A Wild Yearning

by Penelope Williamson

WANTED: Wife for God-fearing farmer with two children. Hard work. Frontier life.

Desperate to escape her abusive father and Boston's brutal waterfront for a respectable life, Delia McQuaid answered an advertisement to become a stranger's wife. But when she applied in person to Dr. Ty Savitch, the ruggedly handsome physician admitted he had merely placed the ad for a neighbor, a widower with two children. One look and Delia knew she would follow the devastating doctor anywhere—even into the Maine wilderness as a mail-order bride for another man.

Raised by Indians, educated abroad, Dr. Ty Savitch was an outsider in both worlds, eager to escape to the only home he knew—the small Maine community where he was bringing the ravishing Miss McQuaid. The woman was a revelation of character, courage and brains, a conquest no man could resist—a challenge to his divided soul. Recklessly, he followed his passions, trying to deny his heart—until he delivered her to her promised groom, and then tried to reclaim the beauty who compelled him to embrace his true identity...and taught him the power of love.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Westerns, Western Romance, Native American, Historical Fiction

440 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1990

About the author

Penelope Williamson is an internationally renowned author of historical romance and suspense. Penelope Williamson was born in Fairbanks, Alaska, and spent the first eleven years of her life as an US Air Force brat. She has a B.A. in history, an M.A. in broadcast journalism, and was in the U.S. Marine Corps for six years, where she reached the rank of Captain. She has more than 1.8 million books in print, including The Outsider, Heart of the West A Wild Yearning, Once in a Blue Moon, and Keeper of the Dream. Penny is a past winner of the Romantic Times' Best Historical Romance of the Year award and the Romance Writers of America's RITA awards. Penelope Williamson lives with her husband in Mill Valley, California.


pseudonyms: Elizabeth Lambert, Penn Williamson

Reviews

[Nσҽɱí · Rating 2 out of 5]

1,5 en realidad!!
Lo primero de todo, si no fuera por mi compi de lectura Paty, todo esto no sería lo mismo!!

Al principio cuando empece a leer, parecía que sería una buena historia... Eso era al principio, luego fue en picado para mal, por que el final me ha matado, surrealista es quedarse corta. Por eso ha hecho que le ponga menos punto de lo que pensaba ponerle. Podría a ver sido mejor y no le ha sabido sacar partido.
Habido cosas de la historia que te lo cuenta la autora como si ya supieras de que va todo y no lo termina de explicar.
Eso si, no se por qué pero me ha gustado mucho más que el libro anterior. Será que el protagonista anterior no lo podía ni ver jajaja
En fin espero que el próximo libro del reto, sea mejor!!!

[Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

The variety of scenery and periods that Williamson writes in is astonishing. So far I’ve read a medieval story, 19th century England, Amish story from Montana and this one was middle of 18th century settlers of the new world with a strong Native American influence.
Our heroine is poorer then poor Boston tavern wench and the hero sophisticated young doctor.

This was another epic story involving few different settings and many fantastic characters.
Delia is similar to other Williamson’s characters, young, pesky girl who falls in love for once and always. Our hero Ty falls in love way slower only to greatly suffer for it later.

Exciting story. I love how I am always transported into a different world with Williamson.

[Nuria Llop · Rating 1 out of 5]

(5ª del #RetoRita)
Una gran decepción. Una novela con un buen comienzo que promete mucho y que se desmorona poco a poco a partir del tercer capítulo. Tampoco me ha gustado el estilo de la autora: exceso de descripciones innecesarias, transmite frialdad al contar momentos de violencia física y alardea (o a mí me lo ha parecido) de lo mucho que se ha documentado para recrear el ambiente donde transcurre y, a mi modo de ver, no lo consigue. En muy pocos momentos me he visto inmersa en el siglo y los lugares donde se desarrolla la historia y por lo tanto, me pregunto: ¿para qué sirve tanta descripción? Los protagonistas prometían: él, un médico que se debate entre los dos mundos en los que creció (una tribu india y la sociedad británica); ella, una joven (muy joven, para mi gusto, 17 años) de condición humilde y con un padre que la maltrata cuando se emborracha, y que decide cambiar su vida desastrosa por un matrimonio con un desconocido que solicita esposa por medio de un anuncio. Pero... no es el médico. Gran conflicto que se pierde en el primer encuentro sexual de la pareja, ya que es tan frío a la vez que violento, que ya empecé a rezar porque la chica se desenamorara del médico y se enamorara del futuro marido. Con esto quiero decir que ese protagonista masculino que prometía ser un personaje interesante deja de serlo pronto, su debate interno apenas se refleja en la novela y su otro debate (desea a la chica pero no quiere casarse con ella) se reduce a perseguirla por los rincones, incluso cuando ya está casada para incitarla satisfacer su deseo. Creo que es un mal protagonista de romántica. Y ella... uf... entiendo que su edad no le permite mucha madurez mental, pero, entre lo superhiperenamorada que está del (indeseable) médico y que mete la pata continuamente y tiene pequeños accidentes que, cómo no, el médico tiene que curar, resulta cansina y casi insoportable.
Y no cuento más porque, sinceramente, quiero olvidar esta novela. La terminé hace días, después de haberla dejado en reposo una semana porque me aburría sobremanera, y he necesitado otra más para distanciarme de ella y poder escribir en este post algo más que no fuera "!qué peñazo! ¿Cómo le pudieron dar un premio RITA?". Mejor Romance Histórico de 1991. No lo sé. Quizá las otras obras que se presentaron eran peores (aunque lo dudo), quizá fue un tema de originalidad en la época en que se ambienta o quizá por algún otro motivo en el que prefiero no pensar, porque no veo ninguno para premiar una historia que es un tostón y en la que he visto más brutalidad que amor. Tal vez, si fuera de otro género literario... Pero llamar "romance" a la relación entre los protagonistas me parece un error. Lo único que me ha gustado ha sido la pareja que forman el reverendo y su esposa. En fin, me cuesta decirlo, porque hay gustos para todo, pero no recomiendo esta novela a nadie que le guste la romántica.

[Floripiquita · Rating 3 out of 5]

La verdad es que no he leído demasiados libros de romántica centrados en este periodo en Estados Unidos, así que por ese lado me ha gustado. Al igual que el personaje femenino y su amado Tyler el 90% del tiempo, porque hay veces en que es para matarlo. Lo que no me ha gustado? Que la autora abusa de las descripciones, por lo que libro se hace demasiado largo.
Mi cuarto libro del #RetoRita

[Myself · Rating 2 out of 5]

#RetoRita
Había leído críticas tan malas de este libro que cuando lo empecé no me pareció tan malo e incluso me enganchó. Prometía. Y creo que me gustó durante más tiempo que a la media. Pero desde que llegaron a Merrymeeting fue cayendo en picado y el final me ha costado un triunfo.
Qué protagonistas más insoportables XD!!!! Una muestra más de amor y vomito de lo ridículas y empalagosas que ya me parecían. Insoportables y cansinos. A ella se la veía desde el principio, pero él ha sido toda una decepción, un horror.
Y un libro tan largo para siempre lo mismo XD!!
Bueno, ya pasó, jajajaajajaja...

[Cassandra Dexter Colby · Rating 1 out of 5]

La sinopsis que ponen por aquí es para partirse... ¡Si lo de los indios no pasa hasta casi el final! Además, nada de sufrir lo indecible. Ya leeréis la reseña en el blog, ya. Menudo chasco de lectura. EDITO: reseña aquí http://alacamaconunlibro.blogspot.com...

[Kimberly Carrington-Fox · Rating 1 out of 5]

Podría subir hasta 1'5 ⭐ pero poco más.
Menudo #WTFail es este libro. Parte de una premisa estupenda que se acaba pasando por el forro de los winis para acabar siendo un libro plomazo. La historia de amor no es tal, es la historia del palotismo supremo de un miembro que no deja de hincharse y de una chica entre inocente y pichote que tiene buenas tetas. Luego hay indios y un viudo injustamente tratado y descripciones soporíferas y una escritora que no sabe escribir ni con tensión ni con pasión ni nada que se le parezca. Os tengo que decir que cuando empiezo a mirar constantemente cuánto me falta para terminar de leer sé que algo va mal y con este libro empecé a mirarlo en el 34%...
Me quedo con que no se me han quitado las ganas de seguir leyendo y con que sigo avanzando en el reto. Que vivan las creadoras del #RetoRita pero no el jurado que da los premios!

[Jessa ♥ EvilDarkSide · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Williamson is a master. I've read nearly all of her books and I haven't been disappointed one tiny bit. PW has a wide range of writing talent and she proves it with this book. This one was much more steamier and rougher than her other books. I knew she was talented but she shows us in this book that she can pull off writing page-melting love scenes just as well as she writes everything else. She is truly an amazing storyteller and her books will constantly have you wishing that they would never end. A Wild Yearning is a wonderful tale of love and sacrifice and so much more. Delia and Ty are drawn together from the start and although many things come between them and life is not always easy and carefree, they manage to overcome every obstacle and their love for one another triumphs in the end. Delia is the type of female character that I love to see in the lead role. She is a feisty, spirited girl that gradually grows into a selfless, loving, strong-willed woman. The all-consuming love that Delia and Ty share is exactly the stuff that romance is written for......

If I am never to have you again after this night, this moment, you will remain the wife of my soul. Keeper of my heart.

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tras haber leído varias opiniones más que negativas de esta novela, dentro del reto rita, creo que empecé la lectura con muy malas perspectivas, y creo que precisamente por eso la he disfrutado mucho más, ya que no esperaba nada bueno y para mí ha sido una novela sólida, entretenida, sensual en algunos momentos y históricamente interesante.

Puedo entender las reticencias de otras lectoras por esta novela, porque el período histórico y lo minucioso de la ambientación por parte de la escritora, con partes demasiado realistas, a veces no acompaña a la parte romántica de la historia, pero a mí eso me ha gustado. Lo reconozco. Me ha aportado más a mi lectura, y eso lo agradezco.

Para mí no es un problema que los protagonistas sean como son, que él no me caiga bien desde el principio no está mal o que se establezca ese triángulo amoroso, que lo es únicamente por las circunstancias.

Lo peor, el título, no acompaña a la historia. Estamos ante una historia de amor y de aventura, no una pasión indomable.

Opinión completa https://millibrosenmibiblioteca.blogs...

[Naty Levin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bien, otro libro del #RetoRita terminado. Y de este debo decir que me ha gustado mucho si bien he encontrado algunas cositas que me molestaron. Delia era bastante mal educada y grosera y se hace difícil creer que en tres semanas dejara de lado sus malos modales por mucha voluntad que pusiera. Era muy digna pero cuando debia sacar a relucir esa dignidad frente a Tyler no lo hacía. Madre mía cuantas veces aguanta una mujer que le griten a la cara qué no la aman antes de entender y poner distancia ??? Algunas actitudes de Delia han resultado bastante molestas. Y Tyler, querido que una cosa.es hablar claro y otra ser bestia. Un poco de ternura y delicadeza para con Delia no le hacía mal a nadie.
El final además, se extendió demasiado. Yo lo hubiera terminado en el retorno de Tyler con Elizabeth, Delia y el bebé .

[Paquita SanMartín · Rating 4 out of 5]

Continuo inmersa en el RetoRita la Cantaora, con novela histórica. Es la primera novela que leo de esta autora. Me ha gustado la historia, el planteamiento de partida es muy curioso, aunque casi ya sabes como va acabar, si has leído novela romántica. Los personajes secundarios también son entrañables y no entorpecen, sino enriquecen a los principales, que van evolucionando de manera interesante y consecuente. Todas las historias del Lejano Oeste y los colonos me parece muy curioso, la forma de vida, las costumbres, imaginarme qué vidas llevarían, frente a una Naturaleza y un entorno hostil y muy duro.
Lo recomiendo, porque aunque sabes un poco por donde van a ir los tiros, también tienen bastantes dificultades que superar las historias de amor de este libro.
Me ha dejado con ganas de leer algo más de esta autora.

[Katrina Passick Lumsden · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book I ever read by Penelope Williamson was The Outsider and, despite the fact that its main protagonist is Amish, I dug it. I really liked that book. It struck an emotional cord with me that managed to overcome my aversion to organized religion. It was a highly emotional novel. Not melodramatic, emotional.

A Wild Yearning, however, is more along the lines of melodramatic bodice ripper. This isn't to say I thought it was bad, just that it was like a lot of other melodramatic bodice rippers I've read. It was a bit contrived and heavy-handed at times, and the main protagonist, Delia, chafed my nerves a wee bit.

I first saw trouble when Delia went ahead and married Nat Parkes even though she was in love with Ty. While some might see this as selfless, it most definitely was not. Her justification for marrying Nat was that that was what she'd been taken there for, there was nothing waiting for her back in Boston, she couldn't get a job in The Maine, and she could never have Ty. So while she was professing to love Ty, she married another man, sacrificing her own happiness for a home and three square a day. I know it wasn't easy for a woman in the 18th century, but really, Delia marrying Nat showed an impressive lack of fortitude. In my eyes, what she did was no different than prostituting herself. She sold herself to a man who didn't love her, whom she didn't love, all for material needs. That made me dislike Delia a great deal, right from the get-go.

I know it was Williamson's intent to craft a woman whom, despite her humble beginnings, manages to hold onto her integrity and honor throughout hardship, but Delia's fanaticism in that regard (at the expense of her own happiness) was just downright disgusting to me. And she does it not just once, but twice. I felt like poor Ty should have buried a tomahawk in the girl's face.

Despite these issues, I did enjoy the book overall. It was an OK read, and should interest anyone enamored with historical romance.

[Simply_ego · Rating 1 out of 5]

#Retorita

1 estrella y gracias. No he parado de pasar y pasar páginas porque ya no aguantaba la lectura.

La historia parece algo interesante, y piensas que puede estar bien. Pues se queda en el arranque, constantemente arrancando, parece que va a mejorar y te pega un frenazo que te chirrían los dientes. Demasiadas descripciones de todo, mucha repetición de los sentimientoso e inseguridades de los personajes pero sin llegar a profundizar, demasiada historia sobre las colonias en América (hay que resumir y sintetizar un poco leñe).

En cuanto a los personajes principales, me ha faltado un poco más. Entiendo que Delia tuviera un enamoramiento al instante ( y para ser sincera, yo también lo hubiera tenido viendo a Tayller) pero me ha costado creerme el de Ty. Es que no puedes despreciar a la chica, o al menos aparentemente, y luego pamm, amor ciego. Me ha faltado esos pasitos, pequeños, que van enseñando como se enamora perdidamente de Delia.
Y para remate, algo que no me ha gustado para nada, el final. ¡Venga ya! ¿de verdad no podías darnos un final menos previsible?.

[Bona Caballero · Rating 4 out of 5]

Que no os despiste la imagen, esta no es una del Oeste, sino del Este, cuando Maine era aún una colonia británica. Una novela que se da un aire, en cuanto a la ambientación, y por su planteamiento, a las históricas old skool.
Delia McQuaid, una humilde camarera de Boston, acepta un matrimonio de conveniencia. Hasta el enclave colonial donde está su futuro marido viajará en la compañía de Tyler Savitch, un tipo algo complejo, es médico, un tipo refinado, que fue prisionero de los indios y se quedó con algo de esa cultura. Según la circunstancia, será una cosa u otra. Tanto Delia como Tyler resultan interesantes, para nada perfectos. Una novela atractiva, aunque hay quien la considera un pestiño. Sí, puede que la leas y sea una mala experiencia. Creo que depende de cómo le cojas el aire.
Crítica más amplia, en mi blog.

[Kim H · Rating 2 out of 5]

Really good in parts, but some some of it is just so eye-rollingly contrived, to the point of being almost absurd. It very much reminds me of a Pamela Clare American Colonial period historical; there are a LOT of similarities. Internal conflicts this dumb though, I can't say that Clare is prone to writing. The hero is taking the heroine to a settlement where he lives & is the doctor, and the catch is, it's so she can marry some other guy she hasn't met yet. They mess around on the way there (of course) & fall in love, but he won't admit it - is resistant to it or whatever - and then she actually marries the other guy, and the hero stands by & watches her do it. Argh! They don't consummate the marriage or anything, but you still have that problem to deal with, and while you'd think or hope that Williamson would come up with a resolution to the problem that's beyond the obvious easy way out, nope, she doesn't; she just takes forever to get around to it. More than once actually, but I can't get specific about that without posting a spoiler:P It's not an awful book though. There was a lot of it that I thoroughly enjoyed, and the love scenes are positively scorching & plentiful. It's not one I'll forget by next week, but it could have been much, much better. In terms of quality, not at all up to what I've come to expect from this author.

Sensuality Rating: R

[Patricia Marin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Puntuación otorgada por la documentación, siendo generosa.
Estoy ante una historia que no me ha gustado nada en absoluto, me ha dejado con la sensación de frío desaprovechamiento de ambientación. Para empezar, esta historia trata de una chica que vive en una situación penosa y bastante triste. Encuentra una noticia que puede ayudarla a salir del entorno miserable en el que está y se topa con el supuesto protagonista, del que se enamora. Nuestro héroe es un tipo que solo sabe tratarla mal, desprecia sus esfuerzos y no cree una palabra de lo que ella le dice. Ella, que solo ha conocido ese tipo de actitudes, lo deja pasar y se enamora cada vez más de él.
Después tenemos una sucesión de hechos surrealistas, provocados para que los protagonistas se crucen e intercambien pareceres. Los personajes secundarios son, en general, gente con muy mala leche que solo vapulea a la protagonista. Y ella sigue manteniendo el buen humor, sin venirse abajo.
Los indios. Otro tema desaprovechado. Las colonias de Maine, la guerra por los territorios entre ingleses y franceses, otro tema desaprovechado.
Al final es una historia en la que los puntos interesantes están desaprovechados, los puntos de inflexión se resuelven por la vía rápida, se crean problemas innecesarios para resolverlos sin mucha imaginación. Exceso de historia y, sobre todo, exceso de una "pasión" del personaje masculino que no pega ni con cola con toda la historia, por no decir que las constantes referencias a su guapura cansan y aburren.
Una historia que podría haber sido mucho mejor con una segunda lectura. No me ha gustado nada.

[Yolanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

#RetoRita23
La verdad es que, a mí, no me ha gustado. Se me ha hecho larga y eso que, al principio, la historia prometía pero me ha parecido que iba de mal en peor. No me han atrapado los protagonistas en ningún momento. Ha sido de esas lecturas en las que antes de llegar al 20% ya ves que se te hace muy cuesta arriba, esperas que haya algo que te haga mantener el interés, pero no.
Creo que el recorrido hasta Merrymeeting ha sido demasiado largo y se ha concentrado toda la pasión en la estancia de Delia y Ty con los indios.
:(

[Melann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Plutôt 4,5/5 :)

Il est 5h du matin et je viens de lire toute la nuit. Comme quoi, c'est encore dans les vieux pots qu'on fait les meilleures soupes.

Un A&P comme on n'en fait plus beaucoup, avec des indiens et des contrées sauvages et hostiles. Le seul reproche concerne le comportement du héros, qui n'a pas su prendre ses responsabilités à un moment. Mais il n'en reste pas moins parfait.

[Regan Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Williamson's historicals do not disappoint. This RITA Award winner is another one I couldn't put down and you won't go wrong getting it.

Set in the wilderness of "the Maine" in the 1720's, decades prior to the French and Indian War, it tells of life on the frontier where Indian raids were frequent and the settlers faced great obstacles as they struggled to carve out a life from the rugged land.

This is the story of Delia, a beautiful and courageous young girl of 17 who had a loving family in Boston until her mother died and her father became a drunk and began beating her. She worked in a tavern since she was 14, but unlike the other women, she was still a virgin. When she's given the chance to escape her miserable life and become respectable, she takes it and answers the ad placed by Dr. Tyler Savitch for a wife needed for a man in the settlement of Merrymeeting.

Tyler lost his wife to sickness and has two little girls to raise. When she meets Ty, Delia instantly begins to fall in love with him, initially believing him to be the man who is seeking a wife. But when she learns it is another man who Ty represents who wants a wife. With few options, she still decides to go just to be near Ty.

Ty is an unusual man. When he was 6 his father was killed and his mother and he were taken captive by Indians and raised as a chief's son until he was 16 when he was sent back to live with his grandfather who taught him the white man's ways and sent him to Edinburgh to be educated. He is a tortured soul, divided between two worlds and unsure if he can love, or if he would want to risk the loss loving would mean.

Williamson paints a vivid picture of life in the wilderness with rich characters and descriptions of the places and nature. She presents a balanced approach to the Indian-white man issues of the time. I learned much from reading this yet I did not feel instructed. I loved this story and believe you will, too.

[Mary23nm · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is so much about A Wild Yearning, that bugged me, I'm not sure where to start. This is a 440 page book that I was tempted to DNF several times, but kept thinking that it's a Penelope Williamson book and I have to see how she turns this around. The heroine, Delia is from Boston, the year is 1721 and she is 17 years old. Even though she works in a bar, she is incredibly naive about men. She decides to answer an ad for a mail order bride to get away from her drunkard father. Her first encounter with the hero is when he is with another woman and Delia is watching and getting turned on by him. (I don't get this!) The hero, Ty, is a complete narcissist, has a girl in every town and is trying to seduce Delia the entire trip back to Maine. He is successful, because she assumes he loves her and wants to marry her and he believed she was not a virgin anyway. It's always her fault though(in his mind), because she does these things that make him go crazy for her.
One thing I don't understand about the heroine is her manner of speech. She is written with hillbilly speak, "Ye think it's not noticeable, the way ye were a-stickin' t' her all day like a snail t' it's shell, lookin' at her all mooney-eyed. It was disgustin' --." Would this be typical?
The hero supposedly has feelings for her but is fighting it-but I just didn't see that. It came across to me that he cared only for himself.
Those are just a few of the things that bothered me. The last third of the book, after the hero finally admitted his feelings, was an improvement. Needless to say, I do not think A Wild Yearning is in the same class as Keeper of the Dream, Heart of the West, etc., books that I have really enjoyed by PW. The first half of the book I would give one star and the last 3 stars, for an average of 2 stars.

[Lizzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Atenção: spoiler --- Adorei. É um livro romântico, sensual, cheio de reviravoltas com aqueles clichês que normalmente as amantes do gênero amam. A história da sofrida Delia, filha de um pai alcoólatra e agressivo, garçonete, moradora de um bairro precário de uma região portuária, pobre, que há dois anos não tinha um par de sapatos, toma um rumo impressionante. Tudo isso quando ela decide se casar com um desconhecido e conhece o belo médico Tyler. Ele a trata rudemente e menospreza a pouca instrução e as condições de vida da jovem, mas ela rapidamente se apaixona por ele. Ty era o intermediário de um casamento de conveniência e procurava uma esposa para um fazendeiro viúvo com duas filhas, Net. Ele fica profundamente atraído por Delia e durante a viagem ele a seduz para rejeitá-la em seguida. Como consequência, Delia casa com Net, pois ela não tinha nenhuma alternativa e se aferra ao compromisso. Ty não demora a enxergar que jogou fora o amor de sua vida e sofre muito, assedia Delia, tenta fugir com ela. Delia, por sua vez, apesar de estar muito apaixonada, resiste. Ocorre que o ataque dos guerreiros abenaki promove uma reviravolta imensa. Delia é sequestrada pelos índios, é muito maltratada por eles, mas Ty, que viveu entre os abenaki por dez anos, tem a chance de provar o seu amor e o faz divinamente. A partir daí ainda ocorreram muitas reviravoltas, surpresas de ultima hora. O certo é que Ty ao final se redime à altura e faz por merecer ser feliz ao lado de Delia. É lindo acompanhar o crescimento dos sentimentos do Ty, o quando o amor faz com que valorizemos os mínimos detalhes da pessoa amada. O Ty é uma delícia, mas a Delia me conquistou profundamente, que mulher valente. Ah, sem falar que o livro é hot."

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love finding a historical romance that really immerses me in the world in which the story is set, and I got that with this book. The sights, smells, dangers, and overall culture of colonial Maine were a big part of the story and gave me an "I feel like I'm really there" experience that I enjoyed a lot. So many of today's historical romances are of the wallpaper variety, with the historical setting being little more than an excuse for the characters to wear old-fashioned clothing. A Wild Yearning isn't that at all. It's a truly historical historical romance, and I appreciate that about it.

The story itself was on the cliched side, especially during the first 25% or so, and leaned more on typical romance novel tropes of the time period in which it was written than later books by the author. The hero, with his jackass behavior, man-pain, and nonstop focus on his lust for the heroine, needed slapped upside the head for most of the book. And the plot twists became belabored toward the end -- it was about 50 pages too long, I think. I loved and admired the heroine, however, and as usual Williamson created multi-dimensional characters not only in the hero and heroine, but in the supporting characters as well.

I had a good time reading this story, even if it wasn't perfect. It's an old-school melodramatic rollercoaster ride, and I have to admit to loving a good soap opera now and then.

3.5 stars

[Alexandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and engaging story, if a little soap opera-ish and problematic at times, but considering this was originally published in 1990 that’s kind of expected. Not bad overall, but I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it.

[Jennifer]

Perhaps the problem with liking The Outsider so much is that no other Williamson book will suffice. I got about to chapter 5 in this book and can't finish it. I didn't really like the heroine (I was very annoyed with how poorly she thought of herself in comparison to the hero) and couldn't understand why the hero was so interested in her. Then, not only couldn't I understand why he liked her, I also found him completely disrespectful to the heroine. She acted like a brat and he treated her like a jerk. They might have a character arc that fixes all those problems, but I didn't want to wait to find out.

[Charlene Raddon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read and loved all Penelope's westerns and wish she hadn't stopped writing them.

[Lucimar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 estrelas

[Julianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for THC Reviews
I first read A Wild Yearning probably more than twenty years ago, so when I picked it up for a reread, I remembered very little about the story. I did seem to recall that I'd enjoyed it, and my reread of it proved that to be quite true. A Wild Yearning is an epic love story that spans about a year and a half from start to finish, but it never felt artificially drawn out or tedious. I love Penelope Williamson's writing style. The characters were very relatable and the plot was engaging. This is a dramatic story with lots of twists and turns that keep the hero and heroine apart for much of the book, yet unlike some other books I've read where this was the case, I always felt the love and emotional connection between them. In fact, the title is quite apt, as the author is very talented at bringing out that deep sense of yearning in both of them until they finally come together once and for all. The other thing Ms. Williamson is extremely good at is drawing the historical setting. I've always had an interest in the Colonial/Early American time period, yet it seems to be a somewhat rare setting for romances. This book not only incorporates this era, but is also very well-researched. The author really brought the setting to life with her vivid descriptions of life in a small settlement in Colonial Maine as well as the environmental details that truly made me feel like I'd been transported to another time and place. The main characters also spend time among the Abenaki Indians, which was equally as engaging. There was absolutely nothing about this book I would have changed, making it an incredibly enjoyable reread for me.

Delia is the focal point of the story and a very strong female protagonist. Not that we don't get Ty's or other characters' POVs, but I felt like the book was more about Delia's journey from a grog shop serving girl in Boston to the more respectable woman she longs to be. Ever since her mother died, her father has hit the bottle pretty hard, and he's a mean drunk. He often beats her and steals the money she earns at her job to support his habit. Delia wants nothing more than to escape this life, so when she sees Ty's advertisement for a wife, she thinks it may be the answer to her prayers. She falls in love at first sight with the dashing doctor, only to find out that he placed the ad for another man from the Maine settlement where he lives. Delia and Ty's romance is one fraught with heartache, passion, and danger, but through it all Delia is a trooper. When she first meets Ty, she's very rough around the edges. Everyone, including Ty, thinks she's a fallen woman, but in reality, she had enough pride and backbone to avoid prostituting herself to earn money, a fact which I admired. More than anything, she yearns to be a respectable lady. She doesn't really know the first thing about how to accomplish that, but she's a quick learner when opportunities present themselves. The thing I loved most about Delia is that she has a huge heart with lots of selfless love to give. Perhaps because of her background, she isn't judgmental of others. She tries to see the good in everyone, even when they aren't willing to give her the same chance. She's tough as nails, a real fighter, who always tries to make the best of difficult circumstances. Even when faced with marrying a man she doesn't love and someday possibly watching the man she does love marry someone else, Delia is up to the challenge, prepared to rejoice in his happiness if that time comes. That's why she's definitely earned a spot among my favorite romance heroines.

Ty is a stubborn, enigmatic alpha male with a lot of different sides to his personality. He was born into wealth and privilege, but when he was only six, his father was killed in an Indian raid, in which Ty and his mother were taken captive. As a result, he grew up among the Abenaki people with an Indian step-father he revered. He became one of them, but at the age of sixteen, his step-father insisted that he must return to his own people. Although Ty never got along with his grandfather, the man sent him to England where he was highly educated and became a doctor. He brought his knowledge back to the Colonies, where he lives in the small settlement of Merrymeeting, much to his grandfather's chagrin. I love Ty's idealistic nature and how he wants to help people and tries to stand up for the oppressed. From the moment he meets Delia, Ty is deeply attracted to her, but he has no intention of falling in love with her. After experiencing a great deal of loss in his life, he's very reluctant to love anyone. Ty's willingness to turn Delia over to marry another man after the intimacy they'd shared may be a bit hard for some readers to swallow. However, I wasn't overly perturbed by it, because it's obvious that he regrets that decision from the minute the wedding begins. He's jealous and protective, but doesn't realize that he's falling in love with her until much later when it's already too late. He has a hard time living with himself after that, but the deep abiding connection between him and Delia is still there, even as she's trying to make a life with someone else. When it seems like they can finally be together, Ty isn't the least bit shy about showing Delia just how passionately in love with her he is.

The secondary characters, of which there are many, are extremely well-drawn. I felt like I got to know each one in spite of some not being on the canvas for very long. The stand-outs include, Nat, the man who Ty brought Delia to marry. He's obviously only taking another wife as a matter of necessity. As a farmer, there's much work to be done on his homestead as well as two little girls for whom to care, but Nat still deeply loves his first wife and probably shouldn't have married again so soon after her death, regardless of the need. At his heart, he's a good man though. Nat's two daughters, Meg and Tildy, were perfectly rendered. Meg is still grieving her mother, and she's the rebellious one who doesn't want a step-mother. Tildy is sweet and inquisitive and seems to love everyone, including Delia. I was also quite taken with Caleb and Elizabeth, the preacher and his wife, who travel with Ty and Delia to Merrymeeting to start a church there. They have something of a secondary romance as they work through some difficulties in their marriage. Caleb is sweet and caring, obviously loving his wife to distraction. Elizabeth is very timid and reluctant to go to a remote wilderness settlement. I loved watching her grow and change, facing the challenges set before her with grace and dignity. Her friendship with the feisty Delia and seeing the passion between Delia and Ty really helped her to come into her own.

Overall, A Wild Yearning was an incredibly well-written and engaging story that I hated to see end when I turned the last page. It was a roller-coater ride I was all too happy to take with these characters. The love scenes were quite steamy and sensual for a book written in 1990, which was a plus for me, not just because I like my love scenes hot, but because they were imbued with a deep emotion and passion that I don't always find in my romance reading. I can totally see why this book won the Rita award. It's superb in every way. To the best of my recollection, A Wild Yearning is the only book I've read by Penelope Williamson, but this time around, it most certainly isn't going to be my last. I very much look forward to exploring her backlist soon.

[Stevie Holcomb · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I had a nickel for every time the word “manhood” was used in this book…

I knew this was a bodice ripper, but I wanted to read it for the historical aspect of it. I’m at a point of my life where descriptive sex scenes either make me laugh or roll my eyes, but I lasted a good three quarters of the way into this before I tired of it, yet still finished it.

I found the romance completely unbelievable. More believable was the relationship between Delia and Nat, weirdly. I wish Anne and Elizabeth were written more completely, and somehow Delia and Ty bothered me together.

I also thought the native vs. English historical parts were a bit unbelievable. Author did her research, I will give her that, and lord knows I wasn’t there, but I guess considering the genre it didn’t entirely ring true to me.

[Laavic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Me ha gustado mucho el libro!!! A pesar de ser largo, su lectura se me hizo muy amena, y cada vez que pensaba que ya estaba todo resuelto, y que iba a terminar así, me encontraba con un giro argumental, que lo cambiaba todo.
Los personajes de Delia y Ty me han gustado, también, se agradece una protagonista con carácter y que siempre haga lo que ella quiera, y los personajes secundarios del pueblo también están muy bien creados, no son simples personajillos que pasan por ahí.
Y bueno, nunca he deseado tanto la muerte de alguien "inocente" como deseé la del pobre Nat... al final casi me da algo, pero no quiero poner spoilers.
Otra lectura del #RetoRita que me ha gustado mucho mucho!!

[Elisa Vangelisti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dopo un inizio scoppiettante e davvero divertente, degno di romanzi scritti dopo oltre vent’anni, la narrazione scorre attraverso vicessitudini di ogni genere, una peggio dell’altra. Amo i romance con tutto il cuore, ma il mio cuore non gradisce essere strapazzato più di tanto, quindi da un certo punto in poi il lato tragico e avventuroso che ci mostra Penelope ha smorzato i toni irriverenti e allegri dell’incipt. Ed è un vero peccato, perché avrei assegnato un magnifico punteggio. In ogni caso merita una rilettura, quindi lo conserverò senz’altro.