Kathleen Woodiwiss’ THE WOLF AND THE DOVE – Medieval Romance That Grabs Your Heart!

This is a classic by Kathleen Woodiwiss, one of her best. It’s also a bodice ripper so be prepared.

It begins in 1066 just after William the Conqueror has claimed England. One of his most trusted knights and a bastard like William, Wulfgar ("the Iron Wolf of Normandy") is sent to hold Darkenwald for his sire. But arriving a day before, one of the Wolf's knights, Ragnor, who unlike his superior, is of noble Norman blood, takes the castle and delivers a harsh message to the people, one the Wolf would not have sanctioned. This results in the death of the Darkenwald's lord and many of his serfs. Ragnor also claims the fair Saxon princess, Aislinn, lady of Darkenwald, who hates him for the murder of her father, his brutal attack and all he has taken from her.

When the Wolf arrives, he gives Aislinn a choice between him or Ragnor. Hating Ragnor, she chooses the Wolf though, in truth, she hates them both. The Wolf hates women for his mother's betrayal and treats them all as casual property. And that is the way he begins with Aislinn. Wulfgar rapes her and makes her his whore (Aislinn's word). But the proud, beautiful and selfless Aislinn remains the fair lady caring for her people. He warns Aislinn not to love him as he will leave her. But Aislinn is a new breed of woman he's never encountered before and soon she is under his skin.

This is a grand tale of a tumultuous time in history with deception, treachery and jealousy woven into a tapestry of wonderful characters. There are jousts, sword fights, battles and more. Who could not desire the handsome Wulfgar? Who could not come under the spell of the beautiful saint-like Aislinn? Ah...it is timeless!

Kathleen Woodiwiss’ A ROSE IN WINTER – A Choice Between Love and Honor in a Great Georgian Romance!

Kathleen Woodiwiss has written some truly great romances. She was a great storyteller. This one at well over 500 pages is no exception. A rose in winter...a flower blooming out of time...a sign of true love to come. Ah yes...how we love it.

Set in late 18th century England, this is the story of the Sexton noble family, whose lord and his eldest son were killed for their wealth and lands. Now the young lord, who succeeded his father, has supposedly died in a fire purposely set to end his life, the same fire that burned a wing of their mansion.

Years later, a wealthy Yankee merchant seaman, Christopher Seton, has come to the village of Mawbry seeking a place to live while he settles a debt owed him. He makes inquiries about the old Saxton Hall, still vacant after the death of the young lord.

Living in the same village is Erienne, a beauty whose only value to her father (the Mayor) is to be sold to the highest bidder among her many suitors. Her father needs the money to pay his debts, including the one he owes to Seton, who has taken a fancy to Erienne.

At the sale, the highest bidder is an agent for a mysterious "Lord Saxton," supposedly the very same lord who was thought burned in the fire. He wears a mask to hide his deformed face and walks with a deep limp. Now wed to the man, Erienne initially fears him, but he is kind and generous to her. She holds him at bay as to their physical relationship. Slowly, she comes to respect and care for him, but alongside this growing feeling for her husband is a growing attraction to the Yankee Seton.

Woodiwiss deals us a fast moving hand as the players hide their true motives and their true characters from each other. As we follow along, we are not disappointed. Like her other romances, she weaves a complex tale and provides a rich tapestry of characters. Her descriptions will put you in the scene and leave you wanting more.

If you're a Woodiwiss fan, you'll love this one.

Kathleen Woodiwiss’ SHANNA – The Gold Standard for Historical Romance! A Keeper!

This was my first by the queen of the modern historical romance novel, Kathleen Woodiwiss and I highly recommend it. A wonderful Georgian romance. A classic and a keeper!

Set in mid 18th century London, the Caribbean and the Colony of Virginia, this is the story of the strong willed Shanna Trahern, the only daughter of a successful British merchant who has retired with his wealth to his Caribbean island, Los Cammellos. There he is both governor and owner of a thriving plantation and trade business. His much-loved wife has died by the time the story begins and he wants grandchildren from Shanna and he wants them now!

Her father gives Shanna, who has rejected all her suitors, one year to find a suitable husband or he's picking one for her, preferably one with a title. She has no interest in complying and spends that year in London enjoying herself. Nearing the end of the year, she decides that in order to avoid her father's picking a man for her, she'll take a husband from among those in Newgate Prison facing the gallows. Her goal is to be an instant widow with a good name.

She finds Ruark Beauchamp, a convicted murderer, and marries him. When she first sees him, he is dirty, bearded and unkempt, living in the prison's squalor. At the wedding, after her man has cleaned up Ruark, she discovers a handsome, intelligent and virile man who is a bit, well… overwhelming. His price for giving her his name is one night with her after they are wed--a marriage in truth, however brief. He manages to claim a bit of it just before her scheme is discovered. With hatred and anger in his voice, as they drag him away, he vows to hold her to their bargain if God grants him mercy from the hangman's noose.

Unbeknownst to Shanna, that mercy will be granted to him.

This romance is worth your money. At 666 pages of well-told, detailed, historically accurate, page turning romance, it's a keeper! The characters are brilliantly developed and the settings well described. The hero's love for his woman never varied (which I loved). He is a man I'd give up decades for. Kathleen Woodiwiss, who unfortunately is no longer with us, could write!

This is on my Top 20 list!

Kathleen Woodiwiss’ THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER – Captivating Tale of a Sea Captain and the Woman he mistook for a Doxy—a Keeper!

This was Kathleen Woodiwiss' first romance, first published in 1972, and it's still a gold standard. She set the bar high and few can come close, even now. It's a timeless, wonderful story rich in detail and emotion. You will love it, I promise.

Set in 1799, it tells the story of the beautiful young Heather Simmons who was raised a nobleman's daughter. When her father, grieving at his wife’s death, gambled away the family’s money and then died himself, the young Heather was sent off to live with poor relations who abuse her (think Cinderella). She believes she is given a chance to escape when her older cousin, a successful merchant, comes to call, claiming he can get her a job at a girl's school in London.

Heather soon discovers that the lecherous old man has something entirely different in mind. When he dresses her up as a whore, Heather flees only to find herself on the docks of London. There, seamen from Capt. Brandon Birmingham's ship, looking for a doxy for their captain's pleasure, seize her. Brandon, an American merchant sea captain from the Carolinas, is delighted with what he believes is a gorgeous young prostitute. Before he hears her story, he has his way with her only to realize he has just deflowered a virgin. He tells her she needs to be resigned to becoming his paramour, but she will have none of it and escapes. (I just loved that part…a courageous heroine who cleverly escapes the hero’s bad intention). And so the tale begins.

It's an amazing story that will take you from a poor farm in England, to London, to a merchant ship sailing across the Atlantic, and finally to the American south of wealthy plantations.

Woodiwiss paints vivid word pictures of life on the farm and the adventure at sea. It is a tale of great love coming from a rude beginning. I liked Woodiwiss’ prose and masterfully drawn characters. If you read historical romance, you MUST read this one. It’s a keeper!

Review: Kathleen Woodiwiss’ SHANNA – The Gold Standard for Historical Romance! A Keeper!

This was my first by the queen of the modern historical romance novel, Kathleen Woodiwiss, and I highly recommend it. A wonderful Georgian romance.

Set in mid 18th century London, the Caribbean and the Colony of Virginia, this is the story of the strong willed Shanna Trahern, the only daughter of a successful British merchant who has retired with his wealth to his Caribbean island, Los Cammellos. There he is both governor and owner of a thriving plantation and trade business. His much-loved wife has died by the time the story begins and he wants grandchildren from Shanna and he wants them now!

Her father gives Shanna, who has rejected all her suitors, one year to find a suitable husband or he's picking one for her, preferably one with a title. She has no interest in complying and spends that year in London enjoying herself. Nearing the end of the year, she decides that in order to avoid her father's picking a man for her, she'll take a husband from among those in Newgate Prison facing the gallows. Her goal is to be an instant widow with a good name.

She finds Ruark Beauchamp, a convicted murderer, and marries him. When she first sees him, he is dirty, bearded and unkempt, living in the prison's squalor. At the wedding, after her man has cleaned up Ruark, she discovers a handsome, intelligent and virile man who is a bit, well… overwhelming. His price for giving her his name is one night with her after they are wed--a marriage in truth, however brief. He manages to claim a bit of it just before her scheme is discovered. With hatred and anger in his voice, as they drag him away, he vows to hold her to their bargain if God grants him mercy from the hangman's noose.

Unbeknownst to Shanna, that mercy will be granted to him.

This romance is worth your money. At 666 pages of well-told, detailed, historically accurate, page turning romance, it's a keeper! The characters are brilliantly developed and the settings well described. The hero's love for his woman never varied (which I loved). He is a man I'd give up decades for. Kathleen Woodiwiss, who unfortunately is no longer with us, could write!

This is on my Top 20 list!

Review: Kathleen Woodiwiss’ FOREVER IN YOUR EMBRACE – Classic Tale of Love in Mother Russia

Set in 1620 in Russia, this is the story of Colonel Tyrone Rycroft, an English mercenary in the employ of the Russian Tsar, who saves the life of Countess Synnovea, a young, unmarried woman brought to Moscow to be married. Tyrone thinks to make her his mistress (which has to be incredible arrogance on his part) and asks to court her (seemingly inconsistent desires).

Rather that be married to an old aristocrat to whom her guardian has betrothed her, Synnovea decides to allow Tyrone to ruin her and have them interrupted for all to see. It goes off without a hitch except that Tyrone is able to consummate their union. Then, a Russian who wanted her for himself takes his revenge out on Tyrone and tells him she concocted the plan.

The Tsar forces Tyrone to wed Synnovea, but Tyrone obtains the tsar’s agreement to allow the marriage to be annulled if Tyrone can leave England without touching his new wife. You see the rub.

What was hard to take about this story was the dramatic change in the characters’ views of each other. At first, Tyrone couldn’t live without Synnovea, even disobeying his superior to see her. Synnovea was a highspirited, smart young woman, who wasn’t in love with Tyrone. More intrigued, I’d say. But then all changes. He thinks she gave him her virginity just to get out of a marriage, he hates her. Oh, he continues to lust after her, but whatever “love” he once felt is gone, or so it seems. Meanwhile, the strong, independent Synnovea becomes a wet noodle, afraid of her husband and wallowing in remorse. It was hard to like either of them at this point.

As ever, Woodiwiss’ descriptions are opulent and the grand display of Russia in the 17^th century well presented. She has done her research. And the action scenes are good. Still, this will not be counted among her greatest works. I finished the book and, of course, there’s a happy ever after, but it’s not quite up to The Flame and the Flower, Shanna and The Wolf and the Dove. Even Petals on the River, which was published five years later, is better.

Review: Kathleen Woodiwiss’ A ROSE IN WINTER – A Great 18th Century Romance from a Great Author

Kathleen Woodiwiss has written some truly great romances. She was a great storyteller. This one at well over 500 pages is no exception. A rose in winter...a flower blooming out of time...a sign of true love to come. Ah yes...how we love it.

Set in late 18th century England, this is the story of the Sexton noble family. They were so envied, their lord and his eldest son were killed for their wealth and lands. Now the young lord, who succeeded his father, has died in a fire purposely set to end his life, the same fire that burned a wing of their mansion.

Years later, a wealthy Yankee merchant seaman, Christopher Seton, has come to seek a place to live in the village and makes inquiries about the old Saxton Hall, still vacant after the death of the young lord. Living in the same village is Erienne, a beauty whose only value to her father (the Mayor) is to be sold to the highest bidder who will pay the old man's debts. At the sale, the highest bidder is an agent for a mysterious "Lord Saxton," supposedly the very same lord who was thought burned in the fire. He wears a mask to hide his deformed face and walks with a deep limp. Erienne initially fears the man she is forced to wed though he is kind and generous to her. Slowly, she comes to respect and care for him, but alongside this growing feeling for her husband is a growing attraction to the Yankee rake Seton.

Woodiwiss deals us a fast moving hand as the players hide their true motives and character from each other. As we follow along, we are not disappointed. Like her other romances, she weaves a complex tale and provides a rich tapestry of characters. If you're a Woodiwiss fan, you'll like this one.

Buy on Amazon

New Review: Kathleen Woodiwiss’ ASHES IN THE WIND – A Classic and a Captivating Civil War Romance!

When Kathleen Woodiwiss did romance well, there was no one better--and such a novel is ASHES IN THE WIND. To my thinking, it's up there with her best (THE FLAME AND THE FLOWER, THE WOLF AND THE DOVE and SHANNA).

It is a compelling tale of a young Southern woman from Louisiana who loses everything in the Civil War. The Yankees take her family and her home and finally, even her identity. Disguised as a boy for her safety, 17-year old Alaina MacGaren thinks to seek refuge in her uncle's home in New Orleans. But before she can reach him she encounters a group of soldiers who harass her. A young Yankee surgeon, Captain Cole Latimer from Minnesota, rescues her. He is a man of honor and great medical talent who is respectful of Southerners.

Cole takes "Al" the boy (Alaina's new identity) under his wing and gives "him" a job at the Yankee army hospital in New Orleans Al returns the favor and saves the doctor's life one night when he is drunk, set upon by thieves and tossed into the Mississippi River. In the process of caring for Cole in her uncle's home, much happens, and a great mix-up occurs that casts a shadow on the rest of the story.

It is a magnificent love story, well told with great plot twists and accurate history of the era, woven in so that you understand what is going on in the Civil War. Her characters are richly drawn. You will feel you are living it and you will celebrate Alaina's strength and intelligence. She plays many parts and Woodiwiss does them all so well. 

You won't regret reading this one--it's a keeper!


Buy on Amazon.