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Petals on the River: A Historical Romance – Fiery Woman Wrongly Accused Finds Passion in Colonial Virginia
A proud and spirited woman whose life was stolen from her. . .A man of secrets accused of a terrible crime. . .In a place of new beginnings their destinies are joined—in a gloriously romantic new work from the incomparable storyteller.
The fiery and outspoken adopted daughter of one of England's most formidable a women, Shemaine O'Hearn has made powerful enemies. And now her adversaries have found a way to remove the hot-blooded beauty from her life of privilege: by falsely convicting Shemaine of thievery and sending her in shackles to America, where she is to be sold in indentured servitude to the highest bidder.
In a bustling port city in the colony of Virginia, she becomes the servant of Gage Thornton—a shipbuilder with a young child in need of a nanny. And despite whispered rumors condemning the handsome widower for the untimely death of his wife, Shemaine cannot ignore her desire for this caring, generous and enigmatic stranger who silently aches with his growing need for her—even as grave peril reaches out from across a vast ocean to threaten their flowering love.
560 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1997
410 people are currently reading
2353 people want to read
About the author
Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
52 books1,924 followersKathleen Erin Hogg was born on June 3, 1939, in Alexandria, Louisiana, she was the youngest of eight siblings by Gladys (Coker) and Charles Wingrove Hogg, a disabled World War I veteran. She long relished creating original narratives, and by age 6 was telling herself stories at night to help herself fall asleep. At age 16, she met U.S. Air Force Second Lieutenant Ross Eugene Woodiwiss at a dance, and they married the following year. She wrote her first book in longhand while living at a military outpost in Japan.
She is credited with the invention of the modern historical romance novel: In 1972 she released The Flame and the Flower, an instant New York Times bestseller that created a literary precedent. The novel revolutionized mainstream publishing, featuring an epic historical romance with a strong heroine and impassioned sex scenes. The Flame and the Flower was rejected by agents and hardcover publishers, who deemed it as "too long" at 600 pages. Rather than follow the advice of the rejection letters and rewrite the novel, she instead submitted it to paperback publishers. The first publisher on her list, Avon, quickly purchased the novel and arranged an initial 500,000 print run. The novel sold over 2.3 million copies in its first four years of publication.
The success of The Flame and the Flower prompted a new style of writing romance, concentrating primarily on historical fiction tracking the monogamous relationship between a helpless heroines and the hero who rescued her, even if he had been the one to place her in danger. The romance novels which followed in her example featured longer plots, more controversial situations and characters, and more intimate and steamy sex scenes.
She was an avid horse rider who at one time lived in a large home on 55 acres (220,000 m2) in Minnesota. After her husband's death in 1996, she moved back to Louisiana. She died in a hospital on July 6, 2007 in Princeton, Minnesota, aged 68, from cancer. She was survived by two sons, Sean and Heath, their wives, and numerous grandchildren. Her third son, Dorren, predeceased her.
She is credited with the invention of the modern historical romance novel: In 1972 she released The Flame and the Flower, an instant New York Times bestseller that created a literary precedent. The novel revolutionized mainstream publishing, featuring an epic historical romance with a strong heroine and impassioned sex scenes. The Flame and the Flower was rejected by agents and hardcover publishers, who deemed it as "too long" at 600 pages. Rather than follow the advice of the rejection letters and rewrite the novel, she instead submitted it to paperback publishers. The first publisher on her list, Avon, quickly purchased the novel and arranged an initial 500,000 print run. The novel sold over 2.3 million copies in its first four years of publication.
The success of The Flame and the Flower prompted a new style of writing romance, concentrating primarily on historical fiction tracking the monogamous relationship between a helpless heroines and the hero who rescued her, even if he had been the one to place her in danger. The romance novels which followed in her example featured longer plots, more controversial situations and characters, and more intimate and steamy sex scenes.
She was an avid horse rider who at one time lived in a large home on 55 acres (220,000 m2) in Minnesota. After her husband's death in 1996, she moved back to Louisiana. She died in a hospital on July 6, 2007 in Princeton, Minnesota, aged 68, from cancer. She was survived by two sons, Sean and Heath, their wives, and numerous grandchildren. Her third son, Dorren, predeceased her.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 249 reviews
July 26, 2020
This is one of my favorite Woodiwiss novels, although, I have many favorites by her. The fact that Shemaine and Gage don't spend the entire book hating each other is very refreshing. It's a good read and emotional.
August 29, 2025
La historia es muy buena, al estilo de la autora, romance y aventuras.
Quizás algunas partes sean un poco lentas para el público actual, pero la prosa, la información, las descripciones, etc sin duda son excelentes.
Quizás algunas partes sean un poco lentas para el público actual, pero la prosa, la información, las descripciones, etc sin duda son excelentes.
July 25, 2012
It's been a while I haven't had so much trouble getting into a book as I did with Petals on the River. The fact that this romance exceeds 500 pages wasn't very encouraging, either. But because it's Woodiwiss, I ploughed on and waited for the magic to happen. Wise decision! I didn't regret it.
But before I explain why in more details, once again let me add a little context for my friends who might be new to romance. First of all, while people often like to mention Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer as the precursors of today's romance writers, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is the one who, in the 70's, pioneered in the actual subgenre now known as "historical romance" (at the time distinct from the Regency subgenre). Her recipe? Rebellious heroines, lots of adventure, passion, violence and explicit sex in a 600-page format.
Woodiwiss wrote Petals on the River in the late 90's, yet she still writes like in the 70's. Meaning her sentences are convoluted, heavy with qualifiers, and everything is a pretext for a description and a bit of colourful dialogue. Mind you, it's well done. But it certainly isn't fast, efficient or straight to the point, and it takes some getting used to. By page 20, I had finally adapted to the novel's peculiar pace and was able to enjoy it till the end of the book. I can even say that, once you take it in stride, Ms. Woodiwiss's rich style turns out more captivating than many a modern, condensed and concise one, and the perfect tone for her fantastic stories, reminding one of the never-ending historical frescoes of old.
Shemaine O'Hearn, a respectable, if half-Irish young woman, is kidnapped from her home and wrongly imprisoned before ending up on a ship to the colonies, where she will be sold as an indentured servant along other criminals. Thank God, the man who buys her is even better than she'd hoped for. Gage Thornton, an honest cabinetmaker with dreams of building ships, is a widower and father to a toddler. As both Shemaine and Gage soon discover each other's good qualities, nothing could stop them from falling in love but 1) the mysterious death of Gage's first wife, and 2) the many enemies Shemaine has made, who will not rest until she is dead and buried...
In reality, though, this novel is much less somber than it sounds. In a way, maybe it is not enough so. There is practically no internal conflict preventing the heroine and hero to find happiness together, and though it is a refreshing change from the "love-hate relationship" cliche, it makes one wonder what, then, is taking so long to tell. And, indeed, the whole subplot feels quite artificial. It is ironical that what Woodiwiss is best known for, and what I was most expecting from her, is what I liked the least in Petals on the River: heightened emotions, hatred, revenge, jealousy, gunshots and blood. A strongly Manichean story, it wouldn't end until all the bad guys were defeated, and all the good ones happily settled.
What I liked, then, was the positive, fluffy love story. Shemaine is just perfect for Gage; Gage is just perfect for Shemaine. They follow the perfect steps on the path to love, and find perfect love together. It sounds boring, yet it was the least boring part of the novel to me. It was, in fact, enchanting. Following Shemaine as she rediscovers the simple pleasures of life in a colonial's handmade cabin―and discovers more adult pleasures in the same colonial's arms―is very touching, fun, and entertaining. Petals on the River may not be as epic as Woodiwiss's more famous works, but it's a fully satisfying romance with a raw, genuine "back to nature" flavour.
But before I explain why in more details, once again let me add a little context for my friends who might be new to romance. First of all, while people often like to mention Jane Austen or Georgette Heyer as the precursors of today's romance writers, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is the one who, in the 70's, pioneered in the actual subgenre now known as "historical romance" (at the time distinct from the Regency subgenre). Her recipe? Rebellious heroines, lots of adventure, passion, violence and explicit sex in a 600-page format.
Woodiwiss wrote Petals on the River in the late 90's, yet she still writes like in the 70's. Meaning her sentences are convoluted, heavy with qualifiers, and everything is a pretext for a description and a bit of colourful dialogue. Mind you, it's well done. But it certainly isn't fast, efficient or straight to the point, and it takes some getting used to. By page 20, I had finally adapted to the novel's peculiar pace and was able to enjoy it till the end of the book. I can even say that, once you take it in stride, Ms. Woodiwiss's rich style turns out more captivating than many a modern, condensed and concise one, and the perfect tone for her fantastic stories, reminding one of the never-ending historical frescoes of old.
Shemaine O'Hearn, a respectable, if half-Irish young woman, is kidnapped from her home and wrongly imprisoned before ending up on a ship to the colonies, where she will be sold as an indentured servant along other criminals. Thank God, the man who buys her is even better than she'd hoped for. Gage Thornton, an honest cabinetmaker with dreams of building ships, is a widower and father to a toddler. As both Shemaine and Gage soon discover each other's good qualities, nothing could stop them from falling in love but 1) the mysterious death of Gage's first wife, and 2) the many enemies Shemaine has made, who will not rest until she is dead and buried...
William raised the sights of his pistol toward the man and began to squeeze the trigger, but before he could complete the motion, the roar of another flintlock echoed in resounding waves across the ship. Ever so slowly, the huge brigand's knees buckled, twisting oddly beneath him as his body began to collapse. Blood glistened wetly in the rosy shade of the coming dawn as it oozed from a large hole in his head and cascaded down over his ear.
In reality, though, this novel is much less somber than it sounds. In a way, maybe it is not enough so. There is practically no internal conflict preventing the heroine and hero to find happiness together, and though it is a refreshing change from the "love-hate relationship" cliche, it makes one wonder what, then, is taking so long to tell. And, indeed, the whole subplot feels quite artificial. It is ironical that what Woodiwiss is best known for, and what I was most expecting from her, is what I liked the least in Petals on the River: heightened emotions, hatred, revenge, jealousy, gunshots and blood. A strongly Manichean story, it wouldn't end until all the bad guys were defeated, and all the good ones happily settled.
She grew flushed and warm, while in the depths of her being there again sprouted that strange, insatiable longing that grew apace with her mindful meanderings, as if her young body desperately hungered for fulfillment from that particular entity whose face and form haunted her imaginings.
What I liked, then, was the positive, fluffy love story. Shemaine is just perfect for Gage; Gage is just perfect for Shemaine. They follow the perfect steps on the path to love, and find perfect love together. It sounds boring, yet it was the least boring part of the novel to me. It was, in fact, enchanting. Following Shemaine as she rediscovers the simple pleasures of life in a colonial's handmade cabin―and discovers more adult pleasures in the same colonial's arms―is very touching, fun, and entertaining. Petals on the River may not be as epic as Woodiwiss's more famous works, but it's a fully satisfying romance with a raw, genuine "back to nature" flavour.
May 8, 2024
Anyone who loves this book wouldn’t get any arguments from me. There are many reasons to love it, primarily the enthralling story and convincing romance, with fully written primary and secondary characters who jump off the page. There are also beautifully written moments that crop up unexpectedly and clutch at the heartstrings:
Gage drew the team to a halt beside a fenced garden where an old woman in a cloth bonnet was carefully tilling the soil with a hoe. He jumped down and, sweeping off his hat, approached the fence near the spot where she labored. “Your pardon, madam, but seeing as this is my wedding day, I wonder if you might allow me to buy a bouquet of flowers for my bride from your beautiful garden.”
Awwww.
Anyone who dislikes this book wouldn’t get any arguments from me either. It was written in 1961, and perhaps the sexy times in this book were pretty forward for the period, but talk of exploding stars and drifting slowly back to earth, along with references to the hero’s “bold blade of passion” (yes, what you’re thinking) and the heroine’s “lustrous orbs” (no, not her eyes) are unintentionally humorous in this day and age. Euphemisms aside, the corny dialogue between the lovers is far more grating:
”Ah, love, you’ve lit fires that must now be quenched,” he rasped, closing his steely fingers around hers. It was exquisite torture, but he could not endure it for long. He was far too close to ecstasy to trust himself. “My needs roil in merry pain, madam, yet I would seek to give you pleasure ere my release.”
“My needs roil in merry pain.” Said no man ever.
There’s no shortage of equally ridiculous romantic exchanges between the hero and heroine. There’s also no shortages of psychos who want to kill them, and no shortage of ridiculous ways they manage to escape, thanks largely to killers who’d rather talk than pull the trigger.
But this book had charm, a rip-roaring story, lots of action, and a love story not even laughably torrid language could smother.
And a lovely, leftover Marquess who had to ride off into the sunset with second-best.
So, in spite of flaws, I had a really good time reading this.
Gage drew the team to a halt beside a fenced garden where an old woman in a cloth bonnet was carefully tilling the soil with a hoe. He jumped down and, sweeping off his hat, approached the fence near the spot where she labored. “Your pardon, madam, but seeing as this is my wedding day, I wonder if you might allow me to buy a bouquet of flowers for my bride from your beautiful garden.”
Awwww.
Anyone who dislikes this book wouldn’t get any arguments from me either. It was written in 1961, and perhaps the sexy times in this book were pretty forward for the period, but talk of exploding stars and drifting slowly back to earth, along with references to the hero’s “bold blade of passion” (yes, what you’re thinking) and the heroine’s “lustrous orbs” (no, not her eyes) are unintentionally humorous in this day and age. Euphemisms aside, the corny dialogue between the lovers is far more grating:
”Ah, love, you’ve lit fires that must now be quenched,” he rasped, closing his steely fingers around hers. It was exquisite torture, but he could not endure it for long. He was far too close to ecstasy to trust himself. “My needs roil in merry pain, madam, yet I would seek to give you pleasure ere my release.”
“My needs roil in merry pain.” Said no man ever.
There’s no shortage of equally ridiculous romantic exchanges between the hero and heroine. There’s also no shortages of psychos who want to kill them, and no shortage of ridiculous ways they manage to escape, thanks largely to killers who’d rather talk than pull the trigger.
But this book had charm, a rip-roaring story, lots of action, and a love story not even laughably torrid language could smother.
And a lovely, leftover Marquess who had to ride off into the sunset with second-best.
So, in spite of flaws, I had a really good time reading this.
October 28, 2016
Nope. Just. I just can't do it anymore. I'm 300 pages into this monster and I just can't keep reading. Nice hero, nice heroine, even a cute kid and I just don't care. Though that may have something to do with the fact that I'm 300 pages in and still nothing is really happening. (But when you write with such flowery, redundant language, I guess you're probably not getting anywhere anytime soon.)
This might scrape together a two-star rating if I could bring myself to finish it, but...nope. Not gonna. I am declaring myself free, dammit.
This might scrape together a two-star rating if I could bring myself to finish it, but...nope. Not gonna. I am declaring myself free, dammit.
March 28, 2018
3,5/5
#RitaWoodiwiss #RetoRita2
Me enganchó desde el principio y pensé que sería uno de mis preferidos de la autora pero se fue desinflando en la última parte. Y es que la relación entre los protagonistas se me volvió un poco empalagosa y me sobró mucha paja.
A destacar algunos secundarios como Mary Margaret.
Además para las que os habéis leído Shanna sabréis algo de los Beauchamp antes de Shanna, incluido Ruark 😉
#RitaWoodiwiss #RetoRita2
Me enganchó desde el principio y pensé que sería uno de mis preferidos de la autora pero se fue desinflando en la última parte. Y es que la relación entre los protagonistas se me volvió un poco empalagosa y me sobró mucha paja.
A destacar algunos secundarios como Mary Margaret.
Además para las que os habéis leído Shanna sabréis algo de los Beauchamp antes de Shanna, incluido Ruark 😉
October 29, 2019
Wells, well I have nothing but good praises for this BOOK!! Petals On The Wind, by Kathleen Woodiwiss is AWESOME! My, my. Ok, first, the romance between Shemaine and Gage was romantic and steamy. Second throw in action, suspense, murder and a who done it.
Follow up with vengeful vixens, harlots and Marquis. You therefore then have a one hell of a whomping book to read by the fire, with a warm blanket and wine. People I recommend this writer and I recommend this book. Go read it.
Follow up with vengeful vixens, harlots and Marquis. You therefore then have a one hell of a whomping book to read by the fire, with a warm blanket and wine. People I recommend this writer and I recommend this book. Go read it.
February 26, 2020
3 Estrellas. Me ha gustado algo más que los últimos libros que he leído de ella, que todo sea dicho, fueron catastróficos. Tras esto iba con las expectativas muy, muy bajas, y ha sido bueno porque quizás me ha permitido disfrutar de este libro algo más. No es uno de los libros más conocidos de Kathleen Woodiwiss, y no es una joyita, pero es pasable, muy de su estilo, es decir, muy culebronero, pero poco más tiene.
Este libro ocurre en Norteamérica antes de la independencia de Estados Unidos. La protagonista, Shemaine es una joven irlandesa que ha sido apresada injustamente por un delito que no cometió, encerrada en la cárcel de Newgate y posteriormente confinada en un barco de convictos rumbo a las colonias donde será vendida como esclava durante siete años que dura su condena. Shemaine es una joven de buena familia, hija de un rico comerciante y prometida con un marqués, dado su estatus ¿Cómo es posible que la apresaran por robo? Shemaine está segura de que la abuela de su prometido ha tenido algo que ver en su detención, y en contra de lo que todos pensaban, Shemaine consigue sobrevivir a todas las penurias a lo largo del océano, hasta que llega a América.
En cuanto el barco atraca, el colono Gage Thornton compra a Shemaine. Por supuesto a nadie escapa que Gage la ha comprado por lo hermosa que es, es un hombre y como tal, le encantan las chicas de buen ver. Gage lleva nueve años viviendo en América y tiene un próspero negocio como ebanista, su mujer falleció hace un año (y las malas lenguas dicen que fue él quien la mató) dejándole con un niño pequeño; a sus tareas se le suman que necesita alguien que le organice la casa, cuide del pequeño Andrew y más adelante le enseñe a leer y escribir, y la persona más indicada parece ser Shemaine, pues se la ve que es una dama instruida, mientras que el resto de convictas que llegan en barco son poco menos que prostitutas.
El romance de ambos personajes no tarda mucho en aparecer, pese a que temo estar ante un caso de instalove por parte de Gage, Shemaine tardará algo más en enamorarse de él ¿Cómo podría ser de otra manera si estaba prometida y enamorada de otro hombre y de éste colono se dice que mató a su esposa? Si bien, el poco tiempo que llevan juntos conviviendo Shemaine se ha dado cuenta de que Gage es un hombre bueno y de honor, que la trata mejor de lo esperado, y es posible que le esté gustando mucho.
No todo será de color de rosa, pues como en todo culebrón no faltarán la cantidad de enemigos que tienen nuestros protagonistas, sobre todo Shemaine ¿Cuál es su culpa? Ser hermosa y que todos los hombres se fijen en ella por su apariencia. Sí, creo que estoy harta de protagonistas de éste estilo, todo este mismo tono culebronero lo han copiado muy bien otras autoras como Lola P. Nieva, la misma historia de celos y envidias. Pero de verdad que todos los “malos” que surgen en éste libro son tremendos, empezando por la mala malísima, la abuela del marqués du Mercer, que quiere verla muerta para que su nieto no se case con ella y pergeñe su descendencia. A bordo del barco la odia la esposa del capitán porque éste se la quiere cepillar, también tendremos a una prostituta llamada Morrisa que la odia por enfrentarse a ella y su compinche el contramaestre Potts, una vez en tierra, Shemaine se ganará la enemistad de Roxanne Corbin, una solterona con cara de caballo que lleva pretendiendo a Gage desde que éste desembarcó en América. Y ojo que estos son solo unos pocos de todos los que odian o intentan matar a Shemaine, tremendo las pasiones que desata esta chica.
Los puntos buenos del libro: como todo culebrón es entretenido, está bien escrito. Lo malo, que por ser un culebrón llegas al punto de que no te crees nada de lo que ocurre, además que salen malos hasta de las piedras para remover más mierda. Finalmente, que el libro promete algo más de lo que da y si soy sincera, creo que le sobraban cien páginas; sí, lo sé, es un libro de Kathleen Woodiwiss, pero sus libros se hacen demasiado densos y pesados, y a éste en particular le sobraban varios capítulos de la primera mitad. Pueden decirme que son necesarios para poner el libro en situación, pero con un resumen sin tener que describir tanto, habría estado mejor.
¿Los protagonistas me han gustado? Claro, estamos ante un culebrón y son buenos buenísimos, es imposible que caigan mal... en fin, creo que no puedo decir mucho más, salvo que me ha encantado el pequeño Andrew, y que al final, cuando se va descubriendo el pastel no acabas muy sorprendido debido a que te vas oliendo lo que va a pasar.
Finalmente, no sé por qué, creo que éste libro tiene un ligero roce con “Shanna”, de la misma autora ¿Será por el Ruark Beauchamp que aparece?
Este libro ocurre en Norteamérica antes de la independencia de Estados Unidos. La protagonista, Shemaine es una joven irlandesa que ha sido apresada injustamente por un delito que no cometió, encerrada en la cárcel de Newgate y posteriormente confinada en un barco de convictos rumbo a las colonias donde será vendida como esclava durante siete años que dura su condena. Shemaine es una joven de buena familia, hija de un rico comerciante y prometida con un marqués, dado su estatus ¿Cómo es posible que la apresaran por robo? Shemaine está segura de que la abuela de su prometido ha tenido algo que ver en su detención, y en contra de lo que todos pensaban, Shemaine consigue sobrevivir a todas las penurias a lo largo del océano, hasta que llega a América.
En cuanto el barco atraca, el colono Gage Thornton compra a Shemaine. Por supuesto a nadie escapa que Gage la ha comprado por lo hermosa que es, es un hombre y como tal, le encantan las chicas de buen ver. Gage lleva nueve años viviendo en América y tiene un próspero negocio como ebanista, su mujer falleció hace un año (y las malas lenguas dicen que fue él quien la mató) dejándole con un niño pequeño; a sus tareas se le suman que necesita alguien que le organice la casa, cuide del pequeño Andrew y más adelante le enseñe a leer y escribir, y la persona más indicada parece ser Shemaine, pues se la ve que es una dama instruida, mientras que el resto de convictas que llegan en barco son poco menos que prostitutas.
El romance de ambos personajes no tarda mucho en aparecer, pese a que temo estar ante un caso de instalove por parte de Gage, Shemaine tardará algo más en enamorarse de él ¿Cómo podría ser de otra manera si estaba prometida y enamorada de otro hombre y de éste colono se dice que mató a su esposa? Si bien, el poco tiempo que llevan juntos conviviendo Shemaine se ha dado cuenta de que Gage es un hombre bueno y de honor, que la trata mejor de lo esperado, y es posible que le esté gustando mucho.
No todo será de color de rosa, pues como en todo culebrón no faltarán la cantidad de enemigos que tienen nuestros protagonistas, sobre todo Shemaine ¿Cuál es su culpa? Ser hermosa y que todos los hombres se fijen en ella por su apariencia. Sí, creo que estoy harta de protagonistas de éste estilo, todo este mismo tono culebronero lo han copiado muy bien otras autoras como Lola P. Nieva, la misma historia de celos y envidias. Pero de verdad que todos los “malos” que surgen en éste libro son tremendos, empezando por la mala malísima, la abuela del marqués du Mercer, que quiere verla muerta para que su nieto no se case con ella y pergeñe su descendencia. A bordo del barco la odia la esposa del capitán porque éste se la quiere cepillar, también tendremos a una prostituta llamada Morrisa que la odia por enfrentarse a ella y su compinche el contramaestre Potts, una vez en tierra, Shemaine se ganará la enemistad de Roxanne Corbin, una solterona con cara de caballo que lleva pretendiendo a Gage desde que éste desembarcó en América. Y ojo que estos son solo unos pocos de todos los que odian o intentan matar a Shemaine, tremendo las pasiones que desata esta chica.
Los puntos buenos del libro: como todo culebrón es entretenido, está bien escrito. Lo malo, que por ser un culebrón llegas al punto de que no te crees nada de lo que ocurre, además que salen malos hasta de las piedras para remover más mierda. Finalmente, que el libro promete algo más de lo que da y si soy sincera, creo que le sobraban cien páginas; sí, lo sé, es un libro de Kathleen Woodiwiss, pero sus libros se hacen demasiado densos y pesados, y a éste en particular le sobraban varios capítulos de la primera mitad. Pueden decirme que son necesarios para poner el libro en situación, pero con un resumen sin tener que describir tanto, habría estado mejor.
¿Los protagonistas me han gustado? Claro, estamos ante un culebrón y son buenos buenísimos, es imposible que caigan mal... en fin, creo que no puedo decir mucho más, salvo que me ha encantado el pequeño Andrew, y que al final, cuando se va descubriendo el pastel no acabas muy sorprendido debido a que te vas oliendo lo que va a pasar.
Finalmente, no sé por qué, creo que éste libro tiene un ligero roce con “Shanna”, de la misma autora ¿Será por el Ruark Beauchamp que aparece?
December 3, 2013
It hurts my heart to give this book three stars because Kathleen Woodiwiss is my all-time favorite author. Hands down! I love her and she can do no wrong.
But this sort of pushed the envelope. The story dragged a lot toward the end and it became monotonous and cumbersome to read it. Gage and Shemaine were ga-ga over each other. I got that. I also got that Gage was a boob man.
The story was rolling along okay and then dragged and then suddenly all of these characters started showing up and they showed up all at once. Maurice, the O'Hearn's and their servants, Gage's dad, and then here comes the wicked old granny. Every time I turned a page, somebody was trying to kill Shemaine or Gage or both of them or Gage was groping her boobs again. Holy cow, Batman. But I have to give the author credit. She wrote it with style.
And another thing that kind of struck me badly, and Kathleen Woodiwiss has done this in all of her books, the women are always significantly younger than the men. Gage was fourteen years older than Shemaine who was just eighteen. Yeah, he was gorgeous and studly but he was too old for her. Times were different then, I know but for some reason I just couldn't get past it in this particular book.
I had another issue, too and unless you've read her other novels, you might not have even noticed. When Captain Beauchamp came to look at the ship that Gage was building, he had a guy with him by the name of Ruark and Captain Beauchamp were brothers (Nathaniel Beauchamp). Not a big thing only Ruark Beauchamp was Shanna Trahern's husband in the book "Shanna" which is a fantastic read by the way. I could be wrong about the last name on Ruark in "Shanna" because it's been years since I've read it but I'm very positive about Ruark being her husband in that novel. Ruark in this novel was a far different character. I don't know if that's a literary faux pas or not but being a wannabe writer myself, when I'm done writing a novel, I retire those names forever unless they come back in another novel as the same characters they've always been. I have Jared, Jack and Caine and none of them will ever meet and Jared and Jack are retired while Caine is still plugging along. Not that it matters, These guys are as different as the sun and the moon and none of them have anything to do with each others stories and I guess I look at it as sort of sacrilege to reuse their names without the characters I created with the names attached to them. Just saying...
I'm still a fan of Kathleen Woodiwiss, God rest her soul. I still think she's the best romance writer I've ever read and knew how to do it with style and finesse. I just didn't love this book. She wrote others that were so much better.
But this sort of pushed the envelope. The story dragged a lot toward the end and it became monotonous and cumbersome to read it. Gage and Shemaine were ga-ga over each other. I got that. I also got that Gage was a boob man.
The story was rolling along okay and then dragged and then suddenly all of these characters started showing up and they showed up all at once. Maurice, the O'Hearn's and their servants, Gage's dad, and then here comes the wicked old granny. Every time I turned a page, somebody was trying to kill Shemaine or Gage or both of them or Gage was groping her boobs again. Holy cow, Batman. But I have to give the author credit. She wrote it with style.
And another thing that kind of struck me badly, and Kathleen Woodiwiss has done this in all of her books, the women are always significantly younger than the men. Gage was fourteen years older than Shemaine who was just eighteen. Yeah, he was gorgeous and studly but he was too old for her. Times were different then, I know but for some reason I just couldn't get past it in this particular book.
I had another issue, too and unless you've read her other novels, you might not have even noticed. When Captain Beauchamp came to look at the ship that Gage was building, he had a guy with him by the name of Ruark and Captain Beauchamp were brothers (Nathaniel Beauchamp). Not a big thing only Ruark Beauchamp was Shanna Trahern's husband in the book "Shanna" which is a fantastic read by the way. I could be wrong about the last name on Ruark in "Shanna" because it's been years since I've read it but I'm very positive about Ruark being her husband in that novel. Ruark in this novel was a far different character. I don't know if that's a literary faux pas or not but being a wannabe writer myself, when I'm done writing a novel, I retire those names forever unless they come back in another novel as the same characters they've always been. I have Jared, Jack and Caine and none of them will ever meet and Jared and Jack are retired while Caine is still plugging along. Not that it matters, These guys are as different as the sun and the moon and none of them have anything to do with each others stories and I guess I look at it as sort of sacrilege to reuse their names without the characters I created with the names attached to them. Just saying...
I'm still a fan of Kathleen Woodiwiss, God rest her soul. I still think she's the best romance writer I've ever read and knew how to do it with style and finesse. I just didn't love this book. She wrote others that were so much better.
February 7, 2017
Me ha enganchando desde la primera pagina y me han encantado los protagonistas, los malos........ todo... y no le pongo un 10 xk era muy largo
9.5/10
9.5/10
August 12, 2016
2,5 étoiles
J'ai bien aimé dans l'ensemble, mais j'ai trouvé que l'histoire d'amour était trop longue à démarrer et qu'il manquait de passion. De plus, même si Gage a toujours été bon envers Shemaine, elle accepte un peu trop facilement sa condition d'esclave pour une fille qui a toujours eu une existence privilégiée. J'ai par contre adoré le passage avec la famille de Ruark, le héros de Shanna.
J'ai bien aimé dans l'ensemble, mais j'ai trouvé que l'histoire d'amour était trop longue à démarrer et qu'il manquait de passion. De plus, même si Gage a toujours été bon envers Shemaine, elle accepte un peu trop facilement sa condition d'esclave pour une fille qui a toujours eu une existence privilégiée. J'ai par contre adoré le passage avec la famille de Ruark, le héros de Shanna.
September 9, 2018
4.5 Stars
Good gracious, I’ve never read a book where I wanted someone’s luck to turn around so so so so so so so badly! Ugh! This book had me on roller coaster with the story line! I thought angsty storylines could drive me bananas and hook me in to the point where I’m yelling at the characters -but oh NOOOOO... this was even more torturous feeling, but in a good way.
1.) The heroine & hero had the worst of the situations. However, the other characters didn’t fair much better!
2.) this takes place in American colonies, so life pretty much handed you ONLY lemons and nothing more )
3.) Total Georgian/regent vibe throughout book.
4.)The characters bad luck kept me so intrigued and reading aggressively until the end, because I had to know what exact situations would be “righted” in the end and what would remain “wronged” for these characters.
Overall the book was pretty damn good!
I requested a few more KW books, this lady can write some good stories and all types of
Storylines/times and places!
Good gracious, I’ve never read a book where I wanted someone’s luck to turn around so so so so so so so badly! Ugh! This book had me on roller coaster with the story line! I thought angsty storylines could drive me bananas and hook me in to the point where I’m yelling at the characters -but oh NOOOOO... this was even more torturous feeling, but in a good way.
1.) The heroine & hero had the worst of the situations. However, the other characters didn’t fair much better!
2.) this takes place in American colonies, so life pretty much handed you ONLY lemons and nothing more )
3.) Total Georgian/regent vibe throughout book.
4.)The characters bad luck kept me so intrigued and reading aggressively until the end, because I had to know what exact situations would be “righted” in the end and what would remain “wronged” for these characters.
Overall the book was pretty damn good!
I requested a few more KW books, this lady can write some good stories and all types of
Storylines/times and places!
May 3, 2022
It was ok. All I know is that Ruark’s cameo made me want to reread Shanna again and it’s been only a month since last time bc I got it in paperback
February 24, 2012
A Sweet Story, But Not The Best of Woodiwiss
Kathleen Woodiwiss wrote some of the finest historical romances in the genre, beginning in 1972 with her first, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER, that sold over 2.5 million copies, but there was a period from 1984-2002 when what she wrote fell short of her own standard of excellence. Oh the writing is still good but sometimes the stories dragged a bit and the plot was not as exciting or as intriguing as the rest. I've listed her novels below with an "*" behind those I think are her best (and you can see my separate reviews of them).
Petals on the River falls into the "dark" period. It is an American Colonial romance that takes place in mid 18th century Virginia. It's the story of beautiful Irish lass, Shemaine O'Hearn, who was born to loving wealthy parents in England and who was betrothed to the Marquess Maurice du Mercer. Though Maurice loved Shemaine and was committed to being her husband, Maurice's grandmother did not want the Irish twit in their family genepool so she plotted to have the girl falsely arrested and thrown into Newgate prison without her family's knowledge. Faced with a choice of being a bond servant in the colonies or possible rape in prison, Shemaine sets sail for Virginia with other prisoners. Once there she is "bought" by a widower, Gage Thornton, a prosperous cabinetmaker and hopeful shipbuilder who has need of a nursemaid for his young son, one who can teach the lad to read and write. He instantly sees that Shemaine is no ordinary prisoner. Soon Gage and Shemaine find they are attracted to each other and Shemaine, believing her betrothed has likely moved on and knowing she faces 7 years of servant hood, agrees to wed Gage when he asks her. And they soon fall in love. But there are those who would see her dead, either out of jealousy or because they are in league with Maurice's grandmother who still seeks the girl's end. Several attempts are made on her life. Then one day her past catches up with her and folks start arriving from England. That's basically the set up for the story.
It's a sweet romance and there are no dramatic twists and turns though there are a few altercations and narrow escapes. I thought Gage was a man of character and a droolworthy hero. Shemaine was a bit too sweet and without apparent faults. Unlike some reviewers, I did not think the characters two dimensional. As usual, Woodiwiss paints a vivid picture of the world she has created. It is a very realistic portrait of life in the colonies at the time and I found it believable. I just did not find the story compelling enough for more than 3 stars.
Here's the list of her novels so you can see where this one fits in. I've divided them into the Birmingham saga trilogy (omitting related short stories) and then in the single novels, I've drawn a line when I think the work went from 5 to 3 stars. Though I know some would disagree with me, I gave 4 and 1/2 stars to "Everlasting" as I really enjoyed it. Again, those with an "*" are her best.
Birmingham Family Saga Series
1. The Flame and the Flower, 1972*
2. A Season Beyond a Kiss, 2000
3. The Elusive Flame, 1998
Single Novels
' The Wolf and The Dove, 1974*
' Shanna, 1977*
' Ashes in The Wind, 1979*
' A Rose in Winter, 1981*
___________________________________________
' Come Love a Stranger, 1984
' So Worthy My Love, 1989
' Forever in Your Embrace, 1992
' Petals on the River, 1997
' The Reluctant Suitor, 2002
_________________________________________
' Everlasting, 2007*
Kathleen Woodiwiss wrote some of the finest historical romances in the genre, beginning in 1972 with her first, THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER, that sold over 2.5 million copies, but there was a period from 1984-2002 when what she wrote fell short of her own standard of excellence. Oh the writing is still good but sometimes the stories dragged a bit and the plot was not as exciting or as intriguing as the rest. I've listed her novels below with an "*" behind those I think are her best (and you can see my separate reviews of them).
Petals on the River falls into the "dark" period. It is an American Colonial romance that takes place in mid 18th century Virginia. It's the story of beautiful Irish lass, Shemaine O'Hearn, who was born to loving wealthy parents in England and who was betrothed to the Marquess Maurice du Mercer. Though Maurice loved Shemaine and was committed to being her husband, Maurice's grandmother did not want the Irish twit in their family genepool so she plotted to have the girl falsely arrested and thrown into Newgate prison without her family's knowledge. Faced with a choice of being a bond servant in the colonies or possible rape in prison, Shemaine sets sail for Virginia with other prisoners. Once there she is "bought" by a widower, Gage Thornton, a prosperous cabinetmaker and hopeful shipbuilder who has need of a nursemaid for his young son, one who can teach the lad to read and write. He instantly sees that Shemaine is no ordinary prisoner. Soon Gage and Shemaine find they are attracted to each other and Shemaine, believing her betrothed has likely moved on and knowing she faces 7 years of servant hood, agrees to wed Gage when he asks her. And they soon fall in love. But there are those who would see her dead, either out of jealousy or because they are in league with Maurice's grandmother who still seeks the girl's end. Several attempts are made on her life. Then one day her past catches up with her and folks start arriving from England. That's basically the set up for the story.
It's a sweet romance and there are no dramatic twists and turns though there are a few altercations and narrow escapes. I thought Gage was a man of character and a droolworthy hero. Shemaine was a bit too sweet and without apparent faults. Unlike some reviewers, I did not think the characters two dimensional. As usual, Woodiwiss paints a vivid picture of the world she has created. It is a very realistic portrait of life in the colonies at the time and I found it believable. I just did not find the story compelling enough for more than 3 stars.
Here's the list of her novels so you can see where this one fits in. I've divided them into the Birmingham saga trilogy (omitting related short stories) and then in the single novels, I've drawn a line when I think the work went from 5 to 3 stars. Though I know some would disagree with me, I gave 4 and 1/2 stars to "Everlasting" as I really enjoyed it. Again, those with an "*" are her best.
Birmingham Family Saga Series
1. The Flame and the Flower, 1972*
2. A Season Beyond a Kiss, 2000
3. The Elusive Flame, 1998
Single Novels
' The Wolf and The Dove, 1974*
' Shanna, 1977*
' Ashes in The Wind, 1979*
' A Rose in Winter, 1981*
___________________________________________
' Come Love a Stranger, 1984
' So Worthy My Love, 1989
' Forever in Your Embrace, 1992
' Petals on the River, 1997
' The Reluctant Suitor, 2002
_________________________________________
' Everlasting, 2007*
March 31, 2013
When Shemaine O Hearn finds herself engaged, and falling in love with a wonderful man she thinks nothing could go wrong, everything is going right, but she has one person that doesn't approve of the match, his grandmother. So before Shemaine knows it, she has been falsely accused of thievery and is sent to America and sold into servitude for seven years. The ride on the ship was hard enough and she doesn't know what is in her future. Then she is surprised when she is sold to a Gage Thornton, who is a shipbuilder and in need of someone to care for his son and to cool and clean....Shemaine figures it couldn't get any worse now. Shemaine is surprised by how well Gage treats her, with courtesy and respect and kindness something no one has treated her since she was taken. So even though Shemaine misses her old life, she is prepared to start a new life with Gage and his son, and in Gage's arms finds "Home".Petals On The River would have to be one of my all time favorite books from this author...one that I have probably read over and over....but its been a while since I have read it, and when I saw it in the library I just wanted to read this old favorite of mine. Petals On The River is such a sweet and charming story, and both Gage and Shemaine are such endearing characters you can't help but love them. Also one thing that I love about this story is how there is much more to this story than a mere love story, it has some difficult conflicts that both Shemaine and Gage have to go through, and there some suspenseful scenes that kept the story going...and I just loved the blossoming romance that developed between these two. And I just thought Gage's little boy Andrew was just charming and adorable.....Overall a loveable story filled with a charming characters, a exciting plot, and a love story that will make you cry, written by a Legend......A Sensational Romance!!!!
July 7, 2022
5 stars 15 yrs ago, 4.5 stars now. (I did find it slow once they consummated )
Some might find this book slow and boring, because the MCs never fight and the conflict comes from the outside. But that’s the reason why I liked it. Sometimes you need an angst free, easy read.
You should also know that there’s a lot of purple pose and the book is descriptive.
The h is a falsely accused convict.
The H is a widow with a son.
He buys the beautiful h (with a banging body) off the convict ship to take care of his son and then treats the h like a lady, and they fall in love. (I low key wanted some bodice ripping lol)
Alas there are no bitch slapping, bodice ripping in this story.
The h is a strong, likable Irish girl who doesn’t act like a Tstl bitch or a shrew.
They never fight. Instead, the H gently teases her.
As for drama, there’s an evil wannabe ow who’s been stalking him for 9 years. But no worries, he thinks she ugly, because she’s a plain Jane, and has no feelings for her.
Kinda interesting to see how most of the ow written in the bodice ripper era were described as not as beautiful as the h, when these days ow are always more beautiful than the h with big boobs. And of course, heroines written these days aren’t stunning, merely pretty (what author thinks is relatable🙄) with small boobs and the H prefers the plainer h with flat chest.
Safety
No cheating
Wannabe ow drama, but he’s not attracted to the plain girl.
Some might find this book slow and boring, because the MCs never fight and the conflict comes from the outside. But that’s the reason why I liked it. Sometimes you need an angst free, easy read.
You should also know that there’s a lot of purple pose and the book is descriptive.
The h is a falsely accused convict.
The H is a widow with a son.
He buys the beautiful h (with a banging body) off the convict ship to take care of his son and then treats the h like a lady, and they fall in love. (I low key wanted some bodice ripping lol)
Alas there are no bitch slapping, bodice ripping in this story.
The h is a strong, likable Irish girl who doesn’t act like a Tstl bitch or a shrew.
They never fight. Instead, the H gently teases her.
As for drama, there’s an evil wannabe ow who’s been stalking him for 9 years. But no worries, he thinks she ugly, because she’s a plain Jane, and has no feelings for her.
Kinda interesting to see how most of the ow written in the bodice ripper era were described as not as beautiful as the h, when these days ow are always more beautiful than the h with big boobs. And of course, heroines written these days aren’t stunning, merely pretty (what author thinks is relatable🙄) with small boobs and the H prefers the plainer h with flat chest.
Safety
No cheating
Wannabe ow drama, but he’s not attracted to the plain girl.
September 4, 2018
i read this years ago and I don't remember exactly how I felt about it, but I think it was ok.
I do remember things I didn't like though. like how he was married before and how he has a kid. I really don't like that in a book. I like the main characters to have never been married before they meet each other. &same with the children thing.
I remember this one scene where the MC's were making love in this pond, and the guy's ex-mistress, or just some woman in town who liked him, was watching them. I believe that scene was in this book.
I also remember the MC's in his bed, and then the kid comes running in the room. Seriously annoying. One of the many reasons why kids are annoying. It just ruined the romantic scenes.
The hero's wife died on a ship, I think, and I believe there was one scene where the heroine was on a ship, and he worried she would be hurt.
I do remember things I didn't like though. like how he was married before and how he has a kid. I really don't like that in a book. I like the main characters to have never been married before they meet each other. &same with the children thing.
I remember this one scene where the MC's were making love in this pond, and the guy's ex-mistress, or just some woman in town who liked him, was watching them. I believe that scene was in this book.
I also remember the MC's in his bed, and then the kid comes running in the room. Seriously annoying. One of the many reasons why kids are annoying. It just ruined the romantic scenes.
The hero's wife died on a ship, I think, and I believe there was one scene where the heroine was on a ship, and he worried she would be hurt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 29, 2018
Petals on the River surprised me. Negatively. I cannot remember the last time I read such a bad book. And the astonishment was even greater knowing this was written by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss. The characters are very plain, with little backbone. As soon as one offers a marriage, the other confesses her true and eternal love. Things that should have developed longer happened too fast. The plot twists are very weird and the motives for them even worse. I didn't enjoy this book. I found way too many things that didn't work for me. Too bad, since some other works by Woodiwiss are good.
August 10, 2010
My first clunker by Kathleen Woodiwiss. No tension, no sizzle, no steam, no will they/won't they?. Just a hero who is a really nice guy who buys a bondslave who turns out to be (gasp) a really nice girl. She cooks like a chef (though she said she didn't know how) she does laundry, she's a wonderful babysitter, she was wrongfully convicted! B-O-R-I-N-G. (Sorry, KEW).
January 21, 2012
I couldn't finish this. The heroine was so unbelievable perfect that I found her unbelievably boring.
August 14, 2021
Awful!!! Boring, super slow, hard to understand the colonial American accent, and there was NO passion and NO real chemistry between these two. Two thumbs waaaaay down. 👎🏽👎🏽
September 27, 2020
3.9 stars
It’s been a while since I picked up a Kathleen E Woodiwiss. I think because anyone who’s read her before knows you have to steel yourself for some serious angst and misunderstandings between H and h.
This was a really pleasant surprise as despite all the usual mystery, action and suspense, the protagonists were unfailing nice to each other and it made for a nice change.
Listening to this one on audio (a very dated version) I wonder, as I often do, if I would have rated it higher had I read it in print.
This has only brought home to me how much I’ve enjoyed KEW’s works and I will definitely pick up the print copy of the next one I read.
It’s been a while since I picked up a Kathleen E Woodiwiss. I think because anyone who’s read her before knows you have to steel yourself for some serious angst and misunderstandings between H and h.
This was a really pleasant surprise as despite all the usual mystery, action and suspense, the protagonists were unfailing nice to each other and it made for a nice change.
Listening to this one on audio (a very dated version) I wonder, as I often do, if I would have rated it higher had I read it in print.
This has only brought home to me how much I’ve enjoyed KEW’s works and I will definitely pick up the print copy of the next one I read.
February 11, 2014
ETA: Ya, know - I just realized I listened to an abridged version, which definitely may account for my issues with lack of tension and easy resolutions. Think I'll check out the unabridged some day. Hopefully before I die I'll get through all my to-reads
******
I normally avoid Woodiwiss' later novels, which is sad, because I loved her early ones. This was okay. I have no real issues with it, but there was no tension. The plot of the h being bought as an indentured servent by the H has so much potential for tension. In these plots, I expect an H who is, at the least, tempted to take advantage of/flaunt his position as the h's owner (huge potential for *ahem* naughtiness). I also expect the h to be very resistent of her new position. In this the h calmly accepted her lot as a servent even though she was a lady and not a criminal. The H was essentially the perfect gentleman and they got married and fell in love with very little drama. All the tension centers on the h's family and betrothed coming to find her and the H being falsely accused of murdering his first wife. *yawn*
******
I normally avoid Woodiwiss' later novels, which is sad, because I loved her early ones. This was okay. I have no real issues with it, but there was no tension. The plot of the h being bought as an indentured servent by the H has so much potential for tension. In these plots, I expect an H who is, at the least, tempted to take advantage of/flaunt his position as the h's owner (huge potential for *ahem* naughtiness). I also expect the h to be very resistent of her new position. In this the h calmly accepted her lot as a servent even though she was a lady and not a criminal. The H was essentially the perfect gentleman and they got married and fell in love with very little drama. All the tension centers on the h's family and betrothed coming to find her and the H being falsely accused of murdering his first wife. *yawn*
May 10, 2011
This is another very good book by a master story teller that is no longer with us. The story is set in colonial Virginia when indentured servants were sent to colonies to clear out the prisons of England. The story follows Shemaine, a rich young lady, whe has been framed for a crime she didn't commit. She decides she has a better chance of surviving as an indentured servant than staying in Newgate. She has already had several attempts to her life while find bars. Ms. Woodiwiss shows the harshness of the wilderness and the things that people did to just live one day to the next. The book is a wonderful glimpse into colonial life and the area around Williamsburg. I have read this story more times than I want to count and it was enjoyable this time as it was the first time.
June 21, 2022
First time reading: 5 stars
Re-read, 4 stars, a bit slow sometines, but very beautifully writte, "vintage" style, Modern authors doesnt write like this anymore...
Safe story
Beautiful main characters
Great hero
Strong heroine
Will re-read some more time
Re-read, 4 stars, a bit slow sometines, but very beautifully writte, "vintage" style, Modern authors doesnt write like this anymore...
Safe story
Beautiful main characters
Great hero
Strong heroine
Will re-read some more time
July 20, 2018
What a delightful treat. Mom and I loved the detail put into the book. The pacing is beautiful. Sometimes we are dealing with high pace antics of the villains and other times we are sitting in the cabin dealing with day to day problems. It was just so fun and relaxing to read. Mom likes reading about the mundane.
The heroine Shemaine is full of great morals and will not turn her back on someone in need. Watching her take on the many antagonist in the book was a delight. To add to her 3 demensional personality she also it very caring to those she loves. Her relationship with Gages son is very sweet. As for Gage, the hero, he has a very sweet and caring nature and shows it to Shemaine. He was also very happy to teach her how to shot a gun. The back and forth of them saving each other is really beautiful.
Now for the catnip opinions. Mom loved that not all the villains were woman and that Shemaine did have great female friends.
On the downside mom (Spoiler Warnig) did not like when Shemaine parents came and blamed Gage and the only excuse Shemaine could come up with was that she believe Gage was a decent man, though mom does not believe that to be a bad thing she does wonder why Shemaine did not bring up that people had excused her of being a thief and worse. It is some what straightened it by the end but mom wishes it was said through characters instead of through monologue and other characters. Seriously she would have given anything for the main characters to unmask the bad guy instead of the side character who did the unmasking only with himself and the villain.
Over all it was an awesome book.
The heroine Shemaine is full of great morals and will not turn her back on someone in need. Watching her take on the many antagonist in the book was a delight. To add to her 3 demensional personality she also it very caring to those she loves. Her relationship with Gages son is very sweet. As for Gage, the hero, he has a very sweet and caring nature and shows it to Shemaine. He was also very happy to teach her how to shot a gun. The back and forth of them saving each other is really beautiful.
Now for the catnip opinions. Mom loved that not all the villains were woman and that Shemaine did have great female friends.
On the downside mom (Spoiler Warnig) did not like when Shemaine parents came and blamed Gage and the only excuse Shemaine could come up with was that she believe Gage was a decent man, though mom does not believe that to be a bad thing she does wonder why Shemaine did not bring up that people had excused her of being a thief and worse. It is some what straightened it by the end but mom wishes it was said through characters instead of through monologue and other characters. Seriously she would have given anything for the main characters to unmask the bad guy instead of the side character who did the unmasking only with himself and the villain.
Over all it was an awesome book.
November 28, 2016
I really enjoyed this book. This is my first time that I have read this author and can't wait to read some more of her work. The story had a few twists that I did not see coming.
Shemaine O'Hearn is a falsely accused convict on her way to the American colonies to become an indentured servant. Gage Thornton is a master carpenter and shipbuilder who is looking for someone to take care of his home and child. Gage buys Shemaine on the ship saving her from far worst situations. Shemaine discovers somethings about herself that she never knew while Gage realizes how much he cares for her and how much of a family they have become.
Shemaine O'Hearn is a falsely accused convict on her way to the American colonies to become an indentured servant. Gage Thornton is a master carpenter and shipbuilder who is looking for someone to take care of his home and child. Gage buys Shemaine on the ship saving her from far worst situations. Shemaine discovers somethings about herself that she never knew while Gage realizes how much he cares for her and how much of a family they have become.
August 23, 2022
Accomplished, breathtakingly beautiful, courageous heroine - check. Strong, somewhat troubled, incredibly handsome, sexy hero - check. Throw in a bathtub and you've got a Kathleen Woodiwiss novel. It's not Flame and the Flower but it's the next best thing.
July 24, 2024
Se me hizo muy aburrido, sentia que no avanzaba la trama.
September 7, 2017
I’m starting to see that with Miss Woodiwiss, it’s either a bullseye or a complete miss, as it is the case with this book.
Petals On The River disappointed me at several levels and that’s why I rated this one
with mere 2 stars.
First of all, the length of the book was one of the major flaws.
I don’t feel like the book had to be so long to tell the story of our heroine, Shemaine O’Hearn and how she constantly found herself in serious trouble.
In fact, I would have thought the same thing if the book had only half the pages. I think we could have learned the same throughout 300 pages or so.
As it is, I think most of what I read was unnecessary and could have been easily cut out.
Nothing relevant or interesting ever seemed to happen and I had to go through endless descriptions of Shemaine’s household chores and how much Gage unsettled her ‘freshly awakened woman senses’ and all that jazz, which, as you know, was extremely boring.
The only time something somewhat important happened was when our heroine found her life threatened.
Now, come on, how many enemies is it humanly possible for someone to have?
Shemaine had a bunch of them, all eagerly waiting for an opportunity to put her in a wooden pajama.
Let’s count them: Mrs Fitch, the London Pride’s captain’s wife, Jacob Potts, one of the sailors, Morrisa Hatcher, the whore, Roxanne Corbin, who spent years lusting after Gage before Shemaine arrived on the scene and Lady Edith du Mercer, who preferred her dead rather than face the possibility she could marry her grandson and sully the family’s precious aristocratic blood with her Irish blood.
And I’m just talking about the ones who actually tried to kill her, direct or indirectly. She had way more, like Mrs Pettycomb, the gossipmonger.
Really, it came to a point that this entire situation became ridiculous and the only thing I could do was sigh with dread and skip pages.
Besides that, I had other issues with the book, like the fact that Shemaine, who although not a lady came from a family with money and possessions, slipped too easily into the role of a slave and servant.
I don’t think that’s believable. First of all, someone used to that level of comfort would surely notice the difference in circumstances and there’s the fact Shemaine was supposed to be a fiery woman.
I would surely expect her to actively fight against her new circumstances and everyone involved, like Gage, the hero and the man who bought and ended up marrying her.
But no. She had a privileged life in England, was surreptitiously taken away from all that comfort and thrown into prison and a life of slavery, but she’s okay with that. She’s only grateful she was bought by an honorable man who didn’t try to rape her at his first opportunity.
That’s not right at all in my point of view.
Plus, the fact Gage bought her as an indentured servant took a lot away from what the romance could have been. Things just felt strained and forced and I didn’t like that at all.
I need things to develop at a normal pace and to feel natural. Also, I need to feel that the people that are supposed to fall in love with each other are someone on the same level and that certainly didn’t happen.
Shemaine was already reduced to a mere servant and she kept humiliating herself to Gage, not even showing a single drop of her combative Irish temperament.
I hope that what I just referred doesn’t make you think the author is worthless, because that isn’t true. She is very talented, but sometimes she just doesn’t create the right situations for a read to enjoy.
Petals On The River disappointed me at several levels and that’s why I rated this one
with mere 2 stars.
First of all, the length of the book was one of the major flaws.
I don’t feel like the book had to be so long to tell the story of our heroine, Shemaine O’Hearn and how she constantly found herself in serious trouble.
In fact, I would have thought the same thing if the book had only half the pages. I think we could have learned the same throughout 300 pages or so.
As it is, I think most of what I read was unnecessary and could have been easily cut out.
Nothing relevant or interesting ever seemed to happen and I had to go through endless descriptions of Shemaine’s household chores and how much Gage unsettled her ‘freshly awakened woman senses’ and all that jazz, which, as you know, was extremely boring.
The only time something somewhat important happened was when our heroine found her life threatened.
Now, come on, how many enemies is it humanly possible for someone to have?
Shemaine had a bunch of them, all eagerly waiting for an opportunity to put her in a wooden pajama.
Let’s count them: Mrs Fitch, the London Pride’s captain’s wife, Jacob Potts, one of the sailors, Morrisa Hatcher, the whore, Roxanne Corbin, who spent years lusting after Gage before Shemaine arrived on the scene and Lady Edith du Mercer, who preferred her dead rather than face the possibility she could marry her grandson and sully the family’s precious aristocratic blood with her Irish blood.
And I’m just talking about the ones who actually tried to kill her, direct or indirectly. She had way more, like Mrs Pettycomb, the gossipmonger.
Really, it came to a point that this entire situation became ridiculous and the only thing I could do was sigh with dread and skip pages.
Besides that, I had other issues with the book, like the fact that Shemaine, who although not a lady came from a family with money and possessions, slipped too easily into the role of a slave and servant.
I don’t think that’s believable. First of all, someone used to that level of comfort would surely notice the difference in circumstances and there’s the fact Shemaine was supposed to be a fiery woman.
I would surely expect her to actively fight against her new circumstances and everyone involved, like Gage, the hero and the man who bought and ended up marrying her.
But no. She had a privileged life in England, was surreptitiously taken away from all that comfort and thrown into prison and a life of slavery, but she’s okay with that. She’s only grateful she was bought by an honorable man who didn’t try to rape her at his first opportunity.
That’s not right at all in my point of view.
Plus, the fact Gage bought her as an indentured servant took a lot away from what the romance could have been. Things just felt strained and forced and I didn’t like that at all.
I need things to develop at a normal pace and to feel natural. Also, I need to feel that the people that are supposed to fall in love with each other are someone on the same level and that certainly didn’t happen.
Shemaine was already reduced to a mere servant and she kept humiliating herself to Gage, not even showing a single drop of her combative Irish temperament.
I hope that what I just referred doesn’t make you think the author is worthless, because that isn’t true. She is very talented, but sometimes she just doesn’t create the right situations for a read to enjoy.
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