Customer Reviews

Once in a Blue Moon

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I thought I would share with other readers my all time favorite romance. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON by Penelope Williamson is an unbelievable, magical love story. One that I have read more times than I can remember and each and every time I do, it blows me away! The story centers upon Jessalyn Letty and her love for McCady Trelawny. Since a young girl, she has been captivated by this fascinating man. Yet McCady's past is infamous for all of his ancestors have met an early and violent end. Every Trelawny has died in debt and in utter disgrace. The people of the Cornish moors speak of the infamous Trelawny men in shocked, scandalized whispers. All but Jessalyn. McCady is dark, extremely handsome with an aura of untamed danger. That aura of unpredictability and wildness draws her, captivating her until she falls completely in love with him. Dark fires drive McCady. He is desperate to escape his tarnished past and has a secret dream, one that could change the world. Jessalyn believes in McCady and in this dream, awakening within his hardened heart hope and a longing for this young, carefree girl. In a moment of heartfelt passion, Jessalyn declares her love. A love McCady fears to believe in. He leaves her with harsh words and goes off to fight in the West Indies. Five years have passed till they meet again. Jessalyn has grown into a very beautiful woman. McCady is still just as handsome but hardened. Gazing at him, all of the unrequited love she has tried to deny sweeps over her. She longs to tame this brooding man who has stolen her heart with effortless ease. Yet McCady is still tormented by his dark past and the dream society ridicules him for. A dream to build a steam locomotive . . . No matter how fiercely McCady tries to resist Jessalyn's powerful allure, he finds that his will is no match for the purity of her love. He falls and falls hard for this beautiful woman who so selflessly gives her love. Only when she makes the ultimate sacrifice, does he realize the absolute agony that will engulf him if he should ever lose her. ONCE IN A BLUE MOON is filled with intense emotions, sensual love scenes and proves that love is soooooooo magical! This is Penelope Williamson's best novel to date and one you should try. It will blow you away . . . . . .

Penelope Williamson mixes romance and history in this novel set in Cornwall during the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. McCady Trelawny, the novel's dark brooding hero, is the latest Earl of Caerhays. He is seemingly destined to self destruct, as did all his ancestors, though strong drink, gambling and other vices. Unlike his relatives, McCady's vice is an obsession to invent the first steam locomotive to run on rails. He has recently returned to England from fighting at Waterloo and the former captain, who made it through the war, almost blows himself up during a failed experiment with a small steam engine. A teenage girl, a wild child of the Cornish coast, destined to become a beautiful lady, attempts to rescue him but he rebuffs her assistance. Jessalyn Letty, who insists that McCady call her Miss Letty, is not easily deterred, however. And she is absolutely fascinated with the Earl, who she believes is a kindred soul. She contrives to meet him at fairs, along the beach, and occasionally ventures into his "laboratory," making a pest of herself. He, in turn, stops thinking of her as a child and begins to see her as the woman she will become.

Trelawny leaves Cornwall for a few years to serve in the military in the West Indies. When he returns, Jessalyn has turned into the lovely, sympathetic woman she promised to become, and is engaged to her childhood sweetheart, an acquaintance of Trelawny's. She loves this man, a wealthy banker, but only as a friend. Trelawny's reappearance on the scene convinces her that she must break her engagement.

"Once In A Blue Moon" takes some surprising twists and turns, with attempted murder, jealous rage, betrayal, sabotage, and a passionate love story, all set against the backdrop of getting that steam locomotive on the rails and running. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. It's an interesting light read. The steam locomotive part is based on historical fact. In 1804 a Cornishman made the 1st locomotive to run on rails and as early as 1801 Parliament had already passed an act establishing the principle of a public railway.
JANA

I've read MANY romance books so I don't say this lightly. Basically all romance books have the same plotlines and characters, but for some reason I keep turning back to this one. I think that the relationship between McCady and Jessica is the most gripping, emotional, interesting, and, well... romantic I've ever read about. I adore everything about this book (although I've had friends who've read it and said it's nothing special), but I think it will always be my #1. McCady is every woman's dream and Jessica could be every woman's best friend. I'm glad I can read it over and over!

The first time I read this book was when I first started to read romance. At the time I wasn't mature enough as a reader to recognize what a poignant, emotional story I had in my hands. Re-reading it again two years later made me realize that Penelope Williamson is one of the best writers of today. The story revolves around Jessalyn Letty and McCady Trelawny, two people whose passion is as wild as the cornish moors they love and as rare as a blue moon. It is unfortunate that they found this love at the wrong time in their lives for Jess is at sixteen too young and Mac is too tortured by a legacy of failures in his family. It is with Jess that Mac shares his dreams of railroad transportation and eventually his dreams becomes hers. Because neither of them come from fortune Mac must marry into it in order to fund his dreams, and though Jess is heartbroken she doesn't stop loving him. It seems that their love would be the star-crossed type and though we know that they will end up together at the end, I was worried that Williamson would do away with Mac's wife in an easy fashion, but she didn't. The events are all well written and believable and engaging. Williamson's characters not only say "I love," but also show it through actions. When Jessalyn sets out to save Mac from debtors prison, Williamson allows us to feel the bittersweet pain of giving up something that is cherished to save that which is loved. I understood the characters, I even understood the villian, and that is rare.

I cannot believe the editorial review - did you read it? If you have read this book then you would have thought HOW RUDE! This book is so good, I can't even explain it. I love all types of books some by Stephen King, Pierce Anthony, Dean Koontz, Marrion Zimmer Bradley and more - some of these are hard to read, good books but it takes more effort to understand the plot lines etc. I have read Once in a Blue Moon at least 15 times, it is an easy read but that is one of the things that is wonderful about it - you can just sit back and relax and enjoy this fantastic love story. It's the book I grab when I'm feeling depressed or having a really bad day and just need to escape to a world where things are hard but everything turns out perfect in the end. I know that doesn't even begin to explain it but belive me, just read the book and you'll love it!

I will always be swimming in nostalgia and love over this book. After reading many stale romance novels, I began searching through literature for my readings and remain pretty much firmly placed there. However, this novel was romantic and beautiful and so much more than that. I feel it cannot be easily categorized. The characters entirely absorbed my life and were believable. I didn't enjoy Heart of the West as much, but still, this author knows how to write. Pick up this book immediately if you can find it! Romance reader or not..

I almost gave up on this book. I literally put it down and was going to stop reading when for some reason I decided to keep going. Am I ever glad I did! If I would have stopped reading, I would've missed one of the greatest romance novels that I have ever read.

The thing that separates this novel is the idea of timeless love...and a love that will not be denied. The beginning starts out slow. There are 2 parts to this story...the first being their younger beginning years, and the second being when they are 5 years older.

Jessalyn falls in love with McCady Trelawny when she is 16 years old. She loves him with an intensity that goes so far beyond just a "school girl crush". She knows that she will never love another, and in one of the most endearing speeches I've ever read, declares her love, loyalty, and devotion to McCady.

McCady is a tough one. Born of a family of "losers" (aka womanizers, gamblers, drinkers..ect) he thinks of himself no higher. He doesn't believe in love or his ability to be good for anyone. In order to "save" Jessalyn from being corrupted and tainted by him, he walks away from the gift of herself that she offers him.

Five years later nothing has changed...she loves him and he is absolutely obsessed with her. Many obstacles stand in their way of being together. Debts needing to be paid, jealous others, duty and obligation are just some of the hurdles that need to be overcome, but like with all romance novels....the ending is so sweet and satisfying that you'll be laughing through tears.

I couldn't recommend a book any higher. If you love this book..check out Tapestry by Karen Ranney...another excellent example of a timeless love.

This is the one. This is why romance novels exist. I love the genre, but far too often I'm disappointed. Far too often, I finish the book and toss it into the pile to go away. Far away. But not this one. Once in a Blue Moon is such a wonderful, sweeping, emotional ride that I have been rereading bits of it for the past several days while I wait for my next PW book to arrive. It's just that good. My lord is it good. Don't miss this one, ladies.

This was my 4th PW book read (Emma is still waiting) and the one that led me to find the earlier 2 out of print books. I was a bit concerned that earlier books often don't have the maturity or fully developed style but, even if without, they will still be good stories if they came from PW's romantic, meant-to-be, passionate heart.

I didn't notice Jessalyn's character being underdeveloped. If true, then the raw passion of McCady more than made up for it. Some of their scenes together just took my breath away, the emotion was so soul-wrenching. But then I have come to expect nothing less. I actually think this is one of her better books if it is even possible to grade PWs stories; they are all so beautiful.

I keep repeating myself on every PW book review. Just buy it; buy them all. A great passionate, grown up romance novel from a great writer. Her men are real men.

This is a re-read for me after having read it when originally published. I could not remember why Once in a Blue Moon didn't sit upon my keeper shelf beside some of this author's other books. I now recall why.

Jessalyn never really seems to grow from that clumsy 16 year old who seemed to find, or put herself into, some over-the-top situations. McCady has a dream that drives him through life, and a hard life it is. This is a pair with zero luck and sometimes less sense. It would have felt more like a romance if half of the calamities these two found themselves in would have been cut out and more focus put on why they liked each other.

McCady's cousin Clarence has a like/hate relationship with him, but has an even unhealthier obsession with Jessalyn. Adding the shennanigans of the bad guys into the already luckless life of our h/h just became overkill.

Having said all that, I liked the writing style and story for the most part. It was slow though and not Ms. Williamson's best.