Sadly, Carol Finch’s Zebra Lovegram Endless Passion is not up to par with her usual historical romances due to a “forced seduction” element by the hero on the heroine.
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Endless Passion by Carol Finch, Connie FeddersonRating:
Published: 1983
Illustrator: TBR
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction, Colonial Era Romance
Pages: 446
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠
The Book
This review is of Endless Passion by Carol Finch. one of five pseudonyms used by author Connie Feddersen. The others are Connie Drake, her own name, Gina Robins, and Debra Falcon.
The Plot
The book begins with the heroine, Brianna Talbert, fighting off the amorous attentions of a potential suitor. She runs for assistance to the carriage of Seth Donnovan, the purported hero.
Brianna later goes on an escapade that scandalizes and exasperates her father, Gerald. Those actions, plus the fact that Brianna has broken four engagements in two years, compel Gerald to seek out his business partner, Andrew Donnovan, Seth’s grandfather.
Seth has a similarly notorious reputation in the colonies, where he lives most of the time. They arrange to make a marriage contract to force Brianna and Seth into a marriage.
Neither Brianna nor Seth are happy about the arrangement, and Brianna stows away on a ship bound for the colonies to try to escape the marriage. This plan fails, however, because on board the ship Brianna sneaks on are: her brother, Grant; her bestie, Sabrina Rutledge, who is in love with Grant and later marries him on the ship; and… Seth, the captain of the ship!
Brianna and Seth decide to get married, but unlike Sabrina and Grant’s union, Brianna and Seth’s marriage is problematic from the beginning.
Many issues arise between Brianna and Seth.
They argue–a lot.
Seth rapes Brianna, but she forgives him and blames herself for it!
Brianna is kidnapped and nearly raped by two of Seth’s crew. She survives both of their kidnapping efforts, fortunately.
Seth is pursued by Priscilla Wetherby, his ex-mistress, who is decidedly not happy when Seth returns to the colonies as a married man.
Finally, Priscilla tries to separate Brianna and Seth through various means. These all fail, however.
Eventually, Briana and Seth realize they love each other and have their Happily Ever After.
The Upside
Regardless of what name Connie Fedderson, Carol Finch, or Gina Robins uses, readers of this author will find her books spiced with spirited heroines, and that is certainly the case here. Brianna is a lively heroine.
The Downside
Endless passion fell off the cliff for me when Seth raped Brianna. To make matters more sickening, she blames herself for provoking him. No matter what is said, no words justify rape. Ever!
I do understand that this book was published in 1983, and such things were accepted then. That doesn’t make it okay.
For the rest of the book, Seth is an obnoxious, arrogant a-hole.
Slightly nitpicking, but the model on the cover is a blonde, and Brianna is a brunette. Oops!
In addition, there is a storyline that indicates Priscilla tries to have Brianna killed, but this is so underwritten as to be almost non-existent.
Sex
Ms. Finch’s love scenes are both PG—they are not graphic at all—and filled with some of the purplest prose in romance novels.
Heat Level: Purple and Warm
The steam factor is a warm, purple haze.
Violence
In addition to Seth’s rape of Brianna, there are scenes of assault and battery. Brianna is kidnapped three times and assaulted each time. No one seriously harmed her in any of the attacks. All injuries are saved for Seth.
Bottom Line on Endless Passion
I normally like Carol Finch’s books very much, but I loathe books where the hero rapes the heroine. Even more so when she forgives and falls in love with the cretin.
Endless Passion is a seriously disappointing book.
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| Overall: | 2.3 |
Synopsis
GOLDEN-EYED ENCHANTRESS
With sparkling amber eyes and long, lustrous, midnight-black hair, Brianna Talbert was the most sought-after beauty in Bristol. The sensuous temptress found all her suitors boring and longed for the blazing fires of rapture. She found it in the lusty gaze of Seth Donnovan. His sea-green eyes burned hungrily over her body, holding Brianna completely entranced. But would she be wasting her time trying to win the love of a scoundrel whose heart was as cold as ice?
GREEN-EYED ROGUE
As far as Seth was concerned, women were good for one thing only: fulfilling his ardent passions. Then he met the captivating Brianna. Her features were flawless, and her skin was so soft and creamy that it begged to be touched. He arrogantly thought that if he took her once, his desire for her would die. But instead, it made him crave her more, addicting him to the feel of her warm, velvety flesh and binding them forever in a whirlwind of…ENDLESS PASSION.
Endless Passion by Carol Finch