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Creole Historical #1
Frankly, My Dear
Tiring of the pretentious world of high fashion, model Selene heads to New Orleans for one last job and is transported back in time to the Old South, where she meets beguiling planter James Baptiste. Original.
368 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1996
55 people are currently reading
851 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Hill
92 books1,313 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.
Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than 10 years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories. She is the wife of a stockbroker and the mother of four sons.
This biography was provided by the author or their representative.
Sandra Hill is a graduate of Penn State and worked for more than 10 years as a features writer and education editor for publications in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Writing about serious issues taught her the merits of seeking the lighter side of even the darkest stories. She is the wife of a stockbroker and the mother of four sons.
This biography was provided by the author or their representative.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 65 reviews
December 5, 2020
4 stars
A romantic romp banking on its nod to Gone with the Wind with high degree of success, along with its flirtatious romantic pairing, making Frankly, My Dear a worthwhile journey, even with the slight ineffective start and end.
"I'm Crimson O'Hara, and he's Rat Butler, and this is Tara-cum-Bedlam."
If you like Tessa Dare, you'll easily enjoy what Frankly, My Dear has to offer: upbeat, never take itself too seriously (this book is also a blonde joke compilation), and relentless with its tantalizing sexual tension (these characters are not shy about expressing what they want to do to each other).
As mentioned earlier, the bookend portions are Frankly, My Dear's weakest link. The time travel element in the beginning feels severely under-cooked; granted this is not a sci-fi, but I wish it has more story impact, rather than an one-time shortcut getting a contemporary character into the past. The novel's last 40 pages feels rushed, critical events happening in succession with quick resolution (as if the author suddenly realized she still had loose ends to tie up before she could end the book). And the epilogue... it deviates so much from the rest of the book, I can easily do without.
Even with its flaws, the spoofing on Gone with the Wind, eventful narrative, and high steaminess outweighs the rough spots, and Frankly, My Dear remains a memorable fun time.
A Guy Reading Historical Romance | Ep02
➵ A Commentary Track ➵
Keeping track of my random reactions and tangential thoughts. There WILL be spoilers, so proceed with caution. Sponsored by my local thrift stores.
❈✢❈
CH2
p.35 Already so many shout-outs to her breasts...
p.37 Is it weird that the female lead has the same first name as the author? Isn't that a little... self-indulgent?
CH3
p.49 The flirting/teasing in this book can be summed up as 'explicitly naughty'.
p.55 Beignets and breasts, the two primary recurring motifs thus far.
CH4
p.65 While the male lead has an obsession with boobs, the female protagonist is aroused by limbs (fingers and toes)—at least the author kept it fair that both sexes get a kink.
CH5
p.75 Time travel is a piece of cake, according to this book: it's it's simply a voodoo doll plus a bunch of seeds (white to add, black to deduct, no less).
p.78 At least the novel made explicitly clear that it's aware of the racial injustice and gender oppression of that time period (instead of overly romanticizing it)
p.79 The MC from the 20th century is ready to spread her lovemaking advice
p.83 "Her breasts could balance out a thousand imperfections on the scale."—breasts obsession continues.
CH6
p.97 There it is, the titular Gone with the Wind phrase appeared.
CH11
p.180 "I'm Crimson O'Hara, and he's Rat Butler, and this is Tara-cum-Bedlam."
CH19
p.293 I'm so glad the author remembered to bring back the heroine's foot fetish; the reference dropped hundreds of pages ago was not done in vain!
A romantic romp banking on its nod to Gone with the Wind with high degree of success, along with its flirtatious romantic pairing, making Frankly, My Dear a worthwhile journey, even with the slight ineffective start and end.
"I'm Crimson O'Hara, and he's Rat Butler, and this is Tara-cum-Bedlam."
If you like Tessa Dare, you'll easily enjoy what Frankly, My Dear has to offer: upbeat, never take itself too seriously (this book is also a blonde joke compilation), and relentless with its tantalizing sexual tension (these characters are not shy about expressing what they want to do to each other).
As mentioned earlier, the bookend portions are Frankly, My Dear's weakest link. The time travel element in the beginning feels severely under-cooked; granted this is not a sci-fi, but I wish it has more story impact, rather than an one-time shortcut getting a contemporary character into the past. The novel's last 40 pages feels rushed, critical events happening in succession with quick resolution (as if the author suddenly realized she still had loose ends to tie up before she could end the book). And the epilogue... it deviates so much from the rest of the book, I can easily do without.
Even with its flaws, the spoofing on Gone with the Wind, eventful narrative, and high steaminess outweighs the rough spots, and Frankly, My Dear remains a memorable fun time.
A Guy Reading Historical Romance | Ep02
➵ A Commentary Track ➵
Keeping track of my random reactions and tangential thoughts. There WILL be spoilers, so proceed with caution. Sponsored by my local thrift stores.
❈✢❈
CH2
p.35 Already so many shout-outs to her breasts...
p.37 Is it weird that the female lead has the same first name as the author? Isn't that a little... self-indulgent?
CH3
p.49 The flirting/teasing in this book can be summed up as 'explicitly naughty'.
p.55 Beignets and breasts, the two primary recurring motifs thus far.
CH4
p.65 While the male lead has an obsession with boobs, the female protagonist is aroused by limbs (fingers and toes)—at least the author kept it fair that both sexes get a kink.
CH5
p.75 Time travel is a piece of cake, according to this book: it's it's simply a voodoo doll plus a bunch of seeds (white to add, black to deduct, no less).
p.78 At least the novel made explicitly clear that it's aware of the racial injustice and gender oppression of that time period (instead of overly romanticizing it)
p.79 The MC from the 20th century is ready to spread her lovemaking advice
p.83 "Her breasts could balance out a thousand imperfections on the scale."—breasts obsession continues.
CH6
p.97 There it is, the titular Gone with the Wind phrase appeared.
CH11
p.180 "I'm Crimson O'Hara, and he's Rat Butler, and this is Tara-cum-Bedlam."
CH19
p.293 I'm so glad the author remembered to bring back the heroine's foot fetish; the reference dropped hundreds of pages ago was not done in vain!
December 8, 2024
"Frankly, my dear... I don't give a damn" the phrase that concluded the saga of Gone with The Wind (now I have to rewatch the movie... such nostalgia).
This novel is not a retelling but it draws inspiration from the southern culture pre-civil war.
FMC is a top model from 1996. Although she has money, beauty and fame, she's deeply unhappy. She's always hungry due to diet culture, her best friend died from anorexia, her ex-boyfriend abused her verbally and she didn't feel sexual intimacy or satisfaction in a long time.
When she travels to New Orleans for a photoshoot à la gone with the wind style, she just wishes for her old southern gentleman. Apparently, FMC has a vicious opponent who knows how to practice voodoo. She casts a curse upon the FMC and she transports her into 1854 where she gets mistaken for a quadroon.
Here's where I learned a new information about American racism (they really invented a whole colonialist system that we're still reaping its bitter seed till this day)
Apparently there is a race in between a black slave and a white woman. Any woman who has mixed blood or looks like a close shade to caramel, chocolate (I'm so sorry for the comparison but if you want to trash history, you have to learn it first), These women are not bought or sold as slaves. They're technically free, however they are beneath white women's rights. They're not dignified with marriage and proper rights.
In a ballroom, white married men in need of mistresses and additional children gather, they meet those women and offer them to be their mistresses but they kinda treat them as slaves.
Anyway, I don't wanna spoil the novel since it's interesting and the dynamic between MCs is brilliant. I just want to say that somethings were done perfectly and some other things were not believable (I guess you get that when you read a time travel romance). But I will be reading the following books in the series.
This book checked the box of "A book starting with an F" in my Bingo Challenge of 2024.
【01】【02⭕】【03⭕】【04⭕】【05⭕】
【06⭕】【07⭕】【08⭕】【09⭕】【10⭕】
【11⭕】【12⭕】【13 ⭕】【14】【15⭕】
【16】【17⭕】【18⭕】【19】【20⭕】
【21⭕】【22⭕】【23⭕】【24⭕】【25⭕】
This novel is not a retelling but it draws inspiration from the southern culture pre-civil war.
FMC is a top model from 1996. Although she has money, beauty and fame, she's deeply unhappy. She's always hungry due to diet culture, her best friend died from anorexia, her ex-boyfriend abused her verbally and she didn't feel sexual intimacy or satisfaction in a long time.
When she travels to New Orleans for a photoshoot à la gone with the wind style, she just wishes for her old southern gentleman. Apparently, FMC has a vicious opponent who knows how to practice voodoo. She casts a curse upon the FMC and she transports her into 1854 where she gets mistaken for a quadroon.
Here's where I learned a new information about American racism (they really invented a whole colonialist system that we're still reaping its bitter seed till this day)
Apparently there is a race in between a black slave and a white woman. Any woman who has mixed blood or looks like a close shade to caramel, chocolate (I'm so sorry for the comparison but if you want to trash history, you have to learn it first), These women are not bought or sold as slaves. They're technically free, however they are beneath white women's rights. They're not dignified with marriage and proper rights.
In a ballroom, white married men in need of mistresses and additional children gather, they meet those women and offer them to be their mistresses but they kinda treat them as slaves.
Anyway, I don't wanna spoil the novel since it's interesting and the dynamic between MCs is brilliant. I just want to say that somethings were done perfectly and some other things were not believable (I guess you get that when you read a time travel romance). But I will be reading the following books in the series.
This book checked the box of "A book starting with an F" in my Bingo Challenge of 2024.
【01】【02⭕】【03⭕】【04⭕】【05⭕】
【06⭕】【07⭕】【08⭕】【09⭕】【10⭕】
【11⭕】【12⭕】【13 ⭕】【14】【15⭕】
【16】【17⭕】【18⭕】【19】【20⭕】
【21⭕】【22⭕】【23⭕】【24⭕】【25⭕】
August 22, 2024
Okay, the humour in the story, kept me reading it. Though I did do a bit of skimming through the pages.
July 8, 2014
"When... when in the name of God...are women going to learn that changing themselves to please another person...a man...isn't the answer?"
This quote from Frankly, My Dear’s “heroine” is rich given how almost as soon as she wakes up in the antebellum South she pursues the very course she’s claiming to deny.
Selene the time-shifted supermodel proceeds to convince the plantation women to: wear makeup; fluff up their hair; dress more provocatively; reduce their butt size; increase their bust size; and, do aerobics and yoga so they'll be shapelier and have the core of a pole dancer. Right...exercising on top of the sweaty manual labor they must as slaves do first. FFS.
I was driven to read this book by some interweb ravings declaring it the worst ever and deserving of a mass shunning. However, I usually prefer to form my own opinions, thankyouverymuch. Going in I knew popular romance novelist Sandra Hill thought she’d found an acceptable and clever way to make light of slavery and I was prepared to take offense. Mission accomplished!
On the technical front, this novel doesn't seem to have sprung from a lone individual’s pen. It contains dramatic and jarring shifts in narrative style from one chapter to the next and sometimes within a given chapter. Since I’ve never read any of Hill’s other work, I’m unable to guess whether the problem is simply bad editing or poorly incorporated ghost writing.
Hill explains in a supplementary author’s note how and why she believes Margaret Mitchell based iconic Gone with the Wind character Rhett Butler on someone in Hill’s actual family tree. The belief compelled her to write this book as supernatural-ish fantasy, wherein a Rhett prototype encounters a 21st century woman who doesn’t necessarily give a damn either.
It’s unfortunate that Hill chose to develop the premise by trivializing enslaved peoples’ tragic lives. IMO, there exist certain lines a person in her historically privileged position should not cross, even as satire. Bully for her that she’s apparently allowed and encouraged to do so anyway, with impunity.
This quote from Frankly, My Dear’s “heroine” is rich given how almost as soon as she wakes up in the antebellum South she pursues the very course she’s claiming to deny.
Selene the time-shifted supermodel proceeds to convince the plantation women to: wear makeup; fluff up their hair; dress more provocatively; reduce their butt size; increase their bust size; and, do aerobics and yoga so they'll be shapelier and have the core of a pole dancer. Right...exercising on top of the sweaty manual labor they must as slaves do first. FFS.
I was driven to read this book by some interweb ravings declaring it the worst ever and deserving of a mass shunning. However, I usually prefer to form my own opinions, thankyouverymuch. Going in I knew popular romance novelist Sandra Hill thought she’d found an acceptable and clever way to make light of slavery and I was prepared to take offense. Mission accomplished!
On the technical front, this novel doesn't seem to have sprung from a lone individual’s pen. It contains dramatic and jarring shifts in narrative style from one chapter to the next and sometimes within a given chapter. Since I’ve never read any of Hill’s other work, I’m unable to guess whether the problem is simply bad editing or poorly incorporated ghost writing.
Hill explains in a supplementary author’s note how and why she believes Margaret Mitchell based iconic Gone with the Wind character Rhett Butler on someone in Hill’s actual family tree. The belief compelled her to write this book as supernatural-ish fantasy, wherein a Rhett prototype encounters a 21st century woman who doesn’t necessarily give a damn either.
It’s unfortunate that Hill chose to develop the premise by trivializing enslaved peoples’ tragic lives. IMO, there exist certain lines a person in her historically privileged position should not cross, even as satire. Bully for her that she’s apparently allowed and encouraged to do so anyway, with impunity.
June 26, 2008
When I first read the "pre-reviews" of this book before it was released, I was very excited. So excited that I pre-ordered the book. I read this book in one day and had to force myself to finish it. The concept behind the book was great - model goes back in time and is mistaken for a mulatto/quadroon at one of the famous Quadroon balls. Wow! This should make for an interesting read, right? Wrong! For one, the heroine bemoaned living in a society where she and other women were judged based on their outward appearance - and she spends half the book trying to get the other women around her to change their appearances in attempts to attract the men they desire. And a Black woman bemoaning her big behind? Give me a break! As a Black female and avid reader of historical romances, this book was just plain silly! I am not a stickler for historical accuracies and such and get tired of reviewers who spend so much time criticizing small inaccuracies that they miss the beauty of a well-written story but this book was just unbelieveable! For one...the characters sounded like they were from modern days, not historical times. Secondly, the 4-year old (E.T. *eyes rolling) - he wasn't funny. He needed his behind paddled and his mouth washed out with soap. I could go on and on but why bother? What could have been a perfectly good story is ruined by an excessive amount of silliness.
July 20, 2007
I LOVED this book. It is one that I will go back and re-read many times.
A lot of people didn't like this one. But I love the way Sandra Hill writes. She is so witty and funny, but still doesn't forget the romance.
She is another auto buy for me.
I have most of her books, but I'm still working my way through them....LOL
A lot of people didn't like this one. But I love the way Sandra Hill writes. She is so witty and funny, but still doesn't forget the romance.
She is another auto buy for me.
I have most of her books, but I'm still working my way through them....LOL
October 25, 2021
This book had so much character.... I loved it.. It was funny and entertaining. It had me hooked from start to finish.I would go back and read this over and over …in fact i have;)
March 5, 2013
I must confess I am a huge Gone With The Wind fan and with a cover and title like Frankly, My Dear - I had no self control, it became a must read. Wait, what was that I just read, time travel too - well, bless me, I felt as though I developed the vapors for the moment.
Selene is a model who has made an enemy of another one, one who has voodoo powers. In a shoot taking place in New Orleans with a vintage style gown, she finds herself spun into the past. At that moment she has been placed before the real life Rhett of her dreams, James Baptiste.
There is mystery, conspiracy, wit, and a wonderful love story within these pages.
*** SPOILER***Selene is left with a choice to return to the future and when James' "dead" wife returns from the dead, she might not have any other choice but to leave behind the love of many lifetimes.
Wonderful secondary characters and character development, a great storyline and memorable characters that leave one sighing and looking for their own time machine. A great read giving you a reason for a moment to believe.
Selene is a model who has made an enemy of another one, one who has voodoo powers. In a shoot taking place in New Orleans with a vintage style gown, she finds herself spun into the past. At that moment she has been placed before the real life Rhett of her dreams, James Baptiste.
There is mystery, conspiracy, wit, and a wonderful love story within these pages.
*** SPOILER***Selene is left with a choice to return to the future and when James' "dead" wife returns from the dead, she might not have any other choice but to leave behind the love of many lifetimes.
Wonderful secondary characters and character development, a great storyline and memorable characters that leave one sighing and looking for their own time machine. A great read giving you a reason for a moment to believe.
July 15, 2019
Love reading this book again... Can't e we go wrong with a book by this famous author...
July 20, 2018
Selene is a model who's sent back in time due to a voodoo curse. She finds herself at a Quadroon Ball and James believes her to be a light skinned colored, looking for a protector. Yes she needs a protector and it takes time for him to believe she's from the future. The fact her makeup case which she wasn't holding traveled with her seemed far fetched. When she was in danger and still kept mouthing off future things also didn't work for me. Her heckling James with blonde jokes was funny but didn't fit her claimed attitude of women power and beauty isn't everything. Lots of contradictions, some fun moments. They sexually frustrate and tease each other for a majority of the book, talk about long foreplay!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 28, 2013
Time travel stories can be a lot of fun and provide intriguing insight to another time and place.Unfortunstely Sandra Hill's Frankly My Dear was not one of them.The plot started out good enough but progressively got more ridiculous and the star rating kept getting lower. I slmost gave the book 2 stars but as I wss writing this review I decided it didn"t deserve it. If you like soft porn disguised as romance you will be thrilled with this book.Not my thing and the reason romance is not my favorite genre . The steany graphic sex scenes is not the only reason I detested this book though.The Gone With the Wind connection was not very authentic since the setting was New Orleans not Atlanta and the main characters were a poor imitation ofScarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler. Not even close! Plus it is hard to believe Selene a 21st century supermodel would also be a capable teacher in advanced resding, mathematics and science and in addition an expert aerobics instructor and psychothreapist.
I think what offended me the most is the constant blonde jokes that paint blondes as stupid vain creatures. Of course Selene was a brunette and her dislike of blondes went way too far and insulting to us blondes who are beautiful, smart and capable of handling successful lives. Obviously Ms Hill wasn't thinking such jokes might be insulting to some of her readers and it is for that reason I will never read another book by her.I almost didn't even finish this one. She had a great opportunity to be more creative and bring a little suspense and mystery with Giselle's ghost and Fleur one of Selene's 21st century friends' ancestor but never built on it except what felt like an afterthought with not much authentic suspense. The book was way too long at nearly 400 pages and the soap opera convention of attract-repel went on waaaaaay too long!
I think what offended me the most is the constant blonde jokes that paint blondes as stupid vain creatures. Of course Selene was a brunette and her dislike of blondes went way too far and insulting to us blondes who are beautiful, smart and capable of handling successful lives. Obviously Ms Hill wasn't thinking such jokes might be insulting to some of her readers and it is for that reason I will never read another book by her.I almost didn't even finish this one. She had a great opportunity to be more creative and bring a little suspense and mystery with Giselle's ghost and Fleur one of Selene's 21st century friends' ancestor but never built on it except what felt like an afterthought with not much authentic suspense. The book was way too long at nearly 400 pages and the soap opera convention of attract-repel went on waaaaaay too long!
March 27, 2019
.....man, this book. SMH
So, I've been on a kick of reading romances from the nineties and earlier. I've read some really good ones and some stinkers as well. This book falls into the latter category.
It's almost instalove, which isn't really my jam but I was curious about this book. I hadn't heard of the notoriety of this title in some circles but I saw it for a dollar at my local Dollar General. I thought why the hell not, I'll give it a shot. I regret it.
Sandra Hill spends the entire book whitesplaining slavery and I just wasn't here for it. If you want to read a historical romance that handles this and similar topics much better then seek out a Beverly Jenkins novel.
So, I've been on a kick of reading romances from the nineties and earlier. I've read some really good ones and some stinkers as well. This book falls into the latter category.
It's almost instalove, which isn't really my jam but I was curious about this book. I hadn't heard of the notoriety of this title in some circles but I saw it for a dollar at my local Dollar General. I thought why the hell not, I'll give it a shot. I regret it.
Sandra Hill spends the entire book whitesplaining slavery and I just wasn't here for it. If you want to read a historical romance that handles this and similar topics much better then seek out a Beverly Jenkins novel.
January 16, 2020
This was the funniest historical romance I've ever read. The chemistry between the 2 main characters was near perfect, as was the storyline. Absolutely loved it!
I mean, Sandra Hill writes about Vikings and Cajuns... Who can resist?
I'd read anything with this author's name on the cover.
I mean, Sandra Hill writes about Vikings and Cajuns... Who can resist?
I'd read anything with this author's name on the cover.
September 11, 2019
Seriously? There was not a different between James and Devon lol. Please, this book is such a disgrace to us, women. I wouldn't call it funny and romantic about what James said to our female protagonist. Be smart ladies!
February 28, 2013
ehhhhh it was ok. I usually like storys back in time but this one at the end I kind of didnt really care to read the ending.
December 30, 2024
I liked the story itself. The characters, the scenery, and the plot was engaging. I liked the main male character mostly, James, and the leading female, Selene. Here’s what kept it from getting more stars:
1. The sugarcoated take on slavery. Yes, of course the MFC is anti slavery and the MMC wishes he could set all his slaves free. But what bothered me was that Selene had the slave women wearing makeup, doing aerobics to help their appearances and self confidences, and they just generally all loved their “jobs.” It was just a little cringy at times trying to reconcile this lighthearted take with the actual horrors and brutality of slavery, especially on plantations in the Deep South.
2. The blonde jokes were overdone and while there was certainly some comedy written due to the time travel concept of the story, those parts just fell flat to me.
3. The ending. Selene makes a choice that’s really weird considering everything she knows about James and his first wife. Her decision doesn’t make any sense. Like, she actually thinks this decision will be for the better? The better of who? Because those bridges are burned and her mans in trouble but she seems to just ignore that.
1. The sugarcoated take on slavery. Yes, of course the MFC is anti slavery and the MMC wishes he could set all his slaves free. But what bothered me was that Selene had the slave women wearing makeup, doing aerobics to help their appearances and self confidences, and they just generally all loved their “jobs.” It was just a little cringy at times trying to reconcile this lighthearted take with the actual horrors and brutality of slavery, especially on plantations in the Deep South.
2. The blonde jokes were overdone and while there was certainly some comedy written due to the time travel concept of the story, those parts just fell flat to me.
3. The ending. Selene makes a choice that’s really weird considering everything she knows about James and his first wife. Her decision doesn’t make any sense. Like, she actually thinks this decision will be for the better? The better of who? Because those bridges are burned and her mans in trouble but she seems to just ignore that.
March 20, 2025
I've read a lot of time travel books and this is one of the most unrealistic and bad ones. I kept skimming over their moment a because there was nothing about the couple besides them wanting to sleep with each other. It made the story read like a cheap fanfic. The FMC was also a hypocrite. The conflict was bad and hardly there. No comparison to gone with the wind. It just uses the name a lot because the MC is a fan but nothing about the MMC is like Rhett or any other character. The south is just a back drop but the story could have taken anywhere else. This book was originally written in the 90s but the updated version references 2012. The FMC was just bad. You can skip if you are expecting some semblance to gone with the wind because it has none. And on its own it's just a really bad book.
August 12, 2025
Time travel, Southern sass, and a brooding hero—what’s not to love?
Scarlett O’Hara might have had Rhett, but I had Sandra Hill—and she made me laugh until my sweet tea almost came out my nose.
When New York model Selene is whisked back to pre–Civil War Louisiana thanks to a voodoo curse, she finds herself face-to-face with James Baptiste, a brooding Creole plantation owner. Armed with sass, modern wit, and a few Scarlett O’Hara lines, Selene must navigate a world of Southern charm, culture clashes, and unexpected passion. The result? A hilarious, romantic romp you won’t want to put down.
I loved Frankly, My Dear! The characters were vivid and memorable, and Sandra Hill’s clever Gone with the Wind nods added the perfect touch of humor. It’s a fast, funny read with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and sizzling romance.
Scarlett O’Hara might have had Rhett, but I had Sandra Hill—and she made me laugh until my sweet tea almost came out my nose.
When New York model Selene is whisked back to pre–Civil War Louisiana thanks to a voodoo curse, she finds herself face-to-face with James Baptiste, a brooding Creole plantation owner. Armed with sass, modern wit, and a few Scarlett O’Hara lines, Selene must navigate a world of Southern charm, culture clashes, and unexpected passion. The result? A hilarious, romantic romp you won’t want to put down.
I loved Frankly, My Dear! The characters were vivid and memorable, and Sandra Hill’s clever Gone with the Wind nods added the perfect touch of humor. It’s a fast, funny read with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and sizzling romance.
August 15, 2019
I have mixed feelings about this book. First off, I generally avoid historicals set in America smack in the middle of slavery, but I knew that up front so that is my fault for still checking it out from the library. The mid-1990s attempt at body positivity came across as a bit heavy-handed, and was negated by all the dumb blonde jokes. The author's attempt to make the hero a good guy despite the fact that he owned slaves was also a little cringe-y. However, I kept reading because I enjoyed the banter between the hero and heroine as well as the heroine's attempt to introduce a little 1996 to the 1800s. Hence, my mixed feelings. Hopefully, I can find a time-travel book by Sandra Hill at my library that is set in a historical era that doesn't make me quite as uncomfortable.
September 27, 2018
One of the weirder books I have ever read. The dialogue ranged from stilted to clever. There was not a lot of emotional depth in regard to the characters' thoughts or feelings. Still it was kinda charming in a strange way. This was a Creole time travel with many references to Gone with the Wind. I really don't know how to evaluate it.
March 25, 2022
Not the greatest romance novel I've ever read. Had some good parts like the blonde jokes and the concept of a 2012 model traveling to 1845 New Orleans. But there are definitely better written books out there.
July 3, 2017
Sexy, Fun Time travel romance. I need to read more of her work
July 20, 2017
I Love to laugh and I really love the time travle theme
October 2, 2018
Weird book. Some writing is awful, some is clever. Strangely intriguing. Many references to Gone with the Wind. Time travel.
May 18, 2023
Good, creative story. Hot sex scenes without being too disgustingly graphic!
August 23, 2024
Again I found a good read in this book. I would not mind more stories in this series.
February 20, 2017
Hmmmmmmmmmm traveling through time sounds like an interesting idea, is an interesting idea, all the voodoo thing was also interesting, intrigued me so much that I wanted more voodoo-ey stuff, but that would be another story lol
The story started out alright, modern day was okay, then comes the part after the traveling which I catergorised into two phases: First, loving the "I want you but I shouldn't but let's go for it anyways" James and Selena moments, and second, too many I love yous all over the place.
We have all read stories with characters who are so desperate for each other, try to stay away but always end up failing terribly to do so. I've read so many of these and I love them, don't know why, feels like something forbidden and exciting. Starts up my poor heart into a crashing frenzy against my ribcage. Its like when I read these, I don't have to exercise at all...same thing for James and Selena ahahahaha
The second phase doused quite a bit of the fiery passion I felt in the first. The hammering of my heart quickly cooled to a slow boring thuds as I take in all their love professions over and over again. Don't get me wrong, I love happy endings where everyone professes their undying love for one another, but in more ways than one, I felt like what was said could be shown instead. Of course, it wasn't only the ILYs, but also the fact that everyone kinda lost their spark somehow; more mellow perhaps.. but then again, maybe I'm just really addicted to those "relationship not clear but secretly have many passionate tryst" moments .. (////0////)
The story started out alright, modern day was okay, then comes the part after the traveling which I catergorised into two phases: First, loving the "I want you but I shouldn't but let's go for it anyways" James and Selena moments, and second, too many I love yous all over the place.
We have all read stories with characters who are so desperate for each other, try to stay away but always end up failing terribly to do so. I've read so many of these and I love them, don't know why, feels like something forbidden and exciting. Starts up my poor heart into a crashing frenzy against my ribcage. Its like when I read these, I don't have to exercise at all...same thing for James and Selena ahahahaha
The second phase doused quite a bit of the fiery passion I felt in the first. The hammering of my heart quickly cooled to a slow boring thuds as I take in all their love professions over and over again. Don't get me wrong, I love happy endings where everyone professes their undying love for one another, but in more ways than one, I felt like what was said could be shown instead. Of course, it wasn't only the ILYs, but also the fact that everyone kinda lost their spark somehow; more mellow perhaps.. but then again, maybe I'm just really addicted to those "relationship not clear but secretly have many passionate tryst" moments .. (////0////)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 8, 2022
Published in 1996, this book is just too problematic for 21st century audiences. You have voodoo curses, a heroine taken as a "free woman of color" when she time travels from the present to land in the middle of a Quadroon Ball in New Orleans, plantation owners and slaves and jealous siblings and evil spouses and people returning from the grave and...yeah, it's all a bit too much and a bit too cringey. And the heroine is a huge fan of GWTW. Oh, boy.
Hill has a lot of other enjoyable books that are less problematic than this one. Simply put, it hasn't aged well. So find one of those others instead.
Hill has a lot of other enjoyable books that are less problematic than this one. Simply put, it hasn't aged well. So find one of those others instead.
November 24, 2008
Well, I picked this one up at the library, not really knowing what to expect. I mean, it's a Sandra Hill, so it HAD to be cheesy and amazing, so I figured I'd give it a try. Let me just say that I didn't read the back cover closely enough and I hadn't realized this was YET ANOTHER time travel book from Ms. Hill. She sure does love time travel. However, unlike a lot of her Viking books, this one has actual Plot. Not just people misunderstanding people and 20 pages of back-and-forth he said-she said, but actual, honest-to-goodness plot. Which makes it a lot better than the viking books. There were actual twists! Apparent ones that were pretty easy to figure out, but nonetheless, I'm quite appreciative.
I think Hill managed the time and situations quite well, and having a heroine who understands that there's not really much she can do about slavery on her own is sort of refreshing.
Sex scenes: Sandra Hill sure does love ear-sex. But the scenes in this book are not quite as steamy as what you'll get in some of her other romances.
All in all, a satisfying read.
I'd be interested to read Desperado which is sort of a tie-in to this book with another time-traveling couple.
I think Hill managed the time and situations quite well, and having a heroine who understands that there's not really much she can do about slavery on her own is sort of refreshing.
Sex scenes: Sandra Hill sure does love ear-sex. But the scenes in this book are not quite as steamy as what you'll get in some of her other romances.
All in all, a satisfying read.
I'd be interested to read Desperado which is sort of a tie-in to this book with another time-traveling couple.
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