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The deWarenne Dynasty #1
The Conqueror
The Invader
Like a pagan god, Rolfe the Relentless rode into Castle Aelfgar to claim it as his prize—and Lady Alice as his bride. Lauded for his bravery in France, in England he was the hated enemy. Once ensconced in his new domain, Rolfe became determined to tame the Saxon beauty Ceidre, Alice’s illegitimate sister, whose spirit and sensuality made him risk treason to have her—not Lady Alice—in his bed.
The Prize
Mysterious and seductive, she was no lady but a spy for the rebel cause of her noble half brothers. Refusing to bow to this arrogant warrior who ignited her forbidden passion, Ceidre was swept into a dangerous liaison tied to the fate of England and kings. Yet with his kisses on her lips, his skilful hands on her body, she would have to struggle not to surrender to…The Conqueror.
Like a pagan god, Rolfe the Relentless rode into Castle Aelfgar to claim it as his prize—and Lady Alice as his bride. Lauded for his bravery in France, in England he was the hated enemy. Once ensconced in his new domain, Rolfe became determined to tame the Saxon beauty Ceidre, Alice’s illegitimate sister, whose spirit and sensuality made him risk treason to have her—not Lady Alice—in his bed.
The Prize
Mysterious and seductive, she was no lady but a spy for the rebel cause of her noble half brothers. Refusing to bow to this arrogant warrior who ignited her forbidden passion, Ceidre was swept into a dangerous liaison tied to the fate of England and kings. Yet with his kisses on her lips, his skilful hands on her body, she would have to struggle not to surrender to…The Conqueror.
434 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1990
About the author
Brenda Joyce
152 books1,277 followersBrenda Joyce is the bestselling author of forty-one novels and five novellas. She has won many awards, and her debut novel, Innocent Fire, won a Best Western Romance award. She has also won the highly coveted Best Historical Romance award for Splendor and Two Lifetime Achievement Awards from Romantic Times BOOKreviews. There are over 14 million copies of her novels in print and she is published in over a dozen foreign countries.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
A native New Yorker, she now lives in southern Arizona with her son, dogs, and her Arabian and half-Arabian reining horses. Brenda divides her time between her twin passions—writing powerful love stories and competing with her horses at regional and national levels. For more information about Brenda and her upcoming novels, please visit her Web sites: www.brendajoyce.com, www.thedewarennedynasty.com and http://mastersoftimebooks.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 268 reviews
March 20, 2021
3.5 I am grossed out and thoroughly entertained STARS
So this was kissing—so this was the pleasure of the flesh. When he drew away she blinked at him, dazed. He was staring at her. He smiled, ever so slightly. Ever so smugly.
She struck him.
Do I need to mention just how quickly I was able to connect with this girl Ceidre?
"I am good with herbs." She glared at him, remembering the sow. "I came to heal the sow." He stared. "To heal a pig?" Her chin lifted. Was he dumb or deaf? Both, of course, being the Norman pig he was and no pun intended.
Can I describe the hero any more precisely than this sweet heroine already did? Just to give everyone a glimpse of the hero’s lovely personality, a few fascinating facts about Rolfe de Warenne:
- a Norman soldier, the king William’s best man;
- has 6 bastard sons from different women who are scattered around Europe;
- has no qualms about raping peasant women and decapitating men:
- marries the heroine’s crazy ass cunty sister and fucks her, albeit, reluctantly, if it’s any consolation, before and after he finally beds the heroine;
- marries the heroine off to his best knight and rapes her on her wedding night;
- makes sexual innuendos to the heroine while being seriously injured and with his wife and the heroine’s husband in the same room.
But let’s take a moment and allow him speak for himself just this one time, shall we?
Rolfe's gaze was like a lance. "Perhaps she needs to be wedded and bedded. To learn a woman's true place."
I cannot even explain how fast-paced, easy, light and entertaining I found this story to be. I devoured page after page as it kept me glued to the screen and I was eager to know what will happen next.
The book deals with the subject of The Norman Conquest of England that took place in the 11th-century and if I’m being honest, I have no idea whether the story can boast the historical accuracy because I am shit at the history of England. Sorry. The story mainly focuses on the romantic aspect anyway, if anyone is bold enough as to call everything that happens in this book by such a refined word.
Just take at look at these lovely doves:
"As your lord, I may chastise where I will."
"Had you not stolen my herbs, I would not have had to wander this eve!"
"Had you not poisoned my man, I would not have had to seize your amulet."
"Had I not been prisoner, I would not have given Guy the draught!"
"Had you been a true lady, there would have been no need to have Guy guard you."
"Had you been a true lady, there would have been no need to have Guy guard you."
Luckily for me, I didn’t expect pro-feminist declarations or noble behaviour from the 11th century lord. Every time he opened his mouth I cringed internally but did it prevent my perverse self enjoy it when he acted like a lovesick idiot?
He was such a strange mix between a ruthless disgusting medieval pig and an utterly bewitched with his fair lady man that I was literally gaping at him half the book. Ceidre committed a treason against him twice and instead of hanging her he simply said something like damn it all to hell and
Was it realistic? No. Do I give a flying fuck about it? Also no.
And last but not least, I desperately needed the heroine’s sister starring in the similar scene and the fact that the author denied me this little guilty pleasure of mine hurt me on so many levels.
Now I’ holding a grudge against her for not placating the bloodthirsty side she inadvertently (?) evoked in me.
Can I assume that at this point there is absolutely no need in telling you that you can easily bath in the angst this book delivers? I doubt I will ever reread this particular book but it was good while it lasted.
Special thanks go to my fair ladies (Summer 💜 and Deniz 💙) who recommended this to me.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
I need things to be freaky and weird. I have a craving for a story that will make me uncomfortable. The reviews of this book are ambiguous, deliciously so, and I’m curious how much it will offend my sensibilities (not sure it’s a possibility, tho, he-he)
So this was kissing—so this was the pleasure of the flesh. When he drew away she blinked at him, dazed. He was staring at her. He smiled, ever so slightly. Ever so smugly.
She struck him.
Do I need to mention just how quickly I was able to connect with this girl Ceidre?
"I am good with herbs." She glared at him, remembering the sow. "I came to heal the sow." He stared. "To heal a pig?" Her chin lifted. Was he dumb or deaf? Both, of course, being the Norman pig he was and no pun intended.
Can I describe the hero any more precisely than this sweet heroine already did? Just to give everyone a glimpse of the hero’s lovely personality, a few fascinating facts about Rolfe de Warenne:
- a Norman soldier, the king William’s best man;
- has 6 bastard sons from different women who are scattered around Europe;
- has no qualms about raping peasant women and decapitating men:
- marries the heroine’s crazy ass cunty sister and fucks her, albeit, reluctantly, if it’s any consolation, before and after he finally beds the heroine;
- marries the heroine off to his best knight and rapes her on her wedding night;
- makes sexual innuendos to the heroine while being seriously injured and with his wife and the heroine’s husband in the same room.
But let’s take a moment and allow him speak for himself just this one time, shall we?
Rolfe's gaze was like a lance. "Perhaps she needs to be wedded and bedded. To learn a woman's true place."
I cannot even explain how fast-paced, easy, light and entertaining I found this story to be. I devoured page after page as it kept me glued to the screen and I was eager to know what will happen next.
The book deals with the subject of The Norman Conquest of England that took place in the 11th-century and if I’m being honest, I have no idea whether the story can boast the historical accuracy because I am shit at the history of England. Sorry. The story mainly focuses on the romantic aspect anyway, if anyone is bold enough as to call everything that happens in this book by such a refined word.
Just take at look at these lovely doves:
"As your lord, I may chastise where I will."
"Had you not stolen my herbs, I would not have had to wander this eve!"
"Had you not poisoned my man, I would not have had to seize your amulet."
"Had I not been prisoner, I would not have given Guy the draught!"
"Had you been a true lady, there would have been no need to have Guy guard you."
"Had you been a true lady, there would have been no need to have Guy guard you."
Luckily for me, I didn’t expect pro-feminist declarations or noble behaviour from the 11th century lord. Every time he opened his mouth I cringed internally but did it prevent my perverse self enjoy it when he acted like a lovesick idiot?
He was such a strange mix between a ruthless disgusting medieval pig and an utterly bewitched with his fair lady man that I was literally gaping at him half the book. Ceidre committed a treason against him twice and instead of hanging her he simply said something like damn it all to hell and
Was it realistic? No. Do I give a flying fuck about it? Also no.
And last but not least, I desperately needed the heroine’s sister starring in the similar scene and the fact that the author denied me this little guilty pleasure of mine hurt me on so many levels.
Now I’ holding a grudge against her for not placating the bloodthirsty side she inadvertently (?) evoked in me.
Can I assume that at this point there is absolutely no need in telling you that you can easily bath in the angst this book delivers? I doubt I will ever reread this particular book but it was good while it lasted.
Special thanks go to my fair ladies (Summer 💜 and Deniz 💙) who recommended this to me.
.......................................................................................................................................................................
I need things to be freaky and weird. I have a craving for a story that will make me uncomfortable. The reviews of this book are ambiguous, deliciously so, and I’m curious how much it will offend my sensibilities (not sure it’s a possibility, tho, he-he)
January 4, 2017
Trigger warnings: domestic violence, rape
Sometimes you read a book and feel badly about how much you enjoyed it. This is one of those books. So, he rapes her. He tries to rape her when they first meet, then rapes her for reals later. And she loves him . . . O.o I shake my head at myself. I feel like I should be really upset about this, but I'm not. FOR SHAME! I am shamed. Moving on.
I was going to put this book down after the first chapter because I couldn't stop making this face:
But I kept reading instead.
Rolf (or however you spell his name) is a tortured hero from a different time. He definitely doesn't soften over time. He is hard core.
Cierde (or however you spell her name) is fine. I liked her fine. Some of the things that happened to her felt convenient and she was definitely a doormat at times, but given the fact that this took place during the time of William the Conqueror, I'm not going to judge her too harshly.
Also? She had a wandering eye. #BADASS
So, there you have it. I found I couldn't put it down, perversely or not, I couldn't stop reading. Therefore, it gets 5 stars.
Sometimes you read a book and feel badly about how much you enjoyed it. This is one of those books. So, he rapes her. He tries to rape her when they first meet, then rapes her for reals later. And she loves him . . . O.o I shake my head at myself. I feel like I should be really upset about this, but I'm not. FOR SHAME! I am shamed. Moving on.
I was going to put this book down after the first chapter because I couldn't stop making this face:
But I kept reading instead.
Rolf (or however you spell his name) is a tortured hero from a different time. He definitely doesn't soften over time. He is hard core.
Cierde (or however you spell her name) is fine. I liked her fine. Some of the things that happened to her felt convenient and she was definitely a doormat at times, but given the fact that this took place during the time of William the Conqueror, I'm not going to judge her too harshly.
Also? She had a wandering eye. #BADASS
So, there you have it. I found I couldn't put it down, perversely or not, I couldn't stop reading. Therefore, it gets 5 stars.
May 31, 2012
Ok.
So I read it.
People told me how I am either not going to like it or I am going to love it.
But the thing is...they told me if I do not like it it will be because of the adultery.
It's not that.
It's just that the book was...shallow.
But then again...this is a work done by Brenda Joyce.
She is something of a sado/maso thing for me.
I hate all of her books.
I hate her themes.
I hate her stupid villains that have no point what so ever and act as sane as a schizophrenic.
But I always go back to her.
Because I just can not phantom the fact that she has such a big fetish for adultery,bastards and generally un-love.
I have no idea if she just has a perverse kick for this stuff or you know,she gets it from real life...but how ever you turn it,it just never comes out as lovable.
I like bodice rippers. I like besotted heroes. I even like them jealous and stalkerish.
The perfect example of all this are book like To Love An Earl.
Brrr. I loved that evil hero. :)
On the other hand in this book...pft. What is there to love?
It was a shocker to find a Brenda Joyce heroine that had a spine. It was a stupid half spine but a spine non the less!
But the hero?Oh...the hero.
Oh yes,yes,the hero! Or should I say-the moron knight that has sex all over the place for all the stupid reasons-revenge,forgetfulness,etc. Are we supposed to be sorry for him?
I just wanted him to get an STD. Really. An while doing all of this he follows the heroine around having hissy fits about other men, wanting her over and over again even thou he married her to another...it's like an medieval drama! And when you insert the Disney stile eeeeevil other woman...the half sister of the heroine (it's like Cinderella!Only with murder! Who has the prop glass slipper? We are behind schedule people!).
You would think with all the drama,betrayal,etc there would be a plot. Not really. The author just took one random historical event,made up a few characters that behaved like morons and added some fighting and death. Nice.
At the end of the book I was frustrated for the lack of plot,lack of substance of any kind and oh yes,the meaningless cheating that was just skimmed over as if not happening.
This is when the following happened:
The heroine is pregnant. She now is told (after her half sister tried to kill her and other stupid farce) that her...lover? Brother in law and what not...already has 6 children. All sons!
Why do we care if they are sons? I have no idea. I guess it just show what a manly man he is!
A man that can not pull his penis out of anybody,it seems.
What's not to like,yeah?
But he is very happy to be a father to his seventh son. (why is it important that it is a son? Whyyyyyy?) and tells the heroine that he loves her. Well, it is more like 'If this is love,then I love you, you damn woman.'
And I was like...THAT is love? God help as all!
There was just a page or two left so I read it. If not I would have really stopped at the bastard SONS (does he have manly seed or what?) and be done with it all.
So I read it.
People told me how I am either not going to like it or I am going to love it.
But the thing is...they told me if I do not like it it will be because of the adultery.
It's not that.
It's just that the book was...shallow.
But then again...this is a work done by Brenda Joyce.
She is something of a sado/maso thing for me.
I hate all of her books.
I hate her themes.
I hate her stupid villains that have no point what so ever and act as sane as a schizophrenic.
But I always go back to her.
Because I just can not phantom the fact that she has such a big fetish for adultery,bastards and generally un-love.
I have no idea if she just has a perverse kick for this stuff or you know,she gets it from real life...but how ever you turn it,it just never comes out as lovable.
I like bodice rippers. I like besotted heroes. I even like them jealous and stalkerish.
The perfect example of all this are book like To Love An Earl.
Brrr. I loved that evil hero. :)
On the other hand in this book...pft. What is there to love?
It was a shocker to find a Brenda Joyce heroine that had a spine. It was a stupid half spine but a spine non the less!
But the hero?Oh...the hero.
Oh yes,yes,the hero! Or should I say-the moron knight that has sex all over the place for all the stupid reasons-revenge,forgetfulness,etc. Are we supposed to be sorry for him?
I just wanted him to get an STD. Really. An while doing all of this he follows the heroine around having hissy fits about other men, wanting her over and over again even thou he married her to another...it's like an medieval drama! And when you insert the Disney stile eeeeevil other woman...the half sister of the heroine (it's like Cinderella!Only with murder! Who has the prop glass slipper? We are behind schedule people!).
You would think with all the drama,betrayal,etc there would be a plot. Not really. The author just took one random historical event,made up a few characters that behaved like morons and added some fighting and death. Nice.
At the end of the book I was frustrated for the lack of plot,lack of substance of any kind and oh yes,the meaningless cheating that was just skimmed over as if not happening.
This is when the following happened:
The heroine is pregnant. She now is told (after her half sister tried to kill her and other stupid farce) that her...lover? Brother in law and what not...already has 6 children. All sons!
Why do we care if they are sons? I have no idea. I guess it just show what a manly man he is!
A man that can not pull his penis out of anybody,it seems.
What's not to like,yeah?
But he is very happy to be a father to his seventh son. (why is it important that it is a son? Whyyyyyy?) and tells the heroine that he loves her. Well, it is more like 'If this is love,then I love you, you damn woman.'
And I was like...THAT is love? God help as all!
There was just a page or two left so I read it. If not I would have really stopped at the bastard SONS (does he have manly seed or what?) and be done with it all.
March 20, 2021
My fourth novel by Brenda Joyce...and one i will hardly ever forget.This one is...surprisingly a very unique kind of bodice-ripper on my part and one i truly enjoyed.Like all of Joyces novels,this one is filled with incredible hot romance.This story is set in early 1700s with a rebel-hearted warrior as a hero,Rolfe de Warenne and a lord`s beautiful bastard-daughter Ceidre.Their romance starts off very bad and wild,where they soon share a bond that will make them fall in love with each other against their will, all the while also being mortal enemies.
The heroine Ceidre is my favourite heroine of the author by far.She is truly strong and really hates the hero from the beginning,and i like that she doesn`t pine after him obsessively like all the other of author`s heroines does in the other books.I could feel every bit of her emotions,and i truly understood all of her actions and wanted desperately for her to get through it all with a happy ending.Then...well,we got the hero.
Rolfe de Warenne..He is an unfeeling as**** from the start,a rebel that can do whatever sin he wants,kill whomever he wants and take whatever he wants.That truly proves it when he tries to rape the heroine from the start.Gosh how i wanted to strangle him...But i soon got to know him more,and watch him change from being such an blood-thirsty rebel,to a heart-warming man that cannot live without Ceidre`s love.
Rolfe is a man that feels so strongly that he is ready to destroy everyone around him.I could feel his longing,his frustration,the jealousy that ate him,and his growing everlasting love for the heroine and how he craved it from her without knowing."The Conqueror" is a hard-core bodice-ripper with passionate characters and awesome plot,and it will be hard to go on from now on when i have got to read about Rolfe and Ceidre.Truly worth a five-star!
***
His hands, wrapped up in strands of thick hair, cupped the back of her head. “You make me weak, Ceidre.”
In truth, Ceidre thought, he made her weak too. His hands were so warm, so large. She wondered if he would kiss her. Her gaze found his lips, closer now. She wanted him to kiss her. And with the perversity of chance, she thought of two people at once, Alice in the solar across the hall, and Morcar, in the dank dungeons below. She twisted away.
“Leave me be, please!”
“One kiss,” he breathed. “Just one, Ceidre. Just one.”
-Rolfe & Ceidre
***
The heroine Ceidre is my favourite heroine of the author by far.She is truly strong and really hates the hero from the beginning,and i like that she doesn`t pine after him obsessively like all the other of author`s heroines does in the other books.I could feel every bit of her emotions,and i truly understood all of her actions and wanted desperately for her to get through it all with a happy ending.Then...well,we got the hero.
Rolfe de Warenne..He is an unfeeling as**** from the start,a rebel that can do whatever sin he wants,kill whomever he wants and take whatever he wants.That truly proves it when he tries to rape the heroine from the start.Gosh how i wanted to strangle him...But i soon got to know him more,and watch him change from being such an blood-thirsty rebel,to a heart-warming man that cannot live without Ceidre`s love.
Rolfe is a man that feels so strongly that he is ready to destroy everyone around him.I could feel his longing,his frustration,the jealousy that ate him,and his growing everlasting love for the heroine and how he craved it from her without knowing."The Conqueror" is a hard-core bodice-ripper with passionate characters and awesome plot,and it will be hard to go on from now on when i have got to read about Rolfe and Ceidre.Truly worth a five-star!
***
His hands, wrapped up in strands of thick hair, cupped the back of her head. “You make me weak, Ceidre.”
In truth, Ceidre thought, he made her weak too. His hands were so warm, so large. She wondered if he would kiss her. Her gaze found his lips, closer now. She wanted him to kiss her. And with the perversity of chance, she thought of two people at once, Alice in the solar across the hall, and Morcar, in the dank dungeons below. She twisted away.
“Leave me be, please!”
“One kiss,” he breathed. “Just one, Ceidre. Just one.”
-Rolfe & Ceidre
***
July 31, 2024
Reread: 7/30/24
The first time I read this book, I didn't like it. Maybe my expectations were too high!🤷♀️ Since so many people love this book, I decided to give another try, and I'm so glad I did. I LOVED it!
RTC - I have so much more to add
Read: 7/12/22
Could have been better. I didn't really like any of the characters. I enjoy realistic settings, but nothing saves a story if you don't care.
The first time I read this book, I didn't like it. Maybe my expectations were too high!🤷♀️ Since so many people love this book, I decided to give another try, and I'm so glad I did. I LOVED it!
RTC - I have so much more to add
Read: 7/12/22
Could have been better. I didn't really like any of the characters. I enjoy realistic settings, but nothing saves a story if you don't care.
September 30, 2022
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3 stars
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 books
Feels: 🦋🦋 2 butterflies
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 4 broken hearts
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️ 2 lightnings
Romance: 💞💞 2 hearts
Sensuality: 💋💋 2 kisses
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 2 peaches
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 3 fires
Hero Jerk Scale: 😠😠😠😠 4 mad faces
Heroine Jerk Scale: 😤😤😤 3 angry faces
Humor: 0
Ahhhh. This book….was intense! I asked for alpha hero and well Rolfe delivered on that. Rolfe the Relentless is commanding men under William. A conquering Norman, he takes over a Saxon town and is to marry Lady Alice to cement the bonds and bring peace to the people. He meets Ceidre and believes her to be Alice. Thus begins the power dynamic between Saxon and Norman and it is quite the ride to happiness ever after.
Give this a try if you want:
- Medieval time period – this takes place in 1069
- Norman hero, Saxon heroine
- Disability – the heroine is cursed with ‘the evil eye’ (amblyopia – or lazy eye), though it’s not a large part of the story
- You are okay with multiple content warnings, including cheating, violence and assault, and death.
- Moderate steam – there’s a lot of kisses and sex scenes in here, some being longer than others. Many are towards the end and they are not super descriptive. I found this book more explicit than Jude Deveraux’s sex so I settled at 3 steam.
- You are okay with a JERK HERO. He’s jealous, he’s commanding, he’s aggressive, but he also has his tender moments.
- Class differences – Rolfe is a lord and Ceidre is a bastard daughter
- Enemies to lovers – classic old school bodice ripper “I hate you until the very end where I love you” mentality.
I was really drawn in to the beginning of this book. I don’t mind old school. I don’t mind jerk heroes, violence, sexual assault etc. There are quite a few scenes in the beginning that I think would put off a large number of people. But I was intrigued with Rolfe, I found his mercy and care for other’s a nice change after reading Deveraux’s heroes that I found mostly unforgiveable. I think I could forgive Rolfe.
As the story goes on, yes Rolfe is a jerk. But, at the same time, I found Ceidre an utter jerk too. Between the two of them, they really put each other through hell. There’s a lot of things they both do that hurt each other, damages trust, but they are both bound by loyalties to others and it really is heartbreaking.
Overall this book is quite heartbreaking, angsty, and drama filled. There’s not a lot (or any) romance, light touches, and humor. It’s a heavy book so go in with that mindset.
I landed at 3 stars because there was some things about it I did enjoy. I wanted to keep reading for about ¾ of the book before getting frustrated with their treatment of each other. I really wondered how they were going to have their HEA and I can’t say I’m in love with the way it happened, but at the same time it also worked.
Random thoughts about specific events:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/sex scenes
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖📖📖 4 books
Feels: 🦋🦋 2 butterflies
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔💔 4 broken hearts
Sexual Tension: ⚡️⚡️ 2 lightnings
Romance: 💞💞 2 hearts
Sensuality: 💋💋 2 kisses
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑 2 peaches
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥🔥 3 fires
Hero Jerk Scale: 😠😠😠😠 4 mad faces
Heroine Jerk Scale: 😤😤😤 3 angry faces
Humor: 0
Ahhhh. This book….was intense! I asked for alpha hero and well Rolfe delivered on that. Rolfe the Relentless is commanding men under William. A conquering Norman, he takes over a Saxon town and is to marry Lady Alice to cement the bonds and bring peace to the people. He meets Ceidre and believes her to be Alice. Thus begins the power dynamic between Saxon and Norman and it is quite the ride to happiness ever after.
Give this a try if you want:
- Medieval time period – this takes place in 1069
- Norman hero, Saxon heroine
- Disability – the heroine is cursed with ‘the evil eye’ (amblyopia – or lazy eye), though it’s not a large part of the story
- You are okay with multiple content warnings, including cheating, violence and assault, and death.
- Moderate steam – there’s a lot of kisses and sex scenes in here, some being longer than others. Many are towards the end and they are not super descriptive. I found this book more explicit than Jude Deveraux’s sex so I settled at 3 steam.
- You are okay with a JERK HERO. He’s jealous, he’s commanding, he’s aggressive, but he also has his tender moments.
- Class differences – Rolfe is a lord and Ceidre is a bastard daughter
- Enemies to lovers – classic old school bodice ripper “I hate you until the very end where I love you” mentality.
I was really drawn in to the beginning of this book. I don’t mind old school. I don’t mind jerk heroes, violence, sexual assault etc. There are quite a few scenes in the beginning that I think would put off a large number of people. But I was intrigued with Rolfe, I found his mercy and care for other’s a nice change after reading Deveraux’s heroes that I found mostly unforgiveable. I think I could forgive Rolfe.
As the story goes on, yes Rolfe is a jerk. But, at the same time, I found Ceidre an utter jerk too. Between the two of them, they really put each other through hell. There’s a lot of things they both do that hurt each other, damages trust, but they are both bound by loyalties to others and it really is heartbreaking.
Overall this book is quite heartbreaking, angsty, and drama filled. There’s not a lot (or any) romance, light touches, and humor. It’s a heavy book so go in with that mindset.
I landed at 3 stars because there was some things about it I did enjoy. I wanted to keep reading for about ¾ of the book before getting frustrated with their treatment of each other. I really wondered how they were going to have their HEA and I can’t say I’m in love with the way it happened, but at the same time it also worked.
Random thoughts about specific events:
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/sex scenes
February 24, 2024
Holy $hit this was good! 🙈🔥👌
Political enemies in a historical setting is always a fun one! Be warned though, a lot of stuff happens there that would not work in a current setting. I'm talking about rape, infidelity and the whole "women must listen to men" schtick. But hey, the year was 1069, so I'm glad it wasn't PCed 😅
This was a great read, but reminded me so much of A Kingdom of Dreams, and the latter is better, so you know...4 'highly enjoyable' stars🙌❤
Political enemies in a historical setting is always a fun one! Be warned though, a lot of stuff happens there that would not work in a current setting. I'm talking about rape, infidelity and the whole "women must listen to men" schtick. But hey, the year was 1069, so I'm glad it wasn't PCed 😅
This was a great read, but reminded me so much of A Kingdom of Dreams, and the latter is better, so you know...4 'highly enjoyable' stars🙌❤
February 24, 2021
Basta yarim bıraktım ama sonra sıkıntıdan devam ettim🤦♀️konu çok güzel ama karakterler kurgu o kadar kötü ki 😤kitaptaki hiçbir karakteri sevmedim üstüne birde feminist damarımı kabarttı 😤
February 9, 2017
There are times when one comes across a book that has received many a bad review, and while one perfectly understands the case many of those reviews make against it, nevertheless, one cannot help but find it a compulsive read. Once in a while, along comes a historical romance that makes you love it, even despite of yourself, even while recognising its failures. 'The Conqueror' is one such book for me (perhaps the only one).
Part of the pleasure I derive from my many re-reads of it is due to the fact that this book could not have been written today. Or rather, it is derived from imagining how it would be like had it been written today. It would have been an utter bore, absolutely awful and without any of the pleasure Joyce's book generates. The Norman lord would have been kind and charitable to all; he would have never ever helped himself to the women around him (that part would have been assigned to the now customary caricature villain of the story); he would have asked for permission every time he wanted to speak to the heroine and he'd have apologised to her every time he raised his voice above a whisper or stood close to her, or 'undermined' her in any way; he would have constantly apologised for anything and everything connected to the heroine; he would most certainly have not married the legitimate daughter of another lord, as his king ordered him to do and as his time would have made it unthinkable to refuse his king; he would have never had any illegitimate issue (left, right and centre as our hero has) and if he perchance did, he would have been a very involved, loving father to them all; he would not have had the heroine married off to one of his men (and then promptly claimed 'le droit du Seigneur', as Joyce's delicious hero does), nor would he have had the heroine flogged in public (for freeing a prize prisoner -the heroine's half-brother) ordering the man administering the flogging, 'not to break skin'. Nor would we have been gifted with such a super-naughty scene of al fresco male masturbation, since even the sex scenes in historical romances, while explicit -more so than those in Joyce's book- are utterly devoid of delectation, following as they do 21st c. gender etiquette to the letter.
If you want everything in your historical romances to make sense plotwise then this is not for you, but if you want a historical romance that manages to give a more accurate picture of the relation between Norman lords and the conquered (it is still terribly idealised and prettified, worry not, but manages to avoid being completely false), if you want a hero who manages to convince as a Norman lord then you could do much worse than read this book. I personally enjoy this story and the hero enormously. I find the book scrumptiously titillating and erotic in a way that I don't more recent and more explicit (and I have nothing against explicit, au contraire) historical romances, and I like very much that the writer's contemporary voice while there it is neither terribly intrusive nor beats you over the head with a hammer.
Part of the pleasure I derive from my many re-reads of it is due to the fact that this book could not have been written today. Or rather, it is derived from imagining how it would be like had it been written today. It would have been an utter bore, absolutely awful and without any of the pleasure Joyce's book generates. The Norman lord would have been kind and charitable to all; he would have never ever helped himself to the women around him (that part would have been assigned to the now customary caricature villain of the story); he would have asked for permission every time he wanted to speak to the heroine and he'd have apologised to her every time he raised his voice above a whisper or stood close to her, or 'undermined' her in any way; he would have constantly apologised for anything and everything connected to the heroine; he would most certainly have not married the legitimate daughter of another lord, as his king ordered him to do and as his time would have made it unthinkable to refuse his king; he would have never had any illegitimate issue (left, right and centre as our hero has) and if he perchance did, he would have been a very involved, loving father to them all; he would not have had the heroine married off to one of his men (and then promptly claimed 'le droit du Seigneur', as Joyce's delicious hero does), nor would he have had the heroine flogged in public (for freeing a prize prisoner -the heroine's half-brother) ordering the man administering the flogging, 'not to break skin'. Nor would we have been gifted with such a super-naughty scene of al fresco male masturbation, since even the sex scenes in historical romances, while explicit -more so than those in Joyce's book- are utterly devoid of delectation, following as they do 21st c. gender etiquette to the letter.
If you want everything in your historical romances to make sense plotwise then this is not for you, but if you want a historical romance that manages to give a more accurate picture of the relation between Norman lords and the conquered (it is still terribly idealised and prettified, worry not, but manages to avoid being completely false), if you want a hero who manages to convince as a Norman lord then you could do much worse than read this book. I personally enjoy this story and the hero enormously. I find the book scrumptiously titillating and erotic in a way that I don't more recent and more explicit (and I have nothing against explicit, au contraire) historical romances, and I like very much that the writer's contemporary voice while there it is neither terribly intrusive nor beats you over the head with a hammer.
May 19, 2022
Reading yet again! I've decided that all the stars for this book are simply for the hero's insanity. I would never call his obsession romantic, it's really just pure insanity. The intensity of the book grabs me and I just cannot stop reading. The story itself is 2 star level, so don't read this for the plot, read for the banana hero!
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Third time reading....and I still love this book. Definitely has its moments that have me wanting to smack people around, but on the whole, this is a classic BR and I love it!
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Second time reading this book and it is still amazing! You cannot get anymore bodice-ripping and anymore un-pc than this book. Lots of controversial things going on in this book, so if offended easily...beware.
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Third time reading....and I still love this book. Definitely has its moments that have me wanting to smack people around, but on the whole, this is a classic BR and I love it!
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Second time reading this book and it is still amazing! You cannot get anymore bodice-ripping and anymore un-pc than this book. Lots of controversial things going on in this book, so if offended easily...beware.
March 21, 2021
I'm sorry but my idea of reading a romance is to fall in love. I read only the 1st 17 pages, and I hate the supposed "hero's" actions already. I then checked out others reviews, and saw, people like me hating this book because the hero is so unlikable. Bastards all over the place, cheating etc... ok this may have been the norm back then but I truly don't find reading about these things enjoyable. Therefore I am putting this one away. Not my thing.
I will from now on check the reviews more closely before I buy. Thank goodness I only paid .99 cents for it.
I will from now on check the reviews more closely before I buy. Thank goodness I only paid .99 cents for it.
March 14, 2014
I lingered between 4 & 5 stars because it's not that I don't have issues with this book. However, most of those issues are more cultural in nature than anything. You really have to try hard to put yourself into a world with an almost completely different set of moral standards and beliefs. And remember that RL, at the time, would have likely been even harsher than what Joyce shows us. Bottom line is, this is a page turner and I felt the love between Rolfe and Ciedre. A five* it will have to be (although if GR would let me, I'd remove a half star for Alice's sake).
This book has been reviewed many, many times so I'm not going to give a synopsis. I will ramble some about my misconceptions though.
I'm a fan of the bodice ripper, but had actually sworn off ever reading this classic of the genre due to one major plot point.
CHEATING! I absolutely hate cheating.
Anyway, if you want a book that contains many of the same plot points but doesn't "go there" when it comes to the more unpleasant aspects of medieval life, check out My Lord Conqueror by Samantha James. I actually liked the book, but the author definitely did pull her punches. The H is a Norman Conqueror, the h is the beautiful outcast by-blow of the dead Saxon Lord who everyone believes to be a witch. Her legit sister is even a vindictive, plotting b. However, the H never even considers marrying the legit sister. He just allows her to retain her position and live in the keep like she always has. Now that I think about it, that doesn't make a whole lot of political sense. BUT that and the fact he performs more of a forced seduction and less of a violent rape on the h is less likely to piss off/disturb readers. Some people just don't want such ugly things in their romance and I can dig it. To each his own.
This book has been reviewed many, many times so I'm not going to give a synopsis. I will ramble some about my misconceptions though.
I'm a fan of the bodice ripper, but had actually sworn off ever reading this classic of the genre due to one major plot point.
CHEATING! I absolutely hate cheating.
Anyway, if you want a book that contains many of the same plot points but doesn't "go there" when it comes to the more unpleasant aspects of medieval life, check out My Lord Conqueror by Samantha James. I actually liked the book, but the author definitely did pull her punches. The H is a Norman Conqueror, the h is the beautiful outcast by-blow of the dead Saxon Lord who everyone believes to be a witch. Her legit sister is even a vindictive, plotting b. However, the H never even considers marrying the legit sister. He just allows her to retain her position and live in the keep like she always has. Now that I think about it, that doesn't make a whole lot of political sense. BUT that and the fact he performs more of a forced seduction and less of a violent rape on the h is less likely to piss off/disturb readers. Some people just don't want such ugly things in their romance and I can dig it. To each his own.
September 22, 2021
This story kept me entertained. I like both H h. Though some parts of the story, I did not care for and put me off the H at times. While reading I did wonder how they would become a couple. But all work out in the end.
August 8, 2021
This is a bodice ripper romance with rape, adultery and cheating.
He cheats on the heroine with her sis. (When he’s mad at the h)
Cheats on the wife-sis- with the heroine.
He sleeps with them both, but he loves the h, whom he’s obsessed with.
At the end, he said the ilys and vowed fidelity when he always said he wouldn’t to any woman, but honestly, I didn’t believe that he would, since he broke his vow not to sleep with his wife’s sis-h.
Not safe.
He cheats on the heroine with her sis. (When he’s mad at the h)
Cheats on the wife-sis- with the heroine.
He sleeps with them both, but he loves the h, whom he’s obsessed with.
At the end, he said the ilys and vowed fidelity when he always said he wouldn’t to any woman, but honestly, I didn’t believe that he would, since he broke his vow not to sleep with his wife’s sis-h.
Not safe.
September 28, 2017
CNF @ pg 265 or 63 %.
I try not to leave rating for a book I don't finish, but I'm so disgusted with what I think is my very first TSTL hero in a historical romance.
He was William the Bastard's most able and trusted military commander and helped Will of Normandy conquer England (in this book, at any rate, if not for real).
Willie was a badass. I'd don't think it at all far-fetched to expect Wills' top guy to NOT be a whipped, pathetic, wussy sap for first 60% of the book when he doesn't even do anything with the h (I can't stand her) until AFTER 60%.
He looks ridiculous in front of his Knights mooning over the h when she keeps
This book is supposed to be a bodice ripper and probably is, but it’s a terrible example.
I try not to leave rating for a book I don't finish, but I'm so disgusted with what I think is my very first TSTL hero in a historical romance.
He was William the Bastard's most able and trusted military commander and helped Will of Normandy conquer England (in this book, at any rate, if not for real).
Willie was a badass. I'd don't think it at all far-fetched to expect Wills' top guy to NOT be a whipped, pathetic, wussy sap for first 60% of the book when he doesn't even do anything with the h (I can't stand her) until AFTER 60%.
He looks ridiculous in front of his Knights mooning over the h when she keeps
This book is supposed to be a bodice ripper and probably is, but it’s a terrible example.
May 19, 2010
Whewwwwww! This one is quite intense (to put it lightly)! I am ashamed that I enjoyed is as much as I did. It is a book that for all intents and purposes should've been thrown out.....It's going on my KEEPER shelf instead:)
Both the hero and heroine are married to other people. The hero attempts to rape the heroine the first time they meet, and then finally suceeds at this violent act on her wedding night....(to another man). There is plenty of rough language, violent battles, an evil step-sister, torture of the heroine, betrayal of the hero, and this is all by page 190! It is appalling how Rolfe treats Ceidre...he abuses her sexually from the first moment they meet and feels like he "owns" her...yuck. It is also appalling how Ceidre treats Rolfe...she betrays him given any chance and has little remorse until the end (even though she knows she is his Acheilles Heel). She uses his feelings for her against him...yuck.
Why on earth did I like this disturbing and horrific book?....Like the title says, it's my guilty pleasure.
Although Rolfe abuses Ceidre, he also protects her relentlessly. He stands up for her against everyone..her sister, his king, and his best-friend. He is absolutely obsessed with her safety and well-being. She is EVERYTHING to him and even though he knows it is wrong, he can't seem to stop himself from wanting her. I don't know, but there was something about his relentless pursuit of her, despite her betraying actions, that did something for me.
Ceidre was also very likeable. She was a devoted healer and I love that trait in a heroine. She had backbone and had Rolfe's head spinning throughout the entire book. I loved how she dealt with the powerful Rolfe even though I hated her constant betrayals.
This book isn't for everyone, but it worked for me. I like a passionate couple, and they don't get any more passionate than Rolfe and Ceidre!
Both the hero and heroine are married to other people. The hero attempts to rape the heroine the first time they meet, and then finally suceeds at this violent act on her wedding night....(to another man). There is plenty of rough language, violent battles, an evil step-sister, torture of the heroine, betrayal of the hero, and this is all by page 190! It is appalling how Rolfe treats Ceidre...he abuses her sexually from the first moment they meet and feels like he "owns" her...yuck. It is also appalling how Ceidre treats Rolfe...she betrays him given any chance and has little remorse until the end (even though she knows she is his Acheilles Heel). She uses his feelings for her against him...yuck.
Why on earth did I like this disturbing and horrific book?....Like the title says, it's my guilty pleasure.
Although Rolfe abuses Ceidre, he also protects her relentlessly. He stands up for her against everyone..her sister, his king, and his best-friend. He is absolutely obsessed with her safety and well-being. She is EVERYTHING to him and even though he knows it is wrong, he can't seem to stop himself from wanting her. I don't know, but there was something about his relentless pursuit of her, despite her betraying actions, that did something for me.
Ceidre was also very likeable. She was a devoted healer and I love that trait in a heroine. She had backbone and had Rolfe's head spinning throughout the entire book. I loved how she dealt with the powerful Rolfe even though I hated her constant betrayals.
This book isn't for everyone, but it worked for me. I like a passionate couple, and they don't get any more passionate than Rolfe and Ceidre!
January 1, 2019
The further we go back in time, the more creative license romance writers give themselves to indulge in every barbaric fantasy, it seems. Brenda Joyce’s The Conqueror is set during the Norman conquest of England, featuring Ceirde, the half-sister of Edwin and Morcar, two powerful Saxon lords rebelling against the Normans, and Roife de Warenne, a Norman lord, and one of William the Conqueror’s best fighters. Roife has come to claim Aelfgar, Edwin’s seat, and with it, the bride of Aelfgar, Cerise’s half-sister, Alice.
The Conqueror is a fun and proper bodice-ripper. Halfway through reading, I thought this is how I expected reading Bertice Small’s Skye O’Malley would be like. In Joyce’s version, inspired in no small part by Small, even droit du seigneur makes a fateful appearance.
The Conqueror doesn’t really have a plot beyond how to get the hero and heroine into vexing scenario #2536, but it sure was a lot of fun.
The Conqueror is a fun and proper bodice-ripper. Halfway through reading, I thought this is how I expected reading Bertice Small’s Skye O’Malley would be like. In Joyce’s version, inspired in no small part by Small, even droit du seigneur makes a fateful appearance.
The Conqueror doesn’t really have a plot beyond how to get the hero and heroine into vexing scenario #2536, but it sure was a lot of fun.
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March 30, 2022
Another one of my favourite books - can't believe I've never reviewed. RTC
August 4, 2023
The story starts with the hero trying to rape the heroine, and the only thing that stops him are not the cries of the heroine but the information that she is a relative of his enemy, so he would have serious problems if he carried out his intentions. This happens in the first chapter. And since I don't believe that a rapist is suitable material for a romantic hero, I decided that I can completely skip this book.
September 16, 2010
There were no good characters. No one had any qualities to admire or to enjoy reading about.
This is a melodrama of people hurting other people through stupidity, jealousy, cruelty, selfishness and insensitivity. This was not entertaining. I never smiled or had a pleasant feeling. My emotional reaction was “yuck.” I wanted it to be over. A few of the characters’ frustrating, unpleasant and unsympathetic actions are in Spoilers below.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Ceidre and Alice are half-sisters. Rolfe meets Ceidre and falls in lust with her immediately. He dislikes Alice but marries her for property reasons. Alice hates Ceidre out of jealousy and other reasons. Alice uses every chance she can to hurt Ceidre and three times nearly kills Ceidre. Alice creates false evidence that Ceidre is a spy so she could put Ceidre in a dungeon. Later, Ceidre stupidly tells Alice that Ceidre is going to have sex with Rolfe in order to spy for her brothers. Alice is happy because she plans to tell Rolfe that Ceidre admits to using sex with him for the purpose of spying. Why would Ceidre ever tell this to her enemy Alice?
Rolfe does a number of things that are not likeable, including the following. He arranges for his best friend (and one of his warriors) Guy to marry Ceidre, but Rolfe spends the wedding night with her, raping her. Later he orders her to come to his bedroom. He insults her and tells her that he prefers Alice for the night. Ceidre starts encouraging sex with Rolfe. Although they are married to others, Ceidre and Rolfe have sex frequently and fall in love with each other. However, Ceidre continues to act as a spy and warns Rolfe’s enemies of his actions. As a result, Rolfe’s men are ambushed, many die and Rolfe could have died. Ceidre stupidly claims she thought the enemy would flee from Rolfe’s advance instead of ambush him. I couldn’t take this merry-go-round of stupidity.
DATA:
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: eighteen. Setting: 1069 England. Copyright: 1990. Genre: historical romance.
This is a melodrama of people hurting other people through stupidity, jealousy, cruelty, selfishness and insensitivity. This was not entertaining. I never smiled or had a pleasant feeling. My emotional reaction was “yuck.” I wanted it to be over. A few of the characters’ frustrating, unpleasant and unsympathetic actions are in Spoilers below.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Ceidre and Alice are half-sisters. Rolfe meets Ceidre and falls in lust with her immediately. He dislikes Alice but marries her for property reasons. Alice hates Ceidre out of jealousy and other reasons. Alice uses every chance she can to hurt Ceidre and three times nearly kills Ceidre. Alice creates false evidence that Ceidre is a spy so she could put Ceidre in a dungeon. Later, Ceidre stupidly tells Alice that Ceidre is going to have sex with Rolfe in order to spy for her brothers. Alice is happy because she plans to tell Rolfe that Ceidre admits to using sex with him for the purpose of spying. Why would Ceidre ever tell this to her enemy Alice?
Rolfe does a number of things that are not likeable, including the following. He arranges for his best friend (and one of his warriors) Guy to marry Ceidre, but Rolfe spends the wedding night with her, raping her. Later he orders her to come to his bedroom. He insults her and tells her that he prefers Alice for the night. Ceidre starts encouraging sex with Rolfe. Although they are married to others, Ceidre and Rolfe have sex frequently and fall in love with each other. However, Ceidre continues to act as a spy and warns Rolfe’s enemies of his actions. As a result, Rolfe’s men are ambushed, many die and Rolfe could have died. Ceidre stupidly claims she thought the enemy would flee from Rolfe’s advance instead of ambush him. I couldn’t take this merry-go-round of stupidity.
DATA:
Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: eighteen. Setting: 1069 England. Copyright: 1990. Genre: historical romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 8, 2023
Feministlerin okumaması gereken kitaplar diye bir liste oluşturup birinci sıraya bunu koyacağım djdkfk
May 6, 2023
Typical bodice ripper old school, but not so cruel so I enjoyed it. It’s also good historical with reference to the war between Normans and saxons. Very well done.
The heroine is Saxon and she’s helping her rebel brothers, the hero is the Norman lord. He will marry her sister for dynastic reasons but he loves the heroine knowing she’s betraying him.
The heroine will be flogged, thrown into a dungeon, beaten, raped, and married to another man but eventually she betrays the hero becoming his mistress to spy on him for her brothers. A Mata Hari of olds, and a patriot. I loved her.
She actually almost has the hero killed and she definitely becomes his mistress to betray him. That I loved. Because he thought she sincerely cared for him, and was disappointed.
Besides the first time he has her flogged ( and well, she deserved it because she released his prisoners!) he was always the more besotted of the two, even if he acted like a beast sometimes. But this is old school good old bodice ripper for you!
He has sex with his wife twice only because he’s angry with the heroine and always thinking about her, so there’s cheating on the heroine and he cheats on his wife too because he has the heroine as his mistress, basically an incest.
But it’s ok because in the end he grovels. Well, I couldn’t expect more, since she was a traitor. She got off very easily.
Entertaining and very compelling, if you can get past the abuse and cheating.
The heroine is Saxon and she’s helping her rebel brothers, the hero is the Norman lord. He will marry her sister for dynastic reasons but he loves the heroine knowing she’s betraying him.
The heroine will be flogged, thrown into a dungeon, beaten, raped, and married to another man but eventually she betrays the hero becoming his mistress to spy on him for her brothers. A Mata Hari of olds, and a patriot. I loved her.
She actually almost has the hero killed and she definitely becomes his mistress to betray him. That I loved. Because he thought she sincerely cared for him, and was disappointed.
Besides the first time he has her flogged ( and well, she deserved it because she released his prisoners!) he was always the more besotted of the two, even if he acted like a beast sometimes. But this is old school good old bodice ripper for you!
He has sex with his wife twice only because he’s angry with the heroine and always thinking about her, so there’s cheating on the heroine and he cheats on his wife too because he has the heroine as his mistress, basically an incest.
But it’s ok because in the end he grovels. Well, I couldn’t expect more, since she was a traitor. She got off very easily.
Entertaining and very compelling, if you can get past the abuse and cheating.
March 19, 2019
Pues nada reseña breve.
Luchas entre sajones y normandos, batallas, brutalidad, humillaciones, deseo, conspiraciones, ingenuidad y hasta ternura es lo que podréis encontrar es sus páginas.
Rolfe conquista las tierras de la familia de Ceidre. El confundiéndola con una campesina intenta violarla pero se salva porque los aldeanos le dicen que es la hermana de sus enemigos, él cree que es su prometida. Ceidre para escapar de la violación hace creer a Rolfe que es su hermana Alice, con la que él está prometido.
Al llegar al castillo de ella, que han tomado las tropas de Rolfe, se da cuenta que la muchacha de la que se ha encaprichado no es su prometida sino su medio hermana, una muchacha a la que todos consideran una bruja.
A partir de aquí traiciones, deseo contenido y no tanto, bodas con quién se debe pero no con quién se quiere, derecho de pernada, violaciones, intentos de asesinato, sexo no tan forzado, conspiraciones... Vamos un culebrón de cuidado que a pesar de todo me ha mantenido bastante enganchada.
Luchas entre sajones y normandos, batallas, brutalidad, humillaciones, deseo, conspiraciones, ingenuidad y hasta ternura es lo que podréis encontrar es sus páginas.
Rolfe conquista las tierras de la familia de Ceidre. El confundiéndola con una campesina intenta violarla pero se salva porque los aldeanos le dicen que es la hermana de sus enemigos, él cree que es su prometida. Ceidre para escapar de la violación hace creer a Rolfe que es su hermana Alice, con la que él está prometido.
Al llegar al castillo de ella, que han tomado las tropas de Rolfe, se da cuenta que la muchacha de la que se ha encaprichado no es su prometida sino su medio hermana, una muchacha a la que todos consideran una bruja.
A partir de aquí traiciones, deseo contenido y no tanto, bodas con quién se debe pero no con quién se quiere, derecho de pernada, violaciones, intentos de asesinato, sexo no tan forzado, conspiraciones... Vamos un culebrón de cuidado que a pesar de todo me ha mantenido bastante enganchada.
January 15, 2022
There are 2 ways to take this book.
You can accept times were different, women had little choice in things so putting up with a man-whore type Hero and an innocent heroine who wants him but doesn't....sigh.
Or not.
The Hero is with others before his marriage to the heroine's sister, and after he eventually consummates his marriage to the other woman, in between toing and froing with the heroine.
Good job there were no STDs around in those days. 🙄
The heroine was torn between her desire for the enemy and her loyalty to her brothers, I really just felt she should have left.
But obviously in those days things weren't like today for women.
HEA.
You can accept times were different, women had little choice in things so putting up with a man-whore type Hero and an innocent heroine who wants him but doesn't....sigh.
Or not.
The Hero is with others before his marriage to the heroine's sister, and after he eventually consummates his marriage to the other woman, in between toing and froing with the heroine.
Good job there were no STDs around in those days. 🙄
The heroine was torn between her desire for the enemy and her loyalty to her brothers, I really just felt she should have left.
But obviously in those days things weren't like today for women.
HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 23, 2018
Aranan tarihi-aşk romanı bulundu! Herkese duyurulur.
Tek kelimeyle bayıldım. O tarihi sonuna kadar bana hissettiren, aynı zamanda buram buram aşkı da yaşatan kitabı an itibariyle buldum.
Benim için Historical denince bundan sonra listenin en başında tabii ki Brenda Joyce olacak.
Aradığımı bulmanın huzuru var üzerimde. Kitaba başlarken aslında ya çok seveceğimi ya da ciddi anlamda sevmeyeceğimi biliyordum. Arası olmayacaktı yani. Şükür ki çok fazla sevdim.
Kitap tam bir ortaçağ romanı. 1070 yılında geçiyor ve o zamanın tüm kötü taraflarını da yazmış yazar. Aklınızın alabileceği tüm barbarlıklar mevcut. Ama zaten beklediğim de buydu. Yani 1070 yılında bana romantizmden dökülen adamlar yazsaydı büyük ihtimalle beğenmezdim.
Kadına verilen değerin ne kadar az olduğunu okuyunca yüreğim burkulmadı değil, hatta bir tarafım çok da sinirlendi ama kendi kendime sürekli 1070’den bahsediyorlar Tuğba ne bekliyorsun deyip durdum. İşin aslı yazar harikalar yaratmış.
Kitap hem akıcı hem de kendini dehşet derece hızlı okutuyor. Ben bir gün gibi bir sürede bitirdim. Elimden bırakamadım ve tüm gece okudum.
Şimdi bir şey demek istiyorum. O kapak nedir? Adamın sarışın olması, mavi gözlü olmasını okuyoruz. Kadın desen bal rengi saçları var. E hani nerede? Bu kadar alakasız bir kapak olamaz herhâlde. Hiç beğenmedim. Ama beğenmediğim tek şey sadece kapak.
De Warenne Dynasty serisinin ilk kitabı son derece başarılı bir şekilde başlamış oldu. Bu arada Historical okumak istediğimde sanırım bu yazardan devam edeceğim.
Savaş sahneleri acayip canlıydı. Gözümde canlandı resmen. Aşk desem of o kadar imkânsız ama bir o kadar da güzeldi. Rolfe gibi bir adamın içinde verdiği o savaşı okumaktan inanılmaz zevk aldım. İşte dedim ya, 1070 yılında yaşayan bir adam böyle olur. Ceidre ise muazzam bir kadındı. Kusurlarına rağmen kusursuzluğuna bayıldım. O cesaretine hayran kaldım. Boş ve şımarık bir cesaret değildi.
Kısaca her şey muazzam güzellikteydi. Ben çok sevdim. Kesinlikle benim için tarihi-aşk romanı kavramını sonuna kadar değiştirdi. Okuduğum en başarı romandı.Çok başarılı, her şeyi içinde dolu dolu yaşatan bir ilk roman olmuş.
Tek kelimeyle bayıldım. O tarihi sonuna kadar bana hissettiren, aynı zamanda buram buram aşkı da yaşatan kitabı an itibariyle buldum.
Benim için Historical denince bundan sonra listenin en başında tabii ki Brenda Joyce olacak.
Aradığımı bulmanın huzuru var üzerimde. Kitaba başlarken aslında ya çok seveceğimi ya da ciddi anlamda sevmeyeceğimi biliyordum. Arası olmayacaktı yani. Şükür ki çok fazla sevdim.
Kitap tam bir ortaçağ romanı. 1070 yılında geçiyor ve o zamanın tüm kötü taraflarını da yazmış yazar. Aklınızın alabileceği tüm barbarlıklar mevcut. Ama zaten beklediğim de buydu. Yani 1070 yılında bana romantizmden dökülen adamlar yazsaydı büyük ihtimalle beğenmezdim.
Kadına verilen değerin ne kadar az olduğunu okuyunca yüreğim burkulmadı değil, hatta bir tarafım çok da sinirlendi ama kendi kendime sürekli 1070’den bahsediyorlar Tuğba ne bekliyorsun deyip durdum. İşin aslı yazar harikalar yaratmış.
Kitap hem akıcı hem de kendini dehşet derece hızlı okutuyor. Ben bir gün gibi bir sürede bitirdim. Elimden bırakamadım ve tüm gece okudum.
Şimdi bir şey demek istiyorum. O kapak nedir? Adamın sarışın olması, mavi gözlü olmasını okuyoruz. Kadın desen bal rengi saçları var. E hani nerede? Bu kadar alakasız bir kapak olamaz herhâlde. Hiç beğenmedim. Ama beğenmediğim tek şey sadece kapak.
De Warenne Dynasty serisinin ilk kitabı son derece başarılı bir şekilde başlamış oldu. Bu arada Historical okumak istediğimde sanırım bu yazardan devam edeceğim.
Savaş sahneleri acayip canlıydı. Gözümde canlandı resmen. Aşk desem of o kadar imkânsız ama bir o kadar da güzeldi. Rolfe gibi bir adamın içinde verdiği o savaşı okumaktan inanılmaz zevk aldım. İşte dedim ya, 1070 yılında yaşayan bir adam böyle olur. Ceidre ise muazzam bir kadındı. Kusurlarına rağmen kusursuzluğuna bayıldım. O cesaretine hayran kaldım. Boş ve şımarık bir cesaret değildi.
Kısaca her şey muazzam güzellikteydi. Ben çok sevdim. Kesinlikle benim için tarihi-aşk romanı kavramını sonuna kadar değiştirdi. Okuduğum en başarı romandı.Çok başarılı, her şeyi içinde dolu dolu yaşatan bir ilk roman olmuş.
August 20, 2020
Content warning!
Non-consensual scenes abound in this one, starting from chapter one.
It’s a risk you take when reading books published during this time but I still had hope for this enemies-to-lovers romance. Unfortunately, the story almost doubles down on how far is too far and pushes both characters to the limits. How many betrayals does it take before the hero or heroine washes their hands of the relationship?
I was extremely frustrated with both Ceidre and Rolfe. There was almost no desire for compromise or understanding the others’ perspectives. Loyalty is the only thing that mattered even if it was misplaced. One of my biggest complaints was that Ceidre continually trusted her evil sister, Alice, knowing that Alive hated her and would do anything to see her severely punished or even dead. How thick can you be?! Tons of lust, little true romance.
Watch my review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayJV...
Non-consensual scenes abound in this one, starting from chapter one.
It’s a risk you take when reading books published during this time but I still had hope for this enemies-to-lovers romance. Unfortunately, the story almost doubles down on how far is too far and pushes both characters to the limits. How many betrayals does it take before the hero or heroine washes their hands of the relationship?
I was extremely frustrated with both Ceidre and Rolfe. There was almost no desire for compromise or understanding the others’ perspectives. Loyalty is the only thing that mattered even if it was misplaced. One of my biggest complaints was that Ceidre continually trusted her evil sister, Alice, knowing that Alive hated her and would do anything to see her severely punished or even dead. How thick can you be?! Tons of lust, little true romance.
Watch my review here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kayJV...
April 8, 2010
After reading all the controversy about this book and other Historical Romance written in the late 1980's and early 90's I recently re-read this novel. This is a great read and gives the reader a glimpse of the harsh and sometimes cruel life, lived by most people of that time period. This novel takes place right after the Norman conquest of England in the 11th Century. The story gives the reader the feeling of chaos and danger in a time of great upheaval. Men and women both had to be tough to survive. Times sure have changed, most people living today in the US have no concept of the past and are unable to relate to life beyond the present. Those who constantly revise the past to meet their own 21st Century sensibilities need to stick with Chic Lit.
May 31, 2018
It is what it is 1059.......Three cheers to 2018, ladies, lol!
In all honesty, this is a well researched, Alpha, war driven historical, with a spunky and brave heroine. It’s the way it was. We had zero rights and I take these stories or aka bodice rippers for what they are, and 1059 sounds romantic, but it wasn’t. It was harsh. It was survival. Food, bathing, sickness, births, marriage, fidelity, all of it, rough stuff.
Women nobility were pawns, serfs were often lemans and slaves. Mistresses, common.
For the mere fact that hearts and roses and romance clearly wasn’t the most important thing on men’s minds in this time people, it’s a good story with a good epilogue.
By no means though, for reasons stated above is this a safe book.....lil FYI. :)
Recommend.
In all honesty, this is a well researched, Alpha, war driven historical, with a spunky and brave heroine. It’s the way it was. We had zero rights and I take these stories or aka bodice rippers for what they are, and 1059 sounds romantic, but it wasn’t. It was harsh. It was survival. Food, bathing, sickness, births, marriage, fidelity, all of it, rough stuff.
Women nobility were pawns, serfs were often lemans and slaves. Mistresses, common.
For the mere fact that hearts and roses and romance clearly wasn’t the most important thing on men’s minds in this time people, it’s a good story with a good epilogue.
By no means though, for reasons stated above is this a safe book.....lil FYI. :)
Recommend.
February 22, 2024
19/12/2017 | Kitap 1069 yılının İngilteresinde yani Normanların İngiltere işgali döneminde geçiyor. Ceidre sakson, Rolfe da norman. Bu serinin tamamı için geçerli ama ilk kitap özellikle günümüz kadınları için mide bulandırıcı. Fakat dönemin gerçekliğine uyduğunu düşünüyorum. Hatta Avrupa'nın barbarlığını düşünürsek, kıyasla bu haliyle bile yumuşatılmış.
December 23, 2021
I can't believe my review as disappear 😪
Definitely not the type of HR that we are used to...
Raw, hard... just like the medieval period. Despite being hard to read some of the happenings in this book we know this was the reality for those times and the reality of so much women through the centuries...
Rape, fights and murder and everything in between was usual in the medieval period, specially in war times and we surely shouldn't see the past through the present eyes and if a HR is accurate it doesn't try to do that!
Sure, Rolfe was a beast and Ceidre was trying to live the life she could torn between hate, love, obligation, treason, trust etc. Despite all the hardness of the book the author take us through a meaningful and very intense love story, maybe a possible one but surely not a common in those times...
I liked the "author's note" in the end of the book showing what has historical accurate and not, just like a good historical romance should be.
Definitely not the type of HR that we are used to...
Raw, hard... just like the medieval period. Despite being hard to read some of the happenings in this book we know this was the reality for those times and the reality of so much women through the centuries...
Rape, fights and murder and everything in between was usual in the medieval period, specially in war times and we surely shouldn't see the past through the present eyes and if a HR is accurate it doesn't try to do that!
Sure, Rolfe was a beast and Ceidre was trying to live the life she could torn between hate, love, obligation, treason, trust etc. Despite all the hardness of the book the author take us through a meaningful and very intense love story, maybe a possible one but surely not a common in those times...
I liked the "author's note" in the end of the book showing what has historical accurate and not, just like a good historical romance should be.
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