| Title | : | Whitney, My Love (Westmoreland, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1416530711 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781416530718 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 708 |
| Publication | : | First published January 1, 1985 |
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Whitney, My Love (Westmoreland, #2) Reviews
-
I was a bottomless romance pit as a teen, I read everything and loved it all( Including books that now make me gag); until I read this. It mentally scarred me at 16 so much, that I didn't touch a historical romance again until I was 25.
The entire book our hero's either acting from selfish ulterior motives, paranoid distrust (that results in cruelty), or 'let's make this all about me' guilt = /. During the course of the book he beats her until she cries (I forget whether it was a horse whip or a riding crop), rapes, threatens to cheat, and desserts his heroine not once but twice due to his own idiocy (each time leaving his lady love to grovel to win him back). The book ended with me disgusted about how he broke Whitney's spirit with all the emotional abuse and since none of his issues trusting her are ever resolved the HEA is unbelievable. -
This review contains spoilers -
Reading Whitney, My Love took me on such a roller coaster ride of emotions that I’ve been struggling with exactly how to review it and how to rate it. When I was upset and sobbing I wanted to give it a 1 star rating. When I was laughing, smiling and sighing, I wanted to give it a 5 star rating. Then it dawned on me – for Judith McNaught to be able to make me feel such a wide range of emotions – joy, despair, passion, pain, betrayal, hatred and love – and feel them deeply enough to bring me to tears more than just a couple of times, she must truly be an amazing author.
When writing Whitney’s role in the story, Ms. McNaught gave us such a well defined, deeply complex character, that I was able to understand and forgive all of her perceived shortcomings. Having been raised without a mother’s affection and gentle nurturing to guide her, her upbringing was overseen by a father who had taken little interest in her, leaving her to her own devices only to chastise and criticize her when she disappointed him. I loved the young girl, and her adventurous nature - her unabashed ‘love’ for Paul Sevarin and her sneaky little tricks to draw his attention. No stunt was too outlandish as long as he noticed her. My heart ached for her upon learning that her father was sending her to France to live with an aunt and uncle because he was simply at his wits end with her. Whitney didn’t know it at the time, but that was the best thing that could have happened to her. Her aunt and uncle both adored her and for the last few years of her ‘childhood’ gave her a taste of what a real, loving family felt like. She grew up to become an accomplished young woman – beautiful, sophisticated and confident. When her father finally and most unexpectedly sends for her to return home to England, she is thrilled. She would miss her aunt and uncle desperately, but she wanted to hurry home and show her father that she had become a woman he could be proud of – and of course to show Paul Sevarin the same thing and to once again begin her pursuit of him with increased fervor. What she doesn’t know, and doesn’t find out for awhile, is that her father has betrothed her to another man.
Whitney returns home and immediately begins going out into Society where she meets one Clayton Westmorland who just happens to live but a few miles away from her. He is a handsome but annoying man who is pursuing her with the same fervor in which she is pursuing Paul. In the beginning she is extremely irritated by him but eventually comes to see him as a friend, but because he learns that Paul is about to ask for her hand in marriage, it becomes necessary to tell her the truth – that she was, in Whitney’s words, sold to Clayton, a man she could barely tolerate to pay off her father’s debts. It had been Clayton’s plan to keep their betrothal a secret – even from her because he wanted to woo her, to make her come to care for him on her own without having to force her into the marriage. But the truth had to come out, she learned that Clayton Westland was actually Clayton Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore and from that point on, everything went to hell in the proverbial hand basket.
Sadly, there was very little, if any, background to Clayton’s character and the story suffered because of it. He first appears at a masquerade ball – wearing a mask – where he approaches Whitney, flirts outrageously with her and decides he must have her. Time passes, but he goes about finding out everything he can about her and learns of her father’s dire financial situation. Clayton approaches the father and a betrothal contract is drawn up for a tidy £100,000 but again, he wants to keep this a secret so that his independent, free spirited fiancé won’t get her panties in a bunch. Sorry, Clay – you must have known there was no way to prevent that. I have to give him credit, though – he really did try hard to earn her affection. He watched her throw herself at Paul, behave outlandishly, defy his wishes and still tried to make her care for him. He put up with a lot from her, and he did it understanding that she had just had her entire life turned upside down. All the hopes and dreams she had had as a young girl were erased by his and her father’s signatures on a contract. He really was being very patient and understanding.
For awhile.
This is where I begin having trouble with the story in general and not because of a plot deficiency of any sort. The problem for me is that Ms. McNaught failed to explain to me why Clayton suddenly turned into such an ass. Granted, there were some misunderstandings that took place, but instead of asking Whitney about them, he lashed out and I could find no excuse for these behaviors. I’ll try to explain what I mean: He was raised in a clearly loving home by parents who cared deeply for their children and each other. He was wealthy and never had to go without food, clothing or shelter. He was respected not merely because he was a Duke but because he deserved it. So why was he so distrustful and so easily angered? We can’t say it was because he was spoiled and used to getting whatever he wanted, because while yes, he did live a life of means and leisure, he also handled the maintenance of his estates, took care of his tenants, invested his own monies …he worked hard – not at all like the self absorbed titled noblemen we read so much about. Even after they finally married, he wasn’t able to trust her – it makes no sense to me – maybe I’m dense but I like to have it all laid out in black and white.
Eventually I did forgive him for the way he had treated her; forcing himself on her because he assumed other men had already ‘known’ her – which was no excuse – accusing her of having cheated on him because of a vague letter he found and rather than confronting her about it, he treats her like a common whore, saying humiliating things to her. Thankfully, after he calms down he realizes that there was no way she could possibly have done what he was accusing her of but by then it was too late. I was deeply moved by the scene where he had finally found out where Whitney had been staying after she left him, went to her, humbled himself before her by bathing her and drying her and attending her as a servant would – however, I didn’t finish the book with a feeling of absolute conviction that he could remain a changed man. The reason being that Ms. McNaught failed to convince me that his horrid actions were born of a troubled past or any other reason than he was just an ass. I suppose I can imagine that he changed because he realized how important she was to him and if he wanted to keep her he would have to change, but as a reader I need more than that – I needed to be able to empathize with him but that just wasn’t there and it is for this reason and this reason only that I was firmly convinced that Whitney, My Love was deserving of a 3.5 star rating from me rather than the 4 it would have gotten had Clayton’s character been as fully developed as Whitney’s had been. But it was the last chapter of the book that convinced me to give this 4.5 stars.
My absolute favorite parts of the story occur in chapter 42 when we are unexpectedly swept back in time to revisit Royce and Jennifer Westmoreland from A Kingdom of Dreams. After their wedding, when they return home, Clayton presents his new bride, Whitney, to his family, staff and friends, he leans down and tells her that what he is about to do is a family tradition and he then repeats the very words spoken by Royce when he presented his abducted bride, Jennifer, to his own family, friends and staff: “Behold your new mistress, my wife. And know that when she bids you, I have bidden you; what service you render her, you are rendering me; what loyalty you give or withhold from her, you give or withhold from me.”
And then once again, when Whitney is ‘lying-in’ after giving birth to Noel, we see another family tradition which Alicia, the dowager duchess called “the loveliest of all the traditions in the family” being carried out when Clayton and Alicia show her a ‘treasure chest’ which contains the writings beginning with Jennifer Westmoreland, and continued down through 7 more generations of the Duchesses recounting the tale of how each had met her husband. The Duke’s contribution through each successive generation was a likeness of his new bride, one if his choosing which he feels most accurately represents her appearance. As Whitney looked through the box, she chose what looked to be the oldest letter and began reading:
“I am Jennifer Merrick Westmoreland, Duchess of Claymore, wife of Royce Westmoreland and mother of William, born to us on the third day of January. I send you my loving greetings…” Whitney went on to read Jennifer’s telling of jousts and tournaments and battles fought by her husband “The Black Wolf.” The things she wrote about were not the things that would interest men, instead she wrote in great detail the things that would be important to women. She wrote of her outrage at being abducted by Royce from her family home then being forced to marry him. She wrote of all the things she thought the future Duchesses of Claymore would want to hear, but most importantly and what shone brightest through it all, she wrote of her love for her husband. Then we read: She ended her letter with an explanation that she was putting a likeness of herself in the chest with her scroll so that her future daughter in laws might know her face. “When I told my lord husband of my need for a small likeness and my plan for this chest to pass down through the generations, he commissioned an artist and presented me with this miniature. It is most flattering,” she confided modestly. “My eyes are not so large, nor my features so fine, but my husband swears it is a perfect likeness. It was also his thought that my name should be engraved upon the back of the frame so that if my hopes for this chest come about, then you will be able to find my face among the many likenesses of all the duchesses of Claymore contained within this chest. I pray that each of your husbands will do as mine has done. I only wish that I could know your faces.”
Later that evening, after Noel had fallen asleep, it was Whitney’s turn and as the 9th Duchess of Claymore, she begins writing her own story to add to the treasure chest and when she finished, it was time for Clayton to perform his part of the tradition by adding a likeness of his wife which he has inscribed on the back, “Whitney—my wife and my love.”
Note: I read Until You, Stephan Westmoreland’s book and really enjoyed the story and the part Clayton plays in it. He seems to be a different man – perhaps he was able to truly change and become the man Whitney deserved and the man he, himself, deserved to be. -
I don't even know what to say about this book. Started out okay, I suppose. I mean, Clayton, the hero, was always a bit of an asshat what with the forced marriage thing, but that being said, this is an historical romance, so that is sort of expected.
Then there's the whole Clayton beating Whitney aspect, which, again historical romance, things like that sometimes happen. It was in 'Outlander' and in the first book of this series, but neither of those beatings were with a riding crop nor were they for such stupid reasons such as the one in 'Whitney, My Love'. Despite this, if the hero had been a likeable character, I would have been able to get past the beating. But, he wasn't.
THEN, there's the rape. And, I'm sorry if some people want to mince words and claim technicalities, but it was rape. And it wasn't touching or romantic or heartwrenching in any way, it was disgusting and degrading. Then, rah-rah-100-pages-rah-rah, Whitney forgives Clayton. Really? Come on.
Okay, I thought, it's her fictional life. Just try to move on, forget about it and keep reading. And, I tried. I really did.
But then what happens? There's another stupid "Big Misunderstanding" and after all his adamant promises and flowery words, Clayton again goes off into a rage and 'punishes' Whitney for something she didn't do. So, she leaves him then, right? I mean it's bad enough that he did this once, but again and after apparently learning from his mistakes? No. She lies down and takes like the spineless, whimpering female she is.
And that's what really clinched it for me. It's all right for characters to have flaws. For a character to be at all engaging they are essential. But making a character act because of their flaws again and again and have nothing change? Well, that's just absolutely pointless. The reason for writing stories is to send a message through the actions of characters, and if the characters learn nothing, then how can we? -
Just as good, if not better, the second time around.... LOVED IT.
Five solid stars
I must admit this was a wonderful read. Had my eye on this one for a long time BUT it is not available on Kindle. If that is the case I usually don't bother buying a book. There have been 3 other books I did buy in paperback since I started my kindle obsession and in the end I gave in and got this one.
I hadn't really read reviews so was expecting a nice, gentle, Historical romance. My emotions were all over the place with this one. There was so much misunderstanding. There was anger, there was laughter, there were tears, there were break-ups, get togethers, more break-ups. It was fantastic. Clayton Westmoreland, one of my favourite ever heros. Yes, even with THAT scene, I couldn't NOT like him. Whitney, what a fun loving character she was. She knew how to stand her ground. And it didn't just end with a Happy Ever After, no we got a few more years later also. Loved the other characters in the book also, her aunt especially. I will definitely be checking out more by this author. I have already ordered the first in this series - should be here this week. And when I visit the UK next month, will be scouring the Charity shops and Bookshops for more by her. Only problem with a paperback is that I was not able to highlight my favourite scenes. Ah well ….
"I wish I could find the right words to tell you how much I loathe you and everything you represent."
"I hated you from the first moment I met you …"
"I’m very sorry to hear that." He said softly. "Because I thought that you were the loveliest, most enchanting creature God ever created."
"I’m drawn to you like a moth to a flame. Just as you are to me."
Love was a silly, romantic, notion that had no place in his life.
"You beautiful, infuriating, wonderful little fool."
"Don’t cry darling. Please don’t cry anymore."
"Where is your home?" she asked.
"Wherever you are."
"Oh my God, little one," Clayton whispered in his heart.
"Pain, like love, is a thing to be shared."
"Behold your new mistress, my wife. And know that when she bids you, I have bidden you; what service you render her, you are rendering me; what loyalty you give or withhold from her, you give or withhold from me."
"Clayton," she said softly, her voice threaded with tears, "When Vanessa asked about my accomplishments tonight, I forgot to mention that I do have one. And it's--it's so splendid that it compensates for my lack of all the others."
Stephen and Clayton grinned at each other, neither of them hearing the emotion that clogged her voice.
"What splendid accomplishments is that, little one?" Clayton asked.
Her shoulders hunched forward and began to shake.
"I made you love me," she whispered brokenly.
"Somehow, some way, I actually made you love me."
"If I ever think you are even considering leaving me again, no matter how good you reasons, I'll have you locked in your rooms and the doors barricaded, so help me God."
He lifted her foot and began to dry it.
Her voice shaking, Whitney asked, "Will you stay locked in there with me?"
He raised her dainty foot to his jaw and tenderly laid his cheek against it, then turned his head and kissed it.
"Yes," he whisperedShe was his … body, heart and soul.
-
Whitney, my love.....ly FOOL.
Now that you are *happily married* and settled in life with a baby on the way, I'd like to know some things about your whirlwind romance.
First of all, how could you have fallen for a guy who physically and emotionally abused you time and again, raped you when there was a rumor floating around that you weren't 'innocent' and gave you money afterward to clear his conscience?
How could you have married him while he flaunted all his current and former mistresses left right and center?
How could you have put up with him even after he doubted the paternity of your child after sleeping with you for God knows how many times?
So what the hell is wrong with you Whitney? Weren't you supposed to be a courageous free spirit? What changed? Oh right. Love. That's what turned you into this docile, dumb, sorry excuse of a Duchess.
Or is it Ms.McNaught who thinks douches like Claymore are every girl's dream and romanticizes abuse?
Sincerely,
- A girl fed up with this particular brand of 'romance' -
Clayton when Whitney descends the staircase/rides a horse/walks across the room/DRAWS AIR INTO HER LUNGS:
Clayton looked up automatically as she began descending the staircase, and what he saw stopped his breath and made his heart burst with pride.
His whole being screaming "just look at her, that gorgeous, stunning girl is mine you losers🥰😍🥵" gets to me each and every time I reread this book.
And that I do. A lot. At this point it's safe to assume that the story is part of my DNA, ain't no way it isn't after I've reread it four times already in three different languages when I normally can't be bothered to even look through any highlights.
Part of my DNA that is singlehandedly responsible for shaping mypervertedreading preferences.
— Favorite scene: Clayton whips Whitney's butt with a crop, then turns her in his arms and holds her face pressed to his chest, stroking her hair while she sits across his lap, sobbing inconsolably...
So humiliatingly hot sksksksks
All these girlies who cry yet seek comfort in their tormentor's embrace are onto something, I'm telling you. 👁️Tears burned the backs of her eyes and the muscles of her throat constricted as he tenderly traced the elegant curve of her cheek. "Forgive me?" he asked her softly.
Clayton hurts her badly, but then starts soothing and cooing and comforting her tenderly afterwards —my precioueh, what do you mean I'm supposed to hate this arrogant, self-entitled, idiotic bitch??
Bruh.
If Clayton pursued me relentlessly and gazed into my eyes tenderly, whispering softly my God you are sweet when I finally kiss him of my own volition for the first time ever near that stream, I'd let him slap my butt as often as he must so that he has the pleasure of holding me tightly in his arms later on while I'm crying my poor smitten little heart out on his strong, muscular chest. Every day xxWildly, Whitney struggled, trying to draw enough air into her lungs to tell him yes! Her ribs felt as if they were being cracked; he was suffocating her and growing more enraged at her helpless, involuntary silence. She forced her hand up along his chest, futilely trying to wedge some space between them, until her fingers finally encountered the male lips locked fiercely to hers.
She didn't realize it was the unintentional tenderness of laying her hand against his face that made him release her so abruptly.Her eyelids fluttered, and Clayton almost groaned with relief. Gently smoothing the heavy, rumpled hair away from her forehead, he leaned close to her. "It's all right now, little one. Where are you hurt? Can you speak?"
Sea-green eyes opened, regarding him calmly and steadily. She had such beautiful eyes, he thought as she gave him a shaky, reassuring little smile.He surged to his feet. "Turn around!" he snapped. Before Whitney could utter a protest, he caught her by the shoulders and whipped her around. With one vicious jerk, he ripped her dress down the back and the sound of tearing fabric screamed in Whitney's ears, while satin-covered buttons scattered across the carpet to shine in the firelight. He turned her back toward him and smiled malevolently. "I own the dress too," he reminded her.
(MY BOY IN HIS FULL BODICE-RIPPING GLORY 🥰🌚) -
2.5 stars
Oh my- This book was exHausting!!
This reminded me a lot of the movie ‘Gone with the wind’ which I really loved despite it being extremely frustrating, four hours long, and have the most manipulative heroine I’ve ever seen.
Now back to this book which was extremely frustrating and exceeded the limited amount of misunderstandings that should be allowed in a book. I was tired and I felt like I’m growing old while reading it. I turned into a mad woman screaming at those fictional characters and begging them to please TALK! Did they listen to me tho? No!! it was filled with a misunderstanding followed by another and another and another and..... you get my point! It kept on going like that till forever!!
And you’d think that after all of these misunderstandings and all the stupid things that happened -like how awful the first sex scene between them was which was a result of a misunderstanding...of course- that there would be a proper groveling. And with how long this book was you’d think that the author could’ve used a few pages for a proper satisfying grovel. In addition to that, i hated the hero. Just truly passionately hated him! Also, this book was filled with conflicts, but none of them were resolved right in my opinion. -
4.5 I CAN'T LOSE YOU STARS
I ADORED THIS BOOK!
After reading this one I read all of JM books.
YES, for me it was that good!
This story starts off with an beautiful girl named Whitney who's father was cold and indifferent to her. He sends her to Paris to get some manners and some refinement. Which she does that and more, as she attracts the attention of a Duke! And not just any duke but the duke of Claymore.
A Duke that would love to keep her and cherish her.
She was a challenge to our hero so he goes behind her back and makes a deal with her father for her hand. Meanwhile, she is going through hell with her conflicting emotions for the hero Clayton and her unexplored feelings for her childhood crush (who is a complete jerk).
SHE IS COMPLETELY TORN!
The hero tries to make her see that they belong together.
She must see it! They really do!
However, in his confusion about the heroine's past he makes a terrible mistake.
One that DEVASTATES him!
Therefore, he must lets her go.
Will their love be enough to overcome this mistake!?
READ THE BOOK AND FIND OUT!
I truly feel that this is an epic love story that will leave you breathless. It will make you dream of masquerade balls and beautiful manners and hand holding with the promises of something more! Swoon!
This book was just well written and a total MUST READ for those who love historical. -
UGH. The angst of it all. No one writes historical romance with angst quite like JM.
I read the recently edited version of those book, and I'll note there are some HUGE differences from the original. And while I didn't mind the original, I think most would certainly enjoy the re-written version of this a lot more.
I think this may have been my favorite Judith McNaught book to date. -
*Edited 8/3/2016: Added link to review of book 2.
Whitney My Love - [Westmoreland Saga 02] - By Judith McNaught
Several days after finishing the 2nd book in the Westmoreland series, I still had no idea what to say. This book made me feel such a wide range of emotions that I truly didn’t know what to make of it. First I was charmed, then frustrated; the next Chapter I was laughing; a few pages later I was enraged. After one too many plunges from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows, I almost asked my doctor for mood-stabilizers. Because I’m 99.9% sure he’d say no, I turned to science instead. Below, are the results of my scientific exploration of: Whitney My Love, by Judith McNaught.
What did I think of Whitney My Love, by Judith McNaught?
Whitney My Love, is a one star read because Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore (H), is a Grade A Asshole.
To accurately determine if the H is, indeed, a Grade A Asshole, I read the following scenes to my husband:
After reading each scene, I recorded my husband’s reactions. If the hero was not an Asshole, he rolled his eyes (a sign I was over reacting); if the hero was an Asshole, he said: “Whatever. He’s a guy!”
Visible eye rolls: 9
Verbal “Whatevers”: 2
Vocal use of term “proud nipples” after hearing quote below: 342.5*' "I love to hear you say my name. It makes me want to take you in my arms, to have your sweet tongue in my mouth, to caress your breasts and feel your nipples rise up proudly against my hand." ' ~ The Grade A Asshole.
*(The .5 occurred when I begged him to stop half way through the 343rd time. Surprisingly enough, he did).
While the data indicates that Clayton is not a Grade A Asshole, I disagree. So, I’m ignoring it. I’m also ignoring my Hypothesis, which suggests a one star rating if the hero is an Asshole; because asshole factor aside, I still liked Whitney My Love.
I liked how the characters acted in ways that are consistent with their time, upbringing, and personality profiles. I liked how the story evoked a vast spectrum of strong, emotions. And I liked the witty dialogue, even if some of it was cheesy.
I also liked the charming, fully developed secondary characters; especially The Dowager Lady Eubank:" 'I thought you were going to snare the most eligible bachelor alive right in front of our tiresome neighbors. I expected to hear a betrothal announcement, and instead, I find you standing by yourself.'
And, Whitney’s Aunt, Lady Anne Gilbert:
Whitney beamed a smile. 'I have snared him and you’ll hear an announcement as soon as Paul returns from his trip.'
'Paul?' Lady Eubank echoed blankly. 'Paul Sevarin?' she repeated. Unabashed glee danced in her eyes as she scanned the crowd. 'Is Westland [Westmoreland] coming tonight?' she demanded.
'Yes.'
'Good, good.' Her ladyship chuckled and said, 'This should be a most diverting evening!' ""Your father wants a daughter who is like a cameo; delicate, pale, and easily shaped. Instead, he has a daughter who is a diamond, full of sparkle and life, and he doesn't know what to do with her. Instead of appreciating the value and rarity of his jewel; instead of polishing her and letting her shine; he persists in trying to shape her into a common cameo."
And, most of all...
I liked how it reminded me of the wonderful old movies I watched with my mother on the rare occasions she’d let me stay up past my bedtime. The witty, romantic comedies filmed in black and white, where wealthy, middle aged bachelors fall in love with enchanting young women named Sabrina. And the vibrant, Technicolor musicals where bored aristocrats sing of their love for beautiful young imps named GiGi. I adored them all, as I did Whitney My Love, by Judith McNaught.
Judith McNaught’s Whitney My Love – [Westmoreland Saga 02]: 3.5 “The H is a Grade A Asshole But I Liked the Book Anyway” Stars.
TO READ MY REVIEW OF BOOK 2, click link below:
A Kingdom of Dreams (Westmoreland #1):
Click Me Baby!
-
5 STARS!!!! OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!
“Not even in my weakest moment have I considered letting you go.”
And here is yet another example of PERFECTION in romance. Yes, Judith McNaught has completely captivated me, again. I cannot say enough about these fabulously entertaining romances. From beginning to end, I was glued to the pages, devouring every word with rapt anticipation. The dialogue between the characters was so flawlessly achieved, it was like verbal sword fighting between equally fierce opponents. And the casualties were as numerous as they were bloody.
“Missing you? I could cheerfully murder you.”
The story is set in England in 1816, during the height of the Regency period. The hero of the story, the Duke of Claymore or more intimately known as Clayton Westmoreland, is a deliciously dark and arrogant bachelor, who is finding himself the the predicament of needing an heir to his titles, his vast fortune and estate.
He is also incredibly handsome, a confirmed rake and highly eligible bachelor, so he is no stranger to the attentions of women…. and honestly, quite bored with them as well. Until he sees her in Paris, at a Masquerade ball, surrounded by the attentions of others, Miss Whitney Stone catches his interest, like no other woman he has encountered before.
Feeling a bit arrogant of his position and his appearance, the duke approached Miss Stone, only to be rejected quite intensely after he lured her onto a balcony, and kissed her against her will.
He was not only intrigued by her rejection of him, and his title, he was also instantly struck by her beauty, her self assurance, her wit and her intelligence. But most intensely by her fire and her strong will. Which was when he decided he would have her for his wife, no matter what it took.
And it took quite a lot…
Whitney however, was and had been completely infatuated with another man. A man from her hometown she’s known since she was a young girl, and had vowed from that time to marry. Also a man that not only did not return her affections at the time, but was quite annoyed with her persistent chasing and flirtations.
That is until she returned from an extended stay in France, where she had grown into the most beautiful and elegant woman around. So it was to her delight, that she had finally captured his eye.
Little did she know, however, that she was already betrothed to another. Yes, the duke himself, had sought out her father, and even stationed himself in a home nearby, to make it easier to win her affections. He even took on an alias, to keep her from discovering his true identity.
“What sort of man are you that you have to purchase a wife? What sort of animal are you that you had to buy her without ever having seen her? How much did I cost you?,” she demanded.
And as his feelings for her grew into a love and passion beyond his control, she was to equal his in hatred when the truth was eventually discovered.
“You black-hearted, treacherous, conniving scoundrel.”
This story was so compelling and addictive, and the verbal combat so intense, my emotions were beaten bloody by the end. I cannot say enough about this author, and this series!!!!!!
“However, the fact remains that no matter how well educated a woman is, she will someday have to submit to the authority of her lord and master.” “I don’t think so,” Whitney said, ignoring her father’s anguished, quelling looks. “And what’s more, I shall never, ever call any man my lord and master.”
I was completely taken back in time. And her characters were absolutely fantastic, every stinking one of them!!!! The emotions so intense… LOVE… PASSION…. HATRED…. There were so many times when I felt like there is NO POSSIBLE WAY she is going to get these two characters together in the end.
Clayton was such a BASTARD at times, it was like Rhett Butler on steroids! And Whitney could give back just as good as she got from him.
“We all do foolish things when we are in love. Don't we, your grace?”
And just… I LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT!!!!!!!! *happy tears*
The ending…. *sigh* B E A U T I F U L!!!!!!!!
5 SOLID STARS!!!!!!!! -
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: When I read everyone’s tags implying that this is going to be an angstfest and tearjerker — I had to get myself mentally prepared for it before jumping in. I, sadly, didn’t feel it was either of those. Yes they got in their own ways a lot (especially the H), and yes there was some scenes that could definitely be defined as angsty...but I didn’t ever get emotional about the book. I’m bummed too, because I was so looking forward to it! It absolutely could just be a me thing here because I am in the minority with this one. I needed more grovel from the H. Yes, we get the inner thoughts of shame from him for when he messed up big time (twice), but I didn’t feel as though he made up for it to the h. This could also be because I felt like when they did make up after the first (and worst) offense it seemed to be skimmed over with some time jumps and a summary of all the wonderful time they spent together. I think I needed to experience that time more in order to forgive him myself...if that makes sense 🙈. Overall, I’m glad I read it but sad I’m in the minority again and didn’t love it.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Whitney and Clayton’s story. Whitney is a trouble to her widower father, so he sends her away to Paris with her aunt to become a lady. She is a success when she is introduced to society and has many suitors but cannot forget her childhood love back home. Clayton meets and is instantly under Whitney’s spell at a masquerade ball where she doesn’t know his true identity as a duke. He starts his strong pursuit of Whitney, regardless of her resistance. There are some sweet scenes, some good banter, some angsty moments, and a few sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing mainly on Whitney and Clayton in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Not the best. This is looong. It ended at page 722 on my scribd app. I felt like it was inconsistent, like the last conflict wasn’t resolved enough and then it jumped into their HEA while other times it was slow and could’ve easily been edited down.
Instalove: Maybe for the H (though he doesn’t recognize nor express it) and more like hate-to-love for the h.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Clayton. I thought he was alright. I appreciated how he pursued the h and how he liked who she was and didn’t try to change her, but I didn’t feel he groveled nearly enough for his cruel behavior.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Whitney. I liked her spunk (as they would call it)! I appreciated her strength, smarts, and sweetness.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed — not at all what I was expecting!
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Yes
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This had alright closure with what I would call a HEA ending. I wanted more of them growing a family and being happy! It was focused a lot on the H’s brother and setting up what I assume will be the next book where he is the H.
Safety: This one should be either Safe with exception or Not Safe for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences. -
I don’t know how I haven’t already added this book to my goodreads, but I read Whitney, My Love earlier in 2021 and FELL. IN. LOVE. I love this book with my whole heart and it’s easily a new top favorite book of all time for me. I can see myself rereading it over and over. It was my first Judith McNaught and now I can see why she’s such a beloved historical romance author. I read the original, with the controversial scenes, but feel free to read the newer, updated edition without those scenes. Definitely read the new edition if you’re not a fan of old school historical romances. Whitney and Clay was PERFECTION to me, mess and angst and all. I adored their characters, how feisty and charming Whitney was and how alpha and determined Clayton was to win her hand and heart. Yes, there’s the whole forced marriage aspect but I love that trope AND I love an obsessed hero so I was in heaven reading this.
-
I think of myself maybe not as a historical romance fan, since it seems fans read approximately 30 romance books a month, but I’m definitely curious about the genre. I’ve not had a lot of luck, but I did find a few writers I love. That’s why sometimes I hunt for a new book on the different lists of "Best of". I think I found this gem on NPR’S.
We all know the basic storytelling tool for creating a character conflict: want vs need.
What he wants: to subjugate this young unruly girl he bought from her father to breed with her for heirs.
What he needs: to finally fall in love and break her spirit, so she would become his trusted wife.
What she wants: to marry her childhood sweetheart and be happy.
What she needs: to learn to serve the man who bought her, to rationalize his violence to her, to get pregnant, to learn the lesson that he’s always right.
So that’s what we got, a 500+ page book with no external conflict but only miscommunication after miscommunication.
And violence, because he is a very violent man. And when he wants to act on his aggression towards her, it’s always sexual.
She, on the other hand, never fails to rationalize his violence. When he beat her with the riding crop, she quickly decided she was to blame, she was childish and deserved this punishment. In their heated conversations she always expects him to hit her. And when we had another miscommunication that made him mad (it would’ve been resolved if he gave her time to explain), he violently rapes her. Then he feels very bad about it, and she discovers that she was wrong for provoking him and not knowing what she had, she comes and apologizes to him and asks him to get back together (he already found another girlfriend in the meantime). Ta-da! Happily ever after!
And so now they are married, and I only hope that after she gives him a few brats, he’ll leave her alone and go hunting for another spunky 15 year old to tame and break. I wish all the best for Whitney.
The end.
P.S. This is definitely the worst romance I've ever read. The writing is atrocious. He can only grin and chuckle, when he's not violently abusing her.
She was a natural temptress, alluring and provocative, with the smile of an angel, the slender, voluptuous body of a goddess, and an unspoiled charm that made him grin whenever he thought of her. And she had a sense of humor, and irreverent contempt for the absurd, that matched his own. Clayton gave up trying to understand his reasons for the step he was about to take.
He wanted her, that was reason enough. She was warm and witty and elusive as a damned butterfly. She would never bore him as other women had; he knew it with the wisdom born of years of experience with the fair sex. -
4.5 Stars!
NEVER I have EVER had a book take me on such an emotional rollercoaster. One minute I was feeling furious and wanted to throw this book across the room, the next minute I had tears in my eyes and literally ten minutes later with tears in my eyes my emotions are now back to fury and I wanted to take this book and hit someone with it...that someone was The Duke of Claymore of course. I've never felt so many emotions for a hero. I love him and I hate him. He disgusted me, he overwhelmed me but somehow he made me love him. I'm telling you this book took a toll on me.
But oh my, what an epic love story! Whitney, My Love is filled with everything I look for...the dashing hero, the untamed, witty heroine, the developed plots with subplots, interesting secondary characters, the deep, effecting romance. Beware, if you're looking for that fluffy, gentle historical read then this book is not for you. This is a tale of lust, vengeance, jealousy, selfishness and manipulations...but it's romance at the core!
If you're an historical lover then this is a must read and if you're a lover of deep, epic romances that will ruin and wreck you, then this is a must read for you as well...I say no more. -
**** 4 stars ****
So, it's been a while friends.
Twenty days or so since I managed to get my head around a story. I have started many books, but it has been hard to concentrate on them.
So, following a friend advise, I picked a genre I don't typically read, and I am so relieved it worked. Thank you,
Ele!
Historical never piqued my interest, but in my actual headspace, this one did wonders.
It was charming and sweet, with our typical witty heroine.
And an arrogant hero.
However, I wish it hadn't been such a long story. There was too much misunderstanding for my taste. Simple things that could have been easily sorted out with a decent talk.
So, there was that; it dragged a bit.
Nonetheless, for what the story accomplished, my head back in the game with no distractions, totally invested in their historical world, I can't give this less than 4 stars.
-
2.5 stars
I’m writing this review on a knee jerk, firstly for catharsis, secondly because that’s what this book review deserves, my fraught and angry emotions. This will be slightly spoilery, only slightly, vaguely so.
Whilst I’ve given this book a two, I’m going to separate out now how I rate the different elements of the book to explain my experience a little better. These category ratings are random and again generated purely by emotion, mostly anger.
Writing: 3.5 stars
Heroine: 3 stars
Hero: 1 star
Use of repetitive drama plot devices: 2 stars
Chemistry: 2 stars
Storyline: 2 stars
Character development: 3 stars (begrudging)
Side characters: 4 stars
The book started somewhat slow with some setting up but there was enough to engage me. Then the triangles upon triangles began. Then the drama, then drama, then drama, a dance, then abuse, then drama, then drama, then drama, smidge of contentment, then drama, then drama, then happiness, then drama, then abuse, then drama, then happiness. The end. The love in this book is on the one side honest, sweet, passionate and loyal. On the other side, it is deaf, passionate, cruel and disloyal.
Throughout I mostly liked Whitney but she was weak in one aspect that I fear would be her downfall beyond the end of the book. I hated Clayton with a passion of a supporter of those women in this era in her situation. I’ll say no more, other than redemption wasn’t possible.
This book has been an extremely angst-driven, unsettling, despairing ride. However, I rarely felt emotions this strong over a book and therefore the writing is gifted. I have that sick feeling still in the pit of my stomach because this roller coaster was prolonged. I would only be able to recommend this to book friends by saying caution as you enter.
Sorry for my incoherence. -
???? ??? ?????
WHY DO PEOPLE LIKE THIS. Admit it, you guys. You all have access to some secret version of this book that is great. I received the prank version, which was written by committee to be as stupid as possible.
1) WHY BOTHER SETTING IT IN ENGLAND, MAN?
It's supposed to start out in 1816 England, post-Waterloo. I guess. But it immediately feels like weird English Regency fan fiction by someone who actually wanted to write something about the American South. Right off the bat, the character names made me ???? Personally, I just can't handle this type of historical romance that isn't remotely connected to the time it claims to take place in, and I don't really understand what people like about them. Tl;dr there were no ladies in 1816 England toting around the given name of Whitney.
2) WRITING QUALITY REACHING CRITICALLY LOW LEVELS
I find the writing in this pretty bad. The second paragraph reads:She lapsed into silence and gazed absently out the coach window at the lush, rolling English countryside covered in wild pink Foxglove and yellow Buttercups, trying to envision the niece she hadn't seen in almost eleven years.
Why are Foxglove and Buttercup written like that? Where is your editor? Later, will someone offer the heroine a bouquet of Roses, or perhaps - thrillingly - Tulips?
3) LADIES IN BREECHES
Your heroine is a girl named Whitney, who is 15 when we meet her, and awful. The book thinks you're going to find her amazing and charming, but I was not fooled. She is awful. A friend goes to look for her and finds her in the stables:Emily tapped lightly [...] and stepped inside, then froze at the sight that greeted her: Whitney Allison Stone's long legs were encased in coarse brown britches that clung startlingly to her slender hips and were held in place at her narrow waist with a length of rope. Above the riding britches she wore a thin chemise.
(Britches? Is this book universally known by people who are not me to ACTUALLY be about the antebellum South but then rapidly rewritten to be "English"?)
Anyway, breeches and a thin chemise! Fantastic. I don't know why people like or tolerate romances that feature a heroine in breeches. It is ???? to me. I read historical romances because I like reading romances where there are a lot of roadblocks to the couple getting together. English culture in the early 1800s had a lot of strictures we currently don't have, like how unmarried men and women who weren't related didn't spend time alone together and it was extremely scandalous for women to wear pants.
Imagine the most scandalous outfit you can see on another person. One that makes you feel flustered and like you don't know where to look, because it violates the taboos your culture holds about how people dress when they're out in public. That's what women wearing pants was to late Georgian English people of the upper classes. It wasn't a cute, whimsical, "oh look she isn't like all the other DULL women" fashion statement, it was outrageous and offensive. People of this era didn't think of breasts as that scandalous, but they thought of legs as very, very private. You know those references in historical romances where a man ogles a lady's ANKLES? That's what this is about. A woman's legs were very intimate and very private and to bare them in public, or to show the shape of them as you would when you wore breeches, was transgressive. People would have been shocked the same way you or I would be shocked if we walked into a bookstore and the man working there was wearing high heels and a thong and nothing else. If that's what the author is going for, that's fine by me. But this thing where authors jam their heroine into tight pants and everyone is scandalized but impressed, that wasn't a thing that happened and I think we should stop rewarding books for pulling this.
4) WHITNEY IS STRAIGHT FROM EVERYONE'S TERRIBLE SECRET JOURNAL WHEN THEY WERE 13
Holy crap you guys! I regret even the handful of pages I have read of this so far. It's so embarrassing, it makes me angry. Whitney isn't a real person. None of the characters are real people. Whitney is a terrible version of a bad wish-fulfillment character: she is treated poorly but awesome, she is super hot but doesn't know it, she isn't like all the other dull women, she is spirited! And beautiful! And everyone loves her even though they are also mean to her!
Her aunt muses:Whitney [...] was too thin right now, but even in disgrace Whitney's shoulders were straight, her walk naturally graceful and faintly provocative [this girl is FIFTEEN]. Anne smiled to herself at the gently rounded hips displayed to an almost immoral advantage by the coarse brown trousers, the slender waist that would require no subterfuge to make it appear smaller, eyes that seemed to change from sea-green to deep jade beneath their fringe of long, sooty lashes. And that hair- piles and piles of rich mahogany brown!
I can feel my blood pressure spiking as I read this book. The book wants you to understand that Whitney is delightful, impetuous, but so charming, just a wonder! Instead Whitney seems like a jerk."Whitney Stone, Paul [local dude Whitney stalks and harasses because she has a crush on him] avoids you like the plague, and well you know it! And who could blame him, after the mishaps you've treated him to in the last year?"
"There haven't been so many as all that," Whitney protested, but she squirmed in her chair.
"No? What about that trick you played on him on All Soul's - darting out in front of his carriage, shrieking like a banshee, and pretending to be a ghost, terrifying his horses."
Whitney flushed. "He wasn't so very angry. And it isn't as if the carriage was destroyed. It only broke a shaft when it overturned."
"And Paul's leg," Emily pointed out.
"But that mended perfectly," Whitney persisted, her mind already leaping from past debacles to future possibilities.
Whitney is a nightmare person. Her dad wants to send her off to live with her aunt and uncle. (Understandable.) The aunt corners Whitney, but first we are treated to a section where Whitney pretends not to know that she's pretty, JUST AS HAPPENS IN ALL OF OUR SECRET 13-YEAR-OLD JOURNAL ENTRIES.Personally, she knew nothing of fashions and cared even less: she looked hopeless no matter what she wore. After all, what could clothes do to improve the looks of a female who had cat's eyes, mud-colored hair, and freckles on the bridge of her nose? Besides that, she was too tall, too thin, and if the good Lord intended for her ever to have a bosom, it was very late in making its appearance.
Oh okay, cool.
Then Whitney and her aunt - and I almost can't believe this is happening in this book - complain to each other about how stupid romance novels and the people who read them are."I read one once but I didn't like it," Anne remarked. [...] "I cannot abide a heroine who is too perfect, nor one who is forever swooning."
Whitney was so astonished to discover that she wasn't the only female in all of England who didn't devour the insipid things, that she instantly forgot her resolution to speak only in monosyllables. "And when the heroines aren't swooning [...] they are lying about with hartshorn bottles up their nostrils, moping and pining away for some faint-hearted gentleman who hasn't the gumption to offer for them, or else has already offered for some other, unworthy female. I could never just lie there doing nothing, knowing the man I loved was falling in love with a horrid person."
I find this somewhat bananas. Either the author was blind to the fact that her character, who is too, too perfect in that dumb "not like other dull women" way, or this is some comedy so sophisticated I can't see it.
5) BUT WAIT THERE ARE MORE WAYS IN WHICH WHITNEY IS BETTER THAN OTHER WOMEN.
Immediately following the above:"What do you read then, if not atrocious romantic novels?" She pried the book from beneath Whitney's flattened hand and stared at the gold-embossed title. "The Iliad?" she asked in astonished disbelief. [...] "But this is in Greek! Surely you don't read Greek?"
Whitney nodded, her faced flushed with mortification. Now her aunt would think her a bluestocking - another black mark against her. "Also Latin, Italian, French, and even some German," she confessed.
"Good God," Anne breathed. "How did you ever learn all that?"
I can't handle this. How is everyone handling this book? Do you just skim over huge chunks of it? Do you actually like these sections? What do you like about them?
6) I THOUGHT THIS BOOK WAS GOING TO BE DARK AND BRUTAL - WHAT A BAMBOOZLE
I feel totally tricked here! I thought this book was going to be some kind of old-school bodice ripper, full of giant angsty emotions and rapey interactions between the leads. Even aside from how terrible I think the characters/writing/research are, now I don't think I want to keep reading because if there's any violence against Whitney, at this point I'd feel quite understanding, "Well, she IS super terrible."
I just looked at the table of contents, and after Whitney leaves England to be fabulous and doted upon in Paris, you have to spend an additional sixty pages reading about how amazing and desirable and perfectly non-traditional and pantsy she is until she comes back to England to marry the lead guy.
WHO HAS TIME FOR THAT.
7) IT'S NO GOOD, GOODREADS. THE HERO CAN'T SAVE IT
I skipped ahead to Whitney meeting the hero, and it's also terrible. She's preening around next to a stream and he meets her and I NEED SOME ALCOHOL TO TAKE THE EDGE OFF MY ANGER.
I only tried this book because it's been in my Goodreads recommendations forever. I don't get it. Why do people like this? Does it improve incredibly after they get married?
PS this was terrible. The worst. So bad. -
Richard Armitage as Clayton Westmoreland AAAHHHH!!!
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5+++++ magical, unforgettable, I have no words stars from me
I don’t pretend to persuade you that Judith MacNaught is the new Jane Austen or Jane Eyre but after reading Whitney my love let me consider her writing and her stories as a classic one. Oh, yes this is how much I loved this book. As I can see from other people’s reviews there are a lot of controversial comments about this book but let me explain the reasons why I adored it. This is me. Give me a haters to lovers romance, strong, full tensed and passionate characters that one simple word from them can create you a total hurricane of emotions and I am a happy reader. Excite my imagination, feed me with emotions and you can have your conscience clean that you won me as a reader. Clayton and Whitney are that kind of book characters that usually captivate me, I love to hate them and I hate to love them. A fantastic ride full of emotions, misunderstandings, passion, tears, fun, anger and a great romance that proves that at the end of the day love conquers all
"I hated you from the first moment I met you …"
"I’m very sorry to hear that." He said softly. "Because I thought that you were the loveliest, most enchanting creature God ever created."
Whitney was a really complex character.A little immature, childish, impulsive and with a big mouth especially in the beginning of the book but the writer did such an amazing job with her that you actually end to forgive her all her strange behaviors. Whitney was a girl who grew up without a mother’s care and especially guidance and affection so she had to settle her own defenses in order to take her place to a society where men dominate. I really loved how vivid this girl was, how passionate, I even admired her eternal love and trust for Paul Severin nad my heart almost broke with her when she found out that she was sold by her own father to a man she barely knew in order to pay his debts. I admire her for the way she got through all these situations, for the way she developed her character through the pages, I loved the way that the little girl became a strong woman ready to defend her own desires. I also liked how she fell in love with claytonand how the decision of her father turned into the best thing that life could give her.
Clayton," she said softly, her voice threaded with tears, "When Vanessa asked about my accomplishments tonight, I forgot to mention that I do have one. And it's--it's so splendid that it compensates for my lack of all the others."
Stephen and Clayton grinned at each other, neither of them hearing the emotion that clogged her voice.
"What splendid accomplishments is that, little one?" Clayton asked.
Her shoulders hunched forward and began to shake.
"I made you love me," she whispered brokenly.
"Somehow, some way, I actually made you love me."
And here we have Clayton. The object of so many controversial reviews. Put me in prison my beloved judge and juries I confess guilty. I loved this man. Oh yes even all the bad this he did. Oh yes THAT bad thing he did to Whitney. I just couldn’t hate him even In the moments he wasn’t himself and he was behaving like a total asshole and jerk and I wanted to throw my tablet through the window.
"Where is your home?" she asked.
"Wherever you are."
Seriously you expect me to hate him with words like these? Give me a break. Clayton definitely became one of my favorite and memorable book heroes. Excuse me you girls spend your lives being in love with a movie character like rett buttler do you think that a few misunderstandings would prevent me from loving this man.
I loved this man’s spirit, even him being cynical, the flame that lead his actions. Yes there were times that I wanted to kill him, to make him pain for his lack of confidence to the woman he loved but let’s be honest with love so deep and passionate like whitney’s and clayton’s wasn’t full of misunderstandings and wrong decisions? I already metioned rett and scarlet, not to remember Elizabeth and darcy, Rochester and Jane, Emma and mr Knightley . Definitely Clayton comported like a jerk in many occasions but I think no one stayed emotionless with his love declare to Whitney. I loved the way he admitted to himself she loved her, I loved the way he tried to win her, to teach her how true love smells. I thing I am in love with this beautiful bastard even though sometimes he pissed me off with his stupidity
We all do foolish things when we are in love. Don't we, your grace?
Clayton and Whitney firstly battled their feelings but at the end love came to warm their hearts. They fight for each other. They tolerated so many things. They loved each other beyond their own selves and found their home in each other’s arms. Whitney my love definitely got a position in my all time classic eternal re-read books and if you give this book a chance I hope you enjoy the ride like I did
-
This book failed to meet my expectations. Why was it so different from the first one in this series (A Kingdom of Dreams)?
First of all, the "hero." I hated him from cover to cover. Yeah, sure, he met all the historical romance novel pre-requisites. He was beautiful and wealthy and titled and worldly and all that jazz. However, he was also:
-arrogant
-smug
-hateful
-a brute
-a self-righteous jerk
-insecure
-volatile
But his biggest flaw? That he never truly atoned for, nor redeemed himself enough for the hurt he caused the heroine - and THAT is a crucial thing when the hero hurts the heroine in a capital way. This guy not only hurt her once, but several times. His atonement for his actions against her (when he came to his senses) was ALWAYS lame. Unfortunately, I never found a reason to warm up to him enough and accept that he could be worthy, despite his original character flaws.
But the "heroine"? She was so wishy-washy and I hated the games she played. She went from being hurt and humiliated by the hero in one page to surrendering to him the next, and it was almost sad. Sure, several of the situations where the hero hurt her were due to misunderstandings. However, after it happens over and over again, it gets tiring and boring. And just when you think that the Happily Every After is (at last) comfortably seated within their lives, YET ANOTHER conflict is thrown into the mix (as if the hero, heroine, AND READER hadn't already had enough) and drags on unnecessarily for a couple more chapters. Truth be told, when I got to that part, I thought, "WHY?!"
That said, the story DOES have a few likeable scenes that had me wavering between 2 and 3 stars, but in the end, I simply felt disappointed. -
Rate: 5+ stars
Under the dark, languorous eyes of Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, Whitney Stone grew from a saucy hoyden into a ravishingly sensual woman. Fresh from her triumphs in Paris society, she returned to England to win the heart of Paul, her childhood love . . . only to be bargained away by her bankrupt father to the handsome, arrogant duke.
Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot -- and will not -- relinquish her dream of perfect love.
Do you know what this book was like? It was like walking through a storm. Where rain is pouring down, lightning is striking and thunder is rumbling in the distance. A frightening yet beautiful experience because you love the feel of rain on your skin yet you're oh so terrified. This book was a storm of emotions whirling around and around trapping you inside until you have no earthly clue about how you're feeling.
And do you know what I sound like? I sound ridiculous. Yes. That's exactly what Judith does to me. She makes me want to get down on my knees and sprout poetic declarations of love.
Whitney is the most defiant and wilful Judith McNaught heroine, yet there's an element of vulnerability about her that makes you stop and think before you start hating on her. Most of the time. I just didn't know what to think. Was I irritated by Whitney? I honestly don't know. Certainly at times I wanted to slap her, but that made me feel like a hypocrite. The things she did, the way she rebelled and stood proud even when her heart was in turmoil had me feeling a sense of reluctant admiration. At the end of the day, I realised, if I ever was in her position I would've done exactly the same.
Clayton Westmoreland was the typical Judith McNaught hero. He was a cynical, jaded and determined rake who morphed into a tender, loving (and sometimes VERY angry) husband. The way he wasn't afraid to admit his love for Whitney definitely earnt my respect. In his pursual of Whitney I found myself on more than one occasion feeling terribly sorry for him. Stupid Paul. And Whitney's childish infatuation with him. Thank God, she realised that Paul was a complete phony and Clayton was the real deal somewhere during the middle of the book. I was actually coming extremely close to losing my patience with the whole ridiculous love triangle. But Judith McNaught saved it just in time.
Needless to say, after spending the first half of the book ruffling my feathers, she spent the next half soothing them and soon enough I had forgiven her for the terrible frustration of the first half of the book. Jesus. By the end of it, I had even forgotten that I was ever irritated. The second half of the book was utterly charming as it mainly focused on Clayton and Whitney's romance. Paul was FINALLY out of picture! I wish there weren't so many misunderstandings but I also know that without them the book just wouldn't be as captivating. Yes it was madly infuriating sometimes but I was drawn in and played like a fool by Judith nevertheless.
On the bottom step, Whitney paused and for one agonizing, soul-wrenching moment, Clayton thought that she was going to turn and look up at him. Helplessly he stretched his hand out, longing to slide his knuckles over her soft, silken cheek. But all he touched was a cold pane of glass.
...
DuVille would suit her better, Clayton decided with a wrenching pain. Sevarin was dull and weak, but DuVille was sophisticated and urbane. Clayton hoped with all his heart that she would choose the Frenchman. Well, with half his heart; the other half twisted in agony at the image of Whitney as another man’s wife.
...
“I hurt her and she … she put her arms around me because … because she wanted me to hold her. Stephen,” he choked brokenly, “she wanted me to hold her while she cried!”
He crossed his arms on the table and buried his face in them, finally sinking into the oblivion he’d been seeking all night. His raw voice was so low Stephen could hardly hear it. “I can still hear her crying,” he whispered.
My heart is sighing. I loved this book just as much as all the other historical romances by her. At the end of the day, no one does epic love quite like Judith McNaught. -
EPIC!! 💕....THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING
A heart-pounding treasure of a classic and Judith McNaught's first book.
I'm thrilled I was gifted the original 1985 version.
Once I started to read, I had an excruciatingly difficult time putting it down!
I feel like I've been on a glorious, intense, heartwrenching, breathtaking, crazy-emotional enemies-to-lovers rollercoaster ride with Clayton and Whitney. What a whirlwind! ...Whew, Mama needs a nap😉
This story got into my very bones and straight into my heart. Witty and humorous with memorable secondary characters. There were passages I re-read several times, they were so lush, so beautifully descriptive and touching. Our determined multi-talented shining star quick-witted tempermental heroine Whitney is a unique and bold force, and stern, driven, rigid yet often tender Hero Clayton Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore is the scrumptiously dark, piercing grey-eyed head above the rest Big Duke Alpha of my historical romance BBF dreams! He appreciates Whitney for who she is overall and she is right there to take him down a few notches. Their witty banter is often hilarious.They are both willful, and stubborn AH and it makes for an enthralling and sometimes deliciously frustrating story! It also leads to emotionally charged miscommunication, and complicated and tangled situations while they grapple with their feelings or, are overcome with them, which, of course can lead to regrettable actions.Together they begin their pretty much maddening back and forth dance of evolving crazy-love amidst the complexities of the shades of grey of raw human emotions and experiences.
Ride the wild waves (if you dare) of flaring tempers, misunderstandings, jealousy, anger, rage, regret, sadness, lust, frustration, anticipation, agony, self loathing, obsession. I live for this stuff on paper y'all!!
This is a timeless love story, about a *particular* kind of emotional, often OTT dramatic flawed AND consuming love and I didn't want it to end...and when it did I kinda thought to myself WTF just happened??!!
Love, love, LOVE the ANGST and the decadent old-school (and I love the old school) bodice-rippery vibes that made angles of this tale dark, agonizing, and unsettling. I'm here for the drama👋
So much depth. So much struggle. Ugggghhh, soooo good!
The HEA was a bit lean...so I'm looking forward to the 170 page enhanced ending in the second (1999) version😍
Somehow, this story, as with her book Kingdom of Dreams has changed the way I look at historical romance. As a reader, they truly took me to another time and place and shook me to the core. Not just a book...an experience.
They just don't write 'em like this anymore. And that is a shame.
Loved it💖
Highly recommend! -
This review can also be found at
Romantic Historical Reviews.
Having just closed the book (well, browser, it was an eBook) on Whitney, My Love, I'm left with so many feelings, some of them a little conflicted. I'd only just discovered Judith McNaught's writing — quite literally — having read Kingdom of Dreams a few days ago but I couldn't resist diving right into the second in her Westmoreland Saga expecting nothing and yet, after devouring and loving book one, everything.
McNaught's stories are long. They are lengthy and detailed and layered and complex; just like her characters. But they are incredibly compelling and fascinating and soon you're so swept in their journey and heartbreak and romance that you look up and realize you have lost an entire day to her world and her writing. No regrets!
Whitney Stone, our main character, is heroine perfection. She is clever and strong willed and wild and irrepressible. It's the main reason, in the opening chapters, we see her father sending her off to Paris with her aunt and uncle; because he just can't handle her anymore. She leaves behind a reckless reputation, scandal, and the boy she loves most in the world, Paul Sevarin.
Years pass and while in Paris she's taught comportment, etiquette, refinement, and she goes along with it all, hoping that when she returns to England she will finally convince Paul they are meant to be together and that she is worthy of his love. But though the wild child has been taught manners, Whitney still has a cheeky, outspoken manner about her. And when she's taken under the wing of her friend's older brother, she quickly becomes the talk of the ton. Soon she's in demand, with all the bachelors eager to gain her favour; she's beautiful, popular and genuine.. but also not in the market for a husband, rejecting proposal after proposal. All this and she manages to catch the eye of the Duke of Claymore, quite without her knowing it.
Initially spotting her months before their introduction, Clayton is captivated by Whitney. He wants her, and will have her, and quickly dismisses the idea of making her his mistress. No, he needs a wife, and he will have Whitney, so when his investigation into her family uncovers her father's outrageous debt, he concocts a plan. He will pay off the creditors in exchange for betrothal contract. And if that weren't enough backdoor dealings, Clayton takes it one step further. After a less than desirable encounter at a masquerade, where he discovers how little Whitney cares for titles and rank, he decides to retire to the English countryside, down the road from Whitney's father, and assumes a different name in the hopes of wooing Whitney without her dismissing him out of turn solely for being a Duke.
Unfortunately for Clayton, Whitney is not so easily wooed. She is still of a mind to marry Paul and the interactions that play out as Clayton tries to court her and Whitney resists are easily the best part of the book.
McNaught is able, with the considerable length of her books, to fully develop her characters. She gives us so many situations to watch them blossom, to err, to be won over, and the back and forth between these two strong-willed individuals reminded me so much of the couple in the first book of the Westmoreland Saga series. I'm a total sucker for a hate to love romance and McNaught's characters take it quite a few steps further, see-sawing through so many ups and downs it visits utter emotional havoc on the reader. But unlike the previous book, the drawn-out, angsty push-and-pull in Whitney, My Love did begin to wear on me and is what brought this down from a perfect rating. Why? Because Clayton.
While the hero of this story is basically a dreamboat when things are going his way, when he's amused and enchanted or being challenged, he does spiral out of control when he jumps to conclusions. Something he does with utterly disastrous results. McNaught does not let him get away with it, he admits to being at fault, he comes around to realize his mistakes, but.. it does make his Jekyll & Hyde-ish behaviour hard to take time and time again. By the final clusterbomb of misunderstandings, I was just shaking my head, stomach in knots, unable to believe it was happening all over again. Because one thing I hate in romances? Misunderstandings. And yet, up until this last instance between Whitney and Clay, I thought I'd finally found an author who could make me, not loathe, not just tolerate, but thrive off the emotional angst because of the intensity it brought to the story and the relationship; but it just went one step too far and I strongly disliked (nay, detested) Clayton's inner monologue and treatment of Whitney every time he assumed wrongly of her.
That isn't to say Whitney is perfect and doesn't make her own snap judgments. She does. But I was more forgiving of her mistakes because of her age and naiveté and the conclusions she jumped to, the hurt she felt, seem.. more genuine. More reasonable. Then again maybe I'm just biased towards her because Whitney is going onto my wall of best heroines ever. She's brave and bold and brilliant and beautiful and despite everything she endured with Clayton she waited for him to find her, to come to his senses, to prove her love for him was not undeserving. It broke my heart and yet I was just so proud of her.
Despite how I felt about things near the end of this read, I am still riding high on the McNaught train. I know I just bemoaned one of them (or one aspect of one of them because I did love Clayton for probably seventy-five percent of the book), but her characters really are fantastic. She writes the best heroines; the kind that are strong, independent, saucy, sassy and smart, yet vulnerable. The family relationship dynamics are gorgeous — in this second installment it was definitely Whitney's aunt and uncle with whom I fell utterly in love (there are two specific scenes with the three of them that made me laugh and cry). Additionally, McNaught's romances really are truly remarkable. The happily every afters are hard-earned but enduring. I just wish this particular happily ever after had one less speed bump along the way.
I am completely exhausted from this reading experience, and very happy to have discovered this author, even as late to the party as I am. If you're looking for an emotional wringer of a story, but love genuinely delightful cheeky characters, and a bold love story with all the occasional ugliness that comes with being hurt by the one meant only for you, please pick up Whitney, My Love. It will make you feel so much and still have you laughing through it all. -
4.5 The Duke & His Little One Stars
Why on earth didn't I read this before ? What rock have I been living under ? 🙄
I have to admit historicals are not my favorites but sometimes, I just crave the english nobility and need a fix. And people, it doesn't get any better than Whitney, my love. ❤️
This book had everything I love to read in romance :
- Enemies to lovers ✅
- Strong hero ✅
- Quirky heroine ✅
What turned me off initially and made me hesitant to read it (stupid stupid me) is the length, 708 pages are no joke, my friends.
But once I actually picked it up and started reading?
I never wanted it to end. Like ever. I wanted to stay with Clayton and Whitney forever.
I was invested from the very first page. I laughed, I cried, I stressed, my stomach hurt and I thought I was gonna be sick . Now all these emotions might've been in part (like 50%) due to PMS, but all the damned butterflies? 100% the book.
Whitney owned my heart from the very beginning with her fiery, passionate and quirky personality. Yes, she's young and naive, but it's a historical so that was expected. What I didn't expect was her spunk, her energy and her wit. She believes herself in love with Paul, a gentleman a decade her senior, and goes to extreme lengths to impress him at fifteen years old of age (you can totally tell I was reading a historical 🤣). Her actions drive her father to send her away to France, where she lives with her aunt in the hopes of becoming a proper lady. To everyone's surprise, not only does she become a lady, but she is an instant sensation in the French society, drawing the attention of one of the most eligible bachelors in Europe.
Clayton, the duke of Claymore, is preceded by his reputation of rake, leaving behind him a long trail of broken hearts, ruined ladies and disappointed mamas. He's rich, handsome and has the everything he wants, so you can imagine his surprise when, upon being introduced, Whitney doesn't even spare him a glance, with her sights still set on Paul.
You guys, as weird as this may sound, I love it when men suffer, when they pine after the heroine and she doesn't give them the time of day. Clayton was strongly attracted to Whitney and she didn't even know of his existence. At this point, my perverse heart is so happy. 🥰
Annoyed by her behaviour, he comes up with a plan to get her to be his. What follows is a long journey of hate, lust, love, jealousy and miscommunication.
At times, I wanted to shake Whitney and kick Clayton in the family jewels. The unending miscommunication between them drove me up the wall, that's why there's a half star missing.
But strangely, I wouldn't change a thing about this book. In fact, I'm gonna get the paperback, love it and cherish it as if it was my child.
I haven't read all the historicals in the world, but I'm pretty sure this is the best one ever written.
If you have already read this book, I'm jealous because you got to experience it before I did.
If you still haven't read it, I'm jealous too because you get to experience it for the first time.
PS : is it just me or is the scene where he took her virginity the inspiration behind a certain scene in a certain autor's book?
-
Went down to one star from four stars, upon re-read. All I can say is: Wow! Clayton Westmore is a Giant, Grade A asshole who needs to burn in hell one match at a time for all of eternity. And he has shit for brains too!
My previous review, written upon initial reading of this novel 3-4 years ago, is below. I don't know what I was thinking. My tolerance for bullshit sure has dwindled :~{A wonderfully entertaining historical romance, Whitney, My Love is Judith McNaught's first and best-loved book, part of her "Westmoreland" saga.
Set in the 19th century, in England and France, it tells the story of the 9th Duke of Westmoreland, the handsome, wealthy, uber-alpha Clayton and his passionate, torturous courtship of spirited Whitney Stone, a beautiful and witty but penniless young girl.
The protagonists predictably fight, kiss, have Great, Big, Terrible Misunderstandings and are tragically torn apart before being reunited. Nothing new in the romance genre yet very enjoyable due to McNaught's writing style: detailed, vividly descriptive, fast-paced, humorous, making it a real page-turner.
Even if you sometimes want to throw the book down in frustration at yet another contrived Big Misunderstanding that you could see coming a mile away, and the sudden stupidity and vileness of characters you had grown to love and root for until then, you are still compelled to continue because McNaught manages to make you care so deeply for her characters that you want to ride on the journey with them til the end. -
I've discovered I have a first edition vintage copy of this book! And since I read this when the dinosaurs roamed the earth ( my teen years ) and can't remember shit..... It's up for an e-reread. ❤️ -
This book was four stars right until Whitney discovered Clayton's identity. McNaught had a good thing going. Clayton was everything charming and sexy and the banter between him and Whitney was neither cheesy, spiteful, nor stilted. The sexual tension was built high enough to hang. I was genuinely enjoying learning about their developing relationship. With his patience and good humor (and firm hand, let's not forget) and her honest, down-to-earth nature (no TSTL moments), the hero and heroine actually seemed meant for each other, as many grand romances purport, especially as the hero seemed the one person who could understand Whitney.
McNaught has a unique, entrancing way of conveying emotion that is all in the details. For example, one of the characters describes her happiness on her wedding day, "She bent her head and tried to pray. But all her prayers began with 'Thank you' instead of 'Please.'" As many clichés as I've read in romance, I don't find myself touched very often. McNaught can certainly write humility. I just wish it wasn't required so very often of her poor heroine later.
Because then Whitney discovers the truth, and the book swiftly becomes a melodramatic soap opera that rehashes again and again the same hangup of the hero: his delusion that Whitney is a deceiving bitch (his favorite choice of words). His explosive, violent reaction to this seems entirely out of character for the very sane, very levelheaded man we meet in the first half of the book. If we're not convinced of his motivation, however, we at least have a complete grasp of the emotions that move Clayton, thanks to McNaught's talent with emotion.
My main gripe with the book is that this same conflict is repeated, if not verbatim then close enough, twice more before the book ends. As I had trouble crediting this device once, I really began to take issue when I saw it not once but twice more. At this point, one would expect some explanation for Clayton's continued, nearly pathological obsession with Whitney's imagined betrayals. Certainly there must be some incident in his past to explain his bizarre fixation, but there seems to be none in his otherwise normal family and normal life. These eruptions arrive with painful predictability when McNaught takes too much exaggerated care to paint the couple in happily wedded bliss, transparently setting them up for a fall.
The dynamics between the couple are wildly unbalanced and never truly even, as one would expect. The hero spends the first half of the book pursuing the heroine, while he seems to spend the second half of the book making Whitney grovel (almost literally) and pay in every conceivable way for everything, including the crimes she is wrongfully accused of. This is the other extreme of the scale. Rather than the man apologizing endlessly for his existence, it is the woman. I don't particularly care for either scenario.
So, while I was fully ready to revise my opinion of McNaught to a hearty recommendation in the first half of the book, the rest of the book unfortunately wearied me. -
Never in my life I’ve encountered a more insufferable, frustrating yet addicting hero for a story.
I was truly lost when reading this because I wasn’t sure who the charming hero was going to end up being, as there were three viable options until 30%… a spoiler, we don’t get a charming one, that’s for sure.
But I must admit, they way the author kept me on my toes,
continuously creating frustrating yet deliciously funny scenes was truly incredible. She had me cursing and then chuckling and the story developed beautifully, so I had no other option than to love this story and enjoy every second of its infuriating length ♥️
