this was the first book i ever read from kathleen woodiwiss i fell in love with ruark, he was everything. when 5 years later i read it again. i was fascinated with the bravery of shanna. since than i tried to read it every five to seven years. i still love this book. it's truly my favorite. from the carriage ride to the rescue from the pirates and of the fall of the dishonest nobleman. it has made me cry, laugh and changed many a mood swing. ty