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pammie823's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, and Sexual violence
Moderate: Misogyny, Racism, and Slavery
Minor: Fatphobia
xkat13's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
The classic love story of a beautiful-but-doesn't-know-it orphan running from an ugly old rapist into the arms of a handsome verile rich rapist who is forced to marry her and take her to his plantation full of black slaves.
Who IS she? Why are her breasts mentioned as often as her name? why doesn't she realize what a treasured beauty she is and hide away from all the jealous, fat, ugly people? Women hate her, men (at least four) want to rape her!
I press on because, curiosity. Thee bodice ripper. Surely I must understand why this is the book that launched a thousand spicy books. But I can't.
I kept trying to rewrite the moments in my mind. How can we take this"get in that bed or I'll force you to" and make it respectable? I can't. You'd have to throw out most of the plot.
The Bridgerton series has a story of a similar plot, but it was a misunderstanding that lead to a forced marriage to preserve honor. No actual harm done to anyone. I suppose you could exchange that for multiple rapes resulting in a pregnancy? 🤦🏻♀️
A series of baths, dress fittings, baths, and more baths follows. All the while,our hero denies his victim access to his body to punish her for the forced marriage.
After a few more rape attempts from other men,he finally professes that he wants her. He gives her an ultimatum-- either have loving relations with me, or I'll forcibly use your body to jerk off because boohoo, I'm suffering. Then he stomps off.
Fortunately when he returns, he doesn't have to rape her again. She's resolved that it is his right as her husband to touch her.
They go to poundtown without her kicking and screaming. She's into it! Great. Cool. But then she drops this line like, "why didn't you tell me it could be so good?"
UMM because initially he was ignoring your screams of "no" and raping you, 'member?
After everyone comes into their bedroom and says "congrats on the sex," he shoos her off to go tend to the baby they only have when it's useful for the plot. It drags on a bit, we get treated to a blackmail scheme, courtesy of an evil, murderous, rapist cripple. One more final attempt at rape.
There's a showdown, the hero gets shot and has crazy amounts of control over his body when she digs the bullet out with scissors.
Honestly, the writing quality is so good, I struggled to come up with a rating for this.
Who IS she? Why are her breasts mentioned as often as her name? why doesn't she realize what a treasured beauty she is and hide away from all the jealous, fat, ugly people? Women hate her, men (at least four) want to rape her!
I press on because, curiosity. Thee bodice ripper. Surely I must understand why this is the book that launched a thousand spicy books. But I can't.
I kept trying to rewrite the moments in my mind. How can we take this
The Bridgerton series has a story of a similar plot, but it was a misunderstanding that lead to a forced marriage to preserve honor. No actual harm done to anyone. I suppose you could exchange that for multiple rapes resulting in a pregnancy? 🤦🏻♀️
A series of baths, dress fittings, baths, and more baths follows. All the while,
After a few more rape attempts from other men,
Fortunately when he returns, he doesn't have to rape her again. She's resolved that it is his right as her husband to touch her.
They go to poundtown without her kicking and screaming. She's into it! Great. Cool. But then she drops this line like, "why didn't you tell me it could be so good?"
UMM because initially he was ignoring your screams of "no" and raping you, 'member?
Honestly, the writing quality is so good, I struggled to come up with a rating for this.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Rape
laura_vee's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism and Rape
fantomwriter's review against another edition
Unremorseful rapist who will "make the Heroine like it" by raping her again and again. And he is the Hero.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
janenx01's review against another edition
I was in a mood to reread historial romances from my high school days and I remembered enjoying this one back in 1981 but ooh man I had to DNF for rape in the first couple chapters. What were you thinking 16 year old me?
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape
reading_historical_romance's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Toxic relationship, Violence, Murder, Pregnancy, and Gaslighting
Minor: Body shaming, Confinement, Gun violence, Vomit, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
chloewakham's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Toxic relationship, and Pregnancy
erikajdea's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Rape and Murder
Extremely dated.kaadie's review against another edition
challenging
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
0.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Rape, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Minor: Racial slurs
nicolewhopickedthisbook's review against another edition
DNF at 50ish pages....
TW: rape
This is just one big ol’ YIKES! Male protagonist rapes the female protagonist when he mistakes her for a prostitute and when he finds out she’s in fact not a prostitute, he’s says well I’ll just set you up in a house and you’ll be my mistress and you’ll learn to like it...
What. In. The. Actual. Fuck.
There’s not enough groveling in the world to redeem this male protagonist
Summer Fling Prompt: Old School Historical
TW: rape
This is just one big ol’ YIKES! Male protagonist rapes the female protagonist when he mistakes her for a prostitute and when he finds out she’s in fact not a prostitute, he’s says well I’ll just set you up in a house and you’ll be my mistress and you’ll learn to like it...
What. In. The. Actual. Fuck.
There’s not enough groveling in the world to redeem this male protagonist
Summer Fling Prompt: Old School Historical
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual assault, Toxic relationship, and Kidnapping