SHIRLEE BUSBEE
Last review(s) added 9/21/98
Historical
It used to be that Shirlee Busbee had written a lot of good books but "A Heart for the Taking" disappointed me.
In 1774, Dowager Baroness Frances Merrivale and her sister Ellen are on the way to America. Ellen has met in England the rich and charming Jonathan Walker and on this travel she wants to find out her feelings for him. When they arrive in Richmond both woman first get to know the family bastard, Chance. Frances thinks this is an arrogant and uncouth man.
They want to visit the Walkers plantation but on their way to the house the sisters are kidnapped by two bad guys. It is possible for them to flee after a while but they are helpless and lost alone in the wilderness. Chance and his friend Hugh find them and they want to take them back to the plantation. It takes a few days till they arrive there and on their way through the wilderness Ellen falls in love with Hugh. Now she doesn't want to marry Jonathan Walker anymore. In Richmond, Jonathan had let the people think Fancy was his bride so she thinks it is okay if Fancy doesn't clear up this misunderstanding.
Because Chance has waited so long for revenge at Jonathan he decides to marry Fancy. He lay in her bed one night and the other day Fancy's reputation is ruined.. But Fancy hates the forced marriage and Jonathan wants revenge at Chance. And then there is the secret about Chance's birth. He was born in a stormy night and he has six toes, a sign of all members of the Walkers-Family but only Morely, the man who saved the baby's life in that night knows the truth. The night when Sam and Letty Walkers son was born dead.
The young couple doesn't have an easy marriage. A lot of misunderstandings are between them. But they start to fall in love.
After reading the first ten pages of the book I was already bored because I couldn't understand the Walkers family relations. Maybe this was a reason why I couldn't concentrate on the story at all. I think I will not give Shirlee Busbee another try. This book wasn't worth its money.
