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Sea Gypsy
Leaving behind the hustle and bustle of the New York publishing world, Cathy Bissette sets up house on the shores of North Carolina but finds her refuge invaded by seaman Jared Parsons. Reissue.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1980
7 people are currently reading
409 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
428 books6,545 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
March 30, 2020
I don't know how else to say this:
This was not my cup of tea.
The plot? Predictable. The girl? Acts like a two year old. The guy? No depth. The dad? Expects his daughter to stay home, cook, and clean.
This book did not age well.
This was not my cup of tea.
The plot? Predictable. The girl? Acts like a two year old. The guy? No depth. The dad? Expects his daughter to stay home, cook, and clean.
This book did not age well.
August 27, 2015
That second to the last question in the synopsis was one I wanted to answer with the statement: "Please, run far and run fast!", repeatedly throughout Sea Gypsy. I'll ask again, what was with 80s romances? If that is really the way that men treated women in 1980, I am so glad I was not an adult around then. Did romance readers really go for this type if neanderthal jerk of a man?
I really can't recommend this early romance by Ms. Michaels. I didn't see where they fell in love with each other. Jared treated Cathy like crap throughout the entire book, so how exactly did she fall in love with him? She even admits it at one point! I'm not even sure why I finished this one. I think I was holding out hope that Cathy would wake up, tell Jared off, and walk off into the sunset with just her dog!
I really can't recommend this early romance by Ms. Michaels. I didn't see where they fell in love with each other. Jared treated Cathy like crap throughout the entire book, so how exactly did she fall in love with him? She even admits it at one point! I'm not even sure why I finished this one. I think I was holding out hope that Cathy would wake up, tell Jared off, and walk off into the sunset with just her dog!
July 21, 2009
This book was so terrible! I only read it because I didn't have time to go to the library today. there is practically no plot, the characters don't talk to each other, the heroine acts like a spoiled 2 year old... The story had so many holes in it I wanted to rip my hair out. I felt like I should be in 4th grade reading this book! Seriously! The writng was completely disjointed. This book reminds me of why I stopped reading romance for a long time. I don't think I want to read another Fern Michaels book ever again!
June 16, 2016
I just didn't feel a connection between the two characters. The guy was such a jerk, I don't understand why she even fell for him in the first place. I didn't know he was going to be the son, but him being the author was predictable.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 28, 2023
Sea Gypsy by Fern Michaels
4h 46m narrated by Laural Merlington, 256 pages
Genre: Romance
Featuring: New York City, Homecoming, Irish Setter, North Carolina, Editor, Boats, Father/Daughter Relationships, Secret Identity Trope, Enemies-to-Lovers Trope
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for sexual content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🛥
My thoughts: 📱12% 33:12 somewhere in Ch. Two Men Like Jared - This story and writing style are so dated. I'm going to keep going in hopes that it improves despite the writing style and plot.
📱42% 2:00:53 Ch. Five - This is ridiculous yet intriguing.
The story was outdated but that ending almost got 4 stars out of me. This book was like watching an old movie. There was some borderline fat-shaming that I guess was considered acceptable at the time and the LI was annoying as all get-out but in the end, there was this classic charm that made it work somehow.
Recommend to others: Maybe. It's not for everyone but it's a quick read and not terrible.
4h 46m narrated by Laural Merlington, 256 pages
Genre: Romance
Featuring: New York City, Homecoming, Irish Setter, North Carolina, Editor, Boats, Father/Daughter Relationships, Secret Identity Trope, Enemies-to-Lovers Trope
Rating as a movie: PG-15 for sexual content
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½🛥
My thoughts: 📱12% 33:12 somewhere in Ch. Two Men Like Jared - This story and writing style are so dated. I'm going to keep going in hopes that it improves despite the writing style and plot.
📱42% 2:00:53 Ch. Five - This is ridiculous yet intriguing.
The story was outdated but that ending almost got 4 stars out of me. This book was like watching an old movie. There was some borderline fat-shaming that I guess was considered acceptable at the time and the LI was annoying as all get-out but in the end, there was this classic charm that made it work somehow.
Recommend to others: Maybe. It's not for everyone but it's a quick read and not terrible.
September 30, 2019
This book was so predictable and the characters where annoying. They felt one dimensional. The only thing to me that was good about the book it was a fast read. Jared was way to domineering to me and at times acted like a bully. He was just a gross man. Why do authors think that women want to be domineered and bullied by a man and the women is so helpless that she succumbs to that. It makes for a boring read and pisses off the masses of women who enjoy romance novels. We want the gushy feeling that tingles in our belly when two people fall in love not this nonsense in this story.
March 12, 2023
Listening to a 1980s book, I expected it to be dated but even so it was hard to get into because the main character was such an idiot. Cat is a fickle, flighty shallow girl who doesn't treat people well. There was no depth at all to her relationship with Jared before she was swearing she's in love with him. And at the same time she wants to spend her life with him, she won't tell him important things (like quitting a job & moving away) and getting upset with him because he's not acting as he should as Cat imagines him to in her head. Luckily it was a short audiobook.
February 13, 2021
This is a very calm story. If you want to go on a vication on the sea side then this is a good book. I read this book and its like a simple story on how her vacation goes, it's just a calm story that took me out of my reality for a while. There's nothing really super exciting happened or very surprising but this story is nice. It's a very calm story, a story you'll read when you want to relax.
March 2, 2023
Disappointed Fern Michaels made her 24 year old virgin main character, Cathy Bissette to be CHILDISH, IMMATURE, ALWAYS COMPLAINING, ALWAYS JEALOUS, BITCHY, RUDE and OBNOXIOUS. She acts like 2 years old! I can't bear that you infantile her so much. IT WAS A MAJOR turn off for me! I put the book down!
February 22, 2022
Loved it! Old book standalone of hers.
Cathy played a great part-in bk with her old standards that girls don’t
have today and Jared Parsons respected her for it.
And I figured out who he really was before he told, but didn’t know Lefty was his father,who was best friends with her Dad.
Cathy played a great part-in bk with her old standards that girls don’t
have today and Jared Parsons respected her for it.
And I figured out who he really was before he told, but didn’t know Lefty was his father,who was best friends with her Dad.
June 16, 2017
cute i enjoyed it
June 18, 2017
predictable
March 3, 2018
I hadn't read a Fern Michael's Book in a long time. I really enjoyed this book! Will definitely be looking for more of her books.
May 17, 2018
The story was a but dated and a bit predictable. But it was a quick and easy read. If you run across a free copy it's an easy way to escape from a stressful day.
July 11, 2018
Main character was awful and plot was transparent from the beginning.
April 7, 2022
It was ok. Categorized as a Romance Novel, but it was written a couple of decades ago, so isn't nearly as racy as some current.
November 18, 2022
I really didn't like this book at all. Don't know why I continued to read it. Hoped it would get better I guess. Liked some of her other books.....
May 21, 2023
Her usual writings, GREAT, descriptive scenery a gentle romance, ideal beach read.
September 7, 2023
Probably would have enjoyed this one more if I had read it back when it was written. Okay read but not one of Fern Michaels' best.
November 30, 2023
Terrible. November 29, 2023
June 9, 2024
I did enjoy it for a change, but it was your typical romance novel. I guess I'm not as enthused about them as I had been in my earlier reading days. But it is fairly good.
October 19, 2025
Good book.
September 15, 2020
I found this novel in a sketchy town outside, sold it for 25¢. Finished it in a day. The font was rather large so I flew by it pretty quickly. I would describe it as a fun read. It was definitely predictable on who the main character was but oh well. Not really one of my favorites or hardly anything although I think I would go back to it just for the heck of it.
May 23, 2019
Definitely not up to par with Fern Michael's other books. This story is so predictable. The characters are very one-dimensional and annoying. Really, the only thing I liked about it is that is was a very short, quick read.
September 28, 2016
I liked the premise of the book, but I really got angry at the principal male and female. I felt I was reading a book that had early stereotypes---the girl-woman who allowed herself to be bullied by the male and any other man in her "life," and the big, domineering male. A female who fights what is very much juvenile feelings--does he loves me? Oh, no! He is in love with his "secretary!" Oh, woe is me!
But I really liked the premise: an author who sees the signs of plagiarism in the recent works of a reclusive, best selling writer. The plot that centered around this premise is good. I do like that the female had principles and wouldn't allow herself to be pressured into sex by an ex-boyfriend. But I just hated the duplicity everyone---family, employer, and the led male--everyone used with her.
I gave a 3-rating. But if you enjoy Fern Michaels' writing (which I actually do), you would likely like this story.
But I really liked the premise: an author who sees the signs of plagiarism in the recent works of a reclusive, best selling writer. The plot that centered around this premise is good. I do like that the female had principles and wouldn't allow herself to be pressured into sex by an ex-boyfriend. But I just hated the duplicity everyone---family, employer, and the led male--everyone used with her.
I gave a 3-rating. But if you enjoy Fern Michaels' writing (which I actually do), you would likely like this story.
August 18, 2016
At first sight Cathy is attracted to Jared. Jared sails in to Cathy's life on his yatch, but the way he tries to buy people and the presence of his live in ... secretary, who just happens to be gorgeous, makes Cathy feel jealous and insecure. She finds Jared arrogant, conceited and a male chauvinist. I just never seemed to commit to their relationship. One moment Cathy hates Jared and then she realizes she's in love. How? Their feelings, aside from their dislike for each other, was not expressed until the end. I feel as if the characters told us their feelings for each other rather than having it shown to us throughout the book.
At one point Cathy is struggling with her emotions, she doesn't know why she is feeling so catty and spiteful towards the secretary, she doesn't even really know her. I like the quote;
Things could only change if she allowed it. (...) When it comes to dealing with emotions there are no tried and true answers. One is not responsible for one's emotions. They are intangibles, without substance.
At one point Cathy is struggling with her emotions, she doesn't know why she is feeling so catty and spiteful towards the secretary, she doesn't even really know her. I like the quote;
Things could only change if she allowed it. (...) When it comes to dealing with emotions there are no tried and true answers. One is not responsible for one's emotions. They are intangibles, without substance.
September 12, 2008
New York City girl works as an editor for a big publisher. Goes to visit father in North Carolina's beach country. They have a little boat, but a big boat comes to the neighborhood with snooty owner and snootier bimbo aboard. Fireworks happen, both to celebrate the Fourth of July and also to fuss over boats and the big regata.
Embarrassing things happen and you say to yourself, "What was she thinking!" But if there wasn't a conflict, you wouldn't have a good story, now, would you? Plus, this book was written in 1980 and we have since changed our attitudes about our heroines. So if you that historical perspective into account, you'll enjoy this book.
Embarrassing things happen and you say to yourself, "What was she thinking!" But if there wasn't a conflict, you wouldn't have a good story, now, would you? Plus, this book was written in 1980 and we have since changed our attitudes about our heroines. So if you that historical perspective into account, you'll enjoy this book.
January 14, 2011
This story is of a relationship between rich boy Jared Parsons and New York Editor Cathy Bissette. Cathy had come home for a 3 month break to Swan Quarter, North Carolina after a relationship breakdown. Jared had come to ask her father Lucas if he could fix his broken down yacht.
The blurb of the book read fine but the book did not live up to expectations. There was not enough depth in any of the characters and I think more time should have been spent on the ending.
The blurb of the book read fine but the book did not live up to expectations. There was not enough depth in any of the characters and I think more time should have been spent on the ending.
February 2, 2015
Fern Michael's books take you to a place far away from the second u crack the cover open. This book, in particular, paints a picture so vivid that only an idiot could not see every detail of Michael's world. Sea Gypsy is a perfect tale of love and finding the answers that we so crave to the mysteries that surround us. Truly an amazing and fast pased read!!
July 2, 2015
This book was awful!! I only finished it because I didn't have anything else to read while I waited for my appointments. The characters are shallow, bratty, and not at all believable. There is no mystery to the plot, you can figure out the ending pretty much from the start. The writing is at a 3rd grade level. Don't waste your time.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews