Whitney, My Love

Rating:
Summary: Exquisite!!
Review: This novel is just Exquisite! Judith McNaught is my all time favorite authour. She has a way of making you fall head over heels for her characters. I am loathe to say goodbye when one of her novels end. And while I love all of her novels, Whitney My Love has no equal. I have read this book over and over again, and it never failed to make me laugh uncontrollably or to be caught with a constant lump in my throat.

Whitney Stone is a motherless young hoyden. She lives with her father, Martin Stone. He has no patience for his willful daughter, and he decides that Whitney should go to live with her Aunt and Uncle, Lord and Lady Gilbert. It is his hope that by residing with them in France, and having a mother figure in her life, she will learn how to act and behave as a proper young lady.

Whitney flourishes under the lavish care bestowed upon her by her doting Aunt and Uncle. She blossoms into a vivacious beauty. Her open personality and striking good looks taking Paris and many hearts by storm.

In comes Clayton Westmoreland, the devilishly handsome Duke of Claymore. He is infatuated with the outspoken beauty and sets out to win her heart for his very own. He must tread lightly with this wary beauty, for she is not taken in by money and titles. So it is up to Clayton to win her affection with his own charms to guide him.

Passions ignite between the Duke and his young beauty. Whitney will not easily succomb to her "Lord". Misunderstandings and false betrayals plague both Whitney and Clayton. But is it true that Love can conquer all?

On a last note, I have read many reviews that claim Whitney was "raped". I do not know how some have come to that conclusion. What I read (from her earlier version) was a painful first time experience.

Anyhow, this book is great. It is an emotion filled masterpiece. Do yourself a great favor and read it!

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: At first the book was awesome. Whitney really made me laugh. But towards the end is a huge disappointment. I've never expected Whitney to be so much in love with Clayton that she forgave everything he did to her, including rape. That's hard to believe!! She was better off with Nikki.

Another 'unbelievable' event is when Whitney met Marie, Clayton former mistress. It's understandable how Whitney should react, but Marie was way too cool and kindly accepting Whitney's beauty. Bah!!!

Rating:
Summary: Sad... (*spoilers*)
Review: I made a commitment, finished the book, and read the reviews, so how do I feel? Depressed...really down. I don't find this book to be romantic fiction, in actuality it's more of a tragic drama. The reviewer that said this could be straight out of a psychology text book is right on, there are so many signs that Whitney doesn't love herself and Clayton is a vampire that decided to suck her dry.

I am referring to the original. I don't know what goes on in the revised version, but if it leaves the reader feeling like Clayton and Whitney could actually be happy together and work out their problems than I say good for McNaught because the original didn't leave me feeling that way...they decide to have sex at the end and your thinking "Yeah, that's about all there is." Because I do not believe Clayton matured and obviously Whitney didn't either because she returned to him at the drop of a hat. I could still see him strangling her for some stupid misunderstanding.

Not all of McNaught's books are this way though, try Something Wonderful or Almost Heaven if you want to finish feeling happy. God Bless.

Rating:
Summary: Sweet, Endearing & Unique...
Review: This is one of J.M's unique novels, which I highly enjoyed. I have read more than 5 of her books & I say, she writes great stories. The romance, plot, twist & turns... different every time.

Whitney, My Love... is now one of my favorite books, It's the second of the Westmoreland Series. The series starts with A KINGDOM OF DREAM, which is my #1, my favorite of all the books I've read by far. UNTIL YOU is the last of this series. ( THANKS ambrangel :-) for her help )

Aside from the secondary characters of this book like Nikki, The Westmoreland family, Emily, Paul, The Gilberts, etc... who all contributed in making this book even more interesting, I specially enjoyed Whitney's character the most. She's everything a heroine in a historical romantic novels should be... beautiful, funny, kind hearted, smart & witty. Yet, proud, stubborn, bold & spirited. Since her mother died when she was only 6 years old, she wasn't as refine as most young ladies her age should be. Whitney Stone speaks her mind freely, does what she wishes before thinking of the consequences that follows her actions. She flaunts & admits her feelings for Paul, her childhood love-friend, openly eversince she can remember. Her effort to lure Pauls attention & love became a town frolic, embarassing herself & her father. Her last antic made her father decide to let Whitney live with her aunt & uncle in France, where she stayed & blossomed for years. With her aunt/uncles love & patience, she was taught the do's & don't's of being a proper lady. After one year, after her successful debut, she became the attention of eyes of many eligible bachelors esp. Clayton Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore. Her uncle received many offers for her hand in marriage. However, Whitney refuse each one. She believes she's still in love with Paul. She couldn't wait to go back to her hometown & see Paul again. She wanted to prove not only to herself but to everyone in the her hometown, esp. to Paul, that she is worth his love and not just a town hoyden they see her to be.

Clayton Westmoreland, 6th Duke of Claymore is rich, handsome & considered the most eligible bachelor of all England (and a rake too). He was highly sought after by ladies & mothers offers their daughter to him openly. He could have anyone he desires but wasn't seriously interested until he saw Whitney on her opening debut. He secretly kept tracked of her for years, seeing her became even more alluring & beautiful in his very eyes. The increase of Whitney's suitors & offers for her hand in marriage made Clayton decide it's time for him to make his own move. But of course, he is not going to be like a besotted fool by begging for her hand like the others have done. He is afterall a proud man & a Duke, among other things. However, since Whitney made it perfectly clear that she is not least impressed with man with titles, Clayton's dukedom hold no help in this matter. Therefore, he decided to use other ways & means to win Whitney's heart.

The schemes, courtship & the challenge of luring Whitney's heart made this book very exciting, amusing & unique. Whitney's homecoming, esp. her initial meeting with Paul, his reaction (after years of absence), was one of my many favorite scenes in this book. Whitney's confusions & realization of her true feelings, her wrong choices & the consequences & lastly, the gestures and actions she had to make in order to correct her mistakes made this book absolutely riveting. This book will surely entertain you from the beginning to the end. A must read!

Rating:
Summary: Heartwarming...
Review: I loved this book! I have read a lot of romance books and this definitely lives up to "my favorites". I am one of those readers who happen to enjoy watching two characters fight for their love. A book would be too boring if they started out in love and ended in love. Judith made you laugh, cry and want to break Clayton's neck for not asking Whitney things instead of listening to rumors. Someone mentioned how this was a horrible part in the book because Clayton should have trusted her. How can you trust someone when you both don't really know each other? They were still working things out. I don't know if I would have taken Meredith's words for false either, especially after hearing another rumor only hours earlier. Between Clayton and Whitney, there really wasn't any trust until they realized their love for one another. Whitney reminded me of myself in so many ways. I loved her spitfire reactions. She truly made me laugh and cry. I would recommend this wonderful book to anyone.

Rating:
Summary: Good Beginning, At Least
Review: Oh, Ms. McNaught, you made me exclaim bitterly a few times over this stupid book. I loved the first few chapters -- LOVED them. I kept patiently waiting for Whitney to realize her attraction for Nikki and for the rest of the book to be about her getting over Paul. Instead, Whitney became the most pathetic lump of humanity ever.

As has been previously pointed out in a huge number of reviews, after buying Whitney from her father, Clayton (the "hero") spanks and rapes Whitney and generally treats her in a manner that I wouldn't use on a random friend, much less my true love. He stomps all over the place angrily and possessively and refuses to listen to Whitney. Why the heck is he the hero of anything?

All the spirit in Whitney that her uncle and aunt instilled in her seem wasted. She grows to become a beautiful "diamond" of London with accomplishments and intelligence, but gets treated like a, well... I shall not say.

Even more meanly, Nikki, who should have been the hero, is just so darned perfect. He later got a short story in a Christmas collection, which also made me bitter. If he couldn't get Whitney, didn't he deserve his own book, at least?

I've given this book two stars because McNaught is an excellent romance writer for all that and the first few chapters are wonderfully done.

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous fun (with a few qualifications)
Review: I first read WML in 1985 when I was 15 years old, but it's a book that I return to with alacrity every few years, anytime I'm feeling a bit blue and want to fall in love again. As far as escapist reading goes, this is about as good as it gets (if you happen to like romance novels), and while the adult reader may find certain aspects of it troubling, it continues to be the stick against which I measure all other romances.

Whitney is my all-time favorite romance heroine. She's funny, clever, charming and imminently likeable. One thing that I love is that McNaught develops serious romantic tension between Whitney and characters other than the hero. Most notable of these characters is the older, urbane, sexy Nicholas DuVille. Indeed, each time I read the book, I'm always a bit disappointed that Whitney doesn't wind up with Nikki (this isn't really a spoiler, since the back of the book tells you all about Whitney and Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore).

With that said, I'll say that Clayton Westmoreland is to die for. McNaught has drawn a truly three dimensional character in Clayton, replete with flaws and fears, and though there are times when I want to drive a stake through his heart, I still find him exciting and endearing. I'm not sure how she does it, but she has me convinced that Clayton is the sexiest man on the planet! Once I got over the fact that Whitney wasn't going to marry Nikki, I fell in love with Clayton. This book charms and engages the reader immediately; I've read only 20 or 30 romances, none of which have the effect of making me laugh out loud, groan with frustration, and fall in love with the main characters, that WML does.

OK, so now for the disclaimers.
#1) The spanking, which appalls and outrages so many reviewers. First of all, it's not a brutal beating, though to be sure Clayton does whack Whitney across the butt several times with a riding crop. I must say that I don't really understand the outrage over the scene. While no self-confident modern woman would meekly Assume the Position, it's ridiculous for us to pretend that women in history weren't ever hit by the men who loved them. Yes, it's terrible to think that women have endured (and do endure) abuse and violence. Yes, we're all very glad that our husbands and lovers don't toss us over their knee when they think we're in need of Correction. But, come on folks, it's the way things were. I know, I know... people don't read historical romance for realism (or else they'd be hearing all about head lice, rotting teeth and unwashed bodies), but the manhandling of many women was such a fact of life that it's silly to rant and rave about how horrible Clayton is for doing it. Lastly (and I hesitate to say this lest the outraged masses descend upon me), no small number of modern women have spanking fantasies, even if they don't actually want to be spanked themselves, and/or have fantasies about being physically overpowered by a big, strapping man. And don't people read romances to vicariously experience these fantasies? One thing to note is that in the re-release of the book, published in 1999, the spanking scene is excluded, so if this sort of thing bugs you, be sure to find the newer version.

Disclaimer #2) This one's a more bitter pill to swallow. It's hard to admit that I love this book as much as I do given that Clayton rapes Whitney in the middle of the novel. This is the reason this book only gets 4 stars. There's just no way for me to excuse it, or to understand why it's there, and I skip that scene whenever I read the book. Clayton is enraged beyond sanity when he believes that Whitney's had other lovers (the hypocrite!), and so he drags her off to his home in the country and rapes her. The heinousness of the crime is not mitigated by the fact that, after he first penetrates her and realizes that she is, in actuality, a virgin, and immediately stops, he's then filled with self-loathing and remorse, and vows never to forgive himself. As though the rape would have been justified if she HADN'T been a virgin? I just don't get it. I suppose that, just like many women have spanking fantasies, an equally large number of women have rape fantasies. I also realize that rape scenes were just part of the genre back-in-the-day, but I do agree with those who find it distasteful.

However, I don't want to leave you with the impression that this is a bad book. It's a fabulously fun read, and if you're a fan of romance novels you owe it to yourself to check this out. Whitney and Clayton will not disappoint.

Rating:
Summary: Incomparable! Simply the best!
Review: I am an avid reader of novels and I studied English Literature in college but I have never read any book as good and captivating as this. This is the only book other than 'Pride and Prejudice" which I have devoured and savoured again and again for I can't remember how many times. Judith McNaught's flair and skill as a consummate writer is unsurpassed.This book is more intensely passionate and compelling than 'Gone with the Wind' or " Wuthering Height'. It is more witty, sparkling and romantic than'Pride & Prejudice'. It is like a hurricane which sweeps you off your feet.The hero and heroine have their flaws but these won't make them any less lovable but more human and credible.Whitney, the ravishingly beautiful heroine,is intelligent, witty but rebellious and headstrong. she refuses to recognise her own heart and better judgement. She does not appreciate but scorns what is handed to her on a silver platter -- the love of the proud, rich, powerful and devastatingly handsome Duke of Claymore, who offers her the protection of his illustrious name,a place at the pinnacle of society, a life of luxury any girl would die for.She has a school girl crush on a young man in her neighbourhood and under the illusion that she is still in love with him after 3 years,continues to try to win him over at all costs since she is one who does not accept defeat. Therefore she spurns and rejects the courtship of the Duke,Clayton Westmoreland. The Duke is no paragon, but his love for Whitney is very touching. While he can have any woman he wants, he is in love with only one and will only offer for her.In many situations, his patience and tolerance are sorely tried and I can't help feeling sorry for him. The whipping scene, which upsets some readers, does not offend me at all. Rather, it shows the great understanding of human nature and strong character of Clayton.He recognises that he cannot let Whitney walk all over him or else he will never have her respect.Whitney has done something very seriously wrong which can lead to his and the horse's fatality.The whipping is a lesson to a spoilt child, a necessary lesson in her growing up process to be a reasonable and responsible being. He is taming a wild filly just like he does Dangerous Crossing.But he soothes and mollifies her afterwards.Through some twists of fate, the Duke gets blindingly jealous, and in his terrifying wrath, rapes Whitney who has fallen in love with him. Through another misunderstanding, the couple seem destined to heartbreak and unrequited love. Fortunately, Whitney sacrifices her pride to win back the man she loves. After marriage, there is still another trial, but eventually, all ends happily.This book is vastly entertaining with the humor, the sensual seductions and love scenes, the verbal swordplay and witticism.Reading it is just like riding an emotional roller-coaster.There are some heart-wrenching moments but it is so satisfying to see love triumphs after all.It is 'must read' for lovers of novels and romance.

Rating:
Summary: Surpasses all others. . .
Review: I read so many romances that I often forget about the characters soon after closing the book. This was not the case with Whitney, My Love. I knew after reading the first chapter that this book would be different. Whitney is my favorite heroine of all time. I have great admiration for her intelligence and perserverance. She loves Clayton so much that she is able to forgive him for causing her terrible pain. Whitney finally realizes that she does not have to conform to society's expectations of a demure wallflower in order to be loved. One man loves Whitney for all her exploits and ideas. Clayton is amazing. He loves Whitney to a fault (and he has many of those!) He makes several grave mistakes during the course of the story, but he always takes responsibility for his actions. He knows he might not deserve Whitney's love, but he also knows he cannot live without it. Clayton loves Whitney enough to swallow his pride, which is an attribute that many male characters lack in other novels. This is a true love story, and I will forever compare every book I read to Whitney, My Love.

Rating:
Summary: I wish this could made into a movie!
Review: I have always said, that 'Whitney My Love' should be given to boys in highschool, so that they could learn how to properly court or date a woman!

I have read this book many times, and always seem to find something new to love in it. I loved how the whole thing was set up, with Whitney being betrothed to Clayton, but not knowing it.

What makes Clayton so sexy, gorgeous and to die for, is that he decides he wants to court this woman, without telling her(which is a challenge within itself!) that he and her father have an agreement, and that she is to become his bride, or a Duchess.

Whitney is hilarious, and I found myself kind of feeling for her at times. I mean, while I liked Clayton, it was fascinating to read her wonder WHY, she had to spend so much time with this man? I also thought it was very realistic, that she would be confused by her feelings for him. Here she is, set to come back and win Paul's heart, and then this monkey wrench(Clayton) is thrown in her way. It's kind of like life. Nothing ever seems to go as one would expect.

The rape(or semi-rape) was disturbing, but I saw that as more of matter of trust. Clayton left on business, thinking that she was ready to resign herself to a life with him. Whitney had been kind of sly about a couple of things before, so I could see Clayton believing Margaret's lie. It helped me as a reader, that he was so pathetically remorseful. What I did not like was that horrible misunderstanding at the end, when Clayton thought Whitney was pregnant with someone else's child. Clayton's treatment of Whitney actually made me cringe.

Oh if only Judith McNaught would write 'Whitney My Love: 2! I would be quite the happy camper.