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ECSTASY'S PROMISE
Romance
Paperback
First published May 1, 1982
19 people are currently reading
120 people want to read
About the author
Constance O'Banyon
54 books198 followersEvelyn Gee was born on 1939 in Texas, USA. She makes her home in San Antonio with her husband, Jim and their son, Jason.
She signed her novels as Constance O'Banyon. She also wrote as Micah Leigh with Texan writer Emma Merritt. Her books range from historical to contemporary and include several novellas. Many of her books have been published in trade paperback.Among her many awards, she is the recipient of the 1996 Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. There are eight million copies of her books in print.
She says: "I have always loved history, and I loved storytelling — it was only natural that I would one day put them both together. I must have lived in another life and time, because when I write, I can almost feel I was there. My favorite part of writing is the research. Whenever possible, I will go to the place I am writing about to walk the land and smell the air."
https://www.facebook.com/Constanceobanyon/
She signed her novels as Constance O'Banyon. She also wrote as Micah Leigh with Texan writer Emma Merritt. Her books range from historical to contemporary and include several novellas. Many of her books have been published in trade paperback.Among her many awards, she is the recipient of the 1996 Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. There are eight million copies of her books in print.
She says: "I have always loved history, and I loved storytelling — it was only natural that I would one day put them both together. I must have lived in another life and time, because when I write, I can almost feel I was there. My favorite part of writing is the research. Whenever possible, I will go to the place I am writing about to walk the land and smell the air."
https://www.facebook.com/Constanceobanyon/
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
May 8, 2014
Okay for a First Book.
"Ecstasy's Promise" was the first book written by Evelyn Gee, who published books under the pseudonyms Constance O'Banyon & Tory Houston, and collaborated with Emma Merritt as Micah Leigh.
The Particulars: The book begins in the Deep South around 1864. General Sherman's March to the Sea is ongoing, and one of the homes in the path of the military campaign is the Savannah, Georgia home of the book's heroine, Victoria Lee Faraday. One day, Victoria is accosted at her home by three Union soldiers, who kill one of her house slaves, then try to rape Victoria. She kills one, her friend/confidant/protector/ Bodine-who we later discover is her uncle-kills another and the third flees. Fearing for her life, Victoria burns her plantation down and flees with Bodine to live with her grandmother in Texas. It is there that she meets the hero of the book, Edward Hanover.
Victoria and Edward are immediately attracted to each other, but, as is usually the case in romance novels, the path to happiness doesn't run smoothly. The issues the couple face are:
1. Each has other people attempting to win their love, two men for Victoria and two women for Edward.
2. The fact that Edward fought for the Union in the Civil War. Victoria is a dyed-in-the-wool Southern belle. This quickly becomes a non-subject.
3. Their pride and egos. Both Victoria and Edward spend much of the book hurting each in various forms of emotional cruelty. One example: When Victoria discovers she is pregnant, she and Edward are initially happy. However, when their doctor tells them she may die in childbirth-as her mother did giving birth to Victoria-they disagree on what to do. Victoria wants to carry the baby to term; Edward wants her to have an abortion to save her life. Edward doesn't tell Victoria that, however, he just tells her he wants her to have the abortion. This is one of several instances throughout the book where they could have saved each other a lot of pain had they actually TALKED TO each other. It also could have made this long book-574 pages-about 200 pages shorter. However, they don't. Eventually, Victoria leaves Edward to return to Georgia to have her baby, a son. Edward finds out and comes to Georgia to take their child away from Victoria. However, he finds that he can't hurt her any more than he already has and they make up and have their happily ever after.
This is not a spectacular book, mainly because the book basically stays on the surface, and doesn't really develop its emotional depth until the end of the book, but Ms. O'Banyon does improve on this in her later books.
Sex: a few very mild sex scenes, which are hardly descriptive and barely lukewarm as far as hotness goes.
Violence: a few scenes. The shooting mentioned earlier. Bodine breaks the other soldier's neck in the same incident. Edward and one of his romantic rivals for Victoria's hand have a fistfight, but none of these scenes are described in overly graphic detail.
Bottom Line: A decent beginning novel.
"Ecstasy's Promise" was the first book written by Evelyn Gee, who published books under the pseudonyms Constance O'Banyon & Tory Houston, and collaborated with Emma Merritt as Micah Leigh.
The Particulars: The book begins in the Deep South around 1864. General Sherman's March to the Sea is ongoing, and one of the homes in the path of the military campaign is the Savannah, Georgia home of the book's heroine, Victoria Lee Faraday. One day, Victoria is accosted at her home by three Union soldiers, who kill one of her house slaves, then try to rape Victoria. She kills one, her friend/confidant/protector/ Bodine-who we later discover is her uncle-kills another and the third flees. Fearing for her life, Victoria burns her plantation down and flees with Bodine to live with her grandmother in Texas. It is there that she meets the hero of the book, Edward Hanover.
Victoria and Edward are immediately attracted to each other, but, as is usually the case in romance novels, the path to happiness doesn't run smoothly. The issues the couple face are:
1. Each has other people attempting to win their love, two men for Victoria and two women for Edward.
2. The fact that Edward fought for the Union in the Civil War. Victoria is a dyed-in-the-wool Southern belle. This quickly becomes a non-subject.
3. Their pride and egos. Both Victoria and Edward spend much of the book hurting each in various forms of emotional cruelty. One example: When Victoria discovers she is pregnant, she and Edward are initially happy. However, when their doctor tells them she may die in childbirth-as her mother did giving birth to Victoria-they disagree on what to do. Victoria wants to carry the baby to term; Edward wants her to have an abortion to save her life. Edward doesn't tell Victoria that, however, he just tells her he wants her to have the abortion. This is one of several instances throughout the book where they could have saved each other a lot of pain had they actually TALKED TO each other. It also could have made this long book-574 pages-about 200 pages shorter. However, they don't. Eventually, Victoria leaves Edward to return to Georgia to have her baby, a son. Edward finds out and comes to Georgia to take their child away from Victoria. However, he finds that he can't hurt her any more than he already has and they make up and have their happily ever after.
This is not a spectacular book, mainly because the book basically stays on the surface, and doesn't really develop its emotional depth until the end of the book, but Ms. O'Banyon does improve on this in her later books.
Sex: a few very mild sex scenes, which are hardly descriptive and barely lukewarm as far as hotness goes.
Violence: a few scenes. The shooting mentioned earlier. Bodine breaks the other soldier's neck in the same incident. Edward and one of his romantic rivals for Victoria's hand have a fistfight, but none of these scenes are described in overly graphic detail.
Bottom Line: A decent beginning novel.
July 22, 2021
There is something stilted about this book.
The main characters, Victoria and Edward sound very fancy and too perfect. Way too polished. They way they speak to each other sounds to unrealistic to think that’s how people talk like when their in love.
They were like dramatic versions of Romeo and Juliet.
Anyhow, the story is set during the Civil War, but that gets tossed away and ends. The most Civil War I saw was at the start of the book and the fact that Edward is a Yankee soldier.
The plot is well paced and the romantic moments are timed well and written with love.
I have read better historical romances/ bodice rippers regarding the Civil War, but this one is still good.
The main characters, Victoria and Edward sound very fancy and too perfect. Way too polished. They way they speak to each other sounds to unrealistic to think that’s how people talk like when their in love.
They were like dramatic versions of Romeo and Juliet.
Anyhow, the story is set during the Civil War, but that gets tossed away and ends. The most Civil War I saw was at the start of the book and the fact that Edward is a Yankee soldier.
The plot is well paced and the romantic moments are timed well and written with love.
I have read better historical romances/ bodice rippers regarding the Civil War, but this one is still good.
August 23, 2025
What nonsense!
The h was so horrible. The way she tortures the H..ughh.
Firstly she hates him because he is a yankee and these kinds destroyed her home. I understand. Fine. But later on her stubbornness went too far.
Later when they marry, she doesn’t let him get close to her. She keeps torturing him. Oh my god, the way he suffers. Plus he is celibate. Then when finally they do confess their feelings. It’s good. They have blissful time, until she is pregnant. But it’s problematic as the pregnancy can be dangerous to her. Doctor tells her to abort and H wants to abort it too as he loves the h. Also a small misunderstanding happens wherein an ow from past tries to lure the H and h sees it. The H tries to explain but the h doesn’t. Now the h thinks H is cheating and already she doesn’t want to abort. So she runs away. H tries to find her but fails.
The h has returned to her old plantation. I was confused as to how H didn’t go to search her there. But anyways, h settles there and gives birth to her son. It’s been 14 months since Hh are away. This is too much of a gap for my liking. I started hating the book here. I already hated the h but now I hated the H too.
This is a stupid toxic kinda relationship. I wish the book would have ended when they finally express there love on there honeymoon. Why the extra stupid drama. The book was extremely long.
I would have given the book 5 star but latter parts were irritating.
The h was so horrible. The way she tortures the H..ughh.
Firstly she hates him because he is a yankee and these kinds destroyed her home. I understand. Fine. But later on her stubbornness went too far.
Later when they marry, she doesn’t let him get close to her. She keeps torturing him. Oh my god, the way he suffers. Plus he is celibate. Then when finally they do confess their feelings. It’s good. They have blissful time, until she is pregnant. But it’s problematic as the pregnancy can be dangerous to her. Doctor tells her to abort and H wants to abort it too as he loves the h. Also a small misunderstanding happens wherein an ow from past tries to lure the H and h sees it. The H tries to explain but the h doesn’t. Now the h thinks H is cheating and already she doesn’t want to abort. So she runs away. H tries to find her but fails.
The h has returned to her old plantation. I was confused as to how H didn’t go to search her there. But anyways, h settles there and gives birth to her son. It’s been 14 months since Hh are away. This is too much of a gap for my liking. I started hating the book here. I already hated the h but now I hated the H too.
This is a stupid toxic kinda relationship. I wish the book would have ended when they finally express there love on there honeymoon. Why the extra stupid drama. The book was extremely long.
I would have given the book 5 star but latter parts were irritating.
August 14, 2016
Victoria and Edward
This is one of my favorites. I read this book when it first came out in 1982. Loved it so much, that I kept the book, and re read it over and over. Some where over the years, I lost that book, and I'm so thankful it came out in ebook. Now I have it once again.
This is one of my favorites. I read this book when it first came out in 1982. Loved it so much, that I kept the book, and re read it over and over. Some where over the years, I lost that book, and I'm so thankful it came out in ebook. Now I have it once again.
September 1, 2011
This is another old classic romance. It takes place in the deep south way back in the day. It puts you in mind of Gone With the Wind. It had a lot of twists and turns and heartache and pain. It was very exciting.
May 18, 2013
I loved the story. I didn't like the passages when Victoria was cruel to Edward. I really don't understand how someone can deliberately hurt the one they love. And she did it several times.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews