The Gift

Crown's Spies, Book 3

By: Julie Garwood

Narrated by: Susan Duerden

Length: 12 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

The New York Times best-selling author of Ransom weaves the delightful, sensual story of two lovers destined for high adventure and blissful rapture!

A child bride, Sara Winchester had grown into a winsome beauty, joyfully anticipating the day when her husband Nathan, Marquess of St. James, would return to claim her heart at last. Charmingly innocent, she dismissed the ancient feud that divided Nathan's family from her own.. .and she was totally unaware of his past exploits as the notorious pirate, Pagan. The man who now stood before her was perplexing, arrogant and powerfully handsome... a warrior-gentleman whose gentle touch aroused her to the wildest, deepest pleasures of love.

Nathan had never bared his soul to any woman, but he was soon utterly beguiled and exasperated by Sara’s sweet, defiant ways. Aboard his ship, The Seahawk, she was brave, imperious and determined to win his heart completely - yet upon their return to England, her love would be sorely tested as a vile conspiracy tried to tear them apart. With their future at stake, they would discover the true destiny of their passion... for all time!

©1991 Julie Garwood (P)2013 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

Book is more enjoyable if you know the series

It took me a while to want to read this book because the description didn't sound interesting, but when you read the series from the beginning (and the 1st and 2nd books are the stronger ones) then you just have to read the rest of the books because you know the characters now and so you have more of the backstory. By the time I got to this book after 1 and 2 there was no doubt I would spend the credit, and it was worth it.

Very entertaining

Very entertaining story. I love a series!! I look forward to reading the other books in the series!

Really enjoyed this book

Any additional comments?

With a book by Julie Garwood plus narrated by Susan Duerden I knew I would love it!
I wasn't disappointed at all!!!!!!

One of my favorites!

There's nothing to complain about with this one. I actually laughed out loud a lot, cried a bit, got mad as hell, and then laughed some more.

Wonderful story, great narrator.

CREDITWORTHY? : YES! YES! YESSSSSS!!

HEAT FACTOR? : OUCH! As in scalding.....

just one of the best. I have listened to this over

I just love it when it delicate flower like Sara , really isn't. Susan Duerden narration was very well done

The Romantic meets the Cynic.

One of my favorite books as a teenager. Yes, Sara is a naïve girl, but she is so good natured and makes me laugh at her antics you gotta love her. Sometimes you don't always want to read the same type of character in books and Sara is different. To me this a warm hearted romance and if you are looking for a light adventure this could be for you. Of course this is the third book in the series so you may want to read the other two books first, but I think it can be read as a stand alone. Narrator is okay, I will admit she is not my favorite but she does a better job in this book than the last two book in the series.

Hilariously entertaining!

I was in need of an uplifting tale when I picked this one up -- (we're in the middle of moving -- aaarrghhh!) -- so I was more than a little delighted with the silliness and high jinks in this adorable story.

Sara is a diehard idealist, and she's been in love with her husband since she was four years old. She's always known he would be perfect, so despite ample evidence to the contrary, her rose colored glasses stay firmly in place throughout their adventure.

Nathan hasn't seen Sara since the day of their marriage when he was 14 years old, and held the crying girl child in his arms, but he sets out years later to kidnap her and complete their marriage bond so that he can inherit a gift from the King. Then he's going to give her back to her family. Or at least that was his plan.

Nathan is as acerbic as Sara is sweet, and together they make an awesome counterpoint.

Sweet, sexy and so funny, this is a story to pick up when you need to giggle.

I loved it.

Good

Any additional comments?

Good story and good characters. However I have noticed in Julie Garwood's book that there is a lot of whispering going on. I don't think normal people whisper that much. I find it distracting. The heroine was an airhead but likable. All in all I enjoyed the book but it was not Great.

Great Book in the Crown Spies Series

Any additional comments?

This is my least favorite of the Crown Spies Series. The story is just as great as the others but I wish the heroine in this story was less…annoying? She is annoyingly child-like and naïve. You can’t leave her alone – when she tries to be independent, she becomes a nuisance. I do have to admit, it makes for a great storyline. I love how the crew has this love hate relationship between her and her “lovely parasols!” Everything you don’t want on a ship abroad happened and it all started with her. If I were part of the crew, I would be absolutely miserable! Food poisoning, fires, ship damages, and unforeseen extensions to an already long journey really brings the story together.

The characters within this story are very enjoyable. Though I find Sara to be very annoying, I do enjoy reading how sweet Nathan is to her. When she is so completely doubled over in pain from her monthly, Nathan is so clueless on how to help her. It’s the sweetest thing for him to go to her Aunt to find out how to make it better for Sara. I think that saves the whole story – well, that and the plague-like accidents Sara seems to leave in her trail.

The narration…are there words to describe it? I would like to say, first, that the voices of the different characters are actually pretty great. There are a few men’s voices, though, that sounds like harsh grating whispers – I could do without that. Also, there is a rhythm to her narration and it is repetitive. So much so, that it took a lot out of me just to finish the story. To me, it was quite like listening to “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” throughout the entirety of the book. No bueno!

Overall, the two things I found to be annoying in the story is minor. I honestly think I’m being picky. But we like what we like right? I absolutely loved the storyline. I love the characters. I’m on the fence about the narration. Though she does better during this story than the others, I still was able to enjoy the story. I probably won’t recommend this audiobook to anyone but the book itself is a great read!

Julie Garwood never disappoints!

I’m loving the Crown Spies series. I enjoyed the book but the heroine doesn’t hold up to the Jade and Christina. Nathan and his crew with the adventures at sea make up for the crying love interest.