Whitney, My Love (Westmoreland, #2) in The Complete Idiots Guide to the Ultimate Reading List

Apr 14, 2011 Yulia rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, historical, chick-lit

For some reason, from the other peoples reviews with the spoilers I thought that this book would be more sad, tragic and would make me cry and bring my depression forward, so I kinda tried to stay away from it cuz of that..
Well, baseless fears. It wasn't the depressing kind, sure it had that "train wreck bad thing is gonna happen" feeling, but it wasn't that bad.
What's true is that I didn't like the male character very much, I mean he kept not trusting her and any positive feeling she showed tow ...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Lisa (Harmonybites) rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, ultimate-reading-list, novels, fiction, historical-fiction

One of those rare romance novels I read during my misspent youth that I remember liking, published in 1986. I wish I could say it holds up on a reread. I rather get why I may have once liked this book: I find Whitney herself appealing and sympathetic from the start; she has a difficult relationship with her father, a painful unrequited love, and is the kind of girl that--in Regency England--wears breeches to try riding stunts on horses. I still rather love her, at least in the beginning pre-door One of those rare romance novels I read during my misspent youth that I remember liking, published in 1986. I wish I could say it holds up on a reread. I rather get why I may have once liked this book: I find Whitney herself appealing and sympathetic from the start; she has a difficult relationship with her father, a painful unrequited love, and is the kind of girl that--in Regency England--wears breeches to try riding stunts on horses. I still rather love her, at least in the beginning pre-doormat; her dialogue is often witty, and there are endearing secondary characters as well, thus the two stars.

The problem is the "hero," Clayton--he makes me rather appalled I ever liked this book. If there's some aspect of an abusive relationship not illustrated by his character--including rape--I don't know what it would be. And mind you, what I read is the revised edition; I understand that in the original, the rape scene was more brutal--even softened, it still comes across as rape to me though. I wouldn't even say the rape is the most disturbing aspect of the abuse Clayton hands out to Whitney--emotionally the way he treats her again and again is out and out cruel. And she loves him. It makes it all the more pathetic as a drama about abuse, but I can't say it works as a love story for me--but that's what it's written as--romance. I read one review that suggests what might be appealing is the idea of having someone who treated you badly come asking you to take them back. On the other side, I imagine someone who is currently undergoing abuse might want to believe that forgiving time upon time might lead to that happily ever after.

When I read it decades ago, I might have liked the idea of redemption and forgiveness. But on reread I just can't see a character arc with Clayton that makes him forgivable or redeemable. And given how he acted, the author really needs to pull out all the stops--apology, demonstrations he now trusts Whitney, etc. I don't think that Clayton ever gets-a-clue he did damage beyond a moment of remorseful tenderness, or takes steps to show real change. ...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Sherin Punnilath rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, library

The characters and certain events reminded me a lot about Gone With the Wind.
In the first half,the heroine's behaviour was pretty aweful(Her conduct after she returns from Paris,i.e.).
Hero is a declared rake;So don't have to comment on him.

Couldn't like it as much as other JM books.
I didn't get why she had to let us know about the colour of each & every dress Whitney & Clayton wore :p
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