Rating: 
Summary: One of the best romances ever...
Review: I love when the characters are thrown into an emotional roller coaster. This book is one of those. Summer is a typical woman of the era and having not many choices in life she went for the one option that was at hand for her. Marriage. The thing is that she didn't count on falling in love with her husband. It is utterly amazing how her character evolves from a simple love struck girl, to a mature woman and mother. A woman, I should add, with emotional and physical needs just like anyone else. I found that it was quite hard for her to put those needs before anything that society or her husband might have thought. It was good for her to cheat on Ruark even if she loved him still. It was good that she let her hair down and went for a little fun for a change. Ruark deserved being cheated on. Ruark, the husband, is such a strong character that sometimes you hate him for being such a close minded jerk. He gave Summer so much pain and heartache that it's almost imposible not to hate him. But then again, you have to put yourself in his shoes. Falling in love with a woman and then finding out that one of the reasons for her marrying you is money is quite hard. Of course you're going to doubt her! But again, if only he had listened. Then we wouldn't have a book to read. Rory is the "third" character in the book. A very charming, open minded pirate rouge who seduces Summer into cheating on her husband. He gave Summer everything her husband didn't; fun, good sex, and freedom. Who wouldn't cheat with someone like that when you are in such need??? Basically these three characters interact thoughout the whole story making it extremely emotional and very, very interesting. You see the change in Summer whenever she's around Ruark or Rory. You see her struggle to make peace with herself and her husband but you also see how her love affair with Rory is an obstacle for that marital peace and a bigger obstacle is her husband's pig headed attitude. I found the ending to be totally unexpected. The plot twist at the end is amazing!!! A true romantic will absolutely appreciate it. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Rating:
Summary: One of the best romances ever...
Review: I love when the characters are thrown into an emotional roller coaster. This book is one of those. Summer is a typical woman of the era and having not many choices in life she went for the one option that was at hand for her. Marriage. The thing is that she didn't count on falling in love with her husband. It is utterly amazing how her character evolves from a simple love struck girl, to a mature woman and mother. A woman, I should add, with emotional and physical needs just like anyone else. I found that it was quite hard for her to put those needs before anything that society or her husband might have thought. It was good for her to cheat on Ruark even if she loved him still. It was good that she let her hair down and went for a little fun for a change. Ruark deserved being cheated on. Ruark, the husband, is such a strong character that sometimes you hate him for being such a close minded jerk. He gave Summer so much pain and heartache that it's almost imposible not to hate him. But then again, you have to put yourself in his shoes. Falling in love with a woman and then finding out that one of the reasons for her marrying you is money is quite hard. Of course you're going to doubt her! But again, if only he had listened. Then we wouldn't have a book to read. Rory is the "third" character in the book. A very charming, open minded pirate rouge who seduces Summer into cheating on her husband. He gave Summer everything her husband didn't; fun, good sex, and freedom. Who wouldn't cheat with someone like that when you are in such need??? Basically these three characters interact thoughout the whole story making it extremely emotional and very, very interesting. You see the change in Summer whenever she's around Ruark or Rory. You see her struggle to make peace with herself and her husband but you also see how her love affair with Rory is an obstacle for that marital peace and a bigger obstacle is her husband's pig headed attitude. I found the ending to be totally unexpected. The plot twist at the end is amazing!!! A true romantic will absolutely appreciate it. I think you will enjoy this book as much as I did.
Rating:
Summary: This is the best book I have EVER read!!!
Review: I loved this book. I have recommended it to all of my friends. It is a book I can and will read again and again. It never once crossed my mind that Rory and Ruark were the same. It made me love Ruark more. I only wish that the story never ended. It is deffinitly a very, very good story.
Rating:
Summary: A match made in heaven AND hell!
Review: I loved this novel.....First Summer is a great heroine who would do anything in her power to save what is rightfully hers...like any good woman would. Second, the contrast between Ruark and Rory is so powerful... it shows that Summer wants her cake and to eat it too! It also shows that Ruark would go to any lengths to be with the woman he loves...even if that does mean tricking her to be with her. Third, Summer is so brave and headstrong, something most women wish they were, and Ruark is powerful, sensual, and definitly a rake...something every woman wants in a man. Hensley did a fantastic job on this novel!
Rating: 
Summary: Not what I expected....
Review: I read so many good reviews that I thought I might just give this book a chance. All I can say is that it's highly overrated. First of all Ruark and Summer didn't have much in common. It was more like lust at first sight. There wasn't much shared emotion in their relationship. Second if I were Summer I wouldn't put up with Ruark slapping me. He did it not once but TWICE! Ok so the second time she tried to shoot him but at least slap the gun away instead of her face. Third how could Summer love Ruark so much and then go and have an affair with his "brother"? She felt guilty but she still continued to have those tryst with Rory. That sure says much about how much she loved Ruark. And lastly Ruark sure have one hell of a temper not to mention multiple personalities! Someone please commit him in a mental institution because I can't believe he can be so "carefree" as Rory and fly off the handle and smack Summer around as Ruark. Towards the end he became so manipulative and "evil" (when he took away Summer's baby) that I was wishing the plague might take him. Summer wasn't a great character either...she was gutsy in the beginning but at the end she just became a toal pushover. She spent 5 months in prison and she just forgave Ruark so easily! ARGH!!
Rating:
Summary: One of my All-time Favorites!!!!!
Review: I think this is one of the best books I've ever read so far. The romance between Ruark and Summer is so touching and wonderful. I love how they get into little fights. Ruark and Summer are so possessive of each other and I love how Summer lets him cool his heels while she's off having fun. They both have so many adventures and they're so perfect for each other. This is my favorite book and the best of Henley's writings. You can't put it down and you read over your favorite parts almost every day.
Rating:
Summary: LOVED IT - the second time, too!
Review: I've acquired a collection of about 70 novels, but only about 10 are reserved in my mind as "the BEST I've ever read". This is one of them. Just finished reading it for the second (or was it third?) time - and it never ceases to stir my emotions. The heroine is the strong, willful, and persevering woman that we all want to be - with a bit of wonderful attitude. We come to know her very well (I love well-developed characters) as the book is written mostly from her perspective - but the neat thing is you come to know the hero's mind and emotions just as well in a different and unusual way. The pure passion between the characters is great entertainment, the emotional turmoil is wonderfully wrenching, and the bond of perfect love between them makes you want to LIVE this book - not just read it. If you like this book, you'll like more by Brenda Joyce, Virginia Henley, Susan Johnson, Lisa Kleypas, Laura Kinsale, etc. They are the authors of most of the books in my "BEST EVER" collection. I will never get rid of these books, but continue to read them for years and years.
Rating:
Summary: LOVED IT - the second time, too!
Review: I've acquired a collection of about 70 novels, but only about 10 are reserved in my mind as "the BEST I've ever read". This is one of them. Just finished reading it for the second (or was it third?) time - and it never ceases to stir my emotions. The heroine is the strong, willful, and persevering woman that we all want to be - with a bit of wonderful attitude. We come to know her very well (I love well-developed characters) as the book is written mostly from her perspective - but the neat thing is you come to know the hero's mind and emotions just as well in a different and unusual way. The pure passion between the characters is great entertainment, the emotional turmoil is wonderfully wrenching, and the bond of perfect love between them makes you want to LIVE this book - not just read it. If you like this book, you'll like more by Brenda Joyce, Virginia Henley, Susan Johnson, Lisa Kleypas, Laura Kinsale, etc. They are the authors of most of the books in my "BEST EVER" collection. I will never get rid of these books, but continue to read them for years and years.
Rating: 
Summary: Be warned - other reviewers include MAJOR spoilers
Review: If you are planning on reading this book, do yourself a favor and do not read the other reviews. People have inconsiderately given away the main plot twist to this book as well as much too much information, to the point where it is basically ruined. If you read the reviews, there won't be many surprises.
However, I was glad to know the twist as I read it. It made Cat's behavior slightly easier to stomach. But even so, I hated this book and I hated Ruark. His behavior was not adequately explained. If he was choosing to act one way to reach his wife, then he should have been nicer to her the rest of the time. This was a picture of a vicious, abusive, violent relationship, and it was pretty ugly.
I also couldn't stand Cat's stubbornness. There is nothing noble or courageous about staying in a plague-ridden city when you are pregnant. She didn't deserve to be treated the way Ruark treated her, nor did she deserve 5 months in prison - that was the topper for me, which ruined a story that I might otherwise have found excuses for. There was too much suffering and too much pain.
A hero in a romance novel should love the woman and try to protect her, not viciously abuse her, deliberately try to hurt her, abandon her, betray her, and have outrageous double standards. Given the final twist, he had quite some nerve getting angry with her for not being completely truthful with him.
Rating: 
Summary: This is the most erotic book I have ever read!
Review: My favorite part is when the pagan is on the pirate's ship andhe leaves her with nothing on but the fragipani and jewels. The oralsex is so exciting I feel orgasmic, too. Virginia Henley is my favorite author.
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