All the Sweet Tomorrows

O'Malley Saga #2

by Bertrice Small

Bestselling author Bertrice Small continues the blazing adventures of raven-haired, emerald-eyed Skye O'Malley. This time, she is a pawn in the bitter war between England's Queen Elizabeth, and Mary, Queen of Scots. Once again, unprotected and alone, she must fight for her children. At the command of Queen Elizabeth, Skye marries the cruel Duc de Beaumont de Jaspre. Although her new life is horrid at first, Skye transforms it with her hot-blooded desires--only to be shaken with the news that her beloved former husband may be alive in Algiers. Her daring flight into eroticism and danger leads her ultimately to her heart's true destiny--as bold and sensual as Skye herself. She is a woman born to be loved by men, yet too proud and incomparable to answer to anything but the call of her own passionate soul.
"Bertrice Small creates cover-to-cover passion, a keen sense of history and suspense."
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Chick Lit, Harem

608 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Bertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.

Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.

Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the Sweet Tomorrows by Bertrice Small is a 2004 Ballantine publication.

This book was originally published back in 1984 and is a whopping 600 pages in length if you have the print copy. This is the second book in the Skye O'Malley series.

The opening of this book reminded me of how Skye started out in the first book, and I was not too happy with this set of circumstances, although I was aware something like this was going to happen, I didn't expect it to take place so soon.

Skye finds herself once again widowed and one again betrothed in an arranged marriage. This time the marriage takes place in order for her to keep her son's inheritance in tact and for her to continue to control her fortunes, but once again, the man she marries is abusive and the man she loves dropped the ball so to speak and it takes some time for him to get his ducks in a row and get the love of his life back.

The story starts out on a sad note and for me it set the tone for the first half of the book and well, I was not all that into it. I was not happy with the situation Skye was put in, and not happy with Adam for not stepping up in the first place. But, the second half really picked up and Skye of course lives out a most adventurous and action filled life. She travels far and wide, there is a passionate love story, villains and danger, action and intrigue, making this one yet another epic and sweeping romance.

Keep in mind this is an older 'bodice ripper' book which has been released into digital format. So, these days I like to include a disclaimer when reviewing these older books: These stories are not for the faint of heart, so be warned, there are some pretty rough passages here and there.

If you like strong women who overcome severe adversity without losing their spirit and the men who love them and will do whatever it takes to win them and protect them, if you like pirates, action, steamy sex scenes, and a satisfying happy ever after, then you will find this one thrilling and absorbing.

I think by the story's end the followers of this series will feel content with the knowledge that Skye has found, at long, last the man for her. I think Adam and Skye will live many a long and happy year together.

Overall 3.5 rounded to 4

[Aurian Booklover · Rating 5 out of 5]

The saga continues. Skye is married to Niall Burke, and has just given him his son and heir, after their first child, a daughter, was born while she was imprisoned in the Tower (see: Skye O’Malley). Then Niall is lured to his death by his former wife, Darragh O’Neill. Her father-in-law dies as well, and Skye is once again unprotected. She also needs the Queen’s help to keep her son Padraic’s estates safe from the land hungry English in Dublin and her greedy Irish neighbours.
The Queens’s help costs Skye dearly: she will have no time to mourn her husband; she is to marry the Duc the Beaumont de Jaspre, and give England a safe harbour in the Mediterranean. Lord Cecil has told her the Duc is elderly and sickly, and she should be home to her children in two years or so, but he has lied to her. The Duc’s cousin Edward, who is in London to negotiate the marriage, tells her differently. But she has already given her word, and can’t go back. Edward, who is a dwarf, paints her a beautiful picture of his small country, and she will be happy there.
What Edward doesn’t know is that his cousin has been mindwashed by an evil priest, and he has outlawed the Catholic Faith, and is determined that Skye will be his obedient wife after a daily beating.
The next morning after their weddingnight, Skye turns the tables on Fabron, threatening to kill him if he does not listen to her. Her logic sways Fabron from the evil influence of the Pastor, and in the next few weeks, they get to know each other, trying to make their marriage a good one. But when the Pastor intrudes on them, and starts beating Skye, Fabron kills the priest and then has an apoplexy that paralyzes him. As Skye is not pregnant, they need to find another heir, before the French take over the country. Fabron’s bastard brother is the logical choice for that. Baron Adrian is living in poverty, so he jumps at the chance to become a rich Duc, but he also immediately wants Skye for himself. And Skye is willing to marry him, until she gets news from Osman, telling her that Niall is not dead. She immediately forgets all about Adrian and her small Duchessy, and sets sail to Algiers with Robbie on her flagship, to find out what Osman knows.

Niall is the slave of an Ottoman Princess in Fez, and the only way for Skye to enter Fez, is as a slave herself, to Osman’s nephew. Kedar is not in on the plot to rescue Niall, and to him, Skye is no more than a slave, a possession, used as he sees fit. The months spend as his slave are not easy on Skye, as he is insatiable and she has instantly become his favourite. He is even thinking of making her his first wife. But though Kedar keeps his slaves in line by painful punishments, Princess Turkhan uses drugs and opium on her slaves, and Niall has been thoroughly addicted. After months of fighting her, he suddenly realises he has been thinking about it all wrong, he should seduce her and try to get his freedom back. Turkhan doesn’t care he is a rich nobleman in his own country, that was his past, now he is nothing more than her slave.

With the help of Kedar’s younger brother, whom he sold to Princess Turkhan and is her other favourite, Niall manages to escape to one of Skye’s ships, and Skye will join him in a few days. But it is too late already, Niall is too addicted, and he is dying. Skye is heartbroken, was all her suffering as Kedar’s slave for nothing? She won’t marry again, she will not feel this pain again! But her good friend Adam de Marisco has other plans for her, and he takes her with him to his family in France.


Skye’s adventure commences, and even after all this time, 8 children and 5 husbands, she is only 32. She has been the pawn of royalty, from Queen Elizabeth of England to Queen Catharine de Medici of France due to her beauty. But she has survived it all, and has emerged the stronger for it. She is wealthy and powerful and surrounded by her beloved husband and children. But now it is time for her children to start their own lives, to marry and have children of their own. And adventures.

I am glad there are more books about Skye’s children and grand children, and Skye lives to a great age. She plays a role in their lives, and I love to read about them all.

10 stars.

[❁ lilyreadsromance ❁ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh Skye. What a life you've had.

Five dead husbands before you're 30.

At this point, I can't tell you what about Bertrice Small that I loved. You just or you don't.

So, in this one, we have the continuation of Skye O'Malley life after the event of Book 1 (which don't exactly end in a cliffhanger). I thought that was it. I thought that was the end of her multiple husbands. Nay, double that! We have more dead husbands. Which, is it even really a wonder?

[Cecilia London · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cracktastic.

[Tess (books.with.tess) · Rating 4 out of 5]

(2nd read.) I never grow tired of Skye O'Malley.
Though, this one drags on a bit towards the end. It could have been shortened. But, alas, when that last page comes I can't help but love it all to pieces.

[Amarilli 73 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stelle per la fantasia, ma è un mattoncino quasi più lungo di venticinque stagioni di una soapopera.

Si conclude la dilogia dedicata a Skye, anche se qui la Small riprende varie cose già viste in precedenza: intrighi alla corte di Elisabetta I, inseguimenti in nave e assalti dei pirati, l’immancabile parte nel serraglio di sultani e nell’harem maschile per il diletto di ricche sceicche, fughe nei monasteri, avvelenamenti ed esecuzioni.
Qui le cattive sono soprattutto donne, mentre Skye sopravvive a quattro vedovanze, infiniti figli e infiniti uomini ammaliati, restando sempre bellissima, scaltra e fortunata (non è da tutti trovare più di un Vero Amore sempre dietro l’angolo).

I seguiti della saga sono dedicati a Conn, Velvet e alla nipote di Skye, che tornerà con qualche apparizione.

[Genevieve St-Yves · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm happy to report that this direct sequel to Skye O'Malley is as delightfully nutty as its predecessor. Poor Skye, a superhumanly beautiful, willful and spirited woman, can't seem to get a moment's peace. Just a year or so after finally settling down with the love of her life, Niall, a man she was separated from by about fifteen years and three husbands, their martial bliss comes to a tragic end when Niall is murdered by his ex-wife and his body dumped into the sea. Desperate to protect Niall's land for her two youngest children with him, Skye heads for the English court before she even has time to grieve.

Queen Elizabeth is willing to help her for a price - she must marry Fabron de Beaumont, the Duke of a small independent island off of France. The Duke's charming nephew assures Skye that his uncle is a kind yet stern man, but when Skye arrives on the island she is horrified to learn that the Duke has gone through a religious conversion thanks to a gross rogue Protestant priest. Skye inflames her new husband, but he takes that as a sign of the Devil and even has Skye beaten on their wedding night. However, she is able to tame Fabron through the power of her hotness. When the priest tries to harm Skye after Fabron has decided he will not, the Duke throws the priest off a balcony and promptly suffers a near fatal stroke. Left unable to speak or walk and expected to die soon, the family is forced to summon Nicholas, Fabron's younger bastard brother, as he has no other suitable heirs to his Dukedom.

While Skye had become fond of Fabron over the short weeks of their marriage, she falls instantly and passionately in love with Nicholas. They have a fiery as Skye's husband lays slowly dying. Skye feels guilty but not guilty enough to stop and even makes plans to accept Nicholas as her sixth husband after Fabron finally kicks the bucket. However, a Moorish ship pulls into port carrying a message from one of Skye's friends from her days in Algeria that tells her that Niall is alive and being held captive in the harem of a Turkish princess.

With hope that she might once again be with her beloved Niall, Skye gives Nicholas the kiss off and heads for North Africa. There she enters the harem of the lusty and perverted Lord Kedar so that she might get close to Niall. This is probably the longest stretch of the book, the harem hijinks, and its definitely the most racy part. Kedar, even though he is a loathsome man, sexes Skye up in some shockingly creative way. He's got one particular raunchy game called 'Mare's Meadow' and I'm just to leave to your imagine what buck-wild nonsense it entails.

Skye's rescues Niall and they have no more than boarded their ship back to England when Niall drops dead for real. It's never specifically explained what did him in, but heavily implied that he overdosed on opium. Luckily for Skye, her old friend with benefits, Adam de Marisco, is there to sweep her off her feet. He's been waiting in the wings for years to marry her and he quickly convinces Skye that he is her man.

Niall is barely cold before they get engaged, but out of all Skye's men, I like Adam the best. He's kind and supportive and he doesn't have all that baggage that the others had. Niall and the Earl of Lynnmouth were loving to Skye but they also had other wives that they treated quite ghastly in a lazy way to show that Skye is so much better than other woman. The last part of the book is Skye and Adam marrying without Queen Elizabeth's permission and the hoops they go through to find a safe place to live. It can feel a bit draggy at times as Skye gets to live through the political maneuvering of two different courts and the religious upheavals of Europe, but you get to see Skye's married life with Adam. You are left with a sense that Skye has tied up all the loose ends that filled her life with so much drama and at last she can find some peace and quiet with Adam. It's a very satisfying conclusion to her story. This is definitely Bertrice at her best.

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

All the Sweet Tomorrows is book two in the Skye O'Malley saga, but frankly, I don't know that I could have handled book one, Skye O'Malley, and the book is long and detailed enough that I don't think it's necessary to read Skye O'Malley first (honestly, Skye's story sounds horrific).

This is the craziest, longest story I could ever imagine. And it was written in 1984! WTF?! It was rather overwhelming to open the book and see nearly three pages of listed "Players" ie. characters, but it helped to know how many husbands and children Skye has had and who can be trusted.

***CAUTION: Some spoilers but nothing major***

If all your husbands keep dying, but you're not murdering them, what is that called? Really, really bad luck? I would have a HUGE chip on my shoulder too, and Skye O'Malley is no exception with the "death" of her fourth husband and love, Lord Niall Burke. All the Sweet Tomorrows is the follow-up story of Skye being ordered to into a political marriage with the Duc de Beaumont de Jasper to protect her Irish children's inheritance from English seizure. But upon arrival to her new home, Skye discovers her new husband is a fanatical Huguenot intent on literally beating the independence out of her, and at the same time, impregnate ie. rape her to ensure a competent heir to the duchy. Skye must work to reach the man the Duc was before his conversion but by the time she does, in a cruel twist of fate, the Duc becomes incapacitated and a distant relative is called in to reign. In the midst of her new love affair with the new Duc de Beaumont, Skye receives a message from her old friend and oracle from Algiers that Niall did NOT die and that she must travel to Algiers immediately.

Skye then abandons her lover to travel to Algiers and rescue her love Nialls. Once in Algiers, her oracle friend proposes a wild plan in which Skye must pose as a sex slave in order rescue Nialls (who is also coincidentally a sex slave). And things just get crazier from there. From Algiers to France to England back to her homeland of Ireland, Skye is a worldly, intelligent woman in the face of a time when men are considered masters and women are property and can be killed on a whim.

Those no stranger to Bertrice Small novels will be familiar with the overload of descriptions of everything from details of every meal, to every fabric of every outfit. Plus lots of historical perspective while Skye's adventures are happening (Skye is raped during the St. Bartholomew Day's massacre).

Happy Reading (and good luck with this one!)!

[Goge (BARRONS) le Moning Maniac, · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first time reading this I was horrified, disgusted and threw it away. This book has belonged in my household for more than a decade now and over that period of time I've had the chance to SLOWLY digest what the fuck I'd read (this book required a lot of thinking time) and a chance to re-read more than once. For being a rarity, a unique case... I haven't since the first day I opened this deceptively innocent-looking cover found anything else like it, it's kind of asking me for a FIVE stars rating. Since it's so unique and daring. But I honestly do not know how I feel about this book. What am I supposed to feel? Love? Disgust? Hatred? Anger? Lust? Confusion? The only one I like is Adam. Other than that I have not a bugfuck clue what the fuck this whole book wanted me to feel or what the author wants from me. This book is a depressing wtf mindfuck-someone-kill-me-now.

[🌒JFosbookboss🌒 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars Sky O’Malley is like a cat who has lived a thousand lives! (Whew, I feel exhausted for her)

The book is EPIC because its 5 stories in one book!
You will feel wrapped up in the book as if you are apart of each of story!

This book, #2 series, as well as the first book, provide so so so sooooo much bang for your buck! If I were stuck on an island, one of these books from this series would come!

•Its endless action, drama, w/perfect seasoning of romance!
•Greater historical feel because it brings many past people and events that did happen into the book along with her fictional characters flawlessly. (Shoutout to OG aka She-Wolf Catherine Medici who likely caused the term ”Mama’s Boy” to be used today!)

[Carolina Casas · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorites from the Sky O'Malley saga and Legacy. So many twists and turns in this and it takes a more realistic turn when one of the favorite characters dies in such a tragic fashion and in a very emotional scene.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

What can I say? I love Bertrice Small. Always the right balance of history and romance - including titillating love scenes and even a little kink now and then. Her characters have depth, even if they are usually common romance novel tropes. RIP Ms Small - you will be missed!

[Casey Gonzalez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guilty pleasure!

[Debby · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why kill him? The way he dies doesn't make sense.

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

So boring...

[Cerise · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me two tries to read this book, which is wild considering I've read Skye O'Malley like five times and I tear through it each time. The sequel is slower, Skye is less of an impulsive nutcase since she's mellowed out a bit (and characters constantly remind her how old she is, since she's *gasp* in her late twenties and early thirties), and this book treads a lot of the same ground as the first: multiple love interests who meet untimely ends, political intrigue, excessively detailed descriptions of clothes, rooms, and food, and an extended harem interlude.

Skye maturing and mellowing out also means that there's not as much batshit insane stuff happening as the first book, which helped balance out the tedious sections detailing Skye's ~outrageous beauty~ and her surroundings. The only thing that really stuck out to me is when Fabron finally stood up to the priest who'd led him astray by picking him up and chucking him out a window, but even that was short lived because he immediately had a stroke and died half a chapter later.

Structurally, the book isn't great, especially regarding the two tacked-on chapters at the end. The book felt resolved by the time Skye was settled in France: her children are betrothed, married, or are starting out on their own careers, she has a family that dotes on her, and she is content. It was like the author read her final draft and went, "Oh shit, I totally forgot about the rest of the O'Malley family for the last ~1000 pages of the last 2 books!" So then we're back in England and Ireland based on something the author seemed to pull out of her ass (Elizabeth I has some goons kidnap Skye's very stupidly-named baby daughter, Velvet, to get her to get her brothers to stop being pirates? Really?) and the book drags through the resolution of this problem, which is solved with some boring conversations and sets up the next book in the series with Skye's brother Conn.

It's not a bad book, but it's not as fun to read as the first one and it's made me a lot less interested in reading the rest of the series because literally every book has the same tropes of multiple love interests, lots of sex scenes (many nonconsensual) with purple prose, and a subplot with the female lead in a harem. Skye O'Malley worked because it was so over the top to the point where some things were pretty tasteless and hilarious. This book was not shocking, even with the sex and violence, because the action scenes were short, and few and far between compared to the constant sex scenes and descriptions of food and clothes.

[Bew Keobua · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happily at LAST

This one of the best book I read so far. If the first is great this one is magnificent. It’s a final conclusion of Skye’s adventure and she finally have her happy ending with no loose end. Although, in this book Skye had suffered through several tragedies but it wasn’t so frustrated as the last one which have so many heartbreaking death of her husbands and son. Whilst I felt heartbroken when Naill (Skye’s first love and husband) died I don’t grieve long because Skye will finally have her true mate. I take a break for 2 books after reading 1st book because I knew that Naill will died in this one, so I need a bit of time to disconnect from Naill a bit. However when Skye is finally with Adam I became so overjoyed and so happy of Skye. It’s quite A journey for Skye and feel like I grow with her.

Warning: Bertrice Small books including many sensitive content like rapes (very descriptive) and drugs.

Her book were sensual and including many sex scenes throughout the book.

Last, although this is just second book I read from Bertrice Small but kinda catch her style and from many comments I found out that in her books will usually have strong heroine which will conquer her stories. Although, her books were historical romance genre but the pattern of love is not like others author that heroine will usually end up with her first lover. No… like Skye’s story her first love is Naill but circumstances made them apart, so in usual story we reader will rooted for Naill and most story will end up with Skye and Naill together. But no, not for Bertrice Small book. I have to explain this because I always fear that book I read will have unhappy ending. But let me assure you Skye’s story is a happy ending one (just might not the way must readers expected) and her happy ending is most satisfying one too and as the story go on I came to love Adam (Skye’s True Love) even more than Naill. He’s the one for SKYE.

[Sheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Despite not liking any of the men she marries, for the most part I enjoyed Skye O'Malley, but I found great chunks of All the Sweet Tomorrows a serious slog. I like Small best when she's doing fictionalized history, and too much of this book is just straight-up sex fest for my taste. And not fun sex, either -- far too much of the time, Skye is a reluctant participant. Worse, after drawing a strong, clear line between sex with consent and sex without consent in Skye O’Malley, Small blurs things a bit in this one, with Skye begging a man to stop, but “Her voice was ragged, and the voice inside her head shrieked a different plea. Don’t stop! Don’t stop! Don’t stop! it said.” Bah.

I think this blurring is a failure of skill rather than of intent; Small does try to show Skye as being wounded even by sex she physically enjoys when it happens without her consent. To be honest, I appreciate that Small recognized that a woman can hate what's happening while her body still responds, and that it's the split between mind and will versus the body that is often the most damaging and that creates the most shame. It's just that the sex scenes in this book all kind of blend in the brain, whether Skye is willing or not.

I don't particularly mind Small's purple prose, but I do not find Small's sex scenes particularly erotic even when she means them to be. Small's heroines and heroes tend to be too perfect, and part of that perfection is their strong sex drives. Her villains often share similar traits, except in the case of the villains that sex drive is not tamed nor directed by love or duty, and her villains will indulge in sex Small and/or her heroine considers perverse. Small's characters tend to be types, and her hero type and villain type are too similar for me.

Throughout the entire first book I couldn't understand why Skye was so enamored of half the men she loved, and I particular couldn't see why Skye so loved Niall Burke, who was supposed to be her One True Love TM, as supported (unless my memory deceives me) by the Muslim mystic Osman. But in this book Osman realizes he was wrong, and Niall is not the right guy after all. But one of the things I like least about this book is that Niall ends up in the male harem belonging to a powerful lady in Algiers.

I'm guessing this plot was inspired by the historical figure sometimes called the "mother" of Angola, Queen Nzinga, who some historians believe did have the equivalent of a male harem. But there was a big, big difference between Islamized North Africa and the animist polytheists Queen Nzinga lived among, and I don't buy it. The idea that a powerful woman in Algiers might have sexual slaves in secret is one thing; the idea that Muslim men would know of it and tolerate it strikes me as extremely unlikely and I would like to see some hard evidence that it ever happened.

Sexual slavery appears in the Quran and other Islamic texts, but it is always male enslavement of female and reflects the general idea that men rule over women. Bertrice Small's Islam is generally changed in a more Christianized and individualized direction -- it's much more Westernized than she seems to realize, and probably more modernized -- and while there were some Muslim leaders in that era who were surprisingly enlightened about working women, I've never seen any indication they would be willing to allow such a complete sexual reversal.

Nor do I think any woman who could maneuver all the other challenges she'd face in that environment in order to hold on to so much power and money independent of any male oversight would risk flouting her power over her male slaves in such a way. While Bertrice Small has never written a realistic plot in her life, what I most like about her books is that she does clearly love history and all the details of clothing and furnishing and daily life, and she often presents me with unexpected realities -- Skye O'Malley herself is based on a historical character, although obviously Small plussed her up.

While Small takes a lot of liberties in her presentation of harems, most of them I can gloss over with, "Well, power corrupts, and maybe some guys ran things this way," but the "powerful woman flouting the fact that she has a male harem in North Africa of the 1500s" one is a step way too far for me.

Yet as annoyed as I was by that subplot, it is immediately followed up with Adam de Marisco, who actually has a personality. I don't think much of how they met, but since then he has matured and is by this point is a big step up from all the other men Skye has been involved with. And danged if I'm not tearing up as he proves the depths of his love and Skye's life rapidly improves.

I don't know what it is about Small. I am well aware of her writing flaws and I am well aware her female leads are Mary Sues and the rest of the characters are either types or pure cliches, and I roll my eyes over her ridiculous plots, yet she pulls me anyhow. Which is true of far too many romances authors I enjoy. Deeply flawed when it comes to technique, and yet somehow their books sort of work for me -- or work often enough I keep giving them another chance. Sometimes I think I'm just a big ol' sap who'll put up with about anything so long as I get a happy ending.

Then I pick up a historical novel packed to the gills with anachronisms, or a Mary Balogh that goes south on me, or just one by Tara Taylor Quinn and remind myself that a happy ending doesn't do the job. I don't know what it is that works for me, but I do know I have my limits. And while I can enjoy badly written books and don't necessarily enjoy the well-written ones, there are some literary sins I tolerate better than others. Small falls in that sweet spot of providing enough of what works while usually not committing too many historical insanities (or not too many of the type that set me off: Small's characters may be insanely well traveled, but the trips generally take as many months as they should and I will be very surprised if I ever read a Small where they're shearing sheep in the fall or anything ridiculous in that sense), while her heroines are kind and compassionate and her plots interesting enough I manage to connect with them despite how bland they are, or at least connect enough for the happy ending to truly pay off.

It's a curious thing, literature and the connection it creates between reader and story. At least for me, the science is not as easy to figure out as some researchers would have you believe.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars, maybe that is a little harsh. I loved the first half of the book. But the second half was boring and dragged on for me. I did love when she went home and busted her brothers balls, but other than that, it was just eh. Once she went to France with Adam, I just didn't love it. She fell in love with Adam way too fast. I do love Adam for her, but I didn't love how it was done. I feel bad for the low rating. I was just really bored.

[Olnega · Rating 4 out of 5]

Four stars, for sheer entertainment value alone. If I’d read this a decade ago, back when I was new to romance, I would have gobbled it up and gone hunting for more. But after hundreds of BRs, HQs, and HRs, my tastes have changed. These days, I find less enjoyment in rotating bed partners and heroines so impossibly perfect that even after five children they’re still the tightest and perkiest creatures ever to grace the land…

[Hijinx Abound · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a quintessential historical romance. Lots of drama and heaving bosoms. I must admit that this book had some pretty graphic sex. It was not always consensual, as a character is enslaved.
I read a lot of historical as a teen but I can say if I had gotten this book, I would have been unprepared.

[Cloud · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, I didn't realize this was clocking in at 600 pages! Thanks kindle!

Would I recommend this? Not really. I did appreciate it for what it was, being written way back from the 80's and for what it was. Definitely ready to pick up something a bit quicker with more plot.

[Paulla Schreiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Adventurous Skye

Lots of ups and downs make this several stories in one. Lost love, forced love, found love. You need a seatbelt for this one.
Skye continues to protect her family as she spars with Queen Elizabeth.
A full read with lots of sex.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don’t get me wrong, I love all of Ms. Small’s books- but this one irks me. The things Skye goes through- my goodness. And I know the word “chuckle” is a favorite of the author’s, but if I had read it one more time in this book I would have up “upchuckled”. All in All, meh.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

the second half of the Skye O'Malley saga Finally they get together. I will not spoil it.

[Joanne Mullen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading all her books. This is my second round reading The Sky O'Malley Saga.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

The sequel to Sky O'Malley. A truly wonderful story that you will want to read again and again.

[Conniefay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author loved the book I feel like its about time skye got to just relax. Can't wait to read the next book.

[Kimberley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuing saga of Skye O’Malley...finally marries Adam...rereading am picking up much more history this time... I do enjoy Skye’s adventures

[MJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book

Very good book. Lots of detail and yet entertaining, never boring. Strong female character. Would highly recommend if you like adventure and romance.