PL: W objęciach diabła

Huge Coulter fan here. This was my first time to read this book and I realize it was her first book. Taking that into account and acknowledging that this book is a classic BR, I still simply did not like it. I did not like either of the MC. It almost seems like the author did not care much for them either. Almost all the other characters in this story, no matter how small their role, were given more personality.
The only reason I finished was because I did not want to DNR shelf a Catherine Coulter book. But I wish I had not wasted the few days it took to read it, lol.

I really enjoyed reading this book.

If there was ever a book where I didn't want the heroine to remain with any of the love interests in the book, it was this one. Seriously, the two men in this book were complete and total a-holes. *sigh* No redemptive qualities in either of them. Where was my fiesty ex-pirate from Gentle Rogue when I needed him? :)

Then again, I didn't particularly like the heroine, either. She was a simpering wimpy girl, and not the spitfire heroine I would have preferred, even if she shot a pistol in the book.

I have to agree with the authors of Beyond Heaving Bosoms who on page 77 admitted that the character of Anthony Welles was a character who was an "alphahole hero we'd like to slap around some". All I can say is: me, too. I'm not sure who could possibly think that this hero had redemptive qualities, and the heroine's ex-fiance was not any better himself. UGH.

DNF- very much a book of its era. TW: there’s roughly 65 pages of the earl raping the heroine and her actively saying no/she does not want him with a dash of her feeling bad because she gets turned on.

5* for a bodice ripper! Great story and characters!!

For a time back in the 80’s & 90’s, my reading material of choice was frequently bodice rippers, historical fiction, and regency romances with a few contemporary best sellers thrown in for good measure. Most of them were pretty steamy (blush) &/or overly romantic, but I read them during a time in my life when I found myself as a single parent, and these books fit the bill. I found them to be highly entertaining.

I recently donated a slew of them, but I wanted to catalog them all the same. So if there is no rating here from me, it means that I don’t remember anything about the book other than I obviously read it. If there is a rating, it must have been in some way memorable for me.

I only wish that GoodReads had been around years ago so that I had some idea of the many books I have read – there were thousands! I did own a copy of this book, but most others came from the library because back then I could never have afforded the 100+ books I generally read in any given year.

And by the way, I still read bodice rippers – just not quite so many as I used to!

I have never cared for Coulter's Historical-Romance books. I feel the same for this one. It is just too hard to get past Cassie's kidnapping. I get it that Anthony really, really loves her and shows it all the way through the book. The violence is just a little too much for my taste. Cassie finally finds out why Anthony knows so much about her and freaks and runs. Anthony follows her and all ends happily ever after. By the way, if you like sex scenes, this book has lots.

Well, this was certainly an interesting book. Definitely a bodice-ripper, and definitely containing rapity-rape-rape elements.

I actually started this book with the intention of just flipping through it, but I ended up going back to the beginning and starting over. If you didn't read the blurb (which I didn't), you would not have known who she would be ending with from the beginning. In fact, the beginning of the book started from the perspective of the OM (other man), as befits a true bodice-ripper epic. Plus, she has sex with both of them! And other men! (The other men were because of a gang rape. Super uncomfortable to read about, considering she was also pregnant at the time. Readers beware.)

It starts off from the perspective of Edward, coming home from being a soldier. Stumbling across a childhood friend, Cassie, conveniently going swimming in her shift and clearly all grown up. Well, Cassie's no shrinking violet, and she's doing the chasing and slinking up to the honorable person that is Edward. She's had a massive crush on Edward all her life and soon they are about to be married. Happiness reigns supreme. People are arriving to their engagement ball, among them Anthony Welles (cue dramatic music). Except you suspect nothing because Cassie hardly notices him. He reveals nothing of the churning madness within. Then, with the wedding looming, Cassie goes out sailing at the behest of her governess, and her boat is captured by, uh-oh -- The Cassandra?? What a coincidence!

It turns out it's Anthony Welles, and he has no intention of ever letting her go. At this point, I was sucked into the book as much as a teenage girl to Flowers in the Attic for the first time. It was gothic, it was dramatic. Anthony Welles is, in modern historical romance, a hunk of the first order. Half-Italian, an earl, in his 30s, well-traveled and super desirable to the ladies. These are pretty much guaranteed in all the newer historical romances. But in this bodice ripper of the past, he was a villanous hero. Cassie wasn't having any of him. She's throwing fits, trying to escape, she even dives off the ship at one point (but then realizes there are other more nefarious characters also trolling the Mediterranean).

To give the author credit, Anthony Welles was pretty single-minded. A bit sick. But then, aren't all kidnappers and rapists? But in fiction, Coulter did pretty good by me. She strode a fine line between psycho violent dude (Judith McNaught was known for these) and uber metro softies that try to explain away their kidnapping. I thought she did a decent job.

At one point, Cassie was captured by Anthony's enemies and gang-raped. Horrible and kind of par for the course for this era of books. Apparently we've come a long way in literature and in real life. It was seriously ghastly because she had to be stitched up. How graphic is that?? Then she somehow gains momentum again and escapes to the US to find Edward.

Again Coulter strode a fine line. At some point, I felt she made Edward to be (suddenly) not that chivalrous for the purpose of putting Anthony in a better light. A lot of authors do this, I think in order to avoid a love triangle, or people comparing the two heroes. I see the point in this, I do, given the annoyance I felt when some heroines end up with the guy who's clearly the lesser. But I think the emphasize shouldn't be on who's the BETTER man, but who's better for HER, in which case, it's not about who's good or bad. So Edward was made to be not as nice a person because he wasn't as good a lover, he forgot she has never liked tea, and also he's been involved with another woman. Really? I mean, she was presumed dead. For over a year. I mean, she got pregnant, then miscarried, and then got pregnant again. Super unhealthy for the mom, but you know, what can you do.

But it worked out because Anthony strode back into the limelight and stole the show with the line: "I have come to reclaim what is mine, Lyndhurst. You have had your time with her, and you will have no more. I suggest that you choose to divorce her." That's pretty awesome in its civility and also accompanied by a bow.

So, despite its age and some gruesome details and the controversial aspect of a totally psychotic stalker dude, this book worked!

dnf

ONE ENTHRALLING ROMANCE! I COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN!t

This was Coulter’s first long historical romance, published in 1985, and it is a superbly written, heart stopping, action-filled story that I could not put down. Literally. I do not recommend you begin it in the evening as I did. That night I did not sleep until nearly dawn. Forget the low reviews, and set aside your 21st century sensibilities and go with what may be one of the most enthralling romances I’ve read in a long time. Certainly it’s a classic that affected the genre of historical romance—and well worth the read just for that!

Set in the late 18th century (I estimate 1775-76), it tells the story of highborn 18-year-old Cassie Brougham, who on the day before her marriage to a Viscount she has loved for years, is abducted by 34-year-old Anthony Wells, the Earl of Clare, who has been watching her since she was a child all the while believing she is his perfect mate. Though Anthony’s intention is marriage, that doesn’t stop him from rape to claim her, nor imprisonment, first on his yacht and then in his Italian villa, as he tries to persuade her to marry him. Cassie hates him for what he has done to her life (as well she should and Coulter does that really well), but succumbs to the passion he calls forth each time he makes love to her. You can feel the terrible conflict within this strong-willed, courageous girl as she feels she has no choices. Even her attempt to escape comes to naught. (There’s a bit of the Stockholm syndrome working here, I do believe.)

The plot is intricate and intriguing with lots of action and lots of mystery. The characters are richly drawn, including the hero who has a noble side notwithstanding his selfish and brutal act of taking another man’s bride. But the heroine is the one who really garnered my sympathy. She faces mad dogs and Englishmen and manages to overcome every challenge to gain the respect of all. I highly recommend it.

The second book is THE DEVIL’S DAUGHTER.

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