Constance O'Banyon
Author of Timeswept Brides (The Heirloom / Man of Her Dreams / Bride's Joy / A Dream Across Time)
About the Author
Disambiguation Notice:
Evelyn Gee writes as Constance O'Banyon and Tory Houston, also under the penname Micah Leigh (with Emma Merritt).
Series
Works by Constance O'Banyon
Timeswept Brides (The Heirloom / Man of Her Dreams / Bride's Joy / A Dream Across Time) (1996) — Contributor — 71 copies
Enchanted Ecstasy 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Legal name
- Gee, Evelyn
- Other names
- O'Banyon, Constance
Houston, Tory
Leigh, Micah (with Merritt, Emma) - Birthdate
- 1939
- Gender
- female
- Relationships
- Merritt, Emma (writing partner for pen name "Micah Leigh")
- Short biography
- Evelyn Gee was born on 1939 in Texas, USA. She makes her home in San Antonio with her husband, Jim and their son, Jason.
She signed her novels as Constance O'Banyon. She also wrote as Micah Leigh with Texan writer Emma Merritt. Her books range from historical to contemporary and include several novellas. Many of her books have been published in trade paperback.Among her many awards, she is the recipient of the 1996 Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. There are eight million copies of her books in print.
She says: "I have always loved history, and I loved storytelling — it was only natural that I would one day put them both together. I must have lived in another life and time, because when I write, I can almost feel I was there. My favorite part of writing is the research. Whenever possible, I will go to the place I am writing about to walk the land and smell the air." - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Texas, USA
- Places of residence
- San Antonio, Texas, USA
- Disambiguation notice
- Evelyn Gee writes as Constance O'Banyon and Tory Houston, also under the penname Micah Leigh (with Emma Merritt).
- Associated Place (for map)
- Texas, USA
Members
Discussions
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Romance prophecy hidden kingdom in Name that Book (February 2012)
Reviews
This is a re-re-re-read for me. I've been in the mood for historical romance lately, particularly America historical romance. I don't know what any current authors are writing and all my old-school favs seem to have comoletely changed up their style. It's always good to go back to what you know.
This was an oldie, but a goodie. I love to story of Joanna, Tag, and Windhawk. You feel so bad for the siblings having lost their mother and to be set up by greedy, no-good relatives. Having to flee show more their home and wealth just to preserve their lives. And to go through the arduous task of travelling by wagon train to get to their father, only to be set upon by a murderous chief and his reluctant warriors. The siblings are separated and both thinking the other is dead. Joanna falling in love with the mad she believed was responsible for her brother's death, and poor Tag taken captive by the man who murdered his sister.
This story has everything. Betrayal, escapes, fighting, kidnapping, rescue, revenge, death, love, miscommunication, angst, reconciliation. It's no wonder Savage Seasons is one of my favorite romance series! show less
This was an oldie, but a goodie. I love to story of Joanna, Tag, and Windhawk. You feel so bad for the siblings having lost their mother and to be set up by greedy, no-good relatives. Having to flee show more their home and wealth just to preserve their lives. And to go through the arduous task of travelling by wagon train to get to their father, only to be set upon by a murderous chief and his reluctant warriors. The siblings are separated and both thinking the other is dead. Joanna falling in love with the mad she believed was responsible for her brother's death, and poor Tag taken captive by the man who murdered his sister.
This story has everything. Betrayal, escapes, fighting, kidnapping, rescue, revenge, death, love, miscommunication, angst, reconciliation. It's no wonder Savage Seasons is one of my favorite romance series! show less
Anyone who's a fan of old movies may get a suspicion that this book was inspired by "Daddy Long Legs", although thankfully, the H is not an aging Fred Astaire paired with the much too young Leslie Caron. Here, the h, Royal Bradford, is only 11 years younger than her guardian, Damon Routhland, and though at the start of the book she's a mere 14, when the romance begins, she's 19 to his 30, so that's not so bad.
The novel takes place during my fav time period, the American Revolution, which show more already puts a book in my favor, but the story was also a good one, though a b it slow moving at first. After the death of Royal's father, the Savannah born girl is sent to school in London, and much time is spent during her period of adjustment, which is far from smooth. She's one of the social outcasts, due to her "common" background, the two friends she has soon leave, and for a time the other girls make her life miserable. Borrowing a page from "Heidi", a bitter wheelchair bound girl, Lady Alissa Seton, of high social standing, goes from Royal's enemy to best friend, after Royal rescues her from a mishap and then helps her learn to walk again.
Several years pass (a bit too slowly) and Royal gets a taste of London social life, though she's subdued and never really fits in, and doesn't let her good looks and compliments go to her head. (No flirting games for this girl.) She daydreams about both her handsome guardian (who only keeps i touch through letters he makes his accountant write) and Alissa's charming brother, Lord Preston. At first, she's just his younger sister's friend, but after a few years he finds himself falling for the lovely young woman she's become. However, he's part of British society, with all its strict class distinctions, and Royal's not whom his family has in mind for him.
Despite her colonial roots, Royal finds herself sympathizing with the British and agreeing with popular opinion about the ungrateful, rebellious colonies. She also gets disillusioned about her glamorous Aunt Arabella, a self-centered actress who lived in Paris and never once came to visit Royal at the school, as she had promised. She sees her aunt only once, at one of her performances at Covent Garden, and finds herself neglected backstage, while her aunt pays more attention to her fans, as well as her latest lover. This results in Royal having to make her way back to the school by herself, getting molested by a drunk, and fortunately rescued by Preston. Soon, she will have to return the favor and rescue him.
(For some reason, Ms. O'Banyon had Arabella be Damon's first love, when he was a teenager, and she the older woman he fell for and even asked to marry him. It had no relevance to the story, and aside from their seeing each other at the reading of Royal's father's will, they never spoke again. It seemed a bit silly to me.)
All this could have been summed up in the book a lot more quickly, so the more interesting part of the story could have started sooner: Royal's return to Savannah and the start of her relationship with Damon.
When she arrives home, it's with a mission: to find out where Preston has disappeared to. He was on a diplomatic mission for the British in the southern colonies and hadn't been heard from. Roya hopes Damon, a Colonel in the Patriot army, can use his influence to help find him. Damon hasn't seen Royal in over five years, and when she shows up at a ball uninvited to speak to him, he's fascinated by the "mystery lady" who (disappointed that he didn't recognize her) decides to flirt for the first time and play a few games, to get him intrigued enough to want to help her.
And so, it begins!
I won't give everything away, as there's some exciting times ahead, which include imprisonment, kidnapping, seduction, divided loyalties (Royal was torn between two countries as well as two men, though it didn't take long for her to know where her loyalties really were). Damon, meanwhile, finds himself fascinated by a stranger, bewildered when she turns out to be his ward, charmed by the lovely young woman she's turned into, and jealous of the British officer she's asked him to help find. Soon, they're both fighting their feelings, though longing to give in to desire.
I'll leave the rest of the story for those who wish to read the book. If you like an American history background, as well as adventure with romance thrown in, you'll enjoy this. show less
The novel takes place during my fav time period, the American Revolution, which show more already puts a book in my favor, but the story was also a good one, though a b it slow moving at first. After the death of Royal's father, the Savannah born girl is sent to school in London, and much time is spent during her period of adjustment, which is far from smooth. She's one of the social outcasts, due to her "common" background, the two friends she has soon leave, and for a time the other girls make her life miserable. Borrowing a page from "Heidi", a bitter wheelchair bound girl, Lady Alissa Seton, of high social standing, goes from Royal's enemy to best friend, after Royal rescues her from a mishap and then helps her learn to walk again.
Several years pass (a bit too slowly) and Royal gets a taste of London social life, though she's subdued and never really fits in, and doesn't let her good looks and compliments go to her head. (No flirting games for this girl.) She daydreams about both her handsome guardian (who only keeps i touch through letters he makes his accountant write) and Alissa's charming brother, Lord Preston. At first, she's just his younger sister's friend, but after a few years he finds himself falling for the lovely young woman she's become. However, he's part of British society, with all its strict class distinctions, and Royal's not whom his family has in mind for him.
Despite her colonial roots, Royal finds herself sympathizing with the British and agreeing with popular opinion about the ungrateful, rebellious colonies. She also gets disillusioned about her glamorous Aunt Arabella, a self-centered actress who lived in Paris and never once came to visit Royal at the school, as she had promised. She sees her aunt only once, at one of her performances at Covent Garden, and finds herself neglected backstage, while her aunt pays more attention to her fans, as well as her latest lover. This results in Royal having to make her way back to the school by herself, getting molested by a drunk, and fortunately rescued by Preston. Soon, she will have to return the favor and rescue him.
(For some reason, Ms. O'Banyon had Arabella be Damon's first love, when he was a teenager, and she the older woman he fell for and even asked to marry him. It had no relevance to the story, and aside from their seeing each other at the reading of Royal's father's will, they never spoke again. It seemed a bit silly to me.)
All this could have been summed up in the book a lot more quickly, so the more interesting part of the story could have started sooner: Royal's return to Savannah and the start of her relationship with Damon.
When she arrives home, it's with a mission: to find out where Preston has disappeared to. He was on a diplomatic mission for the British in the southern colonies and hadn't been heard from. Roya hopes Damon, a Colonel in the Patriot army, can use his influence to help find him. Damon hasn't seen Royal in over five years, and when she shows up at a ball uninvited to speak to him, he's fascinated by the "mystery lady" who (disappointed that he didn't recognize her) decides to flirt for the first time and play a few games, to get him intrigued enough to want to help her.
And so, it begins!
I won't give everything away, as there's some exciting times ahead, which include imprisonment, kidnapping, seduction, divided loyalties (Royal was torn between two countries as well as two men, though it didn't take long for her to know where her loyalties really were). Damon, meanwhile, finds himself fascinated by a stranger, bewildered when she turns out to be his ward, charmed by the lovely young woman she's turned into, and jealous of the British officer she's asked him to help find. Soon, they're both fighting their feelings, though longing to give in to desire.
I'll leave the rest of the story for those who wish to read the book. If you like an American history background, as well as adventure with romance thrown in, you'll enjoy this. show less
Another re-re-re-re-readd. Ugh! The angst in this story has increased tenfold from the last one. Another good read, even if the angst was a lot heavy. Joanna, Windhawk and Tag's stories have continued with some cameos by old enemies and the emergence of new ones. As usual, all of the drama could have been avoided if the two lovebirds had just communicated! Instead they chose to believe the lies of others rather than confront their significant other for the truth. The relationship swam to the show more very edge of toxicity and at one point even I was like enough already just break up or get back together; this awful in between place is too much!
In the end, we always get the happy ending and the beginning of new love, but for these characters, the story isn't finished. Their ongoing adventures continue in the next book. show less
In the end, we always get the happy ending and the beginning of new love, but for these characters, the story isn't finished. Their ongoing adventures continue in the next book. show less
3.5 stars
I'm lucky with my current phase of Indian romances that they are all being so different in story. This one is also unlike another I have read. Instead of a woman being taken to a tribe, the Indian male has left his tribe as a child to protect his life and been raised in the white world. To fulfill a promise to his father, who has now died, he is supposed to return and lead the tribe as chief. He feels caught between two worlds, and during his journey, rescues a woman he falls in show more love with through the desert track. His other brother who was banned back to his original tribe is trying to kill him, and they must hide and face the dangers of the desert during the journey. It is here they fall in love but they cannot be together as it is a rule of the tribe that no other outsiders may marry into it after the other chief's betrayal by his wife.
All of this is intriguing and much of the book is them exploring each other (not sexually) without the presence of anyone else. There is less action/tenseness in this one and the ending was not the usual. I won't spoil it but everything of course ends up okay at the end. Tykota is an interesting man and there were humorous scenes with his potential jealousy that just turned out cute. The heroine, Makinna, is stubborn but sweet, likeable but a bit generic. The issue with her sister was an added bonus when they reunite, and I dug how things went for her.
At 389 pages, a little more tension would have been suitable to make it more enchanting, it's a bit of a calm ride, but overall it's worth reading for fans of this type. show less
I'm lucky with my current phase of Indian romances that they are all being so different in story. This one is also unlike another I have read. Instead of a woman being taken to a tribe, the Indian male has left his tribe as a child to protect his life and been raised in the white world. To fulfill a promise to his father, who has now died, he is supposed to return and lead the tribe as chief. He feels caught between two worlds, and during his journey, rescues a woman he falls in show more love with through the desert track. His other brother who was banned back to his original tribe is trying to kill him, and they must hide and face the dangers of the desert during the journey. It is here they fall in love but they cannot be together as it is a rule of the tribe that no other outsiders may marry into it after the other chief's betrayal by his wife.
All of this is intriguing and much of the book is them exploring each other (not sexually) without the presence of anyone else. There is less action/tenseness in this one and the ending was not the usual. I won't spoil it but everything of course ends up okay at the end. Tykota is an interesting man and there were humorous scenes with his potential jealousy that just turned out cute. The heroine, Makinna, is stubborn but sweet, likeable but a bit generic. The issue with her sister was an added bonus when they reunite, and I dug how things went for her.
At 389 pages, a little more tension would have been suitable to make it more enchanting, it's a bit of a calm ride, but overall it's worth reading for fans of this type. show less
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