One of my all time favorite scenes in that book was when she goes back to him and she tells him the greatest thing she ever did in her life was to have him fall in love with her (cried my eyes out).

I think what seperates her for me (Like Catherine) I fall for her heroines as well. They are wonderful woman whom I just root for from begining to end not annoying, selfish and stupid like so many heroines. Although, one thing that is constant in all her Regencies is 2 chases. The first is to get the heroine to fall in love and the second is the big "misunderstanding" and then it happens all over again. With WML there were actually three! It makes for a very exciting book and long....I love that her books are long and last more than a few total hours of reading.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

For me, what draws me in is her heroes. They are men with a strong facade but are in need of love. They appear arrogant and self centered at first glance but you find that is not who they are.

Whitney my Love is probably one of my least favorites of hers, sorry Mickey! It just was not able to draw me in and some of the scenes... you know the ones........ just made me go UGHHHHH!

Let me know if there is a particular book anyone wants to discuss.... am always up for rereading her books!

Kristina

Christy

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I hate to bring this up, but anyone read the flame and the flower? I'm confused about Heather and Brandon's first encounter... I cant figure it out. anyone figure it out??? Is it a rape or a lovey love? I like the story so far even though the couple is hard to uh... like. Poor Heather though... I felt so sorry for her... Im still amazed by the fact after her murder of someone mean, she has sex... and maybe that kind of messes her up... I havent read further than that... I'm amazed by her writing though... Anyway, I will try and figure it out myself. I really love the imagery. that is what I miss the most about romance. I suppose everyone is fast fast and fast... these days.

Even though I love WML, I do have to ignore that scene, It was the 80's and I read it in the 80's so it didn't shock me the way it would for someone reading it for the first time today. However, it isn't my favorite book. Almost Heaven is my absolute favorite w/Once and Always comming in a close second. I adore Ian. All her men have something in common. They are strong Alpha males who when they fall in love they fall head over heals....but don't betray them! They have all had something happen in their pasts either family or ex's or just watching the behavior of immoral women (one of them was even one of the hero's mother I believe) and it has made them completely jaded. So when they are betrayed or think they have been betrayed.....man can they get cold and turn it off.

In Almost Heaven when he gives his dog away so he never cares about anyone ever again....I had to put my book down I was crying so hard.

Christy,
I wish you'd read AH first. WML has a rape scene and I think it will turn you off to her. (I can say that to you because I know you don't believe in spoilers as you proved by comming in here w/o having read the book).

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

I know ya'll must think I'm nuts, but I swear I can pick up a book and just know, really KNOW if I'm in the mood for it or not, mostly based on the cover, but also the few sentences I read as I swiftly flip through the book and I tried reading Almost Heaven a couple weeks ago and I just wasn't in the mood, but when I picked up Whitney, My Love I felt...ready to read it....I know, I know....go ahead and say it....weirdo!!!! LOL....

Christy

WEIRDO!!!!!!!!!

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

Christy

How's it going along. Post your thoughts as you go.....or your FEELINGS

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

The first book I've read was Until You, which was great.. more than i can say! I love the part where Whitney and her friends devised a plan to help Sherry reunite with Stephen. I felt terrible when Stephen asked Sherry to be her mistress instead of to be his wife. A Kingdom of Dreams, which i think is the first sequel in the Westmoreland series, is good too!

I hoped you enjoy reading Whitney, My Love, Christy!

"True beauty springs from the heart and dwells in the eyes.." -Mr. Gimble of Something Wonderful

As for Clayton, well I just fell in love with him. As a man, he showed much patience with Whitney in the beginning and his love for her was one that I could actually see happening, even when he couldn't at first. How could you not see his interest in her slowly turn into love? And his inability to trust in his love and to overreact so severely to her "discrepencies" was a bit much, but also understandable to me, considering THEIR situation. Did I agree with him abducting her that first time? NO, but how could you hate him when he instantly stopped his rage and then went on for weeks hating himself more than anyone else could...

I just loved the story...the mighty Duke falling in love with the "nobody" and then that "nobody" bringing him to his knees, as by the end of this story, Whitney had him wrapped around her little fingers and toes, lol, which is the way it should always be!!!!

I loved it, but it is a very intense story, and seeing as how I have read both Commanch Moon and Commanche Heart and then this book book back-to-back-to-back...well, let's just say I'm ready for something a bit less intense!!!

Christy

*Hugs!

"True beauty springs from the heart and dwells in the eyes.." -Mr. Gimble of Something Wonderful

"True beauty springs from the heart and dwells in the eyes.." -Mr. Gimble of Something Wonderful

I can't tell you how thrilled I am that you loved the book. I was so worried when you said you were going to read WML first. It is one of my favorites but, I did read it the first time in the 80's and when Kristie told me she hated it and others echoed it because of the rape........ I like you looked beyond that and saw two of my favorite charachters. I can only tell you that not one of her historicals are a disappointment. They will all invoke that same feeling in you of loving the heroine almost as much as the hero.

While Almost Heaven is my absolute favorite I think after getting to know you this past year and half, I feel safe in saying you are going to love Once and Always best. If not that one then Kingdom of Dreams which is the original Westmooreland that Clayton Refers to in WML.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

You are definitely correct with those two, if I recall Jordan's Mama was having an affair w/Jordan's mistresses Husband!!!!! How's that for keeping it in the family. lol

There was also the witch that ditched Stephen for a title, and we won't even get into all the bad ladies in the contemporaries. Do you read her contemporaries? I never would read any until I needed a JM fix and picked up Paradise. I couldn't believe how good that book was and Perfect followed up with being just as good if not better. I actually love all her books. Even the last two and not that many ppl liked them.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

BTW How are you????? I miss you and it bothers me when your not feeling well that you don't check in.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

I will have to say that of all of her contemps my fav by her is Perfect...Love that Zach!!!...Talk about your tortured hero...I also really liked Someone to Watch Over Me...I know alot of people who DON'T like that one but something about it calls to me....

I do know that if you pick up a JM-contemp or hist-you won't be disappointed...she puts alot into the storylines and her characters...Most of her books are semi-series in the fact that she mentions characters from earlier books and sometimes features them in the book...I LOVE THAT!!!!!!...Kinda like visiting old friends....

Christy-I'm so glad you liked Whitney....I know the rape scene puts alot of people off...I usually just kinda skim over it and get to the best part of the book...

Jules

I.C.B.B.W.I.....

Ya make me want to run and read them all over again sigh...... We should read them along w/Ms Christy. whatdaya think?????

BTW: you love Michael because he's a paisan...that is what is so compelling about him hehehehehe

and yes Zach is hot, but then again....so was Matt. I could never decide btwn the two of them. (((((( favorite scene from Perfect was when he calls Meredith from that funky MOtel and describes the pink honeymoon suite to her lol )))))))))

I also love the dude from Remember when...can't think of his name atm but there was somthing incredibly vulnerable about him.....when she finds out about his childhood and then goes to find him by his family "shack"....I felt so bad for him. (did you ever notice every single one of her books make you cry?) I love the way she defends him and how shocked he is by that. The there is Raul....Good Lord was he not the Hottest (currently having a flash lol ).

Something Wonderful, Almost Heaven and Once and Always all wonderful as well and let's not forget Royce in "A kingdom of Dreams"..... When he is dying on the field because he promised her he wouldn't lift a sword to her family and won't break his word to her .... OMG!

But all in all one of my all time favorite scenes in a JM book has to be when Jordan thinks Alex is dying and starts screaming that if she dies he'll throw the deaf butler out on his ear and kick the blind footman out as well and then breaks down and cries....... you'd have to be heartless not to cry along w/him. Oh my, I do love her books....please let's re read them???

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

"True beauty springs from the heart and dwells in the eyes.." -Mr. Gimble of Something Wonderful

Almost Heaven is my absolute JM favorite. I don't know how you feel about spoilers so I won't go into any details buttttt suffice it to say "It is JM at her Best". Ian Thornton is just absolutely my favorite Hero. Especially when they first meet. Oh I'm so jealous that you get to experience it for the first time hehehehehehe....let me know if you get it and when you'll be reading it...I'll read along w/you.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

Christy

Jules

I.C.B.B.W.I.....

Okay, I will be honest here, and I am prepared to be lashed with a wet noodle

I am not a big fan of JM, but I am not sure why. There are some books that I like and one that I LOVE, but the rest...not sure why they don't float my boat.

But Kristie, this is where I'll get the wet noodle, lol, and maybe deservedly so....but the "scene" in Whitney, My Love did not bother me like I thought it would, or maybe like I had been warned that it would. Of course, I knew when it first started, what was going to happen so I was prepared to read BEYOND it. But when he so instantly withdraw, so instantly hated himself for what had happened, was so disgusted with himself for believing those things about her, and just wanted to comfort her right away...and the fact that SHE wanted him to comfort her immediately...well, I can't say that the scene is so bad that I would skip over it when I read it again. I think it's such an important part of the story for Whitney and Clayton and I think it was important for the readers to see what each was capable of, both the ugly and the remorseful parts. While I do NOT condone this at all...I've never read another book where this has happened, I still can't say that I would skip over the scene when I reread it, and I couldn't hold this against Clayton for long because he hated himself enough for all of the readers!!! So, as I asked my friend when I discussed this book with her...what does this say about ME???? LOL....

Kristie, since this is only the first one that I've read, I can't say that JM is a favorite, but I did truly love Whitney, My Love.

Christy

Kristie-OH NO Don't tell me you don't like JM...LOL..My bubble of us liking almost all of the same type of books is bursting...hehehehehe...

Jules

I.C.B.B.W.I.....

Christy,
I won't beat you because what you said makes total sense...I never looked at it from that point before, and you are right. I always thought Clayton redeemed himself when he humbled himself before her butttt you came up with some interesting points especially why she didn't write that scene out when she rewrote the book in the mid 90's. hmmmmmmmm something to think about.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

http://www.aarboards.com/viewtopic.php?t=2654&start=15
The comments about Clayton are dated Feb 21.

What do you think?

Joan

Whitney was incredibly immature when they first met....and we got to watch her "grow up" literally while he was falling for her, he had no idea that he would fall or fall so hard. It is a very long book with character development going on throughout.

That being said...I wouldn't fault anyone for hating him or the book.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

Truly, I can see why people could be put off by that scene and maybe even why they would not be able to forgive him, but Whitney's and his reaction immediately after it and then reading for almost a hundred more pages as he hated himself, struggled so hard with what he had done and it was during this time that he finally realized how in love with her he was...and the fact that by the end of the book, Whitney had him so wrapped around her little finger...well, I kinda like this man

Christy

I read the book quite a while ago so I don't remember it in detail but the one thing that stands out in my memory is the idea that Clayton is never going to trust Whitney. I wouldn't put it as strongly as the posters on that board that I pointed you to but I can see why they posted those comments.

I dealt with the fact that he beat her with a riding crop (if I remember correctly) and the fact that he didn't believe her when she said she was an innocent but he never learnt his lesson. He just kept on mistrusting her.

Joan

One of the long standing theme's in her books is the long falling in love process, the broken trust....and then the what I call "Chase". Where one or the other has to get the other one to forgive them. One thing is clear....this works for her because if you go to her board....wow there are a lot of big time fans there. I know for me.....I have always found her books unique in that because of all the controversey and chasing and vulnerability.......we see such a multifaceted view of both H/H that I fall head over heels for her Heroes. Another thing for me is, because of all the long turmoil and character development....I always feel effected (or is it affected) after one of her books. I cry, I laugh, I feel desolate........I never just say.....it way lovely.....It is always a way deeper feeling evoked.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

As for Whitney My Love, I was enjoying it too until we got to 'big misunderstanding' number 3. That was just too much for me to handle and made me think that Clayton was never going to fully trust Whitney. She was going to have to spend her whole life 'proving' her love to him,

Joan

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

"True beauty springs from the heart and dwells in the eyes.." -Mr. Gimble of Something Wonderful

This discussion had me itching to re-read Until You, which is Stephen's story for any of you who don't know that.

I LOVE Until You!!!

So, while I was at the library, I pulled out WML and flipped through it, and nothing has changed. I don't like him. I think he is a jerk, who never seems to learn his lesson, and is not only tortured and making mistakes, but he is CRUEL over and over and over.

I heard something on TV the other day(or maybe I read it. I cannot remember) that fit my thinking:

"I am going to beat him like a rented mule" that is how I feel about Clayton..lol

I KNOW I am in the minority here, but I cannot help it. I think I have mentioned before that I hate books like this, where it is one thing after another, with cruelty and misunderstandings. I don't want to spend almost an entire book just really disliking either character.

Now, all that being said, the ending is WONDERFUL. I don't think it is as good as the ending in Until You, but it is definitely worth me pulling the book out and reading just the ending..lol

Stephens story is different, and this may indeed be a spoiler, so enter at your own risk!

Stephen's story is different. It is not until the last, what 1/3 of the book, that there is the big blow up. It allowed me to really just be charmed by both of them.

I was already charmed by Stephen from WML, so it was good to not have to immediately take major dislike towards him!LOL!

I even liked Clayton in Until You, but he is a different character to me in that book.

But, Kristie, you hit the nail on the head when you said Clayton was like a different character in Until You....to me, he was a different character by the time I got to the end of the book. Did it take him long enough to get there??? YES!!!!! LOL....but by the end of the book (and I assume I read the updated/lengthened version since this book was over 700 pages!!!) he finally was able to get beyond his personal issue of trusting people and he was more than devoted to Whitney. He had grown so much from beginning of the book until the end...just as Whitney, who grew UP during the story...FINALLY!!!! LOL

I guess what surprises me in all of this is that his character has created such a "fuss" if you will, with opinions of him being extremely all over the place....I only found that I truly liked him and very much enjoyed their story. He's not a favorite hero of mine, but at the same time I still found him to be an endearing hero. Again, though, I never thought I'd be able to absorb that kind of scene as easily as I did...so as I've asked my friends, what does that say about ME??? LOL....

Christy

What I find funny is that Until you Stephen is very cruel to Sheri when they first make love.

Spoiler
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He deliberately seduces her and leaves her. I thought that was very cruel of him. He crushes her. I know you 're going to think I'm an oddball that I can accept the rape but this was sooooooooo cold and calculated and it didn't seem to matter that she was a virgin. Clayton honestly believed that Whitney betrayed him and the min. he realized his mistake he was filled w/remorse. He also redeems himself but I hated him when he did that and was almost hoping Nicky would marry her instead.

Mickey

"Fugghedaboutit"

Mickey, I read a hardback copy just a few months after it was released so I assume it was the original

>I guess what surprises me in all of this is that his character has created such a "fuss" if you will, with opinions of him being extremely all over the place....

>Christy

Christy, I read comments on lots of bulletin boards and blogs and Whitney My Love is one of the most discussed books. It keeps coming up again and again - usually because of Clayton. I saw it mentioned again a few days ago on a different board than the one I linked to in my first post and again Clayton was the reason given by the posters for not liking the book.
He's certainly one of the most talked about characters in romance fiction

Joan