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Skye O'Malley (O'Malley Saga #1)

4.24 of 5 stars 4.24 · rating details · 2,262 ratings · 163 reviews

There has never been a woman like luscious, raven-haired, hot-tempered Skye O'Malley. She is the courageous seafaring captain of her own mighty fleet, and intelligent enough to win a battle of wits with Queen Elizabeth herself. Follow along as Skye O'Malley is swept up in a journey filled with romance and passion that takes her from glittering Ireland, to lush Algeria, to...more

Mass Market Paperback, 480 pages

Published October 26th 2004 by Ballantine Books (first published 1981)

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May 16, 2010 Ceridwen rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: rapists

Recommended to Ceridwen by: RBRS

Shelves: drunk-book-reviews, gothic, shit-show, rbrs, for-teh-ladies, incest-is-best, pirates

Oh crap. It's arrived.

*cries*

---------

Warning: There are a ton a spoilers, cussing and general and specific rage all over this review. If you don't like that sort of thing, you should move it along. I'm not going to hit the spoiler box because I'm evil.

I'm going to try very hard not to have this review devolve into a bunch of semi-coherent screaming and cussing, but it's going to be hard, and I may have to fortify myself with serious drinking and and Tai Chi or something, and those two things...more

101 likes · like · see review

May 09, 2010 Eh?Eh! rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: goodreaders-made-me, rbrs, dear-diary-what-book, babble-added

Rbrs #3

This was supposed to be the "good" romance, the one that has some popular acclaim and merit. Hah!

The book itself is a no-star wonder. I hate it, with the same passion all the characters seemed to have for endless and immediate boffing. I skimmed a bit then went back to the beginning with a non-drinking drinking game-type system, of marking certain types of passages with colored tabs:

Yellow = dumb, eye-rolling, wtf, you're kidding, now you're making sh-t up
Pink = well that wasn't too bad b...more

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Apr 11, 2013 Manny marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Shelves: the-goodreads-experience, pooh-dante

Bad Book Is Bad, Scientists Say

A team of top researchers from the prestigious Goodreads Institute of Bodice-Ripping Studies have recently published a report concluding that a bad book is bad.

"We were very surprised when we analysed the data," said the Institute's charismatic director at yesterday's press conference.

The rest of this review is in my book What Pooh Might Have Said to Dante and Other Futile Speculations

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Apr 25, 2010 Elizabeth rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2010, hem-steppers-and-bodice-rippers, in-by-of-england, irish, reviewed, rbrs

Syke O’Malley is a truly amazing woman. Five children in ten years by four different men, and her breasts are still high, small, round globes, no more than a handful, for that would be too much. I don’t know how she found a plastic surgeon in Elizabethan England but think of the money he could be making in L.A. right now.

I'm convinced that her breasts and her sapphire eyes and heart shaped face were the things that made her so amazing (as everyone else, including all of the men in this book thou...more Syke O’Malley is a truly amazing woman. Five children in ten years by four different men, and her breasts are still high, small, round globes, no more than a handful, for that would be too much. I don’t know how she found a plastic surgeon in Elizabethan England but think of the money he could be making in L.A. right now.

I'm convinced that her breasts and her sapphire eyes and heart shaped face were the things that made her so amazing (as everyone else, including all of the men in this book thought of her). I saw no evidence that she was anything but a good lay. Spoiled by her father, she could sail a boat and had definite opinions, but who doesn't? Are we all so convinced that some time in 1973 women started speaking their minds for the first time? That modern women invented freedom? That no woman had a brain until Charlotte Brontë? How arrogant are we that we rush to praise a character that just doesn't suck (well, she does with a kitten-like tongue, but I meant it in a different way)?

What are Skye O'Malley's merits as a strong character? I don't know. She seems to be selfish, rather than strong. SPOILER When her husband takes her maid to bed and leaves her raped and beaten to incapacitation, Skye has the generosity to offer her employment with someone else. How very kind; it's not like she couldn't have dowered her to the convent where she was staying; that wouldn't have done, would it? END SPOILER I suppose someone else would have seen this as a sign of strength; she knew what was coming for her and didn't throw herself into the sea. I was just sad for the other woman. She seemed to rarely think of what was happening to other women at all.

Betrice Small also makes one of the cardinal sins for historical fiction for me. She gets her facts wrong. I'm usually all right with minor discrepancies or minor inconsistencies in the text (as when the author says that Skye picked up the habit of daily bathing in Algiers, except that she had previously said she had done it all her life). No big deal. But sometimes, the problems affect the whole story. They make what happens next impossible and those drive me crazy. For example: SPOILER When arriving in England soon after the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's reign, Skye becomes a Catholic. Now, I know not everyone had an opportunity to study English history, but the author gets the names and some of the period details right, so I thought she would have gotten this one right, too. It's only the biggest thing that happened in a hundred years of English history. No big deal, right? Apparently. Protestant Elizabeth I did not allow Catholics among her intimate acquaintance. Her sister may have been the one called "bloody" but Elizabeth killed many more religious dissenters (e.g. Catholics) as she stabilized her hold on the country. Could Small have meant "Anglo-Catholic" perhaps, not "Catholic" and it was just a typo? I could give her the benefit of the doubt here, but I just don't want to. END SPOILER

I know, I'm too literal. I shouldn't be so hard on authors for these little details. It's just that so often they tell me the character is brilliant, beautiful, and kind, and then the woman they show me is shallow and kind of stupid. The historical inaccuracies are representative of the inaccuracies of the character. You tell me one thing but show me something that doesn't align with it. These show me that the author is kind of stupid too (in a book writing, not personal, way). How hard would that have been to look up this information, even in the late seventies? One good history of England would have solved it.

But there is no point in righteous indignation here. It's a bad book that reads well. If you're interested in sex every ten pages and each man's "manroot" being larger than the last's, by all means, read Skye O'Malley. Small is capable of carrying a fast paced plot through almost five hundred pages; it just seems such a waste that this is what she chose to write about.

It seems like I've gone on and on about this book, trying to explain why I didn't like it but I really can sum up my experience in one word: Ick.(less)

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May 17, 2010 Sparrow rated it 1 of 5 stars Recommends it for: run for the hills, humankind

Recommended to Sparrow by: I'll spare blame

Shelves: shiving-tour, on-a-dare, reviewed

**This review contains spoilers, but don’t let that turn you away. Really, I’m doing you a favor.**

I’ve generally thought of myself as a fan of drunk writing, but Skye O’Malley is solid proof that even the best ideas can go horribly wrong. What I’m saying is that there is no way most of this book wasn’t written in a creepy, drunk, sadistic binge. Until now, I have been reluctant to label the shelf of books I hate just "burn pile" because it seems so wrong to burn any books. This book has convinc...more

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Jun 19, 2010 Christy rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, historical-fiction, 20th-century-american-lit

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is really several books in one. This could easily have been a whole series of novels about Skye O’Malley—and it may have benefited by such a treatment. In light of the book’s multiplicity, then, my review will also be several reviews in one.

I. Bertrice Small is known for her purple prose; overblown descriptions of sex, clothes, and food are one of the reasons for reading her. I was looking forward to being entertained by this element of the book and I was not let down. She sets the bar...more

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Apr 03, 2012 Jane Stewart rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance-prior-to-wwll

Long book. I couldn’t get excited about it. Stories about a series of men in a beautiful woman’s life.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
At times I wanted it to be over which is my definition for 2 stars. Skye is so beautiful that almost any man near her will fall in love or be so in lust that he will kidnap, rape, or whatever it takes to have her. She has guts and intelligence, but most of the things that happen are due to her beauty rather than skills. I would have liked more interesting actions on her part....more Long book. I couldn’t get excited about it. Stories about a series of men in a beautiful woman’s life.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
At times I wanted it to be over which is my definition for 2 stars. Skye is so beautiful that almost any man near her will fall in love or be so in lust that he will kidnap, rape, or whatever it takes to have her. She has guts and intelligence, but most of the things that happen are due to her beauty rather than skills. I would have liked more interesting actions on her part. Bad things happen “due to the worst luck” – over and over again. She has a series of men in her life: lovers, husbands, close friends, and rapists – over a ten-year period and in different locations. This book tells the story of each one. I was frustrated because although she truly loved some of these men, I wanted her to be with her first love Niall. Unfortunate circumstances (fate) took her away and kept her away from Niall more than once. It was strangely unsatisfying in that way. I didn’t like the way she hated Niall for a period of time. It wasn’t justified. Most of the men in the story have flaws or do undesirable things which are bothersome, but it makes a good story.

The best part was Skye’s conflict with Queen Elizabeth. This was toward the end of the book. The Queen did something terrible to Skye, and Skye wanted revenge. I liked that story, but it was secondary to the stories of the men in Skye’s life. Although Skye is a fictional character, the author tried to be historically accurate regarding the Queen’s actions. The author states “I remain utterly intrigued by the court of Elizabeth, especially by Lord Burghley, who was so very clever and masterful at leading his royal mistress away from her destructive emotions, and by Robert Dudley, who was in my opinion a proper villain with kingly ambitions of his own. Like most historians, I have put my own particular spin on the time period. The places and the people in this book are based upon my own thorough research, and my hope was to breathe life into this fascinating era.”

I was frightened to see the Queen’s power over people and her actions based on whims. She could negate a will, force or prevent a marriage, and imprison someone without charges.

Some readers may have an issue with the purple prose, but it didn’t bother me. I consider it another style of writing. This book was published in 1980 when it was more common than it is today.

SEX SCENES:
This book has many sex scenes, all very short. There are several rape scenes. One rape scene has men attempting to force sex between a girl and an animal. There are group sex scenes, prostitution, incest, and sodomy.

STORY BRIEF:
Skye’s father is the O’Malley, head of a wealthy shipping business in Ireland. He arranges a marriage for Skye against her wishes to an evil man. Skye meets Niall and falls in love at first sight, but her father won’t listen to her and forces the other marriage. Later when the O’Malley dies, Skye must take over running the shipping business until her younger brothers are old enough. She is kidnapped by pirates. Amnesia also comes into play.

DATA:
Story length: 482 pages. Swearing language: moderate, including religious swear words. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 36. Approximate number of sex scene pages: 32. Setting: About a ten year period starting in 1555, mostly Ireland, Algiers, and England. Copyright: 1980. Genre: historical romance.(less)

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Apr 20, 2010 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: anyone who loves bodice rippers!!

Shelves: bodice-ripper, historical-romance, 2010-reads, favorites

I loved this book! Very fast paced, exciting tale. I laughed and cried, loved and hated right along with Skye. Great escape reading. The author pulls you right into Skye's world and keeps you wanting more.

5 likes · like · see review

Nov 04, 2012 May rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance, read-2012

Originally written nearly 30 years ago, this story featuring a feisty, headstrong, and independent woman who rivals Queen Elizabeth I, is going to be a let down to some modern readers. Every encounter with a man tends to be yet another step in Skye's sexual awakening, which some may find erotic but I find extremely tiresome after awhile. The men in this book tend to be grouped into categories--sexually immoral and evil or sexually charged and good. Every man practically falls in love with the he...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Katie rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have no idea how to rate this book. On the one hand it is totally depraved and twisted and sickening, and on the other hand it is kind of awesome for the exact same reasons. Reading this book was like watching a really bad soap opera - designed to shock you, raise the stakes, and then shock you some more. You are horrified, but you can't help wondering what the heck could possibly happen next to top what you just read. This book was mainly an adventure book - not especially romantic (though th...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Lillian Nightshade rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'll start by saying historical fiction has always been and will always be a favorite genre of mine. Elizabethan England/Ireland/Scotland based stories are my weakness, so it's no wonder I love this book. I read it for the first time years ago and still pick it up to read again about once a year. Never gets old. There are some very steamy, well written loves scenes that are thankfully not packed with horrible romance novel cliches, though these days I tend to skip those (read them so many times...more

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Dec 22, 2011 Kristiluchi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: so-bad-it-s-good-70-s-80-s-romanc

Know What You're Getting Into

This book is exactly all that I expected. A wonderful romp into romance novels filled with a number of different tropes that give the reader of that day exactly what they wanted. A strong, forceful, unconventional, bueatiful, firey, intellegent woman who is thrown into a billion situations that she cannot control and has to adapt to. The hero, who you're never sure is half the time, is, by turns, smart, handsome, controlling, angry, in love, in lust, demanding, charm...more

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Feb 18, 2010 Patrick rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is a great read with a wonderful, memorable,steadfast,yet beautiful heroine. She is Scarlett O'Hara multiplied by 100. And Bertrice Small is meticulous in her historical depictions and accuracy,down to the last sewn on gemstone. Though the ride down O'Malley Saga lane, was well written and fun, by the third installment you think you are reading about Wonder Woman, or some other female superhero. Let's face it, with the filth,body stench,lice,and disease at the times these stories took...more

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Dec 23, 2009 Tori rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't like sappy romances. But this one is down right scandalous to the 14 year old that read this. Bertrice Small WAS my sex education when I was a young teenager. Considering that I had a mother who told me only "make sure he uses a condom" this was an eye opening book, and I had all of the naughty parts dog-eared on my mothers copy that she hid in a bathroom cabinet. The only downside was that I thought my vagina was called a "sweet tender yoni" until I was 15. Go figure. In short I loved i...more

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Jun 22, 2011 Readaholic rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: abusive-hero, bodice-ripper, cheating-hero, finally-a-heroine-with-a-brain, forced-seduction, jealous-hero, obsessive-possessive

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. So far I have not gotten that shock factor that I have been reading in other reviews. I would even say that it's a typical bodice ripper...even milder than what I have read from other Authors.

Only OMG moment was when she was raped by her husband and his sister. Other than that I am almost halfway through the book and she has displayed intelligence (speaks 4 languages, runs her Father's business when he passes and does very well with it, learns how to run a household, reads/writes and looks at s...more

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Apr 13, 2010 Hazel rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: regrets-i-ve-had-a-few

Reading for the Bodice Rippers. I've only got to page 12 and already it's heavy-going. Sigh...

But on the plus side, I like comedy. I can imagine the Carry On gang doing this dialogue.

"Niall an iarain, Niall of the Iron," she said softly. This was a famous man, the secret dream lover of half the maidens in Ireland.
"I see my reputation precedes me, my lady Skye."
"It is an open secret that you are Captain Revenge, and that you conduct those daring raids against the English who live in the Dublin

...more

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Aug 20, 2012 Algernon rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012

This is my first 1 star rating in 2012, but I have to confess I knew what to expect and still picked up the book for a summer read. The impulse came from a couple of very funny reviews (Ceridwen's in particular) and general fun some members seem to have had recently with sexually charged books (Fifty Shades, The Virgin Proxy). Or I might as well admit I was feeling randy and needed an excuse to check out a bodice-ripper.

I was actually going to give Skye three stars after the first couple of hund...more
This is my first 1 star rating in 2012, but I have to confess I knew what to expect and still picked up the book for a summer read. The impulse came from a couple of very funny reviews (Ceridwen's in particular) and general fun some members seem to have had recently with sexually charged books (Fifty Shades, The Virgin Proxy). Or I might as well admit I was feeling randy and needed an excuse to check out a bodice-ripper.

I was actually going to give Skye three stars after the first couple of hundred pages, as the reviews are correct: the book is so poorly written it's actually funny to read, like a bad horror movie that wants to be scary but turns out into a parody of itself. I can't absorb with a straight face a passage like this:
Shyly she raised her blue eyes to his silvery gray ones, and for a moment Skye felt as if she were drowning. She realized he felt it too! Neither could tear their gaze away. They were suspended in time, their souls flowing back and forth between their bodies, twining into one perfect being.

It helps to know that the above passage refers to our heroine doing the horizontal dance, something she is engaged in from start to finish on the principle "not one chapter without rapture" , preferably multiple raptures with multiple partners. I would have enjoyed the steaming scenes more if they were written with a funny, tongue-in-cheek intent, but that's not the case. Too many of them involve actual rape and brutality, and the supossedly independent minded and strong willed heroine meekly submitting to the male dominance. The 'bodice-ripper' is actually the most correct description of this kind of book, along with Elizabethan "soap-opera". Even these scenes wouldn't have turned me off so badly if it weren't for the bloated, endless descriptions of clothes, jewelry, foodstuffs, furniture that make up more than a third of the text. Add to this the bad habit of telling the same plot point two or three times with almost exactly the same words, as if the reader was too thick headed to get it the first time it was presented.

Skye O'Malley is the perfect example of a Mary Sue character, a serious contender for the top position against Rhapsody by Elizabeth Haydon. She is so beautiful she is simply iressistible to all the males she encounters, she speaks several languages, wields a sword when fighting pirates, controls her business empire, has perfect taste in clothes, jewelry and cuisine. Her breasts remain flawless even after several childbirth, her skin tone impecably smooth and pale, her hair glossy and full, her siluette slim without dieting for a single page. The only thing she seems incapable of is saying no when assaulted by sultry men with gigantic "manroots".

The plot would be interesting and adventurous if you could trim the bloated descriptions : An Irish maid at the start of the Elizabethan Age, gets into an unfortunate arranged marriage, then inherits her father fleet, gets kidnapped by pirates and lands in an Algiers brothel, later comes to London and to an English country manor. In her journey he gathers four husbands, and being a good Catholic girl has six children and not one divorce. Getting rid of unwanted husbands was one the most convenient plot devices the author abused in this here book. Too bad that for me the plot was stolen almost word for word from a French series that I actually enjoyed : Angelique.

I don't actually hate the genre, like I said : the book had its funny, if unintended, moments. Nevertheless, I don't think I will continue to read the other Skye O'Malley books, and I would recommend instead the above mentioned Angelique - Marquise des Anges books. And for some really wicked sense of humor and steamy scenes, my own guilty pleasure: Jilly Cooper(less)

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Oct 16, 2010 Misfit rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: stillwater-haul, historical-romance, sex-pot-book

On the verge of marrying a man she loathes (the betrothal had been made when they were children), Skye O'Malley meets Niall Burke and it's love at first sight - but the betrothal can't be broken and Niall must make a better match than Skye. On her wedding night, Niall claims the right of droit du seigneur and gets first shot at the young virgin, enraging her husband Dom. Skye suffers mightily at the hands of her abusive husband, but by the time she's free Niall is married (unhappily) and what th...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Regan Walker rated it 4 of 5 stars

This story is classic Bertrice Small. Set in Ireland, Algiers and London in the mid 16th century, it is the first in the O’Malley series, and tells of the Irish noble families and the loves of an amazing heroine. Though her wealthy Irish sea captain father, famous for his merchant piracy, had 6 daughters, the O’Malley had only one like himself: strong and intelligent in business—and in her case, also beautiful. When she is 15, though betrothed to another man (a man she hates), Skye O’Malley fall...more

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Nov 30, 2011 Kit★ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical, romance, series

Add this to my list of Bertrice Small books I liked. Whatever, call me strange, or, as I've seen in some other reviews, a "disgrace to my gender", but I liked this book. Pure escape from the humdrum of my boring life. I'm not condoning rape, I don't want real women to get raped, and I hate that it happens for real. I don't want myself to be raped either. My opinions on what's acceptable in real life are different than what's acceptable for my reading purposes, and I'm comfortable with my stance...more Add this to my list of Bertrice Small books I liked. Whatever, call me strange, or, as I've seen in some other reviews, a "disgrace to my gender", but I liked this book. Pure escape from the humdrum of my boring life. I'm not condoning rape, I don't want real women to get raped, and I hate that it happens for real. I don't want myself to be raped either. My opinions on what's acceptable in real life are different than what's acceptable for my reading purposes, and I'm comfortable with my stance on that.. So, anywho-ha... Yea. I found this book to be entertaining and an excellent diversion to keep me sane on a trip to visit the in-law side of the family for a week. We've got our heroine, Skye O'Malley. Of course in typical romance style, she's small and beautiful and perfect and tiny and slender and small and yea, that part got annoying. But aside from that she didn't drive me too crazy. She went through a lot of crap, and still was a decent character. So I kinda liked her. Granted, I was rolling my eyes a bit throughout at how easily everyone with a wienie fell in love, lust, and everything in between with Skye, but it was sort of the silliness of it all that entertained me so much. Like omg how much is this girl gonna go through? She starts off as the spoiled favorite daughter of an Irish clan leader cum pirate or something like that. Despite being papa's favorite, he ignores her protests and marries her off to the heir of another clan. Too bad she doesn't like the creep. She's in love with Niall, heir to a higher ranking leader guy, and he's in love with her too! He tries to interrupt the wedding but is too late, so as consolation he claims his right to the bride's virginity as the higher-ranking man. They enjoy a great night together, and make plans to ditch her husband and wed themselves. Skye's father puts the kibosh on that though, and splits the happy couple up. Off she goes to start her new life as a wife to a man she hates. He's a big raping jerk, and abuses her and her maid, and even his peasants. She puts up with it though, duty and all don'tcha know. Soon she has a son, Liam I think, and within 10 months, a second son, Murrough. She puts a pause to their bedroom relations, and after some time passes, she begins to wonder why her husband hasn't been trying to get back in her bed. Then one day she finds him in a quite unsavory and compromising position with his very own sister! Oh my! She tries to flee but they notice her and pounce. They both have their twisted way with her. Finally she makes a run for it, and her husband falls down the stairs in his pursuit of her, and winds up paralyzed. Skye takes her sons and leaves his sister to care for him, signing off on any responsibility to him in light of his perversions. It's not long before his condition worsens and he dies, leaving Skye a widow. Then after that, her father dies, leaving her in charge of the O'Malley clan. Soon the misunderstanding between her and Niall is cleared up and they're making plans to finally wed and live happily ever after. But first they've gotta go on a trip, on a ship. Sadly they're accosted by pirates, a fight ensues, and Niall is injured and Skye is taken captive. When she comes to, she has no memory of anything aside from knowing her name is Skye. Thankfully she was purchased by a kind man who intends to turn her into the most famous whore in the land. His head slave woman is in charge of training Skye, and it's soon apparent she's jealous of the newcomer. The master, Khalid, has fallen in instant love/lust with Skye, and soon can't bear to make her a whore, so he asks her to marry him instead. She agrees, they have all kinds of hot lovins, and eventually she comes to love him in return. They have a good relationship, and Skye really blossoms with Khalid. He encourages her smarts and expands on her already way-too-good-for-a-woman-back-then education. Soon she is expecting their first child and Khalid and his best friend Cap'n Robert Small are both ecstatic. However, the happy bubble is not to last, as there is another man who can't keep Skye from his thoughts. He's one of the rapey sort, and he wants her and has to have her. He uses the jealous slave woman as his pawn and a tragedy is unavoidable. Khalid is murdered, and Skye is forced to flee to England with Cap'n Small, but not before she uses her smarts and sells off Khalid's properties and holdings, making herself an extremely rich woman. Now in England, Skye takes up residence with Small's sister, and has her baby, a daughter she names Willow. It's not long before Skye's in action again, heading to London to try and acquire papers for a shipping expedition she's financing for Cap'n Small. She's not even in London an hour before men are slavering on themselves over her. Most notably Geoffrey the incredibly handsome Angel Earl of Lynwood or sumat like that. At first he's a jerk, and I was figuring he was gonna be one of those pillaging her body types. But time passes and his persistent wooing and gentlemanly behavior (well for the most part) wins her over, and soon they're in lurv, though there were a few moments where it was touch and go. She's reluctant to love again because she was so badly crushed by Khalid's death, and she wants to remain independent. Through Geoffrey she is introduced to Queen Elizabeth, who is the necessary person to talk to in order to obtain the charters Skye and Small want. The two "fiery" and independent women hit it off and become friends, which is considered here to be unusual since Elizabeth wasn't overly fond of other women. I sort of liked how Elizabeth was portrayed in this book. She was a fantastic bitch, but was smart and sly, and reminded me of her father Henry VIII, or at least the way I've read about him being portrayed in fiction or seen in movies/tv. She was one of those kinds of characters I like to get mad at. However, her devotion to Dudley was sometimes annoying. I know it was a big part of the plot in places, but still, it made me annoyed. Even more so when Dudley made his appearances. Oh man, his character in this book, oh man. I wanted to punch him in the throat, kick him in the nads, stomp on his little fairy foot, poke him in his beady eye. ARG!! Primitive rage when he was around! Now, I have no idea what the guy was like in real life. Heck, I dunno what Elizabeth or Henry VIII were like either. But these fictionalized versions were well-done in the purpose they were for, as the villains. I felt my anger and frustration and hatred toward them, they made me root for Skye more than I would of with a weaker villain messin' with her. So, yea, off track, but that's how it goes with me sometimes. So, hmm, Geoffrey's unloved wife and a couple of his "plain and stupid" daughters die off, conveniently leaving only the little and cute daughters, and now he is free to marry Skye. Good thing, because fertile myrtle over there in her little independent townhouse is pregnant with his baby, and good and moral Queen Elizabeth would not be happy to find out Geoffrey had been messing around on his wife, or that Skye was such a hussy. They wed quickly, though sparing no pomp and and celebration. The couple are nice and happy, sweet good little family when their son Robin is born. Everything is great for awhile, Geoffrey's three girls get along great with Willow and everyone loves little Robin, it's good times for a bit. The only problem is ol' Dudley wantin' his self a piece of Skye's behind. He tries to force her in an alcove at a holiday party she and Geoffrey are hosting, while Elizabeth is in attendance, but she fends him off this time. Soon ol' Skye is pregnant again, and has another son, John. Meanwhile, ahh, meanwhile I forgot to mention Niall has gone mad with grief over losing Skye. He's nursed back to health by a girl on Mallorca, and after he heals and time passes and he comes to accept Skye is dead, he decides to marry Constanza. After all he needs an heir. They wed and their sex life is great. They travel to London, I forget why, but they do. Niall meets Skye, and can't believe his eyes, it has to be his love! But no, Skye died, so this must be some woman who looks exactly like her and coincidentally has the same name. After all, she doesn't seem to know him or recognize him at all. He ends up telling Geoffrey of his suspicions of who she really is. All this while, Constanza has become quite the little hoochy, a sex fiend, one of those sick in the head kind who can never get enough. She's been foolin' around all over town, and even wears a mask and works at a brothel as a special attraction when she can. At a party where the queen and everyone who anyone is in attendance, one of Constanza's lovers unmasks her as the sex fiend she is, bringing shame on her and Niall. He fights a duel with her accuser and when he gets a cut, all of Skye's memories come flooding back. Seems she lost her memory when she thought he was dead, and seeing him injured again brought it all rushing back. Ok. So she still loves Geoffrey though, and Niall kind of acts like a jerk, and so she's mad at him. Alas, we've been too long without something bad happening, and so it's time. Sickness comes down in the happy family, and when it leaves, it takes baby John and dear Geoffrey with it. Skye is heartbroken all over again, but this time she has to stay strong for the children. She had had her sons from Ireland brought down to her after she regained her memory, so now she's a widow with 3 stepdaughters, and 4 children of her own to care for. She can't leave England since Robin is now the Earl of Lynwood, a position slimy Dudley is all too ready to take advantage of. His buddy the queen gives him guardianship of Robin, and sensing trouble, Skye sends the other children away, Liam, Murrough, and the 2 stepdaughters their age get betrothed to each other and sent to the O'Malleys in Ireland, the younger stepdaughter gets betrothed to a boy who is a good match here in England, and sent to live with his family, and Willow is sent to Cap'n Small and his sister. Dudley arrives under the guise of "checking on his young ward", and it's only a short while before he's forcing himself on Skye. He's a freakin' bastard, man, so many times I wanted to claw his eyes out, just seriously climb inside the book myself and just beat the living crap out of him until he's on the floor twitching like a bug. Skye tries to fend him off, but just can't because of his position of power as the queen's favorite and loved one. She goes to the queen to tell her of Dudley's atrocities, but the queen pretty much says, yea, I told him he could go ahead and do whatever to you, since I'm the queen I can't sleep with him and I can't marry him either, so you satisfy his lusts. Skye vows her revenge, and I liked her way of going about it. She gathers her O'Malley fleet on the isle of Lundy, and also gains another lover in the process, Adam deMarisco. The plan is to pirate all the ships Elizabeth is counting on to fill her coffers. They're very successful, and even give some of the booty to charity. Dudley commits some more atrocities, one event in particular being extra horrendous, and I won't deign to go into it. Suffice to say it was really awful, and made me want to kill him even more. So, after that, everyone convinces her she needs to marry again to protect herself and her peasants and home, so she reluctantly agrees, but her uncle marries her by proxy to Niall, telling him she wants it. So when he arrives to her house, she's super pissed. They fight for awhile, but eventually start to get along and fall in love again, and, yep, you guessed it, she gets pregnant again. But wait! Queen Elizabeth suspects Skye of being behind the piracy. So she locks her up in the Tower of London, but not without luxuries. Skye gets to take comfy furniture and supplies, and her maid, and her sister the nun even comes to help. The queen has a committee (including Dudley) try to break Skye's confidence, get her to confess, but she stands strong. She's in there so long she has her baby in there, a daughter she names Deirdre. Thankfully Adam and Small come up with a plan to save Skye, and it works through good luck. She is released, and they ride off into the future. I want the next book to see what's going to happen next in Skye's life. I'm not real used to the story not being ended by the end of the book, at least where romance is concerned, so I'm pretty well interested in continuing this saga. My copy's all beat up, another Goodwill find, but I'm glad I found it, it was just the kind of read I was wanting at the time I read it :)(less)

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May 03, 2010 Caris rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Caris by: rbrs

Shelves: romance, fucked-the-cake, 2010

Let’s play a game.

Humor me here.

Try to name the book each the following quotes was taken from.

1. One is wearing a black side-buttoned notched-collar wool jacket, wool-crepe trousers and a fitted cashmere turtleneck, all by Oscar de la Renta; another is wearing a double-breasted coat of wool, mohair and nylon tweed, matching jeans-style pants and a man's cotton dress shirt, all by Stephen Sprouse; the best looking one is wearing a checked wool jacket and high-waisted wool skirt, both from Barney'...more

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Dec 02, 2012 Kelly Maybedog Hawkins marked it as never

Shelves: what-danger-danger-wilma-robinson, what-historical-setting

Rape, rape, and more rape. Here are three excellent reviews if you don't want to take my word for it:
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...

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Oct 24, 2009 Cynthia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. A ridiculous soap opera. I don't care how old school this is. I managed to get through 1/3 and skimmed the rest. I felt strangely compelled to see what happened, but it was almost painful reading it.

Actually, Skye's very loosely based on real life Grace O'Malley. It didn't help or make it more interesting.

In case you want to save yourself the trouble, here's long synopsis (leaves out a lot I'm sure):

Skye's the spoiled pet of her dad, been allowed to grow up "wild" and willful. Also super at hom...more

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Sep 23, 2011 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you're going to read this book comparing it to another genre, say classical literature, then of course you are going to hate it! But if you see if for what it is, a total escapist fantasy, then it is quite possible that like me, you will love the fictional heroine Skye O'Malley. It is Skye I named my email address for because I like to identify with her strength, her courage, her indomitable spirit, her independence, her imagination, and intelligence. There is no woman living or dead who can...more

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Oct 10, 2012 Cindy Mcnally rated it 5 of 5 stars

I first read this book when I was in high school...an impressionable age, for sure. It instantly became a favorite. Skye is a STRONG female character who adapts and dominates, no matter the situation that arises. I consider it important to remember when writing or reading reviews to remember that a review is a personal opinion. This is definitely a bodice-ripper, but no bodice-ripper is going to win any literary awards. Keeping that in mind, I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
If erotica is what you'r...more

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Feb 14, 2013 Mizuki Genshou rated it 2 of 5 stars

Long ago I read this book because I was in charge with mailing romance novels to my aunt, who lived in Thailand. I read it before sending the book away.

I cannot say I like this book though it's not the worst romance I've ever read, it is not. Though Skye clearly is a vividly written character, still I failed to relate myself to her or any of the other character, I don't care about them, and the sex scenes grows tiresome soon enough. I once hoped that Skye O'Malley would offer something original...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Cassie Grant olson rated it 5 of 5 stars

Instantly loved the main character Skye O'Malley and found myself drawn in by her personality, whit, emotions, passions, loyalty, etc., I cannot say enough. Dear Ms. Small surely knows how to bring her readers in and attach them into her characters, taking them on the journey as that character. Hold hon to your hats readers when reading anything by this authoress, she knows what she's doing! I jealously guard my hardback edition of this first of many sequels of Skye O'Malley, that is how vested...more

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May 12, 2012 Ruby rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: favorite-authors, highly-recommended, historical-romance, favorite-series

this has been one of my all-time favorites for years. fun, romantic, hot, sad, shocking, all of the above in one story.

i love Bertrice's version of Elizabeth too (well except for a certain VERY horrid thing Elizabeth does to Skye that pisses her off and fires Skye's need for revenge...no spoilers here!). and having enjoyed the movie Elizabeth with Cate Blanchett, when i see the scenes in my head, i see Cate across from Skye. and Sir Richard Attenborough as Cecil, who really wasn't done justice i...more

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Aug 15, 2011 Christine Sparks rated it 4 of 5 stars

Typically, I am not a fan of the romance genre, but Bertrice Small may be the exception. Yes, there is a bit of camp, sleaze and some outright pornography. But, Small also does her research. In terms of historical accuracy, the Skye O'Malley series rivals any historical fiction. She really provides an in depth look into Europe and the Middle East of the Elizabethan era. In addition the thorough research, Small crafts an amazing character in the heroine Skye O'Malley. Not since Scarlett O'Hara ha...more

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Sep 01, 2012 Laini rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, stuff-i-don-t-really-read-anymore

In all fairness, I was 14, and it was juicy. Like a few others here, I learned most of what I know about sex from this book (well, this and Forever by Judy Blume).

But that said, I now know the meaning of purple prose. At least hers is vivid.

But Skye gets around. BOY does she get around! I still have my ragged copy from 1980, fastened around the middle with scotch tape where it broke in half when two guys from algebra started throwing it around and taunting me with it, reading aloud from "the g...more

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About Bertrice Small

Born in Manhattan, Bertrice Small has lived on eastern Long Island for 33 years, and she loves it! She is a Sagittarian, married to a Pisces, with an Aries son. Her greatest passions are her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.

She is the author of 47 novels. 38 are Histori...more

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All the Sweet Tomorrows (O'Malley Saga #2)

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“The Queen, in love with love, returned her royal consent. [allowing newlyweds to honeymoon in private instead of appearing at Court to Queen Elizabeth I]” — 4 people liked it

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