Saturday, April 1, 2017

Review: Heather Graham’s SWEET SAVAGE EDEN – A Magnificent Love Story That Begins in England and ends in the New World – a Keeper!

April is Classics Month on my blog and I’m starting with one of my favorites, the first in Heather Graham’s North American Women trilogy, a classic and one of my favorites by Heather Graham. It’s part of the 6-book Cameron Saga that I highly recommend. They were the first books I read by Heather that led me to become a huge fan of her historical romances.

It begins in 17th century England and tells of Jasmine ("Jassy") and Jamie. The story follows them to New World (Virginia), which was then very much a wild wilderness, untamed and inhabited by hostile Indians. 

Jassy has had a hard life as the bastard daughter of a dead nobleman. When her mother dies for lack of medical attention, Jassy learns of her connections to a noble family and, through a series of events, the family takes her in but treats her as little better than a servant. There she meets the dark Lord Cameron who wants to marry her because she reminds him of his "wild Virginia" where he is building a new life. Jassy is in love with his friend, the charming and fair Robert, but Robert has other plans.

Because Jassy fears dying in poverty like her mother, she consents to wed Jamie even though she is not even sure she likes him. But she is honest and tells him she is marrying him so she will not starve.

Jamie Cameron wants the beautiful Jassy—she makes his blood boil—and he believes she will be strong enough to endure the life in the wilderness where there are still Indians and pressures just to survive. But Jamie does not tell Jassy that he intends to take her to the New World because he knows Jassy wants the security of Jamie's beautiful manor in England.

Can she love a man she hates? Can she forget the fair Robert? Can Jamie love the tavern wench who wants only his wealth? So begins an adventure that is so well told and so well done, I have read it again and again. And the others in the series are equally good.

Heather Graham's writing is superb.  Her portrait of wild early America is wonderful. The story pulls you in and does not let you go. There are no slow spots as the action and characters are very real. The sexual tension permeates the book and is very believable. You will love Jassy and Jamie and you will find yourself drawn back to those historical times at the beginning of America. This is a keeper!
 

The Cameron Saga:

The North American Women trilogy:

Sweet Savage Eden
A Pirate's Pleasure
Love Not a Rebel


The Civil War trilogy:

One Wore Blue
And One Wore Gray
And One Rode West

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