Whitney, My Love is the first book published by author Judith McNaught.[1] While written first, it is the second novel in the Westmoreland Dynasty Saga, preceded by A Kingdom of Dreams (1989) and followed by Until You (1994) and "Miracles" (1995/7).

First edition
AuthorJudith McNaught
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreRomance
Published1985, Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster, Inc.
ISBN978-0-671-77609-1

The novel was originally published in 1985 by Pocket Books, a branch of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Synopsis edit

Plot edit

After a young Whitney Stone's mother dies, her father Martin is unable to handle her tomboyish antics and sends Whitney off to France with her aunt and uncle, Lady Anne and Lord Edward Gilbert, a diplomat. Whitney is separated from her childhood love, a significantly older Paul Sevarin, who does not return her affections. Before leaving, she vows to come home from France and marry Paul. While in France, she is educated by a variety of language, dance, and etiquette tutors, coming to age as a fashionable and witty young lady. She also meets the DuVille family, becoming close friends with the daughter Therèse and their son Nicolas (Nicki). Around the age of 19, Whitney attends a party in France where she meets a mysterious stranger. Shortly after, she is recalled back to England by her father. To the surprise of her small town, Whitney returns as a sophisticated young lady. Furthermore, possessing what she believes is a substantial inheritance from her grandmother, Whitney is determined to marry Paul.

Once home, Martin hosts a party for Whitney to reintroduce her to the town and their new neighbor, a Mr. Clayton Westland. Whitney is disinterested, focusing her attention on Paul. She and Paul have a flirtation, which Whitney believes leads to a serious courtship, despite her father's efforts to push her towards Mr. Westland. When Paul proposes, Whitney eagerly tells her father, only for him to reveal that he had spent her dowry and sold her in marriage to the Duke of Claymore in exchange for a large sum of money to save the family home from ruin. Martin also reveals that Mr. Westland is the Duke of Claymore and slaps Whitney, much to Clayton's displeasure. Whitney begs Clayton to keep the engagement a secret and he acquiesces on the condition that she break off the engagement with Paul. Convinced they can run away and pay back the dowry money her father spent, Whitney reveals the situation to Paul. Instead, Paul is angry as he had already started spending her dowry money. Resigned, Whitney accepts her status

Clayton and Whitney begin a tentative courtship, filled with passion. The beginning of the relationship is tumultuous, with the apex being a controversial rape scene.[2]

Whitney and Clayton become estranged due to miscommunication. Whitney's cousin Emily, aware of the entire story, contrives to bring Whitney and Clayton back together at Elizabeth's wedding. While this initially does not work, Whitney and Clayton ultimately reunite and become happy parents.[3]

Main characters edit

Characters from the Westmoreland Dynasty Saga universe appear across the novels. From this era, Whitney, Clayton, and Stephen appear in Until You, with Clayton and Stephen's ancestor, Royce Westmoreland, as the main character in A Kingdom of Dreams.

  • Whitney Stone
  • Clayton Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore
  • Paul Sevarin, Whitney's girlhood crush
  • Nicolas DuVille, Whitney's friend and suitor
  • Martin Stone, father of Whitney
  • Anne Gilbert, Whitney's aunt
  • Edward Gilbert, Whitney's uncle
  • Emily Williams, Whitney's cousin
  • Elizabeth Ashton, Whitney's childhood acquaintance and adulthood friend
  • Peter Redfern, Elizabeth's husband
  • Stephen Westmoreland, brother of Clayton (main character in Until You)

Style and themes edit

Eloisa James, romance novelist and professor, cites Whitney, My Love as introducing her to the works of McNaught. James cals her a "brilliant tutor" in the craft of romance, especially through suspending reality and creating romantic relationships in her novels.[4]

Utilizing the genre of romance, McNaught is able to create a link between the reader and the heroine. Through this connection, readers feel as if they are the ones receiving the attention and desire from the male hero.[5] Furthermore, the codes and language within the romance novel genre, create a community of female readers sharing in similar emotions and knowledge.[6]

Release history edit

After the initial publication in 1985, Whitney, My Love was adapted by a number of publishers to at least 6 different languages and four formats. Languages include English, French, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Hungarian, Spanish, and Italian. The book was published as a hardback, paperback, large print book, and eBook. Most notably, the 1999/2000 edition and republication resulted in a 180-page addition to the original story, changing at least two scenes and extending the final ending.[7]

Country Release Date Edition

(Hardback/Paperback)

Publisher ISBN/OCLC Pages Notes
United States 1985 Pocket Books
United States January 1985 Paperback Pocket Books 9780671528089

9780671671389

 9780671737641

538 [8][9]
United States 1985 Print Simon & Schuster, Inc. 9780671737641

9780671032975

538 [10]
United States 1985 Large Print Simon & Schuster, Inc. 9781568951072 711 [11]
England 1985 Print Severn House 466211289 538 [12]
England 1985 Paperback Corgi 828595252 N/A [13]
United States March 1987 9780552127288 544 [14][15]
England 1987 Print and Large Print Corgi 9780552127288 538 [16]
United States 1989 Print Severn House 9780727816948 538 [17] - Distributed by Mercedes Distribution Center, Inc.
United Kingdom 1989 Print Severn House 19584179 538 [18]
United States 1989 Large Print Severn House 693584962 538 [19]
United States 1994 Large Print Pocket Books 9780739405499 1038 [20]
United States 1994 Large Print Wheeler Publishing 9781568951072 711 [21]
France 1994 Print J'ai Lu 9782277237419 414 [22] - Translated by Elisabeth Luc
France 1994 Print J'ai Lu 9782290008010 414 [23]
United States 1998 Print Pocket Books 9780671776091 708 [24]
Russia 1998 Print ACT 9785150009059 608 [25] - Translated by Dzhudit Maknot

and T.A. Pert︠s︡evoĭ

Russia 1999 Print ACT 9785237003161

9785237003178

N/A [26] - Translated by Dzhudit Maknot

- In two volumes

United States 1999 Print Pocket Books 9780671032975 577 [27]
United States 1999 Print Simon & Schuster, Inc. 9780671776091 708 [28]
United States 1999 Print Pocket Books 9780671036850

9780671032975

9780671776091

577 [29] - Special collector's edition

- New ending

United States 1999 Large Print Pocket Books 9780739405499 1038 [30]
Brazil 1999 Print São Paulo: Best Seller 9788571236530 480 [31] - Translated by Vera Maria Marques Martins
United States 2000 Print Pocket Books 9780671776091 708 [32]
United States 2000 eBook Pocket Books 9781501145438 708 [33] - Adaptation of the 1999 reprint
United States 2000 Large Print Pocket Books 9780671776091 708 [34]
United States 2001 Print Doubleday 9780739405499 577 [35]
Hungary 2002 Print Magyar Könyvklub 9789635475759 539 [36][37] - Translated by Tamásné Vitray
Spain 2005 Print Barcelona: Cisne

DeBolsillo

788497935166 729 [38] - Translated by Margarita Cavándoli

- 3 editions of this version published

United States 2006 Print Pocket Books 9781416530718 708 [39] - Special edition with alternative ending
Russia 2006 Print ACT 9785170324330

9785170324316 

N/A [40] - Translated by Джудит Макнот

- In two volumes

Russia 2006 Print ACT 9785170272891

9785971326038

9785170278947

9785971326052

557 [41] - Translated by Т.А. Перцевой
France 2008 Print J'ai Lu 9782290008010 414 [42]
United States 2008 Print Pocket Books 9780671036850 N/A [43]
Hungary 2009 Print Budapest: General Press 909773400 516 [44]
Spain 2010 Print Random House Mondadori 805054446 729 [45]
Spain 2012 Print Barcelona: Cisne 9788499894164 729 [46]
Italy 2014 Print Mondadori 956550376 349 [47]
Russia 2014 Print ACT 9785170859856 542 [48]
Russia 2017 Print ACT 9785171044794 542 [49]

References edit

  1. ^ Maryles, Daisy (October 23, 2006). "Paperback Bestseller/Mass Market". Publishers Weekly. 253 (42): 14 – via Academic OneFile.
  2. ^ Vail, Elizabeth. "Romance and Rape Culture: A Modern Reader Reads Whitney, My Love". www.heroesandheartbreakers.com. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  3. ^ McNaught, Judith (June 2000). Whitney, My Love. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780671776091.
  4. ^ "Musings on Muses". Publishers Weekly: 34. November 2004 – via Academic OneFile.
  5. ^ Moody, Stephanie (2015-11-13). "Identification, Affect, and Escape: Theorizing Popular Romance Reading". Pedagogy. 16 (1): 105–123. doi:10.1215/15314200-3158669. ISSN 1533-6255. S2CID 146440129.
  6. ^ Struve, Laura (2011). "Sisters of Sorts: Reading Romantic Fiction and the Bonds Among Female Readers". The Journal of Popular Culture. 44 (6): 1289–1306. doi:10.1111/j.1540-5931.2011.00901.x.
  7. ^ "Whitney, My Love Cameo". www.mcnaughtized.com. Retrieved 2017-10-31.
  8. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985-01-01). Whitney My Love. Pocket. ISBN 9780671528089. OL 7649506M.
  9. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985). Whitney my love. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0671671383. OCLC 19347817.
  10. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985). Whitney my love. New York: Simon & Schuster. ISBN 0671737643. OCLC 422853149.
  11. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985). Whitney, my love. New York: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 1568951078. OCLC 608817096.
  12. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985). Whitney, my love. London: Severn House. OCLC 466211289.
  13. ^ McNaught, Judith (1985). Whitney, my love. Corgi. ISBN 0552127280. OCLC 828595252.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ McNaught, Judith (March 1987). Whitney My Love. Corgi Adult. ISBN 9780552127288. OL 7790387M.
  15. ^ McNaught, Judith (1987). Whitney My Love. Pocket. OCLC 608914670.
  16. ^ Judith., McNaught (1987) [1985]. Whitney, my love. London: Corgi. ISBN 9780552127288. OCLC 16181275.
  17. ^ McNaught, Judith (1988). Whitney, my love. London]; Brooklyn, N.Y.: Severn House : distributed in the U.S.A. by Mercedes Distribution Center, Inc. ISBN 0727816942.
  18. ^ McNaught, Judith (1989). Whitney, my love. London, UK: Severn House. OCLC 19584179.
  19. ^ McNaught, Judith (1989). Whitney, my love. Severn House. OCLC 693584962.
  20. ^ McNaught, Judith (1994). Whitney, my love [large print. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0739405497. OCLC 680084162.
  21. ^ McNaught, Judith (1994). Whitney, my love / S. Hingham, MA: Wheeler Pub. ISBN 1568951078. OCLC 779406648.
  22. ^ McNaught, Judith; Luc, Elisabeth (1994). La scandaleuse (in French). Paris: Ed. J'ai lu. ISBN 2277237418. OCLC 464048796.
  23. ^ McNaught, Judith; Luc, Élisabeth (2008). La scandaleuse (in French). Paris: J'ai lu. ISBN 978-2290008010. OCLC 237002558.
  24. ^ McNaught, Judith (1998). Whitney, my love. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 9780671776091.
  25. ^ McNaught, Judith (1998). Uitni, li︠u︡bimai︠a︡ (in Russian). Moskva: Izd-vo AST. ISBN 5150009059. OCLC 39357239.
  26. ^ McNaught, Judith (1999). Uitni, li︠u︡bimai︠a︡ (in Russian). Moskva: Izd-vo AST. ISBN 5237003168. OCLC 43748456.
  27. ^ McNaught, Judith (1999). Whitney, My Love. Pocket Books. ISBN 9780671032975. OCLC 519739624.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  28. ^ McNaught, Judith (1999). Whitney, My Love. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, Inc. ISBN 9780671776091.
  29. ^ Judith., McNaught (1999). Whitney, my love (Special collector's ed.). New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 9780671032975. OCLC 41713030.
  30. ^ McNaught, Judith (1999). Whitney, my love. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 0739405497. OCLC 42775675.
  31. ^ McNaught, Judith; Martins, Vera Maria Marques (1999). Whitney, meu amor! (in Portuguese). São Paulo: Best Seller. ISBN 8571236534. OCLC 62313392.
  32. ^ McNaught, Judith (2000). Whitney, my love. New York [etc.: Pocket Books. ISBN 0671776096.
  33. ^ McNaught, Judith (2000). Whitney, my love. ISBN 9781501145438.
  34. ^ Judith., McNaught (November 2016). Whitney, my love. New York. ISBN 9781501145438. OCLC 962026963.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  35. ^ McNaught, Judith (2001). Whitney, my love. New York, N.Y: Doubleday. ISBN 9780739405499. OCLC 733817612.
  36. ^ McNaught, Judith; Vitray Tamásné (2002). Whitney, kedvesem (in Hungarian). Budapest: Magyar Könyvklub. ISBN 9635475756. OCLC 440202997.
  37. ^ McNaught, Judith; Vitray, Tamásné (2002). Whitney, kedvesem (in Hungarian). Budapest: Magyar Könyvklub. ISBN 9635475756. OCLC 51807882.
  38. ^ McNaught, Judith (2005). Tú eres mi amor (in Spanish). Barcelona: Cisne. ISBN 8497935160. OCLC 920146676.
  39. ^ McNaught, Judith (2006). Whitney, my love. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 1416530711.
  40. ^ Макнот, Джудит (2006). Уитни, любимая (in Russian). Moscow: Изд-во "АСТ". ISBN 5170055838. OCLC 187303901.
  41. ^ McNaught, Judith (2006). Укрощение любовью, или, Уитни. Москва: АСТ. ISBN 5170272898. OCLC 76066098.
  42. ^ McNaught, Judith; Luc, Élisabeth (2008). La scandaleuse (in French). Paris: J'ai lu. ISBN 978-2290008010. OCLC 237002558.
  43. ^ McNaught, Judith (2008). Whitney, my love. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 978-0671036850. OCLC 78749084.
  44. ^ McNaught, Judith; Vitray Tamásné (2009). Whitney, kedvesem (in Hungarian). Budapest: General Press. ISBN 9789636431099. OCLC 909773400.
  45. ^ McNaught, Judith; Cavándoli, Margarita (2010). Tú eres mi amor (in Spanish). Barcelona: Random House Mondadori. OCLC 805054446.
  46. ^ McNaught, Judith; Cavándoli, Margarita (2012). Tú eres mi amor (in Spanish). Barcelona: Cisne. ISBN 9788499894164. OCLC 804811801.
  47. ^ McNaught, Judith (2014). Whitney, amore mio. Prima Parte Prima Parte (in Italian). OCLC 956550376.
  48. ^ Макнот, Джудит (2014). Уитни, любимая: роман (in Russian). ISBN 9785170859856. OCLC 894915601.
  49. ^ McNaught, Judith; Перцева, Т. А (2017). Уитни, любимая (in Russian). ISBN 9785171044794. OCLC 1003151908.