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Whispers of Heaven
“A wonderful novel rich in emotion” –New York Times bestselling author Jill Marie Landis
Tasmania, 1840: Jesmond Corbett returns home from school in London determined to conform to the expectations of her aristocratic family and marry the childhood companion to whom she is betrothed. But Jessie is a woman filled with restless longings and unacknowledged needs. And nothing in her sheltered life has prepared her for Lucas Gallagher, an Irish rebel doomed to a lifetime of suffering and humiliating servitude.
For Jessie’s island home is a place of brutal contradictions, its genteel lifestyle and gracious estates based on the soul-crushing labor of the convicts who toil under the British penal system. Haunted by a tragic past but fiercely proud, Gallagher has vowed to escape this living hell or die trying. But he can’t resist the dangerous desires stirred by the vital, troubled young woman to whose family he has been assigned. And although they know their love can have no future, the star-crossed lovers inevitably succumb to a forbidden passion that threatens to destroy both their lives and Gallagher’s last chance to reach for freedom.
Filled with the masterful blend of vividly drawn, memorable characters and high adventure for which Candice Proctor is renowned, here is a unforgettable tale of love and triumph that deftly combines the mannered elegance of Downton Abbey with the excitement and raw Australian beauty of The Thorn Birds.
“Rich, unusual, and classic—like reading Woodiwiss again for the first time.” New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett
Tasmania, 1840: Jesmond Corbett returns home from school in London determined to conform to the expectations of her aristocratic family and marry the childhood companion to whom she is betrothed. But Jessie is a woman filled with restless longings and unacknowledged needs. And nothing in her sheltered life has prepared her for Lucas Gallagher, an Irish rebel doomed to a lifetime of suffering and humiliating servitude.
For Jessie’s island home is a place of brutal contradictions, its genteel lifestyle and gracious estates based on the soul-crushing labor of the convicts who toil under the British penal system. Haunted by a tragic past but fiercely proud, Gallagher has vowed to escape this living hell or die trying. But he can’t resist the dangerous desires stirred by the vital, troubled young woman to whose family he has been assigned. And although they know their love can have no future, the star-crossed lovers inevitably succumb to a forbidden passion that threatens to destroy both their lives and Gallagher’s last chance to reach for freedom.
Filled with the masterful blend of vividly drawn, memorable characters and high adventure for which Candice Proctor is renowned, here is a unforgettable tale of love and triumph that deftly combines the mannered elegance of Downton Abbey with the excitement and raw Australian beauty of The Thorn Birds.
“Rich, unusual, and classic—like reading Woodiwiss again for the first time.” New York Times bestselling author Jill Barnett
398 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2001
46 people are currently reading
926 people want to read
About the author
Candice Proctor
7 books204 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
December 22, 2016
It could have been a five star but for the ending. Bit too rushed and we sort of got no closure on how their lives ended up.... would have loved an epilogue about 5 years down the line.
The Irish convict and the well-bred British lady. Could it work? The attraction was there but how could such social standings come together?
My son is studying History at Edinburgh University and they have studied a lot of Irish History so he probably knows more about the Cause than I do.
As I said, I think the ending could have been a bit more complete but all in all a good, compelling read.
Dear Lord. It would make you want to take up your bayonet and start another Civil War!!!
The Irish convict and the well-bred British lady. Could it work? The attraction was there but how could such social standings come together?
There is no justice for the Irish in Ireland. Not as long as the English are there.
He was a writer - a journalist. He had a printing press in his basement - a secret press that he used for the cause. Jessie didn't need to ask which cause. In Ireland, there was only one real cause.
My son is studying History at Edinburgh University and they have studied a lot of Irish History so he probably knows more about the Cause than I do.
As I said, I think the ending could have been a bit more complete but all in all a good, compelling read.
"Why do you do that?" she asked suddenly.
"Do what?"
"Put on the Irish the way you do. You're an educated man ... yet you deliberately make yourself sound like ...." She hesitated.
"Like a bog-trotting Irishman? Isn't that what we all are to you lot? Just so many ignorant, potato-grabbing Irish - good for nothing but being conquered and ruled by Britannia's fine sons?"
Dear Lord. It would make you want to take up your bayonet and start another Civil War!!!
November 11, 2025
“Don’t say I shouldn’t do this. Not this time.”
He captured her hand in his, pressed a kiss to her palm. Over their joined hands, pale held fast by dark, his gaze met hers. “Some things are true even if we don’t say them.”
When I thought Night in Eden was extraordinary and intense, I had no idea how much better it could get. Hands down, this is one of the best HRs I’ve ever read, and it easily ranks in my top 3 of 2025. It’s epic. Tragic. Unforgettable. However, to love it as much as I did, you must have a penchant for slow-burn romances, because it’s not just slow-burn. It’s super super slow-burn. It’s also nerve-wrecking and heartbreaking, and I suffered with this couple and I cried and rooted for them like I hardly ever have before. Even after several days, I’m still emotionally wrecked and find myself rereading my hundreds of highlights.
The story takes place in Tasmania in 1840–back then when the British Empire transported thousands of convicts to the colony each year. These convicts were often little more than slaves–some had to work in chain gangs, some got assigned to British landowners to work as farmhands or servants.
Gangs of convicts were as much a part of the Tasmanian landscape as the vast herds of sheep and fields of grain that brought so much wealth to the island’s free land owners. Of course, most people called them “government men,” rather than convicts—as if the term convict was somehow more demeaning than the chains that so often dragged from their wrists and ankles, or the cat-o’-nine-tails and triangle that brought fear and humiliation to the men’s existence. Whatever term one used, nothing could alter the reality of what the men working the quarry really were.
When a convict’s sentence has expired or he even gained a pardon, he’s free to stay in the colonies and built a new life or return home. Unfortunately, being free ever again is not in the cards for Irishman Lucas Gallagher, the MMC. He knows his sentence will never be suspended, so he plans his escape from the island. The inexcusable crime he committed remains a secret for a long time, but it is as the magistrate says, “the man could save the life of the Queen herself and he’d still end his days in chains.” This proves to be a bitter truth when he risks his own life to save Jessie’s life and later the lives of shipwrecked children, and is still denied a pardon.
The 20-year old FMC, Jesmond “Jessie” Corbett, meets him for the first time when she returns home after a two-year long study visit in London. Jessie is supposed to marry her childhood friend Harrison soon, but one look at Gallagher and she’s immediately intrigued. And vice versa. However, their relationship is strained from the very beginning and every encounter is marked by tension, because Lucas hates not only the degrading situation he’s in as a convict but also the English as a whole for suppressing the Irish in their own country. Nevertheless, Jessie is attracted to the proud man with the long dark hair and the angry green eyes.
She knew this man was brutal and lawless, a wild and dangerous rebel of the kind she had been raised both to fear and to despise. Yet the beautiful, evocatively powerful synergy of the man and the [stallion] he controlled stole her breath. … Then his gaze lifted and for one brief, flaring instant their eyes met and held, and the moment spun out of time. She knew an odd tightening in her throat, a squeezing of her chest that left her breathless and lightheaded.
When Jessie’s brother assignes Gallagher her new groom, he’s shocked. Riding behind her at a respectful distance, being on call as her servant, “struck him as more degrading and insufferable than anything he’d yet had to endure—more than the chains, more than the triangle and whip, more than all the grinding, day-by-day humiliations and indignities he’d endured through three long, soul-destroying years.” But he has no choice but to oblige, and on their first ride he realizes there’s another reason to be shocked.
He studied the strong line of her jaw and chin, watched the sweep of her dusky lashes against her pale cheekbones as she looked down, and knew a private coil of desire, unwanted and yet undeniable, deep within his being.
The absurdity of it, the impossible, wild longing of it, almost made him want to laugh. She was as inaccessible to him as the four winds of heaven, as the darkest unknown depths of the ocean. Warrick Corbett had to be some kind of a fool, Lucas thought, to have sent off this beautiful, very desirable young woman accompanied only by a hot-blooded young Irishman who hadn’t known the tender touch of a woman’s hand for three long years. But then, it was the usual practice. Sometimes Lucas wondered if the big landowners […] even realized their male servants were men and not some strange species of near-eunuch, created for their convenience and having no life, no existence, no reality beyond their master’s needs.
This first ride changes everything. They talk. They share a secret. They touch. They watch. Something shifts on that ride, and after that, they can’t stop watching and noticing anymore. They realize there’s more to the other than they first thought and want to learn more about the other. The intensity of their desire is ridiculous. The yearning is mind-blowing. However, their attraction is forbidden and unthinkable and dangerous for both of them, so they really try hard not to act on it.
She had thought she could control the impossible, unbidden, unwanted attraction she had developed for this man, for this rough, rebellious Irishman, for this convict, God help her. She had thought she could control herself. But nothing she had experienced thus far in life had prepared her for the wondrous shock of finding herself pinned beneath his body, or for the sweet temptation that shimmered in the air as his lips hovered so close to hers. She had known such a swift rush of want, such an aching need, that she hadn’t been able to hide it.
And neither had he.
She had seen the look of arousal sharpening his features, the hunger in his eyes; felt the quivering need in his body as he gazed down at her. He had wanted her with a fierceness that both frightened and excited her. And she wondered now if there had ever been a time when he hadn’t been aware of her in that way a man is aware of a woman. For the awareness had been there, surely, in the heart-stopping intensity of his smile, in the smoldering fire of his eyes whenever he looked at her—a fire that warmed her belly and stole her breath and robbed her of any reflection except forbidden, sinful thoughts of him. He might have come close to dipping his head and tasting what he surely knew she was willing to give. But he hadn’t done it because no man in his situation would. Not even such a wild, mad Irishman as he.
They try, but they fail. She’s the one who pushes for more and eventually kisses him, but he stops her and warns her to stay away from him. If anyone knew, they would both face consequences, he might be flogged or even be hanged. But the fire has been ignited, and it is fueled by every single encounter. And it’s not only physical desire between them; their hearts and minds yearn, too. Their longing is unstoppable, even though there can be no future for them. Lucas says it again and again, but she doesn’t listen.
“You know what I am,” he said, the words tearing his throat. “You know what I am and you know what it means.”
“I know. I’ve known from the moment I first saw you. It should have mattered, but it didn’t.”
“I’m a dead man,” he told her, deliberately making his voice cold, his hands falling from her shoulders. “My life ended four years ago. You get too close to me, lass, you’re only going to destroy yourself.”
“It’s too late,” she said, her head tilting as she gazed up into his face. “Don’t you understand? It’s too late.”
“No. No, it’s not.” Yet even as he said it, he knew he was wrong. It was too late.
For both of them.
That’s one more reason why Lucas still wants to try to escape from Tasmania and seizes the opportunity when it presents itself. Knowing there can never be anything between them, the Irishman refuses to spend the rest of his young life (he’s mid-twenties) as a convict in a British penal colony; he’d rather die trying. It breaks Jessie’s heart when she finds out about his plans, but she loves him enough to understand him and let him go.
“I want you to be free.” She tried to smile, but her lips were trembling too much. “More even than I want you here with me, I want you to be free. But that doesn’t make it any easier. […] I’ll survive. And I know I’ll find moments of happiness. But I’m never going to stop loving you, Lucas Gallagher. I’m never going to stop missing you, never going to stop wanting to be with you.”
He cupped her cheek in his hand, his naked chest rising and falling with his breathing, his eyes deep and dark with his own pain. “You’ll be with me, mo chridhe,” he said, his voice breaking as he brushed his lips against hers in a kiss as soft as the mist. “For I’ll be keeping you with me always, in my heart.”
Some might say the story is repetitive and dragged on, that the back and forth lasts too long, and I can understand if people think so. For me, though, it’s perfect the way it is. Proctor could have reiterated the impossibility of their love and longing and Gallagher’s hard male body and troubled eyes and horrible scars over and over again, and I still would have been there for it. That’s because Proctor’s writing is so good, so vivid, so powerful, so touching. It’s magical. At least to me. I could see the characters right in front of me, and I could feel their deep, torn emotions, their longing and despair and torture. I wasn’t bored for a single second.
Instead, I was constantly borderline stressed because I was so afraid of the moment they would get caught—and you just know that it’s going to happen finally. At times, I seriously feared that there would be no HEA for them, no way out of this disaster, at least not together. Their love seemed to be so hopeless and tragic. But fortunately, Jessie develops into a determined, strong personality and fights for the man who is the love of her life. The ending fits, although the very last part felt a bit drawn out even to me.
The only thing missing here is an epilogue. I don’t usually need one, but since this couple’s future is so uncertain, I’d like to read how their lives turned out. I’m sure they ended up happy and carefree, though. They deserve it!
“I would die for you,” she said simply.
His hand tightened in her hair. “You might very well die with me.”
((Read in October 2025))
He captured her hand in his, pressed a kiss to her palm. Over their joined hands, pale held fast by dark, his gaze met hers. “Some things are true even if we don’t say them.”
When I thought Night in Eden was extraordinary and intense, I had no idea how much better it could get. Hands down, this is one of the best HRs I’ve ever read, and it easily ranks in my top 3 of 2025. It’s epic. Tragic. Unforgettable. However, to love it as much as I did, you must have a penchant for slow-burn romances, because it’s not just slow-burn. It’s super super slow-burn. It’s also nerve-wrecking and heartbreaking, and I suffered with this couple and I cried and rooted for them like I hardly ever have before. Even after several days, I’m still emotionally wrecked and find myself rereading my hundreds of highlights.
The story takes place in Tasmania in 1840–back then when the British Empire transported thousands of convicts to the colony each year. These convicts were often little more than slaves–some had to work in chain gangs, some got assigned to British landowners to work as farmhands or servants.
Gangs of convicts were as much a part of the Tasmanian landscape as the vast herds of sheep and fields of grain that brought so much wealth to the island’s free land owners. Of course, most people called them “government men,” rather than convicts—as if the term convict was somehow more demeaning than the chains that so often dragged from their wrists and ankles, or the cat-o’-nine-tails and triangle that brought fear and humiliation to the men’s existence. Whatever term one used, nothing could alter the reality of what the men working the quarry really were.
When a convict’s sentence has expired or he even gained a pardon, he’s free to stay in the colonies and built a new life or return home. Unfortunately, being free ever again is not in the cards for Irishman Lucas Gallagher, the MMC. He knows his sentence will never be suspended, so he plans his escape from the island. The inexcusable crime he committed remains a secret for a long time, but it is as the magistrate says, “the man could save the life of the Queen herself and he’d still end his days in chains.” This proves to be a bitter truth when he risks his own life to save Jessie’s life and later the lives of shipwrecked children, and is still denied a pardon.
The 20-year old FMC, Jesmond “Jessie” Corbett, meets him for the first time when she returns home after a two-year long study visit in London. Jessie is supposed to marry her childhood friend Harrison soon, but one look at Gallagher and she’s immediately intrigued. And vice versa. However, their relationship is strained from the very beginning and every encounter is marked by tension, because Lucas hates not only the degrading situation he’s in as a convict but also the English as a whole for suppressing the Irish in their own country. Nevertheless, Jessie is attracted to the proud man with the long dark hair and the angry green eyes.
She knew this man was brutal and lawless, a wild and dangerous rebel of the kind she had been raised both to fear and to despise. Yet the beautiful, evocatively powerful synergy of the man and the [stallion] he controlled stole her breath. … Then his gaze lifted and for one brief, flaring instant their eyes met and held, and the moment spun out of time. She knew an odd tightening in her throat, a squeezing of her chest that left her breathless and lightheaded.
When Jessie’s brother assignes Gallagher her new groom, he’s shocked. Riding behind her at a respectful distance, being on call as her servant, “struck him as more degrading and insufferable than anything he’d yet had to endure—more than the chains, more than the triangle and whip, more than all the grinding, day-by-day humiliations and indignities he’d endured through three long, soul-destroying years.” But he has no choice but to oblige, and on their first ride he realizes there’s another reason to be shocked.
He studied the strong line of her jaw and chin, watched the sweep of her dusky lashes against her pale cheekbones as she looked down, and knew a private coil of desire, unwanted and yet undeniable, deep within his being.
The absurdity of it, the impossible, wild longing of it, almost made him want to laugh. She was as inaccessible to him as the four winds of heaven, as the darkest unknown depths of the ocean. Warrick Corbett had to be some kind of a fool, Lucas thought, to have sent off this beautiful, very desirable young woman accompanied only by a hot-blooded young Irishman who hadn’t known the tender touch of a woman’s hand for three long years. But then, it was the usual practice. Sometimes Lucas wondered if the big landowners […] even realized their male servants were men and not some strange species of near-eunuch, created for their convenience and having no life, no existence, no reality beyond their master’s needs.
This first ride changes everything. They talk. They share a secret. They touch. They watch. Something shifts on that ride, and after that, they can’t stop watching and noticing anymore. They realize there’s more to the other than they first thought and want to learn more about the other. The intensity of their desire is ridiculous. The yearning is mind-blowing. However, their attraction is forbidden and unthinkable and dangerous for both of them, so they really try hard not to act on it.
She had thought she could control the impossible, unbidden, unwanted attraction she had developed for this man, for this rough, rebellious Irishman, for this convict, God help her. She had thought she could control herself. But nothing she had experienced thus far in life had prepared her for the wondrous shock of finding herself pinned beneath his body, or for the sweet temptation that shimmered in the air as his lips hovered so close to hers. She had known such a swift rush of want, such an aching need, that she hadn’t been able to hide it.
And neither had he.
She had seen the look of arousal sharpening his features, the hunger in his eyes; felt the quivering need in his body as he gazed down at her. He had wanted her with a fierceness that both frightened and excited her. And she wondered now if there had ever been a time when he hadn’t been aware of her in that way a man is aware of a woman. For the awareness had been there, surely, in the heart-stopping intensity of his smile, in the smoldering fire of his eyes whenever he looked at her—a fire that warmed her belly and stole her breath and robbed her of any reflection except forbidden, sinful thoughts of him. He might have come close to dipping his head and tasting what he surely knew she was willing to give. But he hadn’t done it because no man in his situation would. Not even such a wild, mad Irishman as he.
They try, but they fail. She’s the one who pushes for more and eventually kisses him, but he stops her and warns her to stay away from him. If anyone knew, they would both face consequences, he might be flogged or even be hanged. But the fire has been ignited, and it is fueled by every single encounter. And it’s not only physical desire between them; their hearts and minds yearn, too. Their longing is unstoppable, even though there can be no future for them. Lucas says it again and again, but she doesn’t listen.
“You know what I am,” he said, the words tearing his throat. “You know what I am and you know what it means.”
“I know. I’ve known from the moment I first saw you. It should have mattered, but it didn’t.”
“I’m a dead man,” he told her, deliberately making his voice cold, his hands falling from her shoulders. “My life ended four years ago. You get too close to me, lass, you’re only going to destroy yourself.”
“It’s too late,” she said, her head tilting as she gazed up into his face. “Don’t you understand? It’s too late.”
“No. No, it’s not.” Yet even as he said it, he knew he was wrong. It was too late.
For both of them.
That’s one more reason why Lucas still wants to try to escape from Tasmania and seizes the opportunity when it presents itself. Knowing there can never be anything between them, the Irishman refuses to spend the rest of his young life (he’s mid-twenties) as a convict in a British penal colony; he’d rather die trying. It breaks Jessie’s heart when she finds out about his plans, but she loves him enough to understand him and let him go.
“I want you to be free.” She tried to smile, but her lips were trembling too much. “More even than I want you here with me, I want you to be free. But that doesn’t make it any easier. […] I’ll survive. And I know I’ll find moments of happiness. But I’m never going to stop loving you, Lucas Gallagher. I’m never going to stop missing you, never going to stop wanting to be with you.”
He cupped her cheek in his hand, his naked chest rising and falling with his breathing, his eyes deep and dark with his own pain. “You’ll be with me, mo chridhe,” he said, his voice breaking as he brushed his lips against hers in a kiss as soft as the mist. “For I’ll be keeping you with me always, in my heart.”
Some might say the story is repetitive and dragged on, that the back and forth lasts too long, and I can understand if people think so. For me, though, it’s perfect the way it is. Proctor could have reiterated the impossibility of their love and longing and Gallagher’s hard male body and troubled eyes and horrible scars over and over again, and I still would have been there for it. That’s because Proctor’s writing is so good, so vivid, so powerful, so touching. It’s magical. At least to me. I could see the characters right in front of me, and I could feel their deep, torn emotions, their longing and despair and torture. I wasn’t bored for a single second.
Instead, I was constantly borderline stressed because I was so afraid of the moment they would get caught—and you just know that it’s going to happen finally. At times, I seriously feared that there would be no HEA for them, no way out of this disaster, at least not together. Their love seemed to be so hopeless and tragic. But fortunately, Jessie develops into a determined, strong personality and fights for the man who is the love of her life. The ending fits, although the very last part felt a bit drawn out even to me.
The only thing missing here is an epilogue. I don’t usually need one, but since this couple’s future is so uncertain, I’d like to read how their lives turned out. I’m sure they ended up happy and carefree, though. They deserve it!
“I would die for you,” she said simply.
His hand tightened in her hair. “You might very well die with me.”
((Read in October 2025))
April 29, 2019
Who knew....well, a lot of you did....that C.S. Harris has old books under Candice Proctor. Somehow, I discovered this really late and was really excited to try.
I'm not at all sorry. This was a rich, detailed, fully fleshed romance. Candice Proctor got some pages to do the work in (maybe too many pages, an editing pen would've helped some places although the writing is stunning, some of it was repetitive.) Character-driven and I've got dog-eared pages (I couldn't find any Proctor for Kobo so used paperbacks it is!)
What I really loved about this? All the grand gestures--everything really--came from a heroine refusing to accept her fate (eventually) and doing something about it. Major self-sacrifice, plotting, first kisses...all to spare the hero but still keep him safe. She's a very romantic heroine. The hero was slightly harder to know, and slightly more one-dimensional. I just didn't see enough of his POV. I did love Jessie's brother, Warrick and his storyline, as well as other characters rounding out the story. The ending was slightly contrived, but eh, it was a fun one.
I'm looking forward to working my way through the stack of paperbacks I've amassed from this author--so glad to see I had some straight romance options from her. And as usual, her historical settings were amazing.
I'll maybe add some quotes later...
I'm not at all sorry. This was a rich, detailed, fully fleshed romance. Candice Proctor got some pages to do the work in (maybe too many pages, an editing pen would've helped some places although the writing is stunning, some of it was repetitive.) Character-driven and I've got dog-eared pages (I couldn't find any Proctor for Kobo so used paperbacks it is!)
What I really loved about this? All the grand gestures--everything really--came from a heroine refusing to accept her fate (eventually) and doing something about it. Major self-sacrifice, plotting, first kisses...all to spare the hero but still keep him safe. She's a very romantic heroine. The hero was slightly harder to know, and slightly more one-dimensional. I just didn't see enough of his POV. I did love Jessie's brother, Warrick and his storyline, as well as other characters rounding out the story. The ending was slightly contrived, but eh, it was a fun one.
I'm looking forward to working my way through the stack of paperbacks I've amassed from this author--so glad to see I had some straight romance options from her. And as usual, her historical settings were amazing.
I'll maybe add some quotes later...
January 18, 2021
3.5 to 4 stars. An enjoyable "forbidden" romance between an Irish convict and the gently-bred daughter of the house where he is assigned. It takes place in colonial Tasmania, Australia, and creates a pretty accurate and horrifying picture of the way convicts were treated in Tasmania in the early days.
Jessie is a pretty mixed-up young lady who has been dominated by her strict and joyless mother, and the milieu she was raised in with its strict behaviour expectations. It takes much of the book for Jessie to start to understand that she needs to break free of the cloying restrictions and allow herself the freedom to explore who she really is.
The relationship with Lucas, her assigned groom, grows slowly, with Lucas knowing well that it could lead to disaster for both of them. The book is quite angsty at times, and although I had a few guesses about how the HEA might be reached, it was a little nerve-racking along the way for this reader.
The ending sequence is dramatic and exciting, and a good way to finish the book. I very much enjoyed the Australian setting and the level of historic authenticity. I could wish Jessie had been a little clearer in her understanding of herself sooner rather than later, but both she and Lucas were still engaging characters. Overall, a solid read.
Jessie is a pretty mixed-up young lady who has been dominated by her strict and joyless mother, and the milieu she was raised in with its strict behaviour expectations. It takes much of the book for Jessie to start to understand that she needs to break free of the cloying restrictions and allow herself the freedom to explore who she really is.
The relationship with Lucas, her assigned groom, grows slowly, with Lucas knowing well that it could lead to disaster for both of them. The book is quite angsty at times, and although I had a few guesses about how the HEA might be reached, it was a little nerve-racking along the way for this reader.
The ending sequence is dramatic and exciting, and a good way to finish the book. I very much enjoyed the Australian setting and the level of historic authenticity. I could wish Jessie had been a little clearer in her understanding of herself sooner rather than later, but both she and Lucas were still engaging characters. Overall, a solid read.
March 26, 2009
4.5 stars. A great author I plan to read more of! This was an entirely unique and emotionally deep historical romance set in Australia. Lucas, an Irish gentleman, has been a prisoner of the English for four years. His crime is defending his country and honor. Jessmond is the wealthy daughter/sister on the estate he is assigned. This story does a great job exploring the prejudices and class differences of that era, and beautifully tells a story of a woman who awakens her beliefs - and finds a passionate but impossilbe love with an Irish convict.
August 15, 2017
Tasmania and Love in the 19th Century—a Real Adventure and a Great Story!
Proctor has delivered an enthralling romance set “down under,” on that mysterious island country, Tasmania, lying south of Australia.
Set in 1840, it tells the story of Jesmond (“Jessie”) Corbett, an independent thinking, science-loving heroine who, while raised in Tasmania, spent two years in London studying geology. Returning home to the country she loves, she notices a new convict laborer, a handsome, green-eyed Irishman who, when he is not putting on the brogue, speaks as a gentleman.
Lucas Gallagher, son of an Irish shipbuilder, was studying to become a barrister when the English brutally attacked his sister and him, scaring them forever. Spared a hanging, Lucas was transported to Tasmania to serve a life sentence as a convict slave. After brutal treatment by the English there, he determines to escape or die trying—that is, until he meets Jessie.
Proctor sheds light on the life of those transported to the Australian colonies as convicts destined to suffer cruel treatment and spend years, even their whole lives in some cases, as servants to the landowners. It’s a bit of history we should all know about and it causes me to respect those who made mistakes and more than paid for them. Night In Eden, her first book, is another great one that does this, only set in New South Wales.
As with her other romances, Proctor gives us a worthy heroine and a noble hero. Jessie struggles between doing what her family expects of her (an arranged marriage), and following her heart. Lucas struggles with whether freedom and/or death are preferable to being with Jessie as her convict servant. Neither can resist the other and both live desperate lives since they know they can never be together. Thank God this is romance and you know a happy ending is coming. But there is much angst and suspense along the way. This is a great novel and a great love story. I highly recommend it.
Proctor has delivered an enthralling romance set “down under,” on that mysterious island country, Tasmania, lying south of Australia.
Set in 1840, it tells the story of Jesmond (“Jessie”) Corbett, an independent thinking, science-loving heroine who, while raised in Tasmania, spent two years in London studying geology. Returning home to the country she loves, she notices a new convict laborer, a handsome, green-eyed Irishman who, when he is not putting on the brogue, speaks as a gentleman.
Lucas Gallagher, son of an Irish shipbuilder, was studying to become a barrister when the English brutally attacked his sister and him, scaring them forever. Spared a hanging, Lucas was transported to Tasmania to serve a life sentence as a convict slave. After brutal treatment by the English there, he determines to escape or die trying—that is, until he meets Jessie.
Proctor sheds light on the life of those transported to the Australian colonies as convicts destined to suffer cruel treatment and spend years, even their whole lives in some cases, as servants to the landowners. It’s a bit of history we should all know about and it causes me to respect those who made mistakes and more than paid for them. Night In Eden, her first book, is another great one that does this, only set in New South Wales.
As with her other romances, Proctor gives us a worthy heroine and a noble hero. Jessie struggles between doing what her family expects of her (an arranged marriage), and following her heart. Lucas struggles with whether freedom and/or death are preferable to being with Jessie as her convict servant. Neither can resist the other and both live desperate lives since they know they can never be together. Thank God this is romance and you know a happy ending is coming. But there is much angst and suspense along the way. This is a great novel and a great love story. I highly recommend it.
January 14, 2015
I love Candice Proctor. Her romances are character driven, and the process of the hero and heroine falling in love is palpable and believable. Her characters are beautifully drawn, and she uncovers the H and h layer by layer as the book progresses. We end up with three dimensional characters of great depth. And her language is lush and lyrical. Jessie, the heroine, asked Lucas, the hero, if he ever loved her. His reply:"I have always loved you mo chridh. Even before there were stars in the sky I was loving you. And long after every star has faded to dust, I'll still be loving you. Beyond forever." And it's Ms. Proctor's gift that she can create characters who are credible when they speak words like these. This scene had me in tears, and - believe me - that's rare.
This is a wonderful story of star-crossed lovers. Lucas is a convict, an Irishman convicted by the British and transported to Tasmania. Unlike most other convicts, he's been sent there for life, with no hope of release. Jessie is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, at the very pinnacle of Tasmanian society. Her father came to Australia by choice, not as a convict. And her mother comes from an old prominent English family, and never lets anyone forget it. Lucas is assigned as a convict laborer to Jessie's family. Any relationship between them - even a distant friendship - is utterly untenable. So, of course, they fall in love. And it is thoroughly heartbreaking.
I also loved the historical detail that went into the story. It was fascinating to read about Australia during the 1840's. The book not only touches on Australian history, but the struggles and suffering of the Irish under English rule as well. The Irish were transported to Australia by England in disproportionate numbers, and their treatment as convicts is well described.
While this book was a solid 4.5 stars for me, one thing held it back from my giving it 5 stars.
This is a wonderful story of star-crossed lovers. Lucas is a convict, an Irishman convicted by the British and transported to Tasmania. Unlike most other convicts, he's been sent there for life, with no hope of release. Jessie is the daughter of a wealthy landowner, at the very pinnacle of Tasmanian society. Her father came to Australia by choice, not as a convict. And her mother comes from an old prominent English family, and never lets anyone forget it. Lucas is assigned as a convict laborer to Jessie's family. Any relationship between them - even a distant friendship - is utterly untenable. So, of course, they fall in love. And it is thoroughly heartbreaking.
I also loved the historical detail that went into the story. It was fascinating to read about Australia during the 1840's. The book not only touches on Australian history, but the struggles and suffering of the Irish under English rule as well. The Irish were transported to Australia by England in disproportionate numbers, and their treatment as convicts is well described.
While this book was a solid 4.5 stars for me, one thing held it back from my giving it 5 stars.
May 2, 2015
I really enjoyed NIGHT IN EDEN with all of the flawed characters and delicious tension. This romance had that same edginess to it. It takes place in 1840 and the setting is the wild outback in Tasmania, an island off Australia. All the leading men have an aura of darkness. And the ladies? Ahhhh, they are oh-so-interesting. Their secrets await you.
Jesmond 'Jessie' Corbett has returned home after a two-year sabbatical in England to study geology. Now, at eighteen years of age, she is expected to settle down and marry Harrison: her childhood friend. On the day of her return she meets one of the Irish convicts working her family's land. Lucas Gallagher. Little does she know how her life is going to change: forever.
Ms. Proctor has a gift to propel the reader into the actual story. You feel the convict's anger, you hear the slam of the door being bolted, you feel shame when jail for some them was better than the life they had before arriving at the Corbetts. Tension and sadness thrum among the sentences. If pages could bleed.....
I don't want to scare anyone from reading the story but be prepared. There is lots of angst and tension. All of the characters are imperfect, some more so than others. If I could mention one flaw, it is somewhat overlong but that was my problem!
Jesmond 'Jessie' Corbett has returned home after a two-year sabbatical in England to study geology. Now, at eighteen years of age, she is expected to settle down and marry Harrison: her childhood friend. On the day of her return she meets one of the Irish convicts working her family's land. Lucas Gallagher. Little does she know how her life is going to change: forever.
Ms. Proctor has a gift to propel the reader into the actual story. You feel the convict's anger, you hear the slam of the door being bolted, you feel shame when jail for some them was better than the life they had before arriving at the Corbetts. Tension and sadness thrum among the sentences. If pages could bleed.....
I don't want to scare anyone from reading the story but be prepared. There is lots of angst and tension. All of the characters are imperfect, some more so than others. If I could mention one flaw, it is somewhat overlong but that was my problem!
October 10, 2021
Heart wrenching and heartbroken story. Kleenex must be near.
Harsh and raw environment, heartless people, broken people and souls.
First part was a bit slow, but it picked my interest from about 60% of this book... A los of adventures, strong and faithful characters.
A lot of sexual assaults (off pages). Not safe.
Dont give it 5 stars- i need some epilogue... Or two maybe.
Harsh and raw environment, heartless people, broken people and souls.
First part was a bit slow, but it picked my interest from about 60% of this book... A los of adventures, strong and faithful characters.
A lot of sexual assaults (off pages). Not safe.
Dont give it 5 stars- i need some epilogue... Or two maybe.
April 9, 2018
In order to cure my Sebastian St. Cyr hangover, I've been devouring this author's earlier works. The setting of 19th Century Tasmania was captivating. There was a somewhat role reversal/forbidden romance with the heroine being a lady of wealth/privilege and the hero being a convict. This story had so much angst; I hadn't been so tempted in recent memory to read the last page. I felt every emotion reading this compelling book. As always, I learned a wealth of information in addition to a beautiful storyline.
I can't recommend this author enough; she's definitely a hidden gem.
I can't recommend this author enough; she's definitely a hidden gem.
April 2, 2022
The only thing I didn't like was the ending, it was too abrupt😕
"Did you ever love me? Even just a little?"
He let his fingertips skim over her cheeks, her lips. "I have always loved you, mo chridh. Even before there were stars in the sky, I was loving you. And long after every star in the heavens has faded to dust, I'll still be loving you. Beyond forever."
July 27, 2020
A proper society girl and a murdering Irish convict meet in 19th century Tasmania. And it goes about as one would expect it to. Whispers of Heaven is a so-so effort from one of my favorite authors, Candice Proctor (AKA C.S. Harris). The book is too long-winded and clunky, and the while both the setting and characters gave the story a lot of potential, the whole thing kinda fell flat.
Interestingly, though the setting/ period is unique in comparison to majority of historical romances, the plot was about as standard as you might expect. The heroine, Jessie, chafes against society and its expectations, while Lucas is a Tortured Hero with a Soft Heart. Their relationship is impossible in every sense of the word. Seriously. I kept reading mainly because I wanted to see what how Proctor was going to wrangle an HEA out of this.
Whispers of Heaven was just so...disappointing. Such a good premise, but such a dull overall presentation.
For myself, I strongly prefer Proctor’s earlier Australian convict romance, Night in Eden, which is A) one of my All-Time Favorite Romances and B) just a stronger novel overall.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
Interestingly, though the setting/ period is unique in comparison to majority of historical romances, the plot was about as standard as you might expect. The heroine, Jessie, chafes against society and its expectations, while Lucas is a Tortured Hero with a Soft Heart. Their relationship is impossible in every sense of the word. Seriously. I kept reading mainly because I wanted to see what how Proctor was going to wrangle an HEA out of this.
Whispers of Heaven was just so...disappointing. Such a good premise, but such a dull overall presentation.
For myself, I strongly prefer Proctor’s earlier Australian convict romance, Night in Eden, which is A) one of my All-Time Favorite Romances and B) just a stronger novel overall.
📌 . Blog | Review Database | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads
April 14, 2015
Beautiful, well written story! I love any historical romance that does something different and this one definitely had that covered! Set in Australia, an English lady falls in love with an Irish convict assigned to her family's estate. It had me hooked from the start and I loved the different setting, I really felt like I was there. It was so sad to hear about what some of these convicts must have gone through, some being sentenced to hard labor just for the littlest things. The love story was great and it isn't as typical as one might think. I loved the ending and thought it was actually the only option available for the characters. Both needed a fresh start and now that can happen. Will definitely check out more from this author!
June 28, 2011
Now here's something you don't see every day: an historical romance set in colonial Tasmania. Well-plotted and structured, and thoroughly enjoyable, though it didn't sweep me off my feet.
October 24, 2013
Akonáhle som zbadala túto knihu v knižnici, vedela som, že jej jednoducho neodolám. Knihy od Candice sú moja srdcovka, takže som ju hneď doslova schmatla a nemohla sa dočkať kedy sa do nej začítam. A úprimne priznávam, že dokonale splnila moje očakávania...
Vo svojom (zatiaľ) poslednom u nás vydanom príbehu nás autorka privádza do divokej, nespútanej Austrálie, presnejšie ešte trošku južnejšie, na ostrov Tasmánia. Tam, do svojho rodiska a domova, sa po dvoch rokoch štúdia v Anglicku vracia slečna Jesmond Corbettová a hneď v prvý deň návratu sa stretáva s väzňom Lucasom Gallagherom, ktorého vidí pracovať v kameňolome. On je pre ňu len ďalším z množstva väzňov odpykávajúcich si svoj trest na nútených prácach, ona je preňho len rozmaznanou, bohatou paničkou. Možno to bude znieť banálne, ale toto jedno stretnutie spustí kolobeh udalostí, ktoré nikto z nich určite nečakal. Máme tu hneď „zmenu“ oproti historickým romancám, na aké sme zvyknutí, a nehovorím len o inej krajine. V tejto knihe je ona dedička, on vlastne nikto, je zločinec, otrok. Takže žiaden mladý, dobre situovaný anglický dedič a žiadna krehká, nevinná a samozrejme očarujúca mladá anglická deva, nie, nie... práve v Candiciných „netypických“ hrdinoch tkvie sila príbehu, robí ho iným, zvláštnym, príťažlivým.
Jessie možno pôsobí navonok krehko, priam nevinne, ale pod povrchom anglickej ruže drieme sebavedomá, mladá žena, ktorá vie, čo chce. Dosiahnuť jej to však nedovoľujú skostnatené anglické pravidlá a výchova bez prípustnosti akýchkoľvek pocitov či citov, ktorú striktne dodržujú aj na opačnej strane sveta, míle vzdialení od Anglicka.
„V kruhoch, kde sa pohybovala Jesmond Corbettová, sa nepreberali témy súvisiace s citmi. Kráčať životom so stisnutými perami za každých, akokoľvek nepríjemných, ba aj bolestných okolností bolo proti anglickému bontónu. Neskôr sa už o nich vôbec nehovorilo. Angličan nedával nikdy ani len náznakom najavo hnev či bolesť, čo v ňom hlodali.“
Jessie a jej brat Warrick majú uzavrieť manželstvá „z rozumu“, dohodnuté už pri ich narodení. Ako poslední žijúci potomkovia túto ťarchu „zdedili“, pretože ich prvorodení a druhorodení bratia a sestry zomreli a ostali len oni dvaja s matkou chladnou ako anglická skala (celú knihu som ju neznášala). Aby to obaja súrodenci nemali jednoduché, do cesty im osud pripletie poriadne skúšky.
Jessie v Lucasovi získava najskôr koniara, ktorý ma vycvičiť neskrotného žrebca, ktorého priviezla bratovi z Anglicka ako dar. A to je počiatok niečoho, čo je v tamojšej spoločnosti zakázané, nepredstaviteľné, ba priam vlastizradou. Celou knihou to medzi nimi iskrí, stránky akoby pálili ich vzájomnou príťažlivosťou. Uvedomujú si, že to, čo je medzi nimi, nemá absolútnu šancu na prežitie, ale napriek tomu dovolia vyklíčiť krehkému citu, krehkej láske. Páčilo sa mi, ako ich vzťah, ich vzájomnú lásku a príťažlivosť autorka postupne vykresľovala a nechávala ju rásť.
„Zrazu zdvihol zrak – na zlomok sekundy sa im stretli oči, vpili sa do seba a stratila pojem o čase. Čosi jej priškrtilo hrdlo a zovrelo hruď, nemohla sa nadýchnuť, zatmelo sa jej pred očami. Nekonečné rytmické dunenie konských kopýt sa jej ozývalo v celom tele, v žilách jej bubnoval prapôvodný hypnotický rytmus vyvolávajúci neurčitú potrebu.“
Ako totálny protiklad k Lucasovi bol vykreslený Harrison, Jessiin dohodnutý manžel. Nepríjemnejšiu osobu si neviem predstaviť, možno by ho mohla tromfnúť len Jessiina a Warrickov matka... bol mi v určitých okamihoch až odporný (najmä v bozkávacích scénach), v Jessie videl len budúcu matku svojich detí a ženu, ktorá mu ohreje posteľ a bude mu robiť spoločnosť pri nudných zdvorilostných návštevách v susedstve. Prínosom navyše bolo, že sa poznali od detstva a od detstva boli vedení k tomu, že sa raz vezmú. Nikto z nich sa neodvážil protirečiť vôli rodičov.
Jessiin brat Warrick tiež nebol ktovieaký slušák, mal pár „bokoviek“ či prelietavých známostí, aj keď vedel, že dohodnutému manželstvu sa nevyhne, musí zabezpečiť pokračovanie rodu. A svoju nastávajúcu, Harrisonovu sestru Philippu, rešpektoval skôr z povinnosti než z úprimného záujmu. Scéna, v ktorej zistí, že ho vlastne Philippa úprimne a skutočne miluje, bola jednou z najkrajších a najromantickejších scén z knihy, dojala ma. Láska napokon zvíťazila :)
Krásnych 312 strán Proctorovej príbehu, popretkávaných výraznými, príjemnými postavami, ktoré si buď obľúbite, alebo ich znenávidíte, môžem len odporučiť všetkým, ktorí hľadajú nielen oddychové čítanie, ale sa aj dozvedia niečo o histórii Tasmánie, mnoho udalostí je v príbehu zakomponovaných na základe skutočných, dochovaných historických záznamov.
Ako napokon dopadne zakázaná láska medzi Jesmond a Lucasom?
Možno mi zo začiatku pripadal koniec zvláštny, ale ako by to vlastne malo skončiť, ak malo byť hlavným hrdinom dopriate šťastie až naveky? Dopriate im bolo, to môžem prezradiť... aj s parádnym útekom spred oltára :) táto scéna sa mi tiež páčila, verila som každý Jessiin krok a myšlienku... a držala palce, nech im to vyjde, lebo autorka napínala až do samotného záveru.
S pokojným svedomím dávam Mysu poslednej nádeje plný počet a už teraz sa teším na ďalší čitateľský zážitok pri knihe od Candice Proctorovej!
Myšlienka z knihy, ktorá sa mi páčila:
„Myslíte si, že ma odstrašíte,“ povedala pokojne, „ale nebojím sa.“
„Mali by ste sa báť. Verte mi, slečna Corbettová, že áno.“
Potriasla hlavou, chytila ho za ruku a pritisla si ju na roztúžené prsia. „Nebojím sa vás. Bojím sa polovičatého života – života, v akom sa moje osobné túžby rozplynú v tom, čo odomňa očakávajú ostatní. Iba pri vás sa cítim sama sebou.“
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Toto je môj svet, pomyslela si s trpkosladkým pocitom Jessie pri pohľade na záplavu hodvábu všetkých farieb dúhy a tvári s primeranými úsmevmi; svet šampanského, obložených chlebíčkov s uhorkami, starostlivo modulovaných hlasov sprevádzaných cinkaním krištáľu a nevtieravým zvukom kroketovej palice odpaľujúcej loptičku. Svet prepychu a luxusu, udržiavaný tvrdou drinou odsúdencov zlomených okovami a bičmi či temnými hrôzami studených samotiek. Aj keď sú obaja s Gallagherom jeho súčasťou, majú v ňom úplne iné úlohy. Nie je im určené dať sa dokopy ani hovoriť o dôležitých veciach, nikdy sa nemajú dotknúť ani pobozkať. A nikdy sa nemajú ľúbiť.“
Vo svojom (zatiaľ) poslednom u nás vydanom príbehu nás autorka privádza do divokej, nespútanej Austrálie, presnejšie ešte trošku južnejšie, na ostrov Tasmánia. Tam, do svojho rodiska a domova, sa po dvoch rokoch štúdia v Anglicku vracia slečna Jesmond Corbettová a hneď v prvý deň návratu sa stretáva s väzňom Lucasom Gallagherom, ktorého vidí pracovať v kameňolome. On je pre ňu len ďalším z množstva väzňov odpykávajúcich si svoj trest na nútených prácach, ona je preňho len rozmaznanou, bohatou paničkou. Možno to bude znieť banálne, ale toto jedno stretnutie spustí kolobeh udalostí, ktoré nikto z nich určite nečakal. Máme tu hneď „zmenu“ oproti historickým romancám, na aké sme zvyknutí, a nehovorím len o inej krajine. V tejto knihe je ona dedička, on vlastne nikto, je zločinec, otrok. Takže žiaden mladý, dobre situovaný anglický dedič a žiadna krehká, nevinná a samozrejme očarujúca mladá anglická deva, nie, nie... práve v Candiciných „netypických“ hrdinoch tkvie sila príbehu, robí ho iným, zvláštnym, príťažlivým.
Jessie možno pôsobí navonok krehko, priam nevinne, ale pod povrchom anglickej ruže drieme sebavedomá, mladá žena, ktorá vie, čo chce. Dosiahnuť jej to však nedovoľujú skostnatené anglické pravidlá a výchova bez prípustnosti akýchkoľvek pocitov či citov, ktorú striktne dodržujú aj na opačnej strane sveta, míle vzdialení od Anglicka.
„V kruhoch, kde sa pohybovala Jesmond Corbettová, sa nepreberali témy súvisiace s citmi. Kráčať životom so stisnutými perami za každých, akokoľvek nepríjemných, ba aj bolestných okolností bolo proti anglickému bontónu. Neskôr sa už o nich vôbec nehovorilo. Angličan nedával nikdy ani len náznakom najavo hnev či bolesť, čo v ňom hlodali.“
Jessie a jej brat Warrick majú uzavrieť manželstvá „z rozumu“, dohodnuté už pri ich narodení. Ako poslední žijúci potomkovia túto ťarchu „zdedili“, pretože ich prvorodení a druhorodení bratia a sestry zomreli a ostali len oni dvaja s matkou chladnou ako anglická skala (celú knihu som ju neznášala). Aby to obaja súrodenci nemali jednoduché, do cesty im osud pripletie poriadne skúšky.
Jessie v Lucasovi získava najskôr koniara, ktorý ma vycvičiť neskrotného žrebca, ktorého priviezla bratovi z Anglicka ako dar. A to je počiatok niečoho, čo je v tamojšej spoločnosti zakázané, nepredstaviteľné, ba priam vlastizradou. Celou knihou to medzi nimi iskrí, stránky akoby pálili ich vzájomnou príťažlivosťou. Uvedomujú si, že to, čo je medzi nimi, nemá absolútnu šancu na prežitie, ale napriek tomu dovolia vyklíčiť krehkému citu, krehkej láske. Páčilo sa mi, ako ich vzťah, ich vzájomnú lásku a príťažlivosť autorka postupne vykresľovala a nechávala ju rásť.
„Zrazu zdvihol zrak – na zlomok sekundy sa im stretli oči, vpili sa do seba a stratila pojem o čase. Čosi jej priškrtilo hrdlo a zovrelo hruď, nemohla sa nadýchnuť, zatmelo sa jej pred očami. Nekonečné rytmické dunenie konských kopýt sa jej ozývalo v celom tele, v žilách jej bubnoval prapôvodný hypnotický rytmus vyvolávajúci neurčitú potrebu.“
Ako totálny protiklad k Lucasovi bol vykreslený Harrison, Jessiin dohodnutý manžel. Nepríjemnejšiu osobu si neviem predstaviť, možno by ho mohla tromfnúť len Jessiina a Warrickov matka... bol mi v určitých okamihoch až odporný (najmä v bozkávacích scénach), v Jessie videl len budúcu matku svojich detí a ženu, ktorá mu ohreje posteľ a bude mu robiť spoločnosť pri nudných zdvorilostných návštevách v susedstve. Prínosom navyše bolo, že sa poznali od detstva a od detstva boli vedení k tomu, že sa raz vezmú. Nikto z nich sa neodvážil protirečiť vôli rodičov.
Jessiin brat Warrick tiež nebol ktovieaký slušák, mal pár „bokoviek“ či prelietavých známostí, aj keď vedel, že dohodnutému manželstvu sa nevyhne, musí zabezpečiť pokračovanie rodu. A svoju nastávajúcu, Harrisonovu sestru Philippu, rešpektoval skôr z povinnosti než z úprimného záujmu. Scéna, v ktorej zistí, že ho vlastne Philippa úprimne a skutočne miluje, bola jednou z najkrajších a najromantickejších scén z knihy, dojala ma. Láska napokon zvíťazila :)
Krásnych 312 strán Proctorovej príbehu, popretkávaných výraznými, príjemnými postavami, ktoré si buď obľúbite, alebo ich znenávidíte, môžem len odporučiť všetkým, ktorí hľadajú nielen oddychové čítanie, ale sa aj dozvedia niečo o histórii Tasmánie, mnoho udalostí je v príbehu zakomponovaných na základe skutočných, dochovaných historických záznamov.
Ako napokon dopadne zakázaná láska medzi Jesmond a Lucasom?
Možno mi zo začiatku pripadal koniec zvláštny, ale ako by to vlastne malo skončiť, ak malo byť hlavným hrdinom dopriate šťastie až naveky? Dopriate im bolo, to môžem prezradiť... aj s parádnym útekom spred oltára :) táto scéna sa mi tiež páčila, verila som každý Jessiin krok a myšlienku... a držala palce, nech im to vyjde, lebo autorka napínala až do samotného záveru.
S pokojným svedomím dávam Mysu poslednej nádeje plný počet a už teraz sa teším na ďalší čitateľský zážitok pri knihe od Candice Proctorovej!
Myšlienka z knihy, ktorá sa mi páčila:
„Myslíte si, že ma odstrašíte,“ povedala pokojne, „ale nebojím sa.“
„Mali by ste sa báť. Verte mi, slečna Corbettová, že áno.“
Potriasla hlavou, chytila ho za ruku a pritisla si ju na roztúžené prsia. „Nebojím sa vás. Bojím sa polovičatého života – života, v akom sa moje osobné túžby rozplynú v tom, čo odomňa očakávajú ostatní. Iba pri vás sa cítim sama sebou.“
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Toto je môj svet, pomyslela si s trpkosladkým pocitom Jessie pri pohľade na záplavu hodvábu všetkých farieb dúhy a tvári s primeranými úsmevmi; svet šampanského, obložených chlebíčkov s uhorkami, starostlivo modulovaných hlasov sprevádzaných cinkaním krištáľu a nevtieravým zvukom kroketovej palice odpaľujúcej loptičku. Svet prepychu a luxusu, udržiavaný tvrdou drinou odsúdencov zlomených okovami a bičmi či temnými hrôzami studených samotiek. Aj keď sú obaja s Gallagherom jeho súčasťou, majú v ňom úplne iné úlohy. Nie je im určené dať sa dokopy ani hovoriť o dôležitých veciach, nikdy sa nemajú dotknúť ani pobozkať. A nikdy sa nemajú ľúbiť.“
May 16, 2025
This story follows a proper gently bred English woman and an Irish convict who meet and fall in love in 19th century Tasmania. The setting was well realized, which is no surprise given that the author has a degree in History.
The first half of this book had me hooked, but the second half unfortunately fell flat due to repetition and not enough time spent with the main characters. The romance ended up feeling distant due to the amount of other things going on within the novel. I felt like we didn't get to see enough of Jessie and Lucas together for their connection to feel believable.
Overall, the novel ended up being just okay.
The first half of this book had me hooked, but the second half unfortunately fell flat due to repetition and not enough time spent with the main characters. The romance ended up feeling distant due to the amount of other things going on within the novel. I felt like we didn't get to see enough of Jessie and Lucas together for their connection to feel believable.
Overall, the novel ended up being just okay.
June 24, 2016
One of the most marvelous things of all about having an ereading device is having all my favourite books all in one IPad/tablet. I’m a great rereader so over the years I’ve worked and hoped diligently that all my favourite books get released as ebooks. I usually check several times a year with fingers crossed and bated breath. I’ve managed to get most of the all-time top 10 with a couple of too inflated prices so I was only down to a very few that hadn’t been released as ebooks yet. So I did the happy dance extraordinaire when just yesterday I found this book had been released as an ebook. I barely looked at the price before hitting that buy now button and it had barely uploaded it before I started reading it.
Ahhhhh, Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor was issued in May/16 as an ebook. This has been firmly entrenched in my top 10 since I first read it back in 2001, fifteen years now. I fell in love with everything about it then and it’s still the same today.
Jesmond (or Jessie) Corbett is a young woman of wealth living in Tasmania. She has just returned from a two year school time in England before she marries and settles down with her childhood friend. Outwardly she’s the ever obedient daughter/sister/fiancé; a woman of her time who never questions and is willing to accept her expected place in society. But inwardly she is in almost a Sleeping Beauty state. She just knows that something is not right with her life though she doesn’t know quite what it is.
Things start to change when she cross paths with Lucas Gallagher, an Irish convict working on her family’s estate. Fate seems to throw them together. She’s brought a wild horse home with her and Lucas seems to be the only one who can handle him and then he is made her groom. At first she’s quite disdainful, he’s nothing but a convict and she’s sure he is deserving of his punishment. But as she slowly gets to know him, she starts questioning all she’s held to be true. She starts to see him as an individual, unfairly treated by the hated English who hunted and then sentenced him to a life sentence, with no hope of ever being free again. And so as she begins to know him, she falls deeper and deeper in love with him, seeing him as the good and caring man he is.
Their love is doomed. He can’t stay as a convict for life, it’s killing his soul daily but he’s falling in love with Jessie every day, seeing past the pampered, spoiled young woman he first thought he was. And Jessie is engaged to a dear friend and their marriage has been arranged almost since birth. Although she feels stifled in her current life, she is determined to make the best of it.
I’ve read a few other books with this trope, hero is convict and he and heroine fall in love and while I’ve loved them all, this one is my very favourite. The writing is so very, very good. It almost feels that we, the reader experience everything Lucas and Jessie feel, how they slowly start seeing the real person underneath their masks, their longing and yearning for each other and the impossibility of their ever being together.
While Lucas is a wonderful character and a wonderful swoon worthy hero, Jessie is the real shining star for me and is one of my all time favourite heroines. She’s right up there with Eve Dallas of the In Death books and Jessica Trent of Lord of Scoundrels. She grows from a rather nice but sheltered young woman who just accepts society the way it is into a young woman who doesn’t judge, one who is willing to give up her own hope of happiness to save someone she loves. She’s ready to take a stand against what society says is wrong.
The secondary characters are also fully fleshed out. Harrison, her fiancé isn’t a bad guy, he’s just one who lives his life as society says he should. His love for Jessie is within these boundaries and we see how wrong he is for her. Jessie’s brother is also a very well developed character. He has a steak of rebellion in him just like Jessie does. I know the author never wrote his story, but I do hope he found peace.
I don’t know if Ms. Proctor is planning on releasing all of her historical romances as Ebooks, I really hope so as they are all wonderful, though for me, Whispers is the best. She is currently writing St. Cyr Historical Mysteries under the name C.S Harris
Ahhhhh, Whispers of Heaven by Candice Proctor was issued in May/16 as an ebook. This has been firmly entrenched in my top 10 since I first read it back in 2001, fifteen years now. I fell in love with everything about it then and it’s still the same today.
Jesmond (or Jessie) Corbett is a young woman of wealth living in Tasmania. She has just returned from a two year school time in England before she marries and settles down with her childhood friend. Outwardly she’s the ever obedient daughter/sister/fiancé; a woman of her time who never questions and is willing to accept her expected place in society. But inwardly she is in almost a Sleeping Beauty state. She just knows that something is not right with her life though she doesn’t know quite what it is.
Things start to change when she cross paths with Lucas Gallagher, an Irish convict working on her family’s estate. Fate seems to throw them together. She’s brought a wild horse home with her and Lucas seems to be the only one who can handle him and then he is made her groom. At first she’s quite disdainful, he’s nothing but a convict and she’s sure he is deserving of his punishment. But as she slowly gets to know him, she starts questioning all she’s held to be true. She starts to see him as an individual, unfairly treated by the hated English who hunted and then sentenced him to a life sentence, with no hope of ever being free again. And so as she begins to know him, she falls deeper and deeper in love with him, seeing him as the good and caring man he is.
Their love is doomed. He can’t stay as a convict for life, it’s killing his soul daily but he’s falling in love with Jessie every day, seeing past the pampered, spoiled young woman he first thought he was. And Jessie is engaged to a dear friend and their marriage has been arranged almost since birth. Although she feels stifled in her current life, she is determined to make the best of it.
I’ve read a few other books with this trope, hero is convict and he and heroine fall in love and while I’ve loved them all, this one is my very favourite. The writing is so very, very good. It almost feels that we, the reader experience everything Lucas and Jessie feel, how they slowly start seeing the real person underneath their masks, their longing and yearning for each other and the impossibility of their ever being together.
While Lucas is a wonderful character and a wonderful swoon worthy hero, Jessie is the real shining star for me and is one of my all time favourite heroines. She’s right up there with Eve Dallas of the In Death books and Jessica Trent of Lord of Scoundrels. She grows from a rather nice but sheltered young woman who just accepts society the way it is into a young woman who doesn’t judge, one who is willing to give up her own hope of happiness to save someone she loves. She’s ready to take a stand against what society says is wrong.
The secondary characters are also fully fleshed out. Harrison, her fiancé isn’t a bad guy, he’s just one who lives his life as society says he should. His love for Jessie is within these boundaries and we see how wrong he is for her. Jessie’s brother is also a very well developed character. He has a steak of rebellion in him just like Jessie does. I know the author never wrote his story, but I do hope he found peace.
I don’t know if Ms. Proctor is planning on releasing all of her historical romances as Ebooks, I really hope so as they are all wonderful, though for me, Whispers is the best. She is currently writing St. Cyr Historical Mysteries under the name C.S Harris
August 3, 2014
Jesmond Corbett returns to her home in Tasmania determined to conform to her family's expectations of marrying her wealthy childhood friend and neighbor. But then she sees Lucas Gallagher, a convict transported to the island and working in her brother's stables. Lucas has slaved for four years, planning his escape off of the island. Soon his heart is torn between freedom and his feelings for Jessie.
I always enjoy a story where one of the characters if from the "other side of the tracks". This book is no exception. I couldn't figure out how the author was going to resolve the lover's problems and get them together by the end of the book since there were so many obstacles in their path. Candice Proctor's writing style may be a little too wordy for me with lots and lots of descriptions, but she knows how to write characters and Lucas and Jessie are very well-drawn. The supporting character of Jessie's brother and aunt give this book extra depth. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
I always enjoy a story where one of the characters if from the "other side of the tracks". This book is no exception. I couldn't figure out how the author was going to resolve the lover's problems and get them together by the end of the book since there were so many obstacles in their path. Candice Proctor's writing style may be a little too wordy for me with lots and lots of descriptions, but she knows how to write characters and Lucas and Jessie are very well-drawn. The supporting character of Jessie's brother and aunt give this book extra depth. My rating: 4.5 Stars.
January 31, 2011
3.75 Stars Historical Romance
This story is set in Tasmania in the Australian continent in the 1800′s, a time during which this picturesque island witnessed the most shudderingly brutal excesses of the British convict system according to the Author’s note at the end of the book. I have read a couple of books set in Australia during this time period some of which I have reviewed previously.
The love that flares between wealthy Jesmond Corbett and Irish convict Lucas Gallagher is a love that is forbidden on so many levels within the rigid society they lived in. Candice Proctor creates a beautiful story and her doctorate in European history and travels all over the world certainly makes her insights into the time period of the story certainly the icing on the cake.
Full review which may contain spoilers: http://bit.ly/dyZyG0
This story is set in Tasmania in the Australian continent in the 1800′s, a time during which this picturesque island witnessed the most shudderingly brutal excesses of the British convict system according to the Author’s note at the end of the book. I have read a couple of books set in Australia during this time period some of which I have reviewed previously.
The love that flares between wealthy Jesmond Corbett and Irish convict Lucas Gallagher is a love that is forbidden on so many levels within the rigid society they lived in. Candice Proctor creates a beautiful story and her doctorate in European history and travels all over the world certainly makes her insights into the time period of the story certainly the icing on the cake.
Full review which may contain spoilers: http://bit.ly/dyZyG0
September 21, 2023
Awesome! Awesome! Awesome!
This is the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to find more. This book was just full of wonderful characters and their personalities were in depth and so easy to follow. Sometimes when there are a lot of different characters I find it difficult to keep up with them all but Ms Proctor made it easy.
This is the first book I've read in a while that I didn't need to skim over to get through sex scenes or just too many fillers that is tiresome. I'm off to search for more of her books. I can easily recommend this book.
This is the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to find more. This book was just full of wonderful characters and their personalities were in depth and so easy to follow. Sometimes when there are a lot of different characters I find it difficult to keep up with them all but Ms Proctor made it easy.
This is the first book I've read in a while that I didn't need to skim over to get through sex scenes or just too many fillers that is tiresome. I'm off to search for more of her books. I can easily recommend this book.
February 4, 2016
This is a fantastic historical romance! This was my first book from this author and I absolutely love it! At the beginning of the book her writing seems too descriptive, lots of adjectives. But as the story progresses those details don't bother any more. I highly recommend this read. It made to my favorites bookshelf.
May 19, 2016
Great story
This is my first book by Candice Proctor but I'm looking forward to more. This story had everything I love in romance... the slow build to true love... the huge and very real obstacles they have to overcome. I love it
This is my first book by Candice Proctor but I'm looking forward to more. This story had everything I love in romance... the slow build to true love... the huge and very real obstacles they have to overcome. I love it
July 19, 2013
I'm speechless! What an unusual book. It gave a touching yet gritty view on what life was like in the 1840s in Tasmania.
March 15, 2020
There are devils in Tasmania...and I don't mean the roadrunner type. This romance was so thrilling and had so much going for it. It had the bitterness and wild, ravaged feel that other Australian roms are known for (mainly the gruesome loss of siblings and loveless marriages borne with stiff upper lips). I got serious "Thorn Birds" vibes and yet it was entirely unique. Caves, waterfalls, coves and cottages, angst and Aborigines and bushrangers and Irish stallions, oh my! The depiction of convict life in the penal colony was fascinating, and it was nice to see an educated heroine that had realistic problems. Her struggle with her feelings for Lucas was understandable, though he was a bit too heroic for my tastes. The strong bond between Jessie and her brother, Warrick, was nice to see, especially their nightly commiserations on the veranda. Yet she barely knew him, and vice versa, and that felt authentic. My only knock is that the love story lost a bit of steam and their conversations became repetitive towards the end. That, and the strange addition of the Faine plotline. Totally unnecessary. Otherwise, this was exceptional. Trigger warning: several characters discuss gang rape experiences, though not in a graphic way.
September 29, 2019
Long book. Jesmond Corbett has been allowed to leave Tasmania and her neighbor fiance to study science in England for two years. She's now returned and on her first day back she sees a new Irish convict laborer, Lucas Gallagher. Lucas was deported from Ireland for killing a military officer after he murdered Lucas' brother, gang raped his sister and sodomized Lucas. Lucas is educated, plays violin, and is great with horses. He becomes Jessie's groom and they fall in love, but the relationship is doomed because of the social structure and the fact Lucas' prison sentence will never be forgiven, no matter how many people petition of lives he saves, because of his crime. Jessie has a hard time rebelling against her upbringing, but eventually decides she must and they escape together.
Reasonable story - interesting area and time period. Several sexual scenes.
Reasonable story - interesting area and time period. Several sexual scenes.
January 7, 2023
Beautiful story omg. It gave me same vibes of the book "the wish collector" and I absolutely loved that book. It was slowburn, which I love in a book. I loved how we get to know how jessie thought of things in her perspective, and when she thought that at first, what the british were doing in the world was something to admire but then she hears the point of view of the oppressed. She keeps denying what he was saying, because that's how she grew up to think. That the british people were the superior ones and that everyone else are below them. Lucas makes her think in another perspective, that what the british people were doing were all kinds of bad. They both somehow learned from each other. I just loved their story and how deep and emotional it was.
August 4, 2025
Lily James & Michiel Huisman as Jessie and Lucas.
You’re welcome.
As for the book? MY GAHD.
Lately, I’ve grown tired of the typical historical romances, dukes, ballrooms, the whole thing. What truly has my heart are the quiet, emotional stories, the ones that feel real. And Whispers of Heaven was exactly that.
It started off a little slow, and I wasn’t sure how I felt at first. But as the story unfolded, I found myself unable to stop thinking about it. The setting, the atmosphere, the brutal work conditions on the island, the forbidden love, it all pulled me in. I was HOOKED.
And the ending? PERFECT. It didn’t feel rushed at all. My heart was pounding out of my chest genuinely worried for them… but they made it. They got their happy ending. :’)
★★★★★
Absolutely unforgettable!
You’re welcome.
As for the book? MY GAHD.
Lately, I’ve grown tired of the typical historical romances, dukes, ballrooms, the whole thing. What truly has my heart are the quiet, emotional stories, the ones that feel real. And Whispers of Heaven was exactly that.
It started off a little slow, and I wasn’t sure how I felt at first. But as the story unfolded, I found myself unable to stop thinking about it. The setting, the atmosphere, the brutal work conditions on the island, the forbidden love, it all pulled me in. I was HOOKED.
And the ending? PERFECT. It didn’t feel rushed at all. My heart was pounding out of my chest genuinely worried for them… but they made it. They got their happy ending. :’)
★★★★★
Absolutely unforgettable!
June 29, 2022
Jesmond "Jessie" Corbett returns home to Tasmania after several years of studying in England. Her mother thought it useless for her to go. She would have rather that Jessie marry their neighbor, Harrison Tate. The two had become engaged before Jessie left when she accepted Harrison's proposal, which fulfilled half of an arrangement between their fathers. The other part of the arrangement is that Jessie's brother will marry Harrison's sister.
As can be expected things have changed while Jessie was gone. Her father died and their home has taken on new convicts to work the planation. One is Irishman, Lucas Gallagher. Jessie brought a difficult horse back with her and Lucas is chosen to rid the horse of a bad habit. One reason is because he's good with horses and also because he's familiar with this particular one. Lucas is also assigned as Jessie's new groom.
Jessie and Lucas are drawn to each other, but they realize they can never be together, because of society rules and also because Lucas has a life sentence.
Lucas sees his only way to freedom is death or escape. So he chose escape as he would have no regrets if he died trying. But now there is Jessie and just being near her makes confinement bearable. Can he go through with his plans to escape and leave Jessie behind knowing she will be forced to marry Harrison?
As can be expected things have changed while Jessie was gone. Her father died and their home has taken on new convicts to work the planation. One is Irishman, Lucas Gallagher. Jessie brought a difficult horse back with her and Lucas is chosen to rid the horse of a bad habit. One reason is because he's good with horses and also because he's familiar with this particular one. Lucas is also assigned as Jessie's new groom.
Jessie and Lucas are drawn to each other, but they realize they can never be together, because of society rules and also because Lucas has a life sentence.
Lucas sees his only way to freedom is death or escape. So he chose escape as he would have no regrets if he died trying. But now there is Jessie and just being near her makes confinement bearable. Can he go through with his plans to escape and leave Jessie behind knowing she will be forced to marry Harrison?
August 26, 2023
A historical romance that taught me many new things about colonial life on Tasmania. It had adventure and just enough romance. I was very much interested in side-plots about the brother's love life and the friendship with Old Tom and Genevieve.
There were abrupt cut scenes, especially towards the end, but I much prefer a fast-paced choppy book to a slow book.
I really enjoyed this one. We can only imagine the new life of our MCs, but I'm hopeful for a happily ever after and perhaps a reunion one day between the female lead and her brother.
There were abrupt cut scenes, especially towards the end, but I much prefer a fast-paced choppy book to a slow book.
I really enjoyed this one. We can only imagine the new life of our MCs, but I'm hopeful for a happily ever after and perhaps a reunion one day between the female lead and her brother.
October 28, 2020
3 stars. The idea of a historical romance in Tasmania, Australia intrigued me immensely. I was really looking forward to seeing the differences and getting some of the history around England’s former penal colony. The world building wasn’t as good as I had hoped. The romance was a little dramatic for my tastes. Yes both MCs were in impossible situations and yes no clear answer was available however the amount of times they eluded (mainly the heroine) to the desperation of her situation, when she is a wealthy lady, was a little annoying. I also didn’t like the brother. Although supposedly an ally he seemed to me extremely spoiled and ungrateful. I got a little fed up with the story at the end. It went to much the way of a melodramatic soap opera.
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