In Christie’s Rapture by Veronica Sattler, a young woman seeks revenge on a womanizing scoundrel who took her innocence and kidnapped her. However, her feelings change after they share a passionate night.
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Christie's Rapture by Veronica Sattler
Rating: 
Published: 1982
Illustrator: Franco Accornero
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 526
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
MILD SPOILER ALERT
The Book
This review is of Christie’s Rapture by Veronica Sattler, a 1982 Zebra historical romance.
The Plot
Prologue
Christie’s Rapture begins in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1770. It’s not a happy beginning for the Randall brothers, Jesse and his older brother Garrett, the latter of whom is this book’s hero.
When the brothers return from a hunting trip, they find their parents, Jeremy and Marianne, dead and their home torched.
Garrett swears to find his parents’ killers.
Horse Breeding Leads to Love
Fast forward 20 years.
In Virginia, Garrett has come to buy horses for his horse breeding business from the Trevelyan family. The first member of the family he meets is the daughter, Christianna Marcy—hereafter known as Christie, our eponymous heroine.
Christie lives with her father, Charles, and one of his sisters, Christie’s aunt, Celia. Charles’ wife and Christie’s mother, Jennifer, died giving birth to Christie.
Sparks fly immediately between Christie and Garrett.
After sneaking onto Garrett’s ship, Christie and Garrett have sex. They will marry later in New York, where Garrett travels to follow a lead on his parents’ deaths.
However, problems arise for the couple due to their pride and a series of misunderstandings. These issues are resolved—mostly.
Christie and Garrett later reunite for the birth of their son, Adam.
For a long time, they are a happy couple. Until once more, their happiness is threatened.
The pair uncovers the identities of Garrett’s parents’ killer and a mysterious person who is currently assisting them. Once these identities are revealed, a confrontation occurs, leading to the death of one and serious injury to the other.
Christie and Garrett reunite, and they have their happily ever after.
The Upside
For the most part, Christie and Garrett are both strong characters. It becomes clear that their love for each other is intense and passionate.
The Downside
Despite the book being 526 pages, Ms. Sattler’s writing for Christie and Garrett lacks depth.
Their relationship is also marked by violence. The first sexual encounter between them can best be described as dubious consent, aka forced seduction. Later, Garrett hits Christie in a fit of anger.
Sattler uses a lot of tropes that were common when this book was published in the 1980s—such as misunderstanding and a lack of communication—to create drama between Christie and Garrett.
Finally, there are some storylines or character aspects that feel like throw-ins and are not truly developed. For example, Garrett is a former soldier, yet little is discussed about this.
Sex
There are a lot of love scenes. Typical of the period, most are focused on the feelings of the act as opposed to body part descriptions.
Heat Level
While the sex scenes are on the page, this epic romance doesn’t reach sensual heights but a warm heat.
Violence
In addition to the violence Garret imposes upon Christie, there are scenes of sexual assault. There is also more physical violence, including assault, battery, and killing. Some of the scenes are mildly graphic.
Bottom Line on Christie’s Rapture
Christie’s Rapture by Veronica Sattler is a good book, but various things keep it from being great.
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| Overall: | 3.1 |
Synopsis
PUNISHING KISSES
When he saw honey-haired, emerald-eyed Christie in his captain’s cabin, Garrett Randall couldn’t deny himself the sensuous young woman. Whether she was willing or not, he was a man who always got what he wanted…. Embracing her in his steely grip, he swept the enticing wench in a storm of passion that raged all the night long…SEARING CARESSES
Christie’s Rapture BY VERONICA SATTLER
The wild-spirited beauty despised the womanizing scoundrel who robbed her of her innocence and kidnapped her from her home. She swore her revenge and plotted her flight from the ruthless, arrogant man… But the moment he touched her, her dreams of escape melted into fantasies of forever drowning in his love.
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