The Windflower

May 03, 2012 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: bodice-rippers, challenge-2012, hr-pirate-nautical, kidnapped-captured-stolen, hr-georgian-regency, blonde-hero, dangerous-or-bad-boy, own, virgin-heroine, my-4-star-romances

American Merry Wilding is kidnapped by the English pirate, Devon.

An old favorite of many. If I had read this back in the 80s when it was published I probably would have given it 5 stars but my taste have changed some through the years. Written in the heyday of bodice rippers, this has some elements often found in them. But more of a soft bodice ripper. I liked it but I did feel it lagged in a few places. There were a lot of interesting characters and they really added to the story.

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Aug 16, 2009 K. rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

[Laura London (a/k/a Tom and Sharon Curtis), "The Windflower" (From an earlier post at Amazon.):]

I PBS'd my copy of "The Windflower" . . . that's how much I liked it! HAHA! Some advice: Pretend you are still a 14 year old teenager and you still think "boys are so cute" when you begin the book. You can then appreciate how many 16-18 year old boy pirate semi-heros are in the story. (You won't have to worry about the "actual" old-guy hero (I think he's about 30) . . . His interaction with the heroi...more

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Feb 20, 2012 willaful rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who loves romance

Shelves: non-compos-mentis-nookie, prisoner-of-love, here-there-be-pirates, love-to-hate-you

I started this with some hesitation, because I'm not really big on epic romance... but I think Sharon and Tom Curtis could probably write Teletubbies fan-fiction and make me love it. The Windflower both epitomizes the bodice-ripper subgenre and transcends it: all the classic elements are there, but the quality of the writing and the vividness of the characterizations take the story far beyond cliche. The dialogue is sharp, witty and deeply emotional, often all at the same time, and the character...more

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May 30, 2013 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Another favorite of mine. I have read this book many many times, embarrassing to admit, I know.
This is a whimsical, lyrical and humorous love story. There is a small but enticing mystery about the hero, Devon and who he really is that is key to Merry's future.

I could but will not go on and on about Merry and her lovely, sweet, naïve manner. Devon is handsome and sensual. There are a host of secondary characters that will capture your heart. One of which, to this day I pray Helen and Tom Curtis w...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Myongsun rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I own this edition of the book and that cover is hideous and embarrassing and I want to hide it. Good thing I didn't have any taste back when I first was reading romance novels. I loved this book when I read it years ago, and I love it still. It is all about the relationship between the two protagonists - and how they attract and don't want the attraction. On a Pirate Ship!!!

Beautifully written, well researched. The secondary characters really make the story - they're wonderfully fleshed out an...more

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Feb 08, 2012 Dyah rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I finished reading this book, I was irritated by the fact that I couldn't finish it sooner.
I am disappointed with the story, believing that the authors could have done way better.

WINDFLOWER is a love story between an innocent, naive (and stupid) girl named Merry with a gorgeous, seductive (and also stupid) pirate-prince named Devon. It's similar to a manga named WANTED by Matsuri Hino (or if you haven't read the manga, try imagine Bella & Edward from TWILIGHT with the background of PIRA...more When I finished reading this book, I was irritated by the fact that I couldn't finish it sooner.
I am disappointed with the story, believing that the authors could have done way better.

WINDFLOWER is a love story between an innocent, naive (and stupid) girl named Merry with a gorgeous, seductive (and also stupid) pirate-prince named Devon. It's similar to a manga named WANTED by Matsuri Hino (or if you haven't read the manga, try imagine Bella & Edward from TWILIGHT with the background of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN). To me, the plot is sometimes boring and too sweet; I think no sane women nowadays will be as naive as Merry, but I also think it is understandable, considering this novel is first published in 1984--perhaps during that time, women or young girls were still considered weak and innocent, maybe a bit rebellious but their bites were not more harmful than those of puppies.

The authors seem to only make the story rich in detail and emotion when it comes to the intimate scenes between Merry & Devon. They didn't elaborate the excitement of the pirate adventures, the feelings of anger and desperation; Instead, they make them seem ridiculous.
For example, when Merry and one of the pirate crews got stranded in an lone island and she witnessed the man died and then got eaten by a crocodile, the authors didn't even bother to explore and explain the feeling of shock and fear that Merry experience. The whole scene is only a string of material without mental processes (pardon my using of Functional Grammar's phrase), which make it bland and boring. On the other hand, when Devon rescued Merry from the island, and they got engaged in an intimate activity, the authors were able to utilize all five senses of both characters to elaborate the scene.
Clearly the authors have no idea how to write a good battle/fighting scenes. They may argue that it is not necessary since this is a romance novel, but still, I think this story will be terrific if they can balance between the romance and adventure.

About the characterization, I believe I don't fancy both female and male main characters (Merry & Devon). I can't believe how stupid Merry is! And the males (read: the pirate crews) are equally stupid because they think her stupidity is adorable =___= They even have no problem embarrassing themselves for her sake. I also think that Devon is a weak man, even though the authors tried hard to present him as a strong and god-like character.
The ONLY character I find interesting is the pirate captain, Rand Morgan. He's the only unpredictable character in the story, a mastermind who likes to manipulate the people around him.

Lastly, the only reason I gave this book 2 stars (instead of just one and put it in the dumpster), is because I like the cover so much. The purple flowers and the cream background reminds me of blueberry cheesecake.

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Feb 03, 2012 KatiD rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

"Merry Patricia Wilding was sitting on a cobblestone wall, sketching three rutabagas and daydreaming about the unicorn."

Thus begins what is, in my opinion, the best romance ever written.

For those who know me, they know that I read romance. A lot of romance. Thus, I consider myself to be quite an aficionado. I read almost all types of romance: contemporary, historical, paranormal, almost everything, except inspirational. If I had to guess, I would say that I've read well over 1000 romances in my...more "Merry Patricia Wilding was sitting on a cobblestone wall, sketching three rutabagas and daydreaming about the unicorn."

Thus begins what is, in my opinion, the best romance ever written.

For those who know me, they know that I read romance. A lot of romance. Thus, I consider myself to be quite an aficionado. I read almost all types of romance: contemporary, historical, paranormal, almost everything, except inspirational. If I had to guess, I would say that I've read well over 1000 romances in my life.

A few years ago, while visiting the Avon Authors board, one of my favorite romance authors, Teresa Medeiros, mentioned that The Windflower by Tom and Sheila Curtis was her favorite romance. She said that it was one of the most beautifully written books she'd ever read. I immediately decided to track down a copy. It's out of print, and the Curtises don't write romance any more. I ended up contacting Mostly Romance, which is a terrific online UBS (used book store) and Sandy, the owner found my a copy. A week later, I had my very own copy of the book.

One weekend, I sunk in. What do I love about The Windflower? Every single thing. It's a pirate story, it's a loss of innocence story, it's a hero is a spy for the British story, it's a war story. The prose is exquisite. I mean, really exquisite. The authors describe each character and setting in such loving detail that the book could almost be a screenplay. The heroine starts the story as an innocent girl, living with her maiden aunt in Virginia. She quickly gets caught up in an adventure that takes over her life. She's abducted by pirates, almost drowns, tries to shoot someone with a crossbow, and contracts malaria and nearly dies. Throughout, she grows and changes into this wonderful, headstrong character and of course, falls in love with Devon, our hero. Devon is (of course) an English peer who is acting as a spy for the British government. He spends quite a bit of time on his half brother's pirate ship, The Black Joke (awesome pirate ship name, BTW). Of course, since Devon takes Merry as his prisoner, her life is in his hands. And she's having none of it. It makes their interactions fascinating and emotionally charged.

But what really makes the story is the secondary characters. It features Devon's half brother Rand Morgan, easily the best secondary romance character ever written. He's the heartless captain of the Black Joke who has taken a special interest in Merry. He's bitingly sarcastic, mean and what we call in romance a VERY. BAD. MAN. I've never wished harder for a character to get his happily ever after. There's Cat, a sexually ambiguous young man who serves on the ship. He was bought out of slavery by Rand and now is kind of a "pet." He takes Merry under his wing, and at turns protects and castigates her. There's also a host of fun pirates on the ship.

It's a brilliantly executed, fully formed romance. The romance world lost giants when the Curtises decided to stop writing. But thankfully for me, I can revisit the Black Joke anytime I want. It's a ride I love every single time.(less)

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Oct 12, 2011 Thebloggart rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

So I realize that this novel is immensely popular, and that it stands out among other earlier Romantic works (as the Smart Bitches say- Old Skool). But perhaps all this praise served me poorly, because I went in looking for something instead of just simply immersing myself within the text. I had no problems with the poetic language of the novel, nor the story itself. The problem for me solely resided in the characters. When the supporting characters surpass your hero and heroine in terms of comp...more So I realize that this novel is immensely popular, and that it stands out among other earlier Romantic works (as the Smart Bitches say- Old Skool). But perhaps all this praise served me poorly, because I went in looking for something instead of just simply immersing myself within the text. I had no problems with the poetic language of the novel, nor the story itself. The problem for me solely resided in the characters. When the supporting characters surpass your hero and heroine in terms of complexity (hello Cat), you've got yourself a problem.

One earlier review described Merry as a "marshmallow," which is incredibly apt. But whether this is a positive or negative trait solely depends on the reader. For me, Merry was a trifling sweetness, not terribly complex or rich, and in many ways was a lump. Her actions, escaping the ship etc, though proactive, had a weird role in the novel where her escape was depicted as more of a burden and product of general lumpiness. And when I say lumpiness I mean that, like a marshmallow, action was done to Merry, but nothing of real, harrowing consequence was done by Merry.

But there's also weirdness and oddity in Devon's portrayal. Everything about him is abstracted, even his name. His presence in the novel is that of a looming shadow (see Beyond Heaving Bosoms for elaboration of the theory of The Hero as the Shadow-Self of the Heroine). Though I understand that this is normal of the genre, it gives Merry most of the work to do in the novel, which is unfortunate because she's a bit boring. Reactions don't equal personality.

And finally, we have the side characters. Cat and Raven were by far my favorite characters in the novel, and the fact that both of them (especially Cat) seemed to truly care for Merry made her relationship with Devon all the more frustrating. I'm not saying that because Devon was too preoccupied with stifling his raging lust for Merry to spend time with her and therefore is rendered a poor choice for her- I am suggesting that more, truly heartfelt emotional moments are between Cat and Merry, and to see them together would be, by far, more satisfying. It feels like the union between Devon and Merry is a foregone conclusion- he gets her because he is the Hero, he is the Hero because...well..the plot says so.

This was the second Romance novel I've ever read, so my review really comes from my experience as an English Major with a Feminist slant. I'm still interested in the genre, I plan to read more current Romance novels to see the progress of both the hero and the heroine from abstracted roles. (less)

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Oct 30, 2010 Liz B rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historicalfiction, romance

I was wavering between 4 and 5 stars on this one, and went with the higher rating. Because I HATE pirate romance, and yet I enjoyed every moment of this book.

Here's the premise: Innocent Merry Wilding is accidentally kidnapped and brought aboard a pirate ship during the war of 1812, where she falls in love with a hot blonde pirate who is actually a titled Englishman.

I know!! It's ludicrous. But lots of good stuff is (exactly where are the cameras during the Hunger Games, pray tell?!?). So please...more

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Nov 30, 2009 Jenny rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: adult-romance, doorway-character

Two words: Pirate romance.

I kept hearing people rave about this book, so I finally decided to check it out. Of course, this was much more difficult than originally anticipated, because it's not in print anymore, and the five library systems I belong to don't have it. ILL to the rescue.

Merry Wilding is a well-bred young American, eager to help her father and brother in their efforts against the British (War of 1812). But things don't go quite as planned, and Merry ends up being noticed by the i...more

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Dec 05, 2012 Regan Walker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-reads, favorite-keepers

Superb Classic Pirate Romance—one not to miss!

This was the product of the husband-wife writing team of Sharon and Tom Curtis and some believe it was their best. I can tell you this: this pirate romance set in in 1813 during the War of 1812 is one of the finest historical romances I have read. It’s a classic. Originally published in 1984, it was reissued in 1995, and can be obtained in paperback (used). Though you may have to pay a premium, as I did, to get a good copy, for fans of the genre, it...more Superb Classic Pirate Romance—one not to miss!

This was the product of the husband-wife writing team of Sharon and Tom Curtis and some believe it was their best. I can tell you this: this pirate romance set in in 1813 during the War of 1812 is one of the finest historical romances I have read. It’s a classic. Originally published in 1984, it was reissued in 1995, and can be obtained in paperback (used). Though you may have to pay a premium, as I did, to get a good copy, for fans of the genre, it is not one to pass up. It’s a keeper among keepers.

It tells the story of innocent, sheltered Merry Wilding, an American living in Virginia with her maiden aunt. Merry has a talent for drawing faces from memory, a talent her brother, an American spy will use to his benefit, exposing her to pirates and worse. Then, on her way to England with her aunt who wants Merry to have a better future, she is kidnapped. Taken to a pirate ship, she meets the English pirate Devon, who remembers her from a night long ago where he encountered her in a tavern. He holds her captive, believing she is involved with his enemy who was also on the ship Merry was sailing on. Protecting her brother, she will not reveal who she is. Devon is intelligent, beguiling and smooth and innocent Merry is powerless to turn away his kisses. The whole crew of pirates comes to love Merry and to teach her many things as she blossoms from shy girl to strong woman.

The writing is superb, the characters courageous, heartwarming and very special; the descriptions of the environs vivid; the metaphors numerous and well done; and the story a wonder to read, and re-read. The plot is intriguing. You will be swept away on a pirate ship to experience many adventures, battles at sea, storms, death, outrageous humor and love. I thought the writing gifted. Here’s a sample from one scene; I bet it moves you though not a word is spoken:

“His fingers whispered over her face, seeking and slowly stroking nerve points, knowing where, how long, how much to caress. Her skin gained color under his touch; her eyes became enormous; her throat tightened. By her nose his little finger encountered a forgotten tear. Gathering the sparkling drop, he smeared it slowly over the curve of her lips and blew it gently dry. One hand came lightly to rest on her neck; the other supported her cheek as he sought her with his kiss.”

Here’s another:

“Tragedy dwelt like a blue flame in her big eyes; the shallow pulsebeat in the golden hollow of her throat was luffing like a spanker on a vessel that was hauled too close to the wind. He had seen the look before on women about to be raped, and he found no charm in having it turned on him.”

If you love pirate romance—or even Regency period romance set mostly outside of England—this historical romance will not disappoint. Pay the premium for a good used copy and put it on your keeper shelf. That’s where it belongs!
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Jan 30, 2012 Cyndi rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance-addiction

For years I heard that this book was THE BEST ROMANCE NOVEL EVER!!! It had always been on my list of books to read, but I didn't want to pay the price to get a used copy. Finally, I broke down.

When I started the book, I was a little nervous. Right away it the writing style reminded me of Old Skool Romances that I hate - ones that invariably include the Impossibly Beautiful Virgin, the Asshole Alpha Male, and rape. I spent the first 1/3 of the book worried I was reading another variation of that...more For years I heard that this book was THE BEST ROMANCE NOVEL EVER!!! It had always been on my list of books to read, but I didn't want to pay the price to get a used copy. Finally, I broke down.

When I started the book, I was a little nervous. Right away it the writing style reminded me of Old Skool Romances that I hate - ones that invariably include the Impossibly Beautiful Virgin, the Asshole Alpha Male, and rape. I spent the first 1/3 of the book worried I was reading another variation of that kind of book. Merry Patricia Wilding is beautiful and innocent, unaware of her charms, kind of brave, and of course all the hardened pirates love her. Devon is the most handsome man sheltered Merry has ever seen and he routinely forces his attentions on her. Merry, unschooled in the arts of flirtation or seduction (she lived a reclusive life with her spinster aunt) cannot figure out why her body is saying "yes" when her mind is saying "no." All of this seemed, to me, a repetition of every romance novel written in the 80s.

I appreciated the imagery the Curtis's used. While there was an over-emphasis placed on hair (I get - Cat has a super long white-ish braid; Merry has unruly red-gold curls. I get it!!), the descriptions of the sea and the island were nice.

I sort of believed Devon's infatuation with Merry. It was subtly revealed throughout the novel; however, Merry's love for Devon seemed rather quick. Sure she lusted after him, but after her illness she seemed to wake and think "Oh yeah! I love him!" I didn't buy it. It seemed a case of almost-Stockholm Syndrome.

For me, the most interesting character was Cat. When first introduced, he seemed more sinister and "evil" than Rand Morgan (the Worst Pirate Ever). His care for Merry, their friendship, his tumultuous relationship with Rand and his father were all fascinating to read. I'd love to read an entire book about Cat.

Overall, this wasn't a bad book. I think my expectations were raised to an impossible degree due to all the awesome things I heard about the book. While The Windflower was in many ways typical of other romances I have read, I was glad it didn't veer into the "rape leads to love" scenario. Merry seemed to grow as a character, which was nice. Devon remained a bit static, but the book was about her more than him so I accepted that. (less)

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Jul 17, 2012 Rere Hoshikuzu rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Actually, I got this book by accident from a quiz held by one of big publishers in Indonesia. I got the Indonesian edition. I didnot expect anything - a good story, heart-breaking plot - or something else. But, this novel has fascinated me.
The Windflower is a novel about love, journey, and not to forget about the English noblemen and pirates. When a pure innocent girl met a duke on a pirate ship, they could not avoid anything happened on the ship. Merry Wilding, an English-American girl, met Dev...more

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Nov 01, 2011 Anita rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

blm selesai bacanya sih.. tapi kayaknya bakal ngasih 3.5
Merry so sweet banget, polos,lugu,cengeng.. baru kali ini dah liat tokoh utama wanita seimut ini;p
kayaknya bacaan ini ga cocok sama pembaca yang suka tipe wanita dewasa, mandiri,kayak karangannya JL, LK atau JQ...

sebenernya kata gua bagus,entah kenapa rada bosen bacanya jadi lama,ceritanya bagi gw rada membingungkan *mungkin gara2 gaya cerita si pengarang*, udah gitu ada beberapa adegan yang harusnya bisa dibangun emosi lebih dalam kayak wa...more

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May 26, 2013 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was lucky enough that in HS a friend's grandmother (or aunt) worked in a bookstore. When books were being discontinued it was accepted practice to rip off the front cover and throw the book away. (SACRILEGE!!!) She would instead, bring them to us ... those of us who had read the school library, perhaps like me who had read every book in the library of the small town where I spent my summers ...

This book spoke to me right off ... I read this book until the binding cracked and fell apart and I'd...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Jenny by: Julia

Shelves: historical-romance

There were a lot of great things about this book. I started out loving all the long flowy sentences after the last book I read which was all choppy and short sentences. Some amazing, fabulous moments that made me laugh out loud really hard. I loved the beginning and I loved the end, but I found the middle to be kind of annoying and boring at times. I don't know why, I just remember thinking, I'm bored, when is something interesting going to happen? The book FELT long when it shouldn't have felt...more There were a lot of great things about this book. I started out loving all the long flowy sentences after the last book I read which was all choppy and short sentences. Some amazing, fabulous moments that made me laugh out loud really hard. I loved the beginning and I loved the end, but I found the middle to be kind of annoying and boring at times. I don't know why, I just remember thinking, I'm bored, when is something interesting going to happen? The book FELT long when it shouldn't have felt long and the long detailed sentences which started at being fun, started feeling boring and long. And I got frustrated by the whole love/hate relationship back and forth. Some of that is fun, but constantly for that long got me annoyed. I found Merry to be super fickle with her feelings at times. Merry as a character was wishy washy to me. I loved that she started out all naive and silly and then became hardened by the end to actually have a spine and be competent and be able to do things, but there were some times in the middle where she went back to being a simpering naive stupid girl and it made me want to smack her. But I loved the moments where she was being awesome, like using crossbows and such. I wanted more of that Merry and less of the swooning naivete. I generally liked Devon, but after hearing soo many things about this book and how great he was, I wasn't super impressed. He was fine and certainly not terrible, but nothing really stood out to me about him. Oh gosh, the other thing that really annoyed me was the love scenes. Terrible. The long and flowy language, which I liked for most of the book, during the love scenes was just way too much. And Devon would say the most ridiculous things. Like I think at one point he says "Sweet Merry, give me your honey." Or something like that. If somebody said that to me at any time, I would punch them in the face. But overall though, a fun read and there were some really great moments. I definitely think this is one of those books that grows on you with each read. I guess I just need to stop getting my expectations built up lol, I'm being so harsh on these books!(less)

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Mar 01, 2012 Dheril Sofia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-books

The Windflower - Pemenang RRA Award untuk kategori Best Classic Historical Romance (1994)
Judul: The Windflower – takluk di bawah pesonamu
Penulis: Sharon dan Tom Curtis
Penerbit: GagasMedia
Alih bahasa: Endang Sulistyowati
Halaman: 626 hlm
Tahun terbit: 2011
ISBN: 9789797805142
Genre: Dewasa/Adult

Sinopsis:
Merry Wilding mendambakan petualangan... namun yang dia dapat malah penculikan dan dikirim ke kapal yang paling ditakuti di lautan.
Merry tidak punya pilihan lain kecuali tunduk pada perintah pemilik k...more

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Dec 06, 2011 Malin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Windflower keeps appearing on All About Romance's Top 100 Romances, and is raved about on so many different romance review sites on the internet that I decided enough was enough, and went on Amazon Marketplace to track down a copy (the book was published in 1984, the book I have is from 1994, and the book's been out of print for ages).

I now see why it's so popular. This book has pretty much everything you'd want from an old fashioned romance novel - the heroine is grew up with a spinster au...more The Windflower keeps appearing on All About Romance's Top 100 Romances, and is raved about on so many different romance review sites on the internet that I decided enough was enough, and went on Amazon Marketplace to track down a copy (the book was published in 1984, the book I have is from 1994, and the book's been out of print for ages).

I now see why it's so popular. This book has pretty much everything you'd want from an old fashioned romance novel - the heroine is grew up with a spinster aunt, lived a terribly sheltered life style, and has barely looked at a man before she's suddenly snogged by a dashing pirate when helping her brother try to identify British spies in some little shack not far from where she grew up. Some months later, when her English spinster aunt is taking her back to England (although the heroine is American, and terribly patriotic at that), she is abducted by ruffians and ends up on the pirate ship belonging to the half-brother of said dashing pirate who snogged her all those months ago. He thinks she's the mistress of his worst enemy, she thinks he wants to hurt her brother, who is working for the American revolutionaries.

As well as forced abductions, there are surly teenage pirates who turn out to have hearts of gold, an extremely manipulative pirate captain who knows more than anyone else, and clearly uses his pirate ship as some sort of unorthodox finishing school for the odd nobleman's son here and there, a varied band of pirates who while totally apparently totally ruthless, within about a week are all willing to die for the heroine's sake.

Merry, the heroine, veers between being very believably freaked out with the whole kidnapped by pirates thing, especially since her inexperienced little self barely knows how to react to the seductive tendencies of Devin, the pirate captain's mysterious brother, and being borderline TSTL, especially in her attempts to escape. So much badness happening to one young chit, you'd think she'd learn after the second escape attempt, when she's nearly killed from malaria!

In a romance novel written today, the hero would be a lot less douchy to the heroine. He really is very mean to her for most of the book, and keeps threatening to do horrible things to Merry, and seems vaguely puzzled when she's then terrified of him and actually believes he'll carry out his threats. Of course, the main couple would also have been having sex all over the place, while here Devin just tries to unsuccessfully seduce a woman he's pretty sure is an experienced strumpet, yet he can't bring himself to rape her, and Merry really has WAY more will power and resistance than any modern heroine - they always seem to waver a suitable amount of time before being overwhelmed by their desires and falling into bed with the hero. Merry holds out until she's married, even though Devin's proposal rivals that of Mr Darcy (the first one, NOT the second one, which is lovely) and Mr Rochester for total sucky unromanticness (it's a word - I'm an English teacher, I've decided).

A bit slow to start, the book is incredibly entertaining, and worth reading not even mainly for the main couple, who as mentioned before are a sheltered virgin and an imperious douche, but for the supporting characters, who are complex and conflicted and oh so dashing. It doesn't seem as if Tom and Sharon Curtis have written any romances about Devin's pirate captain half brother, Rand Morgan, or about Cat or Raven, two of the angsty, yet amusing teenagers aboard the ship. I'd read those books in a heartbeat.
This is a great book, well worth tracking down, even though it's out of print. (less)

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Jun 08, 2012 Rebecca added it · review of another edition

SHE LONGED FOR A PIRATE'S KISSES, FOR A GOLDEN ROGUE'S CARESS...

Every lady of breeding knows. No one has a good time on a pirate ship. No one, that is, but the pirates. Yet there she was, Merry Wilding - kidnapped in error, taken from a ship bound from New York to England, spirited away in a barrel and swept aboard the infamous Black Joke....There she was, trembling with pleasure in the arms of her achingly handsome, sensationally sensual, golden-haired captor - Devon. From the storm-tossed Atla...more

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Jun 08, 2013 Carole Roman rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-fiction, romance, fiction

There are romances and then there are romances, and The Windflower is one of them. Engaging, funny, colorful characters, and a heck of a story, it is one of my favorite reads. Written by a husband and wife team, its humor is timeless. Sheltered from the world by a neglectful, but protective father, Merry finds herself kidnapped and taken by a band of pirates. They are an interesting group. Filled with daring escapades, these jolly tars have interesting pasts, and we get to be involved in their a...more

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Feb 26, 2013 Mary Irureta-balletta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

This was my first book of this genre 3 months ago and it has become my favorite book ever in spite of the dumb scene at the end where Granville tries to kill Merry. My love for it is right up there with Jane Austen's pride and prejudice, Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, and Nicholas Sparks A walk to remember. Just comes to show my diverse taste in books. Apparently it's a really famous book, I had never heard of it, i borrowed it from my cousin, and my only regret is that I didn't read it years ago! Hea...more

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Oct 14, 2012 Helena Fairfax rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: heac-brides-challenge

This is a classic romance novel which was first published in the 1980s, and I can't believe it's now out of print. If I tell you the plot it will seem a total cliche - innocent girl gets abducted by pirates, and falls for one of the pirate chiefs - but there's far more to the book than this. The dialogue is funny, the sexual tension remains high throughout, the characters are well-drawn and believable and the era well-researched. It's a romantic, witty and melodramatic epic and a classic page-tu...more

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Jan 07, 2013 Three rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

Full disclosure: sometimes, the prose here is so purple it should stain my fingers, and I don't care. This has been one of my favorite romances for twenty years, and I'll probably go to my grave adoring it, flaws and all.

I think what really makes this story are the characters. Not just Merry and Devon, although they're both fabulous, but the entire cast of pirates. They're just... fun to read. The things they do, and the banter, and the sarcasm: it's all just... fun to read. And when Merry and...more

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Jan 23, 2009 Keta rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Simply awesome! Love this book. Have read it at least ten times. A lot of decriptive writing and purple prose, but the reader really feels like she/he is right there. I'm amazed at this husband and wife's team ability to write together and hold the reader from page 1 to the end. For anyone who loves historical romance, this is the book for you. Not descriptive sex, but enough to let you know what's happening.

Secondary characters are so vivid, they could have their own books. Sadly, I don't think...more

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Mar 20, 2013 Oky Septya rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Ini buku hisrom yg sangat tebal, mana fontnya kecil2. Tapi entah kenapa ceritanya bagus dan menyeluruh (mungkin krn saking tebelnya itu jd ceritanya bisa memuaskan). Banyak karakter terlibat di dalamnya yg diceritakan dg sangat apik shg ga melulu fokus ttg 2 tokoh utama kita sbg hero & heroine-nya.

Sebenernya saya melihat banyak potensi humor yg secara konstan muncul tapi sayangnya terjemahannya kurang luwes jadi saya sedih karena nuansa becandaannya jd hilang. Mungkin kalo saya baca versi a...more

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Jan 09, 2013 Edisty Friskanesya added it · review of another edition

Shelves: wish-list, a-gift, classic, fiksi, romance

kenapa buku ini begitu lama ada Di wishlist?
karena pertama kali liat saya sudah tertarik. cover bunga ungunya begitu unyuu,suka aja gitu liat covernya. terus pas saya balik...wow, ternyata ceritanya tentang bajak laut, kisah yang ngga biasa. makin penasaranlah saya. tapi entah kenapa, sudah sekian kali memegang buku itu dan nyaris membawanya ke kasir, akhirnya selalu saja buku ini tergeletak manis lagi di tempatnya berada. tapi senangnya, akhirnya saya mendapatkan buku ini dr SS :)

pengantarnya...more

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Mar 06, 2012 Mahareni Maldini rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-from-pitimoss, historical-romance

Sukaaaaaaa...ide ceritanya oke banget, meski si pengarang mbikinnya agak berputar-putar alias berbelit-belit. Mestinya ada yg bisa di-cut dari buku ini tanpa mengganggu jalan ceritanya.

Kalo Morgan lagi bersenda gurau sama Devon, tiba-tiba jadi inget sama James+Anthony Malory.

Sayangnya, si Morgan gak dapat pasangan sampe akhir buku.

Btw, si Merry beruntung banget, diculik+disandera pirate yg ternyata seorang bangsawan dg gelar yg tinggi. Gak rugi gitu selama berbulan2 merasa tersiksa d kapal Black...more

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Apr 28, 2012 LuvGirl rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: kin-p, historical, bodice-ripper, pirate, drop-dead-gorgeous-hero, dnf, dnf-read-half-or-more, over-rated, 2-half-star, owned-non-keepers, aar-top-100

I can't believe this is the book that's on so many best romance shelves.It didn’t do for me what it did for so many others. It’s not a good sign when you are wishing the secondary character (Cat, I’m talking to you) would end up with the heroine, and knowing darn well that it will never happen. It’s not really the hero’s fault either, he was okay. It’s just that the author made Cat a much more substantial character than Devon. I felt like the heroine spent more quality time with Cat. They had mo...more

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May 04, 2013 Vina Raintree rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

secara keseluruhan sih bagus, buku ini lah yg aku baca pas aku bosen banget sma novel2 historical yang inti ceritanya sama, cuman dialognya sma tokoh2nya aja yg beda.. titik terjenuhku dimulai,,, hehe
aku bacanya novel ini pas UAS semester 5, tpi berhubung pnasaran ya lanjottt aja,, hehe..
oke, merry ini tipikal cewek yang keras kepala, tapi cengeng. ngegemesin tapi berani. and agak2 tipe flirt (bnr g yah? soalx dia deket sma Cat dan Raven sih,, hehe mungkin cuma anggapan aku kali?)
karena Merry in...more secara keseluruhan sih bagus, buku ini lah yg aku baca pas aku bosen banget sma novel2 historical yang inti ceritanya sama, cuman dialognya sma tokoh2nya aja yg beda.. titik terjenuhku dimulai,,, hehe
aku bacanya novel ini pas UAS semester 5, tpi berhubung pnasaran ya lanjottt aja,, hehe..
oke, merry ini tipikal cewek yang keras kepala, tapi cengeng. ngegemesin tapi berani. and agak2 tipe flirt (bnr g yah? soalx dia deket sma Cat dan Raven sih,, hehe mungkin cuma anggapan aku kali?)
karena Merry ini berbakat melukis, dia slalu diajak kakaknya yg adalah tentara untuk melukis wajah para mata2 ato pnjahat2 klas kakap. and pertemuan awalnya sma Devon Crandall ya pas Merry diminta untuk ngelukis wajah "Wanted" nya pirate2 itu.. si Merry nyamar sebagai nona muda yang sedang hamil tua. perutnya diselipin bantal yang isinya jerami., dan pada akhirnya bantal itu merosot pas didepan devon (nooo..)
udh dicium gtu sama devon,... hehe..
Merry terkenang trus ciuman devon, sentuhan (ahhh...) and bibi-nya pengen Marry menemani bibi nya kembali ke inggris... pas sampai di kapal yg mau menuju Inggris, trnyta barang bwaaan Merry dikerubungi semut.. (ane benci semut) dan merry diijinkan tidur di kabin milik Granville. pas tidur itu, lagi2 Merry ketimpa sial. dia diculik oleh Cat yang mrupakan slah satu pirate yg mergoki "perut" merry jatuh pas kejadian di pub dlu. annnndd di kapal itu ia ketemu lagi deh sma devon.. banyak kjadian di kapalnya ini. si Merry ini berkali2 pnya usaha melarikan diri yg gagal pda akhirnya,,.. dari tenggelam dilaut, nyasar ke pulau yg ganas, sampe dikerubungi bebek2.wkwkw (ngakak pooll_)... devon n merry juga tarik ulur terusss, ciumann-grepe no parah yg akhirnya pun mreka mlakukan sex after married.. hehe//...
Saat dikapal, merry bahkan sampe sakit malaria (nyaris mati.. malaria gaanasss)... penyelesaiannya bagus juga.. ni aku baru baca sampe grenvil ngancem akan membunuh kakak Merry... gag sabar degh..hohoho
buku ini recommended banget buat kmu2 yg pnya banyak waktu dengan buku menikung2,, heheh(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Sabrina rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance

Hal pertama yang terpikir di kepala saya saat melihat buku ini adalah ketebalannya. Romance dengan tebal 634 halaman. Saya jadi tertarik membaca karena buku tebal pasti banyak konfliknya. Dan kebetulan saya suka konflik. Selain itu, ada tiga pujian dari tiga pengarang terkenal di sampul bukunya. Johanna Lindsey, LaVyrle Spencer, dan Sandra Brown. Dua di antaranya adalah pengarang favorit saya.

Jadi, saya memutuskan untuk membaca. Halaman pertama masih oke, perkenalan dan deskripsinya boleh lah. W...more Hal pertama yang terpikir di kepala saya saat melihat buku ini adalah ketebalannya. Romance dengan tebal 634 halaman. Saya jadi tertarik membaca karena buku tebal pasti banyak konfliknya. Dan kebetulan saya suka konflik. Selain itu, ada tiga pujian dari tiga pengarang terkenal di sampul bukunya. Johanna Lindsey, LaVyrle Spencer, dan Sandra Brown. Dua di antaranya adalah pengarang favorit saya.

Jadi, saya memutuskan untuk membaca. Halaman pertama masih oke, perkenalan dan deskripsinya boleh lah. Walaupun saya menemukan ketidaknyamanan dalam membaca edisi terjemahannya ini. Entah karena memang bahasa Indonesia-nya aneh atau memang pengarangnya menulis dengan bahasa yang tidak enak dibaca.

Saya terus membaca dan entah kenapa saya merasa bosan di bagian tengah. Memang penjelasan sejarah dan istilah-istilah barunya menarik tapi ceritanya terlalu berbelit-belit. Salah pahamnya terlalu banyak dan kebetulannya lebih banyak lagi. Bangsawan yang mensponsori pelayaran Merry dan bibinya ke Inggris adalah musuh Devon. Ternyata Merry ingin dijodohkan dengan Devon oleh bibinya yang ternyata mengenal nenek Devon. Kebetulan kakak Merry dan Devon mempunyai target penjahat yang sama.

Saya suka dengan awak kapal kakak tiri Devon. Mereka baik semua walaupun agak aneh sih. Seharusnya bajak laut kan awak kapalnya itu jahat dan kasar. Tapi mereka memperlakukan Merry dengan sangat baik. Yah, memang sih itu karena takut sama Devon. Tapi tetap saja aneh. Plotnya masuk akal namun terlalu lambat. Boleh dibilang petualangan Merry di kapal itu sangat datar. Lalu apa pentingnya Cat, kakak tiri Devon, dan awak-awak kapal lain? Mereka semua dijelaskan secara detail namun dialog semua tokoh itu tidak terlalu signifikan untuk cerita ini. Saat cerita mencapai klimaks, saya malah sudah kehilangan minat. Padahal Devon dan Merry adalah tokoh yang cukup menyenangkan.

Mungkin saya bukan tipe yang suka cerita di atas kapal kali ya. Selama ini saya tidak pernah tertarik membaca romance antara bajak laut dan seorang bangsawan.

Untuk penggemar historical romance yang ingin membaca petualangan yang berbeda, buku ini pasti cocok. Pertemuan kedua tokoh utamanya tidak bertempat di pesta dansa seperti biasanya.

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