Whitney, My Love - Judith McNaught My review contains spoilers and they're mostly my thoughts as I went with the book. This one's got 3 parts.

After my 2nd reading of the book...


Sooo, I feel sad for Whitney. Poor girl. It feels like she's being used by men and the others around her except her friend Emily, Nicky and her Aunt and uncle ... Ermm, don't get me wrong but that's what's in this book. Her dad (one awful parent) can never say two good words to/about her. I hated this guy and his attitude towards Whitney. Then comes the guy Whitney is obsessed with, Paul. I really feel sad for her, he didn't want her before thinking she's plain and a hoyden, had tangled hair ... Plainly he thought she's beyond his consideration and it's better to screw inkeeper's daughters than spending time with her (seriously?). But now that she's returned from Paris, all grown up, attractive and sassy, he's 'insane' about her. WTF!!! And Clayton, you had NO right to treat her the way you did after that horse debacle. I mean yah, I know what she did was a bit childish but c'mon! She didn't even mean it. What you did Clayton, was a crime! I would've kicked your arrogant, dukal a$$ for less than that. The way you think about women is seriously ... faulty(?). But I forget, you're a Duke! And yet, I don't like what you're doing to get Whitney. Do you even intend to marry her or just ...?

I'm re-reading this book but don't much remember about the plots/sequences except that, of course, I was blown away by the romance in it. And now, well, as you can see I'm sorta disliking Clayton. I wish Whitney would show more courage and stand up to her father and would COMPLETELY ignore Paul. She should've understood by now that men like Paul are cowards and undeserving of her attensions, let alone love. It seems, she too, has to be poked in the eyes to see the reality ... and, I don't really remember what happened regarding this Paul-business but I'll talk about it as soon as I read it.

Gotta talk about Clayton again. Such arrogance, such boorishness ... I'm not impressed by his oafish activities. Maybe I don't like characters who think the world is supposed to bow down infront of them and run around at their beck and call, men who think they can get anything they want. Hmmm...

But, I like Whitney, even though I feel sorry for her time to time. But, I've only read 14 chapters and it's a long book so more to come...
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Clayton is such an arrogant, high handed, self-centered a$$ my god! I'm having such a hard time liking him. I don't really remember what I thought about him the first time but I vaguely remember being irritated by some of his actions. In this reading, I'm this close to killing him! Yah that's right! There were times, things he said/did to Whitney, he had no right to say/do. And, Whitney, what can I say about her. The whole book up until now (I'm on chapter 25) is about Clayton manipulating her (for fun or otherwise) into taking different sorts of 'baits', Whitney taking and losing them all. This competition is killing me too. I'm not sure how can this be love. And, I'm not sure it'll be 5 stars after this reading.

While reading, many of Clayton's words on 'humbling her' one way or the other, his confidence that he'll get her/marry her no matter what was really awful but it's after his forcing her to have sex with him just because one jealous harpy said something horrible about her character was the last straw! And the things he said to her/thought about her before that, dear god; awful, so damned awful! I know Whitney did things before, which made him not to trust her but what was that?! Another crime IMO! So, it was like this: I read some of his musings/words to Whitney and thought, Oh, really? Really Clayton? And what about you?? ... Let me give you one tinsy-winsy example:

Clayton turned and stared down at her beautiful, frightened face. He wanted to put his hands around her slender white throat and strangle her for defiling her body with other men, for betraying his own love and trust, and for finally calling him "Clayton" now, when he knew her for what she was a "lying, deceiving liitle bitch who had freely shared her lush, ripe body with any rutting pig who asked her to." *gasps* He tore his mind from thoughts of her coupling with other men and, without answering her question, pointedly looked away.

... HELLO!!???!!! :@

Poor girl. I really do feel for her. And, of course Paul the goat turned out to be what he exactly is, a goat ... No wait, goats are harmless animals ... well, most of the times ... but, Paul is ... well, Paul and I'll be glad if he gets his just deserts in the end.
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OMG, I don't know where to start. Clayton is such a nasty SOB! :O I mean good lord, I started out disliking him but ended up hating him seriously and I can't remember another hero I hated that much. I don't know why I liked him in the first reading. I'm SO ANGRY at him that ... argh! The way he misjudged, misbehaved and humiliated Whitney til the end is just unbelievable, so even though I remember liking the last scene of the book on my first read, this time I just couldn't bring myself to feel anything other than hatred for him. He wasn't only nasty but a hypocrite and I agree when some reviews said he has serious mental problem and bound to kill Whitney in one of his tempers. I was angry, disgusted and sad and then, when he thought of punishing her by taking mistresses and flaunting them, then that scene with one of his former mistresses as he forced Whitney to acknowledge her ... afterwards went out with that woman to contemplate a possible liaison ... YUK! :@ And Whitney never stood up to him, even when she finally left him after much waiting and pining, she was hoping he'll come and take her back ... Pathetic! But, still, I can't but feel for her. She needed the right support but every single person she knew as a friend or a relative, was just pushing her towards the Duke who was 'the catch' of all of England!

Honestly, I'd stay miles and miles away from a man like Clayton and would be scared of my well-being if I'm with him. How can he say he loves her and won't hurt her again and then goes and does the same over and over again? ... I'm lost for words!

Yah Clayton, the way you acted all betrayed when your over imaginative brain conjured up something like Whitney took a lover, I only wanted to ask: What about you, you hypocritical, overbearing a$$! Were you celibate the whole time you knew/courted/left/humiliated/abused Whitney?

I thought I'd show some examples like the one in my earlier post but I've given up in the end because it was simply impossible. He was that bad! But, something from his own musing:

Restlessly, Clayton got up and wandered from his empty, lonely room into hers. It wasn't pretty and alive without her. She was gone and with her, his reason for living each day. He had driven her away, finally broken her spirit and defeated her. And she had so much spirit! So damned much spirit.

And I, for a moment, didn't think that he genuinely remorsed his actions.

So, though I rated it 5 stars before, now it's 3; only because I respect Ms. McNaught a lot and I loved her other books. Right now, I'm kinda scared of Stephen's book. Dunno how that'll turn up in the re-reading. :/