** spoiler alert ** 
 This is the book that everyone seems to like so much? Rape, mistreatment, and humiliation? An incredibly cowardly and clueless heroine (don't worry, if you forget she's a coward, the author tells you... over and over) and a beast of a hero that needs a major beat up? 
 Basically the story is about an 18-yr old orphan who lives with her aunt and uncle in a Cinderella-like situation (rags, slaps, cleaning from sunup to sundown... the works) until the EVIL (the first of many) aunt decides when her pig of a brother comes to visit, that the heroine would go with him to London so that he could introduce her to the owner of an all girl's school and teach there. The heroine who is the epitome of NAIVE, believes this and goes along happily. Of course the brother is EVIL and wants to 'try out the wares' before sending her to the girl's school, which is actually a brothel. Sooooo, in the middle of his assault, the heroine FINALLY understands what he wants, she uses a fruit knife (which was super conveniently placed on the bedside table... I guess so that one could eat a piece fruit in bed? But wouldn't one just bring along the knife along with the fruit? Or was it customary to have it there? Anyway...) to stab his ARM... yes, his ARM, so the heroine thought she KILLED HIM with a stab ON THE ARM. Therefore, since he had tricked her into dressing like a whore for dinner (when she STILL didn't realize his intent), she runs out on the street, gets accosted by two sailors who take her to a boat (she thought the local magistrate had sailors working for him to look for her. I kid you not!) so she 'gave herself up' to the captain, which turns out not to be the magistrate (really?) and was just looking for a night of fun with a willing mate (aka prostitute), so he forces himself on her, realizes she's a virgin, and does so again a couple of more times while wondering how a whore could be a virgin (he's not so bright either). The next morning she runs away to her aunt's again (because that's her haven) saying the brother told her to return because he had to travel (like what?), and her Cinderella story continues until her aunt (the girl never does) realizes she's with child (I'm getting into the spirit of the lingo), forces the story from her, and decides they will contact the heroine's father's best friend (who has some legal weight) to force the American captain to marry her. The heroine is sooooo happy to see her father's friend (so why didn't she go directly to him after KILLING BY STABBING ON THE ARM. Maybe she forgot?) and the guy tracked down the captain, forced him to marry her and they sailed to North Carolina. 
 The plot, when they finally got to North Carolina, was all about wanting to 'be together' but seeming to purposely think the worst of the other, combined with people bursting in on them all.the.time! Thank god I didn't live in that era, I wouldn't have survived from the lack of privacy. 
 And of course, there was the spurned fiancee who was a cheap caricature of EVIL (don't let me get started on the actual bad guy who of course was monstrous and EVIL looking. I guess his EVIL soul was reflected on his physical deformities?) who also constantly came to call, tries to humiliate the heroine bringing up her past 'adventures' with the hero... I mean, why was she even an issue anymore? Didn't she have any problem looking whorish? Her presence was redundant and it was a true relief when she was killed off, along with another woman (this was the 'mystery' part of the story... except that well, it wasn't. It was pretty obvious who had committed the EVIL (hint-hint) crimes right from the first). 
 I wonder if this was where the trend started of the 'absolutely perfect in every way' physical characteristics of the heroine in which EVERY SINGLE MALE who saw her fell instantly IN LOVE/LUST and there was just NO COMPARISON to anyone else in the WORLD (the world being rural North Carolina). Ditto to the hero but in a 'masculine way', aka: smelling of sweat and horse and man (which is supposed to be sensual?), looking hot in just about anything and every time he moved. The thing is that he didn't move in a 'cat/panther-like way' which most heroes from historical and contemporary romances seem to be afflicted with). 
 After about the fourth guy who wants to rape/kidnap/kiss/take advantage of the heroine because she is soooooo beautiful, it gets kind of repetitive and lame. Not to mention that the hero already 'did the deed' a minute after he met her due to the same reason. So, this book could've been edited to about 50% of its pages. 
 Anything that I did like? Well, I liked Hatti, a mammy very similar to that of Gone with the Wind, and I also thought the hero's brother, Jeff seemed to be mildly human (he wasn't a male apparition and he was actually polite. You know, how people were supposed to be in the 19th century South). 
 Hmmmm... I also liked the jewels the heroine got all the time, that was a nice touch on behalf of the hero. He like, screamed and humiliated in one scene and acted perfectly romantic in another by giving jewels. Schizo? 
 I really liked the Websters and their story, who were mentioned only a couple of times and then never again. Oh, and Mrs. Clark! And I think that's about it. The secondary characters were most interesting, written in a toned down version (which is wildly necessary for this author), making them more real. 
 Basically, it was a DRAG reading this book, however I got through with it because so many people have praised it. 
 Again I ask, what's to like? 
 Anyway, I DIDN'T like it, there were so many things wrong with it in so many levels and I will not be recommending it to anyone... I will actually be recommending people NOT to read it. 
 1/5 stars