Reviewer: Rowena Once and Always by Judith McNaught
Series: Sequels #1
Publisher: Pocket Books
Publication Date: April 25th 2006
Pages: 400
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Once and Always, one of Judith McNaught's most masterful and moving love stories, powerfully brings to life the fiery passion of a free-spirited American beauty and a troubled English lord.
Suddenly orphaned and alone, Victoria Seaton sails the vast ocean, eager to reclaim her heritage at Wakefield, the sumptuous English estate of a distant cousin, the notorious Lord Jason Fielding. Bewildered by his arrogance yet drawn to his panther-like grace, she senses the painful memories that smolder in his eyes. When he gathers her at last into his arms, arousing a sweet, insistent hunger, they wed and are embraced by fierce, consuming joy -- free from the past's cruel grasp. Then, in a moment of anguish, Victoria discovers the treachery at the heart of their love . . . a love she had dreamed would triumph not just once, but always.
I read this book for the first time, many many years ago…I believe it was back in ‘99. I remember because this is the book that I took with me on the drive to Utah when me and my family were driving out there for my Uncle Johnny’s funeral. I was pregnant with Brenna, though nobody knew about it and it was while I was reading about Jason and Victoria falling in love that my cousin, Leen asked me if I was pregnant. I remember I was wearing my Calvin Klein jacket that I absolutely loved but I remember being so intensely into this book while at that funeral that the miles that passed through went by in a blur because this book was just sooo frickin’ good.
This is one of those books that had those big misunderstandings that I was bothered about in No Regrets but in this book, the misunderstandings didn’t bother me one bit. I loved seeing Jason melt a little more each passing day in Tory’s company. I loved how Jason fought his feelings for Tory and I loved how Tory finally won him over.
You see, Tory and her sister are orphaned when their parents die in a tragic carriage accident or whatever and they’re shipped off to some distant relatives in England…now, their Grandmother will only take in ONE of the daughter, so Tory’s younger sister, Dorothy goes with the grandma and Tory is taken to reside with another “relative”, Jason Fielding…who is the bastard son of some guy he thought he was his dad but really isn’t. So anyway, Tory is sent to live with Jason and Jason doesn’t like it.
You see, Jason is really bitter about life and love because of the life and the love he had. His first wife was a total b word and she took their son and went and got them killed while she was leaving him or whatever, she was a faithless b word who didn’t care about anyone and it left Jason really cold toward everyone because she took the one thing that he loved most in the world….his son. Having grown up with a set of “parents” who despised him and had him beaten while they lived in a different country then his native, England…Jason was not brought up with the best of homes. He truly is one of those tortured souls and Judith McNaught does a fantastic job of drawing you into Jason’s world and totally rooting him on to find his happily ever after.
There wasn’t one point in the story where I hated Jason, even that dratted scene that nobody likes, the one where they all totally hate Jason for. I don’t and won’t hate Jason because he was finally gentled and found his happy ending with a terrific heroine and I couldn’t have been happier with their story.
Jason and Tory were great together, they both learned and grew together and it was a wonderful journey, one that will always stay with me because I love these two! I totally recommend this story to those of you who wants to read about two wonderfully lost souls finding a love together they never knew existed.
Oh what a sap, I am but I don’t care…this book was good!
I just looked and I own this one! I’ll have to move it up Mt. TBR a bit so I can get to it sooner. Looking forward to reading Jason and Tory’s story 🙂
This is my TBR.
The thing I like about this author is that she can write a H/H that you hate, loath, and want to kill. However, you end up loving the book!
Normally a shitty hero or heroine will ruin a book, but JD is SO GOOD at writing a story that it all works.
Look at the Hero in Whitney, my love and The heroine in Kingdom of dreams. They are both horrible, but the stories are fantastic.
Not many authors can pull that off.
By JD, I mean JM, of course. Sorry.
I hear what you mean, there’s lots of people who hate either the hero or the heroine but the story themselves are frickin’ fantastic and I just love JM, she’s one of my all time favorite authors! =)
I love this book as well! It was soooo good! I really didn’t dislike the hero or heroine… and I just loved the story!! Sigh… Jason was great in the end 😛 Now, all I wish is for JM to write more LOL 😛
I LOVED this! It was my very first McNaught; it sent me on my glom 🙂
It really is amazing how she can write that formula every time and make it work so perfectly, isn’t it?
Oh yes, LOVE this book. I haven’t read it in years, but it’s a classic. JM wrote some damn fine historicals, and a few awesome contemps – Paradise, Perfect. Thanx for the memories 🙂
Ahhh – Once and Always – My very favourite McNaught. It has so many things in it that I ordinarily wouldn’t be able to stand – yet for some reason I adored this one. Maybe because I always felt so sad for Jason that he lost his son. After that I couldn’t hate him no matter what he did. And then when we find out how he was raised – well it just made him more vulnerable somehow. I love the scene where she comes back to him.
It’s one of the the few books that if I ever did fanfic I would continue on with their story.
What a seriously cool book blog!:)
Dev,
Oh you have to read this book, I so totally love this book…I can’t wait to see what you think of Jason and Tory’s story.
Lori,
I know, it seems that in ever JM there is something worth griping about but overall the stories are fantastic, she really does know how to get us so mad, happy and everything in between that it’s a worthwhile rollercoaster!
Nath,
I want JM to write another historical, I think that would be fantastic…let’s cross our fingers that it happens, huh?
Stacy,
No problem, it’s been a while since I’ve read any JM’s but I’m glad that I picked up the few that I did…LOVE JM!
Kristie,
I see what you mean, Jason was a great hero, one that I loved regardless of what he did…gosh I remember for awhile Jason held the top spot of my favorite JM hero but there are just too many fantastic hero’s and goodness JM can write the heck out of her heroes!
J. Kaye Oldner,
Welcome and thanks for your very kind words! =)
One of my favorite books of all time. I love just about ever single JM book, but Once and Always holds a special place in my heart. Jason is just divine.
-Farrah