Rating: 
Summary: A twist on a Historical "Interracial Romance"
Review: Again I say this is not the conventional romance story. Ms. Putneys female characters are in no ways shy or demure about there sensuality. So if that is what you like in Historical Romance BUYER BEWARE. It is not done like say Betrice Small's Heroines. It is more like they are not afraid of sex or there wants but embraces it.This one was harder to get through than "The Wild Child" Very Interesting storyline. Heroine (Troth)is unique, Hero (Kyle) is.... just there. I read "The Wild Child" first and really enjoyed it if I would have read this one first I would have given it 5 stars. Unfortunatly I read them back to back. The description of China was beautiful, the Heroine has so much about her that you must read the book to give her justice. Maybe that is why the Hero in comparison doesn't shine so brightly. Some of the characters show up in this book from "The Wild Child" which I enjoyed. This is a interracial love story they have to overcome the probability of racial prejudice from Family as well as the ton. On another note I have come to see in this series "The Wild Child" and "The China Bride" the Hero is the one that is holding out on the physical part of the relationship trying to do the "honorable thing" where the female is literally [upset] because she doesn't understand the conventionalism. Both books have heroines that were raised in different society's other than "stanch" English. So I applaud Ms. Putney for giving us a different type of Heroine in this book she is beautiful, intelligent and quite capable of handling herself (physically in any situation) Happy Reading
Rating: 
Summary: Enthralling, heartstopping, endlessly fascinating
Review: At the end of The Wild Child, Kyle, Viscount Maxwell, left his family home to go travelling and see the world. Seven years later, he is in China, working as a trader in the then Chinese system in which Western traders were kept in a compound in Canton, spied on by the translators provided to them by their hosts. The translator supplied to Kyle is a young man called Jin Kang, to whom Kyle feels strangely drawn. This is explained some days later when Kyle discovers that Jin Kang is really Troth Mei-Lian Montgomery, daughter of a Scottish trader and Chinese concubine, now both dead. Troth had been taken in by the Chinese overseer of the trading system, Chenqua, who took advantage of her fluency in both languages by making her work for him in disguise. Kyle, frustrated by the restraints on Europeans, wants to explore more of China, and Troth offers to be his guide on condition that he help her get to Scotland. She agrees, and in disguise they make their way to the Temple of Hashon, becoming lovers en route. Kyle, though, makes it clear that he isn't capable of loving; Troth lies and says that she's not looking for love. On the return journey, disaster strikes: Kyle's disguise is uncovered and he is arrested and sentenced to death. Troth creeps into his cell on the pretence of administering English deathbed rites, and Kyle offers to marry her, Scottish-style, to protect her and give her a means of getting back to England. Believing that the death sentence was carried out - she heard the sound of the firing squad - Troth makes her way to England, arriving at Warfield to tell Dominic that his brother is dead. Mere weeks later, a frail but alive Kyle turns up; his captors had only played with him, pretending on several occasions to execute him. So he and Troth are bound in a marriage of dubious legitimacy, and which neither believes the other wants. Where do they go from here? This is another Putney book I'd put off reading for some time; the Chinese element was offputting to me, since I don't care for Asian/Oriental settings and didn't like the latter two Silk books much for that reason. However, less than half of this book is actually set in China, and although Putney does her usual job of making the detail authentic (hence lots of stuff about feng shui and tai chi and chi energy and so on, most of which I skimmed rather than read), her usual skill at building a romance flows through the book. The scenes leading up to Kyle and Troth's parting and Kyle's 'death', as well as the depiction of Kyle in captivity and the mock executions, were poignant and emotional - Putney at her best. And I don't agree with those who argue that the latter part of the book is less interesting: the emotional divide and miscommunication between Kyle and Troth is also Putney at her best. Enthralling!
Rating: 
Summary: GREAT STORY - BUT?
Review: I love this author's works. The heroine in "The China Bride", Troth Montgomery is one of the most marvelous leading ladies I have read in a long time. The first part of the book moved along beautifully and, if rated separately, would have gotten 4 stars. The history and culture of China was fascinating. However, the second part of the story sagged badly. Kyle's complete loss of spirit, and consequent behavior, just didn't quite add up. It did not make sense that he would not reach out to Troth. I think if Kyle had been more fully developed as a character in the first place, this might have helped. Also, the time frame of his imprisonment seemed so brief - yet we were told that he spent months under inhuman conditions, but somehow I didn't suffer with him. A reader needs to have empathy with a character in order to care about him or her and here it was missing. As it stands, the second part would only receive 2 stars. Average: 3 stars.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful escape reading
Review: I picked up China Bride to read while riding the stationary bicycle at my gym - and couldn't put it down! The book is filled with great imagery of historic China, cultural conflict, and, of course, romance. This is a great book for bathtub, beach, or rainy day reading enjoyment.
Rating:
Summary: Feel Good
Review: Mary Jo Putney has created a story of a Eurochinese woman who is saved from a life of submission by an English Lord. After she believes he has been killed, she is left to forge a new life as an independent English woman, a life far from the one she left behind in China. Though the two main characters spend much of the stroy apart, its interesting to see their love for one another grow. Like all good stories, this one seemed to be over too soon, but leaves us feeling satisfied and content with the conclusion. I'll definantly read more of Ms. Putney's work.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent writing, wonderful characterization
Review: Mary Jo Putney is a great writer. This book is quite good. The hero is believable, the heroine is extremely interesting, the story moves along nicely. The technical aspects of the book are very good, for the most part. The writing is always fluent and often graceful. The characters are well-developed and distinct. The plot was a little weak, compared to other Putney novels, and is the reason I gave the book four stars instead of five. While the final crisis is foreshadowed (just barely), it doesn't seem to fit into the novel seamlessly. That is, the dramatic crisis was jarring in the context of the book. Additionally, there were one or two moments when the heroine acted in unmotivated ways. Interestingly, these actions were usually justified after the fact. However, Troth was a viewpoint character, so it doesn't make sense that her actions should be unmotivated when they occur, and only explained by her thoughts later. On the whole, it was a very enjoyable book, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to read a good historical romance. But it is not the equal of the books in the Silks trilogy. I *did* very much enjoy the glimpse of an older Duchess of Candover.
Rating:
Summary: Stunning and exotic!
Review: Ms. Putney has the most unique power of the pen -- the one that grabs the reader by the collar and insists you care for and about the phenomenal characters she creates. Troth Montgomery is just one of her exceptional creations, whose life in 1830's China is so far removed from the simpering drawing rooms of England that we are willingly sucked into the vortex of intrigue, mystery and love. Ms. Putney does a superlative renditon of the historical China for her backdrop. You are not just a reader but a real-time observer.
Rating:
Summary: A perfect blend of yin and yang...
Review: of East and West...of friendship and love. I think that's what struck me most about Troth and Kyle's relationship--their friendship, a connection that led to deeper feelings. Kyle wants to see the world before he settles into his responsibilities. Troth is looking for a place to belong. Together they lead a wild adventure through China, England and finally Scotland. A wonderful story that drew me in and wouldn't let me go until the very last page.
Rating:
Summary: Good Sequel To The Wild Child
Review: The China Bride is a wonderful romance about two people trying to find their place in the world where they can be happy. Many of you recognize Kyle from the Wild Child. He has really changed in this story. His years of travel have given him an inner strength and peace he didn't have in The Wild Child. What I really like about Kyle is that he appreciates and respects other cultures and customs. The China Bride finds him in the outskirts of China where he is determined to get in the country and worship at the temple of hoshan. The problem? Foreigners are not allowed in China. This is where the heroine comes in. Troth Montgomery is half Chinese/half Scottish. The death of her parents has forced her to disguise herself as a man and be an interpreter. Her boss is doing business with Kyle, and he sees through her disguise right away. She offers to take Kyle to the temple of hoshan if Kyle will take her to England. This is where the journey begins. My one big complaint about this story is that these two could have avoided much if they had communicated better. This story started out really good with the journey through china to the temple of hoshan. It kind of fizzles out when Kyle returns to England. But it is still a story worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: Great adventure romance
Review: The China Bride is like an Oriental carpet, luxurious and rich with detail. A romantic adventure, the author, Mary Jo Putney, transcends the average tale with her well drawn characters, exotic historic locales and fluid writing style.
The story opens with Troth Montgomery, a Scottish-Chinese woman, who has been living between two cultures in 19th century China. She arrives at the English home of Dominic Renbourne to announce she is his brother's widow. Through flashback we learn how Kyle Renbourne, Viscount Maxwell, an English lord trying to escape sorrows by travelling abroad meets Troth, an English translator in China. Between them, they find understanding and passion while exploring, both figuratively and literally, forbidden ground. Misadventure occurs and Kyle, sentenced to death, marries Troth then sends her back to his ancestral home so she can discover the European side of herself. When Kyle miraculously reappears, the couple must resolve their own identities before they can accept love.
Psychologically convincing, abundant with historical background and warmed with more than a little sensuality, this is a superb read from one of the best writers of romance. Although it is a sequel to the excellent Wild Child and a pre-quel to also excellent The Bartered Bride, it stands on its own.
Ms. Putney's website reports that movie rights have been optioned for this book. If you read it, you will see why someone would want to film this wonderfully exhilarating story.
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