This was fine. Judith Ivory's writing is so good I could cry so it was worth it for me to read. ( )

This novel has been out for over a decade now, but to me it felt fresh. The hero, the heroine and the dynamic between the two was something I haven't seen in a historical (or any???) romance before. The couple had fights and fun and reminded me of people I know. So, while I'm not actually sold on The Historical Accuracy of the book, I believe in it's view of a well functioning and happy relationship. That makes a fine romance, don't you think? ( )

Another winner by Ivory with an endearing hero and heroine. Sam and Liddy make a great pair. Broken up into two parts, part one takes place as Sam, a cowboy from Texas at the turn of the century and Liddy, the aristocratic daughter of a viscount, are lost together on the Dartmoor Moor for 4 days. Much happens as they get to know one another and eventually become lovers. Their time together is idyllic and sensually romantic. What a pleasure to see how they savor their time together, love mad with touching and coupling, as if they are honeymooners. But reality steps in when they are found and so begins part two of the book when Liddy finds our who Sam really is, and that he's not just some cow poke from America. She's afraid to admit her feelings towards him and acknowledge him in public, when it's obvious he wants to court her and continue on with their relationship. I found the second part of the book sad, frustrating and heartbreaking. Fortunately, there is a happy ending. As a bonus, I was enamored of Liddy's prowess at archery which added a new dimension to her character. ( )

In Part One we meet the H/H who are from completely different worlds. Lydia Bedford-Browne is the pampered, overly-protected daughter of a viscount. Sam Cody is an American from Texas complete with a Stetson and cowboy boots. The book is set in the turn of the 19th century England where Lydia decides to set off alone across the boggy flatlands of Dartmoor by coach in the first real adventure of her life. The only other passenger of the coach is Sam who is drunk and battered, having missed his own wedding when he stopped to rescue a woman from muggers and got a beating from the thieves.

I'm a huge JI fan but for some reason I had a hard time getting into this book. The characters didn't grab me and I just couldn't care about them. Ivory writes very lush descriptions and at first I found myself skimming through the first 2 chapters. But when their inebriated driver loses control of the coach crashing them into the marsh, the book finally captures my attention. There is a very funny scene when Sam climbs out of the window of the wildly careening coach to get the driver's attention only to discover the driver has fallen off!

Sam and Lydia are stranded and lost in the moorlands for several days and their developing relationship along with the sexual tension was marvelous. The dialogue was good and seemed exactly right so that I started to love these characters.

The second part of the book comes after they are rescued and Liddy returns to her world. She must come to terms with what is expected of her by her parents, family, friends and society and what she wants and feels. Sam knows what he wants and pursues her vigorously suffering many rejections by Liddy. Here's where I shed a few tears in sympathy for Sam. But I never blamed Liddy either having been raised in a straight laced Victorian society, and realizing that breaking away from that upbringing was difficult. But she learns and grows and finally understands her own power and goes after what she wants. The last chapter was so good, I may want to read it again.

Several other reviewers liked the first part more than the second part but I found myself liking the second part more. Sam and Liddy are very good characters, the dialogue is excellent, and the sensuality is hot. Not quite a keeper but very good. (Grade: B+) ( )

I'm not quite sure how I feel about this book. On the one hand, Judith Ivory is a great writer so adept at fully fleshing out her characters and exploring their psychologies, their interactions and reactions. On the other hand, I just couldn't get into this book. It starts out interesting enough with a runaway carriage that overturns on the moors of England, leaving its sole two passangers, Lydia Bedford-Browne and Sam Cody stranded for a few days in the wilderness. She's of the repressed sort, from an upper crust British family that smothers her with their love and their restrictions - always telling her she's sickly, keeping her from too much activity. Sam is a Texan cowboy, all drawling, steamy, and rough around the edges, and the two get to know each other in their struggle for survival.

I liked each of the characters well enough, but the story, while pleasant and nice, grew mundane after a while, and once the two make it out of the Dartmoor and back to civilization, the story loses its coherency. Lydia pushes Sam away because she thinks they belong to separate worlds, her family would never approve, she has to live a lie, etc. Sam pushes her away because he thinks she doesn't want him, he feels poorly about himself, etc. It all seemed rather rote. I give this story four stars, but it's definitely not one of Ivory's best. ( )