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A review by literaryhaylee
The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce
adventurous
challenging
dark
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
4.5
This is probably the slowest of the bodice ripper romances I have read recently and by that I mean the bodice ripper element doesn't occur until about 60% (I can't exactly remember when, but I know it wasn't before the halfway mark).
War between William the Conqueror (Rolfe is his best leader/fighter), a Norman and I can't remember ???
Rolfe is given the Lady of the land they conquered to marry from William himself as a prize and a way to secure their stay. However, the first woman he meets who claims she is Alice is not about it. Insert spying and the enemies to lovers trope here.
Rolfe is set to marry Lady Alice so when he and his men are ravaging a town, he chases after this woman who escapes - which happens to be Lady Alice, or so he was told. Ceidre sometimes takes on the identity of her sister since she was nobly born. And when Rolfe hunts her down, she assumes this will leave her in good graces, but Ceidre didn't account for him claiming her for marriage.
Ceidre is unlike any woman he has ever seen. She is feisty and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She talks back to him and stands up to him, which immediately intrigues him more. She also has two different colored eyes. Because of her heterochromia, she is called a witch by everyone she knows and being a healer doesn't help her debunk their theories. Yet Rolfe is infatuated with her and sees past the image that everyone has painted of her. In fact he is eager to wed and bed her.
That is until he takes her to another village and learns that this cheeky woman he anticipated on marrying is not actually his bride to be. Because of his position that William has bestowed on him, he must give up on this woman who has entrapped him and do his duty.
Marrying Lady Alice has its challenges though because Rolfe cannot seem to give up on Ceidre. Lady Alice does not like this even moreso because she does not like her sister and is harsh towards her. But Rolfe isn't about her actions towards Ceidre.
Ceidre is super strong and just takes the punches, but not before she gathers all the information she can, because remember she is on opposites sides from Rolfe. Ceidre does not want them to win and so she spies. Which pisses off Rolfe, but he's basically obsessed with her and wants to protect her. In order to protect Ceidre, Rolfe arranges marriage between her and his best man, Guy. However, he still can't seem to let her go despite him being married to her sister and her being married to his best man.
Honestly this shit was intense!!
I really enjoyed this story it was like pulling teeth and nothing was easy. I definitely wanted to reach through the book and slap Rolfe.
War between William the Conqueror (Rolfe is his best leader/fighter), a Norman and I can't remember ???
Rolfe is given the Lady of the land they conquered to marry from William himself as a prize and a way to secure their stay. However, the first woman he meets who claims she is Alice is not about it. Insert spying and the enemies to lovers trope here.
Rolfe is set to marry Lady Alice so when he and his men are ravaging a town, he chases after this woman who escapes - which happens to be Lady Alice, or so he was told. Ceidre sometimes takes on the identity of her sister since she was nobly born. And when Rolfe hunts her down, she assumes this will leave her in good graces, but Ceidre didn't account for him claiming her for marriage.
Ceidre is unlike any woman he has ever seen. She is feisty and isn't afraid to speak her mind. She talks back to him and stands up to him, which immediately intrigues him more. She also has two different colored eyes. Because of her heterochromia, she is called a witch by everyone she knows and being a healer doesn't help her debunk their theories. Yet Rolfe is infatuated with her and sees past the image that everyone has painted of her. In fact he is eager to wed and bed her.
That is until he takes her to another village and learns that this cheeky woman he anticipated on marrying is not actually his bride to be. Because of his position that William has bestowed on him, he must give up on this woman who has entrapped him and do his duty.
Marrying Lady Alice has its challenges though because Rolfe cannot seem to give up on Ceidre. Lady Alice does not like this even moreso because she does not like her sister and is harsh towards her. But Rolfe isn't about her actions towards Ceidre.
Ceidre is super strong and just takes the punches, but not before she gathers all the information she can, because remember she is on opposites sides from Rolfe. Ceidre does not want them to win and so she spies. Which pisses off Rolfe, but he's basically obsessed with her and wants to protect her. In order to protect Ceidre, Rolfe arranges marriage between her and his best man, Guy. However, he still can't seem to let her go despite him being married to her sister and her being married to his best man.
Honestly this shit was intense!!
I really enjoyed this story it was like pulling teeth and nothing was easy. I definitely wanted to reach through the book and slap Rolfe.