Shanna

This was a long overdue reread of an oldie but goodie. Shanna is more than just a classic historical romance; it is also an adventure story that goes from Newgate Prison to a Caribbean island to a pirate island and finally to the wilderness of the Colony of Virginia. The descriptions are rich with detail, making it easy to visualize each scene, and the characters are vividly portrayed.

Shanna is the daughter of a wealthy merchant who owns an island in the Caribbean. He sends her to London each year in hopes that she finds a titled husband, but each year she returns unwed. This year he gave her an ultimatum - find a husband, or he will find one for her. Unwilling to bow to his dictates, Shanna buys time to find the man she wants by show more marrying a man condemned to die.

Ruark is in prison for a murder he is sure he didn't commit but expects to die for. When Shanna makes her proposal to him, that in exchange for his name, she will ensure his final days are more comfortable, he counters with a requirement of his own. He will marry her, but she must grant him a wedding night.

In this first part of the book, Shanna is a spoiled brat, as well as being somewhat naïve. She makes promises to Ruark that she has no intention of keeping. Her attitude is arrogant, and she certainly looks down on him. She begins to sense that she has bitten off more than she can chew when she meets the "cleaned up" Ruark for the wedding. Ruark has understandably looked forward to the marriage and the aftermath and is in a cheerful, flirty mood throughout the wedding. There are sparks between them, though Shanna doesn't recognize the attraction for what it is. I loved Ruark's teasing and gentleness and couldn't help thinking about how lucky Shanna was. I was furious with the way she double-crossed Ruark and understood his fury. It was interesting to see how Shanna tried to justify her actions in her mind, but there was that niggling sense of guilt that gave me hope for her. She thinks she has it made because of his scheduled hanging, but Fate has other plans. It was an interesting plot twist that had Ruark avoiding the hangman and ending up bound for her home as a bondservant.

Once she reaches Los Camellos, the story picks up. Ruark, now going by the name John Ruark, is satisfied to be so close to Shanna, making it easier to plot his revenge. He is a smart and talented man and quickly makes himself indispensable to his employer. Shanna gets quite a shock the first time she sees him and realizes that she is not a widow after all and that her husband is determined to claim what he is owed. I loved watching his persistent actions as he gets closer to Shanna's father, and therefore closer to her. He also takes every opportunity to fan the sparks of attraction between them, until Shanna is desperate to stop him. She finally realizes that the only way is to pay her debt in full. That scene is romantic and steamy and opens her eyes to what is possible between a man and a woman. But the strength of those feelings also scares her, and she tries unsuccessfully to stay away. By this time, Ruark is head over heels for her, but can't make any headway in getting her to admit her feelings. She may claim that she doesn't want him, but certainly demonstrates a great deal of jealousy when she thinks he is with someone else. Her hotheaded behavior leads her into another rash action that has Ruark kidnapped and turned over to a pirate ship.

This is one of the most exciting parts of the book, as Ruark does what he must to stay alive. He tries to hedge his bets with the pirates, but it backfires and ends up with the pirates attacking the island and taking Shanna captive. I loved his quick mind as he found a way to bring her under his protection while preserving his cover with the pirates. Of course, Shanna is just as willful and stubborn as ever and nearly succeeds in getting them both killed. His confrontation with the pirate captain was intense, but the outcome was never really in doubt. He also knew that he had to get them away from the pirate island as soon as possible. I loved the unexpected help they received, and the escape was a real nail-biter. I was worried that Shanna was going to stand back and let him take the blame, but she did finally come through in the end. Her experiences on the pirate island opened her eyes, and she began to see just how spoiled and selfish she had been. I liked seeing the changes as they happened, and Ruark's reaction to them. He was understandably wary, but also hopeful.

A complication during this period was the presence of an Englishman, Sir Gaylord Billingsly, who is looking for financing for a shipyard his family owns. He is quite supercilious and has set his sights on marrying Shanna. He is a parasite of the worst sort and rapidly wears out his welcome as far as Shanna is concerned. There were some very satisfying moments when she finds ways to make her displeasure known. She doesn't know, however, that he has joined forces with Ralston, who has promised his help for a piece of Shanna's dowry. There are some devious and dangerous plans underway that could put a permanent end to Ruark's marriage to Shanna. There is also a visit from a sailing ship out of Virginia, where its captain is very interested in the story of Shanna's marriage. He also tells stories about life and opportunities in the colonies and invites the Traherns to visit them there.

My favorite part of the book is the visit to Virginia. Shanna and Ruark have come to an understanding, but she hasn't quite made that final leap. It was great fun to watch Shanna watch Ruark in his natural element of the Virginia wilderness. At last, she accepts what her heart has known all along, but there are still a few surprises in store for her. I enjoyed her growing appreciation for the land, and her acceptance by the family they visit makes her feel even more at home. There were some hilarious moments involving Ruark and various family members that all came home to roost with the arrival of one of the sisters. I ached a little for Shanna as the entire truth came out, as she felt foolish, but Ruark soon convinced her of the truth of his feelings. The excitement isn't over, however, as the murder charge against him rears its head once more, thanks to outside interference. There is more to the story still as the actual murderer uses Shanna as a hostage to attempt to escape. The final confrontation was a nail-biter, as Shanna's calm confidence in Ruark's rescue of her drives her kidnapper over the edge. The end to that was very satisfying, with nothing left but to tie up loose ends. I loved the epilogue and the surprise that Mr. Trahern received one morning at church.

Though Shanna spent a good bit of time on the disliked side of the tally sheet during the book, I enjoyed seeing the growth of her character. It wasn't fast, and it wasn't easy, but it was believable. On the other hand, I loved Ruark from the beginning. He is an honorable man, and that honor plays out again and again throughout the book. I loved his patience and persistence in winning Shanna. show less

Ok, ok, yes it is dated. No, I would not have liked it if I had not read it and loved it forty years ago. Shanna is a bit obnoxious and annoying, the pirates were not fully believable, but it is GarbAugust and this is a prime example of wonderful trash. Having just come off re-reading Valley of the Dolls, it is just so nice to have a happy ending!

Classic Historical Romance. Three bodice-rippings, two kidnappings, and Pirates. Gotta have pirates.

It was very interesting as a 48 year old woman, to revisit an author I read as a teenager. Shanna was published in 1977 - let's just say: Maybe the world has changed. Just a little? Or maybe not so much.

My book club chose this because we've never read anything like it before as a group. I can't wait to see how a group of smart, well-read, Gen-X-aged women react to this story.

Let me say right up front that I know that there are numerous people that love this book. You can find all kinds of positive reviews on any sight that has reviews. I will admit that this is a very well researched book; Ms. Woodiwiss was known for her detail and accuracy throughout her stories. Most of the characters are lovable and amusing as well as brave and honorable. I loved Ruark “John Ruark” Beauchamp. He was irreverent, funny, intelligent and courageous. I think that he handle the situations he was thrown into against his will with great dignity and honor. The secondary characters are all well done and there is more than one bad guy in this story. There are pirates, a cheating second in command and a nobleman that is a murder show more and a cheat. This is after all a historical romance of epic portion the thing that Woodiwiss is known for and wrote so well during her long career.

All that being said I couldn't stand Shanna. She is a spoiled brat that is set to get her own way no matter the cost. She treats Ruark like dirt most of the time. In the bargain that she strikes with Ruark so she can marry someone and avoid her father’s ultimatum she never intends to hold up her end. When she is called on it she rails against a brutish savage that haunts her. Throughout most of the story she can’t get over her impression that Ruark is a country bumpkin from the colonies. I am sure that was after most British thought however there were people of noble birth in the colonies. Shanna is blind to anything that does not fit into her narrow view of the world. It wouldn't have been so bad if she had had a change of heart early in the book but it takes most of the book for her to realize that Ruark is more than just what you see.

The rest of the story is very good and I am sure that there are those that will love it even now. I read the book when it first came out and I have never read it again until now. I wanted to give the story a second chance because Ms. Woodiwiss deserves it. I don’t like giving any book a three star review or a less than sterling review. In fact I find very few books that I don’t enjoy and want to read a second time. If Shanna had been just a little different or had a change of heart a little sooner in the story maybe I could have given the whole story a better review. show less

I first read this back around 1980 - hiding the book under my mattress. I don't think my mother had a clue even if she had seen the cover but I knew what I was reading and hid it as much as possible.

I would never read this type of novel today yet I remember the impact it had on me at the time and I am rating based on that.

Definitely a rite of passage for many a teenage girl at the time

I was stuck at my mother's house, out of books, this was lying in the family room. I read it. To my surprise, I actually finished it, all 672 pages.

I'd never read another pure romance before, and I don't anticipate reading another again...it's just not a genre that appeals to me. However, although the story was predictable to the Nth degree, the male lead ridiculously noble, the female lead someone I would cheerfully have smacked, I found myself diverted for the afternoon.

My all-time favorite book. I love Kathleen Woodiwiss' way with words, her grasp of historical fiction acrosss many times amazes me.