Reluctant novice-nun 17yo virgin h runs away from a Spanish orphanage convent & is rescued from a festival-melee-gone-bad by 34yo rakish H onto his yaReluctant novice-nun 17yo virgin h runs away from a Spanish orphanage convent & is rescued from a festival-melee-gone-bad by 34yo rakish H onto his yacht. He hires her to be his cabin boy and doesn't correct his mistake in fear that he'll boot her out. After the shipwreck, he proposes an MOC in name only. She's grateful but also insulted that he doesn't see her as a woman & tries to reject his proposal. He still wants to proceed.
The GOOD: Good emotionally-involving writing. Good dialogue that highlighted their characters showing how H&h were similarly rejected/unloved growing up (albeit opposite social status) and both rebellious & impudent but expressed differently (with H, through a hedonistic & mocking lifestyle and, with h, through questioning her strict religious & obedient-servant-like upbringing). Loved that h didn't back down from H's often-mocking & -cynical viewpoints and kept surprising him with her open honesty/accurate analysis of H/ willingness to be with him regardless of his negatives/& untouched simplicity. Liked anti-Hero H's brutal honesty & repeatedly warning h re: how he's no good for her yet quietly shows his caring of her (i.e., literally saved her life 2x, made sure she was well-fed/well-clothed/comfortably sheltered, insisted on giving her costly jewelry, proposed marriage to protect her reputation). Good character development from H&h's challenging each other & relationship changes so h transforms from a naive & slavishly-idolizing girl to a more tempered & realistic young woman and H from a jaded/restless/cynical rake to more focused/caring/calmer with h.
MEH or the BAD: 1-star off for abrupt ending like many Winspear's books (published in 1975). It needed at least 1 more chapter to show a better potential for their HEA/how H really feels for h & when he started falling for her/an epilogue years later to show them happily married. No Sex scenes. Only a couple kisses after 50% and 1 passionate kissing @ the end.
Sexual History: virgin h had only been touched/kissed by H. She was sheltered in her orphanage convent with only a gardener boy & a kindly old priest as her only male contacts ever. H had many lovers through the years. No emotional attachments. Just lust....more
Slow burn. H was too clingy & whiny with h as well as very impulsive & emotionally immature. H did grow up more by book2 but not enough. Meh pacing & Slow burn. H was too clingy & whiny with h as well as very impulsive & emotionally immature. H did grow up more by book2 but not enough. Meh pacing & romance. H was about as obsessed with his ex-GF who he forgave multiple times for cheating on him and still wanted to marry her and she her bareback to get her preggo at her request....more
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