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Forever Wild
Living in the Adirondacks in the late 1800's, Marcy Tompkins is determined to marry a rich husband and move to a city
418 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 1986
36 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
July 26, 2013
I need a new "made me whimper" shelf.
My full review at Dear Author: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
My full review at Dear Author: http://dearauthor.com/book-reviews/ov...
June 11, 2020
We use up everything in this country, she thought. Men, and land, and resources. Without a backward glance.
You don't go into reading and Old Skool romance novel (1986! Laws, the things I was doing in 1986... did not include reading this book!) and expect to find Silent Spring, and let's be honest, you don't. But if you can get past some of language - mountain folk say "tarnation" so much I thought I was reading a Yosemite Sam primer - and a few dated tropes, you may enjoy this.
A dual romance of Willough and Nat, and her brother Drew and his wife, Marcy. Both romances are given equal time. The "villains" such as they are can be a bit over the top. But what you will find is some subtle commentary of how the US has raped its own land of resources and two heroes who are actually not the alpha holes of yore.
YMMV, as always, but I plan to give Sylvia Halliday/Louisa Rawlings' old novels a shot. EXTRA: She is 87 and has a blog which is being updated even during our coronavirus times and it's definitely worth a read.
You don't go into reading and Old Skool romance novel (1986! Laws, the things I was doing in 1986... did not include reading this book!) and expect to find Silent Spring, and let's be honest, you don't. But if you can get past some of language - mountain folk say "tarnation" so much I thought I was reading a Yosemite Sam primer - and a few dated tropes, you may enjoy this.
A dual romance of Willough and Nat, and her brother Drew and his wife, Marcy. Both romances are given equal time. The "villains" such as they are can be a bit over the top. But what you will find is some subtle commentary of how the US has raped its own land of resources and two heroes who are actually not the alpha holes of yore.
YMMV, as always, but I plan to give Sylvia Halliday/Louisa Rawlings' old novels a shot. EXTRA: She is 87 and has a blog which is being updated even during our coronavirus times and it's definitely worth a read.
May 21, 2023
Not a bad story, though I would have liked it better if it were just about Marcy and Drew. I didn't have any interest in either Willow (Drew's sister) or Nat, and thought they were both more annoying than anything else. Arthur was a HORRIBLE character and deserved what he got, especially for the part he played in causing trouble between Marcy and Drew, though Drew has to take part of the blame for not seeing the situation for what it really was.
What I liked most was Drew's determination to be his own person, which meant a career as an artist, rather than take over the family business. This puts him at odds with his father, who's not a likeable character at all! Neither is his mother, who supports his artistic dreams, but goes too far in trying to help them come true.
I also liked the time he and Marcy lived in Paris, the struggles they had and how much Marcy wanted to help out financially, even willing to pose nude for life drawing classes (she didn't), anything to help out, while Drew felt he was letting her down, because she once talked of marrying a rich man, and he couldn't forget that. This leads to all the troubles between them.
I won't say anything more; except to add that it's too bad all the time wasted on Nat and Willow couldn't have been devoted to Drew and Marcy instead.
What I liked most was Drew's determination to be his own person, which meant a career as an artist, rather than take over the family business. This puts him at odds with his father, who's not a likeable character at all! Neither is his mother, who supports his artistic dreams, but goes too far in trying to help them come true.
I also liked the time he and Marcy lived in Paris, the struggles they had and how much Marcy wanted to help out financially, even willing to pose nude for life drawing classes (she didn't), anything to help out, while Drew felt he was letting her down, because she once talked of marrying a rich man, and he couldn't forget that. This leads to all the troubles between them.
I won't say anything more; except to add that it's too bad all the time wasted on Nat and Willow couldn't have been devoted to Drew and Marcy instead.
July 28, 2013
Forever Wild features two, very different couples in parallel love stories; Rawlings gives equal time to both. Most of the action takes place in New York state in the late 1800s; industrial development and destruction of the wilderness is the backdrop and provides some of the plot tension.
One couple is country girl Marcy, who falls in love with starving artist Drew. The other couple is prim Willough Bradford and her father's manager, Nat. Nat = meow! He's smart, hard-working, and very masculine, which scares the beejeezus out of Willough. Much of the conflict between them revolves around Willough's inability to accept Nat's unrefined ways and her fear of him as a (hot and sexy) man.
This book was originally published in 19__, and it covers a few years in time. Unlike a lot of modern historical romances, it doesn't end at the altar. In fact, marriage is where some of the problems begin, at least for Marcy and Drew.
I really enjoyed this book.
Note: I've seen a couple of reviewers call this book a "bodice ripper," but it's definitely not. While there is violence against one of the heroines, it's not perpetrated by either hero. A real, 1980s-style "bodice ripper" romanticizes the heroine's reluctance and her sexual submission to the hero--he knows she wants him, she just hasn't admitted it. There is nothing like that in Forever Wild. In fact, quite the opposite. The violence (and rape) that occurs in Wild is depicted as destructive and awful, not romantic.
One couple is country girl Marcy, who falls in love with starving artist Drew. The other couple is prim Willough Bradford and her father's manager, Nat. Nat = meow! He's smart, hard-working, and very masculine, which scares the beejeezus out of Willough. Much of the conflict between them revolves around Willough's inability to accept Nat's unrefined ways and her fear of him as a (hot and sexy) man.
This book was originally published in 19__, and it covers a few years in time. Unlike a lot of modern historical romances, it doesn't end at the altar. In fact, marriage is where some of the problems begin, at least for Marcy and Drew.
I really enjoyed this book.
Note: I've seen a couple of reviewers call this book a "bodice ripper," but it's definitely not. While there is violence against one of the heroines, it's not perpetrated by either hero. A real, 1980s-style "bodice ripper" romanticizes the heroine's reluctance and her sexual submission to the hero--he knows she wants him, she just hasn't admitted it. There is nothing like that in Forever Wild. In fact, quite the opposite. The violence (and rape) that occurs in Wild is depicted as destructive and awful, not romantic.
June 9, 2013
I happen to love wilderness stories especially those set in upstate New York. And with two romances happening at the same time this book is an extremely satisfying read. Plus, nothing is resolved easily. Just when you think the characters are going to have their ‘happy ever after’ something else happens to keep them apart. Plus there are both internal and external conflicts. Wonderful book!
October 11, 2013
A rich pair of interwoven stories, with both couples forced to rethink their dreams on more than one occasion.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews