Helpful Score: 1
This was a long overdue reread of an oldie but goodie. Shanna is more than just a classic historical romance; it is also an adventure story that goes from Newgate Prison to a Caribbean island to a pirate island and finally to the wilderness of the Colony of Virginia. The descriptions are rich with detail, making it easy to visualize each scene, and the characters are vividly portrayed.
Shanna is the daughter of a wealthy merchant who owns an island in the Caribbean. He sends her to London each year in hopes that she finds a titled husband, but each year she returns unwed. This year he gave her an ultimatum - find a husband, or he will find one for her. Unwilling to bow to his dictates, Shanna buys time to find the man she wants by marrying a man condemned to die.
Ruark is in prison for a murder he is sure he didn't commit but expects to die for. When Shanna makes her proposal to him, that in exchange for his name, she will ensure his final days are more comfortable, he counters with a requirement of his own. He will marry her, but she must grant him a wedding night.
In this first part of the book, Shanna is a spoiled brat, as well as being somewhat naïve. She makes promises to Ruark that she has no intention of keeping. Her attitude is arrogant, and she certainly looks down on him. She begins to sense that she has bitten off more than she can chew when she meets the "cleaned up" Ruark for the wedding. Ruark has understandably looked forward to the marriage and the aftermath and is in a cheerful, flirty mood throughout the wedding. There are sparks between them, though Shanna doesn't recognize the attraction for what it is. I loved Ruark's teasing and gentleness and couldn't help thinking about how lucky Shanna was. I was furious with the way she double-crossed Ruark and understood his fury. It was interesting to see how Shanna tried to justify her actions in her mind, but there was that niggling sense of guilt that gave me hope for her. She thinks she has it made because of his scheduled hanging, but Fate has other plans. It was an interesting plot twist that had Ruark avoiding the hangman and ending up bound for her home as a bondservant.
Once she reaches Los Camellos, the story picks up. Ruark, now going by the name John Ruark, is satisfied to be so close to Shanna, making it easier to plot his revenge. He is a smart and talented man and quickly makes himself indispensable to his employer. Shanna gets quite a shock the first time she sees him and realizes that she is not a widow after all and that her husband is determined to claim what he is owed. I loved watching his persistent actions as he gets closer to Shanna's father, and therefore closer to her. He also takes every opportunity to fan the sparks of attraction between them, until Shanna is desperate to stop him. She finally realizes that the only way is to pay her debt in full. That scene is romantic and steamy and opens her eyes to what is possible between a man and a woman. But the strength of those feelings also scares her, and she tries unsuccessfully to stay away. By this time, Ruark is head over heels for her, but can't make any headway in getting her to admit her feelings. She may claim that she doesn't want him, but certainly demonstrates a great deal of jealousy when she thinks he is with someone else. Her hotheaded behavior leads her into another rash action that has Ruark kidnapped and turned over to a pirate ship.
This is one of the most exciting parts of the book, as Ruark does what he must to stay alive. He tries to hedge his bets with the pirates, but it backfires and ends up with the pirates attacking the island and taking Shanna captive. I loved his quick mind as he found a way to bring her under his protection while preserving his cover with the pirates. Of course, Shanna is just as willful and stubborn as ever and nearly succeeds in getting them both killed. His confrontation with the pirate captain was intense, but the outcome was never really in doubt. He also knew that he had to get them away from the pirate island as soon as possible. I loved the unexpected help they received, and the escape was a real nail-biter. I was worried that Shanna was going to stand back and let him take the blame, but she did finally come through in the end. Her experiences on the pirate island opened her eyes, and she began to see just how spoiled and selfish she had been. I liked seeing the changes as they happened, and Ruark's reaction to them. He was understandably wary, but also hopeful.
A complication during this period was the presence of an Englishman, Sir Gaylord Billingsly, who is looking for financing for a shipyard his family owns. He is quite supercilious and has set his sights on marrying Shanna. He is a parasite of the worst sort and rapidly wears out his welcome as far as Shanna is concerned. There were some very satisfying moments when she finds ways to make her displeasure known. She doesn't know, however, that he has joined forces with Ralston, who has promised his help for a piece of Shanna's dowry. There are some devious and dangerous plans underway that could put a permanent end to Ruark's marriage to Shanna. There is also a visit from a sailing ship out of Virginia, where its captain is very interested in the story of Shanna's marriage. He also tells stories about life and opportunities in the colonies and invites the Traherns to visit them there.
My favorite part of the book is the visit to Virginia. Shanna and Ruark have come to an understanding, but she hasn't quite made that final leap. It was great fun to watch Shanna watch Ruark in his natural element of the Virginia wilderness. At last, she accepts what her heart has known all along, but there are still a few surprises in store for her. I enjoyed her growing appreciation for the land, and her acceptance by the family they visit makes her feel even more at home. There were some hilarious moments involving Ruark and various family members that all came home to roost with the arrival of one of the sisters. I ached a little for Shanna as the entire truth came out, as she felt foolish, but Ruark soon convinced her of the truth of his feelings. The excitement isn't over, however, as the murder charge against him rears its head once more, thanks to outside interference. There is more to the story still as the actual murderer uses Shanna as a hostage to attempt to escape. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, as Shanna's calm confidence in Ruark's rescue of her drives her kidnapper over the edge. The end to that was very satisfying, with nothing left but to tie up loose ends. I loved the epilogue and the surprise that Mr. Trahern received one morning at church.
Though Shanna spent a good bit of time on the disliked side of the tally sheet during the book, I enjoyed seeing the growth of her character. It wasn't fast, and it wasn't easy, but it was believable. On the other hand, I loved Ruark from the beginning. He is an honorable man, and that honor plays out again and again throughout the book. I loved his patience and persistence in winning Shanna.
Shanna is the daughter of a wealthy merchant who owns an island in the Caribbean. He sends her to London each year in hopes that she finds a titled husband, but each year she returns unwed. This year he gave her an ultimatum - find a husband, or he will find one for her. Unwilling to bow to his dictates, Shanna buys time to find the man she wants by marrying a man condemned to die.
Ruark is in prison for a murder he is sure he didn't commit but expects to die for. When Shanna makes her proposal to him, that in exchange for his name, she will ensure his final days are more comfortable, he counters with a requirement of his own. He will marry her, but she must grant him a wedding night.
In this first part of the book, Shanna is a spoiled brat, as well as being somewhat naïve. She makes promises to Ruark that she has no intention of keeping. Her attitude is arrogant, and she certainly looks down on him. She begins to sense that she has bitten off more than she can chew when she meets the "cleaned up" Ruark for the wedding. Ruark has understandably looked forward to the marriage and the aftermath and is in a cheerful, flirty mood throughout the wedding. There are sparks between them, though Shanna doesn't recognize the attraction for what it is. I loved Ruark's teasing and gentleness and couldn't help thinking about how lucky Shanna was. I was furious with the way she double-crossed Ruark and understood his fury. It was interesting to see how Shanna tried to justify her actions in her mind, but there was that niggling sense of guilt that gave me hope for her. She thinks she has it made because of his scheduled hanging, but Fate has other plans. It was an interesting plot twist that had Ruark avoiding the hangman and ending up bound for her home as a bondservant.
Once she reaches Los Camellos, the story picks up. Ruark, now going by the name John Ruark, is satisfied to be so close to Shanna, making it easier to plot his revenge. He is a smart and talented man and quickly makes himself indispensable to his employer. Shanna gets quite a shock the first time she sees him and realizes that she is not a widow after all and that her husband is determined to claim what he is owed. I loved watching his persistent actions as he gets closer to Shanna's father, and therefore closer to her. He also takes every opportunity to fan the sparks of attraction between them, until Shanna is desperate to stop him. She finally realizes that the only way is to pay her debt in full. That scene is romantic and steamy and opens her eyes to what is possible between a man and a woman. But the strength of those feelings also scares her, and she tries unsuccessfully to stay away. By this time, Ruark is head over heels for her, but can't make any headway in getting her to admit her feelings. She may claim that she doesn't want him, but certainly demonstrates a great deal of jealousy when she thinks he is with someone else. Her hotheaded behavior leads her into another rash action that has Ruark kidnapped and turned over to a pirate ship.
This is one of the most exciting parts of the book, as Ruark does what he must to stay alive. He tries to hedge his bets with the pirates, but it backfires and ends up with the pirates attacking the island and taking Shanna captive. I loved his quick mind as he found a way to bring her under his protection while preserving his cover with the pirates. Of course, Shanna is just as willful and stubborn as ever and nearly succeeds in getting them both killed. His confrontation with the pirate captain was intense, but the outcome was never really in doubt. He also knew that he had to get them away from the pirate island as soon as possible. I loved the unexpected help they received, and the escape was a real nail-biter. I was worried that Shanna was going to stand back and let him take the blame, but she did finally come through in the end. Her experiences on the pirate island opened her eyes, and she began to see just how spoiled and selfish she had been. I liked seeing the changes as they happened, and Ruark's reaction to them. He was understandably wary, but also hopeful.
A complication during this period was the presence of an Englishman, Sir Gaylord Billingsly, who is looking for financing for a shipyard his family owns. He is quite supercilious and has set his sights on marrying Shanna. He is a parasite of the worst sort and rapidly wears out his welcome as far as Shanna is concerned. There were some very satisfying moments when she finds ways to make her displeasure known. She doesn't know, however, that he has joined forces with Ralston, who has promised his help for a piece of Shanna's dowry. There are some devious and dangerous plans underway that could put a permanent end to Ruark's marriage to Shanna. There is also a visit from a sailing ship out of Virginia, where its captain is very interested in the story of Shanna's marriage. He also tells stories about life and opportunities in the colonies and invites the Traherns to visit them there.
My favorite part of the book is the visit to Virginia. Shanna and Ruark have come to an understanding, but she hasn't quite made that final leap. It was great fun to watch Shanna watch Ruark in his natural element of the Virginia wilderness. At last, she accepts what her heart has known all along, but there are still a few surprises in store for her. I enjoyed her growing appreciation for the land, and her acceptance by the family they visit makes her feel even more at home. There were some hilarious moments involving Ruark and various family members that all came home to roost with the arrival of one of the sisters. I ached a little for Shanna as the entire truth came out, as she felt foolish, but Ruark soon convinced her of the truth of his feelings. The excitement isn't over, however, as the murder charge against him rears its head once more, thanks to outside interference. There is more to the story still as the actual murderer uses Shanna as a hostage to attempt to escape. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, as Shanna's calm confidence in Ruark's rescue of her drives her kidnapper over the edge. The end to that was very satisfying, with nothing left but to tie up loose ends. I loved the epilogue and the surprise that Mr. Trahern received one morning at church.
Though Shanna spent a good bit of time on the disliked side of the tally sheet during the book, I enjoyed seeing the growth of her character. It wasn't fast, and it wasn't easy, but it was believable. On the other hand, I loved Ruark from the beginning. He is an honorable man, and that honor plays out again and again throughout the book. I loved his patience and persistence in winning Shanna.
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