Review - A Kingdom of Dreams

Title: A kingdom of Dreams
Author: Judith McNaught
Publishing Date: 1989
Genre: Medieval
Rating: A-
Sensuality: Warm

Headstrong, seventeen year old Jenny Merrick has been living in a convent for the last two years. After causing her father one to many headaches, he shipped her off in the hopes that she would learn some discipline. Meanwhile the Scots and English have been waging war against one another. Many fierce battles have been fought and won by Royce Westmoreland in the name of the English King, Henry. He has been ordered to take the Scottish Earl of Merrick's keep. Stephan, Royce's brother happens to be in the right place at the right time and utilizes the opportunity to kidnap Jenny and her sister Brenna.

Judith McNaught is well known for her sweeping sagas rich with angst and passion. A Kingdom of Dreams is no exception. It happens to be one of the most memorable medieval stories I have ever had the pleasure of reading. Jenny and Royce are extremely vivid characters with larger than life personalities. Jenny is prideful and headstrong, but loyal and clever. Royce is presumptuous and stubborn, but intelligent and compassionate too. These two personalities ignite passionately against one another - first in anger, then eventually with love. Oh, but the journey is fraught with the highest of highs and the lowest of lows.

This is actually my second time reading A Kingdom of Dreams. I wondered if I would still enjoy it now, as much as I did a few years ago when I first started reading romance. I am very happy to say that it still holds the same magic it once did for me. As I was reading it again, there were some things that bothered me about the characters. I hated how Royce so quickly jumps to a conclusion about Jenny, when there wasn't any evidence. I could understand later on, once some things came to light, but not right away. Jenny annoyed me with how long she clung to her loyalty to her family even though they didn't deserve it. I will say that even though these things might bother a reader, McNaught does a beautiful job of getting the reader to empathize with her characters' plight. The dramatic ups and downs of the book are what make it so memorable and special. It is a true testimony to her talent that she can write flawed characters and still keep them lovable.

Review - Whitney, My Love

Title: Whitney, My Love (special collector’s edition)
Author: Judith McNaught
Publishing Date: 1995
Genre: Historical
Rating: B+
Sensuality: Warm

Whitney Stone is a young head-strong girl of age fifteen, who is determined to marry Paul Sevarin. She is so outrageous in her attempts to win Paul that her father, who lacks control over Whitney, sends her to live with her Aunt Anne and Uncle Gilbert in France. There she blossoms into a beautiful young woman whom French society just adores with her fresh and direct manner. Whitney unknowingly catches the eye of the Duke of Claymore, Clayton Westmoreland. He knows immediate that he wants her and sets about a plan to get her. Whitney has other ideas though, and still aspires to marry her childhood love, Paul. What ensues is quite a love story of epic proportions.

What struck me first was the ability of Mrs. McNaught to immediately draw the reader into the story, by painting such a vivid picture of a young girl, Whitney. Whitney is quite a captivating character, richly drawn with a depth of personality. She can be obstinate and determined and yet she can also be soft and vulnerable too. She is no simpering ninny, but is contrite when she knows she did something wrong. In essence, she is infinitely likeable.

The hero of the story Clayton was every bit as well drawn as Whitney. What I liked about him was how he went about trying to woo Whitney. He already knew he was going to marry her and could force her if he wanted too. Yet he chose to give her time to come to know him and make her own decision. It was a lot of fun to read of their courtship and the witty repartee that they shared during this time.

It did turn ugly though, when inevitable the “big misunderstanding” occurred. McNaught really pulls the heartstrings of the reader, making them feel Whitney and Clayton’s pain. This occurs not once, not twice, but three times. Talk about an emotional roller coaster. If you are a reader who loves angst, there is plenty to go around in Whitney, My Love. This was a rich story that grips you emotionally and doesn’t let up.

*Note* The version I read was rewritten to be more politically correct. It has a new longer ending and added scenes. This makes me wonder what the original book was like if this one was considered the “tame” version. I shudder to imagine.

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