Customer Reviews

Upon a Moon-dark Moor

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

 

 

I've just read several of the reviews for this book. I must admit, it was the first book I'd ever read by Rebecca and, to me, the most powerful. I feel that the way she wrote in first person was the most amazing part of this book. I felt as if I were experiencing it or as if I were reading a diary of someone who had. It made it more than an enjoyable read, it made it real. That doesn't happen too often.

I haven't read this book in a few years but I can't imagine that the dialogue and flowery phrases are too different that what was the norm when it was written nor is still the norm today in the romance genre. I don't remember it taking away from the story for me.

I don't read romances for the steamy sex scenes. I read them for the characterization and historical accuracy mostly. If the relationship works by taking a bit longer than 200 pages to have that first kiss, then so be it. Isn't that how life works sometimes? If a book is good, which I feel this one is, then I will gladly read 200+ pages of why they might want to kiss in the first place.

I feel that this book is much more than your basic romance novel, always have. I loved it when I first read it when it was brand new and I still love it.

This romance is a classic. After first reading this book ten years ago, Upon a Moon-Dark Moor remains one of my all time favorite romances. Written in first person narrative, this romance reminds me of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. With the gothic setting, there is a fatalistic, brooding quality to this book. Really wonderful. I'll never forget the lines "You are a fool, old man...A very great fool indeed, for out of all you ever had, we were the best." This book will stay with you.

After reading the prologue of this book I almost didn't read it and now wondered why I continued.

The author spends tons of time describing the events of the day and of the characters environment.

I don't think the heroine ever lived up to what I think the author wanted her to be. I never got to know any of the characters enough to really like them. While it is probably one of the most accurate dipictions of what it was like to be married during that time period I have to say I did not find it very entertaining.

If you read the prologue you will be lead to believe the herione lived an abolutely awful life and has caused pain to everyone she has met but the author never proves this to be true. The end is very abrupt and never tells you why the herione belives she is such an awful person.

The prologue is dated 1898, the heroine was born in 1800. The time period coverd in the book is 1810-1820 leading me to believe that her life after that time was filled with sorrow, not really an ending I am looking for when reading a romance novel, which, in my opinion, this is not.

You never see any real growth from the hero. You never learn how he manages to improve his fortunes after running away, only that he was completely obsessed with making Maggie his.

The love scenes are VERY short and make you believe she is almost never willing only submitting to her husband. No sensual sexy scenes here folks!

I never liked the heroine mainly because throughout the whole book she referred to the hero as her "Gypsy bastard cousin"! This is also another reason why I believe their marriage was not a happy one since she was supposed to have been the narriator of the story at the age of 98 and a widower since she says she is the only one left. If she had eventually became happy in her marriage she would not have referred to her husband in such a manner nor sound so depressed about how she had chosen to live her life and be happy with the choices she had made. It is implied again and again in the book that she now wishes she had made different choices.

The first 200 pages could really be left out or any of the information that was necessary condensed to probably 50 or so pages. This would have allowed the author more time to build her characters and their life together.

Literally the last page of the book has the heroine FINALLY telling the hero that she loves him but he is unable to say the same leading me to believe he has fallen out of love but says he is willing to begin again with her. Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! To me that is not how you end a romance novel.

If you are looking for something light to read, move on, this is not the book for you. I spent most of my time skimming through all of the descriptions of her home, and inner thoughts that were really unnecessary and slowed the story down considereable, in order to get through the book.

Why did I give it 2 stars? I did it because it is some what historically accurate for the time period. The author did make an effort to make the hero look better by allow the heroine to control the money left to her my by her mother. This, of course would never really have happened during this time period no matter how rich the husband was. This made it interesting to read but wasn't what I was looking for when I picked it up.

Personally, I don't read romance novels to be reminded of what it was really like to be a woman in the 1800's. I prefer lighter reading than that.

I think I may have read from this author before but think if I see her name again I will just pass on by.

I came upon this book by accident 20 years ago. I found it, read the back cover and had to read it. At the time I was a 15 year old high school kid into reading Harlequin contemporary novels from the local library. When I started to read this historical I was taken aback and mesmerized by the vivid picture the author painted with a few well placed words. The story unfolded slowly and reeled me in. By the middle of the book(approx. two hours later) I realized I had not eaten, or gone to the bathroom, which is where I was heading in the first place when I found the book. Of course I took the book with me and realized I didn't know how long I'd been in the bathroom but my butt was asleep. Long story short, the story, the intrigue and especially the steamy sex scenes had me(a virgin of course) totally hooked wondring if my first time would be like that. I loved this book and if I can get my hands on another one(I donated the one I had and all of the ones I"m done reading to the library) I will devour it again. Great book but not for everyone. Incredible!!!

This is a good Gothic. The hero is very much like Heathcliff of Wuthering Heights. The herione is not as likable as the hero, yet I still liked her. Great book

I've enjoyed this book ever since I came across it in its first printing. I've also enjoyed the sequel, Across a Starlit Sea. I have visited Rebecca Brandewyne's website and discovered that these two are part of a trilogy. Where or what is the third installment?

If you are a fan of Daphne DuMaurier or the Bronte sisters, you will enjoy this new book by Rebecca Brandewyne. Upon a Moon Dark Moor is the story of Margaret Chandler, a young girl living with her widowed father, Sir Nigel Chandler, on an estate on the moors of Cornwall, England. When Sir Nigel remarries, several new people enter Margaret's life and change it dramatically. Ms. Brandewyne spins a captivating story that includes human drama, romance, and a little mystery. Although main characters' romance didn't really ring true with me the labryinthe story and the well-written characters compensated for that. A good read for a rainy fall day!

When I first began reading this book and discovered it was in first person and supposedly a story of someone's past, I almost put it down. I am so delighted that I kept on reading as I soon discovered that first person is the only way this story could be told as far as I can see. This book reminds me of the old classics that I loved when I was a child. A great read.

I ordered this work at the same time as Across a Starlit Sea. I really gave this one more of a go than the first and in short it seemed like the same book with new names. The authors penchant for over dramatization is apparent from the first and again it seems she is searching for the most obscure words and phrases possible. There was so much muck to sort through I never got to the heart of the story. I appreciate a good gothic tale and always expect grand drama and sweeping scenes but this is over the top and not in a positive way. Its just too many romance novel cliché's at once.

actually i think i stopped at page 98, right about when the heroine met draco.

this book is boring, it has no action. i usually finish every book i read; i have never met a book i didn't like. i didn't like this one.

if you want a book like this read 'wuthering heights'. heathcliff and catherine are so wonderful. i feel the author was trying to remake 'wuthering heights' and perhaps that's why i didn't like it. too many similarities. almost exactly.

it was just dull and drab, i'm sad to say. i'm taking this one back to the used bookstore and trading it in for a kathleen woodiwiss book. i'm sad too because so many people seem to like rebecca brandywine. maybe i'll give her another try with another book.

this one was just ... drab.