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mel2's review against another edition
3.0
It's not exactly romantic, but I liked it for what it was!
I think I'm just a glutton for cheating and I need like real spiritual help for enjoying this.
Book needed pruning, the villainizing Alice and all cheating stuff was overdone.
CW: rape, misogyny, death, cheating, etc.
I think I'm just a glutton for cheating and I need like real spiritual help for enjoying this.
Book needed pruning, the villainizing Alice and all cheating stuff was overdone.
CW: rape, misogyny, death, cheating, etc.
codalion's review against another edition
2.0
This book is bananas, b-a-n-a-n-a-s. And it’s profoundly awful, but I feel like one star is reserved for things I struggled to finish, and this dragged me along like some kind of horribly mesmerizing tugboat.
For starters, it’s an old school bodice ripper in the vein of The Wolf and the Dove, but more sexually explicit and more brutally rapey, if that’s even possible: and yes, it is possible. It is basically one long violent rape fantasy in the guise of a Stockholm love story, no holds barred. It makes all the creepy sexist FSoG dubcon look incredibly tame; that’s the history of the romance genre for you! That all being said, it’s also unintentionally funny a lot of the time, so at least there’s that?
For starters, it’s an old school bodice ripper in the vein of The Wolf and the Dove, but more sexually explicit and more brutally rapey, if that’s even possible: and yes, it is possible. It is basically one long violent rape fantasy in the guise of a Stockholm love story, no holds barred. It makes all the creepy sexist FSoG dubcon look incredibly tame; that’s the history of the romance genre for you! That all being said, it’s also unintentionally funny a lot of the time, so at least there’s that?
izziede's review against another edition
3.0
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.
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.
chels_ebooks's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.5
"They don't call me Rolfe the Relentless for nothing."
Starts so strong! Bodice rippers published in the 90s are so different from the earlier works. The biggest difference I've noticed is that the hero (villain) is a bit more toothless. Less frightening, less overtly evil, and because of that the violence that the hero commits is justified by the book, rather than being a cause for revulsion.
This is a "we are on opposite sides of the war" romance between Rolfe the Relentless, a Norman conqueror, and Ceidre, a Saxon. He tries to rape her almost immediately, but it's an event that is told through his perspective through almost a comedic lense. That tone made this a weird reading experience for me. It's not quite funny enough to make me want to laugh (aside from the quoted line above), but it's definitely not scary or very honest about the cause and effect of sexual violence.
What really tanked this for me was Alice, Ceidre's sister. Rolfe marries Alice because she's legitimate and Ceidre is not, but he's so clearly carrying a torch for Ceidre that Alice retaliates. Brenda Joyce doesn't seem to care that Alice is also a victim, and she villainizes Alice in ways that are frankly quite cruel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Domestic abuse, Rape, and Violence
kimchikingreads's review against another edition
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
OVERALL 5 STARS
Writing: 5 Stars
Story line: 5 Stars
Steam: 4.5 Stars
Hero: 4.5 Stars
Heroine: 4.5 Stars
OPINION OVERVIEW
I know many people are screaming the C and R word and saying this book is a trash, but I beg to differ. While I consciously avoid cheating in my books, I have to say The Conqueror safely made it to my exception list.
I think we have to first understand the backdrop of this book is set in the 1800s, where nobility, status and gender mattered, a lot. Next, let's remember that free will and even owning a human being (slavery) were not that uncommon in that era. With that, this book actually makes sense and it made the romance even more endearing. I mean in that era, a nobleman doesn't even need to marry the women he impregnated (since he is of noble status?) and simply just leave them behind without a thought. So imagine how real the romance must be for H to want to be with h and not just for the bang.
Some may think H is a cheating bastard{but it was never his choice to marry other woman. In fact, he wants to marry h but he couldn't defy the King's order} . Is it wrong for him to cheat with h when he is married - yes. But is it wrong to want to be with the woman he truly loves - not really. I feel for them as they love one another but are forced apart by the circumstances where they do not have the free will to choose for themselves. Also, it doesn't help that H's wife doesn't love him at all.
As for the non-con sex, I find it to be dub-con at best since it is obvious h has feelings (some may argued it's only lust) for H as well. Though I think it is not uncommon for men, especially noblemen, to take what they want in that era{H mentioned it is not unusual for lords to marry one and take another for mistress and admitted his intention of raping h when he thought she was just a commoner} and while it doesn't make it right, that was just the way of things in that time and it is accurately depicted in this book. I know some people think this means romanticizing rape, but let's be logical here. Is raping right? Does reading a book where the H rapes h and then fell in love mean that I want to be raped in real life and fall in love with my raper? No and hell no! I am able to clearly differentiate fiction from reality to know that while it is romance because H/h fell in love in spite of the rape in the book, obviously I do not approve of such actions in real life!
This is my first book by this author and also my first historical romance book. It has definitely made it to my best reads in 2021 list and I am looking forward to read more historical romance in the future.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF BOOK
Rolfe DeWarenne (H) is the second-in-command to King William, a Norman on his path to conquer Saxon cities. H is given lordship of a recently conquered Saxon city, Aelfgar, with an accompanying condition to marry the Lady of the city. On his way into the city, H chanced upon Ceidre (h), whom he initially mistook to be his intended bride (a.k.a. the Lady of Aelfgar), and was immediately smitten by her. When truth came to light, H had no choice but to obey the king's order and marry h's sister, Alice, who is the rightful Lady of Aelfgar. h initially hated H as he invaded and took their home, not to mention he was still after her brothers. She swore to help her brothers regain their home by spying on H as a mistress but as they spent more time together, the lines begin to blur and both of them are torn between love and loyalty.
This is a standalone book in a series.
THE GOOD
J/P Hero who loves and protects the heroine in his own way.
Strong heroine who is independent, kind and free-spirited.
Good writing with brilliant character development and amazing story building.
Scorching hot steamy scenes done delectably well.
THE BAD
Some usage of old English which needs some getting used to.
Story is based loosely on history so I can't help but think that if I had known the history, I might enjoy the book even more.
THE ENDING
Thank goodness the author gave the ending a HEA or I am so gonna pull my hair out! The epilogue gives a quick general summary of what happened to the MCs and wraps up the book nicely.
WILL I...
• Recommend this book? Yes
• Read the next book? Definitely yes!
SAFETY
• H (Hero): Rolfe of Warenne (aged 29){A Norman general who is used to taking whatever he wants but soon learns to love. He has 6 bastard children but never married until Alice.}
• h (heroine): Ceidre of Aelfgar (aged 22){A bastard child who is free-spirited, kind and fearless in defending their home. She has odd-eye and knows how to create potions so people refer to her as witch.}
• Steam level: High{The sexy scenes are very well written with heat and passion but without taking away the plot.}
• Descriptive sex: Yes
• Safe sex: No{I don't think contraception is even relevant in that era.}
• OM (Other Men)/OW (Other Women) drama: Yes{H is married to h's sister, Alice, and Alice tried to get rid of h in a few occasions.}
• Sexual acts with OM/OW: Yes{See Sex scenes with OM/OW}
• Sex scenes with OM/OW: Yes{h witnessed H had sex with a servant named Beth when they first met and H consummated his marriage with Alice (both on page).}
• Virgin: heroine only
• Insta-love: No{But it is insta-lust for H.}
• Push/Pull: Yes{H knew he was not allowed to have h since he was given the King's order to marry h's sister so he tried to resist their attraction initially; h tried to deny her feelings for H since he was the enemy and was still after her brothers. H also married h to his best friend, Guy, in an attempt to protect h.}
• Separation: No
• Angst: Low{H and h couldn't be together officially because of their roles and responsibilities.}
• Possible Triggers: Dub-con by H, Cheating{H is married to OW by King's order and h is married to OM by H's order, though h had a deal with her husband to be a marriage in name only.}
• Ending: HEA
• POV (Point Of View): Third person
DISCLAIMER
This IS NOT an ARC review.
*Legend:
ABO = Alpha-Beta-Omega / ARC = Advance Reader Copy / BJ = blow job / dub-con = dubious consent / FTB = Fade To Black / H = Hero / h = heroine / HEA = Happily Ever After / HFN = Happy For Now / J/P = Jealous/Possessive / MC = Main Characters / non-con = non-consensual / OM = Other Men / OW = Other Women / POV = Point Of View
Writing: 5 Stars
Story line: 5 Stars
Steam: 4.5 Stars
Hero: 4.5 Stars
Heroine: 4.5 Stars
OPINION OVERVIEW
I know many people are screaming the C and R word and saying this book is a trash, but I beg to differ. While I consciously avoid cheating in my books, I have to say The Conqueror safely made it to my exception list.
I think we have to first understand the backdrop of this book is set in the 1800s, where nobility, status and gender mattered, a lot. Next, let's remember that free will and even owning a human being (slavery) were not that uncommon in that era. With that, this book actually makes sense and it made the romance even more endearing. I mean in that era, a nobleman doesn't even need to marry the women he impregnated (since he is of noble status?) and simply just leave them behind without a thought. So imagine how real the romance must be for H to want to be with h and not just for the bang.
Some may think H is a cheating bastard
As for the non-con sex, I find it to be dub-con at best since it is obvious h has feelings (some may argued it's only lust) for H as well. Though I think it is not uncommon for men, especially noblemen, to take what they want in that era
This is my first book by this author and also my first historical romance book. It has definitely made it to my best reads in 2021 list and I am looking forward to read more historical romance in the future.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF BOOK
Rolfe DeWarenne (H) is the second-in-command to King William, a Norman on his path to conquer Saxon cities. H is given lordship of a recently conquered Saxon city, Aelfgar, with an accompanying condition to marry the Lady of the city. On his way into the city, H chanced upon Ceidre (h), whom he initially mistook to be his intended bride (a.k.a. the Lady of Aelfgar), and was immediately smitten by her. When truth came to light, H had no choice but to obey the king's order and marry h's sister, Alice, who is the rightful Lady of Aelfgar. h initially hated H as he invaded and took their home, not to mention he was still after her brothers. She swore to help her brothers regain their home by spying on H as a mistress but as they spent more time together, the lines begin to blur and both of them are torn between love and loyalty.
This is a standalone book in a series.
THE GOOD
J/P Hero who loves and protects the heroine in his own way.
Strong heroine who is independent, kind and free-spirited.
Good writing with brilliant character development and amazing story building.
Scorching hot steamy scenes done delectably well.
THE BAD
Some usage of old English which needs some getting used to.
Story is based loosely on history so I can't help but think that if I had known the history, I might enjoy the book even more.
THE ENDING
Thank goodness the author gave the ending a HEA or I am so gonna pull my hair out! The epilogue gives a quick general summary of what happened to the MCs and wraps up the book nicely.
WILL I...
• Recommend this book? Yes
• Read the next book? Definitely yes!
SAFETY
• H (Hero): Rolfe of Warenne (aged 29)
• h (heroine): Ceidre of Aelfgar (aged 22)
• Steam level: High
• Descriptive sex: Yes
• Safe sex: No
• OM (Other Men)/OW (Other Women) drama: Yes
• Sexual acts with OM/OW: Yes
• Sex scenes with OM/OW: Yes
• Virgin: heroine only
• Insta-love: No
• Push/Pull: Yes
• Separation: No
• Angst: Low
• Possible Triggers: Dub-con by H, Cheating
• Ending: HEA
• POV (Point Of View): Third person
DISCLAIMER
This IS NOT an ARC review.
*Legend:
ABO = Alpha-Beta-Omega / ARC = Advance Reader Copy / BJ = blow job / dub-con = dubious consent / FTB = Fade To Black / H = Hero / h = heroine / HEA = Happily Ever After / HFN = Happy For Now / J/P = Jealous/Possessive / MC = Main Characters / non-con = non-consensual / OM = Other Men / OW = Other Women / POV = Point Of View
Content Warnings
Graphic: Confinement, Infidelity, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Forced institutionalization, and War
digital_angel's review against another edition
5.0
Loved the book. I thoroughly enjoy an insanely enamored hero. Rohlf was completely besotted with Ceidre. I just couldn't understand the Heroine's steadfast loyalty to Aelfgar or its people most notably her evilly malicious half sister.
Things that left me incensed:
Once her brothers tried to "pimp her out" they became the bad guys IMHO. To send her in to do their dirty work even after she was whipped!
Ceidre was TSTL for telling Alice their brothers asked her to be Rohlf's mistress
The Hero did some pretty reprehensible things in this book but it's "make believe" so I enjoyed it immensely.
fleurette's review against another edition
1.0
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 did what he was about to do. This happens in the first chapter. And since I don't think that a rapist is a good material for a lover or a romance hero, I decided that I can totally give this book a miss.
devy_ka's review against another edition
1.0
The first time I read this book I was young and I loved it. I thought it was hot, sexy and about love. I read it twice in a raw and I put it on my best shelf. And many years later I choose to reread it...
And just after turning the last page, I put him in my fireplace and I watched him burn.
Because... WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ?!
I was chocked and disgusted by myself. How could I loved this book ? Ralph is a trash, a rapist, a guys who doesn't understand a simple no and Célia, wtf is wrong with you ? He rapes you multiple times, treats you like shit and you marry him ! WHAT THE HELL !
The book is fucked up on so many levels I don't know were to start...
When he spank her ? "The right of the first night" ? She is a virgin and he rapes her. I just... I don't want to talk about this awful book. I just hate myself so much for loving it when I was young...
And just after turning the last page, I put him in my fireplace and I watched him burn.
Because... WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT ?!
I was chocked and disgusted by myself. How could I loved this book ? Ralph is a trash, a rapist, a guys who doesn't understand a simple no and Célia, wtf is wrong with you ? He rapes you multiple times, treats you like shit and you marry him ! WHAT THE HELL !
The book is fucked up on so many levels I don't know were to start...
When he spank her ? "The right of the first night" ? She is a virgin and he rapes her. I just... I don't want to talk about this awful book. I just hate myself so much for loving it when I was young...
ladymacbethslibrary's review
1.0
1700-1800'lerde geçen historicalları daha çok sevdiğimi fark ettim:"