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lord carews bride

Historical Romance Review: Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh

The heroine of Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh is a spinster who has put off romance but is searching for meaning in life. Through her chance encounter with the reclusive Lord Carew, she finds friendship, love, and self-discovery.

historical romance review
Lord Carew's Bride by Mary Balogh
Rating: four-half-stars
Published: 1995
Illustrator: Ted Sizemore
Imprint or Line: Signet Regency
Book Series: Stapleton-Downes #4
Published by: Signet
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 225
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooksOpen Library (BORROW FOR FREE)
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book Backstory

I have a secret to confess about Mary Balogh. She’s an author I’ve always meant to read, but because I can only accomplish so little in life, her books would get pushed down in my TBR list. I own about twenty of her romances, but except to delight in a few covers I’ve never touched them.

One day I decided that it was as good as any to start. The reviews for Lord Carew’s Bride intrigued me. although I couldn’t find the title among my books. So instead of reading one of the romances I already owned, I ordered a copy of Lord Carews’ Bride. And I’m glad I did; the cover is darling!

It was then that I realized I already owned it; the story was part of a two-in-one volume with Dark Angel.

Now this means I have to get a copy of the original version of Dark Angel because my book-collecting OCD demands I must!

dark angel mary balogh

The Book

Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh was originally published as a 1995 Signet Regency romance. The story tells of Samantha Newman, an increasingly aging spinster (she’s in her mid-twenties!), searching for meaning and fulfillment in her life.

Through Samantha’s chance encounter with the reclusive Marquess of Carew, Balogh weaves a tale of friendship, love, and self-discovery.

The Plot

At 25 years old, Samantha St. Clair is almost on the shelf. But because she is beautiful, she is still courted by many gentlemen. Nevertheless, she is still troubled and unhappy due, in part, to past heartache.

During a stay in the country with her friends, Jennifer and Gabriel, Samantha takes a walk and stumbles upon the property of the reclusive Marquess of Carew. She meets an unassuming crippled man who is warm and amiable. Thinking he is a landscape designer, she builds a cordial friendship with him.

Only later does she discover that he is no mere gardener but is actually the wealthy marquess.

Back in London, Samantha is again threatened by the man who broke her heart years earlier when she was a fresh-faced debutant.

Lord Carew is also in London, and it is then the true identity of Samantha’s supposed landscaper friend is revealed. Lord Carew will always be Samatha’s confidant, and ally regardless of who he is. He offers sanctuary from the emotional drama and pledges to marry her.

Deciding that friendship is better than the heartache of love, Samantha accepts Carew’s marriage proposal.

Their marriage is one of convenience. Nevertheless, as they get to know each other, they realize that their feelings for each other transcend mere affection.

The relationship between Hartley Wade, Lord Carew, and Miss Newman unfolds gently, with tender moments like when she massages Carew’s injured hand.

Samantha acknowledges that what she feels for Carew is more than mere friendship; it’s love.

My Opinion

Lord Carew’s Bride is not an angsty, overly dramatic book with nail-biting cliffhangers at the end of each chapter. This a slow, character-study of romance. I’m not complaining! It was a real treat to experience.

One of the standout elements is how Balogh portrays the relationship between Samantha and Carew, her “landscaper” friend. The two characters are so different from each other on the surface, but as they spend time together their bond grows gradually and authentically.

These two protagonists genuinely like each other, and it’s s a joy to watch it unfold.

The case of mistaken identity allows for a unique dynamic between Samantha and Carews. When his true identity is revealed later on, it is handled in a most satisfying manner.

Another of this book’s strengths is how Balogh explores the issue of romantic relationships and contentment. Samantha’s journey from being unsatisfied with her life to finding happiness in friendship to true joy in marriage underscores this theme more deeply than one might expect in a 225-page romance.

Balogh has a real talent for bringing characters to life and exploring the complexities of love.

Steam Factor: Sweet Meets Warm

Obviously, this is a trad regency, so the steam factor isn’t going to be sizzling. The romantic relationship between Samantha and Carew grows gradually and authentically.

They find pleasure with each other in their marital bed, although it doesn’t start as a roaring fire of passion. There’s a moment where Carew thinks to himself of how delightful their nights together are, even if his new bride was still shy and unready to initiate love play.

Carew was confident time would change that as he was a patient lover. He could never force his bride into hedonistic sex for his own pleasure; instead, he sought reciprocity and mutual enjoyment.

The slow-burning romance between them heats ups and some sensitive readers might feel a pleasant tingle. Lord Carew’s Bride straddles the line between sweet and warm. Should we call the heat level swarm? Weet?

Let’s just keep it at “where sweet meets warm.”

Final Analysis of Lord Carew’s Bride

Lord Carew’s Bride is a charming love story with engaging writing. Balogh’s prose is quite, almost exquisite at times. The way she portrays the love between Lord Carew and Samantha is nothing short of delightful.

Lord Carew is the epitome of a wounded hero, and readers will root for him every step as he overcomes his physical limitations and finds love and happiness.

Despite a few less-than-perfect moments, this is certainly a book I’ll recall fondly. Certainly, if you’re looking for an engaging traditional Regency romance, Lord Carew’s Bride is a great place to start. I’d rank it as a must-read for fans of the genre.

Rating Report Card
Plot
4.5
Characters
4.5
Writing
4.5
Chemistry
4
Fun Factor
4.5
Cover
4.5
Overall: 4.4

Synopsis

Samantha Newman is getting older, but though she is beautiful and courted by a large number of gentlemen, she is restless and unhappy. While she is staying in the country with her friends Jennifer and Gabriel, she takes a walk alone and wanders onto the property of the reclusive Marquess of Carew. She meets him far from the house and mistakes him for a landscape designer. He is an ordinary-looking man and is half crippled. He is also friendly and unassuming, and Samantha soon relaxes into a warm friendship with him.

It is only much later, back in London, when she is again threatened by the man who broke her heart years ago during her come-out Season, that Samantha discovers who her friend really is. And this time she is tempted to settle for the contentment of friendship in order to escape the pain of love.

Lord Carew’s Bride by Mary Balogh
waves of passion

Historical Romance Review: Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart

Blue Falcon reviews Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart, another subpar early-era Zebra historical. But at least it has a pretty cover!

book review historical romance
Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart
Rating: one-star
Published: 1984
Illustrator: TBD
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Pirate Romance, Regency Era Romance
Pages: 449
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart. It’s an early Zebra historical romance from 1980.

The Plot

Book #1 Predestination

Waves of Passion begins in Northampton, England, circa 1810. Alaina Deering, the heroine, is facing trial for murdering her father, John, a shipping and boating magnate.

Alaina is innocent. One of her father’s former employees is the real culprit. Not only had he embezzled from the firm, but he also tried to pursue Alaina. It is Alaina, however, who is convicted of his crimes. She is sentenced to die via hanging. In the nick of time, with the help of a family friend, she is able to escape from prison. Then she and her younger brother Russell set out to find their father’s killer–Edward Tate.can

Alaina’s first stop is the West Indies. There she meets Justin Chandler, our dashing hero. Justin is a privateer. He is captain of The Avenger and works out of the Carolinas. Because Justin is attracted to Alaina, he offers to help the siblings find Tate. Alaina, too, is attracted to Justin but fights it. She is emotionally scarred from the trauma she experienced and observed in prison.

As they sail to America, Alaina and Justin get closer and finally become lovers. They land in the Carolinas, where we learn about Justin’s life. Despite Justin’s profession, he comes from a well-to-do family. H—reasons for becoming a privateer are revealed.

waves of passion review
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Book#2 Happenings

We also learn about his relationship with his sister-in-law, Jessica York, who lusts after Justin and wants him in her arms again. Jessica is a conniver, quite willing to go to any length to get Alaina out of the picture.

Jessica’s not the only non-Alaina female lusting after Justin. So is teenager Maggie Todd, who also tries to destroy Alaina by accusing her of killing Jessica. After she comes close to being killed, Alaina is distraught when Justin betrays her.

So Alaina makes her way to Charleston, South Carolina. Here that she meets Edward again, and not on good terms. Edward kidnaps Alaina and Russell and forces her to marry him by threatening Russell’s life.

The scene then changes to New Orleans, where we learn more about Edward’s cruelty. Justin arrives and tries to earn Alaina’s forgiveness, which she doesn’t give easily.

By the end of Waves of Passion, Justin explains his actions, and Edward gets his comeuppance. Alaina and Justin marry and have their Happily Ever After.

Sex

The love scenes are so short that I question Justin’s stamina, if you know what I mean. And I think you do! They are also nothing close to erotic or interesting.

If you’re looking for heavy “Waves of Passion,” there aren’t any here. This is not a passionate ocean but a kiddie pool that’s been laid out in the summer sun.

casey stuart waves of passion warm heat

The Upside

Not much. Alaina has her good points, but…

The Downside

Alaina is an example of someone who can be smart in one area yet naive at best and dumb at worst in others.

During the book, Alaina:

  • She goes to a dangerous dockside to investigate her father’s death. The result: someone beats and nearly rapes her.
  • Alaina goes to the docks a second time with a man because “he seemed sincere” about knowing of Tate’s whereabouts. Once again, Alaina is beaten badly.
  • Runs off after she argues with Justin, and she rides a horse which throws her off. A nearby rattlesnake almost bites her, but Justin is able to kill the snake.

All of these are examples of Alaina getting into trouble because of her own poor judgment.

Alaina and Justin are both underdeveloped characters with shallow personalities. The same holds true for the other characters in Waves of Passion.

Violence

In addition to the many acts of violence against Alaina, Justin hits Alaina during an argument. A murder occurs, and some come close to death. Alaina almost dies after getting shot during Justin and Edward’s fatal last fight.

Bottom Line on Waves of Passion

From the first two books I’ve read by Casey Stuart, I know they are only good for a cure for insomnia and kindling for a fire. Save Waves of Passion for a cold winter day and use it to warm up the house.

Rating Report Card
Plot
1
Characters
0.5
Writing
1
Chemistry
1
Fun Factor
1
Cover
4
Overall: 1.4

Synopsis

SEA OF ECSTASY
Accused of killing her father, alluring Alaina’s only escape was to slip aboard a ship bound for America. Somehow she would find the real murderer and make him pay! Instead she found herself in the powerful arms of Captain Justin Chandler. She hated his arrogance but longed for his ardent kisses. She loathed his protectivenes more but sought the warmth of his embrace. She had no intention of falling in love with a pirate…never dreamed that her body would betray her heart…

TIDE OF DESIRE
Mesmerized by the brown-eyed beauty, unaware of her innocence, Justin caressed her luscious curves until there was no turning back from desire. He had been burnt once before by a woman’s rapture and was sure no one would ever possess him again, but he had no idea that fate would bring him a woman as tantalizing as Alaina. And once he stroked her golden curls and touched her creamy flesh, he was swept into the rolling surf of love — swept into the endless Waves of Passion.

Waves of Passion by Casey Stuart
reckless heart-

Historical Romance Review: Reckless Heart (aka Elusive Love) by Lois Arvin Walker

book review historical romance
Reckless Heart by Lois Arvin Walker
Rating: two-stars
Published: 1983
Illustrator: Unknown
Book Series: Zebra Regency Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Regency Era Romance, Traditional Regency Romance
Pages: 178
Format: Hardcover, Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooksOpen Library (BORROW FOR FREE)
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Reckless Heart (aka Elusive Love) by Lois Arvin Walker

MILD SPOILERS 😉

The Book

This review is of Reckless Heart, a historical romance by Lois Arvin Walker. This book was originally called Elusive Love and was published in hardcover in 1983. Zebra would later retitle it and reissue the book in 1985 under their Regency line.

elusive love loisarvin walker

The Plot

Reckless Heart begins with the heroine, Rebecca Langford, and the hero, Robert, Lord Compton, meeting at a party. Although Rebecca tries to talk to him, Compton is a bit standoffish with her.

Later, they become neighbors in the English countryside. Again, Rebecca tries to befriend Lord Compton, but he rebuffs her.

There are reasons behind Compton’s cold attitude.

  • He is concerned about his younger sister, Claire, and her introduction to society.
  • Young ladies of the ton–British high society–Need a female to present them. The only female relative Compton and Claire have their Aunt Laurel, who is in shaky health.
  • Compton is cut–(i.e., shunned)—by the ton for his alleged involvement in a scandal years ago.

Rebecca, however, is determined to bring Compton back into high society. Eventually, she wears his resistance down, and he attends a party she is throwing.

Later, Robert–asks the Langfords to help launch Claire into society, which they grant. Rebecca’s father and Robert also enter into a business arrangement.

In time, Rebecca and Robert fall in love and have their Happily Ever After.

The Upside

It’s a traditional Regency romance.

The Downside

Reckless Heart has the depth of cotton candy. Walker does not develop her characters in any way, shape, or form.

The “love” that unfolds between Rebecca and Robert is not set up at all. The romance only happens in the last 30+ pages of the book. It is also completely unbelievable. There is no heat and little chemistry between Rebecca and Robert.

Sex

A kiss at the end of the book is the only thing approximating sex. If this book was released today, Reckless Heart would be described as a “sweet, clean romance.”

sweet heat

Violence

Rebecca is thrown from her horse and lands in a creek on Robert’s land. That is the closest thing to violence in the book.

Bottom Line on Reckless Heart (aka Elusive Love)

Readers who like “sweet, clean romances” may find something to like in Lois Arvin Walker’s Reckless Heart. Those of us who want a lot more will have to look elsewhere.

Rating Report Card
Plot
2
Characters
2
Writing
2
Chemistry
1
Fun Factor
2
Cover
3.5
Overall: 2.1

Synopsis

Therese de Bourgerre couldn’t believe the man before her was the dashing spy she had known and loved in Paris. This was a man who had given up all hope. It was her duty to reawaken his passion without losing her heart. A delightful Regency from the author of Midnight Masque.

Reckless Heart by Lois Arvin WalkER
tazia's torment

Historical Romance Review: Tazia’s Torment by Sylvie F. Sommerfield

Tazia’s Torment by Sylvie F. Sommerfield, an early Zebra bodice ripper, has some good qualities, but overall, that’s all the book has.

book review historical romance
Tazia's Torment Rating: three-stars
Published: 1980
Illustrator: TBD
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction
Pages: 495
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Tazia’s Torment by Sylvie F. Sommerfield

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Tazia’s Torment, a 1980 Zebra historical romance by Sylvie F. Sommerfield.

The Plot

One Night, four men–Garrett Flye, Louis Plummer, and brothers Delmond “Del” LaCroix and Cameron “Kirk” LaCroix, the “hero” of the book–go to a restaurant to watch a performance given by a dancer. The dancer in question is Elena Maria Constancia Fantasia de Montega–to use her full nomenclature. She is known as “Tazia” for short and is the book’s heroine.

Unknown to the men, Tazia and the four men share a tragic history. One of the four men listed above killed Tazia’s brother, Manolo, and Tazia is determined to find out which one and punish him.

Tazia and Kirk marry, but after four months, they separate due to their secrets. Tazia returns to her home, Casa del Sol, in California. There, she faces more sadness and shock. By virtue of their marriage and the archaic, sexist laws of the 1800s, Kirk– her estranged husband– owns Tazia’s family home now.

This leads to another rift between the couple. The arrival of Tazia and Kirk’s daughter, Mercy, mends the rift.

Two of the other men arrive at Casa del Sol and find happiness.

The fourth man, however, is lurking to destroy the happiness of the other three. As part of that process, he kidnaps Tazia and Mercy. The wife of one of the other men loses her life. Kirk and company rescue Tazia and Mercy, both of whom are unharmed. And ultimately, they solve the mystery of Manolo’s death. Subsequently, the killer is disposed of.

And there is a Happily Ever After for the three couples, although not in a linear way.

tazia's toment
Tazia’s Torment, ReIssue, Zebra, 1985 cover artist TBD

The Upside

Tazia’s Torment is, in a way, a book that would establish Mrs. Sommerfield’s writing style. It has a bit of emotion, some depth to her characters, and special attention placed on her supporting characters.

The Downside

Mrs. Sommerfield didn’t delve as deep into her characters as I would have liked to see. I felt there was more SHE COULD HAVE REVEALED ABOUT THEM.

The early tone of the book is patronizing to Tazia. This is due to the attitude of the male characters: “We need to save Tazia because we know things she doesn’t.”

Finally, the ending of the book is very weak sauce. I thought the storyline of one of the men falling in “instaluv” with and marrying his deceased wife’s sister was creepy.

Sex

There are a few sex scenes. These are not really descriptive in any way, nor are they terribly romantic.

Steam Level: As Senora Elena Maria Constancia Fantasia de Montega de LaCroix might say: “La pasión es tan tibia como el agua del baño del bebé.”

(The passion is as lukewarm as a baby’s bathwater).

Violence

Tazia is raped several times. Del is shot. In the end, the good guys kill the villain.

The violence is not graphic.

Bottom Line on Tazia’s Torment

Sylvie F. Sommerfield’s California-set bodice ripper Tazia’s Torment is not a bad book. However, it is not as good as it could have been.

Rating Report Card
Plot
3
Characters
3
Writing
3.5
Chemistry
3
Fun Factor
3
Cover
2.5
Overall: 3

Synopsis

SHE BURNED WITH LOVE…AND LUSTED FOR REVENGE

Beautiful and tempestuous Fantasia de Montega aroused passion in every man who was fortunate enough to see her dance. And though many tried, none could learn where this mysterious and unapproachable beauty came from, or why she disappeared after every show.

But no one who beheld her could have guessed her dark secret—her mission of revenge—or the cruel trick of fate that would make her unwittingly fall in love with the very man she had vowed to kill….

Tazia’s Torment by Sylvie F. Sommerfield
texas star

Dueling Reviews: Texas Star by Deana James, #2 (IntrovertReader)

We’re posting a pair of Dueling Reviews where our reviewers have two very different opinions on Texas Star by Deana James. Here is IntrovertReaders’ take.

DUELING REVIEWS
Texas Star by Deana James
Rating: five-stars
Published: 1987
Illustrator: Pino
Imprint or Line: Zebra Lovegram
Book Series: Texas-Angel Series#3 Published; #5 Chronogical
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction, Western Romance, Romance with Rape Element
Pages: 461
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Dueling Reviews: Texas Star by Deana James,  #2 (IntrovertReader)

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

Oh boy, is Deana James‘ Texas Star a low-rated book on certain forums, especially by friends whose opinions I value very much!

Upon reading James’s dedication to this book, I knew I was in for a Historical Western Romance–not a historical western Romance.

texas star dedication

This was a gritty, shoot-em-up tale of the West. It was a bodice ripper with a kind of sad and fatalistic feel found in Steve McQueen’s Nevada Smith.

A Caveat

If, as a reader, you have a low threshold for kidnapping, rape by the hero, implied incest, or Stockholm syndrome, Texas Star probably won’t be for you.

On the other hand, for me, Deana James’s Texas Star is a riveting, emotional, action-packed novel. It’s an underappreciated gem. Perhaps it’s not a perfect example of a romance but a fascinating character study less deserving of scorn.

This is going to sound pretentious and self-aggrandizing, and yeah, maybe it is. Most contemporary readers aren’t very forgiving of certain harsh elements in fiction–historical romance, especially.

It’s a shame because fiction is fiction, not real life! One misses out on many impactful themes when one views historical fiction through a lens of rigid modern morality.

The Plot

The Outlaw

When we meet Estrella Luisa Garner y Montejo (shouldn’t Mexican/Spanish naming customs dictate her name be Estrella Luisa Montejo de Garner? *shrug*), aka Star Garner, she is at the lowest point a human can exist. Star is wanted in Texas for the murder of Luke Garner, her excrement pig of a husband.

A jury found her guilty of the charges, but before the hangman’s noose could stretch her neck like a goose, her brother, Tomás, broke her out of jail, saving her in the nick of time. With Tomás and his family, she had found temporary refuge on his Mexican estate.

Star has been in shock since long before the book opens. One thing is evident: she doesn’t like herself much.

The Bounty Hunter

Chris Gillard is a sometimes bounty hunter determined to catch the wanted fugitive. He needs money to support his failing ranch. Chris arrives at the Mexican hacienda, posing as a genial fellow interested in purchasing one of their fine Peruvian Pasos.

He accepts their polite hospitality only to kidnap Star in the middle of the night, dragging her across the border into Texas.

A Trek into Texas

As they travel together, the situation dictates they be physically close. Star can’t attempt any resistance when Chris, her kidnapper, thinks she’s trying to make a move on him. He caresses her in return, then takes her lack of resistance as consent. So he initiates sex.

Star is still traumatized from her husband’s violent rapes. Now here is another man who would violate her body. She recalls what she had to do for her husband not to beat her. So Star becomes the more active partner, turning her rape into what Chris truly believes is mutually enjoyable fuck (which says something about his sexual experience!).

Chris is obviously not a woman’s man. He has no clue about them other than they’re suitable for sex. He’s self-centered and not open-minded in the slightest. A disappointing first marriage left him cold and bitter.

Long ago, he had been an optimistic young man who thought the brightest days lay ahead, but no longer.

Unfortunately, Star is assaulted on their travels through the wilderness, not by Chris’s hands but by a gang of outlaws. Star is sodomized in a brutal encounter and, with no one to save herself, does what must be done to save herself. Chris is able to find her and tend to her wounds.

deana james western

The Captor and His Captive

He’s shocked that her body is covered in scars, proof that she experienced abuse at her husband’s hands. As Chris nurses her, he’s unsure what to think. But still, he and Star continue into Texas.

Chris has a son named Duff, whom he ignores as he tends to his struggling ranch. Star forms a strong bond with little Duff, as Chris has brought her to his ranch, keeping her there until he can collect his bounty.

Again Star throws herself at Chris, hoping that if she gives him good sex, he won’t turn her in.

How low, how desperate must a woman be to turn to her captor for help?

And how low and disgusting is Chris for using her with no intention of setting her free?

Yet strangely, despite this, she and Chris get to know one another, revealing bits of themselves little by little. Shedding off the past, they take in new elements, and a transformation begins.

The Villains

Matthew Garner, Luke’s father, was the man who paid the bounty on Star’s head. But he doesn’t want her dead. He wants her. Or, more accurately, he wants to use her body to bear a son to replace the one she killed.

The story’s true antagonist is revealed to be Maude, Matthew’s sister. She is shown to be the true mastermind behind the Garner family’s power and wealth, the person responsible for their flourishing ranch. She is a complex character.

I love a great villain, and Maude makes all her scenes fun to experience because I wanted to see her get the best of her brother.

A Final Showdown

As the story evolves, Star breaks out of her insensible state. Her love of horses, her relationship with Duff, her strange connection with Chris, all these things, and more cause her to change into a more confident woman. It’s a fascinating metamorphosis, subtly done but very satisfying.

Star proves she is not as weak as she appeared at the beginning of the book.

But Chris is a flawed man. Even as it seems he is starting to care for her, he turns Star in for the money, handing her over like a lamb to a pack of wolves: the Garner clan.

I don’t hate Chris. He’s not a mustache-twirling villain. Chris is just a man limited by his experiences and multiple disappointments. He’s a failure at many things in life, which can’t be easy on the soul.

Maybe by going back to save Star, he has a chance to rewrite a grave wrong.

But this is Star’s story, not Chris’. Ultimately, it’s a showdown of woman vs. woman, with Star saving Chris’ life.

In the end, Star becomes Chris’ wife, Duff’s mother, and a confident woman, facing the future with no fear.

Texas Star‘s Connections to Other Deana James Books

The connection between the Texas and Gillard series is finally made clear. Chris is the grandson of Mercedes-Maria from Texas Storm and great-grandson of Fancy England-Gillard from Captive Angel. Star–Estrella Montejo–is the daughter of Alejandro “Macpherson” Montejo and the Diamondback from Texas Tempest.

Steam Factor:

Although the initial sex scenes between Star and Chris are a bit uncomfortable to read because of the emotional disconnect between the two participants, as the book progresses, the sex becomes more emotionally intimate and more passionate.

While not super erotic, they did make my eyes open extra wide at certain moments.

Mark this as a very warm Texas in April or October.

very warm heat level

My Opinion

For me, the captive-captor trope and all the conflict that comes with it are fascinating. Can a captive ever honestly give consent? Can the cruel hero re-evaluate his thinking and become a better man?

Although I believe Chris has accomplished that by the end, his development is not as well-shown as Star’s is.

This book was so immersive that I wanted Star to kick Christopher in the nuts and make him see the truth.

I wanted to convince her that she had more value as a person than just being a body for men’s use!

And I exclaimed, “Hell yes!” when Star killed her attacker.

Deana James crafted an excellent, brutal western in Texas Star. I can understand readers’ distaste for the multiple rapes and if they’re repelled by how weak Star seems at the beginning. However, Star is not the same person in the conclusion that she was on the first page.

Ultimately, Star grows to be the woman she was destined to be: a lady of Texas who endures all the harshness of life to survive and thrive because within her is that wonderfully feminine strength that is fortitude.

Final Analysis of Texas Star

I rated Texas Star an A- back when I gave letter grades, or 92 out of 100. It’s still a 5-star read for me.

But don’t let that beautiful Pino cover fool you; this is not a sweet romance.

No, Texas Star is much more than that. I’m grateful that Deana James has gifted romance fiction with Star Garner’s story.

Rating Report Card
Plot
5
Characters
4.5
Writing
5
Chemistry
4.5
Fun Factor
5
Cover
5
Overall: 4.8

Synopsis

IN THE SUN’S BLAZE…

Ebon-haired Star Garner was a wanted woman–and Chris Gillard was determined to collect the generous bounty for bringing her in. He caught the lovely fugitive… but then she trapped him–bewitching him with her luscious figure and innocent onyx eyes. Instead of returning her straightaway to the law, the hot-blooded cowboy took her to his ranch. There he tried to have his fill of her, at high noon and at darkest night, but once he tasted her magnolia-petal flesh, it was impossible to sate his unquenchable desire.

BY THE MOON’S GLOW…

Desperate to be free again, Star made love to her captor as if her life depended on it. The beautiful outlaw sacrificed her very soul to please him… until, to her horror, she discovered she craved and needed his raw, masculine force. Still, she knew Chris had his price and he’d turn her in with no regrets. But what she never counted on was his obsession with her–and how he’d pursue the sleek beauty to the ends of the earth to forever to possess his fiery TEXAS STAR.

Texas Star by Deana JameS
texas star

Dueling Reviews: Texas Star by Deana James, #1 (Blue Falcon)

We’re posting a pair of Dueling Reviews where our reviewers have two very different opinions on Texas Star by Deana James. Here is Blue Falcon’s take.

TEXAS STAR DUELING REVIEWS
Texas Star by Deana James
Rating: half-star
Published: 1987
Illustrator: Pino
Imprint or Line: Zebra Lovegram
Book Series: Texas-Angel #3
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Forced Seduction, Western Romance, Romance with Rape Element
Pages: 458
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Dueling Reviews: Texas Star by Deana James, #1 (Blue Falcon)

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Texas Star, a Zebra Lovegram western historical romance and book #3 in the “Texas” series by Deana James.

The Setup

The book doesn’t begin in Texas but in Mexico, where Estrella Luisa Garner y Montejo, hereafter known as Star Garner, the book’s heroine, lives with her brother, Tomas, and his wife, Clara.

Riding onto their property is a man calling himself “Christopher Stewart,” who claims he wants to breed his horse to Tomas’ horses. They don’t realize Christopher has ulterior motives.

It isn’t until he spirits Star away that he reveals the truth: his name is Christopher Stewart Gillard. He is a bounty hunter hired to bring Star back to Texas to die for the killing of her husband, Luke Garner.

The Backstory

Christopher was employed by Matthew Garner, Luke’s father, to bring Star back after Luke was shot and killed, ostensibly by Star. Star was tried and convicted by a jury, but Tomas rescued her before she was hung.

The real story is far more complicated than that.

The Plot

As Chris transports Star from Mexico to Texas, they become lovers.

However, he also hits her, and she is later raped by an attacker, whom she kills. Chris takes Star to his ranch, where she meets his son, Duff, 5.

Duff’s mother, Christine, passed away, giving birth to him. While there, Star hopes if she satisfies Chris sexually, he won’t turn her in.

Chris’s response: bringing Star to Crossways, Texas, to be hanged. Matthew, however, doesn’t actually plan to kill Star. He has other plans in mind for her.

Upon discovering he was wrong about Star, Chris regrets bringing her back to Matthew and tries to rescue her.

Maudie then hires him as her bodyguard, among other things. Chris leaves, then he tries to spirit Star off Garner’s ranch. The rescue attempt is only partially successful, as Matthew catches up to them and shoots Chris, severely wounding him.

Despite being wounded, Chris makes his way to Garner’s ranch, where Maudie holds Duff hostage. She shoots Matthew and tries to force Chris to marry and impregnate her.

He is saved by Star, who shoots and kills Maudie after the truth of what happened to Luke is revealed.

In the end, Star and Chris realize they love each other, marry, and have their Happily Ever After.

The Upside

I suppose I can give Star credit for surviving her abusive relationship with Luke.

The Downside

Having said that, she then engages in another abusive relationship with Chris, who, like Luke, emotionally, mentally, physically, and sexually abuses her.

There are two romance novel tropes I absolutely hate.

1. Stockholm Syndrome romance

2. Revenge/proxy romances, where the hero punishes the innocent heroine for something someone she either knows or doesn’t know did to the hero.

Texas Star is in the former category.

None of the primary characters are likable.

There are also multiple creepy elements, such as the fact that Maudie and Matthew-who were twins–were engaged in an incestuous relationship.

Sex

Steam Level: The sex scenes between Star and Chris range from coercive to not exciting. Lukewarm at best.

warm

Violence

Assault, battery, shootings, sodomy, and killings. The violence is not graphic.

Bottom Line on Texas Star

Star may forgive Chris for his perfidy. I don’t. This western romance by Deana James, Texas Star, is not the worst book I’ve ever read–that “honor” still belongs to Cassie Edwards’ putrid novel Eugenia’s Embrace.

But it is in the top 10 worst books I’ve ever read.

Rating Report Card
Plot
0.5
Characters
0.5
Writing
0.5
Chemistry
0.5
Fun Factor
0
Overall: 0.4

(Cover points don’t count!)


Synopsis

IN THE SUN’S BLAZE…

Ebon-haired Star Garner was a wanted woman–and Chris Gillard was determined to collect the generous bounty for bringing her in. He caught the lovely fugitive… but then she trapped him–bewitching him with her luscious figure and innocent onyx eyes. Instead of returning her straightaway to the law, the hot-blooded cowboy took her to his ranch. There he tried to have his fill of her, at high noon and at darkest night, but once he tasted her magnolia-petal flesh, it was impossible to sate his unquenchable desire.

BY THE MOON’S GLOW…

Desperate to be free again, Star made love to her captor as if her life depended on it. The beautiful outlaw sacrificed her very soul to please him… until, to her horror, she discovered she craved and needed his raw, masculine force. Still, she knew Chris had his price and he’d turn her in with no regrets. But what she never counted on was his obsession with her–and how he’d pursue the sleek beauty to the ends of the earth to forever to possess his fiery TEXAS STAR.

Texas Star by Deana James
Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards

Historical Romance Review: Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards

Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards features one her strongest heroines. Unfortunately, she’s paired with an unlikeable hero.

cassie edwards romance
Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards
Rating: three-half-stars
Published: 1984
Illustrator: Unknown
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Native American Romance, Western Romance
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Savage Innocence, book #2 in the “Chippewa” series by Cassie Edwards.

The Setup

The book begins in Duluth, Minnesota, in 1879. It is here that Danette Thomas, 18, the heroine, lives with her uncle, Dwight Thomas, a state senator and owner of a lumber mill. Danette’s parents were killed in a fire when she was 10; she’s lived with her uncle since.

One day, Danette is engaged in her favorite hobby, painting, when a storm comes up, spooking the horse and buggy she’s driving. Before the buggy can go into Lake Superior, Danette is saved by Gray Wolf, 20, the hero who is a member of the St. Croix tribe of Chippewa Indians.

Gray Wolf is the son of Lorinda Odell, a white woman, and Chief Yellow Feather. They were the main characters of the first book in the series, Savage Obsession. Danette and Gray Wolf fall into “instaluv” and become lovers.

The Bad Guys

However, as always, their happiness is threatened by multiple entities. In Savage Innocence, these entities are:

Dwight Thomas: In addition to being a raging bigot, especially against Indians, Dwight is also concerned that Danette’s relationship will cost him both professionally and politically.

Danette later learns that Dwight’s reasons for wanting to keep her close go far beyond familial. Dwight tells Danette that he killed Gray Wolf (not true). Dwight later dies in a fire that consumes most of Duluth, leaving Danette, his only living relative, heiress to his money and the lumber business.

Longbow: Another Chippewa brave from the same band as Yellow Feather and Gray Wolf, Longbow’s parents, Foolish Heart and Flying Squirrel, tried to destroy Lorinda and Yellow Feather.

Now, Longbow is trying to do the same to Gray Wolf and Danette. Longbow killed Gray Wolf’s lover, Dancing Cloud, after raping her. He later commits suicide.

Raoul: A Frenchman who works with Gray Wolf as a logger, Raoul tries three times to rape Danette. He doesn’t succeed. Gray Wolf kills him after the third attempt.

savage innocence

The Plot

After she and Gray Wolf become lovers, Danette discovers she is pregnant. She tragically miscarries when she has an accident in the home she shared with Dwight. Later, Longbow kidnaps Danette after killing Lorinda’s sister, Amanda (he previously killed her lover, Gray Wolf’s friend, Red Fox).

Danette is rescued by Gray Wolf. Soon after, Danette discovers she is pregnant again, and later gives birth to a daughter, Hope, whom Gray Wolf shuns for not looking Indian and being female. This drives a major wedge between Danette and Gray Wolf, so Danette leaves him for a while to return to Duluth.

Tragedy soon follows. Raoul tries a second time to rape Danette. He is stopped, this time by her man-of-business, Charles Klein.

Sadly, Hope dies when she falls down a flight of stairs. While mourning her, Gray Wolf finally acknowledges that he shunned his daughter and his reasons why. Danette forgives him and returns to the Chippewa village.

Months go by, and Danette is pregnant again!

She endures yet ANOTHER rape attempt by Raoul, who thankfully is killed by Gray Wolf. Danette gives birth to twin sons, making Gray Wolf happy.

She and Gray Wolf have their Happily Ever After.

The Upside

Danette is one of Mrs. Edwards’ strongest female characters. She has to endure:

  • The loss of her parents.
  • An evil uncle.
  • Five rape attempts.
  • Assault and battery.
  • A miscarriage.
  • Losing a daughter.
  • Gray Wolf (more on that later).

And still, she perseveres and survives. In many ways, Danette is more a Rosanne Bittner heroine than a Cassie Edwards one!

The Downside

The biggest downside for me is Gray Wolf. His father, Yellow Feather, always “muttered thickly” throughout his book. Here, Gray Wolf “growls” when he’s not having sex with Danette—which is often!

Gray Wolf is a self-centered, egotistical, insensitive bastard for 99% of the book. He basically wants Danette to completely renounce her white life and live with him. He gets upset most of the time when she refuses to do so.

Gray Wolf views Danette as a possession, not a partner.

I really didn’t like how he shunned Hope upon discovering that she looked white and was female. I have never understood why having sons is so important to some males, and I don’t understand it here.

There is too much of the Popeye-Olive Oyl syndrome in Savage Innocence. Every time Danette gets into trouble—which is often—she has to rely on Gray Wolf to save her. She’s never able to get out of any difficulty without the help of a male, which is also very much like a Rosanne Bittner heroine.

Also, there are way too many exclamation points!

Seemingly after every paragraph!

About everything!

It’s highly annoying!

Sex

As I’ve stated before, one area I will never criticize Mrs. Edwards for is her love scenes. There are many of them in Savage Innocence, and they’re good. Not erotica level, but they’re darn good for a mainstream romance novel!

Heat Level: Savage and Sensual

sensual

Violence

Most of the violence is mentioned above. It is not graphic.

Bottom Line on Savage Innocence

Savage Innocence is one of Cassie Edwards’ better books, but the really unlikeable hero brings it down a notch.

Rating Report Card
Plot
3
Characters
3
Writing
4
Chemistry
4.5
Fun Factor
3.5
Cover
4
Overall: 3.7

3.65 Stars


Synopsis

Life in small-town Minnesota was too confining for an independent young woman who yearns for adventure — so Danette leaves home to seek a new life along the rugged frontier. She never expects to find herself wrapped in the arms of Gray Wolf, the magnificent Chippewa warrior who rules the land with battle-hardened courage … and unexpected compassion …

Ever since he saved Danette’s life, Gray Wolf knew that the alluringly free-spirited woman was meant to be his, body and soul. Just as his own mother, Lorinda, had forsaken her heritage to live among his father’s people, this woman will now follow him. But danger and treachery await Danette in Gray Wolf’s world, where she’ll be caught between one man’s passions and another’s ambitions … between betrayal and a love strong enough to liberate her heart and fulfill all her dreams …

Savage Innocence by Cassie Edwards
murmur of rain

Historical Romance Review: Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn

If Patricia Vaughn’s follow-up to Murmur of Rain is half as excellent as this book is, then it’s a tragic loss that only a pair of her historical romances saw publication.

historical romance review
Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn
Rating: five-stars
Published: 1996
Illustrator: Dominick Finelle
Published by: Pocket Books
Genres: Black or Afro American Romance, Gothic Romance, Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Romance with Rape Element
Pages: 465
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn

SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

Books like Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn are why I adore the romance genre. This 1996 novel, published by Pocket Books, caught me by surprise with its mesmerizing storytelling. From the first page, the exquisite prose of this Gothic-tinged historical romance captured my attention.

The heroine is a lovely black French woman, Lauren Dufort, who lives in Paris in 1891. Lauren captures the heart of the cultured and wealthy Roget de Martier with her beauty and talent for music. Later, she is introduced to an exotic world across the sea, where danger looms.

Lauren will discover that beneath the luxury of Roget’s plantation home, Villa de Martier, lies a family history shrouded in darkness. She will be caught in an evil web of familial entanglements where darkness rules the day.

Despite her challenges, Lauren remains determined to reclaim the passion and happiness she and Roget once had. But will murder and death thwart her dreams?

The Setup

Murmur of Rain has a rich cast of characters whose lives we encounter throughout Lauren and Roget’s love story. When the book opens, an awful tragedy will impact the heroine’s life.

A run-away trolley roars down the street and crashes into a group of pedestrians. One unfortunate woman is crushed under the wheels and horses’ hooves. The woman had been carrying a babe in her arms, and before the trolley ran her over, she instinctively threw her child into the crowd. As if guided by Providence, an onlooker was able to catch the child.

A boy watching the horrible events recognizes the dying African woman as the wife of a local French clerk.

The clerk, Jean Dufort, arrives too late and sobs as he sees his wife’s broken body. The woman who saved his daughter passes the infant into her father’s arms. As the weeping Jean embraces his child, he realizes he must do all that’s possible for his daughter to prosper now that her mother, Ndate, is dead.

The babe is our heroine, Lauren Dufort, who grows to be a stunning young lady.

The Plot

France

france
Photo by form PxHere

Lauren Dufort, Our Heroine

After the opening, Lauren stands on the docks of Le Havre, about to set sail to the Caribbean with her new husband, Roget. Patricia Vaughn weaves in and out of the “present” and the past with flashbacks for the reader to relive Lauren’s and Roget’s whirlwind romance.

Lauren’s father was not wealthy, but he worked hard to send her to a fine boarding school. There, Lauren feels like an outsider due to her poor station. Although she has a friend or two, her only joy is learning to play the piano, and she becomes an accomplished performer.

Soon after Lauren leaves school, her father passes away. She goes to live with his sister, Claude, who runs a popular hôtel. Claude throws lavish parties that attract an eclectic array of customers.

The older woman loves her niece dearly but knows Lauren’s future holds few possibilities for happiness. As mulâtresse with soft seal-brown curls, honey-gold skin, and hazel eyes, Lauren is stunning. Nevertheless, her racial heritage precludes her from meeting a marriageable man of quality.

So Lauren uses her talent as a pianist to support herself in her white aunt’s hôtel. It is only during those moments that Lauren does find that elusive happiness.

An Unlikely Proposal of Love

When alive, Jean Dufort had bemoaned the unfairness of his daughter’s few opportunities, despite her beauty, excellent manners, and good education. If Lauren had been male, more avenues would have been open to her in French Society (as had been for the biracial grandson of a slave, Alexandre Dumas, author of The Three Musketeers, and for his son as well).

But as a mixed-race black woman, much of polite Society was closed to her.

One night a handsome, elegant man dressed in finery and accompanied by gentlemanly friends comes to the hôtel. Transfixed, he watches Lauren perform. She, too, is immediately enchanted by this glorious male and hopes he returns to see her perform again.

The gentleman does just that and introduces himself to Lauren as Roget de Martier of Haiti.

Roget and Lauren cannot deny their attraction to one another. He sweeps her off her feet in a whirlwind courtship, and they hastily marry. Lauren is on cloud nine, ecstatic and in love, thinking little of the world she leaves behind as she and Roget set sail for his plantation home.

Haiti

haiti
Photo by form PxHere

Arrival in The Land of High Mountains

At first, Lauren is excited to see Villa de Martier and only dreams of the pleasure she and her husband will share there.

However, beneath the affluent exterior of the plantation lies a troubled family history. Roget has two brothers, the older and menacing Gaston–who is married to the well-pedigreed Reinette–and the younger, effete, and very unmarried Antoine. Also residing at Villa de Martier is their mother, Madame de Martier, a widow of eleven years, whose secret drinking habit is perhaps the worst-kept of the family’s many secrets.

As the second son of one of Haiti’s most prominent families, Roget shocks everyone when he introduces his bride–a mulatto with no name or fortune–to Haitian Society. Due to her origins as a daughter of an African slave and a French nobody, Lauren finds herself ostracized by the class-conscious elite.

Moreover, she struggles against Roget’s overbearing relatives. Lauren is used as a pawn in the games of familial strife. Far from finding a loving home, evil lurks everywhere at Villa de Martier. There is hostility from all corners, although she finds an ally in Antoine, who has his own secrets.

And then there is Lucienne, Roget’s erstwhile lover. Or is she still his current mistress?

The Specter of le Diable

Within the Haitian nights’ darkness is the creeping specter of demonic elements. Is someone using voodoo to harm the family? When unpredictable deaths hit close to home, the danger must be rooted in occult forces!

As troubles set in, a divide grows between Lauren and the husband she desperately adores. She experiences Roger’s cold neglect even as she carries out her assigned duties at the plantation. This estrangement allows for lust-crazed Gaston to do his worst to Lauren.

Yes, the heroine is raped in this book–not just by her lecherous brother-in-law. Later, a furious Roget brutally forces himself upon his adoring wife, proving that he, too, is as monstrous as dark creatures that dwell within the jungle depths.

Lauren’s determination and faith in what is right keep her motivated. She can forgive her husband’s ill-use of her; she can overlook his infidelities. However, she cannot live with his contempt and lack of love for her.

Roget avoids her and lets others oppress her. Yet Lauren is unwilling to abandon her love for him. She vows to conquer the demons that haunt him and reclaim their passion.

Can she uncover the heart of the mysteries that haunt the Villa de Martier? And can she make her marriage a lasting, happy one, despite all the obstacles they face?

A devastating force of nature eventually drives home the reality of life: that all things must come to their eventual end.

Heat Level

Although there are numerous love scenes (let’s not mention those instances of forcible rape) in Murmur of Rain, they are not explicit in detail. Instead, the scenes focus on emotion and intensity.

Steam Factor: Not Tropical like Haitian Summers, but Warm like French Springs.

patricia vaughn

My Opinion

A Tiny Quibble

Murmur of Rain is lovely, although not without flaws. Perhaps Vaughn’s euphemistic writing is a bit florid during the love scenes. Like any good Gothic/Bodice Ripper author, she peppers her sentences with a heaping helping of adjectives.

I didn’t mind any of this, as a well-told story beats technically perfect writing any day. It just needed a teeny bit of trimming to be perfect. None of that changed my perception of this beautiful Gothic-Bodice-Ripper-Black-romance.

And Now A Hefty Dose of Praise

Vaughn’s attention to detail brings the exotic and lush world of Haiti and France to life. She delves deep into cultural nuances, political systems, economy, and Society while also exploring the disparities between wealthy sectors and those with fewer means.

Readers learn about other important aspects of Haitian cultures, such as slavery practices and how men of European heritage had mistresses and “wives” through the Plaçage system. We see why Haiti’s rainforests were destroyed to produce lumber, leaving the land vulnerable to floods and depleted of essential nutrients for farming.

I loved reading how the sweet Lauren drew the cultured and enigmatic Roget de Martier under her spell with her music. She was so content on the ship as they sailed to Haiti, believing in a bright future where nothing could upset their joy.

But if there’s “insta-luv” in the opening chapters, the story must have exciting conflict to make it worthwhile. Well, there certainly is here!

Despite many obstacles, Lauren is unwilling to abandon her love for Roget and vows to conquer the demons that haunt him and the danger that permeates Villa de Martier.

The plot is full of mystery, causing one to wonder why Roget behaves as he does. Only little by little is the truth revealed. All in all, this is an exciting and unputdownable read.

Murmur of Rain is a must-read for those who love epic historical novels that feature heroines with grit, many twists and turns, plus themes that examine some darker aspects of human relationships.

brown rope tangled and formed into heart shape on brown wooden rail

Final Analysis of Murmur of Rain

Like the exceptional Teresa Denys, Patricia Vaughn only published two historical romances. Both ladies’ books are out-of-print, hard to find, and a bit pricey if you do. Murmur of Rain is worth getting if you can.

The Gothic tone, the bodice-ripper elements, the delicate yet resilient heroine, the vivid characterization, the attention to historical attitudes and details, and the intense love story combined to make a remarkable and compelling tale—a powerful testament to Patricia Vaughn’s skills as a novice author.

Simply put, Murmur of Rain is a must-read for anyone who loves a captivating and emotionally charged romance.

“You make love like a demimondaine, fall on your face like a school girl, and still manage to behave like a lady in the salon. My ancestors will probably rise from their graves…but ma chérie, I would not trade you for all the black gold in Haiti. I want to live with you, make love with you, fight with you, and die with you…if our Father in heaven so desires.”

Lauren’s graceful fingers closed around his, and as their hands clung to each other in an embrace, Lauren knew heaven had granted him that wish.

Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn
Rating Report Card
Plot
5
Characters
5
Writing
4.5
Chemistry
4.5
Fun Factor
5
Cover
4.5
Overall: 4.8

Synopsis

He gave her an illustrious name, a vast plantation, and a steamy paradise…but at which price? In the lush tropics, a mysterious family, intrigue, and sinister forces threaten to tear apart a love beyond compare…

For a young woman with limited marriage prospects, Paris in the 1890s was hardly an easy place to survive. But Lauren Dufort, headstrong, lovely, and bursting with life, could rely on her exquisite gift as a pianist to sustain herself. When her fingers alight into a moving rhapsody, Lauren is the enchantress…until one evening she draws a man into her spell who will change her life forever.

Cultured, enigmatic, strong and sensuous as a panther, Roget de Martier sends Lauren into a furious tumult of passion, introducing her to an exotic world far across the sea. But beneath the opulent exterior of the Villa de Martier lies a troubling family history and a menacing cast of characters with a penchant for evil.

Caught in a web of familial decay, ostracized from the class-conscious elite, Lauren is soon cut off from her beloved husband who has apparently deceived her. Unable to abandon so powerful a love, Lauren vows to conquer the demons that haunt her husband and reclaim the passion and the glory that is theirs alone…

Murmur of Rain by Patricia Vaughn
secret rapture franco

Historical Romance Review: Secret Rapture by Gloria Jones-Wolf

In Gloria Jones-Wolf only published novel, Secret Rapture, a young woman sails the High Seas from France to New Orleans, Louisiana along with a dashing captain to find a cure for her dying sister.

book review historical romance
Secret Rapture by Gloria Jones-Wolf
Rating: three-stars
Published: 1988
Illustrator: Franco Accornero
Imprint or Line: Zebra Heartfire
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 412
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Secret Rapture by Gloria Jones-Wolf

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Secret Rapture by Gloria Jones-Wolf, a Zebra Heartfire romance that takes us from France to New Orleans.

The Plot

Part One: France and the High Seas

Secret Rapture begins in Bordeaux, France, circa 1838. Sabrina Rancine, 18, the book’s heroine, has come to the “po’ side” of town to try to obtain passage on a ship to America for herself and her younger sister, Denise.

Denise is seriously ill. Later, it is revealed that Denise has leukemia.

After failing to get anyone to take them, Sabrina approaches David Wolfe, the book’s hero and captain of the Sea Wolf. Sabrina agrees to be David’s bed partner if he will accept the sisters on his ship. They make a deal.

So as the Sea Wolf sails, Sabrina and David become lovers.

Problems soon arise. They both are falling in love with each other but don’t want to acknowledge it to the other person.

But there is a bigger problem: David believes Sabrina is–with absolutely no evidence to back up this theory–a gold-digging whore.

Part Two: New Orleans, Louisiana

When the ship arrives in New Orleans, Sabrina and David part company–for now. Sabrina and Denise find a place to live, Sabrina gets a job and meets a doctor, Therrel Latrobe, who might be able to help Denise. What Sabrina doesn’t know is that Dr. Latrobe is falling in love with her.

Sadness occurs when Denise passes, and Sabrina discovers she is pregnant by David. Sabrina soon receives two marriage proposals, one from Therrel and one from David. She turns down Therrel–whom she doesn’t love–to marry David–whom she does love. But Sabrina isn’t sure he loves her back.

Sabrina and David’s marriage isn’t a happy one at the beginning due to a lack of communication and Sabrina’s yellow fever and miscarriage.

However, in the end, Sabrina and David realize they do, in fact, love each other, reconcile, and have their Happily Ever After.

The Upside

Sabrina is an easy heroine to root for and like. I felt her discomfort at having to sacrifice her virginity to get help for Denise, I felt her pain when Denise passed, and I felt her pain at feeling unloved by David.

At the same time, I liked the fact that Sabrina was self-sufficient. Although others helped her, she didn’t rely on David for financial support when the ship docked in New Orleans. She then found a place to live and employment and supported herself and Denise via her own efforts.

The Downside

David started okay, then became an obnoxious bastard in the middle/end, but he slightly redeemed himself at the conclusion of Secret Rapture. Overall, however, I found him hard to like.

As for the book, there isn’t much depth here. For storylines that require emotional depth–Denise’s passing, Sabrina’s miscarriage–Ms. Jones-Wolf doesn’t provide the emotional deepness necessary.

Like too many books, Ms. Jones-Wolf falls back on the “mis/ lack-of-communication” trope to create tension between her hero and heroine.

Sex

The love scenes are fairly tame and not particularly exciting or erotic.

Steam level = Lukewarm

warm

Violence

Sabrina is nearly raped twice in Secret Rapture. Thankfully, both attempts are thwarted before anything happens.

Later, David and Therrel engage in a duel. Both men are shot, but neither suffers life-threatening injuries.

Bottom Line on Secret Rapture

Secret Rapture–the only book Ms. Jones-Wolf wrote–is a fairly good romance. However, it has too many issues which keep it from being anything other than middle-of-the-road.

Rating Report Card
Plot
3
Characters
3.5
Writing
3
Chemistry
2.5
Fun Factor
3
Cover
4
Overall: 3.2

Synopsis

A MISSION OF LOVE
It was her only chance. Sabrina had to book passage for her sister and herself on a ship bound for America. So she gathered her courage and approached Captain David Wolfe with the hope of trading the one thing she had of any value–her virtue. But one look at the virile stranger and Sabrina lost her heart… She began to dream about the dark-haired man, about how it would feel to be in his strong arms as the salt-air of the ocean caressed their skin. Even though she was an innocent, Sabrina knew that David would be the one to make her body come alive like never before–and she could not wait for the day when he would make her his own!

A MEETING OF FATE
David Wolfe didn’t like to take chances. But when the attractive young vixen approached him with her unique proposal–her virtue in exchange for passage to America–he couldn’t resist. He had known many women before, but something about this green-eyed beauty turned his head like no other. He knew that she was inexperienced in the ways of love, but he wanted to be the one to teach her… He longed to stroke her silky skin, wind his fingers in her shiny hair and kiss her soft lips until she tasted his pleasure. If it took all night he’d release her into SECRET RAPTURE 

Secret Rapture by Gloria Jones-Wolf

Historical Romance Review: Brazen Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor

Brazen Ecstasy is the best of first four books Janelle Taylor’s in the “Ecstasy/Gray Eagle” series so far.

book review historical romance
Brazen Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor
Rating: five-stars
Published: 1983
Illustrator: Walter Popp
Imprint or Line: Zebra Historical Romance
Book Series: Savage/ Gray Eagle Series #4
Published by: Kensington
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper, Colonial Era Romance
Pages: 496
Format: eBook, Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Blue Falcon


Historical Romance Review: Brazen Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

This review is of Brazen Ecstasy, book #4 in the Ecstasy/Gray Eagle Series by Kensington/ Zebra author Janelle Taylor.

The Plot

Alisha and Gray Eagle Separated Yet Again!

When Brazen Ecstasy begins, it has been five years since Alisha Williams and Oglala Lakota warrior Gray Eagle first met. Despite numerous hardships–many self-inflicted–they have welcomed a son, Bright Arrow. They are very much in love and happy.

Which–of course–means something will soon shatter their happiness. Two things, in fact.

The first incident is when American soldiers kidnap Bright Arrow in an effort to bring Gray Eagle to heel. This effort fails somewhat as Gray Eagle rescues his son. However, there is tragic news. During the rescue, Alisha was hit on the head, fell into a raging river, and got swept away.

Gray Eagle’s tribe believes she’s dead!

Fortunately–or not–Alisha is rescued by Brave Bear, her former Blackfoot suitor. But Alisha has suffered amnesia from the head injury. She doesn’t remember the last five years of her life.

brazen ecstasy

The Other Woman Makes Trouble

That creates many issues between her and Gray Eagle when he finally decides to search for her and brings her back to the Oglala camp.

Because while Alisha was with Brave Bear’s people, Leah Winston, a white slave with a strong resemblance to Alisha, set her eyes on Gray Eagle.

She does her best to take advantage of Alisha’s absence by ingratiating herself with Bright Arrow.

Then Leah attempts to seduce Gray Eagle– and almost succeeds. But despite the blatant evidence of physical attraction to her–if you know what I mean, and I think you do!–our hero ultimately rebuffs her advances.

For such acts of other-woman villainy, Leah is fated to die later on when trying to kill Alisha/Shalee.

Alisha’s amnesia–plus Leah’s taunts about her (non-existent) affair with Gray Eagle–exacerbates the rift between the two protagonists, who briefly separate–again.

Ah, but love wins out, and in time, the couple reconciles.

A secret is revealed. Gray Eagle and his warriors take their revenge upon the White soldiers for the previous attack. And for a while, happiness comes to Alisha and Gray Eagle.

The Upside

Mrs. Taylor is at her evocative, flowery, lyrical best in Brazen Ecstasy.

The characters are developed, and the emotional level is turned up to 11.

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The arguments that Alisha and Gray Eagle had with each other could have easily happened today, as in 1782–when the book is set. Or in 1983 when the Brazen Ecstasy was first published.

Downside

No matter how evil Leah was, that does not excuse Running Wolf, Gray Eagle’s father, for raping her.

During the quarrels Alisha and Gray Eagle have regarding Leah, his behavior comes across as very childish. Gray Eagle lacks any sympathy and understanding for Alisha’s trauma from her kidnapping.

Sex

very warm heat level

The love scenes in Brazen Ecstasy are a bit more graphic than in the previous books in the series. It’s still not erotica, but there’s a little more pepper in the soup here.

Violence

In addition to the aforementioned rape of Leah and the assault on Alisha, there are other scenes of assault, shootings, and other forms of violence. The violence is not as graphic as in the first book in the series, Savage Ecstasy.

Bottom Line on Brazen Ecstasy

Brazen Ecstasy is the best of Janelle Taylor’s first four books in the “Ecstasy/ Gray Eagle” series so far. (#1 Savage Ecstasy, #2 Defiant Ecstasy, and #3 Forbidden Ecstasy.)

It is not flawless, but it is very, very good.

Rating Report Card
Plot
4.5
Characters
5
Writing
4.5
Chemistry
4.5
Fun Factor
5
Cover
4.5
Overall: 4.7

Synopsis

For four years, green-eyed Alisha Williams had been Princess Shalee, the cherished wife of the Oglala Chief Gray Eagle. Still their love was stronger than the surging white water of a snow-swollen stream and even more powerful then the fiery crimson sun that commanded the earth. But fate envied their perfect love and swept the stunning Alisha down a raging river and out of Gray Eagle’s life…

There was no way Gray Eagle could know that his love was alive when his empty teepee proved she was gone. But the daily torment of his lonely heart and the nightly agony of unfulfilled passion insisted that somehow she had survived destiny’s decree. He had rescued Alisha many times before — somehow he would find her once more. No river was too wide and no journey was too long to find his beloved, to share again their BRAZEN ECSTASY…

BRAZEN Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor