To Have and to Hold

This was the bestselling novel in the U.S. in 1900.

In early 17th-century Virginia, Lady Jocelyn Leigh arrives as part of a shipload of eligible brides disguised as her maid, Patience Worth. She'd taken the opportunity presented when Patience got cold feet to escape a forced marriage to the king's

favorite, Lord Carnal.

Captain Ralph Percy wasn't intending to join the throng of men meeting the ship to find a bride, but his friends persuade him he needs a wife, so he goes, but mostly just hangs back, observing.

Until Patience Worth is assaulted by an overeager suitor, and Captain Percy comes to her rescue. They're married by the quirky minister, Jeremy Sparrow, who later becomes their friend and companion in adventure, then they set off for Captain Percy's home.

In her defense, Jocelyn is honest with him. She explains her situation and tells him she married him for protection from Lord Carnal. And in true historical romance tradition (obviously I was remiss in thinking this was a modern plot device!), she declines to sleep with him, and he's too much of a gentleman to push the issue.

Eventually, Lord Carnal shows up, searching for her, and the adventure is on. Captain Percy won't give her up, whether it's because he's fallen in love with her as the book cover says, or whether it's a matter of extreme devotion to duty, which is how I read it--she's his wife, therefore he protects her, period--he faces certain death, if not outright from Lord Carnal, then from the law when he's charged with treason for thwarting the king's wishes.

Nor is Lord Carnal the only danger they face--there's also an Indian uprising to contend with.

To Have and to Hold was for me much more readable than the last old book I read. It was told in first person from Captain Percy's point of view, with amusing chapter headings. Most likely, it's my pitiful education in history which makes me surprised when a book written over 100 years ago isn't dry and completely serious. The adventure is a bit over-the-top, but it's an adventure story, and not any more unbelievable than ones written today.

The writing style is, of course, not modern, and there were even some words I didn't recognize--whether they were common 100 years ago or the result of the book's historical setting, I don't know.

Early 17th-century America is not a setting I'm at all familiar with, so that was interesting as well. I enjoyed the glimpse into that time period. What To Have and to Hold being the bestselling book of 1900 says about America of 1900, I don't know, but it gives me an interesting impression.

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LibraryThing member lindawwilson

Story was overblown with too much flowery prose. Reminded me of the way Max Brand told his stories about the Indians.

LibraryThing member tloeffler

Touted as "the first romance novel to go #1 on an official bestseller list." Actually a very good story for a "romance novel." Definitely not a bodice-ripper, it was written in 1900 and set in 1621 in the new American colonies. Captain Ralph Percy loses a bet and goes to town to find a wife from

the latest shipment of women to arrive from England. The woman he chooses is not what she appears to be, There is a section towards the latter part of the book that could have been cut, but other than that, it was good fun to read.

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LibraryThing member Vanina7

This book was a favorite of my great grandmother and her daughter to the extent that my own mother named me after Lady Jocelyn. I must give this book a five star rating and their volume resides nicely on my shelf. Our beloved childhood dog was named Percy. I never got the connection until recently.

I hope the movie comes out soon.

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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50

To Have and To Hold by Mary Johnson was a bestseller when it was published in 1900. And although the writing is rather dated, it is a story that I loved. I first discovered this book when I was in my teens and although I had forgotten most of it, I remembered enough to know it was a story set in

the Virginia colony of Jamestown. This is a story rich in history and the author made good use of Jamestown’s colorful past, making references to both Pocahontas as well as the “Starving Times” of 1609 - 1610 when 80% of the colonists died. This story is set in the 1620’s and includes the March 22nd, 1622 Indian uprising that killed over 300 white settlers in outlying communities. Luckily Jamestown itself was warned in time to be ready for the attack.

First and foremost To Have and To Hold is the love story of Ralph Percy, a gentleman planter of Virginia and Lady Jocelyn Leigh, a ward of King James. When faced with being married to a man she hated, she disguised herself as a servant and sailed to the colony with a group of young women who were sent to Jamestown to be brides. Jocelyn and Ralph were married, but she told him her story and their marriage was in name only. Of course, they fall in love but in the meantime, Lord Carnal, her spurned suitor arrives and as he is a favorite of King James, he has the power to drag the couple back to England with Ralph in chains, to face the wrath of the King.

There are many adventures to read of here, from capture by Indians, to a short spell as pirates and swords are drawn more than a few times as Ralph, a truly decent man, fights to support his wife and their marriage. The one aspect of the book that I found a little lacking was that the character of Jocelyn remains undeveloped, we hear of her beauty, her bravery, her compassion, but she mostly appears in the background. She is the prize, the treasure that these two men are fighting for, but this does serve as a reminder of how women were viewed as chattels in these times.

To Have and To Hold was a captivating story written in rather flowery descriptive writing that took a little time to get used to, but was totally worth the effort.

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LibraryThing member quondame

The very definition of a plot driven book with pretty stickers for characters - Captain Ralph Percy, cadet of a cadet branch of a noble family a soldier come to Virginia, Lady Jocelyn Leigh who comes to Virginia disguised as a servant prospective bride fleeing Lord Carnal murderous favorite of King

James I to whom she was promised. Escapes, duels, pirate adventures, captivity among the savage Indians, war with the Indians.
Our lovely Captain Ralph is an unapologetic slave owner and always refers to the rightful inhabitants of the land as savages - even the one he likes and respects and believes beating his dependents, always excepting his lady wife, is good for them.

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