rape in romance Archives

Historical Romance Review: Bold Texas Embrace by Victoria Thompson

May 2, 2022May 6, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Bold Texas Embrace, #4 in the “The Cowboy and the Lady” series by Victoria Thompson (Zebra/Kensington December 1989). It is my least favorite book in the series. 2.66 stars Read more

2 stars and a half, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Lovegram

Contemporary Romance Review: The Sheik by Edith M. Hull

April 21, 2022May 12, 2022 IntrovertReader 3 Comments

The Sheik by Edith M. Hull, published in 1919, is as influential to the modern romance genre as Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Perhaps, even more so. It was a blockbuster of a success, despite its many detractors. While some modern readers may cringe at its depiction of women, sexual roles, and racial attitudes, The Sheik remains a compelling read one hundred years after its publication. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Contemporary Romance, Romance, Vintage romance, year 1919

Historical Romance Review: Angel’s Caress by Deana James

April 18, 2022May 2, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Angel’s Caress, book #4 in the “Texas” series by Deana James. (Zebra/Kensington July 1989). The book begins on a farm in Tennessee during the Civil War. 1 star Read more

1 star, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Deana James, Historical Romance, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Historical Romance

Historical Romance Review: Yankee Mistress by Ashley Snow

March 21, 2022May 2, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Yankee Mistress a standalone from May 1989 by Ashley Snow, published by Zebra/Kensington as a Zebra Heartfire. 1 star Read more

1 star, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Kensington, Romance, year 1989, Zebra Heartfire

Historical Romance Review: Skye O’Malley by Bertrice Small

February 12, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

In Skye O'Malley by Bertrice Small a beautiful Irish woman in the Elizabethan Tudor era experiences adventures and love with many men. Read more

4 stars, Ballantine, Bertrice Small, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, year 1980

Historical Romance Review: Raven by Shana Carrol

January 25, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Raven by Shana Carol (aka Christina Savage, aka Mr. Kerry Newcomb & Mr. Frank Schaeffer) is a riveting bodice-ripper. It's a pirate adventure that features a kickass, resilient heroine whom I adore. It also stars a hero who isn't worthy to lick the underside of her shoes. This is one of those books I both hate and love and wavered for a long time what rating to give it. 3.49 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Jove/ Pyramid, Ray Kursar, Romance, year 1979

Historical Romance Review: Stranger in My Arms by Louisa Rawlings

January 23, 2022May 9, 2022 IntrovertReader 1 Comment

Harlequin Historical #90 Stranger in My Arms by Louisa Rawlings is a book I've read many times, and I love it more today than ever. Absolute perfection. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Harlequin, Harlequin Historical, Historical Romance, Sylvia Halliday, year 1991

Historical Romance Review: Sweet Savage Love by Rosemary Rogers

January 20, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader 2 Comments

Ooh boy, where to begin with this review? Sweet Savage Love by the great Rosemary Rogers is--along with The Flame and the Flower--the blockbuster historical that launched a new genre: the modern romance novel. Published in 1974, this doorstopper epic was a monumental game-changer in an era of social transformation. 4.24 stars Read more

4 stars, Avon, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Romance, Rosemary Rogers, year 1974

Category Romance Review: Hard To Get by Carole Mortimer

January 13, 2022May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Oh boy, when I read "the heroine in pursuit plot" synopsis for this Harlequin Presents, was I ever excited to read it. Heroines who are determined to get their men are my favorite kinds! Alas, when the object of said pursuit is a mean arsehole, the chase isn't worth it. Still, Hard to Get by Carole Mortimer was a wild, emotional whirlwind. With a more charismatic hero, I could have loved this as opposed to liking it. 3.62 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Book Review, Carole Mortimer, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Romance, year 1984

Category Romance Review: The Honey is Bitter by Violet Winspear

December 8, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Along with Anne Mather and Anne Hampson, Violet Winspear was one of the three original authors for the Harlequin Presents line when it launched in 1973. Her bestseller, The Honey is Bitter, was originally published in 1967 by Mills & Boon. It had about 30 reprintings under Harlequin. Paul, a Greek tycoon, blackmails Domini into marriage. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Book Review, Category romance, Contemporary Romance, Don Sinclair, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents, Romance, Vintage romance

Historical Romance Review: The Silver Devil by Teresa Denys

November 29, 2021May 11, 2022 IntrovertReader 2 Comments

I've put off posting an analysis of Teresa Denys' first book, The Silver Devil, for a long time because I didn't quite know how to critique it. If you're a hard-core lover of old-school romance or bodice rippers, you might be familiar with this legendary novel. 4 1/2 stars Read more

4 stars and a half, Ballantine, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Gothic Romance, Historical Romance, Romance, Teresa Denys, Tom Hall

Historical Romance Review: Texas Conquest by Caroline Bourne

November 23, 2021May 2, 2022 Blue Falcon No Comments

This review is of Texas Conquest by Caroline Bourne. This historical romance is a Zebra Lovegram, published in 1988. Texas Conquest is a frustrating book because there are good elements, but Ms. Bourne doesn’t put them together. Hopefully, she can address these issues in future books. 2 stars Read more

2 stars, Book Review, Historical Romance, Kensington, Romance, Zebra Lovegram

Historical Romance Review: Passion’s Wicked Torment by Melissa Hepburne

August 8, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader 1 Comment

Pinnacle Books' Passion's Wicked Torment is a balls-to-wall 20th-century bodice ripper set in the gangster era during American Prohibition. From New York to Chicago, from Alaska to Europe, this book hops around the globe and features lots of mutually lusty sex scenes, rapes, and gangbangs. It stars a heroine so stupid and dumb, she could only have been written by Mr. Melissa Hepburne himself, the author of the blockbuster bestseller (I'm not kidding, it sold over a million copies!) Passion's Proud Captive. 3 stars Read more

3 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Pinnacle, Romance

Contemporary Romance Review: A Violation by Charlotte Lamb

July 31, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

A Violation, a full-length novel by category author Charlotte Lamb, isn’t a straightforward romance, somewhere more between women’s fiction and romantic fiction. Like so many of her works, the major themes are the philosophy of love and what are the defined roles of being a man and a woman, especially when it comes to amorous relationships. 3 stars Read more

3 stars, Book Review, Charlotte Lamb, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Romance

Historical Romance Review: The Frost and the Flame by Drusilla Campbell

July 24, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader 2 Comments

Drusilla Campbell's The Frost and the Flame is one of those naughty bodice rippers where the heroine is separated for a long period of time from her true love, the dull, hero, and instead spends more time with the lusty, evil villain. This is the kind of bodice ripper I like: one that does not take itself seriously and knows how to throw crazy tropes at you, so you'll keep the pages turning, even if the story is not really romantic. 4 1/2 stars Read more

4 stars and a half, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Harry Bennett, Historical Romance, Pocket Books, Romance, year 1980

Historical Romance Review: So Speaks the Heart by Johanna Lindsey

July 17, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader 3 Comments

It's fair to compare So Speaks the Heart (which should be subtitled: Medieval Norman Psychopath Falls for French Co-Dependent and Fellow Anger Management Classmate) to another of Johanna Lindsey's works, A Pirate's Love, which had a similar captor/captive trope. 4 stars Read more

4 stars, Avon, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Historical Romance, Johanna Lindsey, Robert McGinnis

Historical Romance Review: Emmie’s Love by Janette Seymour

May 24, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Emmie's Love is Purity's Passion, redux. Just as in Purity's Passion and Purity's Ecstasy, the heroine is separated from her true love and must "find" her way back to him. 3 1/2 stars Read more

3 stars and a half, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Harry Bennett, Historical Romance, Pocket Books

Historical Romance Review: Lady of Fire by Anita Mills

May 18, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

The action-packed and romantic medieval Lady of Fire by Anita Mills features one of the greatest villains ever in a historical romance novel. 5 stars Read more

5 stars, Bodice Ripper, Book Review, Gregg Gulbronson, Historical Romance, New American Library, Onyx, year 1987

Category Romance Review: Dark Fever by Charlotte Lamb

May 17, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

Harelquin Presetns #1840 Dark Fever was part of a series of Harlequin Presents by Charlotte Lamb about the Seven Deadly Sins. The sin is lust, but this is not a sexy book. Read more

1 star, Book Review, Category romance, Charlotte Lamb, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Harlequin Presents

Historical Romance Review: Claiming the Courtesan by Anna Campbell

May 6, 2021May 2, 2022 IntrovertReader No Comments

I'm not a fan of the execution of Claiming the Courtesan. However, I thought it was refreshing what Anna Campbell tried to accomplish in her first book. I categorize this style of romance as a neo-bodice ripper, in that it attempts to capture the sexual power struggles contained in those older books, but it’s very modern in its presentation. 2 stars Read more

2 stars, Avon, Book Review, Historical Romance, Neo-Bodice Rippers

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