"Whitney, My Love" is the first book published by author Judith McNaught. Although it was written first, it is the second novel in the Westmoreland Dynasty Saga. It came before "A Kingdom of Dreams" (1989) and was followed by "Until You" (1994) and "Miracles" (1995/7). The novel was originally published in 1985 by Pocket Books, which is a part of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

Synopsis

When Whitney Stone was young, her mother passed away. Her father, Martin, found it hard to manage her energetic and boyish behavior. He sent her to live with her aunt and uncle, Lady Anne and Lord Edward Gilbert, who were diplomats in France. Before leaving, Whitney promised to return home and marry Paul Sevarin, a man she loved but who was much older and did not return her feelings.

In France, Whitney received lessons in language, dance, and proper manners. She grew into a well-mannered and clever young woman. She also became friends with the DuVille family, especially their daughter Therèse and son Nicolas (called Nicki). At about 19 years old, Whitney met a mysterious stranger at a party in France. Soon after, she was called back to England by her father.

When Whitney returned to her small town, she was no longer the same girl. She had become a refined and confident young woman. She believed she had inherited a large amount of money from her grandmother and was determined to marry Paul.

Upon returning, Martin held a party to reintroduce Whitney to the town and their new neighbor, Mr. Clayton Westland. Whitney was not interested in Mr. Westland and focused on Paul. She and Paul had a romantic relationship that she thought would lead to marriage, even though her father tried to encourage her to marry Mr. Westland. When Paul proposed, Whitney told her father, only to learn that Martin had used her inheritance to pay off debts and had already arranged her marriage to the Duke of Claymore in exchange for money to save their family home. Martin also revealed that Mr. Westland was the Duke of Claymore and slapped Whitney, which upset Mr. Westland. Whitney asked Mr. Westland to keep their engagement secret, and he agreed if she ended her relationship with Paul.

Whitney told Paul about the situation, hoping they could escape together and repay the money. Instead, Paul was angry, as he had already spent the inheritance. Whitney finally accepted her new life.

Mr. Westland and Whitney began a relationship, but it was difficult at first. Their relationship reached a difficult and controversial point involving a serious violation.

Whitney and Mr. Westland became distant because of misunderstandings. Whitney’s cousin, Emily, learned the full story and helped bring Whitney and Mr. Westland back together at Elizabeth’s wedding. Though this did not work at first, Whitney and Mr. Westland eventually reunited and became happy parents.

Main characters

Characters from the Westmoreland Dynasty Saga universe appear in different books. In these stories, Whitney, Clayton, and Stephen are in Until You. Clayton and Stephen's ancestor, Royce Westmoreland, is the main character in A Kingdom of Dreams.

• Whitney Stone
• Clayton Westmoreland, Duke of Claymore
• Paul Sevarin, Whitney's childhood 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, a friend from Whitney's childhood and adulthood
• Peter Redfern, Elizabeth's husband
• Stephen Westmoreland, brother of Clayton (main character in Until You)

Style and themes

Eloisa James, a writer of romance novels and a professor, says that the book Whitney, My Love introduced her to the works of McNaught. James describes McNaught as an "expert teacher" in writing romance, particularly in imagining situations that are not real and in creating romantic relationships in her stories.

Using the romance genre, McNaught helps readers connect with the heroine in her books. This connection makes readers feel like they are the ones receiving the hero's attention and desire. Additionally, the special words and rules in romance novels help create a group of female readers who share similar feelings and understanding.

Release history

After its first publication in 1985, Whitney, My Love was translated by several publishers into at least six different languages and four formats. The languages include English, French, Russian, Brazilian Portuguese, Hungarian, Spanish, and Italian. The book was released as a hardback, paperback, large print book, and eBook. The 1999/2000 edition and republished version added 180 pages to the original story, changed two scenes, and extended the final ending.