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Silver Jasmine
Slender as a reed, and as ready as fawn to flee a man's touch... yet 17 yr old Tess had mettle too, though it could not prevent her cruel step-father from gambling her honor in a card game...or Morgan Hamilton's forcing her into his marriage bed. Morgan Hamilton...soldier, Scotsman, enigma. How Tess longed to love him... she who could not trust any man! Only on their tropical isle, only at her new plantation home, a land seething with slavery and vengeance, could tess grow to understand Morgan... and the ways of her own heart.
352 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1980
About the author
Janet Louise Roberts
73 books34 followersSee pseudonyms Louisa Bronte, Rebecca Danton & Janette Radcliffe. Some of the listed titles are more straight romance than romantic suspense.
Janet Louise Roberts was born on January 20, 1925, in New Britain Connecticut, the daughter of a missionary in a conservative church. She wrote contemporary, historical, and gothic romances, as well as occult horror romances such as The Devil’s Own, Isle of the Dolphins, Lord Satan, and Her Demon Lover. She used pseudonyms for several of her works.
Roberts died on June 11, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio.
Janet Louise Roberts was born on January 20, 1925, in New Britain Connecticut, the daughter of a missionary in a conservative church. She wrote contemporary, historical, and gothic romances, as well as occult horror romances such as The Devil’s Own, Isle of the Dolphins, Lord Satan, and Her Demon Lover. She used pseudonyms for several of her works.
Roberts died on June 11, 1982 in Dayton, Ohio.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
April 23, 2024
A bodice-ripper with a social conscience. Amidst all the tissue-paper-gown-ripping, forced seductions, and violence, the author goes to great length to highlight the plight of women and of enslaved persons in the 19th century. Her sentiments may be trite (slavery is evil, women are oppressed, etc) but I cannot fault her for them. I just wish the narrative she weaved to illustrate her point of view was more compelling. It's not that Silver Jasmine was overall a bad book and it is probably better than most books of this genre. It's just that it was uneven: Sometimes interesting and engaging, other times tedious, and in a lot of instances, downright distasteful.
The best thing about the book was the female protagonist because the author took care to develop her character, motivations, and actions in a plausible, and emotionally relatable way. She was not the do-gooder Mary Sue who can do no wrong. Neither was she the hellion bent on rebellion even if it means her own self-destruction. She was thankfully not a caricature. I believed in her as a living, breathing woman with thoughts and dreams of her own. She did not hero-worship the male protagonist, agonize over his love or even really hate him. The background of her life, all the hardships she had suffered and the "street" education she received by observing the brutal ways of men, just made her super aware of the fleeting nature of what people refer to as "love" and the stupidity of relying on the whims of inconstant men.
It took her a long, long while but she came into her own. I love a heroine who is going to land on her feet no matter what life brings her and when I finished reading the book, I felt confident that she would have an HEA not just because of matrimony and motherhood but because she was strong, resilient, and she was able to get her husband to respect her and treat her as an equal.
The best thing about the book was the female protagonist because the author took care to develop her character, motivations, and actions in a plausible, and emotionally relatable way. She was not the do-gooder Mary Sue who can do no wrong. Neither was she the hellion bent on rebellion even if it means her own self-destruction. She was thankfully not a caricature. I believed in her as a living, breathing woman with thoughts and dreams of her own. She did not hero-worship the male protagonist, agonize over his love or even really hate him. The background of her life, all the hardships she had suffered and the "street" education she received by observing the brutal ways of men, just made her super aware of the fleeting nature of what people refer to as "love" and the stupidity of relying on the whims of inconstant men.
It took her a long, long while but she came into her own. I love a heroine who is going to land on her feet no matter what life brings her and when I finished reading the book, I felt confident that she would have an HEA not just because of matrimony and motherhood but because she was strong, resilient, and she was able to get her husband to respect her and treat her as an equal.
August 15, 2020
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫✨ 3.75 stars
I had a lot of problems with this one. The portrayal of the slaves was absolutely heinous. It was disgusting, I don’t know why I continued this book when I could barely stomach it, but I did. Other than that and the “forced seduction” *cough* rape *cough*, it was really good with a great plot. The first half was definitely the best and honestly it could have ended at the 50% mark.
Tess (17) was a great heroine with a strong, but not annoying backbone. She was intelligent and kind and hardworking. She deserved better than the sad situations she found herself in.
Morgan (28) is a former sailor who was left an inheritance in the Caribbean. He was not a great hero in the beginning and in some pockets throughout the story, but overall he was fine.
All in all, if you like bodice rippers that aren’t to bodice rippery, this is a good book for you!
I had a lot of problems with this one. The portrayal of the slaves was absolutely heinous. It was disgusting, I don’t know why I continued this book when I could barely stomach it, but I did. Other than that and the “forced seduction” *cough* rape *cough*, it was really good with a great plot. The first half was definitely the best and honestly it could have ended at the 50% mark.
Tess (17) was a great heroine with a strong, but not annoying backbone. She was intelligent and kind and hardworking. She deserved better than the sad situations she found herself in.
Morgan (28) is a former sailor who was left an inheritance in the Caribbean. He was not a great hero in the beginning and in some pockets throughout the story, but overall he was fine.
All in all, if you like bodice rippers that aren’t to bodice rippery, this is a good book for you!
February 14, 2014
It's not perfect. It's copyright date is 1980, the term "politically correct" hadn't hit the whole world and blown up yet. It is set in 1816 when there was still slavery, women were possessions to be traded to the highest dowery.
For me this book is a trip back to junior high school when I snuck it off my mother's bookshelf and read my first book not of the juvenile fiction section of the library. It is a great story.
For me this book is a trip back to junior high school when I snuck it off my mother's bookshelf and read my first book not of the juvenile fiction section of the library. It is a great story.
Want to Read
October 27, 2023obsessed with this cover
October 30, 2022
This was a really good book, though kind of brutal in parts, so not for the feint of heart. This was not a typical HR, as more time was spent on historical details of running an island plantation in the early 19thc than to the H and h, Morgan and Tess. It's a novel worth reading for what it teaches you.
And what it teaches is not a pretty story. The more you learn about what life was like for anyone enslaved on a plantation, the more in sympathy you'll be for any rebellions, not counting the innocent lives (both black and white) that were sacrificed. You also learn the world of difference between being a slave to an owner who tries to be fair (as far as that's possible) and one who treats people like property. Whereas Morgan doesn't like owning people and looks for a way to free them and have his sugar/molasses/rum business thrive at the same time, Caleb Judson (who owns the neighboring plantation) is about as evil as a person can get, and thinks nothing of setting wild dogs after runaways, or raping any slave girl who takes his fancy, hoping to get them pregnant and produce more field hands. He abuses his wife, treats everyone without titles or social status as his inferior, and assumes he can get away with everything, even murder (which he committed). One of the worst characters in any book I've read.
There's also Senor Quintero, another plantation owner, who is not as liberal minded as Morgan, but a much better person than Caleb Judson. His daughters, Florencia and Inez, have a brief rivalry for the affections of Victor, Tess's brother, and the better woman wins.
The relation ship between Morgan and Tess doesn't start out as a love match (more like a business transaction) and they're married when practically strangers, but it doesn't take long for each to become aware of the good qualities of the other, though Tess is more reluctant to admit it. Given the circumstances (which I won't give away) that's understandable, but she did have major trust issues and a bit of an "I hate all men" attitude, again with good reason.
There's the OW and OM, both unwelcome, as she's Caleb's unhappy, frustrated wife, Antoinette, who makes a play for Morgan, and he's the immoral rake, Lord Tweed, who forces his attentions on Tess (including a near rape). Neither one does the couple's fragile marriage any good, though one of them reforms at the end.
There are minor characters that capture the attention, like the house slave (later servant) Odette, who becomes Tess's friend, her lover, Bantero and the former pirate and free black man, Louis Abaco, both of whom earn Morgan's respect.
You'll also learn something about how cane is grown and made into sugar, molasses and rum.
The book has rebellions, uprisings, voodoo ceremonies, kidnapping, rape and other acts of violence, so it's not an easy read, but it's a worthwhile one, and though it may seem melodramatic at times, it paints a realistic picture. It's worth your time.
And what it teaches is not a pretty story. The more you learn about what life was like for anyone enslaved on a plantation, the more in sympathy you'll be for any rebellions, not counting the innocent lives (both black and white) that were sacrificed. You also learn the world of difference between being a slave to an owner who tries to be fair (as far as that's possible) and one who treats people like property. Whereas Morgan doesn't like owning people and looks for a way to free them and have his sugar/molasses/rum business thrive at the same time, Caleb Judson (who owns the neighboring plantation) is about as evil as a person can get, and thinks nothing of setting wild dogs after runaways, or raping any slave girl who takes his fancy, hoping to get them pregnant and produce more field hands. He abuses his wife, treats everyone without titles or social status as his inferior, and assumes he can get away with everything, even murder (which he committed). One of the worst characters in any book I've read.
There's also Senor Quintero, another plantation owner, who is not as liberal minded as Morgan, but a much better person than Caleb Judson. His daughters, Florencia and Inez, have a brief rivalry for the affections of Victor, Tess's brother, and the better woman wins.
The relation ship between Morgan and Tess doesn't start out as a love match (more like a business transaction) and they're married when practically strangers, but it doesn't take long for each to become aware of the good qualities of the other, though Tess is more reluctant to admit it. Given the circumstances (which I won't give away) that's understandable, but she did have major trust issues and a bit of an "I hate all men" attitude, again with good reason.
There's the OW and OM, both unwelcome, as she's Caleb's unhappy, frustrated wife, Antoinette, who makes a play for Morgan, and he's the immoral rake, Lord Tweed, who forces his attentions on Tess (including a near rape). Neither one does the couple's fragile marriage any good, though one of them reforms at the end.
There are minor characters that capture the attention, like the house slave (later servant) Odette, who becomes Tess's friend, her lover, Bantero and the former pirate and free black man, Louis Abaco, both of whom earn Morgan's respect.
You'll also learn something about how cane is grown and made into sugar, molasses and rum.
The book has rebellions, uprisings, voodoo ceremonies, kidnapping, rape and other acts of violence, so it's not an easy read, but it's a worthwhile one, and though it may seem melodramatic at times, it paints a realistic picture. It's worth your time.
July 5, 2016
I think I read this book the first time in 1980... It has remained my favorite book of all time. I recall as a teen reading it front to back and then again and again. Once upon a time i had the first few pages memorized. I wanted to tell Janet Louise Roberts she really captured my heart with this book. I grew up wanting to be beautiful and loving like Tess and Odette, to love ad be loved by men as smart and strong as Morgan, Bernardo and Abaco. To be as kind and capable as Inez, to be faithful and hardworking as Vincent and (one day) to be as old and wise as Malkia.
Thank you Janet for writing a book I could read most everyday, love the heroes, hate the villains and cheer on the women. You did not write simpering women who hid behind men, you created women who will live strong and proud, beside, not behind or in front of their husbands.
Thank you Janet for writing a book I could read most everyday, love the heroes, hate the villains and cheer on the women. You did not write simpering women who hid behind men, you created women who will live strong and proud, beside, not behind or in front of their husbands.
August 6, 2016
This is an (awful) old school romance novel that I read in junior high courtesy of someone else's bookshelf. (Maybe the mom of the kids I was babysitting. She had given me the ok to read during nap time.)
This is what the Smart Bitches would call a rapey-romance. The story line is truly awful in that the woman is *won in a card game* and than forced into sex and submission by her new owner. I mean husband. And the book's summary wonders why she can trust no one? Ugh.
This is what the Smart Bitches would call a rapey-romance. The story line is truly awful in that the woman is *won in a card game* and than forced into sex and submission by her new owner. I mean husband. And the book's summary wonders why she can trust no one? Ugh.
May 28, 2023
LIP GLOSS in the early 1800s?!?! How does a writer manage to get the details of rum making and sugarcane growing right but doesn’t seem to have done minimal research on her time period. The characters use anachronistic language (stuff, honey, crazy about you), the clothes described do NOT match the Regency period (pantalets, mob caps, flower printed dresses for SLAVES), hairstyles don’t make sense, and since when were seedy bars scrubbed squeaky clean?
Shame, the story was a good with a strong but realistic heroine, a hero who was very much a man of the time but still had an understanding that was brought about by his own awful experiences, great over the top villains, and an honest look at what slavery meant.
The characters were given strong foundations and realistic emotions, good on the author for that.
I just kept getting yanked out of the story by idiotic details like LIP GLOSS! Then again, look at the cover.
Shame, the story was a good with a strong but realistic heroine, a hero who was very much a man of the time but still had an understanding that was brought about by his own awful experiences, great over the top villains, and an honest look at what slavery meant.
The characters were given strong foundations and realistic emotions, good on the author for that.
I just kept getting yanked out of the story by idiotic details like LIP GLOSS! Then again, look at the cover.
Did Not Finish
July 5, 2025Lost interest after they go to the plantation.
Beginning was interesting. But after some time I think the romance took back seat.
I was not really keen on knowing about there life on the plantation with slave drama.
Beginning was interesting. But after some time I think the romance took back seat.
I was not really keen on knowing about there life on the plantation with slave drama.
August 22, 2014
Sappy historical romance of my junior high years.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews