Penelope Williamson Books

although the movie doesnt compare.. AT ALL!! Penelope Williamson is by far my favorite author.. and this book is a great read.. you fall in love with everyone in the book, and whens its over you wished you could continue with them!

Although I am not usually a big fan of the typical Romance genre, (which to me has one dimensional charactors and a very predictable story line) this book seemed like so much more. I am sure some will say the story is "predictable", but I felt as though it certainly was believable and there was more of an exploration of human nature with the "good and evil" being not so clear-cut but rather having lots of "gray areas". For instance, the "Plain People" or Amish of the book who feel they are so "holy" and "closer to God than the "Unbelievers" who don't belong to their religion, in some instances are shown to exhibit the very human foibles of jealousy, anger, and mean-spiritedness and the "Outsider" who is a "cold-blooded" killer is shown in instances where great restraint and a giving and kind nature is illustrated. Some of the Amish in the book are very rigid in their thinking and acting and yet you see where Rachel is less rigid and gives more thought to life and sees things in much less "black and white" issues.

I also liked the two main charactors of the book and if you "like" the charactors you can't help but like the book. I also liked the story but would have liked a little less time spent on exploring the lives of some of the peripheral charactors in the book, such as the town doctor and the prostitute and a little more on the two main charactors. I also wish the author had written this book with some perspective of the inner thoughts and feelings of the "Outsider" but perhaps she did not because he was supposed to be an enigma, a mystery man.

All in all, I highly recommend the book. I also recommend the DVD which closely follows the book.

I love Penelope Williamson is one of my favorite authors, and I've read my share of them ,till nowadays I must have read 400 historical and contemporaneal romance novels, I am a compulsive reader, and I consider this book wonderful ,it was the first I had read of this author and I liked it so much that I've read all of her books,save the suspence ones, I really got upset when I knew she had changed of genre.What a pity!
I advise you to read it, you won't be disappointed.

This book reminded me of the movie "Witness" with Harrison Ford.

Boy, do I love this author's style of writing.

I felt like this story ended abruptly. I'm still wondering what happened with Marliee and Lucas and if Rachel's family ever spoke to her again, but then again perhaps wanting more is the measure of a good novel.

I happened upon the Showtime movie based on this book and was totally entranced by it. Imagine my joy to read "Based upon the novel by Penelope Williamson" among the movie credits! I immediately found the novel on Amazon, ordered it and received it within a few days. I could not put it down! I am not a fan of "bodice rippers", but I do like an interesting historical romance if the characters aren't caricatures, as so many are. Well, Johnny Cain and Rachel Yoder, despite their romance novel names, are anything but! Ms. Williamson is brave enough to give her characters flaws like ordinary human beings. Johnny Cain, when he stumbles upon Rachel's farm, is not a completely likeable or charming guy, but it is believable that he would be taken in by the love and warmth of Rachel's home and family - especially when the reality of his own origins surface. I could have done with a little less of the prostitute/doctor story line but, all in all, it was one of the best books I have read! The ending of the book is somewhat darker than the movie's version, but it moved me so that I reread it several times! I rate this novel right up there with another of my favorites, "Outlander"! Watch the movie (it's available on Amazon, I think), then read the book. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Penelope sure knows how to capture you into her books, this book is brilliantly written and it is one you cant put down! It is magical and one I will read and re-read for ever!

Penelope Williamson BLOWS ME AWAY! What a gifted and unique talent she has. This was my 2nd novel of hers that I've read, the first being Once In Blue Moon, and I can say with certainty that this author is the "real deal".

In Keeper of the Dream, we are transported into the medieval period. Lords and Ladies, Knights, bards, mystical "Merlins", and unforgettable battles. This is my favorite period, and this book is reminescent of Kingdom of Dreams by Judith McNaught and all medieval books by Julie Garwood...my favorite.

This is a forced marriage book....another favorite subject of mine. Raine is the illegitimate son of an Earl and is a feared knight, the Black Dragon. Arianna is a Welsh princess. They are forced to wed by edict of the king and Arianna's father. It is not a union that either is excited about..at first.

The chemistry between these two is intense to say the least. Arianna spends the greater part of their first meeting, and for some time following, trying to kill him whenever she gets the chance. He spends the greater amount of his time trying to bend her will and get her to submit to him...not an easy undertaking.

Williamson's books are not short. They are not quick, easy reads...but they possess a smartness and depth that is quite simply missing from historical novels written today. She takes her time weaving this story together. We see the progression from hate to lust to love in very slow, clear, and detailed ways that make sense. These are two intense individuals who become multi-dimensional...another rarity in romance novels.

This is a beautiful and memorable love story. This is a book worthy of your time. This is a keeper.

For me, the perfect romance! I've been an avid romance reader for twenty years and I've re-read Keeper of the Dream five times, I love it that much. As I rely alot on Amazon reviews when I do my book shopping I thought it was about time I got at least one review in here. If you like tortured heroes, heart-wrenching plot twists and steamy sex scenes, this is the book to buy. The author seems to know just when to break our heart, and just when to put it back together again, and then some. In addition, the setting is vividly brought to life by lovely historical detail that is nicely woven into the story, without overwhelming it.

This book had me laughing, crying and loving every last page! It was wonderfully emotional and I loved all the feelings Ms. Williamson envoked, she is a truly wonderful writer! This was my first book by her and I want to read all her other ones! I loved it!!!!

Arianna is the daughter of the Prince of Gwyenedd, who has some power of sight, and who for political reasons is wed to the forbidding knight Raine, the Black Dragon, the illegitimate son of the Earl of Chester. Of course our heroine is stubborn to a fault and of course she hates the Normans who have invaded and plundered Wales, and of course she most especially hates the man she's to marry. While this story contains many of your standard HR plot twists, i.e. stubborn beautiful noblewoman forced into marriage for the sake of peace with a man she hates, although strongly attracted to at the same time, hero with the black hearted evil brother, etc., what brings this story out of the three star category is the wonderful addition of the "magical" and mysterious squire, Taliesin. His antics kept me thoroughly entertained throughout, and I especially loved the epilogue with Taliesin.

All in all a highly enjoyable romance for a rainy Sunday afternoon. Not the best in this genre, but certainly far above many others I've come across. My only quibble is a couple of the sex scenes between Arianna and Raine were a little bit too, well, ahem, detailed for my tastes and I would definitely not recommend this book for a younger reader because of that. But, if you're in the mood for a medieval romance light on the history and heavy on the bodice ripping this would probably be right up your alley. Four stars.

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 unrequited love...a love that stands the TEST OF TIME and 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 unrequited and timeless love.

This is an amazing book. Very beautifully written. I keep rereading and it gets better and better everytime. Highly recommend it.

Once in a Blue Moon has always been a favorite. This was my third time to purchase this book. Of course, the other two I have lend out in the past and never returned so I assumed it became a favorite to friends of mine. I fell in love with McCady and Jessalyn. Hey, I can't help it. They seem so real to me. Thanks to Ms. Penelope Williamson...cheers to you ma'am.

Every once in a while a book comes along that just grabs you from beginning to end, it entices you and makes you never want to put it down. This is one such book. The moment that I read the summary of the book on the back I was hooked. Immediately I started reading it, and I never wanted it to end. It was just that great. From beginning to end it keeps you on your toes, and characters Jessalyn and McCady will make you both want to scream and cry. It's a romance that seems like it is never gonna come to pass. It keeps you wishing, and it also breaks your heart. I recommend this book very highly.

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.

I went searching for Penelope's first 2 books, Beloved Rogue and this (at least they appear to be her first). Beloved Rogue was so-so (not a huge surprise considering I was comparing to her later stories) but I was amazed at the quantum leap her skill took from Rogue to Hearts Bequiled. Don't hesitate to pay a few extra dollars for this harder-to-find book, particularly if you have enjoyed PW's other stories. It never ceases to amaze me how one author can wring so much more depth & detail & emotion from the typical 350 pgs of a historical romance than do other authors. Penelope fills every page with something you can sink your teeth...and your heart...into.

Well-written, extremely engaging storyline (*yawn* and another 3AM bedtime), very likeable h\h and absolutely adorable supporting characters. This is just a wonderful love story and, as another reader mentioned, the uniqueness of pre-revolutionary France just adds to the enjoyment. I really did not want this story to end. Classic Penelope; believable, flawed but totally lovable, charming, memorable characters with integrity AND sex appeal.

This is an early book by Ms. Williamson, and I was lucky to find it at a used book store. What I love most about her books is that they are all so different - characters, plots, times and locations. This one takes place in France, just before the revolution. There's enough romance, intrigue, action, history, and great characters to keep the reader rivetted. Ms. Williamson is the best!!!

Since I loved PW's later novels, I searched for this book, and I'm glad that I did. It was a well written story with so much more depth than today's run of the mill romance novels. Gabrielle's struggle to keep her son safe was riveting, and when Max finally saves her , I nearly swooned.

There was magic the moment they met...She was a flame-haired beauty fleeing from those who would kidnap her young son, the duke's only heir. He was a brillant scientist-handsome, dynamic...and completely reckless in the presence of the spirited, independent young widow whose flashing eyes set his blood on fire. His searing kisses left her shaken, yet helpless to deny him-or her own desire.

But both were concealing dark and dangerous secrets-secrets that hinted at lies and betrayal...and threatened to destroy even the idyllic love that had bind them forever.

to such a well written novel. I cannot find the words to express how beautifully this story unfolded on paper. It was so enjoyable from start to finish. You were enraptured by the love between Gabrielle and Max and you were captured by the endearing supporting cast.

Ms. Williamson had just the right blend of weaving a love story into such an interesting period in French history. The intimacy between the two main characters was far greater than anything I've ever read by her before. Usually, she tends to introduce a love scene and then leave things to the imagination. Not so in this book. The intimacy was constant and such a great part of the unveiling of their love and the glue to their relationship.

I would highly recommend finding this one and holding on to it.

There is no faulting this film, but the version offered here is the full-frame version. Significant percentage of the picture has been cropped to achieve an aspect ratio of 1.33:1. This is a shame, as The Thin Red Line has some of the most stunning cinematography of any film I have seen.

all I can say - I cried, it was that moving,so well written it really brought me to tears! Loved it. Read it!

As a 37 year old mother of two, I have read many historical romance books over the years and I have to say that this was one of the BEST!! Penelope Williamson writes beautifully and most importantly intelligently!! The Passions of Emma was a great book and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves historical romance!!

Penelope Williamson's writing flows through your veins long after you turn the final page.
Oh, how I wish she would sit back down and return to the genre of which she writes so well.

Penelope Williamson is a step above most historical authors that I have read. She writes realistic and engaging stories. The Passions of Emma ia beautiful story about friendship and romance. Emma the wealthy aristrocrat befriends a poor Irish women who is dying from consumption. At the same time, Emma is attracted to a man working on her family's estate and the triangle that forms is an intriguing and unique storyline. Try this one. You won't be disappointed if you like realistic historical romance.

This story is not all beauty and sunshine--there is heartbreak and sadness, but the compelling writing and plot kept me engrossed. This is a keeper for me.

More the love story of a woman for a friend. This novel struck me as so depressing, melancholy and sad. The situation was just hopeless. Emma would always be the second wife. The final coupling between Shay & Emma was like it didn't even happen. Whatever happened to Maddie & Stu? What happened to Emma's father? Did Emma get to keep her trust fund? If found the story wrapped up too quickly for me and was anti-climactic. The most touching part of the book was the love between Bria & Emma and Bria's children.
Shay and Emma had almost no real chemistry. Beautifully written and imagined, but fell short for me.

This is not just a romance novel...it is not just a western novel....it's not just a tale of fiction...it is an epic novel that involves many characters, over a long period of time, coming to find themselves and each other in a very turbulant time and landscape. It is not "fast-food" romance. It is deep, enduring, long, involved, and emotionally taxing. It is a true "four-course meal" of a book.

There are no easy answers in this book. The characters are real with real problems. Relationships are complex, just like in real life. There are no unbelievable turns of event that allow the characters to avoid pain. Life takes unexpected turns and the characters, along with the reader, are forced to endure the challenges and realities of life.

Here are some of the dilemmas this book looks into.....A "religious" yet abusive father, a woman torn between the "safe" love she feels for her husband and the "passionate and all-consuming" love she feels for his brother, a woman who through life circumstances is forced to sell her body and her quest for freedom and love, a town filled with hate-filled people, a corrupt father-in-law, a mail-order Chinese bride and her journey from China and destructive cultural practices, and a disfigured tragic woman surviving the loss of a child.

I know it's a lot.....hence the length of the novel, but Williamson so wonderfully weaves this story together that each story line has it's own intensity and purpose for the overall effect this book has on it's readers.

The emotions this novel evokes are strong....it delves into the difficult and tragic events such as the death of a child, rape, and abuse. It also evokes positive emotions...love in it's many forms is clearly seen and experienced within the context of this story. The love between friends, the love between a parent and child, the love between a husband and a wife, and the love between a man and a woman (which in this novel you come to differentiate!). I was moved to deep wrenching sobs many times thorough out this book, a rarity for me.

This book will haunt me for weeks and stay with me for years to come. Take my advise...invest the time and read this book.

I recently re-read this exceptionally written tale about a women and the two Montana men she loves. If your looking for a romance where you can feel the sun and taste the dust due to the quality of writing, this is it. The many complex characters in the story add dimension to the plot as well as give insight into the main characters. While the hero and heroine don't get many pages together, in my opinion, the quality of their interactions make up for this.

Heart of the West is not your typical romance novel. It is more of an epic novel that spans more then 12 years in the 19th century. The central story is about an upper-middle-class Bostonian woman who agrees to marry a cowboy. The cowboy seems to be the man of her dreams and she is enticed to run away with him secretly in the middle of the night to escape her oppressive father, who is a prudish minister. But when she returns with the cowboy to his homestead as his wife, the heroine's choice are too little too late. Let's just say the cowboy has an intriguing brother.

There are many subplots that unfold--that do make for a very long novel, but the realistic detail and clever writing are terrific. And the central love story is one of the sexiest romances (and I don't mean trashy sex scenes, but rather compelling forbidden sexual attraction and tension, and beautiful love scenes) that I have ever read, and I have read over 150 romance novels!

If you only enjoy superficial light-hearted romance, than this may not be for you. I loved this book because it was real--the characters were courageous and fought against life tragedies and overcame hardships.

I REALLY enjoyed this one!

Penelope Williamson is my favorite writer and 'Heart of the West' for me comes second only after 'Once in a blue moon'. A lot of the reviews I glimpsed at, were focussing on the fact that a part of the book is completely of track. I somewhat agree with that but it would be greatly unfair to say that therefore the story is less beautiful. If you would skip trough those 'offending' pages (which by the way, is not a very big part of the book and is a beautifull story on its own), what's left is one of the most heartbreaking and gripping love-stories. Some reviewers didn't finish the book and they have made a big mistake. If you were captured by the first part of the book, you will certainly not be disappointed at the end.

Williamson's books stand out in the romance-category. I can't exactly put my finger on it but her best books always leave me feeling missing out on something in life. Her stories are never shallow and she makes plain people into such very special individuals who you will love in only a couple of pages. Clementine and Zach are such individuals. They are no noble offspring or other cliches. They are just people like you and me, the only difference being that we would give a lot to be that brave, witty and upright.

I don't usually cry over a book but this one made that happen several times. The most dramatic moment of the book is when Clementine is letting her grief come out over losing her child, combined with Rafferty's reaction to that, it's a sure thing to make your heart bleed.

It's really not comparible to most romances. For instance, I truly love Judith McNaught's novels and they too make my heart pick up the beat. But with most of PW's books, I simply need some weeks to recover from the impact. WaltDisney romance for grown-ups.
I would advise you to buy all of her novels, especially Once in a blue Moon (they really just can't come any better...), this one, and Keeper of the dream.

I should preface this by saying that I'm not a big fan of Western romances. It's just not really my thing. That being said, I was willing to take the plunge with Heart of the West since I fell in love with PW's style while reading Once in a Blue Moon. And I think I can say with relative confidence that it's not the Western element that I grew tired of here. I believe there were just too many *other* people and extraneous/unnecessary romances and sidetracks that took away from the momentum between Clementine and Zach. I actually skipped portions to get the thing moving along. The novel needed to be streamlined, IMO. Look, I don't shy away from big plots or elaborate detail. I just flat out got bored at times with parts of this book. Not enough Clementine and Zach. Too much Clem and Gus. Way too much Gus.

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!

Penelope Williamson is one of my favorite authors, and this one is a keeper! I loved the story and did not want it to end.

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!

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!!!!

"A Wild Yearning" had a lot going for it, but there were just too many things that I didnt like about it. First of all, let me just say that I admire Penelope Willamson and have read quite a bit of her work. The heroine of "A Wild Yearning", Delia, was fantastic. She was completely outspoken and didnt hold in her feelings at all. I adored her. That being said, I couldnt warm to Ty. He was so arrogant. It drove me crazy the way he was so inconsisent with Delia. He was immature and selfish and he drove me insane. However,Ty's behavior I could have handled... To me, the biggest drawback of this book was its length. I dont have problem with a nice meaty read, but this book just wore out its welcome plain and simple. Too many obstacles were thrown in and it slowed the books pace and frustrated me to no end. All in all, this story was by no means bad, but it is not one that I will read again.

Sour grapes abound on Amazon, so be wary of other authors sabotaging fine work! Penn W has one of the most unique voices out there today. If you're looking to be transported to another place, another time, and be completely absorbed in a story, ANY of her works will do that for you. I've read them all, the "Sin" books first because they are fully ripe with Penn's talent. Her romances, all out of print, are wonderful as well. She'll be one of your favorites.

This book is fabulous. I thought the writing was tight and colorful. The characters were complex and the mystery compelling. If you like New Orleans fiction and a good "who done it" then give this book a try. I couldn't put it down and have already started the follow up, Wages of Sin.

Class and racial mixtures, open infidelity and hidden affairs are the underplot of what is not really a murder mystery. This is a sociological investigation of the fluctuating web of old families, political power, inheritance -of property and personality- and passions. Of course these themes were touched upon in Chopin's story about racial identity a hundred years ago.with much less wordiness.

If you have the time, it is a tour of dusty mansions, cities of the dead, and places outsiders do not go, but it is a long read. And languid.

I finished this book in about 3 days. I absolutely couldn't put it down. It practically had me sitting on the edge of my chair. It's not often that a book such as MORTAL SINS really grabs me and keeps me enthralled for 3 to 4 days. I look forward to reading Penn Williamson's THE WAGES OF SIN.

This book was outstanding. I don't say that lightly either, as I can usually find something wrong with everything. Not so, in this case. The story takes place during the flapper era in New Orleans. Ms. Williamson has a deep atmospheric style of writing that is perfect for this setting. Her characters are real and completely three dimensional, with both good and bad characteristics. Sometimes you want to hate them, but other times they're heroic. In other words, they're very real people you'd like to know. It's a great mystery with a surprise ending. I highly recommend it for a hot summer day.

A crucified priest with an astonishing secret! A teen-age girls' cult that idolizes a beautiful film star! A detective whose brother is a priest in the same parish as the crucified one. That same detective's lover is the object of the teen girls' obsession. Those girls being murdered. All this takes place in 1920's New Orleans. This is a great read and the end will blow your mind! I must now read "Mortal Sins." This one was awesome!

A great read but unless this is a trilogy, I do not like the ending of it. Very disappointing.

There were telltale signs that this was a police thriller written by a woman--distracting love scenes, political correct lesbianism, and a sense of emotional connectedness between the characters that one wouldn't necessarily see in a Ludlum novel or even a Caleb Carr historical thriller. But (except for the unneeded soft porn) that's not necessarily a bad thing.
The opening scenes, and compelling chain of events were gripping. The execution scene was electrifying. That was superior to other books.
This novel differed from other whodunnits because the ends weren't neatly tied together by the conclusion. Frankly, I like it when it all "fits," so I was unfulfilled--and a little annoyed--at the end.

A crucified priest with an astonishing secret! A teen-age girls' cult that idolizes a beautiful film star! A detective whose brother is a priest in the same parish as the crucified one. That same detective's lover is the object of the teen girls' obsession. Those girls being murdered. All this takes place in 1920's New Orleans. This is a great read and the end will blow your mind! I must now read "Mortal Sins." This one was awesome!

The story was great, exciting and so very interesting, but I really really hated the ending.