Judith McNaught: Whitney, My Love

Let New York Times bestselling author Judith McNaught who “is in a class by herself” (USA TODAY) sweep you off your feet and into another time with her sensual, passionate, and spellbinding historical romance classics, featuring her “unique magic” (RT Book Reviews).

A saucy spitfire who has grown into a ravishing young woman, Whitney Stone returns from her triumphant time in Paris society to England. She plans on marrying her childhood sweetheart, only to discover she has been bargained away by her bankrupt father to the arrogant and alluring Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore. Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot—will not—relinquish her dream of perfect love. Rich with emotion, brimming with laughter and tears, Whitney, My Love is “the ultimate love story, one you can dream about forever” (RT Book Reviews).

CW: SA Scene, Domestic Violence/Abuse

Raised by a cold-hearted father, the wild and wildly infatuated Whitney is sent away to France to be “finished” by her Aunt and Uncle.  Under their kind and loving care, Whitney is allowed to blossom into a woman who has looks, wit, and is widely considered an Original.  Faithful to the memory of her first love, Whitney shuns a plethora of marriage offers, including one from the sexy, loyal Nick.

When she returns to England to snare the boy who has captured her heart, she learns that she is only home to ready for marriage to the rakehellion Duke of Claymore…a man Whitney detests upon sight.  She then schemes in a Scarlet O’Hara ala Regency way to escape the Duke’s clutches and fall into the hands of her Paul.

Whitney, My Love is a saga of epic proportions spanning years, continents and just about every emotion.  Our hero and heroine have real Darcy and Elizabeth qualities that some hist-rom readers will love.  A little pride and prejudice make for wonderful emotional tension that helps to move along the storyline as love blossoms.  On the second read, I found myself once again lost in Whitney’s world…angry with Claymore for his interference, stupified that she would crush on such a milksop, and enchanted by her Season in Paris.

Whitney is the ultimate heroine…full of flaws.  She also has a spirit that makes her irresistible, not only to the men of the ton, but to the reader.

Judith McNaught has surprised me time and time again with her wonderful novels.  I enjoy McNaught’s books because they are substantial (lots of pages), and they also leave me feeling satisfied.  (Rather than a more typical reaction of reaching the last page, and then throwing the book down saying “That was sappy.”)

Whitney, My Love is the ultimate of McNaught’s hist-ro novels and one that can be read time and time again.

Update: I really enjoyed this book years ago when I read it, back when I was more prone to accept alpha-hole heroes and give SA scenes a pass.  There is also some violence that would be a bit harder for me to swallow now and a fair amount of misunderstandings in the plot which I have grown weary of.

There is a lot to like about this book, but a fair amount of the problematic so I would urge readers to undertake with caution.