Flowers from the Storm
by Laura Kinsale
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other reviews (showing 1-20 of 106)
This is the book that absolutely sold me on Laura Kinsale as a great author, not just a great romance author. Spoilers ahead!!
The main characters are Christian, the Duke of Jervaulx (I know, I know, there is a Duke in almost every romance novel, but at least this time the fact that he's a Duke is very important to the story in a realistic way) and Maddy Timms, a Quaker.
Christian, at the start of the novel, is a rake. Not just a "rake for the sake of making the character slightly i...more
The main characters are Christian, the Duke of Jervaulx (I know, I know, there is a Duke in almost every romance novel, but at least this time the fact that he's a Duke is very important to the story in a realistic way) and Maddy Timms, a Quaker.
Christian, at the start of the novel, is a rake. Not just a "rake for the sake of making the character slightly i...more
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Read in March, 2008
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.
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First off, i was not a big fan of ms. kinsale since i was disappointed with The Hidden Heart. i hadn't thought of picking up another book by her. when i heard how good FFTS was, i decided to brave the odds and give her another try.
and to this day, i am so glad i read this book.
straight to the point--this book is ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST in the romance genre. no buts, no exaggerations.
it is so full of emotion and tenderness. and after reading it, i felt like i was holding a real tr...more
and to this day, i am so glad i read this book.
straight to the point--this book is ONE OF THE ABSOLUTE BEST in the romance genre. no buts, no exaggerations.
it is so full of emotion and tenderness. and after reading it, i felt like i was holding a real tr...more
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Read in August, 2007
For almost 15 or so years I have heard about this book. It has frequently shows up at the top of many readers' favorite lists. It has blurbs galore that hail it as one of the best romance novels of all time.
Whenever I come across a recommendation of author or book that gets as much as ink is this, I am usually all over it. So strangely, in the past 15 or so years, I have never really felt compelled to pick this book up.
But this week, that came to an end and I read it.
It is definitely well ...more
Whenever I come across a recommendation of author or book that gets as much as ink is this, I am usually all over it. So strangely, in the past 15 or so years, I have never really felt compelled to pick this book up.
But this week, that came to an end and I read it.
It is definitely well ...more
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Read in March, 2008
Normally, I might hesitate to give a romance novel 5 stars, but I loved this book. It's a historical, set in Regency-ish England. Hero is a man who has a seizure of some sort that leaves him unable to speak, heroine is a Quaker nurse who meets him just before he has the seizure and, coincidentally of course, gets committed to her cousin's asylum. She's the only one who figures out that he's not crazy, he just can't speak.
Lots of layers here. The hero is trapped both in the cell in the asylu...more
Lots of layers here. The hero is trapped both in the cell in the asylu...more
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Read in January, 2005
This may be the best romance ever. Laura Kinsale crafts the unlikely love of Duke brought low by a stroke (he's a very young stroke victim) and the Quaker girl who helps heal him. The way she writes the hero is fabulous--he's perfectly understandable in his thoughts and you can almost hear the disability he's fighting in the writing. It's hard to describe the wonder of this novel and how good of a job Kinsale did with her characters.
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Wow. This was an amazing romance!
The tale centers around a modest Quaker woman caring for a duke who has become mad. It is a slow-building tale of their relationship, strongly reminiscent of Jane Austen romance novels. If you like Austen, you will probably love this book.
The tale also fits nicely with 3 stories from the Bible as it explores pride, humility and love. It gives a strong nod to the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, as well as to the story of Hosea marrying the prostitute a...more
The tale centers around a modest Quaker woman caring for a duke who has become mad. It is a slow-building tale of their relationship, strongly reminiscent of Jane Austen romance novels. If you like Austen, you will probably love this book.
The tale also fits nicely with 3 stories from the Bible as it explores pride, humility and love. It gives a strong nod to the story of King Nebuchadnezzar, as well as to the story of Hosea marrying the prostitute a...more
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Read in July, 2006
Historical Romance. Christian Richard Nicolas Langland = notorious rake! Archimedea Timms = plain spoken Quaker girl! They fight crime! No, okay, no fighting crime, but this isn't your usual regency romance here. There's math! And Quakers! And crazy houses!
The plot goes through a weird lull about halfway through, but things eventually pick up again, and the main characters are sympathetic and pretty smart, too.
Three stars for such favorite cliches as forced-to-marry and on-the-run-from-p...more
The plot goes through a weird lull about halfway through, but things eventually pick up again, and the main characters are sympathetic and pretty smart, too.
Three stars for such favorite cliches as forced-to-marry and on-the-run-from-p...more
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Read in February, 2008
I know this book is a romance classic or whatnot and obviously very highly rated here, but I just don't think I can stomach romances that take themselves this seriously. It's all very anguished and whatnot because the dude, formerly a brilliant mathematician, comes down with something/is poisoned, which gives him mental instability/speech impediment, so every time the book switched into his perspective, it was. just. agonizing. to. read. But! The heroine's a Quaker, so that was rad. Yay Quak...more
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Read in February, 2006
This is a rather well-written historical romance. You'll learn perhaps more than you thought you needed to about early nineteenth century English Quakers, and the heroine's being one of the 'Peculiar People' is a nice twist to the 'heroine makes good, weds Duke' story.
If you hate romance, you'll hate it anyway, but Kinsale does a nice job of keeping the angst to a manageable level and really developing lives for these characters.
If you hate romance, you'll hate it anyway, but Kinsale does a nice job of keeping the angst to a manageable level and really developing lives for these characters.
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One of the few books I've had to get multiple copies of. The hero has been severely compromised by a sudden illness, going from genius to perceived madman. But behind the external confusion, he's in there, trying to communicate with a world that doesn't respect him any longer.
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Read in January, 2006
Another book on my keeper shelf. I thought it was amazing how wonderfully the hero (who wasnt able to speak due to a stroke)was able to communicate and get involved in a relationship with a woman totally opposite to his pre-stroke self. He definately did some growing.
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This book is crazy good...this dude has a brain aneurysm and can't speak so everyone thinks he is crazy so he is sent to this loony bin and the nurse that takes care of him is this Quaker chick. All of the elements for a good time right there.
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Read in June, 2007
recommends it for:
romance fans
Probably one of the best romances I've ever read, but although there are some cliches, the plot is very complicated and unusual for a regency. I'd recommend this to anyone who likes tortured, rakish heroes and innocent heroines.
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recommended to Peggy by:
Alicia Rasley
Ignore the cover, open the pages, and be drawn into one of the best romance novels ever written. The writing is like poetry, while the characters are real but appealing, warts and all.
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This book could be considered a romance, but it is so much more. I very touching read. I have read other novels by this author and have been very disappointed, though.
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Read in January, 2005
Brilliant story about a math genius who has a stroke and is nursed back to health by a Quaker... very moving and unusual. Read it as a bookring.
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Ooh, marriage of convenience, my favorite! Looks intelligent, which is a rarity.
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Read in January, 2002
Great writing, great characterization, great emotion. Must read it again soon.
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Read in March, 2008
Totally appealed to my "Beauty and the Beast" romantic tendencies.
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book data (includes all editions)
avg rating (all editions): 4.21 (106 ratings) avg rating (this edition): 4.22 (97 ratings) number of reviews: 24popular shelves
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