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Black Pearls
SEASON OF RAGE ... SEEDS OF DESIRE!
Hawaii in the 1880s was a land of troubled beauty seething with native rebellion, natural disasters, and the violent greed that followed the discovery of black pearls.
And while danger raged through paradise, in the tempestuous splendor of a tropical storm, two longing hearts were joined. Peter Darien, the handsome, daring master of Darien Ranch who clashed with destiny to protect his land --- and his love. Rosalind the passionate innocent who became a woman in Peter's arms. Together they fought those who came to rape their land for plunder --- challenged lust and hate for a love that was as mighty as the volcanoes, as rare as Black Pearls
Hawaii in the 1880s was a land of troubled beauty seething with native rebellion, natural disasters, and the violent greed that followed the discovery of black pearls.
And while danger raged through paradise, in the tempestuous splendor of a tropical storm, two longing hearts were joined. Peter Darien, the handsome, daring master of Darien Ranch who clashed with destiny to protect his land --- and his love. Rosalind the passionate innocent who became a woman in Peter's arms. Together they fought those who came to rape their land for plunder --- challenged lust and hate for a love that was as mighty as the volcanoes, as rare as Black Pearls
455 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 12, 1979
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About the author
Janet Louise Roberts
73 books34 followersSee pseudonyms Louisa Bronte, Rebecca Danton & Janette Radcliffe. Some of the listed titles are more straight romance than romantic suspense.
Janet Louise Roberts was born on January 20, 1925, in New Britain Connecticut, the daughter of a missionary in a conservative church. She wrote contemporary, historical, and gothic romances, as well as occult horror romances such as The Devil’s Own, Isle of the Dolphins, Lord Satan, and Her Demon Lover. She used pseudonyms for several of her works.
Roberts died on June 11, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio.
Janet Louise Roberts was born on January 20, 1925, in New Britain Connecticut, the daughter of a missionary in a conservative church. She wrote contemporary, historical, and gothic romances, as well as occult horror romances such as The Devil’s Own, Isle of the Dolphins, Lord Satan, and Her Demon Lover. She used pseudonyms for several of her works.
Roberts died on June 11, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
August 18, 2019
A historical romance set in Hawaii towards the end of the nineteenth century, Black Pearls was an interesting read.
The author succeeded most in describing the Hawaiian culture, social structure, and religious beliefs. The main theme of the story centers on the slow destruction of this rich, ancient culture by American and European settlers.
The female protagonist, an American girl born and raised in Hawaii in isolation from Westerners, represents the traditions and spirit of Hawaiian culture. Her husband is the ruthless man intent on exploiting the island resources and dominating his wife.
The heroine easily drew sympathy through her quiet strength and dignity, which did not falter when confronted with horrific events. I liked that the author characterized her in a plausible way in the context of the era. Her precarious position as her husband's chattel is underlined. Nevertheless, she definitely had moments of great courage and conviction that led her to rebel against her husband's edicts and endure his wrath because no matter what, she was steadfast in upholding her beliefs.
In fact, by the end of the novel, it is he who had to evolve, setting aside his pride and foolishness, accepting and respecting her point of view, and becoming utterly and completely devoted to her.
The male protagonist was a lot less likable, partly because of his chauvinist attitudes, which were very plausible for the era and given his high social position. What irked me the most was his weakness in recognizing the very dangerous shortcomings of the leechy family members he harbored in his home, and his utter lack of preparation in anticipating a violent attack on his island that he had months to plan for. Though he is referred to as strong and dominant time and time again by other characters, I just did not see that strength, resolve and assertiveness that is usually the make-up of true Alpha heroes.
As for the villains of the piece, they were such cartoonish caricatures that they failed to instil any real sense of threat or really affect the plot in any way. Apart from those weak characterizations, the book was chock full of interesting secondary characters, especially the Hawaiian chief who is the true, daunting nemesis that the protagonists must face, and the adorable plot moppet who is at the center of the feud between the Hawaiian tribe and the American settlers. Even the Goddess Pele, in the form of an active volcano that the female protagonist feels compelled to consult and make offerings to, comes to life as a very real entity that plays a crucial role in the lives of the characters.
Overall, I liked this historical romance though I didn't love it.
The author succeeded most in describing the Hawaiian culture, social structure, and religious beliefs. The main theme of the story centers on the slow destruction of this rich, ancient culture by American and European settlers.
The female protagonist, an American girl born and raised in Hawaii in isolation from Westerners, represents the traditions and spirit of Hawaiian culture. Her husband is the ruthless man intent on exploiting the island resources and dominating his wife.
The heroine easily drew sympathy through her quiet strength and dignity, which did not falter when confronted with horrific events. I liked that the author characterized her in a plausible way in the context of the era. Her precarious position as her husband's chattel is underlined. Nevertheless, she definitely had moments of great courage and conviction that led her to rebel against her husband's edicts and endure his wrath because no matter what, she was steadfast in upholding her beliefs.
In fact, by the end of the novel, it is he who had to evolve, setting aside his pride and foolishness, accepting and respecting her point of view, and becoming utterly and completely devoted to her.
The male protagonist was a lot less likable, partly because of his chauvinist attitudes, which were very plausible for the era and given his high social position. What irked me the most was his weakness in recognizing the very dangerous shortcomings of the leechy family members he harbored in his home, and his utter lack of preparation in anticipating a violent attack on his island that he had months to plan for. Though he is referred to as strong and dominant time and time again by other characters, I just did not see that strength, resolve and assertiveness that is usually the make-up of true Alpha heroes.
As for the villains of the piece, they were such cartoonish caricatures that they failed to instil any real sense of threat or really affect the plot in any way. Apart from those weak characterizations, the book was chock full of interesting secondary characters, especially the Hawaiian chief who is the true, daunting nemesis that the protagonists must face, and the adorable plot moppet who is at the center of the feud between the Hawaiian tribe and the American settlers. Even the Goddess Pele, in the form of an active volcano that the female protagonist feels compelled to consult and make offerings to, comes to life as a very real entity that plays a crucial role in the lives of the characters.
Overall, I liked this historical romance though I didn't love it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 16, 2017
Meh, despite the pretty cover, this is not an old school bodice ripper, nor is it a good historical novel hiding behind a cheesy cover. Just an average romance, not a lot of chemistry (sex is very tame), a pair of wicked cousins wanting all the money so they can get to the mainland and some intrigue over some black pearls that no one knows where to find except the hero.
Nice points for the Hawaiian setting, especially on a privately owned island, but then at times credulity was stretch a bit thin. One would think that after Madam Pele burns you once, one would be smart enough not to risk it again, but .
Nice points for the Hawaiian setting, especially on a privately owned island, but then at times credulity was stretch a bit thin. One would think that after Madam Pele burns you once, one would be smart enough not to risk it again, but .
July 20, 2011
I originally LOVED this book. Thought it was very romantic, sexy, thought the husband falling in love with the shy but strong girl was charming, and on reading, some 20+ years later... the husband on wife rape really bothered me, as a couple of other kind-of-rape-but-she-really liked-it scenes.
The book hasn't changed, obviously... must be my attitude/awareness of rape and sexual assault issues.
The book hasn't changed, obviously... must be my attitude/awareness of rape and sexual assault issues.
January 7, 2020
I read this book years ago for the first time and recently read it again. I loved it then and I still love it.
October 14, 2018
Black Pearls is a historical romance set in Hawaii in the 1880s. It's very long, the writing style cheesy but fun and entertaining.
The heroine of the novel is 19 years old Rosalind Murray. Her parents came to Hawaii before she was born and her mother died birthing her. Her father is a collector of Hawaiian legends and earns his living by publishing them in American magazines. They are very poor but they get by with the help of a Hawaiian woman who has always taken care of Rosalind and is like a mother to her, Kinau. Rosalind is totally immersed in the Hawaiian culture and lives like a native.
Peter Darien, the hero, is a wealthy and handsome bachelor. He runs the Darien ranch which deals with cattle. He lives at the ranch with his disabled father, two aunts, three cousins and a veritable army of workers. Two of the cousins, Terry and Eileen are a constant source of trouble for Peter. They're lazy and bored. They want Peter to give them their mother's part of the money for the ranch to move to the United States.
Things turn bad when Terry seduces a native princess, gets her pregnant and dumps her. Her father, a powerful chief gets mad and sends a couple of his warriors to kill her and the baby. The princess gives the baby to Peter to raise just before she dies of hunger. Peter fights the warriors and is wounded, manages to reach Rosalind's shack and collapses with baby. Together with Kinau, Rosalind nurses him to health and falls in love with the baby.
The hero and heroine have met before but they never had anything to do with each other. The hero plans to raise his cousins' baby and thinks it would be more convenient to be married. Since he is attracted to the heroine, he asks her to be his wife. The heroine admires him. She thinks about the future and what will become of her little family so she accepts his proposal of marriage. They go to live at the Darien ranch where they face danger and their relationship is tested.
Rosalind was a very sweet heroine. I liked that she had some common sense and she hadn't changed much. She was still the same person she was before she married a rich man. I also liked that she stood up to people who treated her wrongly and didn't give up her beliefs.
I was a bit disappointed in the hero. I thought he didn't always see things clearly and was too easily manipulated by people close to him who had no credibility. I also didn't like how he always treated the heroine. What I did like about him was that he learned from his mistakes and he insisted that the heroine be treated with respect as the mistress of the house and all the other women take their lead from her. I loved how he spoiled the heroine and how he grew to admire her every day.
I don't know anything about the history of Hawaii and life there in the 19th century but from my knowledge of history in general and historical romance novels, I can say there are no big glaring inaccuracies.
The author is a little preachy about religious practices and beliefs of Hawaiian natives, the importance of preservation of Hawaiian legends, songs and myths and land grabbing.
The heroine of the novel is 19 years old Rosalind Murray. Her parents came to Hawaii before she was born and her mother died birthing her. Her father is a collector of Hawaiian legends and earns his living by publishing them in American magazines. They are very poor but they get by with the help of a Hawaiian woman who has always taken care of Rosalind and is like a mother to her, Kinau. Rosalind is totally immersed in the Hawaiian culture and lives like a native.
Peter Darien, the hero, is a wealthy and handsome bachelor. He runs the Darien ranch which deals with cattle. He lives at the ranch with his disabled father, two aunts, three cousins and a veritable army of workers. Two of the cousins, Terry and Eileen are a constant source of trouble for Peter. They're lazy and bored. They want Peter to give them their mother's part of the money for the ranch to move to the United States.
Things turn bad when Terry seduces a native princess, gets her pregnant and dumps her. Her father, a powerful chief gets mad and sends a couple of his warriors to kill her and the baby. The princess gives the baby to Peter to raise just before she dies of hunger. Peter fights the warriors and is wounded, manages to reach Rosalind's shack and collapses with baby. Together with Kinau, Rosalind nurses him to health and falls in love with the baby.
The hero and heroine have met before but they never had anything to do with each other. The hero plans to raise his cousins' baby and thinks it would be more convenient to be married. Since he is attracted to the heroine, he asks her to be his wife. The heroine admires him. She thinks about the future and what will become of her little family so she accepts his proposal of marriage. They go to live at the Darien ranch where they face danger and their relationship is tested.
Rosalind was a very sweet heroine. I liked that she had some common sense and she hadn't changed much. She was still the same person she was before she married a rich man. I also liked that she stood up to people who treated her wrongly and didn't give up her beliefs.
I was a bit disappointed in the hero. I thought he didn't always see things clearly and was too easily manipulated by people close to him who had no credibility. I also didn't like how he always treated the heroine. What I did like about him was that he learned from his mistakes and he insisted that the heroine be treated with respect as the mistress of the house and all the other women take their lead from her. I loved how he spoiled the heroine and how he grew to admire her every day.
I don't know anything about the history of Hawaii and life there in the 19th century but from my knowledge of history in general and historical romance novels, I can say there are no big glaring inaccuracies.
The author is a little preachy about religious practices and beliefs of Hawaiian natives, the importance of preservation of Hawaiian legends, songs and myths and land grabbing.
October 29, 2025
This was good and I loved the Hawaiian background and learning about the culture and customs, but some of those fighting scenes I could have done without, especially the killing of all those animals! Slaughtering those horses was awful!! I skimmed through a lot of those scenes, a bit too much for me!
I liked the H and h and the other characters, but NOT the H's two self-centered cousins (brother and sister troublemakers), who were both greedy, avaricious and morally bankrupt. He enjoyed seducing the native girls (his getting the chief's daughter pregnant caused a lot of the trouble) while she got her kicks from doing the same to the native guys. Despite the sacrifice one of them made, they were both much too unlikeable to care about.
The story of the black pearls, the worship of the native gods (a cause of friction between the H and h) the baby that nearly caused a war made for entertaining reading.
I'd have given it another star if it wasn't for all that animal killing.
I liked the H and h and the other characters, but NOT the H's two self-centered cousins (brother and sister troublemakers), who were both greedy, avaricious and morally bankrupt. He enjoyed seducing the native girls (his getting the chief's daughter pregnant caused a lot of the trouble) while she got her kicks from doing the same to the native guys. Despite the sacrifice one of them made, they were both much too unlikeable to care about.
The story of the black pearls, the worship of the native gods (a cause of friction between the H and h) the baby that nearly caused a war made for entertaining reading.
I'd have given it another star if it wasn't for all that animal killing.
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November 27, 2010I need to find this one again. Not nearly enough skin on the woman but I still like the cover.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews