Customer Reviews

A Kingdom of Dreams

5 star:		(218)
4 star:		(29)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

This is a delightful, yet at the same time heart-wrenching, story of love, loyalty and betrayal. McNaught will move you to laughter and then to tears and back to laughter again.. smoothly, beautifully and effortlessly. Her mastery of prose is truly splendid.

Jennifer Merrick is delightful in every way, even in her fierce misguided loyalty. Royce Westmoreland is the Wolf - Big, ugly, fierce and Jennifer's sworn enemy... she also happens to be his unwilling captive. Of course, she fights him all the way and in every way she knows, but at the same time, she finds herself more and more drawn to him. Not too long after her abduction, Jennifer finds herself wedded to the hateful Wolf and life for the wedded-couple is a series of shocking lows and some highs..

This is one of the all-time Best Historical Novels you are ever likely to read. Buy this book and make sure you clear a special place on your bookshelf for it. This one is for keeps!

Two years ago, my son's babysitter brought a book to my home to read while my son slept. Yes, it had one of "those" kinds of covers and I asked "how could you read this stuff (romance)?" She picked out a section for me to read and I was hooked! I realized you truly cannot judge a book by its cover. In the past two years I have devoured romances and have found that historicals are by far my favorite. Judith McNaught's writing is magical and this book left me breathless. When Jennifer does the ultimate act of love for her husband by swearing fealty to him in front of thousands and losing her father's "love" in the process, I cried. One of the most beautifully romantic moments I have ever read. I am a very discriminating reader and there are many authors in all genres I will not read. Judith McNaught is the first author I recommend to people to thumb their noses at romance (like yours truly used to) and she and I have made several converts! This book and Whitney, My Love are the first two I recommend. Ms. McNaught is magical and romantic and poignant without being sappy and overly emotional. When you want to close a book with a sigh and a good, warm feeling, read any of her books!

A kingdom of dreams is what every person wishes for Judith McNaught has beautifully translated that wish to paper, A wish to be loved and accepted for what we are. Jennifer Merrick is one of the most beautiful heroines ever written not so much for her fiestiness but for her gentle soul. Her courage and love for her family and later her husband have been brought out so poignantly. Royce might seem like an average historical hero but his overwhelming love for Jenny makes this book a keeper. And just for the loveable Jenny alone This one deserves 5 stars

These characters virtually come alive before the reader. I was surprised that I came to love this story, since I don't particularly care for the time setting that this story takes place. This novel has changed my outlook completely! I was not too excited about picking up another Judith McNaught novel after reading Remember When, but since I had already bought every one she had written after reading Whitney, My Love , I had no other choice! I wish Ms. McNaught rewrites Remember When like she did with Whitney, My Love, since it has so much potential for being a truly wonderful story. But, that is another review! A Kingdom of Dreams was a wonderfully romantic novel that kept my attention through every twist and turn of the plot. You won't put this book down until it is finished, and then you might just start at the beginning again! Jenny was an incredible heroine full of youthful aspirations about her future. She was not a cardboard cutout perfect beauty. She often made mistakes, which are common for one so young. Her age did not affect my reading enjoyment whatsoever ( I don't usually relate to heroine's that are half my age!) She was the perfect combination of youthful exuberance and womanly courage. I loved how she cleverly outwitted Royce, or rather how he allowed her to in the end. Those Westmorelands are one sexy bunch! I knew I was in trouble when Royce began to invade MY dreams! What a man! Tough as nails, yet he had a very tender and gentle heart. One that felt compassion and emphathy, but never compromised his masculinity. Read A Kingdom of Dreams, and then for more Westmorelands read Whitney, My Love and Until You. Ms. McNaught, please bring us more stories of the Westmoreland's. They are the best heroes a girl can dream about!

This story is one of THE most romantic I have ever read in the 11 years I have been reading romance. This is the story of Jennifer Merrick from Scotland who is abducted by the powerful "Black Wolf", who is Royce Westmoreland. He is the most feared of the nobles of King Henry. Trouble is brewing between Scotland and England, Royce kidnaps his enemy's daughter to get the Clansmen to buckle. The story is filled with adventure and history. Knights in shining armor and castles...it's a beautifully written story of the ancestors of Claymore(from the Whitney, My Love book and Until You book.) The heartwrenching love between these two will make you cry. Especially when Jennifer swears feality to Royce. My eyes teared and my hearty constricted. It is the most romantic and beautiful scene I have ever read in a book. Judith McNaught has an uncanny way of knowing how to reach into the readers hearts with her writing. The characters were people I would love to know in real life. I especially loved Royce. He was so tender and what dreams are made of. Jennifer would make any woman proud with her defiance and bravery. I loved this story as much as I loved it's prequel "Whitney, My Love". This is a must read for those hopeless romantics out there like me. The other books in this series are: Whitney, My Love & Until You, in that order. Read this first before Whitney, My Love; even though it was written after. Then read Until You last. I hope you enjoy this series as much as I did. It's beautiful beyond words....

WOW!!! This is romance novel at its best!! I have so much I want to say I don't even know where to start. First, I'm not a fan of medieval period romances at all, and I only decided to read this because I loved Whitney, My Love and the ending where Whitney was doing that ritual thing that all Duchesses of Westmoreland do really intrigued me, esp. when she was crying and laughing while she was reading the adventures of the first Duchess of Westmoreland. If you've read Whitney, My Love, you'll know what I mean. Also, I wanted to learn more about the ancestor of Clayton, the very FIRST Duke of Westmoreland and what kind of person he was. He does not disappoint....

The beginning was awesome, as you read about Jennifer escapades while she was a "hostage" of Royce, the "Black Wolf," Jennifer's clan's mortal enemy. Royce and her had so many confrontation and the tension between them was almost tangible, even when they fell for each other. Their meeting and all the adventures that followed were very entertaining and funny, and kept me riveted to the book. However, after their first misunderstanding though, it got a bit confusing with the king and the clansman and the subtle power struggles that a few pages cannot really fully explain, and I was getting increasingly bored and ready to just finish the book and get it over with. The period right before their marriage and immediately after was so predictable and I was getting rather disappointed when, BAM! the climax came.

And OH MI GOSH, WHAT A CLIMAX!! It hit me hard because I did not expect such power of emotion to pour from this book, but it did, and I will never ever forget the jousting/tournament part no matter how many romance novels I read. The whole part I loved, but one of the sweetest, most touching scenes I've ever read in my life were, first, the one where Royce rode up on his horse, frighteningly in all black, and saluted Jennifer. I could almost feel at that moment what she was feeling, so touched and loved and amazed and confused at what to do. And then, in a scene that made me speechless with emotion, was when Jennifer ran out onto the field as Royce was sacrificing himself for her, and she in return bestowed upon him a gift that was tremendously touching. I thought their marriage was irreparable after what he did (no, it's not rape), so that scene was all the more shocking and heartbreakingly sweet. Think about it: Royce, the most feared man in all of England and Scotland, who has fought hundreds of battles and killed thousands of men, a legendary warrior and a fierce opponent, subjected himself to ridicule and defeat and sacrificed his body and pride and honor for the woman he loved, in front of the whole world. He could lose honor in front of everyone else, but he did not, could not lose his honor in front of the woman he loved. This is the ultimate gesture of love, and what can be more romantic than that? Jennifer, thank God, realized this and in return gave him an equally touching gift. I couldn't even cry, couldn't even remember who I was or where I was at, so involved I was with the characters, feeling how they feel, carried away by the sea of emotions that engulfed the scene...

This book should be made into a movie, and it would be a blockbuster and blow everyone away with its majesty and grandeur and I can almost see it played in my mind the scene on the tournament field, the dramatic ending of the feud and the beginning of their true married life. There are so many wonderful memories in this book that will stay with me for a long long time...I especially liked that scene where Jennifer was making fun of Royce about where he left his men right after they got married, it was SO CUTE and they behaved just like an old married couple, only they didn't realize it at the time. The love between them is vividly described and you can feel their love and loyalty as if it were your own. Royce is a very likable hero, being that he was a relatively tender JM leading man in spite of his ferocious career, and Jennifer is an admirable heroine, full of passion and loyalty and courage. They are the perfect couple, the perfect beginning to the Westmoreland line, and I highly encourage you to read this book as well as Whitney, My Love, which tells the tale of the ninth Duke of Westmoreland. This book is amazingly touching, despite many technical descriptions that I have to admit I skipped over, and once you get to the ending you'll realize the grandeur and wholesomeness of his book. It is definitely not corny and no matter how much I write, words cannot describe the depth of feeling evoked by some of the scenes, you will only find that out when you read for yourself...a kingdom of dreams.

Judith McNaught has once again spellbound me with another one of her wonderful stories. A Kingdom of Dreams is one of the best Medieval romances I have ever read. There is something about castles, brazen maidens and, more important, gorgeous knights in shining armor disguised as fierce barbarians that make these books irresistible. A Kingdom of Dreams is as good as it gets. Scottish redhead Jennifer Merrick has settled for a life in a convent after she lets her father down in numerous occasions, several of which are of no fault of her own. But her luck changes when she and her sister are kidnaped by English warriors. They keep them captive in an attempt to avoid a battle with the Merricks and make a somewhat peaceful negotiation with them. Jennifer realizes that she is the captive of the notorious Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore, better known as "The Wolf." He has the reputation of being a beast -- a brutal murderer, torturer and rapist. But beneath his tough exterior lies a tender, compassionate man who forgives Jennifer's constant attempts to escape and often humiliates Royce in front of his peers and underlings. The Wolf may have met his match with the proud, brazen beauty, qualities that endear her to him all the more. What follows is a riveting, touching story of love, loyalty and betrayal, especially when Jennifer has to choose between her compatriots and the man she loves. There are many twists throughout the novel.

I read Something Wonderful a few days ago and fell in love with that novel. Now McNaught has endeared me to these wonderful protagonists and this beautiful love story. I loved Royce. He is sensual, heroic, funny and loyal in more ways than one. He is also the proverbial alpha male. He starts out being selfish and temperamental though. His main focus in the beginning is to get inside Jennifer's skirts, regardless of her religious beliefs and the dreams of losing her virginity to a proper husband. That is one aspect of Royce that made him challenging to me. Jennifer is a great heroine. She is feisty, courageous and takes abuse from no one. She is no ninny, that's for sure! And that is what I liked about her the most. The things she puts Royce through in the beginning are hilarious! (Well, except for the horse thing.) But the things she puts him through during the second half of the novel frustrated me. Her lack of faith in him is gruesome at times. I couldn't believe she was so disloyal to the English at times when they treated her better than her father and her compatriots had ever treated her. Her behavior during the jousting tournament is appalling. I realized just how kind and forgiving Royce was then and there. I understand her feelings after the incident with her stepbrother, but still. Anyway, as you can see, this novel made me feel many different things from beginning to the end. The story is magnificent, the setting is quite precise and the characters are incredibly nuance. I loved Royce's knights, especially the taciturn Arik and the obliviously tactless Gawin. Jennifer's talkative Aunt Elinor is also fun. As said earlier, A Kingdom of Dreams is one of the best Medieval romances I've ever read. I read Kathleen E. Woodiwiss's The Wolf and the Dove before I read this one and McNaught achieved the very things that Woodiwiss failed to achieve with her offering: creating a fast-paced story with a much more balanced and developed hero. Ms. McNaught is a must-read romance author. I have purchased Whitney, My Love and Once and Always and I look forward to giving them a whirl.

When I read this book, I knew I had found something special. Since reading Judith McNaught's "Kingdom of Dreams", I have become and avid reader and devoted fan of JM and all of her miraculous works of literature.

Echoing the accurate words of the book description, this truly is McNaught's most tender love story. You will be swept away into a magical story that will have you laughing, crying, and rediscovering love all over again.

If you are not hooked by the third chapter, I will be *highly* surprised. Jenny is a delight as the book's heroine: a sweet, incorrigible girl who never surrenders and loves with a passion. Royce is equally perfect as the hero: a dynamic warrior whose gruff exterior is not the mask of a cruel man but rather one that hides the tender heart and love he has repressed until Jenny comes along and melts all his reservations away.

Still, Judith McNaught understands that love stories aren't all blissful tales of love and happiness. She adds motivations, obstacles to overcome, hilariously witty dialogue, and irascible secondary characters who are a delight to read.

You truly connect to the characters of the book and are swept away in their story.

"Forty is *this* many!" Classic! (Read it and see what I mean)

And when you have finished this story and have fallen in love with Judith McNaught books as I have, read the (sortof) sequel "Whitney, My Love" and "Until You" and then go from there.

Also, if you are interested in more contemporary novels, try JM's "Paradise". That and "Kingdom of Dreams" are my favorites.

Ciao Bella!

This is my first book of Judith McNaught & surely not thelast! AKOD is simply the best historical romance (or any romancebook) I have ever read so far. I have never read a book like this...It brought different whirling emotions out of me while reading eachpage. I cried, squirmed, laughed, even jump out of my chair inresponse to many scenes & story twist. I simply cannot put itdown. I almost called in sick from work as I stayed up till dawnreading this darn book! I agree with one of the reviewer here inAmazon, I was like a zombie at work too! hehe... I must say thoughthat the effort was pleasingly worth it. I cannot even understand whythe avg rating here is only 4 1/2. I say, it deserves more than justa 5... A 10 would be perfect!

Jennifer & Royce... both heartwarming couple! Different yet perfect for one another. Theirconfusions of love & hate made their love story riveting. Trapbetween love & loyalty for country also made this story moreexciting. Just when you begin to feel they start loving &trusting each other, situations/circumstances forces them to makechoices, which often times, lead them back to where they've started -hate & mistrust. Really exhilarating.... Of course, love wins inthe end ... love set them both free!

I totally disagree with somereviews in regards to Jennifer being so "stupid" for notseeing his family & kin's faults. For me, it is understandable& her loyalty for them actually makes me admire her more. Itwould turn me off if she was easily swayed to give up her family &people without even trying... I say this book is more realistic! Yes,she's blind not to see the true color of her father... but regardlessof his mistakes, they are still her family. She loves her father justlike any daughter would. She also longed to be accepted & lovedby her people ever since she can remember & when they finally gaveher attention and recognition (which was his father's plan just tomanipulate her), it was difficult for Jennifer not to feel otherwise.Her choices, especially during the tournament made me squirm (i won'ttell what she did, don't want to ruin it for others...) Oh, but Icouldn't believe she did that! I wasn't disgusted though, I feltsorry for her. I can tell it was a hard decision for her to make,however wrong it might be. But this is where Judith McNaught reallyproved how she can touch her reader's soul by over turning this badchoice that Jennifer made. J.M. wrote a wonderful come back at theend of this tournament (again, i won't tell...), which proved thatlove is far greater than pride and even life... It is simply amazing!

Each page of this book contains many exciting scenes. Amusingscenes: like the "THIS IS FORTY..." scene, her escaping fromcaptivity, the wedding & etc.... Heart warming scenes: WhenJennifer decided the fate of the boy who threw mudcake at her, WhenRoyce acknowledge her to his people, etc.... I can point outnumerous, numerous gestures in this book that really made my hearttwirl such as Jennifer kissing Royce's battle scars, standing in thebalcony together - sharing minds & dreams. There's more, lots more.... but I think it is best for the reader to find it out themselves.I can assure you, this book is really one of a kind. The one youwouldn't want to miss. If you are a romance book reader, YOU GATTAHAVE THIS ONE.

... and Jennifer, the heroine, gets none.

Sorry Jenny, but I think you were rash and unreasonable, who did not deserve Royce at all.

During the whole book, Royce was the epitome of what romance books heroes are supposed to be: strong, smart, brave, caring, understanding, forgiving, repentant and unconditional love. His love for her was plausible whereas Jennifer's love looked more like lust. Overall, the romance part of the story was solely rely on Royce to make it more palatable.

The secondary characters were exceptional though. I love the interactions between Arik and Aunt Elinor, the other knights (of Royce's side) were entertaining too. And Jenny's family was just plain evil and basically a backstabbing bunch (except for a few, and I do mean few.)

I just can't accept how JM could have pair Jennifer up with Royce. Maybe Royce was blindfolded by love is the reason he could just forgive every single "misunderstandings" and faults of Jennifer's. At the same time, the author gives sufficient reasons to Royce's growth as a character whereas Jennifer remained a spoiled child. Yes, JM did provide Jennifer with causes to mature and to truly love the hero but I guess they weren't great enough incentives to Jennifer.

The one thing that I absolutely hate from the book is when Jennifer went and sit with her family in the tournament even though everyone else (that didn't have ulterior motives) opposed the decision. I just can not believe how blinded and hardheaded she was. If she was that strong (which the author would like us to believe) and if she did love Royce (unconditionally,) then, wouldn't her love be strong enough to withstand the family's influence and jibe?

All in all, you should read the book if you're a diehard fan of JM. If not, and you'd like to explore the author and the genre, you might do better to start with her other books (except for Someone To Watch Over Me.) Keep in mind, however, that JM is a rather unique and exceptional romance author.