Customer Reviews

A Wild Yearning

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Penelope Williamson's historicals do not disappoint. This RITA Award winner is another one I couldn't put down and you won't go wrong getting it.

Set in the wilderness of "the Maine" in the 1720's, decades prior to the French and Indian War, it tells of life on the frontier where Indian raids were frequent and the settlers faced great obstacles as they struggled to carve out a life from the rugged land. This is the story of Delia, a beautiful and courageous young girl of 17 who had a loving family in Boston until her mother died and her father became a drunk and began beating her. She worked in a tavern since she was 14, but unlike the other women, she was still a virgin. When she's given the chance to escape her miserable life and become respectable, she takes it and answers the ad placed by Dr. Tyler Savitch for a wife needed for a man in the settlement of Merrymeeting who had lost his wife to sickness and has two little girls to raise. When she meets Ty, she instantly begins to fall in love with him, initially believing him to be the man who is seeking a wife. But when she learns it is another man who Ty represents who is seeking a wife, she still decides to go just to be near Ty--and because she has nothing to lose. Ty is an unusual man. When he was 6 his father was killed and his mother and he were taken captive by Indians and raised as a chief's son until he was 16 when he was sent back to live with his grandfather who taught him the white man's ways and sent him to Edinburgh to be educated. He is a tortured soul, divided between two worlds and unsure if he can love, or if he would want to risk the loss loving would mean.

Williamson paints a vivid picture of life in the wilderness with rich characters and descriptions of the places and nature. She presents a balanced approach to the Indian-white man issues of the time. I learned much from reading this yet I did not feel instructed. I loved this story and believe you will, too.

Some others of hers I recommend (see my other reviews and lists) that are well worth seeking out used (I have a Kindle but do not limit myself to Kindle books):

* Hearts Beguiled (June 1989)
* Keeper of the Dream (April 1992) - Winner of RITA Award
* Once in a Blue Moon (May 1993)
* Heart of the West (April 1995)
* The Outsider (July 1996)
* The Passions of Emma (September 1997) - Nominated for RITA Award

I was captivated by this book. I enjoyed coming home every night from my hectic life to escape into this book. Penelope Williamson is a CLASSIC writer!!!!!! I highly recommend THIS book as well as her others. You can't go wrong opening any one of her books!

When I picked this book up for the first time I couldn't put it down! This is one of my favorites and I have reread it over and over again. The book actually made me cry and that's a pretty amazing feat considering the fact that I never cry about anything. I liked the main characters immensly and I felt that they had a lot of depth. Delia is one of those heroins that you can identify with. And the hero, Dr. Ty, is all too human, I felt that he had all the human weaknesses that make us who we are, and those weaknesses combined with his strength and courage made me practically fall in love with him myself. The secondary characters also had a lot of depth and were vital to the story. The story was full of adventure,humor, tragedy and heartache, and most importantly: love. The book kept me turning the pages to see what happened next! All in all i would say that this is an excellent read and should definately be kept!

Browsing through Amazon reviews for fun, I saw this book had none. Can't have that! I've read all of Ms. Williamsons books, and as always - this one doesn't disappoint. It has great character development, a plot with surprises, and enough steamy romance to keep the pages turning. She also touches upon a great time in Early American History. Treat youself to a great read!!!

It was a bit long and I had a hard time getting into it the first chapter or so, it's a western romance based in Montana and I'm more into the historical romances set in England or Scottland etc., so I was skeptical about getting into this one. I absolutly LOVE her book Blue Moon and have read it about 50 times so I decided I had to give this one a chance - And I am glad I did! The first "western" novel I have ever loved and once I really got into this book it was so good I couldn't put it down. I have read it 3 times now and am sure I will read it again. 5 Stars!!!!

I just finished A wild yearning and I must say that I enjoyed it. It was a little slow to start for me, but once it got rolling, there was non-stop action and plenty to keep a smile on my face. I did not like Ty, the male lead character too much because from the beginning he was nothing but a selfish, me me me character that didn't know what the heck he really wanted but by the end I had warmed to him considerably, and the two girls touched my heart. I have been reading this author for years and she has never dissappointd me. Give it a try!
Helena J.

This is one of those love stories that warms your heart in the end. The heroine and hero are not perfect, but they are wholesome and brave and willing to sacrifice for others (not just for each other). The author has the magical touch and she made me experience the love, the pain and the joy through her characters in this book. Thank you, Ms. Williamson!

I enjoy Penelope's work immensely. She is one of those rare talents that will have you searching used book sales and doing interlibrary loans to find all her books. I won't summarize the entire plot of this book, but suffice it to say that it has an abused female, an intellectual yet buff hero, a mail order bride scenario, a capture by Indians, and a love triangle where the wife loves another man. It takes a talented writer to effectively mesh all those classic elements of romantic literature!

I love this woman's books, she writes with such depth and passion! Anyone not turned on by the love scenes alone must be made of stone! The characters of Delia & Ty will have you turning the pages and then trying to slow down so you don't finish it so fast. Highly entertaining and a must-have for Penelope Williamson fans.

My husband hunts, and in the week he was gone I read A Wild Yearning, Once in a Blue Moon, and Keeper of the Dream. All of which are amazing, different and romantic in their own ways.. you shouldnt read one and not the others.. they are all a work of art!