The Barkin Emeralds (Signet Regency Romance) [Paperback]

Nancy Butler (Author)

Book Description

Series: Signet Regency Romance | Publication Date: June 1, 2004

On behalf of her mistress, Miss Maggie Bonner is returning a rejected betrothal gift-an emerald necklace-to Lord Barkin in Scotland, when she is mistaken for his intended and kidnapped by a dashing pirate...

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Signet (June 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451211758
• ISBN-13: 978-0451211750
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.1 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,159,186 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars not your average regency, June 10, 2004

By 

"wallawalla2002" (Walla Walla, Washington United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barkin Emeralds (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

Nancy Butler's latest book "The Barkin Emeralds" is far above average.

Maggie Bonner's life has too little happiness and her future looks bleak. It appears that things can only get worse when she is robbed of the emerald necklace she is returning (on behalf of her employer) to Lord Barkin. But then...
she ends up cast on the shore of the island of St. Columba and her life begins to change in a wonderful way.

Gulliver MacGuigan, the man who stole the necklace and for a good reason, is the best kind of hero. He feels responsible for the people of this island and works hard (dirty, back-breaking labor) to help them. He's stubborn, she's determined and together they are strong.

The interaction of these two people is sometimes witty, sometimes touching, often passionate. And believable!

I enjoy a regency romance where the heroine isn't a society deb and the hero isn't an aloof millionaire. This isn't London. It's real hardworking people who are worried about how to make a living when their familiar way of life is being threatened.
Gulliver's cousin Dorcas, Guy, Og MacNeill and a few others are great secondary characters. Their stories add wonderfully to this book.

Nancy Butler has a way of writing that makes the characters and their romance seem real. No silly, unbelievable plot twists or out-of-nowhere surprises. Just genuine feeling and emotion. I think she's an author in the same class as Mary Balogh and Carla Kelly. This is an enjoyable, romantic story!

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Could have been better, July 12, 2004

By 

E. Kay "eclectic6" (Ohio) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Barkin Emeralds (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

No one has ever been as unlucky as Maggie Bonner. On her way to return her mistress's engagement present, she is robbed, drugged, marooned, kidnapped, and maroooned again. Imagine her humilation when the robber and kidnapper turn out to be the very same man.

That man is Gulliver MacGuigan, a man who is more than he seems. He robbed the Barkin Emeralds from Maggie, and he kidnaps her because he mistakes her for someone else. He thinks she is Alice Fescue, the fiance of his rival. And he is determined to think she is Miss Fescue, even as he finds himself growing fascinated with her.

Maggie herself warms up to Gulliver. He becomes less of a kidnapper and more of a protector.

"The Barkin Emeralds" was an interesting book, but it fell into a lot of typical "romance novel" traps. Can you really admire a man who robs you, kidnaps you, and forces kisses on you? At times, Gulliver was a bit overbearing and thick-headed. I would be scared out of my wits. And how could Gulliver, in retrospect, love a girl who slices his arm? I just don't buy it. Not only that, the characters were somewhat archetypal--Maggie being the spirited lady's companion, Gulliver being the brusque sailor-stud. The book has its high points, but it falls short where it could have succeeded.

It's alright. I might even go so far as to say its good, but it's never great. I've read better books by Nancy Butler, the more recent ones being "Discarded Duke" and "Prospero's Daughter." If you want something different from a ballroom Regency, and you like kidnapped heroines... you might enjoy this one. Probably more than I did.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Another winner from Ms. Butler., March 6, 2005

By 

Zodie (usa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barkin Emeralds (Signet Regency Romance) (Paperback)

I won't bother with a synopsis, as others have already done so, just add my two cents about this author's incredible writing style.

Characters, action, pacing, witty dialogue, descriptive prowess and narrative without going over the edge, believable plot and storyline for the era - Nancy Butler never fails to deliver excellence in all areas; and she always throws in that little extra added surprise/something to keep the reader going.

I recently heard that she will no longer be writing Regency era romance; I'll sure miss them - but will continue to read her, no matter what genre she moves to.