Rating: 
Summary: One of JG's best...
Review: This book is the third story sequel: I suggest to start with the Lion's Lady, then The Guardian Angel, The Gift and lastly, read Castles. The characters in all 4 books are friends/related to each other. It is more fitting if you know each character before reading the next book. If you read it in this order, I think it will bring more excitement as some questions are answered on the later book. Some secrets are also revealed beforehence. The heroine, Sara, is not a whiner in my opinion. When she was but a little girl, she was described as awkward and clumsy, who fortunately, (or unfortunately, depending on the reader) has only outgrown that flaw just a little bit. However, in my opinion, her clumsiness are humorous and somewhat sweet. That made me enjoy this book even more. It is the spice of this book. Since, she was married to Nathan as a child, growing up, she have already condition herself as a WIFE. Even when she hasn't seen him for over 10 years, and even after her family insist on her that Nathan is an enemy, somehow, deep inside of her heart, She longed for love and acceptance from her long lost husband, especially since she didn't get such at home. She kept waiting for him to finally come and collect her. The collection part was also hilarious. That's when the fun began... The hero, Nathan, is so manly. Too manly that he doesn't even know a single terms of endearment to call his wife. He's never been in a serious relationship, therefore, know nothing above loving a woman. The learning begins with both of them. He decided he can control the situation, being married to Sara shouldn't be all that hard, afterall, he's always been a controlled, discipline man. Or so he thought... The patience of learning about one other... The adjustment of each other's character, routine and lives... the acceptance and finally, the love...all made this book compelling. Sara's determination to be accepted not only by her husband but by his staff on board was the funniest moments of all. She means well, plans well.... but...... Aw~! It does embarrass me reading about her parasols and her accidents. I had to stop my reading, close my eyes and cover my face every incident. After I gather myself together & get over my embarassment, i continue reading, praying she doesn't get into another "INCIDENT" again. If I get to react this way about a book, I believe it is worth the buy and worth my time.
Rating:
Summary: Refreshing
Review: This was my first Garwood novel. I found the character of Sara to be sweet and lulling. I found myself impressed by her quiet inner strength and hidden capabilities and thoroughly enjoyed as the tenderhearted, unspoiled heroine came into maturity. What I loved most was that Sara was far from perfect and her husband Nathan loved that quality about her. It was refreshing to read a story in which the woman isn't a cliche hellion or a typical paragon of virtue turned wild by true love. Even as she grows and harsh reality lashes out at her, Sara remains trusting and honest. Even her cynical husband Nathan revels in her honest reactions when they make love. Throughout the novel, Sara remains Sara.
Rating:
Summary: Delightfully Charming
Review: Nathan is such a captivating Man, and also the the classic Garwood hero, big, silent and caring. I loved the point when the Nathan introduces himself to his wife. I loved the sweet romance that developed between Nathan and Sara, although I am not sure I like the way she kept reffering to "her staff". This is a beautiful story that takes you to exotic places.
Rating: 
Summary: Affectionate story
Review: Many seem to view the heroine as "childish" or immature, but that's not how I saw her. I do believe that Sara is a more realistic, true-to-life representation of women in that era. I tend to find romances that make the heroines too strong to be more unbelievable. You can't change history from what it was and have it still be history, so writers that make women of 200+ years ago stronger than they actually were are not writing believable stories. Sara is more the way a woman then would have been. She is a lady, and quite naive. But she learns, she falls in love, and she does survive, all while still being able to think on her own without being an ubelievable female. Her affection for Nathan, despite his faults, is quite touching, and the way Nathan learns to love in return is very charming. I really enjoy Ms. Garwood's writing style, and intend to read all her books as I can find them.
Rating:
Summary: My Fav Out Of The Four
Review: how can you not love this book? It's true that Sara can be a little complanish, but not all females of the 1800's were heroes of their time. In fact most of them weren't. I thought she was delightfully charming, and her incidents with the parisols were hysterical. I felt so sorry for her "crew" when she made stew for them. Nathan was the classic Garwood male, tale and silent, but very loving. I laughed out loud when Sara turned his cussing against him. And it was nice to have the scenery change, from England, to the ship, to the tropical island of Sara's aunt, this story takes a wonderful trip from place to fabulous place. Take my advice and buy this book.
Rating:
Summary: One of my absolute favorite books : )
Review: I have to say that this is one of JG's best works. I find it shortsighted of those that criticize Sara for being "whiny" inthat they do not appreciate the time period and conditions she was raised in. Her development of character throughout the story is what makes this one so incredibly sweet. And Nathan is very possibly my favorite JG hero. I LOVE THIS BOOK and would recommend it highly (especially when read in order).
Rating: 
Summary: Whine, Whine....SHE DRIVES ME CRAZY!
Review: I have read a lot of Julie Garwood books and enjoyed them tremendously! I enjoyed Guardian Angel (the Story of Nathan's sister). She had lots of sponk! The Castle (The story of Nathan's partner), she had a good head on her shoulder, but Sara drove me crazy. She was a cry-baby and came across sounding dizzy and dumb all the time. The times that she tried to gain her 'staff's respect reflected how silly she was. It was understandable to some degree that she had those accidents on the ship, but her reactions afterward were pitiful. Not only did Nathan wanted to strangle her... I WANTED TO DO THAT MYSELF. PLEASE... I tried to read with a sympathetic point-of-view but found it difficult to get through. I kept wondering what was wrong with her . Some reviewers thought her actions and reactions were funny. She just seemed plain stupid to me. Nathan was a typical hero in that rough on the outside, tender on the inside. Although I do love Ms. Garwood's book, sometimes I wish the hero wasn't SO BIG and the heroine so small. It gets a little redundant after the 5th book. I still love the Prize, Ransom, and the Secret. I think Ransom is the best out of all of them. The bottom line is I got through the book but wanted to strangle Sara...
Rating:
Summary: I've Read Better
Review: It was hard finishing this book, it was so irritating. The hero was a jerk, who did not care about how his bride felt and liked embarrasing her, and the heroine is one of the biggest fluffheads I have ever read about. She sets out to demand a courtship from her husband and a period of time to get to know him better, and she ends up listing off her good points to him and trying to sell herself to him like a chunk of meat. She always contradicts herself, it becomes obvious that she does not know what she wants. Julie Garwood has written so much better.
Rating:
Summary: The best in the series
Review: I adore "The Gift". It is so much better than its prequel, "Guardian Angel", and sequel, "Castles". For one, it has a great title that actually corresponds to what is going on in the book. It also has fantastic characters. Sara may not be as strong as Jade but during the time when this book is supposed to take place, early 1800s, women were a lot more sheltered. Sara learns to loosen up and stand up for herself, proving she had strength all along but never knew it until she had to prove it. Meanwhile, her little "accidents" are adorable and hysterical and her plight to convince Nathan that he loves her is touching. Nathan is a perfect romantic hero, gruff on the outside and gentle on the inside. He is too hard-headed and cruel in the beginning but, like Sara, he matures and by the end of the book is more tame. Nathan and Sara are a great match and their sparring is terribly witty. I especially adore the last third of the book, when Sara is convinced that Nathan does not love her and he is determined to prove to her that he does and wants to make the most noble sacrifice. Nothing can be more romantic than the scene at the ball, when Nathan forgets, in his nervousness, that they are already married and almost goes down on his knees to propose to Sara. Although Sara is prone to weeping, this does not make me think of her as weak. She shows her emotions openly and without restraint, and it is only natural that she tears up whenever she is upset. Her soft heart is what makes her so lovable, and tears are a part of the package. Most importantly, I loved "The Gift" more than the other books because the story was very intriguing. In no other book, was the setting and the plot so perfect for furthering the story. This is a wonderful book, a gem to behold.
Rating:
Summary: The heroine was a silly wining crying baby.I hated her.
Review: I have loved all of Julie Garwood's books, except this one.The heroine was an insult to all females on the planet. She cried atthe drop of a hat, was totally inept and and did nothing but whine andmake "take care of me" type statements. What I've always loved about Ms. Garwood's heroines was their self sufficiency, strength and willingness to take on responsibility. This heroine was just plain stupid and offended me with her constant histrionics. Beauty is only skin deep but "dumb is forever" and Sarah was dumb. I gave the book one star because, other than this book, I think that Julie Garwood is the most enjoyable of the romance writers, and I don't want to discourage her from going back to the type heroine that is interesting, funny and courageous.
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