What do you think?
Rate this book
The Border Chronicles #3
The Captive Heart
From the New York Times bestselling author, the third passionate romance in the Border Chronicles series.
The year is 1461, and the winds of war rage across England, uprooting Alix Givet, the daughter of Queen Margaret's physician, and the rest of Henry VI's court. Alix's plight becomes bleaker still when, out of duty to her queen, and to her ill, widowed father, she's locked into a loveless marriage to a cruel Northumbrian. But when her luck changes, Alix has another chance to flee, this time to save herself. Escaping north over the border into Scotland, she throws herself at the mercy of a dark and brooding laird who might provide the everlasting love of her dreams - if she can warm his cold heart.
The year is 1461, and the winds of war rage across England, uprooting Alix Givet, the daughter of Queen Margaret's physician, and the rest of Henry VI's court. Alix's plight becomes bleaker still when, out of duty to her queen, and to her ill, widowed father, she's locked into a loveless marriage to a cruel Northumbrian. But when her luck changes, Alix has another chance to flee, this time to save herself. Escaping north over the border into Scotland, she throws herself at the mercy of a dark and brooding laird who might provide the everlasting love of her dreams - if she can warm his cold heart.
403 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2008
About the author
Bertrice Small
134 books1,068 followersBertrice Williams was born on December 9, 1937 in Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA, the daughter of Doris S. and David R. Williams, both broadcasters. She studied at Attended Western College for Women and Katharine Gibbs Secretarial School. On October 5, 1963, she married George Sumner Small, a photographer and designer with a History Major at Princeton. They had a son Thomas David. She lived on eastern Long Island for over 30 years. Her greatest passions were her family; Finnegan and Sylvester, the family cats; Nicki, the elderly cockatiel who whistles the NY Mets charge call; her garden; her work, and just life in general.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
Published since 1947, Bertrice Small was the author of over 50 romance novels. A New York Times bestselling author, she had also appeared on other best-seller lists including Publishers Weekly, USA Today, and the L.A. Times. She was the recipient of numerous awards including Career Achievement for Historical Romance; Best Historical Romance; Outstanding Historical Romance Series; Career Achievement for Historical Fantasy; a Golden Leaf from the New Jersey Romance Writers chapter of Romance Writers of America; an Author of the Year (2006) and Big Apple Award from the New York City Romance Writers chapter of RWA, and several Reviewers Choice awards from Romantic Times. She had a "Silver Pen" from Affair De Coeur, and an Honorable Mention from The West Coast Review of Books. In 2004 she was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by ROMANTIC TIMES magazine for her contributions to the Historical Romance genre. And in 2008 she was named by ROMANTIC TIMES along with her friends Jennifer Blake, Roberta Gellis and Janelle Taylor, a Pioneer of Romance.
Bertrice Small was a member of The Authors Guild, Romance Writers of America, PAN, and PASIC. She was also a member of RWA's Long Island chapter, L.I.R.W., and is its easternmost member on the North Fork of Eastern Long Island.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews
May 13, 2020
Not the Best in the Border Chronicles Series
I have become a fan of Bertrice Small and have enjoyed all the Border Chronicles but this is certainly the weakest of the series to my mind, and I have read all that are out. Frankly, since they are not really connected (except possibly the first two), I would just skip this one.
Here's the Border Chronicles series in order:
A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion
But for those of you considering The Captive Heart, I'll give you my review. The story begins on March 29, 1461 with the Battle of Towton in which the Lancasters were soundly defeated in a bloody encounter with the Yorkists. The Lancaster king, Henry VI of England, flees to Scotland along with his queen, Margaret of Anjou. Traveling with them was the queen’s physician and his daughter, Alix Givet.
In Northumbria, they lodge with a baron, Sir Udolf Watteson. When it appears that Alix’s father is not well enough to continue traveling, an arranged marriage of the 16-year-old Alix to the baron’s son is hastily arranged by the queen and Alix's father. But the son has a mistress he loves and resents the marriage and treats Alix horribly. When her husband takes his own life and his father the baron wants to take Alix as his wife, Alix flees to Scotland.
Much of the story concerns the baron’s continual pursuit of Alix. In Scotland and traveling on foot, Alix encounters an early snowstorm and takes refuge with some long-haired cattle. Half frozen, she is saved from death by the men of a handsome border laird, Malcolm Scott. Malcolm was betrayed by his first wife who, the story goes, was found dead on the moors after Malcolm killed her lover. Malcolm has a young 6-year-old daughter from that marriage who is charming and needs a mother. Alix offers to stay and teach the daughter to become a lady and Malcolm, who has no intention of remarrying, agrees. Soon Malcolm wants the beautiful Alix in his bed and takes her for his mistress. That's the basic set up for the story.
I liked the hero and heroine and the 6-year-old daughter with whom you will fall in love. The negatives for me in this story were three twisted individuals, including the baron and his son, and some weird pacing in the story. It was a bit slow in the middle and then at the end too much happened too fast and Alix's forgiveness of Malcolm's deception was too quick in coming. There was also some abusive sex by one of the twisted characters that I could have done without. All in all, I like Bertrice Small but I cannot recommend this one. I'm giving it 3 stars for the fact she still tells a story that will hold your interest.
I have become a fan of Bertrice Small and have enjoyed all the Border Chronicles but this is certainly the weakest of the series to my mind, and I have read all that are out. Frankly, since they are not really connected (except possibly the first two), I would just skip this one.
Here's the Border Chronicles series in order:
A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion
But for those of you considering The Captive Heart, I'll give you my review. The story begins on March 29, 1461 with the Battle of Towton in which the Lancasters were soundly defeated in a bloody encounter with the Yorkists. The Lancaster king, Henry VI of England, flees to Scotland along with his queen, Margaret of Anjou. Traveling with them was the queen’s physician and his daughter, Alix Givet.
In Northumbria, they lodge with a baron, Sir Udolf Watteson. When it appears that Alix’s father is not well enough to continue traveling, an arranged marriage of the 16-year-old Alix to the baron’s son is hastily arranged by the queen and Alix's father. But the son has a mistress he loves and resents the marriage and treats Alix horribly. When her husband takes his own life and his father the baron wants to take Alix as his wife, Alix flees to Scotland.
Much of the story concerns the baron’s continual pursuit of Alix. In Scotland and traveling on foot, Alix encounters an early snowstorm and takes refuge with some long-haired cattle. Half frozen, she is saved from death by the men of a handsome border laird, Malcolm Scott. Malcolm was betrayed by his first wife who, the story goes, was found dead on the moors after Malcolm killed her lover. Malcolm has a young 6-year-old daughter from that marriage who is charming and needs a mother. Alix offers to stay and teach the daughter to become a lady and Malcolm, who has no intention of remarrying, agrees. Soon Malcolm wants the beautiful Alix in his bed and takes her for his mistress. That's the basic set up for the story.
I liked the hero and heroine and the 6-year-old daughter with whom you will fall in love. The negatives for me in this story were three twisted individuals, including the baron and his son, and some weird pacing in the story. It was a bit slow in the middle and then at the end too much happened too fast and Alix's forgiveness of Malcolm's deception was too quick in coming. There was also some abusive sex by one of the twisted characters that I could have done without. All in all, I like Bertrice Small but I cannot recommend this one. I'm giving it 3 stars for the fact she still tells a story that will hold your interest.
November 25, 2011
I don't have a lot of experience reading Bertrice Small's romance novels. The only other one that I have read was "The Love Slave" when I was in middle school because my mother told me that I couldn't. And while her books always have plenty of sex scenes for the harlot within us all, I did not like "The Captive Heart". It took me quite a while to read because I put it down about half way through and a month went by where I had no desire to pick it back up, but it was keeping me from moving on to reading something else, so I finished it.
Now, I don't normally write about SPOILERS in my reviews, but I am going to make an exception with this book, because otherwise, I would have to be incredibly vague as to my reasoning why I didn't like it.
Main plot point, Alix is married to the cruel son of a baron that is spoken of in the blurb, the son is in love with the miller's daughter, so much that he has no care with Alix's body when he lays with her, how's that for a first time? Anyway, so the son's mistress dies in childbed with her child, son goes crazy with grief and commits suicide. Alix is like, "Yay! I'm free!" but then her father in law takes the idea into his head that he needs a new heir and Alix should be his new wife to beget him upon. She runs away while he gets a special dispensation from the Bishop.
Here's where one of my gripes comes in, Ms. Small writes out the entire story every time Alix has to explain why she ran away from the baron. It's written a little differently every time, but still, it's written out. That's about 6 pages of the novel I didn't have to read.
Back to the story, the laird that she runs to in Scotland, has a little daughter whom she becomes step mother to. They are all a big happy family, BUT because the laird didn't kill his adulterous wife like he had the right to, the little girl ends up getting killed at the end of the book with about 8 pages to what should have been the happy ending.
I was LIVID. Maybe because I am a newish mother, and anything about babies/kids lately has really irritated me lately, especially anything on the news relating to children being abused/neglected/killed. I do not like to watch the news. I like to read romance as an escape from that kind of stuff. I do not read romance novels to be depressed.
I cannot bring myself to give this book a good review. She's a talented writer and obviously spends time on her research for the time periods that she writes in and all that, but wasn't my style. Sorry about that.
Better luck next time around! Happy reading to you.
{This review is crossposted from my review blog:}
http://www.demureconnoisseur.blogspot...
Now, I don't normally write about SPOILERS in my reviews, but I am going to make an exception with this book, because otherwise, I would have to be incredibly vague as to my reasoning why I didn't like it.
Main plot point, Alix is married to the cruel son of a baron that is spoken of in the blurb, the son is in love with the miller's daughter, so much that he has no care with Alix's body when he lays with her, how's that for a first time? Anyway, so the son's mistress dies in childbed with her child, son goes crazy with grief and commits suicide. Alix is like, "Yay! I'm free!" but then her father in law takes the idea into his head that he needs a new heir and Alix should be his new wife to beget him upon. She runs away while he gets a special dispensation from the Bishop.
Here's where one of my gripes comes in, Ms. Small writes out the entire story every time Alix has to explain why she ran away from the baron. It's written a little differently every time, but still, it's written out. That's about 6 pages of the novel I didn't have to read.
Back to the story, the laird that she runs to in Scotland, has a little daughter whom she becomes step mother to. They are all a big happy family, BUT because the laird didn't kill his adulterous wife like he had the right to, the little girl ends up getting killed at the end of the book with about 8 pages to what should have been the happy ending.
I was LIVID. Maybe because I am a newish mother, and anything about babies/kids lately has really irritated me lately, especially anything on the news relating to children being abused/neglected/killed. I do not like to watch the news. I like to read romance as an escape from that kind of stuff. I do not read romance novels to be depressed.
I cannot bring myself to give this book a good review. She's a talented writer and obviously spends time on her research for the time periods that she writes in and all that, but wasn't my style. Sorry about that.
Better luck next time around! Happy reading to you.
{This review is crossposted from my review blog:}
http://www.demureconnoisseur.blogspot...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 15, 2014
The only reason I did not rate this book five stars is because I am highly upset at the ending of the novel. Without giving anything away too badly I will just say that a character was killed that I believe should have been spared. It was something I really didn't expect, and it made me incredibly sad. I felt that character could have gone on to make a fantastic other novel and so to see said character be killed was just horrific.
Other than that I loved the book. Bertrice Small is one of my favorite authors and continues to be so. I have read quite a few of her books and fell in love with them, and I cannot wait to read more. She never disappoints on keeping the reader captivated in the story and the characters become alive.
In this particular novel I loved Alex Givet. She accepted her fate when it was due, stood her ground in her beliefs, and was incredibly strong portrayed for a woman in those times. I love how she wasn't claimed to be beautiful above all even though some found her so it was clearly stated there were other's more beautiful than she. It seemed to make it less fabricated and more believable as I read. Easier to picture events playing out in my head.
Malcolm Scott, however, infuriated me more than once. So stubborn and allowing some to get away with more than a border lord should have in those days. Some of it inexcusable. There were many points in this novel I did not think he was aggressive enough for certain situations and do not know why he pondered on things so long before he took action. When you read the story you will know what I mean. While he did get things done in the end he is a character that seems to take too long to do them.
But all in all I would say this a juicy, fantastic read! I was kept at the edge of my seat many a times wondering what would happen next, how things would end up, etc. It's definitely a book that keeps you guessing and captivated up until the very last sentence. If your like me, a lover of historical fiction and romance, you will find yourself quickly invested in some of the characters. I felt as if I was right there watching it all unfold. I felt myself close to tears at some points, and holding my breath at others waiting to see what would come next.
Other than that I loved the book. Bertrice Small is one of my favorite authors and continues to be so. I have read quite a few of her books and fell in love with them, and I cannot wait to read more. She never disappoints on keeping the reader captivated in the story and the characters become alive.
In this particular novel I loved Alex Givet. She accepted her fate when it was due, stood her ground in her beliefs, and was incredibly strong portrayed for a woman in those times. I love how she wasn't claimed to be beautiful above all even though some found her so it was clearly stated there were other's more beautiful than she. It seemed to make it less fabricated and more believable as I read. Easier to picture events playing out in my head.
Malcolm Scott, however, infuriated me more than once. So stubborn and allowing some to get away with more than a border lord should have in those days. Some of it inexcusable. There were many points in this novel I did not think he was aggressive enough for certain situations and do not know why he pondered on things so long before he took action. When you read the story you will know what I mean. While he did get things done in the end he is a character that seems to take too long to do them.
But all in all I would say this a juicy, fantastic read! I was kept at the edge of my seat many a times wondering what would happen next, how things would end up, etc. It's definitely a book that keeps you guessing and captivated up until the very last sentence. If your like me, a lover of historical fiction and romance, you will find yourself quickly invested in some of the characters. I felt as if I was right there watching it all unfold. I felt myself close to tears at some points, and holding my breath at others waiting to see what would come next.
July 8, 2012
It started off as a really good historical romance, but the story could have ended about 75% of the way through the book. The end was weird and really hasty, like she was trying to finish quickly. Also a lot of repetition in the story. Also be warned, for mature audiences only!
July 19, 2015
Oh no, two Bertrice Small stinkers in a row! And this is from a normally very forgiving, fangirl of this author. But her border books have not really inspired me much, and this, The Captive Heart, was so-so as well, until a very poor ending ruined it completely.
We have the usual feisty, resilient Small heroine,Alix Givet, a fifteenth century young noble woman raised in the royal court of the Lancasters but who falls in dire straits as her masters become casualties of the War of the Roses, and she is orphaned. I had no problem whatsoever with her. Like all Small heroines, she was thrust into an untenable situation, with a psycho husband that was forced on her, and an even more psycho father in law who lusted after her, but she refused to meekly sit by and let herself be destroyed. The story picks up when she flees to Scotland, and ends up a child's governess to the Scottish laird there, Malcolm Scott. Once again, she is not rescued by him, although he does provide a roof for her. She takes matters into her own hands. She will work hard for him and in exchange, she will receive safety and respect. After her traumatic experience, she will never let a man have dominion over her again.
I wanted to like the brooding, mysterious, and charismatic Malcolm, and I initially did. He had a tortured past of his own yet managed to still be chivalrous, affectionate, and swoon-worthy, initially at least. His inevitable courtship of Alix was sweet, and I found myself rooting for them. But again, as usual, with Small's heroes, he ended up leaving a lot to be desired, keeping too many secrets, having one TSTL moment after another, and when the shit hit the fan, he was frustratingly slow to take action to rectify his mistakes.
The writing had some good moments albeit repetitive. Small has the habit of having her characters repeat, verbatim, the past plot points of the book, like a refresher, and it is very tedious to read through as well as insulting, since she obviously thinks she needs to hammer her points repeatedly lest her stupid reader get confused or develops amnesia in the middle of the story. This book does the repetitive rehashing to death.
Finally, while the book was okayish through most of it, the ending really left a bad taste in my mouth. Not only was it an OTT hot mess (think Jane Eyre meets Black Widow), introducing a last minute clownish villain,but it results in an unnecessary cruel and dismally manipulative death of a major character. Totally unnecessary and just gratuitous. To add insult to injury, Alix suddenly becomes a spineless nitwit who instantly forgives her husband's transgressions in order to wrap up the story without further ado. It came off as the author growing so discontented with her own story that she just wanted to abruptly cut it off. I needed a better resolution and I was sorely disappointed.
We have the usual feisty, resilient Small heroine,Alix Givet, a fifteenth century young noble woman raised in the royal court of the Lancasters but who falls in dire straits as her masters become casualties of the War of the Roses, and she is orphaned. I had no problem whatsoever with her. Like all Small heroines, she was thrust into an untenable situation, with a psycho husband that was forced on her, and an even more psycho father in law who lusted after her, but she refused to meekly sit by and let herself be destroyed. The story picks up when she flees to Scotland, and ends up a child's governess to the Scottish laird there, Malcolm Scott. Once again, she is not rescued by him, although he does provide a roof for her. She takes matters into her own hands. She will work hard for him and in exchange, she will receive safety and respect. After her traumatic experience, she will never let a man have dominion over her again.
I wanted to like the brooding, mysterious, and charismatic Malcolm, and I initially did. He had a tortured past of his own yet managed to still be chivalrous, affectionate, and swoon-worthy, initially at least. His inevitable courtship of Alix was sweet, and I found myself rooting for them. But again, as usual, with Small's heroes, he ended up leaving a lot to be desired, keeping too many secrets, having one TSTL moment after another, and when the shit hit the fan, he was frustratingly slow to take action to rectify his mistakes.
The writing had some good moments albeit repetitive. Small has the habit of having her characters repeat, verbatim, the past plot points of the book, like a refresher, and it is very tedious to read through as well as insulting, since she obviously thinks she needs to hammer her points repeatedly lest her stupid reader get confused or develops amnesia in the middle of the story. This book does the repetitive rehashing to death.
Finally, while the book was okayish through most of it, the ending really left a bad taste in my mouth. Not only was it an OTT hot mess (think Jane Eyre meets Black Widow), introducing a last minute clownish villain,but it results in an unnecessary cruel and dismally manipulative death of a major character. Totally unnecessary and just gratuitous. To add insult to injury, Alix suddenly becomes a spineless nitwit who instantly forgives her husband's transgressions in order to wrap up the story without further ado. It came off as the author growing so discontented with her own story that she just wanted to abruptly cut it off. I needed a better resolution and I was sorely disappointed.
March 13, 2012
Okay, I will say that one thing I really liked about this book was the descriptive writing. I also really enjoyed the history interlaced with the fiction. The beginning of the book is rather interesting and the romance is well-written as well as steamy, but halfway through things start to slow down and get rather boring. Then, when things do start moving once more one of the most innocent characters is killed off almost as a last minute thing and then their death isn't even mourned much. Basically the character dies and then everyone moves on a paragraph later. I'm sorry but the lack of compelling storyline and a shoe-horned in death with little recognition just made me not very fond of this book. I hope to find the other Bertrice Small books I have are better.
Oh yes, and the rape scene towards the end of the book - rather unnecessary in my opinion. It was very disturbing.
Oh yes, and the rape scene towards the end of the book - rather unnecessary in my opinion. It was very disturbing.
January 11, 2011
A disappointment largely because I'm not into historical romances that try to be just as historic as they are romantic. If the history adds something more than just mood & setting to the story, fine, but I do not need a detailed history of The War of the Roses and minutely accurate details of what life was like during that time. If you like that kind of thing and don't mind the rapeyness aspects of the secondary plots in Small's novels, then you should be fine.
July 15, 2018
A sucker for romance
Beatrice Small does it again☺ This book proved difficult to get involved with at first. Why? It takes the reader back to the reign of James I'm and explains the lineages of those families mentioned in the previous novels. I was confused at first but once I figured out what was happening, I was hard pressed to put the book down!
Beatrice Small does it again☺ This book proved difficult to get involved with at first. Why? It takes the reader back to the reign of James I'm and explains the lineages of those families mentioned in the previous novels. I was confused at first but once I figured out what was happening, I was hard pressed to put the book down!
May 20, 2011
This one was hard to rate. I loved it right up until the end. Great story, good writing from Small, as always. This is not really a HEA, and I hated the end.
June 1, 2015
Drawn Out. This book could have been good if she had only just ended it like half way through. I didn't even finish it, I was so bored and tired of her drawing out their lives with so many things in a row that I just read the last two pages and put the book down.
December 14, 2009
Story, great. Characters, wonderful. Random scenes with crude language and semi-graphic violent sex, YUCK.
October 13, 2011
Really disappointed in how the ending turned out. They could have really done away with that whole ending totally.
January 7, 2021
by and1515
The battle was over and all was lost there was nothing else but to try and run for cover somewhere anywhere and hope they are not discovered.
Alix knew her father was unwell and he was slowly slipping away with few options she made a devil's bargain.
And nearly regretted it every day since. Her husband was an immature boy for all his age whom ignore her most days and was harsh most nights.
In his final days her father did his best to protect her the only way he knew how... For he never wanted her to be trapped when he was gone.
However her husband went completely mad with grief and had to be pushed before he would listen to any reason.
Alix shouldn't have allowed herself to be swayed by others she should have stayed away.
But now she didn't have to stay with her husband's death she could leave for she wouldn't be used by anyone else.
Not trusting her father-in-law to listen to her wishes when she said no and no repeatedly so with out or any other options she packed what few items she could and she quietly left.
The weather was her enemy now but she had no choice but to keep going.
Malcolm couldn't believe the lass his men found out among his cattle. She was a beautiful lass and those were the kind trouble always followed.
Alix had been lost to the sickness for many days before she finally regained her senses.
Finally she shared her life tale and how her parents came to England from Anjou to how she recently became a widow.
She made herself very valuable to Malcolm's household because there was no one who could teach his young daughter the lessons she would need as a wife.
But then she noticed the way Malcolm quietly watched her and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to be either a wife or even his lover especially not after the marriage she'd endured.
Alix would soon learn that bed sporting with the right partner was more then okay it was down right
enjoyable.
And eventually Malcolm's feelings about marrying again began to change and when they finally became man and wife he'd never been happier.
Until her retched father-in-law from her first marriage tried to ruin their lives by having her snatched from her family.
The man was clearly insane and his mental capacity was slipping even more and the came the day she finally received her greatest wish and that was to go home.
There lives would continue to be impacted by her past until there were people willing to find the truth.
However just when everything was back on track a horrible tragedy nearly divides them.
But Malcolm wasn't willing to stop fighting he had no intentions of ever giving up.
The battle was over and all was lost there was nothing else but to try and run for cover somewhere anywhere and hope they are not discovered.
Alix knew her father was unwell and he was slowly slipping away with few options she made a devil's bargain.
And nearly regretted it every day since. Her husband was an immature boy for all his age whom ignore her most days and was harsh most nights.
In his final days her father did his best to protect her the only way he knew how... For he never wanted her to be trapped when he was gone.
However her husband went completely mad with grief and had to be pushed before he would listen to any reason.
Alix shouldn't have allowed herself to be swayed by others she should have stayed away.
But now she didn't have to stay with her husband's death she could leave for she wouldn't be used by anyone else.
Not trusting her father-in-law to listen to her wishes when she said no and no repeatedly so with out or any other options she packed what few items she could and she quietly left.
The weather was her enemy now but she had no choice but to keep going.
Malcolm couldn't believe the lass his men found out among his cattle. She was a beautiful lass and those were the kind trouble always followed.
Alix had been lost to the sickness for many days before she finally regained her senses.
Finally she shared her life tale and how her parents came to England from Anjou to how she recently became a widow.
She made herself very valuable to Malcolm's household because there was no one who could teach his young daughter the lessons she would need as a wife.
But then she noticed the way Malcolm quietly watched her and she wasn't sure she ever wanted to be either a wife or even his lover especially not after the marriage she'd endured.
Alix would soon learn that bed sporting with the right partner was more then okay it was down right
enjoyable.
And eventually Malcolm's feelings about marrying again began to change and when they finally became man and wife he'd never been happier.
Until her retched father-in-law from her first marriage tried to ruin their lives by having her snatched from her family.
The man was clearly insane and his mental capacity was slipping even more and the came the day she finally received her greatest wish and that was to go home.
There lives would continue to be impacted by her past until there were people willing to find the truth.
However just when everything was back on track a horrible tragedy nearly divides them.
But Malcolm wasn't willing to stop fighting he had no intentions of ever giving up.
April 24, 2022
(this is my first time writing a review, sorry if it's bad, but I felt like I need to write it).
*** MAJOR SPOILERS***
I believe this book could have been split in 2. It felt way too long. One problem was almost being settled and suddenly another came by. The Sir Udolf stuff felt never-ending and when it seemed like it finally was over ¡BAM! a worse problem appeared.
And finally when you think they are going to be happy... some one dies (an unnecessary death because it doesn't add anything to the plot) AND THEY NAME A CHILD AFTER THE PERSON DEAD (it just felt really weird).
AND! the book should have like a TW for sexual abuse (at the beginning and at the end).
But in the end is not a bad bad book, it just had somethings that I didn't absolutely enjoy.
*** MAJOR SPOILERS***
I believe this book could have been split in 2. It felt way too long. One problem was almost being settled and suddenly another came by. The Sir Udolf stuff felt never-ending and when it seemed like it finally was over ¡BAM! a worse problem appeared.
And finally when you think they are going to be happy... some one dies (an unnecessary death because it doesn't add anything to the plot) AND THEY NAME A CHILD AFTER THE PERSON DEAD (it just felt really weird).
AND! the book should have like a TW for sexual abuse (at the beginning and at the end).
But in the end is not a bad bad book, it just had somethings that I didn't absolutely enjoy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 6, 2022
Good
Alix is the daughter to the King Henry physican. Upon leaving England in exile her godmother the queen makes her a marriage to Lord Udolf son. His son full of rage but love for his mistress mistreats Alix. Upon his death she flees and is found by Laird Colm men. With swearing off marriage since his first wife was cruel he been happy with just him and his daughter that is till Alix works his 2ay into his heart but both of their past catches up and ruins the happiness of their home. Good book
Alix is the daughter to the King Henry physican. Upon leaving England in exile her godmother the queen makes her a marriage to Lord Udolf son. His son full of rage but love for his mistress mistreats Alix. Upon his death she flees and is found by Laird Colm men. With swearing off marriage since his first wife was cruel he been happy with just him and his daughter that is till Alix works his 2ay into his heart but both of their past catches up and ruins the happiness of their home. Good book
March 31, 2020
Ugh... I struggled to get through this one. It was very choppy and jumped around a lot. It felt very rushed. There was no fluidity. And the ending... I just had to roll my eyes. It could have been a much better story. And again, a lot of the story was overshadowed by the author trying to prove how much of the history she knows. I believe she did great research, but it felt very bland and almost as if she was trying to fill the pages.
January 4, 2020
Wonderful book. Full of love and madness. Hayle and Robena are certifiably crazy to start out with. Sir Udolf becomes crazy with his obsession to possess Alix. Little Fiona just loves Alix from the very beginning. Children love easily when they know someone cares about them. Fiona’s father takes a little bit longer.
November 14, 2020
3.5 I like the story well enough but it seemed to drag and repeat itself unnecessarily. And of course the real villain had to be a lusty woman who get introduced almost at the end. And why did she take me precious Fiona.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2018
Extremely repetitive and lots of unnecessary details that did not add value to the story
August 18, 2018
Extremely repetitive and formulaic. Not Small’s best work, by far.
February 7, 2019
Liked this book. Lots of history which appeals to me.
February 15, 2019
Apart from the explicit scenes of which the language was somewhat crude now and then, the last chapter totally ruined the book for me.
April 4, 2019
I have read this book probably 3 times and it still never disappoints. Great writing and riveting storyline
Read
May 6, 2022Great read!
I enjoyed this book greatly, it was very entertaining a great variety of interesting story lines interspersed within it's many pages.
I enjoyed this book greatly, it was very entertaining a great variety of interesting story lines interspersed within it's many pages.
March 8, 2023
Too much madness and cruelty for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Shelved as 'wnr'
November 5, 2023Have two copies of this trade size.
September 7, 2011
I think I suffered from not knowing what I was getting into when I started reading this book. Bertrice Small writes legacies with lots of things happening to a single girl and her love while covering a large span of their lives. I read The Kadin after this, which was actually really really good, but still I find that I dislike this story. If not for anything but the beginning and the ending. And the fact that the author misses one of the basics when she says at one point that the MC's birthday is in April, then says at another point that it's in August. That literally left me frustrated and annoyed, where the rapes and deaths left me saddened. There should be some kind of trigger warning on this book for the brutal repeated rapes of a sixteen year old girl and the tragic, horrendous death of an eight year old, the only character in the book who rang true at all.
March 26, 2012
The sickly sweet language made me want to GAG and sex descriptions seemed more analytical than titillating. The history, which I wish had a more prominent role, is recounted in the beginning of the chapter and then the heavy romance takes over. A reminder that choosing a book by time period and setting does not necessarily indicate the book is worth reading. Also, the author recounts the plot frequently.
Graphic sex scenes could be used as a sex manual and the plot was predictable and highly repetitive. Bit of a twist at the end, but that seemed only a way of getting in a bit of bondage and sex as power/punishment. Not recommended.
Graphic sex scenes could be used as a sex manual and the plot was predictable and highly repetitive. Bit of a twist at the end, but that seemed only a way of getting in a bit of bondage and sex as power/punishment. Not recommended.
June 14, 2013
Set in 1460s on the English/Scottish border. This is the first novel I've read by this author. Disappointing. Not enough conflict to sustain the plot through the second half. Mostly relied on external conflict driven by insane adversaries who seemed unrealistic due to forced motivation. While the historical research seemed good and was sometimes interesting, the tangents into history detracted to much from the story. I was almost going to give it 2.5 stars, but the rape scenes and rushed conclusion that included the needless death of a child made for a unsatisfying ending, particularly for a romance novel that seemed pretty sparing in the "romance."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2014
Love the book. Love the series.
Love the story line, but my favourite part is the middle. Sometimes, I'll re-read the book but I start a few chapters in and only read to a certain end point.
A few good twists that make it a little unique from the other two in the series.
I have a love-hate relationships with the historical information added into the book. First time I read it, now I skip over it.
I did enjoy trying to link the date time line and try to see when this story would have happened in relation to the first two. (I'm not that into history)
Probably tied with the 2nd of the series for my favourite.
Love the story line, but my favourite part is the middle. Sometimes, I'll re-read the book but I start a few chapters in and only read to a certain end point.
A few good twists that make it a little unique from the other two in the series.
I have a love-hate relationships with the historical information added into the book. First time I read it, now I skip over it.
I did enjoy trying to link the date time line and try to see when this story would have happened in relation to the first two. (I'm not that into history)
Probably tied with the 2nd of the series for my favourite.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 63 reviews