The Gift by Julie Garwood

SUMMARY (by the publisher): A child bride, Sara Winchester had grown into a winsome beauty, joyfully anticipating the day when her husband Nathan, Marquess of St. James, would return to claim her at last. Charmingly innocent, she dismissed the ancient feud that divided her and Nathan's families... and she was totally unaware of his past exploits as the notorious pirate, Pagan. The man who now stood before her was perplexing, arrogant and powerfully handsome... a warrior-gentleman whose gentle touch aroused her to the wildest, deepest pleasures of love. Nathan had never bared his soul to any woman, but he was soon utterly beguiled and exasperated by Sara's sweet, defiant ways. Aboard his ship, The Seahawk, she was brave, imperious and determined to win his heart completely... yet upon their return to England, her love would be sorely tested as a most desperate conspiratcy sundered them from one another. Now, as their future trembled in the balance, they would discover the true destiny of their passion... for all time!

MY OPINION:

I will try to keep this review short, because I do not have much time to write these days. I read this book last month and I liked it very much. The Gift is a romance, but as other similar Garwood’s books, it is just the right mix of romance and adventure and it sticks close to what could happen in real life, which is good also.

The characters in The Gift are a little different than in other romances. Sara is a strong, confident girl who has her own opinion and does not let herself to be tricked into any kind of misunderstanding. Unfortunately for her, she is sometimes a victim of her innocence and honesty, but she manages to sort everything out, anyway. What adds to Sara’s charm is her clumsiness which causes some laughable situations.

Nathan is all what a main male character in a romance book should be. He is handsome, strong, honest, a little dangerous and even vulnerable. When reading about the situations Sara’s clumsiness or ignorance cause, I was compelled to feel sorry for him. Nathan has a patience of a saint which finally enables a happy ending for both of them.

RECOMMENDATION: A must-read for all romance lovers. It is a light reading, but it is also witty and excels by what I call a typical Garwood style.