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A Kingdom of Dreams

Book 1 in the series:Westmoreland

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'A Kingdom of Dreams' by Judith McNaught is a medieval romance novel that follows the story of Jennifer Merrick, a Scottish countess kidnapped by Royce Westmoreland, known as the Wolf, an English warrior with a reputation for cruelty. Despite being enemies, Jennifer and Royce engage in a battle of wills that evolves into a passionate love story filled with misunderstandings, loyalty, and strong characters facing hard choices. The plot is full of twists and turns, emotional depth, and a blend of suspense, tragedy, and romance that keeps the readers engaged throughout the story.

The writing style in 'A Kingdom of Dreams' is described as strong, captivating, and well-paced, with well-developed characters like Royce and Jennifer who face challenges, miscommunications, and external forces that complicate their relationship. The book is praised for its blend of humor, tenderness, heartbreak, and excitement, providing a well-rounded and entertaining story that keeps the readers invested in the characters' journey towards their happy ending.

Characters:

The characters are a mix of strong yet flawed individuals, with the heroine Jennifer being strong-willed and naive, while Royce embodies complexity and tenderness.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is characterized by emotional depth, strong character development, and engaging prose that balances humor and romance.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features a tumultuous romance between Jennifer, a Scottish noblewoman, and Royce, her English captor, exploring themes of conflict, forced marriage, and unexpected love.

Setting:

The setting is a richly detailed medieval England in 1497, framing the story within historical conflicts and personal struggles.

Pacing:

The pacing varies, starting slow but becoming quicker and more engaging as the story unfolds, maintaining reader interest.
Under normal circumstances, this call for a wedding toast would have caused the lavishly dressed ladies and gentlemen assembled in the great hall at Merrick castle to smile and cheer. Goblets of wine ...

Notes:

The book is set in 1497 in England, during medieval times.
The story revolves around Jennifer Merrick, who is abducted from a convent by Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore.
Initially, Jennifer and Royce dislike each other due to family rivalries.
The plot presents themes of forced marriage and captivity.
The heroine, Jennifer, often demonstrates foolishness and stubbornness, causing readers to be frustrated with her.
Royce's character is presented as a warrior with a brutal reputation.
The book features secondary characters who provide humor and enhance the story, like Jennifer's Aunt Elinor and Friar Gregory.
The first two-thirds of the book focuses on conflict and animosity before evolving into love.
Some readers appreciate the character growth in Jennifer and Royce as they navigate their relationship.
There are significant historical inaccuracies regarding names and events, as noted by some readers.
The romance develops amidst misunderstandings and moments of intense emotional conflict.
A notable scene involves Jennifer attempting to escape, resulting in her harming Royce's horse, which adds to readers' frustrations.
The book is recognized as a classic in the historical romance genre and is part of McNaught's Westmoreland series.
There is a controversial scene involving forced intimacy, typical of McNaught's older works.
The dynamic between Jennifer and Royce parallels themes of enemies-to-lovers found in contemporary romances.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include themes of violence, non-consensual elements, and sensitive depictions regarding relationships.

Has Romance?

Romance is a major focus in A Kingdom of Dreams, with elements of passion and relationship development.

From The Publisher:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author continues her evocative Westmoreland Dynasty Saga with this romance following two defiant hearts clashing over a furious battle of wills in the glorious age of chivalry.

Abducted from her convent school, headstrong Scottish beauty Jennifer Merrick does not easily surrender to Royce Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore. Known as "The Wolf," his very name strikes terror in the hearts of his enemies. But proud Jennifer will have nothing to do with the fierce English warrior who holds her captive, this handsome rogue who taunts her with his blazing arrogance.

Boldly she challenges his will-until the night he takes her in his powerful embrace, awakening in her an irresistible hunger. And suddenly Jennifer finds herself ensnared in a bewildering web…a seductive, dangerous trap of pride, passion, loyalty, and overwhelming love.

Ratings (28)

Incredible (7)
Loved It (9)
Liked It (6)
It Was OK (4)
Did Not Like (2)

Reader Stats (56):

Read It (31)
Want To Read (18)
Did Not Finish (1)
Not Interested (6)

2 comment(s)

Liked It
1 month

cute story, minus the last part of the book, done with zero research of the era, which is ok for this genre.

 
Did Not Like
9 months

This is my third book by Judith McNaught, and it's the first one that I was actually able to finish. However, I must admit that I skipped some pages through the first half of the book.

The whole story is generally less annoying than the previous two books I have read - [b:Paradise|16006|Paradise (Second Opportunities, #1)|Judith McNaught|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1386921972l/16006._SY75_.jpg|967548] and [b:Something Wonderful|129616|Something Wonderful (Sequels, #2)|Judith McNaught|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1435634530l/129616._SY75_.jpg|124838]. I found the heroines in those books silly and immature. Jennifer, despite being young, is not as stupid. And Royce is not as much of an alpha caveman as some other heroes. I can't say I really liked them, but they didn't drive me mad.

The plot is passable but totally forgettable; it's just another historical romance that I won't remember in a month or so. As I already mentioned, the first half of the story is not as good, and I was skipping without consequences. Also, I have the impression that I have already read some books quite like this one, and some scenes look familiar.

Still, I'm positively surprised that I found a book from Judith McNaught that I was able to read till the end. I will probably give this author another chance.

 

About the Author:

Judith McNaught is the #1 New York Times bestselling author who first soared to stardom with her stunning bestseller Whitney, My Love, and went on to win the hearts of millions of readers with Once and Always, Something Wonderful, A Kingdom of Dreams, Almost Heaven, Paradise, Perfect, Until You, Remember When, Someone to Watch Over Me, the #1 New York Times bestseller Night Whispers, and many other novels. There are more than thirty million copies of her books in print. She lives in Texas.

 
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