Whitney, My Love

Rating:
Summary: How can you call this romance?
Review: I read this book, and I've looked over both the original and the new "edited version"
Frankly, I'm a bit disgusted by this book. Ever since I read it I've not been able to pick up another of Ms. McNaughts books!
I cannot understand why a ROMANCE author would have the heroine raped by the hero! It makes absoultely no sense! I do not believe there are any women who find rape romantic...if there are women out there who enjoy it then this is the book for you!
Clayton is a complete [donkey] He treats the heroine like a young bairn and punishes her as would parent to their disobedient toddler! And sometimes our 'heroine' deserved it...but no one deserves to be raped, not even a fictional character.
It was always a bit hard to read her books because of the way the Hero/Heroine always jump at each others throats without ever talking...It seems near impossible that people who are supposed to be in love with each other or even friendly would just jump to such ridiculous conclusions without confronting the other person first! I know, it probably happens but JM seems to push it to extremes.
Some readers argue that the way her characters fight make up the story, Well I'm sorry but I read romance to escape from real life, don't most people read fiction for that reason? I don't understand why anyone would WANT to read about rape! Especially when its under the label of ROMANCE! Some readers said they liked it because it wasn't a fairy tale, I don't like to read fairy tales either but why would you want to read about a rape? I don't understand how anyone can take pleasure out of reading of another womans abuse, fictional or not.
If you want a good JM I can only suggest that you read A Kingdom of Dreams. AKOD is a wonderful book. IMHO, don't waste your time with Whitney, My Love

Rating:
Summary: read better books by Mcnaught
Review: this book was not as good as Until you and Once and Always, maybe some may find this book better than those books depending on what one tends to like best in a novel. I thought the plot seemed to drag on and on and i really liked Nicky and would of liked those two together a lot better. i was so disapointed he was hardly in the story and i was disapointed with the misunderstanding they kept having between Whitney and clayton. Boring and overdone. I am amazed they got together in the end at all. not her best book.

Rating:
Summary: Not McNaught's Best But Okay
Review: This is my third Judith McNaught novel, I already had the other two Westmoreland novels. This book is about Whitney Stone being a love-sick young girl who "falls in love" with her neighbor, Paul. Affected by her own feelings, she ends up doing stunts that embarass her father to the point she is sent of to France. While in France, one of the guys she meets intriquing while, who knows a lot about Whitney, dressed as Satan at a masquerade ball. The guy is Clayton Westmoreland, the ninth duke of Claymore, and he ends up being so intriqued by Whitney that while she is still in France, Clayton bribes, er persuades, her father for her hand. It is not until the betrothal agreement is made that Whitney's father finally decides to allow her to come home (despite previous pleas Whitney has made). To make a long story short, Clayton goes by the moniker "Clayton Westland" because Whitney is revulsed by the rake, "Westmoreland", and he tries to "persuade" Whitney to give up her pursuit of Paul. He manages, but once she consents to marry him, Clayton gets wind of rumors about Whitney that tarnish her "good, faithful girl" image and gets Clayton angry. He never tells her why he's upset, but she manages to win his heart, even if he did take away her virginity (probably the fastest deflowering in world history) because of the rumors. Once they are wed, and Whitney is with child, their relationship becomes estranged yet again. This time it is because of a forgetten, unsent letter than Whitney wrote in order to bring Clayton to her during their first estrangement. Again, Clayton assumes she is a slut and never tells her why he is mad and refuses to confront her with his assumptions. Whitney manages to figure out why Clayton is so furious on her own, but refuses to confront Clayton. Naturally, she's sick of him shutting her out and not communicating about whatever wrong he perceives that she did. She leaves Claymore and does not tell Clayton where she is gone. Like all McNaught romances, the couple recouncile, and the newer enhanced ending introduces more of Jennifer Merrick and Royce Westmoreland.

I was fond of the other Westmoreland novels because of the courage that the heroines had in order to show their love for their husbands/fiances. Whitney has a lot of loyalty and courage, and I find nothing disliking about her. The problem I have with this novel is Clayton's arrogant behavior that he has the right to be pissed and not confront Whitney about his reasons. Okay, so some women in the current era do that too, but for Clayton it seemed a bit out of character. He taunts Whitney previously by asking if she fantasizes about Paul when Whitney and Clayton kiss, and at that point you know he was mad when he taunted her. So why does he resort ot the silent treatment when he really questions her loyalty towards him? If she was truly unfaithful the first time, I could see why he would resort to being silent the second time; but since she was wrongly accused, one would think a light would go off in Clayton's head about inquiring her about the "I'm with child" letter. Otherwise, they make a great couple, and have an excellent chemistry. However, do not buy this book unless you really, really want to read the first book of the Westmoreland trilogy; the other two (Kingdom of Dreams, Until You) are much better in their own write, er right.

Rating:
Summary: Whitney is JM's strongest female character.
Review: Whitney Stone is my favorite female JM character. She is strong-willed, opinionated, and unafraid of anything. No matter what is thrown in her way, she rises above it. I love the fact that she stands up to Clayton Westmoreland in each of their encounters. Clayton, however, is not a favorite of mine. Twice, he tries and convicts Whitney of something in his mind, without going to her and telling her of what she is accused of. At the end, Clayton is less arrogant, but the things he does throughout the book kept me from liking him much. I like his brother, Stephen, much better, and I enjoyed Until You much more. Stephen is more likeable than his brother, even when he is being less than likeable. And Stephen is a sweetheart in Whitney, My Love, especially because he helps his brother and Whitney find their way back to each other.

Rating:
Summary: Whitney, my what?
Review: Disgusting. I hated this book. Half way through I wanted to quit, but I didn't just because I had gotten so far and I wanted to see what all would happen. The Duke's character was detestable: arrogant, controlling, uh, I loathed him. Whitney I liked a bit more, but she was guilted so easily into considering others' feelings above hers, even if they had tricked, defiled, insulted and lied to her. I understand that at the times women where treated poorly, but I find no glory or romance in this story. I liked Nicki better than I did anyone in the book (other than two maids who openly showed their scorn towards Clay.) I felt like he alone remotely deserved her, or even one of her boring suitors, but not the Duke. It is nauseating to me...he buys her first, then every time he is with her he sexually assualts her against her will, he spanks her, accuses her of crimes she is obviously innocent to, it is just so degrating. I accually do understand how her family would think they are well suited, because he is the only person who let her be herself and appreciate it, but would also put his foot down where neccesary. Unfortunately, I found nothing about their relationship that I could respect, admire, appreciate, even like in the least. He doesn't trust her, she is just... she doesn't demand or deserve respect from anyone. Someone should have hit Clay over the head with an iron skillet for being so arrogant, and then smacked Whiney for being so stupid and being a doormat. Many times, I wanted to throw this book across the room, but now, after finishing it, I just want to burn it.

Rating:
Summary: Warning! Rape scene.
Review: I have been enthralled by all of the Judith McNaught romances I have read so far. Her characters are lively, and the romantic tension is fantastic. But for one not so little thing, I would have given this book 10 stars. The hero rapes the heroine. The rape is base, violent, humiliating. If a man pinning a woman down and raping her makes you as ill as it does me, do not read this book.

Rating:
Summary: urgh...
Review: "What do people see in this book?" I ask myself.
After reading some of the hype about this novel I decided with some enthusiasm to give it a go. And what a disappointment. Whitney was a spineless pain in the neck and the "hero" (and I use that term very generally) was an arrogant, selfish, loathsome rapist. I managed to get through the book through an act of diabolical masochism.
Even the worst of Jude Deveraux smells like roses next to this one...

Rating:
Summary: Judith McNaught is great, but WML is not her best novel
Review: I think the main criticism this book got had to do with the rape and whipping scenes. When I first read this book (when I was 15), I cringed and thought to myself, "Are these two REALLY going to end up together?" And being that young, I thought I disliked WML because of those scenes. Years later, and with some relationship experience behind me, I read the re-release with the modified whip and rape scenes, and realized that it wasn't those scenes that I hated about the book. They were only symptoms. It was that Clayton and Whitney's relationship is incredibly ABUSIVE! Clayton propositions her, when she refuses, he *buys* her from her emotionally-abusive father, when she finds out and gets outraged Clayton loses no time threatening her with his power over her life, her father's life, and even the political career of her uncle. Whitney was way too much of a pawn. Her father wanted her to be a son, Nicki (even though he's my very favorite character in the Westmoreland books) wanted her because everyone else in Paris did, Paul wanted her for her alleged wealth. Clay -- the worst of all -- recognized she was special, but wanted her for him only, and damn what she thought. Clayton was contolling and irrational many times in this story with disastrous consequences, and Whitney forgave him and forgave him! Despite her belief in female worth! Maybe Judith McNaught wanted to show us a forward-thinking female trapped in a repressive society...Although the modified version has some dialogue about him needing to stop jumping to conclusions all the time...

This was JM's first book. I'm glad to see that she got better over time. I recommend reading Something Wonderful and Once and Always. Both made me feel great long after I finished them.

Rating:
Summary: Waow!
Review: This is the story of one man's obsession for a woman and his patient pursuit of this obsession over a period of years. The Duke of Claymore wanted Whitney Stone, and for her, he was prepared to wait until she grew out from the painful gawky adolescent years and until she became a beautiful lady. In fact, he masterfully orchestrates her transformation and when the time is ripe, when his dream may finally materialize, he finds the elusive Whitney herself obsessed with another man; her childhood crush and neighbor, Paul.

How the Duke of Claymore cajoles, seduces and even blackmails Whitney into marriage and the ensuing struggle, often funny, often heart-wrenching is one of the most delightful stories you are likely to read. Both Whitney and Clayton are superbly portrayed and the support characters are also extremely well written.

McNaught has a gift for drawing her readers into the book completely and totally. Clayton is one of the best written characters I have come across and McNaught manages to make him completely real despite the fact that he exists in a totally different world.

Don't miss this book. Also, check out out 'A Kingdom of Dreams,' the prequel and 'Until You' which is the story of the Stephan Westmoreland.

Rating:
Summary: A very well-written story, with plenty of drama
Review: Honestly, this isn't a book I would have picked up on my own. I don't read many romances, but my boyfriend's mom recommended this after I said I liked Diana Gabaldon's books.

I wouldn't say this is on the same level as Gabaldon's "Outlander" series, but McNaughton is a fine writer (though she re-uses too many of the same phrases -- e.g., "proud nipples") and knows how to tell an intriguing story.

Whitney starts out as your rather typical romance-novel heroine: defiant, stubborn, rebellious. Clayton starts out fairly typically, too: virile, brooding, equally stubborn. Along the way, though, McNaught develops these characters into something other than stereotypes. They become thinking, feeling people we actually care about.

The novel is set in Regency times. To my knowledge, it seems to be fairly accurate in its descriptions of manners and clothing. The plot is fairly simple: Clayton falls in love with Whitney and offers her father a large deal of badly needed money to sign a betrothal agreement. Whitney, who is in love with another, objects, and Clayton tries to win her over. The story is rife with misunderstandings and miscommunication. These add to the drama but also make the reader get a little frustrated with the characters: "Well, why didn't she just TELL him why she was so mad?"