SweetBriar and reconnect with other characters I fell in love with.
Overall this the the perfect ending to a wonderful series. I can't wait to return and revisit these characters again and again.
October 30, 2023
Leah comes from a poor family, but she's always been fascinated with wealthy Wesley Stanford. When he mistakes her for a prostitute one night, Leah ends up pregnant. Forced to marry her, Wesley abandons her with his family while he builds a farm in Kentucky. He's irate because he always wanted to marry Kimberly, a beautiful and spoiled woman of his class. Meanwhile, his family takes to Leah and teaches her manners and what else she needs as the wife of a wealthy man.
This is all pretty good until Wesley returns, and the story 'jumps the shark.' Leah and Wesley head to Kentucky with Kimberly in tow to get a divorce there so that Wesley can marry Kim. Kim treats Leah as a servant, and Wesley changes his mind, but now Leah wants no part of him. From there, it just got more ridiculous.
I liked the first part, but the second half of the book was a disappointment.
This is all pretty good until Wesley returns, and the story 'jumps the shark.' Leah and Wesley head to Kentucky with Kimberly in tow to get a divorce there so that Wesley can marry Kim. Kim treats Leah as a servant, and Wesley changes his mind, but now Leah wants no part of him. From there, it just got more ridiculous.
I liked the first part, but the second half of the book was a disappointment.
April 28, 2021
Hero is a rich, handsome man who believed himself in love with high-on-pedestal-beautiful-blonde-Kimberly, his fiancee.
While drunk, he had sex with the heroine on the back of an alley and got her pregnant.
Heroine is a destitute, skinny, unattractive (but once washed, cleaned and have had a make over; amazingly turned out to be beautiful woman). She was utterly in love with the hero for the longest time.
They were forced into a marriage. It was a nice read until halfway. It was fun to read the way Kimberly was behaving. However, I feel the story about the robbers and the killings were not a necessary. They don't add anything to the story. If anything, that addition derailed totally from the main story.
I didn't continue ...
While drunk, he had sex with the heroine on the back of an alley and got her pregnant.
Heroine is a destitute, skinny, unattractive (but once washed, cleaned and have had a make over; amazingly turned out to be beautiful woman). She was utterly in love with the hero for the longest time.
They were forced into a marriage. It was a nice read until halfway. It was fun to read the way Kimberly was behaving. However, I feel the story about the robbers and the killings were not a necessary. They don't add anything to the story. If anything, that addition derailed totally from the main story.
I didn't continue ...
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