From the start, Eugenia’s Embrace by Cassie Edwards is a disaster with a hapless fool for a heroine and a cheating slimeball hero. However, it does end with a surprising Sapphic twist.
Rating:
Published: 1982
Illustrator: Oliviero Berni, TBD
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Western Romance, Romance with Rape Element
Pages: 442
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠
The Book
Blue Falcon reviews Eugenia’s Embrace by Cassie Edwards, a Zebra historical romance from 1982.
The Plot
The year is 1900, and Eugenia Marie Scott, 16, the eponymous heroine of Eugenia’s Embrace, has a goal: to go to the nearest big city, Cripple Creek, Colorado, and become a lady.
Good luck with that.
On her way to Cripple Creek, Eugenia meets Drew Jamieson, the supposed “hero.” They are attracted to each other, have sex, and–just like that!–he leaves her. And this won’t be the first time that happens.
Eugenia makes it to Cripple Creek and finds herself at a house of ill repute. There, the brothel’s madam tries to have sex with her–to no avail. Later the madam is killed, not by Eugenia, of course.
Later, Eugenia meets Frederick Heinmarch, the owner of a local opera house. In a plot line ripped off from “Pygmalion,” he decides to turn the sow’s ear that is Eugenia into a silk purse: an opera singer. Eventually, Eugenia discovers that, while misguided and poorly presented, Frederick’s intentions are mostly harmless. They become good friends.
When Frederick dies, he leaves his house to her. Eugenia then takes on another lover, a miner named Adam Harper. However, like Drew before him, Adam is also faithless to Eugenia.
So when she and Drew find each other again, she takes him to her old family homestead.
Big mistake.
Now that Eugenia’s father has passed, she spends her time trying to help her mother.
So Drew looks elsewhere and has an affair with and impregnates Eugenia’s sister, Elizabeth. When Eugenia finds out, she orders Drew to marry Elizabeth. Drew whines like a toddler rather than man up about this turn of events, throws a tantrum, and stalks off.
After such bad luck with men, Eugenia ends up living with a new lover, a woman, Theresa. By the book’s end, lo and behold, who should show up, but Drew, with his daughter in tow?
He is flat-broke and claims that Elizabeth died in childbirth.
Eugenia agrees to marry him to give her niece a home… while keeping Theresa around as well. The end.
The Upside
Not a whole lot! Other than the sex scenes, which were quite good.
Her review: Thumbs down for Eugenia’s Embrace.
The Downside
Where to begin?
I didn’t find any of the characters to be particularly likable. Eugenia vacillates between incredibly naive and incredibly stupid.
Drew is less than a man, a horn dog who cares about only one thing.
The storylines are mostly inane, poorly set up, and senseless. And for a last gripe, there is way too much picking up skirts and looking out windows for my taste.
Sex
One thing I will never criticize Mrs. Edwards for is her sex scenes. They may be the reason why I’m a fan of hers, as they are scorching!
The sex scenes in this Zebra historical romance include erotic lesbian and heterosexual pairings.
Be advised that this book also includes elements of incest abuse. However, that is only hinted at, not described.
Steam Factor
One solitary positive aspect of Eugenia’s Embrace is its red-hot “Sensual” steam factor.
Violence
Other than verbal disagreements, there is no actual violence.
Bottom Line on Eugenia’s Embrace
Eugenia’s Embrace by Cassie Edwards was one of the most insipid books I’ve read in quite a while.
It’s terrible.
(COVER POINTS DO NOT COUNT!)
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| Overall: | 1.5 |
Synopsis
EUGENIA
Eugenia Marie Scott looked like an experienced, sensual woman. But at sixteen, the naive girl with the emerald eyes, auburn hair, and enticing figure was ill-prepared for the harsh life she was thrust into: the rough and coarse gold-mining town of Cripple Creek, Colorado.DREW
With his sky-blue eyes and coal-black hair, Drew Jamieson belonged to a new breed of men: men who scrabbled in the dirt for priceless nuggets of gold, men who lived reckless lives, men who never had enough cash, liquor or women. But he was an exciting man of adventure—and the only man Eugenia could ever love!PASSION
Eugenia’s Embrace by Cassie Edwards
Just as the blazing wild-flowers, so must had blossom in summer, so had they no choice but to fulfill their burning desire. During a rapturous night of ecstasy Drew made Eugenia a woman, and Eugenia fell under his spell—a spell she would never break for the rest of her life!
Back in the day I enjoyed Georgina Gentry books. Is she still writing, with us?