Poor Elise Lesconflair! About to be married off to a fat German baron with lots o' money, she happens to swim in the nude as so many heroines do and gets herself raped by a wandering n'er-do-well who calls himself the Marquis de Pelessier. Family honor forces her to marry the man and her troubles only multiply from there. She finds out that the "Marquis" is really American Garth McClelland, who is always on a mission for his country when he's not seizing what he wants for himself. But, you know, those heroines just can't leave the asshats behind and they are in each other's blood whether they like it or not. The adventure is on and never lets up.This is one of those old bodice rippers where the heroine is never given a break for hundreds of pages. Gang rape (and miscarriage) aboard a slave ship, framed for murder and sold into slavery by conniving enemies, continual rape by whoever gets their hands on her (including the "hero" McClelland), a near-hanging, a trial for murder, and branding. Her happier moments are spent pillaging ships at Jean Lafitte's side and being his mistress. In a book of jaw-dropping troglodytes, cads and weasles, he was the only true gentleman.I'm sure I forgot a few things - after awhile, there was so much thrown at Elise that I lost track. Absurd hilarity, but in an enjoyable way. The coincidences and convenient plot thread convergences are ridiculous to the extreme. It was so amateurish and read like it was tossed off in a weekend that it was almost admirable - sort of like an Ed Wood movie.This book review has been provided by the No Book Left Behind Campaign! A Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous group initiative to review the un-reviewed!
So this book is as old as I am. Really.For years, when I have talked about reading, my mother has brought up this book as if it was the only book she ever read. Finally, I promised that I would read it... and was able to obtain a copy. The story is about a privileged woman, who after being raped, was forced into marriage with the man who did it - after a traumatic sea voyage, she tries to make a life for herself in America, but faces hardship after hardship which she must overcome.What I discovered was that this book is an enigma to me.I didn't find either "main" character particularly likeable. Elise was spoiled and bratty, then after being tormented as she was, she could still only muster hostility toward this man that she supposedly loved. Garth was an abusive, jealous, untrusting monster.Other than my dismay over the main characters (I mean, why did I care what happened to them?? Except I totally DID!) I felt that the ending was abrupt. It felt more like an epilogue than a "next chapter."In spite of that, I could not read it fast enough. It was stressful, upsetting at times, and action-packed. As it was a historical novel, it obviously held up nearly 37 years after being published. I actually really liked the pirates (the good ones).I equate it to Bertrice Small's (well most of her books, but mainly) Skye O'Malley series. They even have a similar beginning.I think that if you like books of overcoming adversity and finding personal strength, you'd like this. I think if you like adventure-y romances, you'd like this. It's also good for fans of historical romances.
Do You like book Savage Surrender (1977)?
First of all, I really liked this book. It was so over the top LOL funny in some spots. Oh the drama of the heroine, Elise, throughout the book never stops. On pages 343-344, the MIL had cut up the dress she was to wear to the ball, so in response she wears a sheer flimsy black nightie and sticks roses in her cleavage. The Hero isn't really much of one and he along with many other unsavory characters rape her. In fact, Elise is raped more times in this book than any other book I have ever read i
—Lorelle
Wow! I just couldn't put this book down. I was so addicted to finding out what would happen to the poor girl next and was fathomed at how much actually DID end up happening. Her never ending love for a man that I couldn't stand reading about drove me nuts everytime he popped up and used her time and again. I would def. recommend this book if your looking for something a bit different from the normal romance books. This one has so many twist and turns that you just cant believe what your reading! Hope you enjoy it!
—Nia
