Tag Archives: Louis XVI

stolen spring

Historical Romance Review: Stolen Spring by Louisa Rawlings

historical romance review
Stolen Spring by Louisa Rawlings
Rating: four-half-stars
Published: 1988
Illustrator: Doug Gray
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 480
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: Stolen Spring by Louisa Rawlings

SPOILER FREE REVIEW 😊

The Book

Lousia Rawlings, the writer of such greats as Stranger in My Arms was a masterful author.

It’s unfortunate she no longer writes wonderful historical romances. And by that, I mean “historical romance” in the truest sense of those words. Her novels are authentic to their time. They were also beautiful love stories.

Stolen Spring is another example of her stellar work.

The Plot

France and Versailles under the reign of Louis XIV was a decadent, lavish era. Louisa Rawlings captures it perfectly in Stolen Spring. Her dedication to details was amazing, like portraying how the nobles must salute the King’s food while servants carry the dishes throughout the halls.

The writing was marked by a depth of emotion. The colorful cast of minor characters is standard for a Rawlings novel. These facets come together, transforming this book into a superb historical romance.

Marie-Rouge, daughter of a Comte, is blackmailed into spying for France. Her father has gambling debts, and she seeks to keep him out of prison.

Along the way, she captures the hearts of many men, notably Pierre, a peasant miller who is not all that he seems. This man of mystery opens Marie-rouge’s heart to love.

I liked Pierre, a tortured yet sensitive man, although the villain, Arsene, almost overshadows him a bit with his rough sensuality. Still, their love is a passionate one.

Final Analysis of Stolen Spring

Marie-Rouge and Pierre don’t meet until about 80 pages into this 467-page epic. They are separated for various durations. That usually bugs me. Here, that trope was fine by me.

As I said, Rawlings is an excellent author, and she takes time to build the story. When the two main characters are together, the sparks fly!

Not a perfect book, but so enjoyable it’s a keeper I expect to read again in the future!

4.5 Stars

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:

Mademoiselle Marie-Rouge’s bewitching gray eyes widened with shock. King Louis’ minister had made his offer very clear: Rouge must become a spy or else her beloved father would be thrown in debtor’s prison. She chose to flee into a storm-swept night away from the golden court at Versailles and the intrigues that threatened her life…In a miller’s cottage she found a stranger–a brazen, daring man who claimed to be a simple peasant. His arms sheltered her, his kisses intoxicated her more than royal wine, and his desire showed her a paradise no riches could buy. Would he forgive the girl who took his sweet love tonight–only to run from his heart tomorrow?

STOLEN SPRING by LOUISA RAWLINGS
so wild a rapture

Historical Romance Review: So Wild a Rapture by Andrea Layton

historical romance review
So Wild a Rapture by Andrea Layton
Rating: two-half-stars
Published: 1978
Illustrator: Ron Lesser
Published by: Playboy Press
Genres: Historical Romance, Bodice Ripper
Pages: 365
Format: Paperback
Buy on: AmazonAbeBooks
Reviewed by: Introvert Reader


Historical Romance Review: So Wild a Rapture by Andrea Layton

TOTAL SPOILER ALERT ⚠

The Book

Andrea Layton‘s So Wild a Rapture is a tawdry rape-romance about a beautiful lady’s misadventures during the French Revolution.

The Characters and the Setup

From the opening pages, we are introduced to the 16-year-old heroine, the noble Juliette de Condillac, and her “won twu wuv,” Francois du Quesnay. He’s a slightly older boy from a neighboring noble family.

They quickly consummate their love and, like high schoolers, vow to be “togetha 4 eva” after Francois finishes his university education.

The Plot

Livre Un

But life has other plans for Juliette and Francois in So Wild a Rapture. First in the name of Roger du Deffand and then in the name of the French Revolution.

Against her will, Juliette is betrothed to the deceptively foppish and much older Roger.

Francois marches back to school, giving her his ring. He tells Juliette the ring will protect her whenever needed.

Juliette dithers about her future. Maybe she will marry Roger, maybe she won’t. In the meantime, she is to be educated at a convent and consort socially with nobility to learn to be a proper bride for Roger.

What does she need to learn? Oh, what any Catholic girl should know. Religion and piety, skill in the housewife arts, being social, and… perhaps taking part in a bit of girl-on-girl love. Her husband-to-be, Roger, loves to watch (or even ). Juliette is, of course, shocked. And curious…

Her lessons are cut short when the horrors of the French Revolution begin to take over, intruding on their dark idyll.

Death, thievery, arson, destruction, and rape ravage the countryside.

Fortunately, Juliette is protected wherever she goes by Francois’ ring. When Juliette and Francois meet again she is shocked to learn he is a powerful leader in the Revolutionary movement. (What did that silly twit thing the ring was all about?)

Livre Deux

I don’t know how Francois reached such a high status because–to be blunt–he’s kind of a dickless wanker.

When men repeatedly attempt to rape Juliette, he pleads for mercy. Francois fights the men only as a last resort. Never would he dream of killing her would-be rapists, saying the men have had hard lives and can’t be blamed for their actions.

What a benevolent eunuch of a hero! And that’s being cruel to eunuchs.

And le coup-de-grace is Francois’ reaction when his family is killed and his home destroyed. He mourns the loss of lives and property as a natural and necessary part of the new movement.

Boo! Lame hero!

Maybe the villain is better? Un peu.

Livre Trois

Eventually, Juliette makes her way to her fiancé. Roger lets Juliette know in no uncertain terms that she’s damaged goods. So he no longer has any interest in marrying her. Although he will still make use of her comely charms.

First, Roger makes Juliette his own love slave! Then he pimps her over to a bored King Louis XVI, who is taking refuge in his palace as France crumbles around him in bloody chaos.

Roger forces Juliette to have an abortion, thus destroying any tender feelings Juliette had for her former betrothed. In the meantime, she waits for Francois to free her from her courtesan life before the guillotine takes her head.

Does Francois come in time?

Que pensez-vous?

Final Analysis of So Wild A Rapture

So Wild a Rapture wasn’t a bad ‘ripper. It wasn’t great either, despite the raunch factor. Juliette’s youthful resourcefulness makes her willing to do anything to survive, no matter how degrading, sordid or arousing. She also is vapid and silly, with plenty of scenes lip-chewing and foot-stomping.

I detested the male protagonist whose politics and morals I abhorred. The villain was villainous, yet he lacked that spicy je-ne c’est quoi that makes a villain sizzle.

Here’s another bodice ripper to file away under:

  1. The hero is dishwater dull and missing in action while…
  2. The heroine bangs it out with the lecherous villain, and…
  3. She gets some historical dong along the way.

But hey, I do give So Wild a Rupture — Rapture! — credit for keeping to the history and not being all wallpapery in that regard.

Rating Report Card
Plot
3.5
Characters
2.5
Writing
2.5
Chemistry
4
Fun Factor
3
Cover
4
Overall: 3.3

Synopsis

ENTICED
from the innocent, virgin pastures of the French countryside to the sensuous intrigues and royal splendors of a king’s decadent court

ENTHRALLED
against her will by a passionate liaison with a wealthy baron whose ardent desires devoured her senses, sweeping her to the heights of ecstasy and the depths of degradation

ENRAPTURED
by the sweet, burning memory of the fiery young rebel whose tender caresses had scorched her soul forever–and made her desperate to be free, to belong to the one man who could truly possess her heart.

SO WILD A RAPTURE by ANDREA LAYTON