Rapture’s Bounty by Wanda Owen is not the passionate and exciting romance that the blurb on the back cover makes it out to be.
Rating:
Published: 1982
Illustrator: Ray Kursar
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Book Series: Elise & Lance Duo #2
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Forced Seduction
Pages: 495
Format: Paperback
Buy on: Amazon, AbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon
TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠
The Book
The back cover of Wanda Owen‘s romance Rapture’s Bounty, the sequel to The Captain’s Vixen, completely misrepresents what actually happens in the book. Had what is stated on the back cover actually taken place, the book MIGHT have been more interesting.
Sadly, misrepresentation is only one of this book’s issues.
The Plot
Part One
Rapture’s Bounty begins five years after The Captain’s Vixen ends. This book starts with the hero, the exceptionally handsome Landon “Lance” Edwards, and his exceptionally beautiful wife, Elise Cartiers Edwards–we are frequently reminded of their attractiveness because their looks cause lust in every female and male of a certain age they meet–and their son, Andy. The family is returning from England to their home in New Orleans.
Unfortunately, the trip is not smooth sailing; pun intended.
First, their trip is hampered by a storm. Then, they are attacked by pirates who work with the infamous Jean Lafitte, who blow up their ship. Contrary to what the back cover says, Elise is NOT forced to have sex with Lafitte or any of his men. (Lafitte feels lust for Elise and certainly wants to have sex with her, but it does not happen.)
Instead, once Lafitte finds out what happened, he kills the man responsible. He also takes care of Elise and later returns her to family friends Francois and Annette Leclerc. The latter of whom we later discover is Lance’s biological mother.
Lance, meanwhile, is found by a Bayou family and nursed back to health. However, as in the first book, Lance believes Elise is dead. Inevitably, he discovers that’s not the case. Shortly after they reunite, Elise tells Lance that she’s pregnant with their second child. She later has a daughter named Lanissa, after him.
Part Two
The couple remakes the acquaintance of their old friends (aka lovers/frenemies), the Barrons. That is, Clint Barron and Susan Hart-Barron, who are now unhappily married.
In The Captain’s Vixen, while believing the other was dead, both Elise and Lance had sexual relationships with Clint and Susan. Now Clint and Susan are miserable in their marriage because they still love Elise and Lance, respectively.
Susan becomes even more unhappy when she discovers that Clint has a child with his octoroon former housekeeper/mistress, Delphine. This unhappiness leads to Susan becoming an alcoholic, cheating on Clint, and trying to kill Elise.
After Susan is badly beaten by her lover, she confesses trying to hurt Elise, who forgives her.
Okay.
Epilogue
Much of the middle of the book is spent with Elise and Lance fighting over Jean Lafitte’s love/lust for Elise and Lance’s jealousy. There is also a story about the British attacking New Orleans. Lance–who was born in England but considers himself American–fights against the British and helps the Americans win the battle.
The book ends 19 years after the main story. Andy and Lanissa are grown up, and Lance and Elise are still together and having their happily ever after.
The Upside
Well…
The Downside
There are multiple issues with Rapture’s Bounty beyond the aforementioned back cover misrepresentation. There are editing errors (this is a Zebra, after all).
Then there are issues with characters being introduced, and then…it’s left with no resolution. This happens in both The Captain’s Vixen and Rapture’s Bounty, and it isn’t very pleasant.
Worst of all, this is a dull book. Even though I can tell that Lance and Elise love each other, there is very little heat between them. The book just isn’t that interesting.
Sex
There are sex scenes, but most are barely lukewarm. No passion at all.
Violence
When Lance’s ship is attacked, both he and Elise are assaulted, and the ship is blown up. A few minor other violent moments, but none graphic in nature.
Bottom Line on Rapture’s Bounty
I really want to like Wanda Owen’s books, but neither Rapture’s Bounty nor its predecessor has given me a reason.
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| Overall: | 2 |
Synopsis
It was a rapturous dream come true: two people sailing alone in the endless, deep-blue sea safe, secure, in love. And every time Elise gazed into Lance’s demanding eyes, her pulse quickened and she felt weak with desire. He had brought her to an explosion of ecstasy she had never imagined; he had captured her heart and soul. Then suddenly her lovers’ paradise became A LOVERS’ HELL.
Rapture’s Bounty by Wanda Owen
It was a horrible, terrifying nightmare: to be kidnapped by a savage pirate, forced to succumb to his every need and desire. Each time she surrendered to his brutal kisses she remembered the unbearable pleasure of Lance’s touch. Though her body longed for the passion it once had known, her soul would always belong to one man the only one who could bring her RAPTURE’S BOUNTY.
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