Historical Romance Review: Savage Conquest by Janelle Taylor

SPOILER ALERT ⚠

Savage Conquest Rating:
Published: 1985
Illustrator: Elaine Duillo
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Book Series: Gray Eagle Series; Ecstasy Series
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Native American Romance, Western Romance
Format: Paperback
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon

The Book

This review is of Savage Conquest, chronologically the 9th and final book—but only the 6th published—in the Ecstasy/Gray Eagle series by Janelle Taylor.

The Plot

Amanda

Savage Conquest begins in 1873, approximately 17 years after the previous book, Forever Ecstasy, ended. It is not a happy time for the two heroines of this book. Miranda Lawrence is the female protagonist of the first half of Savage Conquest. Then her fraternal twin, Amanda, is the heroine of the first half; both are 18.

Unfortunately for the sisters, their parents, Joe and Marie “Morning Star” Lawrence, are presumed dead in a boating accident—but the bodies have not been recovered.

Amanda, who is seeing fellow shipping company owner Weber Richardson, decides to take over the family business. She also later meets Reis Harrison, a man whom she is attracted to, and starts to fall in love with. There are, however, issues standing in their way: Reis is not entirely truthful about why he came to Virginia, and he has a long-standing beef with Weber, who feels similarly predisposed towards Reis.

Amanda and Reis become lovers and later marry surreptitiously, and Reis sets into motion a plan in which he hopes to trap Weber and expose him for what he really is.

Miranda

Meanwhile, Miranda and the girls’ cousin, Lucas Reardon, a newspaper writer, travel to the Dakotas. Lucas is on a business trip, and Miranda leaves to meet her mother’s estranged family. Blazing Star, an Oglala Lakota brave and the hero of Miranda’s tale, saves her from snakes—the reptilian kind and the two-legged kind.

Eventually Miranda and Blazing Star become lovers, although he is reluctant to commit to her due to concerns about the future of the Oglala people.

Amanda, Reis, Miranda, and Blazing Star all face a series of challenges. They are able to overcome these difficulties, for the most part. The book culminates with the two couples getting a pleasant surprise and having their happily ever after.

Upside of Savage Conquest

Mrs. Taylor is an evocative writer, and as she usually does, she put me as a reader in her characters’ lives, allowing me to view them not as words on a page but as real people. Like all the books in the Ecstasy/Gray Eagle series, Janelle Taylor has provided fine research for this Native American romance.

Downside of Savage Conquest

I felt that Mrs. Taylor could have done a better job displaying her male characters’ emotions; most of the emotional depth in the book comes from Miranda and Amanda. This book was not originally intended to be part of the Ecstasy/Gray Eagle series, and it shows, as some of the storylines, to me, feel a little forced to fit the story arc of the series as opposed to the originally planned standalone.

Sex

Mrs. Taylor’s love scenes are known for their “purple prose,” and there’s plenty of it here. As always, Mrs. Taylor’s sex scenes are more about the emotions of the act than a description of the mechanics.

Violence

Savage Conquest includes scenes of assault and attempted rape—involving both Miranda and Amanda. There are also passages depicting the murder of humans and the killing of animals. (Blazing Star kills a bear.)

Bottom Line on Savage Conquest

Savage Conquest isn’t as well-written as my favorite by Mrs. Taylor, Sweet Savage Heart. It isn’t her best book, but it’s still pretty good.

4 Stars

Rating Report Card
Plot	4
Characters	4
Writing	4
Chemistry	3.5
Fun Factor	4
Cover	3.5
Overall:	3.8

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Synopsis

There was no Virginia belle more irresistible than ebon-haired Miranda Lawrence. Though the willful beauty had her pick of handsome beaux, she felt a wild need deep within her for the kind of man she’d never meet in polite society. Heeding the call of her destiny, Miranda stole away from her plantation home, back to the land of her mother’s people. But when she found the passion she sought in the arms of a handsome Indian, Miranda had to make a final choice—between the life she’d left behind and the future that would give her his love!

Savage Conquest – Janelle Taylor