It has been thirty years since I last read this book, but it was just as much fun as I remembered. The story opens with a unique twist - King George III facilitates a marriage between two feuding families to end the conflict. The prize is a fortune in cash and a piece of disputed land when the marriage is consummated, and an heir is born. The groom is Nathan, Marquess of St. James, and the bride is Lady Sara Winchester. The twist - Nathan is fourteen and Sara is four. Obviously, consummation will have to wait.
Fourteen years later, Nathan is ready to bite the bullet and claim his bride. He's not enthusiastic about it but needs the cash to help establish the shipping company he and his friend Colin formed. There's a fun scene between him and Colin as they discuss Nathan's plan to retrieve his bride. Meanwhile, Sara is impatiently waiting for Nathan to come for her. Her life with her family has been miserable, and now she needs help to rescue her aunt. Letters to Nathan have gone unanswered, so she takes matters into her own hands.
Sara is something of a ditz. She is typical of the young ladies of the period - overprotected, undereducated, and utterly naïve about the real world. The opening scene of her planned rescue shows her oblivious to the danger around her. I laughed out loud as I watched her actions, completely understanding Nathan's disbelief as he followed her. This is just the beginning. I liked Nathan's protectiveness as he followed her, rescued her, and got her aboard his ship. The shipboard scenes with Sara were frequently hilarious as she tried to win over the crew, whom she called her staff, with often disastrous results.
Watching this pair's relationship develop had me laughing out loud throughout the book. Nathan, a man of his time, is arrogant, certain of his place in the world, and convinced that he knows best. He has no intention of falling in love, as women are not to be trusted. Sara, on the other hand, is bluntly honest in expressing her thoughts and feelings. She tells Nathan she is everything he could possibly want in a wife. She lets him know when she is angry or disappointed in him. She also tells him that she loves him and gets frustrated when he doesn't reciprocate. I enjoyed watching Sara wriggle her way into his heart with him all the way. His 'aha' moment was great, and I loved watching him try to fix his mistakes. His method of doing so was a fantastic ending to the book.
There is also tension because of the underhanded actions of Sara's father and uncle. Nathan's protectiveness toward Sara was needed to counteract their actions. Things became complicated when a lie ran up against Nathan's distrust of women, which caused him to make a stupid mistake. Sara's love for Nathan never faltered, though she questioned her belief about his feelings for her. There's a terrific scene where her Nathan-instilled confidence enabled her to come out on top of a confrontation with her uncle. I laughed out loud at the men's reactions. The resolution of that problem was excellent.
Lady Sara Winchester is a different kind of heroine - ditzy, naive and thoroughly optimistic. She was forced to marry Nathan St. James by royal decree when she was a very young child, and has fantasized about him as her prince charming ever since. When Nathan claims his bride 14 years later, she is in for a surprise - he is surly and mistrustful, not to mention a semi-reformed pirate and general social outcast. The story of how these two come together and learn to live with one another is hilarious. And Sara does not come empty handed. She comes with her widowed aunt that she rescued.
Now Nathan is a whole different story. He likes being alone and doesn't want to depend on anyone especially a woman. He is jaded, but kind. He is at times a contradiction to himself. He would say he doesn't care about her feelings but then do things that would spare her delicate feelings. It was very sweet. But he does have a tendency to yell a lot...at her. But believe me it is funny when he does. My favorite line was when someone asked Sara what endearments he calls her by and she says, "Damn it Sara." She did this because he never called her by endearments and she wanted to upset him. Then he turns around and says "Damn it, Sara!" and then he starts laughing.
I thought The Gift was a great book, certainly one of the best in the series. (Speaking of the series, there are four books, not three. "The Lion's Lady" is the first. Then "Guardian Angel", "The Gift", and "Castles".) The two main characters are lovable, and have good chemistry, not mention some GREAT and really witty conversations. Of course, the book is more enjoyable if you have read the other two in this series first. Then you will understand how Nathan is a far more complex character than what appears on the surface. "Castles" ties up all the loose ends of the plot within the plot and interweaves all the main characters from all 4 stories very nicely.
Julie Garwood has created a thoroughly interesting plot and setting, a great cast of minor characters, and a great book! I recommend it highly.
You can't go wrong with a Julie Garwood book and this one delivers! A great read.
