Upon a Moon-dark Moor [Hardcover]

I've just read several of the reviews for this book. I must admit, it was the first book I'd ever read by Rebecca and, to me, the most powerful. I feel that the way she wrote in first person was the most amazing part of this book. I felt as if I were experiencing it or as if I were reading a diary of someone who had. It made it more than an enjoyable read, it made it real. That doesn't happen too often.

I haven't read this book in a few years but I can't imagine that the dialogue and flowery phrases are too different that what was the norm when it was written nor is still the norm today in the romance genre. I don't remember it taking away from the story for me.

I don't read romances for the steamy sex scenes. I read them for the characterization and historical accuracy mostly. If the relationship works by taking a bit longer than 200 pages to have that first kiss, then so be it. Isn't that how life works sometimes? If a book is good, which I feel this one is, then I will gladly read 200+ pages of why they might want to kiss in the first place.

I feel that this book is much more than your basic romance novel, always have. I loved it when I first read it when it was brand new and I still love it.

This romance is a classic. After first reading this book ten years ago, Upon a Moon-Dark Moor remains one of my all time favorite romances. Written in first person narrative, this romance reminds me of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander. With the gothic setting, there is a fatalistic, brooding quality to this book. Really wonderful. I'll never forget the lines "You are a fool, old man...A very great fool indeed, for out of all you ever had, we were the best." This book will stay with you.

After reading the prologue of this book I almost didn't read it and now wondered why I continued.

The author spends tons of time describing the events of the day and of the characters environment.

I don't think the heroine ever lived up to what I think the author wanted her to be. I never got to know any of the characters enough to really like them. While it is probably one of the most accurate dipictions of what it was like to be married during that time period I have to say I did not find it very entertaining.

If you read the prologue you will be lead to believe the herione lived an abolutely awful life and has caused pain to everyone she has met but the author never proves this to be true. The end is very abrupt and never tells you why the herione belives she is such an awful person.

The prologue is dated 1898, the heroine was born in 1800. The time period coverd in the book is 1810-1820 leading me to believe that her life after that time was filled with sorrow, not really an ending I am looking for when reading a romance novel, which, in my opinion, this is not.

You never see any real growth from the hero. You never learn how he manages to improve his fortunes after running away, only that he was completely obsessed with making Maggie his.

The love scenes are VERY short and make you believe she is almost never willing only submitting to her husband. No sensual sexy scenes here folks!

I never liked the heroine mainly because throughout the whole book she referred to the hero as her "Gypsy bastard cousin"! This is also another reason why I believe their marriage was not a happy one since she was supposed to have been the narriator of the story at the age of 98 and a widower since she says she is the only one left. If she had eventually became happy in her marriage she would not have referred to her husband in such a manner nor sound so depressed about how she had chosen to live her life and be happy with the choices she had made. It is implied again and again in the book that she now wishes she had made different choices.

The first 200 pages could really be left out or any of the information that was necessary condensed to probably 50 or so pages. This would have allowed the author more time to build her characters and their life together.

Literally the last page of the book has the heroine FINALLY telling the hero that she loves him but he is unable to say the same leading me to believe he has fallen out of love but says he is willing to begin again with her. Horrible! Horrible! Horrible! To me that is not how you end a romance novel.

If you are looking for something light to read, move on, this is not the book for you. I spent most of my time skimming through all of the descriptions of her home, and inner thoughts that were really unnecessary and slowed the story down considereable, in order to get through the book.

Why did I give it 2 stars? I did it because it is some what historically accurate for the time period. The author did make an effort to make the hero look better by allow the heroine to control the money left to her my by her mother. This, of course would never really have happened during this time period no matter how rich the husband was. This made it interesting to read but wasn't what I was looking for when I picked it up.

Personally, I don't read romance novels to be reminded of what it was really like to be a woman in the 1800's. I prefer lighter reading than that.

I think I may have read from this author before but think if I see her name again I will just pass on by.