Something Wonderful

Rating:
Summary: Something Wonderful
Review: I'm not much of a big romance reader, so one day I decided to just read one. Guess which one I happened to pick up? Yup, Something Wonderful, bu Judith McNaught. And yup, it definitely was "Something Wonderful."

While I was reading the book, I fell in love with Jordan, Duke of Hawthorne. He cynicism really made me admire him, because I'm a cynicist myself. So I really felt like I knew him. Of course their were times when I felt like muredring him when he hurt Alexandra.

Alexandra would be someone who I wouldn't mind having as a friend because of her sweet, unassuming nature and intelligence. That is one of the reasons I admire her. She is extremely intelligent and isn't afraid of speaking up. Her exploits made me laugh hysterically, and feel sorry for her at the same time.

Alexandra saves Jordan's life, and in return he accidentally ruins her reputation. Alexandra's mother insists that he marries Alexandra. Jordan marries her unwillingly, but feels bad that he destroyed her innocent reputation. From there on is battle of wits, passion, and hearts.

Rating:
Summary: Laughter and Tears
Review: In my opinion, the best Judith McNaught book I have ever read. Set in England in the early 19th century, young Alexandra Lawrence meets the handsome Duke of Hawthorne and sets in motion a story that will make you laugh and cry, as is Ms. McNaught's specialty. The young Alex marries the cold-hearted Jordan, her heart filled with love and admiration. Tragedy strikes, tearing the two apart, only to meet again when the awkward duchess has bloomed into a beautiful, sophisticated young woman. I've read this book cover to cover about four times and each time I discover something more magical about this wonderful couple created by romance author, Judith McNaught. It's an intelligent, witty, passionate, romantic, funny, and heart-warming story of a young girl who believed in "something wonderful."

Rating:
Summary: Anchronistic among other things
Review: I'm amazed at the number of rave reviews for this book. I've read about 50 pages and just can't read any longer. There are so many factually incorrect things happening in this book for the time period in which it is set.

For example, one did not call someone by their first name upon first meeting them. In fact, only one's closest friends called one by their first name. Not so in Judith's book. As well, the way people acted and reacted to situations in this book didn't ring true. I also have to ask what's so romantic about a man who's slept with many, many women as this so-called hero has? I then have to ask how many out-of-wedlock children he has? Perhaps Judith thinks they had birth control back then? It appears she's done little research on that time period so maybe she thinks they did.

I give it 2 stars because it is entertainingly written-- if you can get past all the other mistakes the author makes. Unfortunately, I can't.

If you want to read a good book that accurately portrays the 1800's, try reading an author that wrote during that time period. Jane Austin, Wilkie Collins, Charles Dickens to name a few.

Rating:
Summary: Exquisite piece.
Review: After reading the wonderful reviews on this book, I've decided to give Judith McNaught's work a read. I must say, she does a great job at keeping me up all night, clutching onto this dear book in anticipation on what is going to happen. Something Wonderful is just as the title exclaims it to be. As a first novel to read by Judith McNaught, I am now devouring every book she has written one by one.

(I will try my hardest at not spoiling this book for you.) McNaught starts out this novel by introducing her hero and heroine, Jordan Townsende the Duke of Hawthorne and Alexandra Lawrence. McNaught does a beautiful job in describing her characters that you actually feel like you know them. Even though Jordan's cynicism is overpowering, your heart will melt when he shows his softness towards Alexandra when she steps into his life by saving him from an outnumbered attack. And that is how our loves meet. After being saved, Jordan somehow mistaken Alexandra for a young boy and takes her in to care for her. (i.e. check for broken bones, bruises, etc.) By doing so, he obliviously turns the town against her by ruining her reputation. With her reputation beyond repair, Alex's mother demands the Duke to wed Alex since no one else will with the whole town considering her as used goods. Jordan, who has never wanted marriage in the first place, marries Alexandra out of pity for her. It wasn't till later, as he watched Alexandra bloom before his eyes, how much of a delicate rare flower she is and how much his very life depended on her.

Rating:
Summary: Melts your heart
Review: I first read this book 10 years ago when I was 12. I've long since outgrown the historical romance reading frenzy of my early teenage years but I decided to write a review because even if I no longer buy and read any new historical romance novels, I still return to my Judith McNaught books whenever I need to get away from reality and just escape to fantasy land.
I think we all know that whenever you read a historical romance novel, you're not going to get a literary masterpiece with accurate historical references and in-depth social commentaries. It's not Jane Austen or Emily Bronte so please stop comparing it those great novelists' works. They're plain light-hearted fare not meant to be taken seriously but simply enjoyed.
I've read quite a handful of other historical romance novels by other authors but only Judith McNaught has managed to truly move me and make me want to fall in love. I don't know how many times I've read and re-read her works but I can assure you that once you read one, you'll want to read all the others. Something Wonderful is one of my favorites and I highly recommend reading Almost Heaven right after reading this book. If these two don't manage to melt your heart, I don't know what will.

Rating:
Summary: Very Romantic
Review: Once again, Judith McNaught has written something wonderful. It's so easy to fall in love with her characters. Alex is an irrepressible, spirited, young country girl who literally becomes the jaded Duke of Hawthorne's knight in shining armour. When she saves his life, he reluctantly marries her to save her reputation. However, before she discovers his true character, he disappears and then is believed to be dead. He escapes from imprisonment to claim her only to find that she is about to marry his cousin. Back together, they must learn to trust each other while tangled in a plot of jealousy and revenge.

McNaught spins a romantic tale with only her brand of wit and humour. The plot flows along smoothly; there isn't a dull moment in the story. You can't help but fall in love with Alex and Jordan. I highly recommend this for the avid romance reader.

Rating:
Summary: wonderful indeed!
Review: after being strongly recommended by a good friend I decided to read 'Something Wonderful.' I expected you're fairly typical romance gone awry and a predictable ending but this book was anything but!
Fast-paced with witty dialogue, breath-taking scenes and memorable characters this book is my all-time Judith McNaught fave! Its amazing to find an author that can make a reader truly 'feel' the turbulent emotions of characters.
I also recommed 'Whitney, my love' as well as 'Until You' to readers who enojoyed this book as much as I did.

Rating:
Summary: more hate than romance
Review: this was a good book but oh it could of been better miss macnaught if you read this review please have a heart to the female roles of your books they have to suffer so much before they can find true love, and the male leads as if they are the victims.this book could ofcut of a lot of chapters.

Rating:
Summary: Don't you just think McNaught writes the best romances ever?
Review: Sometimes.
And "Something Wonderful" is one of those times. McNaught never failed to write the kind of novels that you HAVE to read on a one-sitting arrangement. She keeps the excitement and anticipation on every chapters without inducing boredom. Instead, she makes me want to push and read all the way to the end just to see if everything will be sweet and dandy.
It was sweet, heartwrenchingly sweet in fact that it made me cry on the last few pages.
Alexandra is an innocent who made me groan from embarassment and laughter when she obliviously humiliated herself from time to time. Jordan is the complete opposite of his optimistic child-bride--the perfect antidote for his legendary cynicism.
I think this book is so well-proportioned that I didn't even find the short gap of Jordan's assumed death as frustrating as Paradise's. Instead, I was engrossed and hooked to Alexandra's flight of re-building her dignity and standing in the ton, that I was not so bored and annoyed while waiting forthe two characters to meet again.
The ending, u can expect to be a "McNaught drama" but still, prepare urself to the usual fulfillment and joy McNaught gives after reading a good book that's worth your while.

Rating:
Summary: as usual...a great romance
Review: Alexandra is still a child-woman of 17 when she is seen entering the local inn in the arms of Jordan Townsende, the duke of Claymore. Her reputation ruined, her mother demands that the duke provide for her by marrying her. Of course he could refuse, but something in the little girl's countenance triggers a sense of possessiveness in Jordan and he weds her, though he still plans to keep the roguish life he led back in London.

Alexandra is head over heels in love with this handsome devil and worships her new husband, thinking he is perfect in every way...until one day, he is torn from her life...and is missing for 3 months. During that time, Alexandra has to face British society where her idealistic notions of her husband are brutally shattered as she learns of his reputation with the ladies and that he intended to keep her at one of his homes while he goes off with mistress after mistress. Heartbroken and jaded, Alexandra decides that Jordan is no longer deserving of her affection and tries harder to fit into London society.

Rotting away in a faraway land, Jordan is now a prisoner and the only thing that keeps him alive, is his refreshing young wife who he thinks must be pining away for him at home. She is his driving force and the jaded Jordan believes that after this episode, he'll let her show him her world...one of hope and optimism because this capture has made him grateful of everything he has.

But he returns only to discover that his wife is now the most sought-after female in London...and that she's getting married!! After preventing the wedding from happening, Jordan makes a deal with Alexandra. In return for three months with him as true man and wife, if Alexandra still wants to leave him (because she still thinks him a rogue), then he will offer her half a million lbs. to be comfortable. As they begin to spend more time together, Alexandra's heart starts to melt towards him again, as they spend idle afternoons fishing and picnicing...until Jordan receives word from his P.I. that his very wife might be an accomplice in a plot to murder him!

This misunderstanding leads to a climax that made me cry for an hour. It took 2 min. to read. Then I went back to read it again. It's the most heartbreaking piece of literature I've ever encountered in a romance and it just tears you apart.

Naturally, the hero and heroine end up together. And what a pair they are. I can feel their love, pain, compassion, courage, and anguish through every page, even though I thought the beginning was a bit slow. But everything else was wonderfully written. Big two thumbs up!