Kona Winds

Americana #11

by Janet Dailey

Every novel in this collection is your passport to a romantic tour of the United States through time-honored favorites by America-s First Lady of romance fiction. Each of the fifty novels is set in a different state, researched by Janet and her husband, Bill. For the Daileys it was an odyssey of discovery. For you, it-s the journey of a lifetime. Your tour of desire begins with this story set in Hawaii.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Contemporary, Category Romance

124 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1979

About the author

Janet Anne Haradon Dailey was an American author of numerous romance novels as Janet Dailey (her married name). Her novels have been translated into nineteen languages and have sold over 300 million copies worldwide.

Born in 1944 in Storm Lake, Iowa, she attended secretarial school in Omaha, Nebraska before meeting her husband, Bill. Bill and Janet worked together in construction and land development until they "retired" to travel throughout the United States, inspiring Janet to write the Americana series of romances, where she set a novel in every state of the Union. In 1974, Janet Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin. Her first novel was NO QUARTER ASKED.

She had since gone on to write approximately 90 novels, 21 of which have appeared on the New York Times Bestseller List. She won many awards and accolades for her work, appearing widely on Radio and Television. Today, there are over three hundred million Janet Dailey books in print in 19 different languages, making her one of the most popular novelists in the world.

Janet Dailey passed away peacefully in her home in Branson on Saturday, December 14, 2013. She was 69.

Reviews

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quick and enjoyable read, set in beautiful Hawaii.

[Naksed · Rating 3 out of 5]

22 year old Julie is having a miserable time in freezing, icy Boston. So when she gets a dream job offer to privately tutor a young girl in a beautiful Hawaiian sugar plantation, she doesn’t need to think twice about it. The bonus she was not expecting is her pupil’s riveting 35 year old brother Ruel, who immediately makes all her bikini parts tingle at first sight.

Follows a cat and mouse game between the two, in between long, loooong bouts of sightseeing and Hawaiian historical and cultural travelogue. Hero blows hot and cold. First, he tells her he has a rule (or is it “Ruel”) against dating employees (wise). Then, when it seems both of them can’t resist their mutual attraction, he offers her a night at his groovy city bachelor pad. Heroine wisely declines, likely shuddering at the thought of all the action that mattress has been enduring for the past decade or so since it is clear Ruel has been leading quite the merry life. When she asks him why he hasn’t married yet (hint hint) he unchivalrously answers that he hasn’t yet found a woman who won’t bore him either in or out of bed. Aouch! And LOL.

It finally takes a besotted young surfer trying his lame game on Miss Julie for Ruel to erupt like a Hawaiian volcano, punch the young guy’s lights out, and propose legitimate matrimony to his woman. As she shyly reciprocates his love declaration, he assures her she will never bore him since she’s “the most fascinating and intelligent creature” he’s met in years (tee hee). I don’t know how long that will hold true for this habitual manwhore, but at least Julie is assured of a future in beautiful, warm Hawaii far far away from the bleak winters of mainland America so I guess this is hfn :)

[*CJ* · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Kona Winds" is the story of Julie and Ruel.

A very pleasant story to read, because if you love the Hawaiian culture, the author has represented it beautifully here.

Our h is hired to be a companion for a young woman who is recovering from an accident, and travels to Hawaii to take the job for six months. There she meets the lady's kind aunt and very brooding brother. The h is a curious, vivacious creature, filled with life and soon makes friends with everyone around her, exploring the richness and diversity of Hawaii, intriguing the H..

The first half of the book is pretty bland- it's the h adjusting to a new home and job, while the H stares and broods from afar. It's in the second half that the pursuit begins, and things become juice. It does end a bit abruptly though. Also has some OM drama.

SWE h flirts with OM after meeting H, dates him
3/5

[RomLibrary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julie Lancaster thinks her new job is perfect. She has a gracious employer, a charming teenager to teach, and life in the splendid beauty of Hawaii. But when Ruel Chandler comes on the scene, things begin to change. Her pupil’s brother and head of the household, Ruel is aloof, indifferent, and bored with women. Yet Ruel stirs the flame in her heart and she is drawn to him uncontrollably.

Can Julie resist, or will she lose everything—her new job, her new home . . . and even herself

[Deb · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was sad when I heard Janet Dailey passed away recently. If you didn't grow up (or read romance novels) in the late 70's-early 80's, you may not know the name. Dailey was the first American author to write for Harlequin and that writing evolved to make her one of the queens of the bodice ripper, alpha male romance with books often set in the western U.S. When I was in junior high we frequently had Saturday dinners at my aunt's house. I hated the dinners but I loved going through my aunt's vast collection of Harlequins and taking a grocery bag home to be read and exchanged at the following dinner for a new bag. They were my guilty pleasure and I sped thru them. ;-) As I got a little older, the books got a bit racier and Janet Dailey's non-Harlequin titles were often in the bags I took home. My reading tastes have changed and I hadn't thought about or read any Janet Dailey books in years. After reading author Cathy Lamb's post about Dailey (https://www.goodreads.com/author_blog...), I was inspired to go back and read (or reread) something Dailey wrote--this time downloaded on my Kindle. Her more popular works: The Calder Saga series, Touch the Wind, The Rogue, etc. were all a bit pricey for the little diversion I wanted so, I thought I'd try Kona Winds--part of a project Dailey and her husband did by researching and setting romance novels in all 50 states (to be honest it was a quick read and under $4). Also, I love to read older/retro cheesy romance books set in Hawaii and this one was set on Oahu and published in 1980. I read almost all of it while at the salon waiting for my highlights to set. It gets 3 stars for the nostalgia of reliving a little bit of my young adulthood and for the fun trip around the island 30+ years ago to places I recognize today--a treat. Writing-wise, it's a silly bit of fluff--light on the passion, a sweet, innocent heroine and a brooding hero who hardly interact at all and then wham bam they are in love with a HEA. Not her best work but, with over 90 novels and over 300 million copies in print all over the world, she was still a pop culture icon.
RIP Janet!

[Vicki Hyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved Janet Dailey. I started reading her books in grammar school. I'm going to Hawaii this year and thought this book would be a nice way to get into the Aloha spirit...I was right. While Janet Dailey may not be the best author in the world, she will always be a sentimental favorite of mine.

[Bea Tea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I avoided reading this for ages because my edition has got the angriest, stroppiest, moodiest looking dude on the cover. He looks like he's about to do a murder. Having read a fair deal of vintage romance, and having been subjected to some of the nastiest, cruelest and most terrible 'heroes' in romance fiction, I was constantly putting this off.

Turns out the heroes not that bad. He's just sullen and distant. A reluctant love at first sight kinda guy.

This book was mostly travelogue, out heroine spends more time sight seeing than she does in the company of the H. When they are together he's most on his way out of the room to answer a phone/ go to a meeting/ see a friend. I'm amazed love had a chance to blossom in such thin ground, these two barely speak. I'm not a fan of romances that keep the h and H apart so much. Let's face it, we're all here to see two people fall in love, not drip about on their own looking at the sights.

Satisfying ending though, he fell in line nicely and even begged a little. Yessss.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not my kind of book, but I read it for a specific bingo challenge because this is an author my grandmother used to love. I am not a romance reader at all, and if I was, this would still not be my kind of romance but it was relatively okay for the time it was written. I had an issue with the male main character for a trait that I hope would not be acceptable in romances written today. He physically manhandled the lady love when she made him angry which I find unacceptable for something set only 45 years ago. He didn't hit her, but he grabbed her arms "with a steel grip" and dragged her to his car or held her tightly against his body in a tight grip. This is a prelude to violence of another sort in my eyes, but I'm sure the reader is not supposed to think that would ever happen. Other than that, it was about what I expected.

[Pauline · Rating 2 out of 5]

My daughter and three of my friends were all in HI when I bought this book. I thought I would read on the plane our going the opposite direction today. East Coast instead of Hawaii.

The description said Hawaii. It said teacher story. It was a romance with more intimate details than I prefer and it mentioned nothing about her teaching experience except algebra is hard. It really wasn’t clear why the woman contacted someone in Boston to come for 6 weeks to teach a home bound student. It did mention some Oahu tourist spots and gave a couple quick points of history, but it sure wasn’t what I expected. It all came together too quickly and conflict resolved too quickly but it was an easy read while in the air. Don’t recommend.

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

very good

[Janice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Julie is home schooling Emily (who was badly injured in an accident). Ruel is Emily's older brother. Definitely written in the 70's.

[Susan, aka Pooh Bear · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having had the opportunity to visit Hawaii on my college Christmas break, I was reminded of that visit.

Never disappointed in the Americana books.

[Melita Sheppard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disappointing

[Kelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I could rate this in negative numbers, I’d give it everything I could. Somehow manages to combine violence against a woman with 0 characterization and an unbelievable plot. Awful!

[Lisa Hawkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet romance in the most romantic place!

[Valarie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-1/2 stars. Better than usual for Janet Dailey. Most of her stories wouldn’t be published nowadays (lots of emotional and verbal abuse, coercion, etc).

[LiMa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as a teenager and it really made me want to travel to Hawaii and drink Blue Hawaii cocktails in sophisticated restaurants with handsome, brooding men.

Julie is a substitute teacher passionate about teaching history to American high school students (really?). But being young and beautiful, nobody thinks she can control a classroom and she can't find a permanent teaching job. She gets an offer to privately tutor a high school student who has to be out of school due to severe injuries suffered in a car accident. Bonus, the job is in Hawaii. Once there, the girl's wealthy family is dubious because young, beautiful, yada yada, also that the person who referred Julie didn't say she'd never held a permanent teaching job. But she's personable, kind, good-natured and serious about her teaching so they give her a chance.

The wealthy family owns and lives on a sugar plantation. The house is big and fancy. The family consists of an aunt (parents are dead) and a tall, dark and handsome stepbrother. Soon enough, stepbrother is intently watching Julie swim in her bikini, go sight-seeing in museums on her days off, seriously and carefully steering the invalid through her lessons, and good-naturedly fending off a young surfer. There are short, uncomfortable conversations between Julie and the stepbrother brought on no doubt by unresolved sexual tension. But soon enough he's taking her out to dinner (where she drinks the aforementioned Blue Hawaiis), getting jealous over the surfer, intense making out on the beach, intense making out in her room after she is startled by a lizard and he hotfoots it into her room to find out why she screamed, and naturally enough, getting caught by the aunt. Then we get a car ride through the sugarcane. ILYs are exchanged. No marriage proposal though. I guess you're just supposed to assume it.

When I was young, Kona Winds seemed very romantic and sexy. Now I appreciate that there is little build-up, no real plot, a significant age difference (22 to 35), not much time spent together to establish anything other than a sexual connection. But even so, I still enjoyed it on this re-read decades later. The writing style is pedantic but then, that's not necessarily a bad thing since it makes the book easy to read. No ambiguities. The hero stepbrother is a product of the late 1970s, and in some ways, so is Julie.

I enjoyed it. Three stars.

[Medusa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reread this out of nostalgia and immediately remembered why 12-year-old me was obsessed… and why adult me wants to throw Ruel into the sea.
And it’s so funny how nostalgia can be cozy and slightly alarming. You revisit a book like this and go, “Wait, this was my idea of romance at twelve???”

I think Ruel, the male lead, was meant to come off as brooding and passionate, but (more than) often veered into the controlling and emotionally stunted territory.

Do I still love this book? Yes. But do I still think Ruel is the best thing after meat pie? Absolutely not. The attraction was blindingly hot though.

That said, I think there’s something oddly addictive about the whirlwind nature of this story, especially if you grew up on Janet Dailey’s Americana series. So, you’re in the mood for a vintage romance with all its highs, lows, and red flags, Kona Winds delivers exactly that.

(It was really fun recognising lines I used to love, and laughing/giggling at scenes I'd once laughed at nearly ten years ago)

[Stacy · Rating 2 out of 5]

In all fairness I did learn quite a bit about the island of Oahu, the sugar cane, the pineapple, the winds and terminology. The story itself was just not interesting at all. How a story set in Hawaii could be so lackluster is a mystery. At 180 pages, it was perfect for helping me finish the states challenge at this late date, but nothing that I’d recommend.

there's more on my blog http://stacybuckeye.wordpress.com/201...

[Gena Lott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of Dailey's early romances, lighter and less sexually titillating than her later work. For a younger reading it was exciting and fun. But of course, that when I still believed in romance. ;-)

[Alexandria · Rating 3 out of 5]

These quick reads ate always great :)

[Tula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Only enjoyed it because of the setting the story takes place, otherwise it was just ok.