Whitney, My Love (Westmoreland #2) by Judith Mcnaught

First Edition : Jan 1985
Revised Edition : May 2006
Mass Market Paperback: 736 pages
Finished Date: 25 August 2011

I kinda read this book 4 times in total, but I only kept track of the 4th read! The 4th read was for the Revised Edition, the first 3 was the First Edition!

Awards:
1998 AAR Top 100 Romances #5
2000 AAR Top 100 Romances #35
2004 AAR Top 100 Romances #35
2007 AAR Top 100 Romances #71

Blurb from Goodreads

Whitney, My Love stands as Judith McNaught's timeless bestseller — a novel so rich with laughter, tears, and the power of dreams that millions of readers have returned to it again and again to savor its beauty and majesty.

Under the dark, languorous eyes of Clayton Westmoreland, the Duke of Claymore, Whitney Stone grew from a saucy hoyden into a ravishingly sensual woman. Fresh from her triumphs in Paris society, she returned to England to win the heart of Paul, her childhood love . . . only to be bargained away by her bankrupt father to the handsome, arrogant duke. Outraged, she defies her new lord. But even as his smoldering passion seduces her into a gathering storm of desire, Whitney cannot — and will not — relinquish her dream of perfect love.

My Rating

My Review

When I first saw this title, I have to say, I didn't expect much from it. I didn't even want to pick it up. But boy, am i so glad to have been proven wrong.

The first time I read the book, I literally could not stop reading. For the whole day, my eyes were glued onto the book pages. I couldn't even sleep because I was so engrossed. To me, it was one of the best romance novels I have ever read.

I won't go into the synopsis because I can't write summaries, but throughout the book, I was taken on an emotional roller-coaster. Some parts had me sighing in happiness, some parts made me feel like throwing the book across the room. One thing stayed constant. I simply could not put down the book.

Seeing how Whitney grew up made me smile. No more was she a spoiled brat. Yes, she could be mischievous at times, but she was mature. To me, Clayton was a jerk at times, yes. But he made up for it. I couldn't help but see why she fell in love with him, because a little part of me did too.

The next time I wanted to read this book, I was a little reluctant. I had read many reviews saying how much they hated this book and so on. I was afraid to read it a second time in case I didn't enjoy it so much and I would have lost that magic.

But I took a gamble and read it again. I loved it. Once more falling in love with all the characters even with her dad when I realize he truly loves her.

I have never understood why others do not like this book. Maybe it's just me but I found this book to be really amazing. I have read many other romances, historical and contemporary. But so far, this remains one of the only romances that have compelled me from the beginning to the end.

I have read this book a total of 3 times and I must say, Whitney, My Love, has not lost even a bit of its original magic for me.

25 August 2011

I just read the book for the 4th time and all I can say is that it is amazing. No words can truly describe it. Granted, I didn't enjoy the first part as much as in the past, but it was still entertaining to read. What I truly loved was when their problems started. I screamed, I wept. I just couldn't take it at times. My heart was breaking right along with theirs. I remember when she rejected him at the wedding banquet, I was practically begging that it would't happen.

Clayton Westmoreland truly convinced me he loved Whitney beyond belief. He tolerated so much, put up with so much of her nonsense and did so much for her. My heart broke when the book mentioned that he knew he was gonna be lying beside her for the last time ever. And of course my heart broke again after they were married and he stupidly assumed she had been with another man. I was so pissed and annoyed with him at that point that I couldn't read and could only scream and shout at his stupidity. I loved it when he finally realised he loved her so much he didn't care anymore how many men there had be before him. But when he finally realised she couldn't have slept with another, my heart melted when he tried desperately to find her but couldn't. And when he did, I was immensely touched. No words can describe it, I have to say.

This leads me to the conclusion once more, that Whitney, My Love remains unparalleled in my heart. It has every aspect that I love in a romance and it doesn't brush across the issues easily, it really goes deep into the issues and bring out the true beauty of everything. All I can say is that this book is still as magical for me as when I first read it. Beautiful beyond belief is all I can say.