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Salem's Daughter
In Salem Town of 1690, Bristol Adams is publicly whipped in the Town Square on orders by her Puritan father for talking to a young man. She is then sent to London to her Puritan aunt, but her aunt turns out to be quite the surprise. After her father's death, Bristol is called home and arrives back in Salem Town at the beginning of the Witch trials...
457 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
About the author
Maggie Osborne
30 books528 followersaka
Margaret St. George
Maggie Osborne is the author of I Do, I Do, I Do and Silver Lining, as well as more than forty contemporary and historical romance novels written as Maggie Osborne and Margaret St. George. She has won numerous awards from Romantic Times, Affaire de Coeur, BookraK, the Colorado Romance Writers, and Coeur du Bois, among others. Osborne won the RITA for long historical from the Romance Writers of America in 1998. Maggie lives in a resort town in the Colorado mountains with her husband, one mule, two horses, one cat, and one dog, all of whom are a lot of aggravation, but she loves them anyway.
Margaret St. George
Maggie Osborne is the author of I Do, I Do, I Do and Silver Lining, as well as more than forty contemporary and historical romance novels written as Maggie Osborne and Margaret St. George. She has won numerous awards from Romantic Times, Affaire de Coeur, BookraK, the Colorado Romance Writers, and Coeur du Bois, among others. Osborne won the RITA for long historical from the Romance Writers of America in 1998. Maggie lives in a resort town in the Colorado mountains with her husband, one mule, two horses, one cat, and one dog, all of whom are a lot of aggravation, but she loves them anyway.
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December 1, 2014
Reasons you should read Salem's Daughter instead of The Crucible:
1. The Crucible is a literary masterpiece. Salem's Daughter is a potboiler historical romance.
3. Salem's Daughter is rich with accurate historical detail. The Crucible is thin gruel.
3. A lusty bodice ripper is woven into Salem's Daughter.
4. Maggie Osborne, the author of Salem's Daughter, created her characters and their everyday lives with an intuitive sense of the weirdness and contradiction at the heart of Puritan Calvinism.
5. Bristol Adams has better breasts.
When Puritan lass Bristol Adams flirts too much with Caleb Wainwright, a sandy-haired farmer, Bristol's father exiles the young beauty by ship to England to live with her staid Aunt Prudence. Except once on board The Challenger, Bristol encounters a randy crew, pirates, and a dark-haired, grey-eyed seafarer whose "sheer maleness" and chest hair "oddly disturb" the almost virginal Bristol. There on the beating waves, Bristol experiences a sensual awakening. Actually, multiple sensual awakenings. When she arrives in London, Bristol discovers Aunt Prudence is no dour Puritan but a leading society lady whose wealth is beyond imagination. Because of a tragic injury to her father, Bristol returns to Salem Village, marries the young farmer who turns out to be plagued by chronic premature ejaculation, and becomes embroiled, so to speak, in the Salem Witch Trials.
Salem's Daughter provides fine entertainment and an engaging, well-written story. As pure fiction, the book merits at least a 3.5 star rating. As escapist literature on my cheap thrills and kozmic blues shelf, Salem's Daughter is definitely a 4 star read at the very least.
Salem's Daughter is a historical romance. Novels in this genre tell stories of great romances that have taken place in the past. The Count of Monte Cristo and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are classic examples. Most modern historical romances feature female point of view characters, but that's certainly not a requirement. While not all historical romances are bodice rippers, virtually all bodice rippers are historical romances.
The formula for a bodice ripper goes like this. A young, beautiful woman with an independent streak encounters a smoldering male love interest. They share animal lust for each other but refuse to acknowledge love. Events separate the woman and the man, and an insurmountable obstacle arises which prevents the two from being together. The woman, man, and evil other woman attend a ball where the women wear fancy dresses (which are usually described in interminable detail). The evil other woman is almost always blonde, a little prettier and richer than the protagonist, and is a complete bitch. The protagonist and male love interest overcome the obstacle that separates them and discover true love. Along the way, clothes get ripped off. Use of purple prose constitutes no sin. Sex scenes are frequent, gauzy, and sensual. Bodice rippers give heterosexual male readers a peek, perhaps, into the id and superego of the female mind.
Salem's Daughter meets all the requirement of a bodice ripper, complete with the tearing of several of the heroine's blouses and dresses down the front of her body. The novel is more than a forgettable bodice ripper, however. Author Maggie Osborne avoids too much purple prose and writes vivid historical detail from the era of the Salem Witch Trials. Her prose is virtually flawless. Bristol Adams, her heroine, is complex, engaging, and admirable. The plot kept me reading despite its melodramatic twists and the narrative scrunching to make the story work.
Things I didn't like:
The editor's telephone call. A little over midway through the book Author Osborne must have gotten a reminder call from her editor warning the deadline for publication approached soon. The second half of the book seemed needlessly rushed and lacked the grace of the first half.
Action verb eyes. I hate action verb eyes as in "Her eyes swung from one side of the room to the other." "Her eyes locked on Charles." "Her eyes shot a look at Aunt Prudence." "Her eyes slid..."
A few additional things I did like:
The leading men were not control freak assholes whose crude and cruel treatment of women is somehow excused by having had a bad childhood.
The detailed clothing descriptions required of this genre were relatively short and did not send me into a state of bored lunacy.
The sex scenes did not read like gynecological exams performed by men with human tree trunks for penises.
Bristol's breasts occupy a prominent position in this book. In fact, if one would list characters by frequency of reference, Bristol's boobs would be the third leading character in this novel. I'm not complaining. She apparently had a fine pair, described variously as "full," "rounded," "lush," "generous," "pink and white," "milky," "swelling," "smooth," "rose and cream," "trembling," "misty," "creamy," and "satiny."
When Bristol visits a French seamstress to be measured for a gown to the wear to the ball, this is what happens:
[The seamstress] dropped the string to Bristol’s breast and muttered, “Magnifique!” and shouted another number, then did the same for Bristol’s waist and hips.
Arthur Miller, eat your heart out!
1. The Crucible is a literary masterpiece. Salem's Daughter is a potboiler historical romance.
3. Salem's Daughter is rich with accurate historical detail. The Crucible is thin gruel.
3. A lusty bodice ripper is woven into Salem's Daughter.
4. Maggie Osborne, the author of Salem's Daughter, created her characters and their everyday lives with an intuitive sense of the weirdness and contradiction at the heart of Puritan Calvinism.
5. Bristol Adams has better breasts.
When Puritan lass Bristol Adams flirts too much with Caleb Wainwright, a sandy-haired farmer, Bristol's father exiles the young beauty by ship to England to live with her staid Aunt Prudence. Except once on board The Challenger, Bristol encounters a randy crew, pirates, and a dark-haired, grey-eyed seafarer whose "sheer maleness" and chest hair "oddly disturb" the almost virginal Bristol. There on the beating waves, Bristol experiences a sensual awakening. Actually, multiple sensual awakenings. When she arrives in London, Bristol discovers Aunt Prudence is no dour Puritan but a leading society lady whose wealth is beyond imagination. Because of a tragic injury to her father, Bristol returns to Salem Village, marries the young farmer who turns out to be plagued by chronic premature ejaculation, and becomes embroiled, so to speak, in the Salem Witch Trials.
Salem's Daughter provides fine entertainment and an engaging, well-written story. As pure fiction, the book merits at least a 3.5 star rating. As escapist literature on my cheap thrills and kozmic blues shelf, Salem's Daughter is definitely a 4 star read at the very least.
Salem's Daughter is a historical romance. Novels in this genre tell stories of great romances that have taken place in the past. The Count of Monte Cristo and The Hunchback of Notre Dame are classic examples. Most modern historical romances feature female point of view characters, but that's certainly not a requirement. While not all historical romances are bodice rippers, virtually all bodice rippers are historical romances.
The formula for a bodice ripper goes like this. A young, beautiful woman with an independent streak encounters a smoldering male love interest. They share animal lust for each other but refuse to acknowledge love. Events separate the woman and the man, and an insurmountable obstacle arises which prevents the two from being together. The woman, man, and evil other woman attend a ball where the women wear fancy dresses (which are usually described in interminable detail). The evil other woman is almost always blonde, a little prettier and richer than the protagonist, and is a complete bitch. The protagonist and male love interest overcome the obstacle that separates them and discover true love. Along the way, clothes get ripped off. Use of purple prose constitutes no sin. Sex scenes are frequent, gauzy, and sensual. Bodice rippers give heterosexual male readers a peek, perhaps, into the id and superego of the female mind.
Salem's Daughter meets all the requirement of a bodice ripper, complete with the tearing of several of the heroine's blouses and dresses down the front of her body. The novel is more than a forgettable bodice ripper, however. Author Maggie Osborne avoids too much purple prose and writes vivid historical detail from the era of the Salem Witch Trials. Her prose is virtually flawless. Bristol Adams, her heroine, is complex, engaging, and admirable. The plot kept me reading despite its melodramatic twists and the narrative scrunching to make the story work.
Things I didn't like:
The editor's telephone call. A little over midway through the book Author Osborne must have gotten a reminder call from her editor warning the deadline for publication approached soon. The second half of the book seemed needlessly rushed and lacked the grace of the first half.
Action verb eyes. I hate action verb eyes as in "Her eyes swung from one side of the room to the other." "Her eyes locked on Charles." "Her eyes shot a look at Aunt Prudence." "Her eyes slid..."
A few additional things I did like:
The leading men were not control freak assholes whose crude and cruel treatment of women is somehow excused by having had a bad childhood.
The detailed clothing descriptions required of this genre were relatively short and did not send me into a state of bored lunacy.
The sex scenes did not read like gynecological exams performed by men with human tree trunks for penises.
Bristol's breasts occupy a prominent position in this book. In fact, if one would list characters by frequency of reference, Bristol's boobs would be the third leading character in this novel. I'm not complaining. She apparently had a fine pair, described variously as "full," "rounded," "lush," "generous," "pink and white," "milky," "swelling," "smooth," "rose and cream," "trembling," "misty," "creamy," and "satiny."
When Bristol visits a French seamstress to be measured for a gown to the wear to the ball, this is what happens:
[The seamstress] dropped the string to Bristol’s breast and muttered, “Magnifique!” and shouted another number, then did the same for Bristol’s waist and hips.
Arthur Miller, eat your heart out!
March 16, 2019
Pretty good read. Eventually I got sucked into the story, but it's more of a slow-burn as opposed to a rollicking potboiler. Is that good or bad? Eh, it depends. (At the time I was looking for a potboiler, so I'm adding a half-star for misplaced impatience.)
Anyway.
The heroine, Bristol, is a huge Mary Sue. There's no getting around it; indeed, you'll be bludgeoned with her Sue'ness on a regular basis. Her eyes change from green to emerald to jade & her glossy red curls are often fluffed around via missing dustcaps. Her magnificent breasts also make frequent cameos -- so frequent that you'll be screaming Enough! I GET IT! whenever her appearance is wedged into a scene. (Thankfully the author neglects Bristol's looks in the last quarter -- which is also the most exciting part of the book. Coincidence? I think not.) But though she heals with notable Sue'ness re: most travails, she does retain scars from her whipping experience, so at least she's not that perfect.**
Despite Bristol's harped-upon physique, she's a more likable character than the hero. Jean-Pierre is a noodle-spine alpha -- the kind that wanks on about how he adores only the heroine, yet provides unnecessary plot complications through his absurd*** sense of honor. *yawn* He also spends a lot of time spouting life philosophies & not following through, which is a trait I despise in heroes. I don't care what your moral code is -- stick with it & adapt as necessary. But FFS, don't whine & moan & deliberately make Bad Life Choices for no good reason. Whinging after the fact is not endearing.
The secondary characters are more interesting. Bristol's family & ex in Salem, her rich aunt & uncle in England, the abused wife she befriends in the slums, the crusty first-mate on Jean-Pierre's ship...these are good creations that make up for the H/h's deficiencies. My favorite is Bristol's ex (Caleb); his values & thoughtful stance against the witch craze are well-developed, & his prickly pride is justified by upbringing & culture. (Such doomed-by-history failure only makes his fate more poignant, IMO.)
There's an interesting multi-layered duality to the overall story arc, & the sections in Salem were vivid, albeit too rushed. When Osborne forgets to harp on Bristol's perfection & Jean-Pierre's hairy chest and/or golden-brown eyes, the prose works well. There's a lot of violence & quite a bit of gore (murdering, raping, pirates, Bedlam, scum-of-London, burning at the stakes, etc etc), which I appreciate in my bodice rippers. So why 3 stars? The single biggest flaw is pacing -- Osborne offers a strong opener & equally strong closure. But the middle third sags heavily before finally picking up during Bristol's time in the London slums. So, bottom line -- beware the wonky structure & don't expect a book focused entirely on Salem (as I did).
**Magically disappearing scars drive me nuts. Physical perfection is one thing; redonk healing powers are something else entirely.
***Osborne wants us to feel sorry for Jean-Pierre's hellacious marriage to an extremely insane bitch (a foot-stomping brat who's described as "unbalanced" because reasons). But nope. I didn't like Jean-Pierre, & saw no reason to feel sorry for him because he didn't have to marry the crazy lady. Numerous people told him not to (the same people whose fates were tied up in the marriage), yet he persisted because...why? He "cared about" that moo? Not good enough.
Anyway.
The heroine, Bristol, is a huge Mary Sue. There's no getting around it; indeed, you'll be bludgeoned with her Sue'ness on a regular basis. Her eyes change from green to emerald to jade & her glossy red curls are often fluffed around via missing dustcaps. Her magnificent breasts also make frequent cameos -- so frequent that you'll be screaming Enough! I GET IT! whenever her appearance is wedged into a scene. (Thankfully the author neglects Bristol's looks in the last quarter -- which is also the most exciting part of the book. Coincidence? I think not.) But though she heals with notable Sue'ness re: most travails, she does retain scars from her whipping experience, so at least she's not that perfect.**
Despite Bristol's harped-upon physique, she's a more likable character than the hero. Jean-Pierre is a noodle-spine alpha -- the kind that wanks on about how he adores only the heroine, yet provides unnecessary plot complications through his absurd*** sense of honor. *yawn* He also spends a lot of time spouting life philosophies & not following through, which is a trait I despise in heroes. I don't care what your moral code is -- stick with it & adapt as necessary. But FFS, don't whine & moan & deliberately make Bad Life Choices for no good reason. Whinging after the fact is not endearing.
The secondary characters are more interesting. Bristol's family & ex in Salem, her rich aunt & uncle in England, the abused wife she befriends in the slums, the crusty first-mate on Jean-Pierre's ship...these are good creations that make up for the H/h's deficiencies. My favorite is Bristol's ex (Caleb); his values & thoughtful stance against the witch craze are well-developed, & his prickly pride is justified by upbringing & culture. (Such doomed-by-history failure only makes his fate more poignant, IMO.)
There's an interesting multi-layered duality to the overall story arc, & the sections in Salem were vivid, albeit too rushed. When Osborne forgets to harp on Bristol's perfection & Jean-Pierre's hairy chest and/or golden-brown eyes, the prose works well. There's a lot of violence & quite a bit of gore (murdering, raping, pirates, Bedlam, scum-of-London, burning at the stakes, etc etc), which I appreciate in my bodice rippers. So why 3 stars? The single biggest flaw is pacing -- Osborne offers a strong opener & equally strong closure. But the middle third sags heavily before finally picking up during Bristol's time in the London slums. So, bottom line -- beware the wonky structure & don't expect a book focused entirely on Salem (as I did).
**Magically disappearing scars drive me nuts. Physical perfection is one thing; redonk healing powers are something else entirely.
***Osborne wants us to feel sorry for Jean-Pierre's hellacious marriage to an extremely insane bitch (a foot-stomping brat who's described as "unbalanced" because reasons). But nope. I didn't like Jean-Pierre, & saw no reason to feel sorry for him because he didn't have to marry the crazy lady. Numerous people told him not to (the same people whose fates were tied up in the marriage), yet he persisted because...why? He "cared about" that moo? Not good enough.
March 22, 2026
If you have ever wanted to read a mashup of The Crucible and Jane Eyre that’s also a little horny, this is the book for you!
A little spicy accoutrement alongside your history lesson.
A little spicy accoutrement alongside your history lesson.
August 3, 2018
Salem’s Daughter by Maggie Osborne is one of the most complex stories that I have read from her. Not that the rest of her books aren’t complex and multi-layered, but this one stood out from the rest because Osborne delves into the Salem’s witch trials and brings that into her story with a twist that made for at times difficult reading, not because it was boring or didn’t fit into the story, but rather because it depicted humanity at our worst. That is never easy to read about, but I do believe that writing about these things, propagating this is a must in order to create the much needed awareness on identifying said behavior and taking action where needed.
Salem’s Daughter starts at a juncture which brings vividly to life the depravity behind religious zealots and how they can twist and turn everything to make everyone a sinner that needs repenting. Bristol Adams finds herself on the wrong side of the Puritans when for once she commits the “ultimate” sin of talking to a male, requiring a public whipping. Bristol beseeches her father, who has never done wrong by her before, to save her from the humiliation and the pain. But then her father is a proud man if ever there was one, and to heap rejection upon the humiliation, he decides to send her off to England to stay with an aunt for a couple of months.
Bristol does try to use her female wiles on her affianced to marry her then and there, but then he is not a man to be persuaded beyond what he wants to give Bristol, a life where they could both live comfortably. So sets Bristol on the journey that would carry her to England with bitter anger in her heart, on a ship where the lecherous intents of ship’s crew is all far too real. The only man standing between her and them is the formidable captain of the ship, Jean Pierre La Crosse, with whom she has a run in before the ship sets sail. What she saw then didn’t appeal to her much, although she does not realize that the feelings that he stirs to life in her does not happen with just anyone.
The voyage itself proves to be a harrowingly eventful one, and it is in the aftermath that Bristol and La Crosse finally give into the heady and stormy passion between them. La Crosse makes no promises about what he is or where they are going relationship wise, but Bristol has no inkling of the misery and heartache that is headed her way when they part their ways.
However, fate has other plans in store for them and it is not long before Bristol comes face to face with her “competition” when it comes to La Crosse; his fiancée. It is heartbreak upon heartbreak for Bristol watching La Crosse marry someone who would eventually destroy him. But it is not long before Bristol is caught in the crossfire and the hardest days of her life come upon her. Taken captive by a pimp with a notoriety of letting his fists show his anger, Bristol ends up losing the most precious thing in her life.
Even though that cruel fate brings her to La Crosse once again, a message from home means she is to return, only to find her whole village caught up in vilifying and turning on each other, all because of hate preaching by those concerned. Bristol does try and give her most valiant effort to make a difference, but there is no working against a tide that is fervent and resilient, and in the end, Bristol nearly gives her life to the cause until things come to their eventual conclusion.
The summary outlined does not do justice to the story that Osborne tells in this book. For one, there is Bristol, who starts out as this pompous woman-child, who naively believes that her beauty and charms would make her life easy. That she would get everything she wanted. The fact that she is full of herself is revealed during the first couple of chapters, until she starts experiencing the harsh realities that life has to offer, starting from her journey to England.
Through the course of the story, Bristol transforms into this woman worthy of the love of a strong man, a man who would shelter her from the deepest and darkest of storms and carry her safely ashore. Even if that were not to be the case, Bristol turns out to be a woman who has the strength and fortitude of a thousand men of worth. At times, she has to be strong for both La Crosse and herself, but that never steered her away from what was important.
Some might find the concept of cheating involved in the book abhorrent, or turn them away from the real story that develops. It requires someone who is a bit open-minded to understand and empathize with the difficulties life throws both La Crosse and Bristol’s way. If I were to be caught up in a relationship as such, I myself do not know how much strength of perseverance I would have. So in Bristol, Osborne has once again created one of her formidable heroines; her heroines always stand out, and for good reason.
La Crosse is a hero who is caught between his duty and what his heart wants and desires. He does try, I would say he tries harder than the average male would, to stand true to the the course that he had set out on. But one only has to read between the lines and sometimes just read the lines to understand the kind of hellish existence La Crosse’s life becomes in the end.
When all was said and done, only issue I had was with how La Crosse and Bristol spent so much time apart before the eventual ending of the story. Perhaps this was felt mostly owing to the lack of an epilogue to make readers happy. La Crosse and Bristol’s happily ever after was hard won. Readers deserved to see them happy and together, having sweated and cried through all the turbulent times their relationship brought.
Recommended for those who love romances that deliver your less than usual stories.
Final Verdict: Salem’s Daughter is an intense read, one that you might never completely recover from. Osborne weaves her magic and spins a tale that takes you through the kind of emotional wrangling that leaves its mark forever. Recommended!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
Salem’s Daughter starts at a juncture which brings vividly to life the depravity behind religious zealots and how they can twist and turn everything to make everyone a sinner that needs repenting. Bristol Adams finds herself on the wrong side of the Puritans when for once she commits the “ultimate” sin of talking to a male, requiring a public whipping. Bristol beseeches her father, who has never done wrong by her before, to save her from the humiliation and the pain. But then her father is a proud man if ever there was one, and to heap rejection upon the humiliation, he decides to send her off to England to stay with an aunt for a couple of months.
Bristol does try to use her female wiles on her affianced to marry her then and there, but then he is not a man to be persuaded beyond what he wants to give Bristol, a life where they could both live comfortably. So sets Bristol on the journey that would carry her to England with bitter anger in her heart, on a ship where the lecherous intents of ship’s crew is all far too real. The only man standing between her and them is the formidable captain of the ship, Jean Pierre La Crosse, with whom she has a run in before the ship sets sail. What she saw then didn’t appeal to her much, although she does not realize that the feelings that he stirs to life in her does not happen with just anyone.
The voyage itself proves to be a harrowingly eventful one, and it is in the aftermath that Bristol and La Crosse finally give into the heady and stormy passion between them. La Crosse makes no promises about what he is or where they are going relationship wise, but Bristol has no inkling of the misery and heartache that is headed her way when they part their ways.
However, fate has other plans in store for them and it is not long before Bristol comes face to face with her “competition” when it comes to La Crosse; his fiancée. It is heartbreak upon heartbreak for Bristol watching La Crosse marry someone who would eventually destroy him. But it is not long before Bristol is caught in the crossfire and the hardest days of her life come upon her. Taken captive by a pimp with a notoriety of letting his fists show his anger, Bristol ends up losing the most precious thing in her life.
Even though that cruel fate brings her to La Crosse once again, a message from home means she is to return, only to find her whole village caught up in vilifying and turning on each other, all because of hate preaching by those concerned. Bristol does try and give her most valiant effort to make a difference, but there is no working against a tide that is fervent and resilient, and in the end, Bristol nearly gives her life to the cause until things come to their eventual conclusion.
The summary outlined does not do justice to the story that Osborne tells in this book. For one, there is Bristol, who starts out as this pompous woman-child, who naively believes that her beauty and charms would make her life easy. That she would get everything she wanted. The fact that she is full of herself is revealed during the first couple of chapters, until she starts experiencing the harsh realities that life has to offer, starting from her journey to England.
Through the course of the story, Bristol transforms into this woman worthy of the love of a strong man, a man who would shelter her from the deepest and darkest of storms and carry her safely ashore. Even if that were not to be the case, Bristol turns out to be a woman who has the strength and fortitude of a thousand men of worth. At times, she has to be strong for both La Crosse and herself, but that never steered her away from what was important.
Some might find the concept of cheating involved in the book abhorrent, or turn them away from the real story that develops. It requires someone who is a bit open-minded to understand and empathize with the difficulties life throws both La Crosse and Bristol’s way. If I were to be caught up in a relationship as such, I myself do not know how much strength of perseverance I would have. So in Bristol, Osborne has once again created one of her formidable heroines; her heroines always stand out, and for good reason.
La Crosse is a hero who is caught between his duty and what his heart wants and desires. He does try, I would say he tries harder than the average male would, to stand true to the the course that he had set out on. But one only has to read between the lines and sometimes just read the lines to understand the kind of hellish existence La Crosse’s life becomes in the end.
When all was said and done, only issue I had was with how La Crosse and Bristol spent so much time apart before the eventual ending of the story. Perhaps this was felt mostly owing to the lack of an epilogue to make readers happy. La Crosse and Bristol’s happily ever after was hard won. Readers deserved to see them happy and together, having sweated and cried through all the turbulent times their relationship brought.
Recommended for those who love romances that deliver your less than usual stories.
Final Verdict: Salem’s Daughter is an intense read, one that you might never completely recover from. Osborne weaves her magic and spins a tale that takes you through the kind of emotional wrangling that leaves its mark forever. Recommended!
Rating = 4.25/5
For more reviews and quotes, please visit, www.maldivianbookreviewer.com
February 5, 2021
Oh my, how I love this book. Along with Wings of the Falcon and Madam Tudor, it's one of very few romance novels that I actually re-read. (Or read in the first place for that matter -- it's not really a genre I get into.)
This one, however, is a cut above the usual bodice-ripper: well researched, lively dialog, a plot that intertwines with historical events, and even -- dare I say it? -- some actual character development!! I know, I know, it's hard to credit, isn't it? Some of the characters, such as the old sailor whose name escapes me at the moment, are a tad cliche, but others are rather compelling -- Bristol's sister Charity, in particular. The author brings to life the claustrophobic intensity of Salem Village and the mania that was the witch trials, and throws in a few pirates and a mad wife just to liven things up. The "hot stuff" is well written and believable, successfully walking that fine line between prudish euphemism and outright pornography. A very good read, with lots of adventures, well-sustained tension, and a heroine with initiative and courage whom you actually root for (even if the hero does have to save her. OK, twice.)
This one, however, is a cut above the usual bodice-ripper: well researched, lively dialog, a plot that intertwines with historical events, and even -- dare I say it? -- some actual character development!! I know, I know, it's hard to credit, isn't it? Some of the characters, such as the old sailor whose name escapes me at the moment, are a tad cliche, but others are rather compelling -- Bristol's sister Charity, in particular. The author brings to life the claustrophobic intensity of Salem Village and the mania that was the witch trials, and throws in a few pirates and a mad wife just to liven things up. The "hot stuff" is well written and believable, successfully walking that fine line between prudish euphemism and outright pornography. A very good read, with lots of adventures, well-sustained tension, and a heroine with initiative and courage whom you actually root for (even if the hero does have to save her. OK, twice.)
January 3, 2025
Every one of Maggie Osborne’s books are like a wild ride - hang on! I admit this one was a little rough in the beginning - I was worrying it wouldn’t measure up to my other reads. Thankfully I kept going. You can question many choices made in this story, but if you just hang on for the ride you will not be disappointed. Filled with such a variety of great characters, dark times and passionate love. The end is hard won and if I were to ask for one change it would be just one more chapter, please, to let us ease away softly.
February 9, 2016
***DNF***
Sorry I just couldn't continue reading. I know this is an 80s bodice ripper, but I can't read a book were a 12 year old cabin boy acts as a whore for the sailors with the Captain in full agreement. Our heroine feels tingles when she is looking at our lusty captain, let's just call him pimp and be done with it. I just can't.... I am so thankful that Maggie Osborne wrote some beautiful books after this book. I think I need to go do a reread to get this one out of my head.
Sorry I just couldn't continue reading. I know this is an 80s bodice ripper, but I can't read a book were a 12 year old cabin boy acts as a whore for the sailors with the Captain in full agreement. Our heroine feels tingles when she is looking at our lusty captain, let's just call him pimp and be done with it. I just can't.... I am so thankful that Maggie Osborne wrote some beautiful books after this book. I think I need to go do a reread to get this one out of my head.
November 23, 2014
Nearly 30 years later and it's still as good as I remember!
August 26, 2014
There has not been a more compelling romance than this! And so heart rending. I loved the main characters, I fancy myself in love with Jean Pierre haha, he's so hot! But how I wished that there were no unpleasantness as deep and damaging such as the main characters had suffered. I love fairy tales, but this was no fairy tale. This was life, with its bitterness and pain, although in the end, love triumphed. This triumphant end was the one true reminder for me that this was fiction. If this was not fiction, I bet there would have been no happy ending.
November 28, 2023
It had taken me a few weeks to process this book in order to write a review and I’m still not sure I can.
I loved this book, I hated this book, I loved this book!
Bristol was dragged through hell and back about 10 times over. I loved that she came full circle in her life and seeing her grow into womanhood was at times gut wrenching. She is a fighter and one of the strongest heroines I think I’ve ever read.
Jean Pierre…..(swoon)…I’ll keep him! What an awesome character/hero. From the first page in which he appears, he immediately had my attention! Not many authors can grab me like that but Maggie Osborne sure did. In fact from page one I was enthralled in this story.
Having ancestors who lived in Salem at the time made it all the more real to me.
My first read by this author but certainly won’t be my last!
I loved this book, I hated this book, I loved this book!
Bristol was dragged through hell and back about 10 times over. I loved that she came full circle in her life and seeing her grow into womanhood was at times gut wrenching. She is a fighter and one of the strongest heroines I think I’ve ever read.
Jean Pierre…..(swoon)…I’ll keep him! What an awesome character/hero. From the first page in which he appears, he immediately had my attention! Not many authors can grab me like that but Maggie Osborne sure did. In fact from page one I was enthralled in this story.
Having ancestors who lived in Salem at the time made it all the more real to me.
My first read by this author but certainly won’t be my last!
June 9, 2023
Maggie Osborne’s second book is a true Bodice Ripper … Salem’s Daughter (1981) is an intense complex masterpiece and one of the saddest and most heartbreaking historical romance books I’ve ever read. However, it’s also one of the most powerful, unusual and achingly beautiful love stories I’ve ever read.
Really can’t summarize this multilayered story and do it justice.. here’s the basics:
Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691, Puritans. Opening scenes: Bristol Adams, age 17, is publicly whipped for talking with a young man, Caleb without her father’s permission. Father banishes her to live with her aunt in London. Aboard ship she meets the captain, Jean Pierre LaCrosse who’s actually more than he seems. The entire story is almost all from Bristol’s point of view… from her strict Puritain naive upbringing to living the life of a worldly lady courted by a duke, to facing the harsh realities of life, and then returning to Salem, as she matures into a woman of courage and honor.
The story includes deep emotional pain, physical horrors, suffering, death, infidelity, numerous heartbreaks, mental illness, and cruel fates for the heroine and hero, sensual passionate loving sex scenes, a bit of humor, and really interesting well developed secondary characters. Add in the madness of the Salem witch trials near the end.
My only quibble: the happily ever after for the hero and heroine is rushed at the end. He rescues her one more time … so the story deserved an epilogue.
(For those of you who had to read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in high school, Salem’s Daughter also describes the Puritan conformist society that needed to scapegoat and alienate it’s so called sinners, which then led to the emergence of American individualism.)
Salem’s Daughter is one of those books you can’t put down, you hate and stop reading and want to give it a 2 star rating, and then you step back and realize you’ve read a masterpiece because it shredded your emotions and you’ll remember it years from now. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ ❤️
Really can’t summarize this multilayered story and do it justice.. here’s the basics:
Salem, Massachusetts Bay Colony, 1691, Puritans. Opening scenes: Bristol Adams, age 17, is publicly whipped for talking with a young man, Caleb without her father’s permission. Father banishes her to live with her aunt in London. Aboard ship she meets the captain, Jean Pierre LaCrosse who’s actually more than he seems. The entire story is almost all from Bristol’s point of view… from her strict Puritain naive upbringing to living the life of a worldly lady courted by a duke, to facing the harsh realities of life, and then returning to Salem, as she matures into a woman of courage and honor.
The story includes deep emotional pain, physical horrors, suffering, death, infidelity, numerous heartbreaks, mental illness, and cruel fates for the heroine and hero, sensual passionate loving sex scenes, a bit of humor, and really interesting well developed secondary characters. Add in the madness of the Salem witch trials near the end.
My only quibble: the happily ever after for the hero and heroine is rushed at the end. He rescues her one more time … so the story deserved an epilogue.
(For those of you who had to read The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne in high school, Salem’s Daughter also describes the Puritan conformist society that needed to scapegoat and alienate it’s so called sinners, which then led to the emergence of American individualism.)
Salem’s Daughter is one of those books you can’t put down, you hate and stop reading and want to give it a 2 star rating, and then you step back and realize you’ve read a masterpiece because it shredded your emotions and you’ll remember it years from now. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️+ ❤️
December 14, 2014
I bought this book in paperback some years ago. I have read it so much that it is falling apart and had to buy the ebook. It is what I would call a "clean romance" the romantic scenes are all alluded to but excellent nonetheless. The one problem I have with this book that there isn't another one.
May 30, 2012
i really love this book. so perfect! i was really satisfied!
March 20, 2011
I was glues to the pages. This is one of those books I just couldn't put down. Excellent book!!
August 24, 2022
I'm giving this book four stars, because it was quite a story, with history, drama, romance, religion, politics and lots of entertainment!
You also get a good description of what Salem was like during the witch trials, and how much of the accusations were about revenge, hysteria, attention validation and just plain spite, rather than actual witchcraft. There was indeed evil in Salem, but it was all too human!
Also, if the political/social situation between Salem Town and Salem Village hadn't been so pathetic, it would have been laughable.
The novel centers around Bristol Adams, and starts with her being publicly punished for the horrible offense of being alone with her suitor, Caleb when his intentions to marry her had not been approved by her father. This results in her being sent to England to live with her supposedly strict puritanical Aunt Prudence, who turns out to be quite a surprise! Onboard ship, Bristol falls for the handsome captain, Jean-Pierre, who has a dual identity, so when Aunt prudence introduces bristol to her beloved stepson, Robbie.....
The road to true love indeed does not run smoothly for these two, as they're separated by family duties on both their parts, and each ends up in a loveless marriage, and Bristol ends up on trial for her life.
I won't give away a lot of detail, but I have to say that there were parts of the story I found hard to accept. For one thing, the methods Bristol used to try and get Caleb to marry her, so she wouldn't be sent to England. Even for a rebel at heart, they went too much against her proper Puritan upbringing. There was also too much emphasis on duty later on, for both Jean-Pierre and Bristol, and also on the part of Caleb and Bristol's sister, Charity. Even considering the times, it was tough to believe that four young people who knew what it was to truly love, would turn their backs on that out of a sense of obligation, when it could have been avoided. (This was especially true in Jean-Pierre's case, when the people he was sacrificing for - his father and stepmother - repeatedly told him it wasn't unnecessary.) It resulted in tragedy for Caleb and Charity, and a lot of unnecessary misery for Bristol and Jean-Pierre, who was saddled with a mentally unstable wife, who took a jealous revenge on Bristol. (This brought about an incident that really upset me, as Bristol ended up taking a savage beating by her employer that resulted in a miscarriage. That was HORRIBLE!!! I skipped through that, and suggest everyone else do the same) So much unhappiness that could have been avoided.
(Ironically, Bristol's posthumous promise to her late father was truly a case of be careful what you wish for. It seems he had a change of heart about Caleb, and decided he'd be a suitable husband for Bristol, after all. Talk about irony!)
Despite these flaws, I recommend this book, as it gives you a real sense of the atmosphere during the witch trials, and some historical characters make an appearance, which helps give the feeling of really being back in that time. Don't pass this one up.
You also get a good description of what Salem was like during the witch trials, and how much of the accusations were about revenge, hysteria, attention validation and just plain spite, rather than actual witchcraft. There was indeed evil in Salem, but it was all too human!
Also, if the political/social situation between Salem Town and Salem Village hadn't been so pathetic, it would have been laughable.
The novel centers around Bristol Adams, and starts with her being publicly punished for the horrible offense of being alone with her suitor, Caleb when his intentions to marry her had not been approved by her father. This results in her being sent to England to live with her supposedly strict puritanical Aunt Prudence, who turns out to be quite a surprise! Onboard ship, Bristol falls for the handsome captain, Jean-Pierre, who has a dual identity, so when Aunt prudence introduces bristol to her beloved stepson, Robbie.....
The road to true love indeed does not run smoothly for these two, as they're separated by family duties on both their parts, and each ends up in a loveless marriage, and Bristol ends up on trial for her life.
I won't give away a lot of detail, but I have to say that there were parts of the story I found hard to accept. For one thing, the methods Bristol used to try and get Caleb to marry her, so she wouldn't be sent to England. Even for a rebel at heart, they went too much against her proper Puritan upbringing. There was also too much emphasis on duty later on, for both Jean-Pierre and Bristol, and also on the part of Caleb and Bristol's sister, Charity. Even considering the times, it was tough to believe that four young people who knew what it was to truly love, would turn their backs on that out of a sense of obligation, when it could have been avoided. (This was especially true in Jean-Pierre's case, when the people he was sacrificing for - his father and stepmother - repeatedly told him it wasn't unnecessary.) It resulted in tragedy for Caleb and Charity, and a lot of unnecessary misery for Bristol and Jean-Pierre, who was saddled with a mentally unstable wife, who took a jealous revenge on Bristol. (This brought about an incident that really upset me, as Bristol ended up taking a savage beating by her employer that resulted in a miscarriage. That was HORRIBLE!!! I skipped through that, and suggest everyone else do the same) So much unhappiness that could have been avoided.
(Ironically, Bristol's posthumous promise to her late father was truly a case of be careful what you wish for. It seems he had a change of heart about Caleb, and decided he'd be a suitable husband for Bristol, after all. Talk about irony!)
Despite these flaws, I recommend this book, as it gives you a real sense of the atmosphere during the witch trials, and some historical characters make an appearance, which helps give the feeling of really being back in that time. Don't pass this one up.
December 31, 2019
Epic novel of courage and love
I felt swept up in the storms and beauty of our heroine Bristol's life.
The novel takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, in a ship crossing the Atlantic to London and in London itself. The novel concludes in Salem.
Each location in the novel could almost stand alone but instead is expertly woven together.
In spite of the hair raising drama, the story line and characters are so well crafted, that I found the heroine, hero and all of the secondary characters quite believable.
We watch our heroine grow from an impulsive and emotional young woman to a deeply courageous and very human nature person. Bristol and many other characters along with her experience an extreme range of psychological and physical pain, joy, peace, hope, sorrow, grief, shock, hopelessness and resolve.
Whether the story is taking place in a sailing ship, a Salem cottage or London ballroom, the details of the taste of foods, feel of fabrics, the colors of the sky, the filth of London air and the Thames River make every scene come to life. The details and context of history add to the book though many aspects of the novel could be placed in any age.
Though I asked myself a few times if any woman could survive a life like Bristol's, I was quickly distracted by the next scene.
Maggie Osbourne's pacing is masterful. Too much intensity whether very happy or very tragic would make the novel less realistic. The reader is given breaks in the action or emotions before being tossed into a malestrom. A little foreshadowing also alerts the reader to some of the coming drama.
I read this novel a number of years ago and found that I still remembered not just certain scenes but the depth of emotion in many of then.
This novel is a clear give stars and I look forward to rereading in a few years.
I felt swept up in the storms and beauty of our heroine Bristol's life.
The novel takes place in Salem, Massachusetts, in a ship crossing the Atlantic to London and in London itself. The novel concludes in Salem.
Each location in the novel could almost stand alone but instead is expertly woven together.
In spite of the hair raising drama, the story line and characters are so well crafted, that I found the heroine, hero and all of the secondary characters quite believable.
We watch our heroine grow from an impulsive and emotional young woman to a deeply courageous and very human nature person. Bristol and many other characters along with her experience an extreme range of psychological and physical pain, joy, peace, hope, sorrow, grief, shock, hopelessness and resolve.
Whether the story is taking place in a sailing ship, a Salem cottage or London ballroom, the details of the taste of foods, feel of fabrics, the colors of the sky, the filth of London air and the Thames River make every scene come to life. The details and context of history add to the book though many aspects of the novel could be placed in any age.
Though I asked myself a few times if any woman could survive a life like Bristol's, I was quickly distracted by the next scene.
Maggie Osbourne's pacing is masterful. Too much intensity whether very happy or very tragic would make the novel less realistic. The reader is given breaks in the action or emotions before being tossed into a malestrom. A little foreshadowing also alerts the reader to some of the coming drama.
I read this novel a number of years ago and found that I still remembered not just certain scenes but the depth of emotion in many of then.
This novel is a clear give stars and I look forward to rereading in a few years.
December 16, 2021
Ok so here is the thing. I am a fan of the Maggie's work and usually I immediately sink my teeth into her stories. This one however had me thinking I will be disappointed. I somehow didnt like the way Bristol was portrayed in the first few chapters but then by the middle of the book I fell in love with her.
I appreciated her character development from a vain childish girl to a mature woman who was quite compassionate. Did I think she was dumb and it took her a little longer to put 2 and 2 together? absolutely, but in the end that flaw made her very human and real to me.
I cried and laughed while reading this book and it ignited in me other feelings like anger aswell. Overall, it was an amazing read that's why am giving it my full stars.
I appreciated her character development from a vain childish girl to a mature woman who was quite compassionate. Did I think she was dumb and it took her a little longer to put 2 and 2 together? absolutely, but in the end that flaw made her very human and real to me.
I cried and laughed while reading this book and it ignited in me other feelings like anger aswell. Overall, it was an amazing read that's why am giving it my full stars.
March 8, 2024
This has really really dated. I think Ms Osborne is a wonderful writer on the basis of later books but the ‘morals’ of this one were just unpalatable. I tried to slog on but
1. A child prostituting himself on the ship with the Captains support. The suggestion being he was allowing him to seize agency and accumulate money?? Just maintain discipline and demonstrate to the sailors what would happen if they tried anything.
2. Having a ‘relationship’ with the heroine knowing he was going to marry someone else.
3. The whole reasoning behind marrying the made woman was preposterous.
4. Carrying on the relationship even after marrying.
5. Telling the heroine he would console himself with a red haired prostitute when she returned to America.
I gave up…
1. A child prostituting himself on the ship with the Captains support. The suggestion being he was allowing him to seize agency and accumulate money?? Just maintain discipline and demonstrate to the sailors what would happen if they tried anything.
2. Having a ‘relationship’ with the heroine knowing he was going to marry someone else.
3. The whole reasoning behind marrying the made woman was preposterous.
4. Carrying on the relationship even after marrying.
5. Telling the heroine he would console himself with a red haired prostitute when she returned to America.
I gave up…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2022
promising blurb
but the author missed a lot of opportunities to make the book memorable and enjoyable for me
very hard to care for the heroine
she doesnt really seem to have a personality
except for repeating that she will not cry and magically bouncing back from the most terrible of experiences. she is calm, too calm... smiling and what not to her family members after being whipped by her father\s request
the same goes for the heroe
he is just there, a lot of overused tropes put together
but the author missed a lot of opportunities to make the book memorable and enjoyable for me
very hard to care for the heroine
she doesnt really seem to have a personality
except for repeating that she will not cry and magically bouncing back from the most terrible of experiences. she is calm, too calm... smiling and what not to her family members after being whipped by her father\s request
the same goes for the heroe
he is just there, a lot of overused tropes put together
December 2, 2024
I don’t know if it deserves five starts but in the sea of mediocrity that I’ve been reading lately this book stands out as a masterpiece. Very different from Maggie Osborne’s western romances; it’s grittier with more emphasis on history but still has a great romantic storyline. I couldn’t put it down, highly recommend!
September 26, 2022
Well written, the writer has throughly researched the era and customs of that time. M O has created characters and situations that resonate with honesty and humanity. Once again, this author has shared an adventure of her creation that others besides myself can take and enjoy.
November 16, 2020
Great book, the first I ever read from this author.
I loved the heroine, Bristol, and I loved her clothing descriptions. Seriously.
I loved the heroine, Bristol, and I loved her clothing descriptions. Seriously.
May 4, 2015
This book was decent but I was disappointed in it compared to everything else I've read by Maggie Osborne. I saw another reviewer say it seemed like it was by another author and I agree.
Maggie Osborne is one of my #1 favorite authors and in other books of hers that I've read the descriptions were thorough enough to paint a very clear picture but brief enough not to bore.
Both the description and the plot in Salem's Daughter got tedious and boring to me. I really started skipping toward the end and felt annoyed by some of the twists and turns, and many decisions people made to make their own lives miserable made no sense to me, and didn't fit the characters.
There were a lot of bad things that happened to people in the book and my overriding emotion was irritation at the author rather than sympathy for the characters.
I don't know... It was still a decent book (though I know I don't make it sound like that) it just pales in comparison to the western romance novels I've read by Maggie Osborne.
Maggie Osborne is one of my #1 favorite authors and in other books of hers that I've read the descriptions were thorough enough to paint a very clear picture but brief enough not to bore.
Both the description and the plot in Salem's Daughter got tedious and boring to me. I really started skipping toward the end and felt annoyed by some of the twists and turns, and many decisions people made to make their own lives miserable made no sense to me, and didn't fit the characters.
There were a lot of bad things that happened to people in the book and my overriding emotion was irritation at the author rather than sympathy for the characters.
I don't know... It was still a decent book (though I know I don't make it sound like that) it just pales in comparison to the western romance novels I've read by Maggie Osborne.
January 14, 2017
this heroine made some questionable choices but good read anyways. A half bodice riper!
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