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Scoundrel's Bride
Despite her contempt for the lust-filled seamen who overrun her island home, Hillary Reynolds finds herself attracted to dashing Ryan Gallagher and, in a moment of wild abandon, she offers herself to him in hopes of becoming his bride
- GenresRomance
480 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 3, 2025
Scoundrel’s Bride by Catherine Creel (1987) was such an interesting book for the first 312 pages, and then the story took a wrong turn until it ended at page 491 when Hillary and Ryan finally got their HEA.
The author’s premise of a New England whaling captain meeting a beautiful British woman in 1858 Tahiti where she lives with her uncle was great. Their attraction was intense and sizzled hot with Hillary giving him a good chase.
The detailed descriptions of life in Tahiti were fascinating and were the highlight of the story. After they left Tahiti and sailed to New Bedford Massachusetts, Ryan’s home, the story sunk into bickering between the MCs, his dreadful family and a deceitful lying former girlfriend. So sad as this could have been an amazing HR.
Cover artist: Elaine Duillo.
The author’s premise of a New England whaling captain meeting a beautiful British woman in 1858 Tahiti where she lives with her uncle was great. Their attraction was intense and sizzled hot with Hillary giving him a good chase.
The detailed descriptions of life in Tahiti were fascinating and were the highlight of the story. After they left Tahiti and sailed to New Bedford Massachusetts, Ryan’s home, the story sunk into bickering between the MCs, his dreadful family and a deceitful lying former girlfriend. So sad as this could have been an amazing HR.
Cover artist: Elaine Duillo.
May 12, 2023
This story started off soooo good but the ending fell flat :/
Beginning takes place in Tahiti, Hillary is living on a sugar plantation with her uncle who owns it and she is from England but has been living in Tahiti for several years now. (Although the plantation is a significant aspect of the book the workers are not enslaved and treated well. Hillary also works in the fields to keep things running) Ryan (Captain) Gallagher is a man American whaler who has stopped in Tahiti to get his ship repaired. He sees her, instantly feels attracted to her and is determined to marry her before he leaves for America. He woos her, saves the day, makes her experience passion, etc. but she stubbornly refuses to marry him, especially because she doesn’t want to be a whalers wife and have him be at sea for years on end. Eventually they agree to get married, have their honeymoon, and then then Hillary finds out Ryan was planning to leave her on the island and go back to New Bedford alone. She feels betrayed, and ends up sneaking into his ship. Although angry at first, he comes to enjoy her company along with the rest of his crew.
In New Bedford, Hillary is in for a rude awakening as none of Ryan’s family likes her. They wanted to see him get married to Alison Bromfield, his former fiancé. Hillary gets treated bad by his family, they constantly talk about her and “prank” her until it all comes to a head. Not going to go any further unless requested though :)
My biggest complaint is the way that Hillary acted throughout the story. She was a great character for a majority of the book: strong-willed, rational, and compassionate. However, towards the end, she begins to act so out of character??? There are literally multiple times that Ryan reassures her and makes it clear that he DOES NOT love Alison and she believed them all. Then, she catches them in his office together, talking about some admittedly suspicious things on Ryan’s part but regardless, she had no trust in him and couldn’t see his perspective in dealing with the whole Alison situation. So irrational and ended up with her as a damsel in distress.
Another complaint is that both villains: Peale and Alison seemed to me, lacking in motivations for their “evil” acts. Idk maybe just me.
Beginning takes place in Tahiti, Hillary is living on a sugar plantation with her uncle who owns it and she is from England but has been living in Tahiti for several years now. (Although the plantation is a significant aspect of the book the workers are not enslaved and treated well. Hillary also works in the fields to keep things running) Ryan (Captain) Gallagher is a man American whaler who has stopped in Tahiti to get his ship repaired. He sees her, instantly feels attracted to her and is determined to marry her before he leaves for America. He woos her, saves the day, makes her experience passion, etc. but she stubbornly refuses to marry him, especially because she doesn’t want to be a whalers wife and have him be at sea for years on end. Eventually they agree to get married, have their honeymoon, and then then Hillary finds out Ryan was planning to leave her on the island and go back to New Bedford alone. She feels betrayed, and ends up sneaking into his ship. Although angry at first, he comes to enjoy her company along with the rest of his crew.
In New Bedford, Hillary is in for a rude awakening as none of Ryan’s family likes her. They wanted to see him get married to Alison Bromfield, his former fiancé. Hillary gets treated bad by his family, they constantly talk about her and “prank” her until it all comes to a head. Not going to go any further unless requested though :)
My biggest complaint is the way that Hillary acted throughout the story. She was a great character for a majority of the book: strong-willed, rational, and compassionate. However, towards the end, she begins to act so out of character??? There are literally multiple times that Ryan reassures her and makes it clear that he DOES NOT love Alison and she believed them all. Then, she catches them in his office together, talking about some admittedly suspicious things on Ryan’s part but regardless, she had no trust in him and couldn’t see his perspective in dealing with the whole Alison situation. So irrational and ended up with her as a damsel in distress.
Another complaint is that both villains: Peale and Alison seemed to me, lacking in motivations for their “evil” acts. Idk maybe just me.
August 17, 2025
Okayish.
It was fine till it was just the H pursuing the h and going all caveman for her. But after the 50% marks the Hh are married and at his hometown where his evil family and evil ow lives. The evil ow dramas irritate me. I hate them . The way these evil ows behave all desperate is cringe.
To be honest the book was good till the Hh get married and have there honeymoon. After that when the Hh are on the way on a ship to his hometown was boring. Then the evil family and ow part was horrible. I just skimmed.
It was fine till it was just the H pursuing the h and going all caveman for her. But after the 50% marks the Hh are married and at his hometown where his evil family and evil ow lives. The evil ow dramas irritate me. I hate them . The way these evil ows behave all desperate is cringe.
To be honest the book was good till the Hh get married and have there honeymoon. After that when the Hh are on the way on a ship to his hometown was boring. Then the evil family and ow part was horrible. I just skimmed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews