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Night in Eden
Bryony Wentworth, once a wealthy, privileged English landowner, is convicted of murdering her husband. After being transported to a penal colony in New South Wales while pregnant, Bryony gives birth to her child, then loses it to fever. Captain Hayden St. John collects her from the prison so that she can become a wet nurse for his son. Grief stricken over the loss of his wife, Hayden is bitter and untrusting. Bryony, fearful and angry at her fate, finds much to resent in Hayden, but his child offers her a new will to live. Although Hayden and Bryony fight their attraction, their union is so deeply passionate that it seems nothing can threaten their happiness until Bryony's past comes to haunt her.
345 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
71 people are currently reading
2608 people want to read
About the author
Candice Proctor
7 books204 followersCandice Proctor, aka C.S. Harris and C.S. Graham, is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than a dozen novels including the Sebastian St. Cyr Regency mystery series written under the name C.S. Harris, the new C.S. Graham thriller series co-written with Steven Harris, and seven historical romances. She is also the author of a nonfiction historical study of the French Revolution. Her books are available worldwide and have been translated into over twenty different languages.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 263 reviews
January 10, 2016
Bryony Wentworth, once a wealthy, privileged English landowner, is convicted of murdering her husband. After being transported to a penal colony in New South Wales while pregnant, Bryony gives birth to her child, then loses it to fever. Captain Hayden St. John collects her from the prison so that she can become a wet nurse for his son. Grief stricken over the loss of his wife, Hayden is bitter and untrusting. Bryony, fearful and angry at her fate, finds much to resent in Hayden, but his child offers her a new will to live. Although Hayden and Bryony fight their attraction, their union is so deeply passionate that it seems nothing can threaten their happiness until Bryony's past comes to haunt her.
This was my first time reading this author and I must say I really enjoyed it. A Historical, set in Australia, this was a new theme for me.
"When I tell you to do something, you do it."
Hayden was a bit of a pig. You know me! Yes, I love a bit of an OTT Alpha male. But Byrony was no shrinking violet. Yes, she knew, as a convict, she had to know her place but she held her head high and stood up to him too.
You could be transported to Van Diemen's Land for stealing a loaf of bread. Women were treated dreadfully. Their children were taken from them at the port and they would never see them again.
She wasn't going to be an easy woman to master,
but master her he was determined to do.
The baby might fill her arms, but he could never fill her heart.
The land seemed so lonely, so empty.
It frightened and excited her at the same time
Sexual tension is quite good between them.
She saw that the dark hair that matted his chest was wet with sweat. It curled around his nipples, plunged like an arrow toward his groin ...
Overall an enjoyable read and I will be checking out more books by this author.
March 8, 2024
Read: 719/22
Normally, I write reviews so I can remember what I liked or disliked about a book. I don't need to with this book. This is such a memorable story!
Still, I'll try!
What i loved:
1. I loved the harsh reality of the book. It shows how convicts were treated in Australia, especially the horrible treatment of the women (not surprising). Though, truthfully the book is still pretty toned downed compared to reality of slavery.
2. I enjoyed learning more of Australia's history. I would love to read more hr set Australia.
3. This was a slow burn romance. It didn't develop overnight but more naturally.
Only thing I didn't like was the surprise at the end. It was unnecessary and predictable.
Sidenote: Captain Bligh from Mutiny On The Bounty was the 4th governor of Australia and it went as well as his last Mutiny 😉 I love useless history facts !
Normally, I write reviews so I can remember what I liked or disliked about a book. I don't need to with this book. This is such a memorable story!
Still, I'll try!
What i loved:
1. I loved the harsh reality of the book. It shows how convicts were treated in Australia, especially the horrible treatment of the women (not surprising). Though, truthfully the book is still pretty toned downed compared to reality of slavery.
2. I enjoyed learning more of Australia's history. I would love to read more hr set Australia.
3. This was a slow burn romance. It didn't develop overnight but more naturally.
Only thing I didn't like was the surprise at the end. It was unnecessary and predictable.
Sidenote: Captain Bligh from Mutiny On The Bounty was the 4th governor of Australia and it went as well as his last Mutiny 😉 I love useless history facts !
July 22, 2020
5 STARS!
Thank you, BIRJIS, for bringing this incredible book to my attention. 🥰
In so many Regency era historicals, transportation to Botany Bay is only mentioned . . . here, the author takes you there. And let me tell you, you did NOT want to end up in the British penal colony system in the early 1800's.
Plot in a nutshell: Bryony is convicted of manslaughter in the accidental death of her husband. Because she's pregnant, her death sentence is commuted to 7 years in Botany Bay.
Days after arriving in Sydney Harbor, her child is dead and Bryony is contracted to serve as slave to landowner Hayden St. James and wetnurse to his infant son.
Triggers:
So be prepared to get your heart ripped out as Bryony . . .
If you can get your hands on this gem, I highly recommend!
How could she be so greedy as to want his love, too?WOW, I could not put this one down; heart-wrenching and utterly engrossing!
Thank you, BIRJIS, for bringing this incredible book to my attention. 🥰
In so many Regency era historicals, transportation to Botany Bay is only mentioned . . . here, the author takes you there. And let me tell you, you did NOT want to end up in the British penal colony system in the early 1800's.
Plot in a nutshell: Bryony is convicted of manslaughter in the accidental death of her husband. Because she's pregnant, her death sentence is commuted to 7 years in Botany Bay.
Days after arriving in Sydney Harbor, her child is dead and Bryony is contracted to serve as slave to landowner Hayden St. James and wetnurse to his infant son.
If a woman wasn't a virgin or a wife, then she was a whore.Freaking harrowing, you guys, HARROWING.
Triggers:
So be prepared to get your heart ripped out as Bryony . . .
"When they made me a convict, they took away from me everything they could. My freedom. My children. My home. But things like my pride and my principles, they're in here." She curled her hand into a fist and pressed it tight against her breast. "No one can take those away.". . . and Hayden . . .
He had said nothing of love because he had none to give her.. . . start their journey from a place of true loathing in the wilds of Australia.
If you can get your hands on this gem, I highly recommend!
July 11, 2020
This is one of the few historical books for which I keep coming back and still not get bored. I think this book is one rare find for me for it's something different from the Vicrorian era romance.
In the early 80's New South Wales, Australia, somewhere in the harsh dry climate, brings a captivating romance. Byrony Wentworth is a convict of manslaughter who recently buried her infant son. Captain Hayden St. John is a ranch owner. In need of a wet nurse he buys Byrony for his infant son and to take care of his house. Despite the unjust circumstances and grief for her dead son Byrony has no option but to serve Hayden. Still grieving for his dead wife Hayden finds himself attracted to Byrony. He could make her his mistress but he would never force her. Byrony's pride and Hayden's compassion was conflicting.
Each page leaves a craving for the next. A hero who is a womans dream and the heroine is of appreciation. The setting of the book was ceremonious, I liked every detail. There is a twist at the end which came out of blue. It's a wonderful story and I admire the author for this creation. I recommend this to those who like western historical romance, this is a must read.
In the early 80's New South Wales, Australia, somewhere in the harsh dry climate, brings a captivating romance. Byrony Wentworth is a convict of manslaughter who recently buried her infant son. Captain Hayden St. John is a ranch owner. In need of a wet nurse he buys Byrony for his infant son and to take care of his house. Despite the unjust circumstances and grief for her dead son Byrony has no option but to serve Hayden. Still grieving for his dead wife Hayden finds himself attracted to Byrony. He could make her his mistress but he would never force her. Byrony's pride and Hayden's compassion was conflicting.
Each page leaves a craving for the next. A hero who is a womans dream and the heroine is of appreciation. The setting of the book was ceremonious, I liked every detail. There is a twist at the end which came out of blue. It's a wonderful story and I admire the author for this creation. I recommend this to those who like western historical romance, this is a must read.
August 19, 2019
Candice Proctor/C.S. Harris is spectacular. This book is cracking. The initial scene is incredibly vivid--as are many others, and it's about a female convict.
I wish I had the energy to write a better review, but I'm reading a lot on a beautiful weekend for a reason, which is I don't feel well, so reviews will have to wait a bit...
Best I can say is--can you get your hands on this? If yes,read it.
(some sensitive content though...)
I wish I had the energy to write a better review, but I'm reading a lot on a beautiful weekend for a reason, which is I don't feel well, so reviews will have to wait a bit...
Best I can say is--can you get your hands on this? If yes,read it.
(some sensitive content though...)
June 16, 2011
Night In Eden, by Candice Proctor
★★★★★ Five full stars! An exceptional book; one of the best I’ve read so far this year.
A realistic look at life in 1808, New South Wales and the struggle to carve out a life in a strange, forbidding land. Within just a few pages I was enthralled with the story! The harsh brutality of the beautiful Australian setting is not just a “wallpaper” backdrop, but actually a vital ingredient to the flavor of this book.
The Government House, Parramatta, Australia
One of the things I loved about it is that our heroine, Bryony, is at first truly afraid of our hero, Hayden. She’s not swooning with lust and sighing over his masculinity like so many romance novel heroines do when they are in close proximity of the hero. As a woman convict, grief-stricken from the loss of her children, in a land where rape is the expected norm, she is in a truly precarious situation and she is smart enough to realize it; so much more realistic! (I know I’d be scared s#itless!)
Still, Bryony is a woman of strong character; her resistance to Hayden, a to-die-for-hero, is credible, not a plot device to increase the sexual tension of the book. Their tumultuous love story is filled with unrelenting passion. For despite the cultural horrors of this new frontier, there is an underlying theme of hope, strength, endurance, and love; all the things one needs to survive.
Thank you, Jill, for the rec. Not wasting time asking myself: “Why have I never read anything by her before?” I jumped on the computer and ordered four more books by the talented Ms. Proctor. Definitely a good read!
★★★★★ Five full stars! An exceptional book; one of the best I’ve read so far this year.
A realistic look at life in 1808, New South Wales and the struggle to carve out a life in a strange, forbidding land. Within just a few pages I was enthralled with the story! The harsh brutality of the beautiful Australian setting is not just a “wallpaper” backdrop, but actually a vital ingredient to the flavor of this book.
The Government House, Parramatta, Australia
One of the things I loved about it is that our heroine, Bryony, is at first truly afraid of our hero, Hayden. She’s not swooning with lust and sighing over his masculinity like so many romance novel heroines do when they are in close proximity of the hero. As a woman convict, grief-stricken from the loss of her children, in a land where rape is the expected norm, she is in a truly precarious situation and she is smart enough to realize it; so much more realistic! (I know I’d be scared s#itless!)
Still, Bryony is a woman of strong character; her resistance to Hayden, a to-die-for-hero, is credible, not a plot device to increase the sexual tension of the book. Their tumultuous love story is filled with unrelenting passion. For despite the cultural horrors of this new frontier, there is an underlying theme of hope, strength, endurance, and love; all the things one needs to survive.
Thank you, Jill, for the rec. Not wasting time asking myself: “Why have I never read anything by her before?” I jumped on the computer and ordered four more books by the talented Ms. Proctor. Definitely a good read!
January 16, 2021
I really enjoyed this book, my first by this author, and I intend to read more - at least her other two HRs set in Australia, anyway. I also just found out Proctor is also C.S. Harris, author of the popular Sebastian St Cyr books (although I haven't read any of them).
A well-written and historically accurate story set in the wild and raw period of the early 1800s in New South Wales, Australia. A lovely romance forms the basis of the story, and I really enjoyed the development of Bryony's relationship with Captain Hayden St John, late of the British Indian Army. It was a bit of a slow burn, but there was lots of UST (almost too much at times) as the captain lusted after his assigned convict woman, and she equally lusted after him. Finally they gave in and got together, but the story doesn't end there, and there were further twists and turns to come before the lovely and satisfying epilogue.
Hayden had lost his wife in childbirth, leaving him with a tiny son to care for. Bryony was an English convict, a widow, assigned to look after the baby. Their at times angsty story takes place mainly in the setting of Hayden's farm on the Hawkesbury River out of Sydney. Although the farm itself is fictional, the places in the book are real, and as an Australian this added an extra layer of interest for me. I very much enjoyed the historical setting.
But the amazing story of Hayden and Bryony's experiences, both together and before they knew each other, was fascinating and kept the story moving. I found it a very involving read. The cruel events that occurred did actually take place for many of Australia's early settlers, and one has to admire their persistence and courage in the face of tragedy and constant challenges.
The secondary characters were interesting and added to the story. Overall it was well written, and I'm keen to read more by this writer. Although first published in 1997, it didn't feel dated, except perhaps for several references to "loins" tightening. Oh dear. Otherwise, no purple prose or other dated features, and it didn't have the feel of a bodice ripper. Just a darned good read.
I read this book for the RATA 2021 challenge with HRBC, January setting: Around the World (other than Britain or America).
A well-written and historically accurate story set in the wild and raw period of the early 1800s in New South Wales, Australia. A lovely romance forms the basis of the story, and I really enjoyed the development of Bryony's relationship with Captain Hayden St John, late of the British Indian Army. It was a bit of a slow burn, but there was lots of UST (almost too much at times) as the captain lusted after his assigned convict woman, and she equally lusted after him. Finally they gave in and got together, but the story doesn't end there, and there were further twists and turns to come before the lovely and satisfying epilogue.
Hayden had lost his wife in childbirth, leaving him with a tiny son to care for. Bryony was an English convict, a widow, assigned to look after the baby. Their at times angsty story takes place mainly in the setting of Hayden's farm on the Hawkesbury River out of Sydney. Although the farm itself is fictional, the places in the book are real, and as an Australian this added an extra layer of interest for me. I very much enjoyed the historical setting.
But the amazing story of Hayden and Bryony's experiences, both together and before they knew each other, was fascinating and kept the story moving. I found it a very involving read. The cruel events that occurred did actually take place for many of Australia's early settlers, and one has to admire their persistence and courage in the face of tragedy and constant challenges.
The secondary characters were interesting and added to the story. Overall it was well written, and I'm keen to read more by this writer. Although first published in 1997, it didn't feel dated, except perhaps for several references to "loins" tightening. Oh dear. Otherwise, no purple prose or other dated features, and it didn't have the feel of a bodice ripper. Just a darned good read.
I read this book for the RATA 2021 challenge with HRBC, January setting: Around the World (other than Britain or America).
February 24, 2021
2.5 stars
I read this as a buddy read, to see all my thoughts, comments, and quotes: Night in Eden Buddy Read
This started off really strong for me, Bryony is sentenced in the murdering of her husband and sent to Australia. There's ample description of how horrible it was for the women convicts there and I liked how the author incorporated real historical people and places (it made me search out historical non-fiction about these women). I liked how the wildness of Australia called to Bryony and that brought a connection to the man, Hayden, who ends up taking her as his servant.
You're going to have to accept and like power dynamic play, there's a fair amount of scenes where Bryony finds herself attracted to Hayden with his position of power over her mingled in the desire. This is where the heat comes from between the two in the beginning and I could go along with it because I 'knew' Hayden wouldn't force her and it's all in fictional play in my mind.
The second half dragged for me because the heat scenes between Bryony and Hayden were repeated too much and there was nothing new there or growing. The author didn't seem to know how or why she was incorporating Aboriginal people and it came off clumsy. There was an ending reveal to add some angst but it made me roll my eyes more than anything.
I liked this, until I didn't.
I read this as a buddy read, to see all my thoughts, comments, and quotes: Night in Eden Buddy Read
This started off really strong for me, Bryony is sentenced in the murdering of her husband and sent to Australia. There's ample description of how horrible it was for the women convicts there and I liked how the author incorporated real historical people and places (it made me search out historical non-fiction about these women). I liked how the wildness of Australia called to Bryony and that brought a connection to the man, Hayden, who ends up taking her as his servant.
You're going to have to accept and like power dynamic play, there's a fair amount of scenes where Bryony finds herself attracted to Hayden with his position of power over her mingled in the desire. This is where the heat comes from between the two in the beginning and I could go along with it because I 'knew' Hayden wouldn't force her and it's all in fictional play in my mind.
The second half dragged for me because the heat scenes between Bryony and Hayden were repeated too much and there was nothing new there or growing. The author didn't seem to know how or why she was incorporating Aboriginal people and it came off clumsy. There was an ending reveal to add some angst but it made me roll my eyes more than anything.
I liked this, until I didn't.
November 16, 2024
This was a romance between the main characters and Australia as much as it was a romance between the main characters, and both were solid.
The historical details surrounding the transportation of female criminals to New South Wales and their use as chattel once they arrived, if they were lucky enough to survive the journey, was worse than I imagined. Horrific might be an understatement. When Captain Hayden St. John obtains the assignment of Bryony from the female prison, she knows she belongs to him, whether he wishes a servant or a whore, whether he is kind or abusive, and she knows he can return her to the prison at his whim or hand her off to someone else anytime. Therefore, her little rebellions were one of my quibbles with this book: nobody in her tenuous circumstances dares little rebellions.
Hayden needs her as a wet nurse for his son, whose mother died in childbirth. Bryony’s son of five months had just died of fever in the prison and she bitterly resents providing sustenance for another baby, but quickly bonds with the little boy.
The romance is slow burn—a little too much time is spent exchanging heated looks, another of my quibbles—but convincing. The Australian bush kept things interesting around the developing romance, providing sweltering heat, sudden storms, torrential rain, flooding, an unpredictable prisoner workforce, frontier justice in the form of floggings and hangings, and the occasional Aboriginal sighting.
Set in 1808, this was a very different kind of Regency romance and I enjoyed it.
The historical details surrounding the transportation of female criminals to New South Wales and their use as chattel once they arrived, if they were lucky enough to survive the journey, was worse than I imagined. Horrific might be an understatement. When Captain Hayden St. John obtains the assignment of Bryony from the female prison, she knows she belongs to him, whether he wishes a servant or a whore, whether he is kind or abusive, and she knows he can return her to the prison at his whim or hand her off to someone else anytime. Therefore, her little rebellions were one of my quibbles with this book: nobody in her tenuous circumstances dares little rebellions.
Hayden needs her as a wet nurse for his son, whose mother died in childbirth. Bryony’s son of five months had just died of fever in the prison and she bitterly resents providing sustenance for another baby, but quickly bonds with the little boy.
The romance is slow burn—a little too much time is spent exchanging heated looks, another of my quibbles—but convincing. The Australian bush kept things interesting around the developing romance, providing sweltering heat, sudden storms, torrential rain, flooding, an unpredictable prisoner workforce, frontier justice in the form of floggings and hangings, and the occasional Aboriginal sighting.
Set in 1808, this was a very different kind of Regency romance and I enjoyed it.
May 7, 2024
Re-read
LOVE IT!
Re-RE-RE-RE-READ!
Strong heroine, beautiful Australia!
Re-read, lovvvvv iittt! Strong heroine, almost SAFE, almost, Ha-ha.
Re-read, still so wonderful! Love this story.
This book, this story... couldnt put it down, in les than 6 hours i finished it.
I waited for 3 weeks to get this book from Usa second-hand bookshop, electronic version isn’t available in Spain.
First book from this author and i will look for more: i liked her writing style, history romance, beautiful landscapes, beautiful Aussie nature, and a history note in the end of the book.
RAW
Astonished
Sometimes i was crying, sometimes i was in need of Kleenax
And sometimes i was smiling
There are grieve, joy, vengeance, abuse, strong alpha, strong, the strongest, HEROINE.
Not safe (hero did have sex with other women after meeting the heroine, but thanks god, Off page)
Hero is a widower, sometimes there was times, his dead wife was like a third person, (the heroine o the hero were mentioning her a lot). Its ok for me, but not OK for many readers.
June 17, 2024
Very good and original. I've been putting off this read for awhile now, after seeing it recommended for tragic-bodice-ripper historical romance rec's for the last couple of years. I'm glad that I'm going through my historical romance era right now, and that I gave this book a try. It delivered big time in the tragic, cruel hero department with Hayden and a strong willed and equally tragic heroine with Byrony.
Candice's descriptions of turn of the century English and Australian society were chilling. I almost cried a few times after reading what a lot of the poor and convicts when through during that time. She doesn't pull any punches in the sad story department.
Her descriptions of the Australian landscape made it feel like this book took place on another planet. I liked how she made the reader see Australia as both equally beautiful and terrifying. She made it seem like it was a place of great magic and cruelty depending on the time of year and the wild life that the characters encountered.
I don't know why, but this really reminded me of R. Lee Smith's writing. I think it was the brutal descriptions of the horrors that Byrony and Hayden both endured. Also the extremely descriptive language of the setting.
Candice's descriptions of turn of the century English and Australian society were chilling. I almost cried a few times after reading what a lot of the poor and convicts when through during that time. She doesn't pull any punches in the sad story department.
Her descriptions of the Australian landscape made it feel like this book took place on another planet. I liked how she made the reader see Australia as both equally beautiful and terrifying. She made it seem like it was a place of great magic and cruelty depending on the time of year and the wild life that the characters encountered.
I don't know why, but this really reminded me of R. Lee Smith's writing. I think it was the brutal descriptions of the horrors that Byrony and Hayden both endured. Also the extremely descriptive language of the setting.
October 27, 2025
"I want you."
"That's good," he said as he pushed her petticoat up farther and ran his silken fingers up the insides of her thighs. "Because you're going to get me."
This is a remarkable romance, set in Australia in 1808/09, a time when British convicts were transported to New South Wales and often had to work as servants or farmhands for the duration of their sentences. The women's prison also "functioned more like a cross between a whorehouse and a slave market" – it was common practice for men to come and choose a woman for themselves.
Bryony, the heroine from Cornwall, faces the same fate. After her baby died in prison, she is assigned to Hayden St. John to be a wet nurse for his five-month-old son. At first, Bryony has no idea how fortunate she is to work for St. John. He is commanding and harsh, but he quickly proves to be thoughtful, kind, and fair. They have a rough start, but Bryony is a survivor and adjusts well to her new life in the outback. There's also an undeniable instant attraction between the heroes, with heated gazes and overwhelming longing. It's well done and sensual and exciting to watch …
… until it starts dragging a little at some point halfway through the book. Bryony and St. John dance around each other endlessly, glancing and yearning, but without making much progress. When they finally kiss and she agrees to become his "mistress", it's long overdue, and from there, it's still a long and dramatic way to their HEA.
However, it's an entertaining book with an awesome MMC and a very good FMC, who is likeable but at times too bolt, given her situation. It's also very well-written, as the author creates vivid images without using millions of trite metaphors. The intensity level is really high.
She watched him turn back toward the center of the creek. His breeches were wet clear up to his thighs. She could see the dark line, just below his crotch, where the water had reached. Sweat beaded his forehead, ran down into his eyes. He swiped at it absently with the back of one arm as he waded farther out into the creek and bent down to splash the cold water over his face and shoulders.
When he straightened, he still had his eyes closed. With his head tilted back, he reached up and ran his strong fingers through his dark hair, combing it back off his forehead. He had his arms lifted high, his elbows spread wide. His wet, bare skin stretched taut over his corded muscles, glistening in the sun. Dark, wet hair curled around his nipples. Tiny rivulets of water trickled down the ridges of his stomach to darken the waistband of his breeches. She saw the hair under his arms. Saw the drops of water that gathered and ran down his hard cheeks. Then he opened his eyes and caught her watching him.
Their gazes locked while he used one hand to slowly wipe the water off his lower face. Something flared hot and bright in his eyes. Something that ignited a slow fire that licked at her insides. She felt the heat of the sun on her skin. Felt the swell of her full breasts against the bodice of her dress, felt something squeeze the air from her lungs until she was breathless.
She knew she should look away, but she thought if she did, it would make it seem as if there was something to the way she'd been looking at him. And then she realized there was something to it, because of all the half-naked men who'd been in the stream, she'd seen only him, watched only him.
Furthermore, it's an interesting glimpse into Australian history, society, and nature, though the encounters with the Aborigines are somewhat strange and puzzling. So despite being a little bit too long, it's an outstanding book with an extraordinary setting and topic. I really enjoyed it.
Beware the triggers on and off page:
"That's good," he said as he pushed her petticoat up farther and ran his silken fingers up the insides of her thighs. "Because you're going to get me."
This is a remarkable romance, set in Australia in 1808/09, a time when British convicts were transported to New South Wales and often had to work as servants or farmhands for the duration of their sentences. The women's prison also "functioned more like a cross between a whorehouse and a slave market" – it was common practice for men to come and choose a woman for themselves.
Bryony, the heroine from Cornwall, faces the same fate. After her baby died in prison, she is assigned to Hayden St. John to be a wet nurse for his five-month-old son. At first, Bryony has no idea how fortunate she is to work for St. John. He is commanding and harsh, but he quickly proves to be thoughtful, kind, and fair. They have a rough start, but Bryony is a survivor and adjusts well to her new life in the outback. There's also an undeniable instant attraction between the heroes, with heated gazes and overwhelming longing. It's well done and sensual and exciting to watch …
… until it starts dragging a little at some point halfway through the book. Bryony and St. John dance around each other endlessly, glancing and yearning, but without making much progress. When they finally kiss and she agrees to become his "mistress", it's long overdue, and from there, it's still a long and dramatic way to their HEA.
However, it's an entertaining book with an awesome MMC and a very good FMC, who is likeable but at times too bolt, given her situation. It's also very well-written, as the author creates vivid images without using millions of trite metaphors. The intensity level is really high.
She watched him turn back toward the center of the creek. His breeches were wet clear up to his thighs. She could see the dark line, just below his crotch, where the water had reached. Sweat beaded his forehead, ran down into his eyes. He swiped at it absently with the back of one arm as he waded farther out into the creek and bent down to splash the cold water over his face and shoulders.
When he straightened, he still had his eyes closed. With his head tilted back, he reached up and ran his strong fingers through his dark hair, combing it back off his forehead. He had his arms lifted high, his elbows spread wide. His wet, bare skin stretched taut over his corded muscles, glistening in the sun. Dark, wet hair curled around his nipples. Tiny rivulets of water trickled down the ridges of his stomach to darken the waistband of his breeches. She saw the hair under his arms. Saw the drops of water that gathered and ran down his hard cheeks. Then he opened his eyes and caught her watching him.
Their gazes locked while he used one hand to slowly wipe the water off his lower face. Something flared hot and bright in his eyes. Something that ignited a slow fire that licked at her insides. She felt the heat of the sun on her skin. Felt the swell of her full breasts against the bodice of her dress, felt something squeeze the air from her lungs until she was breathless.
She knew she should look away, but she thought if she did, it would make it seem as if there was something to the way she'd been looking at him. And then she realized there was something to it, because of all the half-naked men who'd been in the stream, she'd seen only him, watched only him.
Furthermore, it's an interesting glimpse into Australian history, society, and nature, though the encounters with the Aborigines are somewhat strange and puzzling. So despite being a little bit too long, it's an outstanding book with an extraordinary setting and topic. I really enjoyed it.
Beware the triggers on and off page:
December 31, 2010
If you’re a lover of historical romance (or even romantic historical fiction) and are looking for something different to the typical London Regency/Victorian era romance, then this book should probably go straight to your TBR pile.
How wonderful to read a bona fide Romance novel set in early 1800’s New South Wales, Australia, instead of England. And what a setting! This is no wallpaper historical. Here you will get the harsh, bleak, majestic and brutal landscape and life of colonial Australia with all its splendour and hardship.
Convicted of the manslaughter of her husband, Bryony Wentworth is a convict, transported from Cornwall to the colonies in New South Wales. A year ago, she was the loving mother of a sweet 2 year old, with another on the way. Now, a prisoner in the Female Factory, she is forced to become a slave to the cold Captain Hayden St. John.
Bryony’s only value to Hayden is as a wet nurse for his infant son, whose mother died in childbirth. As a prisoner with no rights, and having recently lost her own infant son to sickness in the appalling conditions, Bryony is left with no option but to serve Hayden as her master.
Hayden takes Bryony to his remote property in Jindabyne, where she is expected to meet all the needs of baby Simon, along with cooking, cleaning and serving Hayden. Bryony knows that Hayden, with his cold and heartless demeanor, can force himself on her at any time, and there is nothing she could do about it.
Although grieving his beloved wife, Hayden finds himself immediately attracted to this proud, strong, intriguing woman. He has never felt such strong feeling of lust toward a woman, and must have her. But Hayden would never force Bryony, and so he must convince her to become his mistress.
With her pride the only thing Bryony has left, she vows never to succumb to the growing feelings she has for her master. She wants only to serve her sentence and survive in this fascinating, foreign land so she can eventually return to England, and the daughter who was ripped from her arms.
The sexual tension between Hayden and Bryony is palpable, as is the struggle each faces to come to terms with their respective grief, the conflicting attraction they feel and the disparity in their positions.
However, Candice Proctor has not romanticised the fact that life was hard. Convicts, especially women, were treated in an appalling manner. Vicious floggings with the cat-o-nine-tails, which stripped and flayed the skin and muscles, were a frequent fact of life. What pitiful few rights convicts had were seldom upheld.
I am unaware of any other romance novel in this setting, and while the writing was not necessarily lyrical, the author paints a powerful and evocative picture of both the landscape and the individuals struggling to make their place in it.
no-way-jose
June 30, 2025DNF at 25% - no rating because this IS a very well written book, just a bit too dark for me personally.
This story takes us thru some great descriptions of the Australian landscape, plants, and wildlife, but it also focuses on the realistic injustices dealt to women in the legal system at that time. Injustices such as being burned alive for punishment, or innocent/falsely accused mothers being ripped away from their children and sent to Australia, receiving lashings on their backs for backtalk, prison guards raping the female prisoners…. I actually started to feel sick while reading a scene of a teen boy receiving 200 lashes across his back (he was a farm hand and had lost two pigs in the bush). I could empathize with their feelings of despair and hopelessness. The rich gentry abusing their power over the convicts, whether they were guilty or not of their crimes, was horrendous.
I don’t seem to have a problem if it’s violence in a mafia/contemporary setting… or if it’s btwn the H/h in historical romance…. But the abuse from the rich, greedy, arrogant legal system/gentry against everyday citizens really bothered me and I couldn’t get past it to focus on whatever romance was supposedly taking place.
This story takes us thru some great descriptions of the Australian landscape, plants, and wildlife, but it also focuses on the realistic injustices dealt to women in the legal system at that time. Injustices such as being burned alive for punishment, or innocent/falsely accused mothers being ripped away from their children and sent to Australia, receiving lashings on their backs for backtalk, prison guards raping the female prisoners…. I actually started to feel sick while reading a scene of a teen boy receiving 200 lashes across his back (he was a farm hand and had lost two pigs in the bush). I could empathize with their feelings of despair and hopelessness. The rich gentry abusing their power over the convicts, whether they were guilty or not of their crimes, was horrendous.
I don’t seem to have a problem if it’s violence in a mafia/contemporary setting… or if it’s btwn the H/h in historical romance…. But the abuse from the rich, greedy, arrogant legal system/gentry against everyday citizens really bothered me and I couldn’t get past it to focus on whatever romance was supposedly taking place.
May 20, 2010
Night in Eden is one of those books that will stay with you forever. Most books I read are decent enough and entertain me, but over time they fade in my memory and I can't really remember the details. A select few books are so incredible that they are "vivid" in my mind long after I finish reading them. This is one of those.
Hayden and Bryony are what make this book so fantastic. The chemistry that these two share is so hot, laced with tension, and palpable that I found myself "breathless" at times. These are two people that want each other desperately and take their own sweet time "giving in" to their desire, but once they do...watch out! I liked each character extremely well...which was refreshing. I usually like one more than the other. They were extremely "suited" to one another and are for sure on my "Top 10 Favorite Couples" list! When Bryony is brought in to nurse and care for Hayden and his deceased wife's baby....you see the gradual "making of a family". Just beautiful to watch!
This is a painful book to read at times. The conditions in which the women prisoners are kept in, and the painful separation that these women and their children had to endure is described in some detail. It is sobering. There is quite a bit of death in this book....definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, but the realism was so poignant and beautiful that it only helped to attach me more and more to this story.
I will not be letting my copy of this book out of my hands!
Hayden and Bryony are what make this book so fantastic. The chemistry that these two share is so hot, laced with tension, and palpable that I found myself "breathless" at times. These are two people that want each other desperately and take their own sweet time "giving in" to their desire, but once they do...watch out! I liked each character extremely well...which was refreshing. I usually like one more than the other. They were extremely "suited" to one another and are for sure on my "Top 10 Favorite Couples" list! When Bryony is brought in to nurse and care for Hayden and his deceased wife's baby....you see the gradual "making of a family". Just beautiful to watch!
This is a painful book to read at times. The conditions in which the women prisoners are kept in, and the painful separation that these women and their children had to endure is described in some detail. It is sobering. There is quite a bit of death in this book....definitely not all sunshine and rainbows, but the realism was so poignant and beautiful that it only helped to attach me more and more to this story.
I will not be letting my copy of this book out of my hands!
December 19, 2025
4.75 stars
Wow. Just wow. This felt so cinematic in it's delivery. I could not pry my fingers off this book. The Australian setting, the brooding grief-stricken lonely characters, the sexual tenssssssion, the love story, the found family, the details. The YEARNING ya'll. My gawd. Ooof. *fans face* This is very much a slow burn romance where it burns to the point of hurting. Did I want to scream oh just fuck already! at a certain point? Yes I did. This is one of those the eyes do all the talking type of angst and it's glorious. The eye fucking hits the spot and a micro trope I live for. If you know, you know. The way this man kepting devoring her with his eyes alone was a serious test in resistance. Jesus. 🔥
Byrony Wentworth has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for murdering her husband. She's been transported to a prison hulk to South of New Wales, Australia to a penal colony where she's bought as a servant for Captain Hayden St. John to be a nursemaid to his infant son, Simon. Byrony was 8 months pregnant when sentenced and lost her infant son to illness on the ship and had her little girl Madeline taken away from her when she was transported to the prison hulk. The endless horror and heartbreak this character experiences has you by the throat and to see her try to just survive and persevere in a new harsh landscape and world is very admirable. You can't help but root for her. While she's fearful of her position as a woman convict in a man's world, she's fearless in her self-worth and character. Seeing how convicts are treated in the penal colony especially women and children is so sad and so terrifying. Candice Proctor really does a wonderful job painting the harsh life of what a convict servant has to deal with and the dangers in the rough bush land and harsh unpredictable Australian weather. The other workers she befriends and becomes protective of was a nice bonus if a bit heartbreaking.
From the moment hero and heroine meet they are butting heads and testing each other's limits until it becomes something else entirely soft and sweet. It was exciting to see given the power dynamics and sexual tension simmering beneath the surface. I loved Hadyen St. John so much, lord did he make a sexy and compelling hero. I loved how complex he was, he has that mean edge with that underlying tenderness and softness you hope to get in a romance. The chemistry between these two is pitch-perfect because it's dealing with a lot of things. The master/convict servant, the push-pull of sexual awareness, the hate/love dynamic, the mutual grief both are dealing with, the respect and adoration. This is why I love old school HR romances so much because I feel like we no longer get sweeping romances like this where not just the romance takes center stage but the setting itself is so vibrant and comes off the page with Proctor's beautiful descriptions and emotional prose. Her writing engages all your senses that you feel you are right there with the characters in the harsh landscape of Australia with the muggy heat, gum trees and the wild cockatoos and dingos and the Aboriginals. It was a real treat. Bryony's delight/wonder in seeing the beauty in the landscape and exotic animals was really sweet and hilarious. These are fully dimensional characters so you can't help but love them. I loved that even when they battled it out and fought the attraction he respected her and her boundaries.
The development from master/servant to lovers is what sets this apart because our heroine while attracted and intrigued by Captain St. John she refuses to become his mistress. Even while outwardly fighting him and the attraction, mentally she's yearning and pining for him which made the conflict greater. It sounds a little ridiculous simply for the context of her being a convict but given how she was raised in England (from a well titled respectable background) her motivation to see her sentence out so she can one day reunite with her daughter is understandable. As she said herself she "has nothing left but her pride and principles" and it devastates and shames her to give that up by becoming his mistress. Was it frustrating the longer it went on? Absolutely. But oh what a love story. I would have liked the last 100 pages to have held up a little bit more and not go off the rails with all the constant twists and turns that didn't feel necessary IMO. I personally wanted . Felt like everything and the kitchen sink was thrown in in that last bit that I didn't agree with. I also would have liked a little more intimacy after they finally gave in and made love as their sweet romantic moments seemed to happen off the page enitirely after that. Considering this is a slow burn romance with 6 months worth of sexual tension, I was feeling a bit greedy and a tad disappointed with the brief sex scenes. But I can't bring myself to not give this 5 stars. This was a memorable book with beautiful emotion. I will definitely try Candice Proctor again. Highly recommend!
Wow. Just wow. This felt so cinematic in it's delivery. I could not pry my fingers off this book. The Australian setting, the brooding grief-stricken lonely characters, the sexual tenssssssion, the love story, the found family, the details. The YEARNING ya'll. My gawd. Ooof. *fans face* This is very much a slow burn romance where it burns to the point of hurting. Did I want to scream oh just fuck already! at a certain point? Yes I did. This is one of those the eyes do all the talking type of angst and it's glorious. The eye fucking hits the spot and a micro trope I live for. If you know, you know. The way this man kepting devoring her with his eyes alone was a serious test in resistance. Jesus. 🔥
He dipped his head until his mouth brushed hers, his lips open, trembling. Then he rested his forehead against hers and squeezed his eyes shut. "How can you not know what I want?" his voice was hoarse, strained. He speared his fingers through her hair, rubbed his thumbs across her cheeks. "How can you not know?"
Byrony Wentworth has been sentenced to 7 years in prison for murdering her husband. She's been transported to a prison hulk to South of New Wales, Australia to a penal colony where she's bought as a servant for Captain Hayden St. John to be a nursemaid to his infant son, Simon. Byrony was 8 months pregnant when sentenced and lost her infant son to illness on the ship and had her little girl Madeline taken away from her when she was transported to the prison hulk. The endless horror and heartbreak this character experiences has you by the throat and to see her try to just survive and persevere in a new harsh landscape and world is very admirable. You can't help but root for her. While she's fearful of her position as a woman convict in a man's world, she's fearless in her self-worth and character. Seeing how convicts are treated in the penal colony especially women and children is so sad and so terrifying. Candice Proctor really does a wonderful job painting the harsh life of what a convict servant has to deal with and the dangers in the rough bush land and harsh unpredictable Australian weather. The other workers she befriends and becomes protective of was a nice bonus if a bit heartbreaking.
From the moment hero and heroine meet they are butting heads and testing each other's limits until it becomes something else entirely soft and sweet. It was exciting to see given the power dynamics and sexual tension simmering beneath the surface. I loved Hadyen St. John so much, lord did he make a sexy and compelling hero. I loved how complex he was, he has that mean edge with that underlying tenderness and softness you hope to get in a romance. The chemistry between these two is pitch-perfect because it's dealing with a lot of things. The master/convict servant, the push-pull of sexual awareness, the hate/love dynamic, the mutual grief both are dealing with, the respect and adoration. This is why I love old school HR romances so much because I feel like we no longer get sweeping romances like this where not just the romance takes center stage but the setting itself is so vibrant and comes off the page with Proctor's beautiful descriptions and emotional prose. Her writing engages all your senses that you feel you are right there with the characters in the harsh landscape of Australia with the muggy heat, gum trees and the wild cockatoos and dingos and the Aboriginals. It was a real treat. Bryony's delight/wonder in seeing the beauty in the landscape and exotic animals was really sweet and hilarious. These are fully dimensional characters so you can't help but love them. I loved that even when they battled it out and fought the attraction he respected her and her boundaries.
The development from master/servant to lovers is what sets this apart because our heroine while attracted and intrigued by Captain St. John she refuses to become his mistress. Even while outwardly fighting him and the attraction, mentally she's yearning and pining for him which made the conflict greater. It sounds a little ridiculous simply for the context of her being a convict but given how she was raised in England (from a well titled respectable background) her motivation to see her sentence out so she can one day reunite with her daughter is understandable. As she said herself she "has nothing left but her pride and principles" and it devastates and shames her to give that up by becoming his mistress. Was it frustrating the longer it went on? Absolutely. But oh what a love story. I would have liked the last 100 pages to have held up a little bit more and not go off the rails with all the constant twists and turns that didn't feel necessary IMO. I personally wanted . Felt like everything and the kitchen sink was thrown in in that last bit that I didn't agree with. I also would have liked a little more intimacy after they finally gave in and made love as their sweet romantic moments seemed to happen off the page enitirely after that. Considering this is a slow burn romance with 6 months worth of sexual tension, I was feeling a bit greedy and a tad disappointed with the brief sex scenes. But I can't bring myself to not give this 5 stars. This was a memorable book with beautiful emotion. I will definitely try Candice Proctor again. Highly recommend!
"My uncle hated my name, just as he hated my mother. When she and my father died and I had to go live with him, he said I was like a wild filly that needed to be broken. He did his best to break me."
Hayden walked up behind her, resisting with difficulty the urge to pull her into his arms and soothe away the pain he sensed within her. "He didn't succeed," he said softly.
She turned around."No." An evening breeze caught a strand of her flame-tinged, dusky hair and fluttered it across her pale face. "It took marriage and prison to do that."
He reached out and tucked the loose strand behind her ear. "No," he said, trailing the backs of his fingers down her cheek. "Your name still fits."
June 18, 2012
I dropped it with only 50 pages to go but i really couldn't take it any more. I kept telling myself that I'll come to understand the heroine's feelings of love for the hero but I lost all respect for her when she became mistress and then got pregnant! You'd think after the hell she went through in her year in prison, losing her child, and being separated from her other child that she would be a bit more careful about getting pregnant when she's not in a stable status. I never felt the love... All of it was lust... The hero is a jerk to the bitter end-- made me think of the dude in Balogh's Heartless just without the physical abuse. I really wanted to like this book after I saw the high ratings but I've lost all respect for every single character and all of Australia in 192 pages so I stopped. I'm fine with tragedy and angst but all I felt was disgust. The endless terrible things that happen keep happening but there's no real emotion that lasts more than 2 paragraphs before they start making lusty eyes at each other again. The angst was so blah on the hero's side it wasn't believable and the sadness on the heroine's side didn't strike me as real because if such a person were alive today the last thing she'd be thinking about is wearing pretty dresses while slaving after her master. Ugh I still can't believe I read as far as I did.. Shoulda dropped it long ago..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2020
There are, generally speaking, two types of historical romance. 19th century British romance (subdivided into Regency and Victorian romance), which is all about lords and ladies and balls; and there is also 19th century Western romance, which is about cowboys and settlers and Indians. There is not, however, a particularly dedicated outflow of historical romance about 19th century Australian penal colonies, and after reading Night in Eden, I really must wonder why the hell not? In this book, Candice Proctor delivers a sensual tale of two broken people brought together by death and loss and a cruel society who, somehow, forge a life together. This book is well-written and sexy, and maybe even more importantly: unique.
Convicted with manslaughter on account of her husband’s death, Bryony is transported to New South Wales to serve a 7 year sentence, during which time she’s basically the property of anyone who wants her. Like, literally a man can show up and decide he wants her and then legally rape her, because being a convict in Australia is not like being a convict back in England. Luckily, the dominating and powerful man who claims Bryony to serve as his infant son’s wetnurse isn’t much of a rapist, otherwise I would have been done with Night in Eden before it even began. Hayden St. John, as I said, is a controlling man with a forceful personality, and he wants Bryony from the very moment he sets eyes on her, but he wants her to choose him. So he hauls her back to his homestead in the bush and does his very best to stay away from her, because he knows that a) she wants him, but b) is terribly afraid of him and the power he has over her. So he waits. For months. And probably drives himself crazy with horniness, but whatevs.
Not being a reading particularly drawn to the Alpha Male character type, I think I was wary of the power dynamics between Bryony and Hayden from the start. Proctor has already established a scenario in which the woman is powerless: she is his servant and his prisoner. And while, in 1808, even being a wife rendered you little better than your husband’s slave, in Night in Eden it’s so very pronounced and palpable. Not only is Hayden a dominant, assertive man, he’s also in a position of extreme power over Bryony. And he pushes it—they both do, honestly. Like I said, the sexual attraction between these two characters is nearly instantaneous, even though they don’t particularly like each other in the beginning. There’s a lot of sexual tension and a lot of scenes that end abruptly because, at the last minute, Bryony says “No”—but here’s what’s important. Hayden respects Bryony’s nonconsent. Every time. He never blames her for “teasing” him or “leading him on”. Ever.
That is so important.
Uncomfortable as the relationship dynamic might have initially made me, I loved that Proctor used it in this way, and didn’t fall into the easy Alpha Male trap of “dubious consent” (that is not even a thing, okay?) or pressuring the female protagonist into sex. Night in Eden does it right, and so this book is thick with tension and lust, and it makes you wait for that consummation, but it’s sweeter for knowing it wasn’t coerced or rushed into.
And I very, very much loved both Bryony and Hayden. At the outset, they’re both grieving. Him for his wife, and her for her freedom and her children. Bryony resists Hayden’s authority over her and her conflicted fear and desire for him. Hayden wrestles with guilt for wanting a woman so soon after his wife died. But on the homestead in New South Wales, manned by thieves and murderers and cheats, Bryony and Hayden learn about each other and come to respect and admire each other, and they make it work And I’m not going to lie, I really did wonder how the author was going to pull it all off, because if there were ever a couple stuck in impossible circumstances, it seemed to be this one. I was not sure how the requisite Happily Ever After was going to work. But it worked; it really did.
While I think the unique setting and premise pulled me in, Candice Proctor was able to hold me because of these characters and their story. Night in Eden is, I think, one of the best historical romances I’ve ever read, for many reasons. I loved the Australian setting and the slow burn romance and the way the characters came together in partnership. Even the things that seemed tricky came out all right in the end. I am very, very impressed by this book.
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Convicted with manslaughter on account of her husband’s death, Bryony is transported to New South Wales to serve a 7 year sentence, during which time she’s basically the property of anyone who wants her. Like, literally a man can show up and decide he wants her and then legally rape her, because being a convict in Australia is not like being a convict back in England. Luckily, the dominating and powerful man who claims Bryony to serve as his infant son’s wetnurse isn’t much of a rapist, otherwise I would have been done with Night in Eden before it even began. Hayden St. John, as I said, is a controlling man with a forceful personality, and he wants Bryony from the very moment he sets eyes on her, but he wants her to choose him. So he hauls her back to his homestead in the bush and does his very best to stay away from her, because he knows that a) she wants him, but b) is terribly afraid of him and the power he has over her. So he waits. For months. And probably drives himself crazy with horniness, but whatevs.
Not being a reading particularly drawn to the Alpha Male character type, I think I was wary of the power dynamics between Bryony and Hayden from the start. Proctor has already established a scenario in which the woman is powerless: she is his servant and his prisoner. And while, in 1808, even being a wife rendered you little better than your husband’s slave, in Night in Eden it’s so very pronounced and palpable. Not only is Hayden a dominant, assertive man, he’s also in a position of extreme power over Bryony. And he pushes it—they both do, honestly. Like I said, the sexual attraction between these two characters is nearly instantaneous, even though they don’t particularly like each other in the beginning. There’s a lot of sexual tension and a lot of scenes that end abruptly because, at the last minute, Bryony says “No”—but here’s what’s important. Hayden respects Bryony’s nonconsent. Every time. He never blames her for “teasing” him or “leading him on”. Ever.
That is so important.
Uncomfortable as the relationship dynamic might have initially made me, I loved that Proctor used it in this way, and didn’t fall into the easy Alpha Male trap of “dubious consent” (that is not even a thing, okay?) or pressuring the female protagonist into sex. Night in Eden does it right, and so this book is thick with tension and lust, and it makes you wait for that consummation, but it’s sweeter for knowing it wasn’t coerced or rushed into.
And I very, very much loved both Bryony and Hayden. At the outset, they’re both grieving. Him for his wife, and her for her freedom and her children. Bryony resists Hayden’s authority over her and her conflicted fear and desire for him. Hayden wrestles with guilt for wanting a woman so soon after his wife died. But on the homestead in New South Wales, manned by thieves and murderers and cheats, Bryony and Hayden learn about each other and come to respect and admire each other, and they make it work And I’m not going to lie, I really did wonder how the author was going to pull it all off, because if there were ever a couple stuck in impossible circumstances, it seemed to be this one. I was not sure how the requisite Happily Ever After was going to work. But it worked; it really did.
While I think the unique setting and premise pulled me in, Candice Proctor was able to hold me because of these characters and their story. Night in Eden is, I think, one of the best historical romances I’ve ever read, for many reasons. I loved the Australian setting and the slow burn romance and the way the characters came together in partnership. Even the things that seemed tricky came out all right in the end. I am very, very impressed by this book.
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June 22, 2022
2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: I think this was another situation of my expectations getting the better of me. Just on the blurb alone, I was expecting an angsty good read. Sadly, this was underwhelming. I didn't feel like it tapped into my emotions like I was expecting. I felt bad for the characters, but not to the point that I was emotional about it. It might also be because the hot and cold from the h drove me batty! So, maybe if you go in with minimal expectations, like the wild Australia hr setting, and are alright with the push and pull...this might be for you! It just wasn't for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Bryony and Hayden's story. Bryony gets picked up to be a servant for Hayden from the prison colony that she was sent to after accidentally killing her husband. She is damaged from losing her children and isn't all that eager to help Hayden out at first, but once she realizes that his wife died in childbirth and his baby needs her, she changed her tune. There is a lot of baggage they have to work through, some unexpected drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Bryony and Hayden in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well except for a part in the middle that felt really repetitive about them wanting each other but pushing away (that got old really quick).
Instalove: No, they bumped heads at first (but not enough for me to call it hate-to-love IMO) and take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Hayden. I liked him more than the h. I appreciated how he always tried to do the right thing.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Bryony. She was alright. There were times where I appreciated her strength, but she was too hot and cold for such a (seemingly) drawn out period of time that she wasn't my favorite.
Sadness level: Mild. I thought I'd be more emotional, but I never shed a tear.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some alright tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No IMO
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a good place and with what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one is probably either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
Overall Opinion: I think this was another situation of my expectations getting the better of me. Just on the blurb alone, I was expecting an angsty good read. Sadly, this was underwhelming. I didn't feel like it tapped into my emotions like I was expecting. I felt bad for the characters, but not to the point that I was emotional about it. It might also be because the hot and cold from the h drove me batty! So, maybe if you go in with minimal expectations, like the wild Australia hr setting, and are alright with the push and pull...this might be for you! It just wasn't for me.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Bryony and Hayden's story. Bryony gets picked up to be a servant for Hayden from the prison colony that she was sent to after accidentally killing her husband. She is damaged from losing her children and isn't all that eager to help Hayden out at first, but once she realizes that his wife died in childbirth and his baby needs her, she changed her tune. There is a lot of baggage they have to work through, some unexpected drama, and some sexy times...and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between focusing on Bryony and Hayden in 3rd person narrative.
Overall Pace of Story: Good for the most part. I never skimmed and I thought it mostly flowed well except for a part in the middle that felt really repetitive about them wanting each other but pushing away (that got old really quick).
Instalove: No, they bumped heads at first (but not enough for me to call it hate-to-love IMO) and take a while to develop stronger feelings.
H (Hero) rating: 3.5 stars. Hayden. I liked him more than the h. I appreciated how he always tried to do the right thing.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Bryony. She was alright. There were times where I appreciated her strength, but she was too hot and cold for such a (seemingly) drawn out period of time that she wasn't my favorite.
Sadness level: Mild. I thought I'd be more emotional, but I never shed a tear.
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Alright. They have some alright tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Not really
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No IMO
Separation: No
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in a good place and with what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one is probably either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.
December 22, 2016
So good! I think this is the first novel by Candace Proctor, aka C.S. Harris, aka C.S. Graham. (Her sister is Penelope Williamson).
Top Marks!! An outstanding historical "western" set in Australia in 1808. The British/Welsh heroine, Byrony Wentworth, is falsely convicted of murder and sent to a penal colony in New South Wales, where she gives birth, but her baby dies. Because she has milk, she is farmed out as an indentured servant at a huge cattle ranch, hired by widower Captain Hayden St. John to serve as housekeeper and wet-nurse to his infant son.
What a bastard he is -- a cold, unrelenting jerk for a long time. Until...
Gripping. Captivating. Poignant. It's grim for a long time. The intense despair sucked me right in; the injustices caught me by the throat, and I FELT the unrelenting sun and the dry red earth under my feet. It's gritty, grim, and sexy. Then it becomes tender and sweet, more promising, but you just KNOW the threat still exists, waiting, but that's okay, you hope, cuz your money's on the sexy kick-ass hero and his ferociously tenacious woman. I loved these characters!
There is a twist that I didn't expect and it made me angry with the Captain, but all's well at last. Never so delighted to see a couple get a happy ever after. Well deserved!!
The calibre of the writing is superior. Tightly paced, descriptive but not flowery or repetitive, emotional but not purple. Wow. It stuck with me for years. I re-read it occasionally.
So I'm saying it's good. :-)
I don't want to write a lengthy review and give anything more away.
Top Marks!! An outstanding historical "western" set in Australia in 1808. The British/Welsh heroine, Byrony Wentworth, is falsely convicted of murder and sent to a penal colony in New South Wales, where she gives birth, but her baby dies. Because she has milk, she is farmed out as an indentured servant at a huge cattle ranch, hired by widower Captain Hayden St. John to serve as housekeeper and wet-nurse to his infant son.
What a bastard he is -- a cold, unrelenting jerk for a long time. Until...
Gripping. Captivating. Poignant. It's grim for a long time. The intense despair sucked me right in; the injustices caught me by the throat, and I FELT the unrelenting sun and the dry red earth under my feet. It's gritty, grim, and sexy. Then it becomes tender and sweet, more promising, but you just KNOW the threat still exists, waiting, but that's okay, you hope, cuz your money's on the sexy kick-ass hero and his ferociously tenacious woman. I loved these characters!
There is a twist that I didn't expect and it made me angry with the Captain, but all's well at last. Never so delighted to see a couple get a happy ever after. Well deserved!!
The calibre of the writing is superior. Tightly paced, descriptive but not flowery or repetitive, emotional but not purple. Wow. It stuck with me for years. I re-read it occasionally.
So I'm saying it's good. :-)
I don't want to write a lengthy review and give anything more away.
July 14, 2022
5++ stars historical romance
I just love it when a book ends up being a real treasure worth savoring. This book was suggested on one of the discussion forums on Amazon and from the synopsis itself, it sounded like a book that I would love. And from the first page itself, this book captivated me by its wonderful charm and didn’t let go long after I finished the book.
Bryony Wentworth is unjustly sentenced to spend her life in servitude in New South Wales for the murder of her husband Oliver Wentworth. With her daughter Madeline snatched right out of her arms screaming for her mama, the only thing that keeps Bryony going is the unborn babe inside of her. But life and its cruelty took Philip her son away in death and it nearly drives Bryony mad with grief and anger.
Captain Hayden St. John visits the Parramatta prison to find a nursemaid for his son Simon whose mother had died soon after prematurely delivering Simon. Hayden’s wife Laura was a beautiful delicate woman and her death had changed Hayden into a man colder and harder than he was before. The spirited woman who stands before him who undoubtedly was still grieving for her son stirs something deep within Hayden that he doesn’t want to recognize.
Bryony can’t believe it when she is sold to the tall bronze man who stands before her with a wicked looking knife strapped to his thigh. There is a wildness about him that called out to the woman inside of her, a call Bryony refuses to pay heed to because Bryony was a woman who vowed to uphold the values she had been taught as a child.
Hayden at first refuses to believe that his body is clamoring for the attention of the convict woman who now looks after his son. But when he sees the answering fire that smolders within Bryony’s eyes, Hayden requests Bryony to become his mistress. The attraction that simmers between Bryony and Hayden is so hot that I found myself captivated by the heady magic of it. The final showdown when it all comes to head is a scene not to be missed as it answers every craving the previous pages invoke in the reader.
Its when Hayden makes Bryony his lawfully wedded wife and brings back Madeline from England that stirs up the trouble. Madeline refuses to connect with Bryony accusing her of abandoning her and vehemently hates Hayden for the position he holds in her mother’s life. And the final twist in the story comes when Oliver returns from the dead, wanting to take his wife and child back to England with him.
This is a wonderful story set in the rough Australian terrain that is beautiful and wild at the same time like the love that is described so vividly between two characters that are definitely made for one another. Hayden is a hero that would stir any woman’s dreams and Bryony is a heroine who would win the affection and admiration of the reader. The side characters are well developed, the story a moving one which had me up all night to finish the book.
This book is very highly recommended for all romance lovers out there. If you haven’t already read this story, get a copy and indulge yourself in one of the finest love stories out there.
I just love it when a book ends up being a real treasure worth savoring. This book was suggested on one of the discussion forums on Amazon and from the synopsis itself, it sounded like a book that I would love. And from the first page itself, this book captivated me by its wonderful charm and didn’t let go long after I finished the book.
Bryony Wentworth is unjustly sentenced to spend her life in servitude in New South Wales for the murder of her husband Oliver Wentworth. With her daughter Madeline snatched right out of her arms screaming for her mama, the only thing that keeps Bryony going is the unborn babe inside of her. But life and its cruelty took Philip her son away in death and it nearly drives Bryony mad with grief and anger.
Captain Hayden St. John visits the Parramatta prison to find a nursemaid for his son Simon whose mother had died soon after prematurely delivering Simon. Hayden’s wife Laura was a beautiful delicate woman and her death had changed Hayden into a man colder and harder than he was before. The spirited woman who stands before him who undoubtedly was still grieving for her son stirs something deep within Hayden that he doesn’t want to recognize.
Bryony can’t believe it when she is sold to the tall bronze man who stands before her with a wicked looking knife strapped to his thigh. There is a wildness about him that called out to the woman inside of her, a call Bryony refuses to pay heed to because Bryony was a woman who vowed to uphold the values she had been taught as a child.
Hayden at first refuses to believe that his body is clamoring for the attention of the convict woman who now looks after his son. But when he sees the answering fire that smolders within Bryony’s eyes, Hayden requests Bryony to become his mistress. The attraction that simmers between Bryony and Hayden is so hot that I found myself captivated by the heady magic of it. The final showdown when it all comes to head is a scene not to be missed as it answers every craving the previous pages invoke in the reader.
Its when Hayden makes Bryony his lawfully wedded wife and brings back Madeline from England that stirs up the trouble. Madeline refuses to connect with Bryony accusing her of abandoning her and vehemently hates Hayden for the position he holds in her mother’s life. And the final twist in the story comes when Oliver returns from the dead, wanting to take his wife and child back to England with him.
This is a wonderful story set in the rough Australian terrain that is beautiful and wild at the same time like the love that is described so vividly between two characters that are definitely made for one another. Hayden is a hero that would stir any woman’s dreams and Bryony is a heroine who would win the affection and admiration of the reader. The side characters are well developed, the story a moving one which had me up all night to finish the book.
This book is very highly recommended for all romance lovers out there. If you haven’t already read this story, get a copy and indulge yourself in one of the finest love stories out there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 10, 2021
4.25 stars. Firstly not going to lie I inhaled this and while it was hard to read at times I was completely hooked from the first chapter. It’s that kind of book that when you’re out and about or doing something else and you think oh iv that to read when I finish this it makes you happy ?! If that makes sense ☺️
Anyway Cap St John was hard and tough to like at times, he did and said things to Bryony that hurt my heart. He desired her I think from the first but he was completely blind to her feelings or what she had suffered. I would have liked to see him reflect more on how wonderful she was as a person , a surrogate mother to his son or how hard she worked etc. for the most part it was his internal dialogue processing his want for her rather than anything more deeply emotional. Bryony was a great character and had a terrible heartbreaking year before cap St. John took her as a servant. My blood was boiling at times with how he and others treated her.
It because a bit repetitive in the middle with him wanting her as a mistress lover and then her pushing away. There would be a small plot a big crescendo of them nearly coming together and then NO NO NO.
I was dissatisfied with how he realized he should marry her I would have liked him to want her as wife rather than doing it to protect her.
Also his declaration of love was nice and at long last we hear that he loved her more than Laura cause not going to lie if felt good when he had to deal with her past and fight for her given that Bryony spent 70% of the book living in Laura’s shadow.
A great read!
Anyway Cap St John was hard and tough to like at times, he did and said things to Bryony that hurt my heart. He desired her I think from the first but he was completely blind to her feelings or what she had suffered. I would have liked to see him reflect more on how wonderful she was as a person , a surrogate mother to his son or how hard she worked etc. for the most part it was his internal dialogue processing his want for her rather than anything more deeply emotional. Bryony was a great character and had a terrible heartbreaking year before cap St. John took her as a servant. My blood was boiling at times with how he and others treated her.
It because a bit repetitive in the middle with him wanting her as a mistress lover and then her pushing away. There would be a small plot a big crescendo of them nearly coming together and then NO NO NO.
I was dissatisfied with how he realized he should marry her I would have liked him to want her as wife rather than doing it to protect her.
Also his declaration of love was nice and at long last we hear that he loved her more than Laura cause not going to lie if felt good when he had to deal with her past and fight for her given that Bryony spent 70% of the book living in Laura’s shadow.
A great read!
April 22, 2022
OMG I LOVED THIS BOOK! This was my introduction to this author. How have I not read this before? This should be a movie! The plot reminded me somewhat of To Have and To Hold by Patricia Gaffney. Although the h’s situation is very different and the H is not a rake.
I loved the setting of the Australian Bush in the early 1800s. I loved the premise of a woman forcibly transported and becoming a convict servant. These things did happen historically. The story was heart-wrenching—especially the convicted innocents and the plights of the children. The depiction of whippings was brutal!
There was angst as the H fought his attraction to the h and there was sizzling chemistry. I loved every part of this book, including the twist at the end. I couldn’t put it down. Going on my favorites shelf!
I loved the setting of the Australian Bush in the early 1800s. I loved the premise of a woman forcibly transported and becoming a convict servant. These things did happen historically. The story was heart-wrenching—especially the convicted innocents and the plights of the children. The depiction of whippings was brutal!
There was angst as the H fought his attraction to the h and there was sizzling chemistry. I loved every part of this book, including the twist at the end. I couldn’t put it down. Going on my favorites shelf!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 12, 2020
5+ Stars!
I don't think that there's a lot I can say to give this book justice. Just know that the scope, characters, and story development were some of the best I have read in historical romance. It was a moving and intense love story set during the brutal early colonization of Australia. The story takes place over a few short years, but it felt like I read a saga. And I would read it again in a heartbeat. It was that special.
April 26, 2022
Phenomenal! RTC.
February 7, 2023
I’m shelving this one for now. It just didn’t ‘catch’ this time. I think it’s more that I just wasn’t in the mood so I’m not changing the grade so much as downgrading it to a 4 out of 5 as given a different mood, I still think it’s worth 4 stars.
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4.5 out of 5
Back in the day Candice Proctor wrote some of my favourite historical romances. Then she changed course and began writing the Sebastian St Cyr historical mysteries as C.S. Harris. Since I pretty much read only ebooks now – older eyes and larger print don’t you know – I’ve been looking for some of my very favourite print books to come out as ebooks. Candice Proctor has been one I’ve been hoping for most. A few years ago now, in 2016, my favourite of all her books came out as an ebook, Whispers of Heaven, which I promptly reread. But that was the only one and after checking for a while on Amazon for the rest, I kind of gave up. I was pursuing Kindle book in Amazon the other day though and remembered her and took a chance. Much to my delight, most of her previous book are now available so of course immediately I picked them up.
Night in Eden is my second favourite book and the one I was hoping for most after Whispers of Heaven. I started it yesterday and finished it today. I think this is her darkest of her romances.
Bryony Wentworth has been through hell. She was living a life in Cornwall England, married, though it wasn’t a perfect marriage, and had a young daughter she loved to distraction. But her life was destroyed when she caught her husband with another woman and in her anger, she hit him with the branch of a tree and he ended up falling off a cliff. She was charged with manslaughter and because she was pregnant at the time, she was transported to Australia rather than executed. The trip was very rough and she ended up losing her young son who was born very shortly after she arrived. Things seem to get even worse for Bryony when she is ‘bought’ by an unsympathetic landowner.
Captain Hayden St. John had just recently lost his wife in childbirth and needed a wet nurse for his newborn son. Bryony could fulfill that need. Things don’t start off well as Hayden is very harsh and demanding of her. He is under the impression that she is a very disreputable young woman. However, he’s not an evil man by any means, just in mourning, feels he’s responsible for the death of his wife whom he loved very much and is dependent on a young woman he doesn’t trust to care for his son. In addition, what makes things even harder for him is he’s becoming more and more attracted to her as she slowly opens up about her life and how she has ended up where she has.
And much to her dismay, as she sees that Hayden isn’t the monster she first thought he was. While Hayden wants to make her his mistress, she holds out as she’s lost everything except for her pride and she needs to hold onto that.
At times this is pretty dark and intense. If you are a fan of dark historical romance this is one that I highly recommend. As with Whispers of heaven, Bryony is the real star of this book. She has weathered all she’s been through with a strength not many have. She’s brave and strong and keeps her dignity. Hayden is also a strong and good man who has to deal with the reality of living in a land where most of the workers are convicts. He respects and loves the land an though it can be very harsh in many ways, he loves it and sees great opportunities. These two are wonderful as hero and heroine. When I read this book it was like revisiting old friends I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Since I picked up all her backlist except for one book I didn’t care for and one that’s not out as an ebook (yet I hope) I know I have some good read ahead.
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4.5 out of 5
Back in the day Candice Proctor wrote some of my favourite historical romances. Then she changed course and began writing the Sebastian St Cyr historical mysteries as C.S. Harris. Since I pretty much read only ebooks now – older eyes and larger print don’t you know – I’ve been looking for some of my very favourite print books to come out as ebooks. Candice Proctor has been one I’ve been hoping for most. A few years ago now, in 2016, my favourite of all her books came out as an ebook, Whispers of Heaven, which I promptly reread. But that was the only one and after checking for a while on Amazon for the rest, I kind of gave up. I was pursuing Kindle book in Amazon the other day though and remembered her and took a chance. Much to my delight, most of her previous book are now available so of course immediately I picked them up.
Night in Eden is my second favourite book and the one I was hoping for most after Whispers of Heaven. I started it yesterday and finished it today. I think this is her darkest of her romances.
Bryony Wentworth has been through hell. She was living a life in Cornwall England, married, though it wasn’t a perfect marriage, and had a young daughter she loved to distraction. But her life was destroyed when she caught her husband with another woman and in her anger, she hit him with the branch of a tree and he ended up falling off a cliff. She was charged with manslaughter and because she was pregnant at the time, she was transported to Australia rather than executed. The trip was very rough and she ended up losing her young son who was born very shortly after she arrived. Things seem to get even worse for Bryony when she is ‘bought’ by an unsympathetic landowner.
Captain Hayden St. John had just recently lost his wife in childbirth and needed a wet nurse for his newborn son. Bryony could fulfill that need. Things don’t start off well as Hayden is very harsh and demanding of her. He is under the impression that she is a very disreputable young woman. However, he’s not an evil man by any means, just in mourning, feels he’s responsible for the death of his wife whom he loved very much and is dependent on a young woman he doesn’t trust to care for his son. In addition, what makes things even harder for him is he’s becoming more and more attracted to her as she slowly opens up about her life and how she has ended up where she has.
And much to her dismay, as she sees that Hayden isn’t the monster she first thought he was. While Hayden wants to make her his mistress, she holds out as she’s lost everything except for her pride and she needs to hold onto that.
At times this is pretty dark and intense. If you are a fan of dark historical romance this is one that I highly recommend. As with Whispers of heaven, Bryony is the real star of this book. She has weathered all she’s been through with a strength not many have. She’s brave and strong and keeps her dignity. Hayden is also a strong and good man who has to deal with the reality of living in a land where most of the workers are convicts. He respects and loves the land an though it can be very harsh in many ways, he loves it and sees great opportunities. These two are wonderful as hero and heroine. When I read this book it was like revisiting old friends I hadn’t seen in quite some time. Since I picked up all her backlist except for one book I didn’t care for and one that’s not out as an ebook (yet I hope) I know I have some good read ahead.
July 3, 2011
This book was too depressing for me. It seemed like things got worse and worse. I started to think, "How much can one woman suffer, and when is it going to get better" as I read. Not a good sign. It was such a downer for me, I started skimming, and while the writing is good, it's just too dark (in a way I don't personally care for). And there is a twist I really didn't like as well.
After reading three of her books, I've come to the conclusion that Candice Proctor is not for me. I have The Last Knight in my tbr pile, and I'll probably give up on her after that one.
I can see this is highly rated, and I'm glad it appeals to other readers. I like an angsty story with a very happy ending, but this one is just way too angsty and bleak for my taste.
After reading three of her books, I've come to the conclusion that Candice Proctor is not for me. I have The Last Knight in my tbr pile, and I'll probably give up on her after that one.
I can see this is highly rated, and I'm glad it appeals to other readers. I like an angsty story with a very happy ending, but this one is just way too angsty and bleak for my taste.
July 15, 2022
4.5 Stars
The unforgettable, inspiring story of a remarkable woman’s struggle to survive in a strange new world, and of the enigmatic man to whom she is bound ...
My thoughts?
At first, I thought the story was gloomy, with quite a few heavy themes I wasn't sure I was in the mood to read. But I decided to continue because some of my GR friends loved it and I was curious.
I'm not a big fan of slow-burn romance; I tend to avoid it. These days, I just don't have the patience for it. And unfortunately, some books lack the burn and are simply--slow. Night in Eden is not one of those books. There was definitely a burn and it was wonderfully written. I highly enjoyed watching Bryony & Hayden burn for each other, page after page. Did I ever get impatient? Maybe for a minute, but I also felt the pacing was well done. I was relieved Bryony didn't suffer from Treacherous Body Syndrome and fall into bed with Hayden prematurely. I would have been very disappointed.
“Don’t you see? When they made me a convict, they took away from me everything they could. My freedom. My children. My home. But things like my pride and my principles, they’re in here.” She curled her hand into a fist and pressed it tight against her breast. “No one can take those away.” She dropped her hand, still clenched, to her side. “And I’m not about to give them to you."
I almost jumped up on my bed and cheered for her. Thank goodness--a heroine with a good dose of self-respect and dignity. A strong female lead ❤️
Halfway through the book, I found myself completely engrossed with the story. I couldn't put it down. And it wasn't even that angsty, which is saying something because I live for angst in romance books. However, this was a gritty and emotional story with incredibly vivid characters that wound up hooking me. I mean, how does one not get hooked by Captain Hayden St. John? 🥰
One thing I should point out is that there was a lot of imagery. LONG descriptions of the landscape surrounding them, especially as they traveled to Hayden's home. I understand this was integral to the plot, but it was too much...for me. Again, I'm an impatient reader. Mi culpa.
Descriptions I did love and appreciate--those of Hayden working outdoors in the sun, lifting heavy things. Shirtless. Shove those images in my eye sockets, please! ANY description of Hayden. Holy smokes, I was riveted.
HEA: Yes, with sweet epilogue included.
Cheating: None at all.
Worried about the dead other woman (his wife)? Read spoiler quote below.
The unforgettable, inspiring story of a remarkable woman’s struggle to survive in a strange new world, and of the enigmatic man to whom she is bound ...
My thoughts?
At first, I thought the story was gloomy, with quite a few heavy themes I wasn't sure I was in the mood to read. But I decided to continue because some of my GR friends loved it and I was curious.
I'm not a big fan of slow-burn romance; I tend to avoid it. These days, I just don't have the patience for it. And unfortunately, some books lack the burn and are simply--slow. Night in Eden is not one of those books. There was definitely a burn and it was wonderfully written. I highly enjoyed watching Bryony & Hayden burn for each other, page after page. Did I ever get impatient? Maybe for a minute, but I also felt the pacing was well done. I was relieved Bryony didn't suffer from Treacherous Body Syndrome and fall into bed with Hayden prematurely. I would have been very disappointed.
“Don’t you see? When they made me a convict, they took away from me everything they could. My freedom. My children. My home. But things like my pride and my principles, they’re in here.” She curled her hand into a fist and pressed it tight against her breast. “No one can take those away.” She dropped her hand, still clenched, to her side. “And I’m not about to give them to you."
I almost jumped up on my bed and cheered for her. Thank goodness--a heroine with a good dose of self-respect and dignity. A strong female lead ❤️
Halfway through the book, I found myself completely engrossed with the story. I couldn't put it down. And it wasn't even that angsty, which is saying something because I live for angst in romance books. However, this was a gritty and emotional story with incredibly vivid characters that wound up hooking me. I mean, how does one not get hooked by Captain Hayden St. John? 🥰
One thing I should point out is that there was a lot of imagery. LONG descriptions of the landscape surrounding them, especially as they traveled to Hayden's home. I understand this was integral to the plot, but it was too much...for me. Again, I'm an impatient reader. Mi culpa.
Descriptions I did love and appreciate--those of Hayden working outdoors in the sun, lifting heavy things. Shirtless. Shove those images in my eye sockets, please! ANY description of Hayden. Holy smokes, I was riveted.
HEA: Yes, with sweet epilogue included.
Cheating: None at all.
Worried about the dead other woman (his wife)? Read spoiler quote below.
August 1, 2021
Enthralling Story of Love in New South Wales, Australia in the early 19th Century
Incredibly good, that’s what this debut novel by Candice Proctor is…incredibly good. Proctor is the younger sister of one of my absolute favorite author, Penelope Williamson. With talent that good, I can only say it must run in the genes.
NIGHT IN EDEN tells the story of Bryony Wentworth, who was transported to New South Wales in 1808 as punishment for the accidental death of her cheating husband. And in telling us her story, Proctor has told the story of so many other women prisoners, some of whom for minor crimes were torn from their homes in England and sent on prison ships to become the slaves and involuntary whores for hard men in Australia. Byrony was torn from her 3-year-old daughter when she is sent there and spared rape only because she was pregnant with her second child, a boy who dies soon after his birth. While still mourning his death, she is forced to become the servant of Captain Hayden St. John, a war hero whose aristocratic wife has died leaving him a baby son who must be nursed. So, Byrony becomes his wet nurse. She also expects to be raped, and though St. John certainly wants her in his bed, even asks her to be his convict mistress, he is a better master than most and will not take her unwilling. So she sticks to her “pride and principles,” all she has left; and though she longs for him, too, she tells him no—at least initially.
Proctor brings to the reader life in Australia in the early 19th century, away from Sydney Town. She shows how badly those brought to the colony there as prisoners often fared. How they were treated and looked down upon by crude free men even after serving their time to become free themselves. Proctor has done an amazing job.
There is great suspense as we encounter the Aborigines, great sadness as the frontier “swallows up” children who wander away, and great passion between a man and a woman who, under other circumstances, might have courted and married in the normal way. Proctor once was quoted as saying "I like to write about strong women, women who sometimes aren't even aware of their own strength but discover it when tested by life. And I make certain my heroines end up with the kind of men they deserve-- honorable men, men who can be both gentle and strong, who never lose their sense of humor and don't feel threatened by a strong woman." Such are Bryony and Hayden.
I loved this story and highly recommend it.
Incredibly good, that’s what this debut novel by Candice Proctor is…incredibly good. Proctor is the younger sister of one of my absolute favorite author, Penelope Williamson. With talent that good, I can only say it must run in the genes.
NIGHT IN EDEN tells the story of Bryony Wentworth, who was transported to New South Wales in 1808 as punishment for the accidental death of her cheating husband. And in telling us her story, Proctor has told the story of so many other women prisoners, some of whom for minor crimes were torn from their homes in England and sent on prison ships to become the slaves and involuntary whores for hard men in Australia. Byrony was torn from her 3-year-old daughter when she is sent there and spared rape only because she was pregnant with her second child, a boy who dies soon after his birth. While still mourning his death, she is forced to become the servant of Captain Hayden St. John, a war hero whose aristocratic wife has died leaving him a baby son who must be nursed. So, Byrony becomes his wet nurse. She also expects to be raped, and though St. John certainly wants her in his bed, even asks her to be his convict mistress, he is a better master than most and will not take her unwilling. So she sticks to her “pride and principles,” all she has left; and though she longs for him, too, she tells him no—at least initially.
Proctor brings to the reader life in Australia in the early 19th century, away from Sydney Town. She shows how badly those brought to the colony there as prisoners often fared. How they were treated and looked down upon by crude free men even after serving their time to become free themselves. Proctor has done an amazing job.
There is great suspense as we encounter the Aborigines, great sadness as the frontier “swallows up” children who wander away, and great passion between a man and a woman who, under other circumstances, might have courted and married in the normal way. Proctor once was quoted as saying "I like to write about strong women, women who sometimes aren't even aware of their own strength but discover it when tested by life. And I make certain my heroines end up with the kind of men they deserve-- honorable men, men who can be both gentle and strong, who never lose their sense of humor and don't feel threatened by a strong woman." Such are Bryony and Hayden.
I loved this story and highly recommend it.
January 30, 2022
A wonderfully original and evocative read.
My first book by Candice Proctor, this was a brilliant departure from the usual Regency fare. I relished the chance to take a closer look at all the unsavoury aspects of that time period.
Some parts of the novel were quite harrowing in their realistic portrayal of the hardships female convicts were made to suffer: death, calamities, and slavery are a constant presence throughout the story.
Despite the pervading sense of tragedy, the HEA feels entirely earned. It did seem plausible that the MCs would overcome class differences, survive floods and a vengeful husband, even if quite a few secondary characters suffered at the hands of fate.
I really appreciated how realistically both MCs were portrayed. Briony, the heroine, is a true survivor and I found myself in awe of her determination and valor. The hero I found much harder to appreciate in the first half: he seemed to enjoy the power play between him and Briony a little too much. He did, however, reveal himself to be a honourable man with a loving nature, and most importantly appreciated and cherished the h.
I’m only taking off one star because their dynamic stagnated a little in the first half of the novel, when their mutual attraction battled with their different circumstances and Briony’s moral qualms. Their chemistry was palpable though, and the author developed their romance in a way that felt natural and heartfelt. All in all, I think this book is bound to leave a lasting impression on any reader and lover of this genre!
My first book by Candice Proctor, this was a brilliant departure from the usual Regency fare. I relished the chance to take a closer look at all the unsavoury aspects of that time period.
Some parts of the novel were quite harrowing in their realistic portrayal of the hardships female convicts were made to suffer: death, calamities, and slavery are a constant presence throughout the story.
Despite the pervading sense of tragedy, the HEA feels entirely earned. It did seem plausible that the MCs would overcome class differences, survive floods and a vengeful husband, even if quite a few secondary characters suffered at the hands of fate.
I really appreciated how realistically both MCs were portrayed. Briony, the heroine, is a true survivor and I found myself in awe of her determination and valor. The hero I found much harder to appreciate in the first half: he seemed to enjoy the power play between him and Briony a little too much. He did, however, reveal himself to be a honourable man with a loving nature, and most importantly appreciated and cherished the h.
I’m only taking off one star because their dynamic stagnated a little in the first half of the novel, when their mutual attraction battled with their different circumstances and Briony’s moral qualms. Their chemistry was palpable though, and the author developed their romance in a way that felt natural and heartfelt. All in all, I think this book is bound to leave a lasting impression on any reader and lover of this genre!
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