What do you think?
Rate this book
Russian Connection #2
Bound by Love
The illegitimate daughter of the Russian czar, Leonida arrives at the estate of Stefan, the Duke of Huntley, with secrets?and a mission. Searching for covert documents sequestered in Stefan's massive library, she is the perfect guest?and the perfect spy.Fascinated by her flawless beauty and her intriguing air of mystery, Stefan draws intimately closer?and Leonida, bound by duty to her family and country, finds herself utterly captivated. Yet as danger and desire meet in a tangled web of espionage and deceit, the two will face a choice that can be made only by love itself.
384 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
28 people are currently reading
259 people want to read
About the author
Rosemary Rogers
111 books425 followersThere is more than one author with this name
Rosemary Jansz Navaratnam Rogers Kadison
Rosemary Jansz was born on 7 December 1932 in Panadura, British Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka), she was the oldest child of Dutch-Portuguese settlers, Barbara "Allan" and Cyril Jansz. Her father was a wealthy educator who owned three posh private schools. She was raised in colonial splendor: dozens of servants, no work, summers at European spas, a chaperone everywhere she went. A dreamy child, she wrote her first novel at eight, and all through her teens scribbled madly romantic epics in imitation of her favorite writers: Sir Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas and Rafael Sabatini.
At 17, Rosemary rebelled against a feudal upbringing and went to the University of Ceylon, where she studied three years. She horrified her family by taking a job as a reporter, and two years later marrying with Summa Navaratnam, a Ceylonese track star known as "the fastest man in Asia." The marriage had two daughters. Unhappily, he often sprinted after other women. Disappointed with her husband, in 1960, she moved with her two daughters and took off for London.
In Europe she met her future second husband, Leroy Rogers, an african-american. "He was the first man," she recalls, "who made me feel like a real woman." After getting a divorce from her first husband, she married Rogers in his home town, St. Louis, Missouri. They moved with her family to California, where she had two sons. Six years later, when that marriage broke up, Rosemary was left with four children to support on her $4,200 salary as a typist for the Solano County Parks Department. In 1969, in the face of a socialist takeover of Ceylon, her parents fled the island with only ?100, giving Rosemary two more dependents. At 37, the rich girl from Ceylon was on her uppers in Fairfield.
Every night for a year, Rogers worked to perfect a manuscript that she had written as a child, rewriting it 24 times. When she was satisfied with her work, she sent the manuscript to Avon, which quickly purchased the novel. That novel, ''Sweet Savage Love'', skyrocketed to the top of bestseller lists, and became one of the most popular historical romances of all time. Her second novel, ''Dark Fires'', sold two million copies in its first three months of release. Her first three novels sold a combined 10 million copies. The fourth, ''Wicked Loving Lies'' sold 3 million copies in its first month of publication. Rosemary Rogers became one of the legendaries "Avon Queens of Historical Romance". The difference between she and most of others romance writers is not the violence of her stories, it is the intensity. She says: "My heroines are me", and certainly her life could be one of her novels.
In September of 1984, Rosemary married a third time with Christopher Kadison, but it was a very brief marriage and they soon began to live apart. "I'd like to live with a man," she admits, "but I find men in real life don't come up to my fantasies. I want culture, spirit and sex all rolled up together."
Today single, Rosemary lives quietly in a small dramatic villa perched on a crag above the Pacific near Carmel. Her four children are now away from home and she continues to write.
Rosemary passed away at the age of 87 on November 12, 2019 in Carmel, California where she called home since the early 1970s.
Rosemary Jansz Navaratnam Rogers Kadison
Rosemary Jansz was born on 7 December 1932 in Panadura, British Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka), she was the oldest child of Dutch-Portuguese settlers, Barbara "Allan" and Cyril Jansz. Her father was a wealthy educator who owned three posh private schools. She was raised in colonial splendor: dozens of servants, no work, summers at European spas, a chaperone everywhere she went. A dreamy child, she wrote her first novel at eight, and all through her teens scribbled madly romantic epics in imitation of her favorite writers: Sir Walter Scott, Alexandre Dumas and Rafael Sabatini.
At 17, Rosemary rebelled against a feudal upbringing and went to the University of Ceylon, where she studied three years. She horrified her family by taking a job as a reporter, and two years later marrying with Summa Navaratnam, a Ceylonese track star known as "the fastest man in Asia." The marriage had two daughters. Unhappily, he often sprinted after other women. Disappointed with her husband, in 1960, she moved with her two daughters and took off for London.
In Europe she met her future second husband, Leroy Rogers, an african-american. "He was the first man," she recalls, "who made me feel like a real woman." After getting a divorce from her first husband, she married Rogers in his home town, St. Louis, Missouri. They moved with her family to California, where she had two sons. Six years later, when that marriage broke up, Rosemary was left with four children to support on her $4,200 salary as a typist for the Solano County Parks Department. In 1969, in the face of a socialist takeover of Ceylon, her parents fled the island with only ?100, giving Rosemary two more dependents. At 37, the rich girl from Ceylon was on her uppers in Fairfield.
Every night for a year, Rogers worked to perfect a manuscript that she had written as a child, rewriting it 24 times. When she was satisfied with her work, she sent the manuscript to Avon, which quickly purchased the novel. That novel, ''Sweet Savage Love'', skyrocketed to the top of bestseller lists, and became one of the most popular historical romances of all time. Her second novel, ''Dark Fires'', sold two million copies in its first three months of release. Her first three novels sold a combined 10 million copies. The fourth, ''Wicked Loving Lies'' sold 3 million copies in its first month of publication. Rosemary Rogers became one of the legendaries "Avon Queens of Historical Romance". The difference between she and most of others romance writers is not the violence of her stories, it is the intensity. She says: "My heroines are me", and certainly her life could be one of her novels.
In September of 1984, Rosemary married a third time with Christopher Kadison, but it was a very brief marriage and they soon began to live apart. "I'd like to live with a man," she admits, "but I find men in real life don't come up to my fantasies. I want culture, spirit and sex all rolled up together."
Today single, Rosemary lives quietly in a small dramatic villa perched on a crag above the Pacific near Carmel. Her four children are now away from home and she continues to write.
Rosemary passed away at the age of 87 on November 12, 2019 in Carmel, California where she called home since the early 1970s.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
March 9, 2014
Did not have much expectations when I started the book and after setting aside the initial doubts over Leonida's obedience to her mom, I was caught up in the romance, intrigue and convoluted politics of the Russian court. The pacing of the plot is lively and things did move along fast. Love how sexy the chemistry between Stefan and Leonida is and I now want to read Brianna and Edmond's story! The Beggar Czar Dimitri Tipova deserves his own book too!
September 19, 2011
Nuevamente una excelente obra de Rogers!
Cuando leiel primer libro de esta serie uno podia pensar que Stefan era un poco(bastante) aburrido, mas alla de su atractivo y que Edmund era el mas sexi y atrayente.
Pero sin dudas este libro demuestra lo contrario! presenta a los 2 protagonistas como personas tranquilas y aburridas pero que terminan demostrando su encanto irresistible y la pasión con la que viven su amor.
Me encanto!!! La historia es atrapante, mucha aventura, mucho amor, mucho de todo.
"—Te estoy ofreciendo mi nombre, mis posesiones terrenales y mi corazón, Leonida —le dijo él, y murmuró contra sus labios—: Te prometo que siempre te daré calor, por muy frío que sea el invierno. Te prometo que siempre tendrás libros y veladas tranquilas, y te prometo que siempre serás lo primero en mi vida. Te quiero. Te quiero para toda la eternidad."
Nota: debo confesar que mas alla de su maldad me resulto muy atractivo El zar mendigo Dimitri Tipova! resultaba sexi! <3 jajaja
Cuando leiel primer libro de esta serie uno podia pensar que Stefan era un poco(bastante) aburrido, mas alla de su atractivo y que Edmund era el mas sexi y atrayente.
Pero sin dudas este libro demuestra lo contrario! presenta a los 2 protagonistas como personas tranquilas y aburridas pero que terminan demostrando su encanto irresistible y la pasión con la que viven su amor.
Me encanto!!! La historia es atrapante, mucha aventura, mucho amor, mucho de todo.
"—Te estoy ofreciendo mi nombre, mis posesiones terrenales y mi corazón, Leonida —le dijo él, y murmuró contra sus labios—: Te prometo que siempre te daré calor, por muy frío que sea el invierno. Te prometo que siempre tendrás libros y veladas tranquilas, y te prometo que siempre serás lo primero en mi vida. Te quiero. Te quiero para toda la eternidad."
Nota: debo confesar que mas alla de su maldad me resulto muy atractivo El zar mendigo Dimitri Tipova! resultaba sexi! <3 jajaja
May 31, 2022
Figlia illegittima dello zar di Russia Leonida riceve dalla madre l'incarico di andare in missione segreta in inghilterra per ritrovare le lettere scritte alla sua migliore amica sposata ad un duca inglese. Lettere che potrebbero compromettere il regno dello zar stesso.
Da qui in poi l'incontro con il tranquillo, per modo di dire, duca Stephen, il rimanere invischiata in un complotto fino all'happy ending che regala all'inghilterra una nuova duchessa russa.
Le cose sono due:
- figlia mia ma denuncia tua madre per la scelta del nome. In italiano non si può leggere, si spera che in russo suoni decisamente più musicale e piacevole
- ma mo vogliamo vedere che io madre spedisco mia figlia a chilometri e chilometri di distanza in una missione segreta di tale importanza? una figlia che non ha fatto altro nella vita che leggere libri? Ma davvero poi saresti una donna intelligente ?
- a sto giro mi sta sulle balle anche Stephen , uomo macho d'altri tempi che, porca paletta, mi fa comprendere come mai le donne abbiano cercato da allora in poi a volersi emancipare dalla sottomissione a uomini di cotanta stupidità.
ma davvero davvero .. perché continuo a leggere romance?
Da qui in poi l'incontro con il tranquillo, per modo di dire, duca Stephen, il rimanere invischiata in un complotto fino all'happy ending che regala all'inghilterra una nuova duchessa russa.
Le cose sono due:
- figlia mia ma denuncia tua madre per la scelta del nome. In italiano non si può leggere, si spera che in russo suoni decisamente più musicale e piacevole
- ma mo vogliamo vedere che io madre spedisco mia figlia a chilometri e chilometri di distanza in una missione segreta di tale importanza? una figlia che non ha fatto altro nella vita che leggere libri? Ma davvero poi saresti una donna intelligente ?
- a sto giro mi sta sulle balle anche Stephen , uomo macho d'altri tempi che, porca paletta, mi fa comprendere come mai le donne abbiano cercato da allora in poi a volersi emancipare dalla sottomissione a uomini di cotanta stupidità.
ma davvero davvero .. perché continuo a leggere romance?
March 10, 2022
No me ha convencido. Me gustó mucho el primer libro de la serie, pero en éste, el protagonista no me ha cuadrado nada con respecto a cómo era en el libro anterior. Se supone que era una persona seria, trabajador, leal a su palabra y con las mujeres, cumplidor, a diferencia con su hermano que era el aventurero y libertino . En este libro se pasa todo el rato queriendo que la protagonista sea su amante, cuando ella es la hija del zar de Rusia. No lo entiendo. Luego la historia la veo muy forzada. Ella viaja a Inglaterra para robar unas cartas que las quiere su madre, y que están en casa del protagonista, un lord Inglés, que vive por y para sus tierras. Ella es tímida, reservada, pero luego se va volviendo fuerte, audaz, independiente. Ella me ha gustado más. Pasan muchas aventuras, en Inglaterra y en Rusia, pero no me ha conseguido enganchar.
December 18, 2018
Action, romance, suspence, family, politics, it's all wrapped in this story. There is a madman out to blackmail the countess of Russia. The countess involves her own daughter which is upsetting. The romance will pull you in. It's an intense read, so much goes on, you want the romance to escalate and you want a happy ending, but you are also on the edge, hoping they survive this madman.
The characters are great. The connection is great. Overall, a pretty good read.
The characters are great. The connection is great. Overall, a pretty good read.
January 21, 2018
Leonida, illegitimate daughter of the Russian Czar, is sent on a secret mission by her mother to England where she meets the Duke of Huntley. Theirs is an instant attraction but the Duke is left skeptical of Leonida's motives. They play an intricate game of cat and mouse until both are clearly caught up in love.
May 18, 2018
Recuerdo haberlo leído en el 2012, cuando una amiga me lo recomendó y me lo presto. Y realmente es bueno, la trama atrapa y esta el misterio sobre esas cartas que la protagonista trata de recuperar. Luego termine comprándome ese libro y el primero.
October 4, 2017
Another great book by Rosemary Rogers.All her books have great characters and a good story line to follow.
September 13, 2016
Léonida, une jeune femme russe, fille illégitime du Tsar, doit aider sa mère à retrouver des lettres en Angleterre. Ces fameuses lettres se trouvent chez le Duc d'Huntley, un anglais. Léonida doit voyager pour retrouver ses lettres qui risqueraient de mettre à mal le tsar. Bien malgré elle, le Duc d'Huntley est beaucoup plus séduisant qu'elle ne le pensait.
Arrivera-t-elle à retrouver ses lettres ?
Le Duc d'Huntley est-il sous le charme de la belle russe ?
~ Léonida est une jeune femme posée qui n'aime pas sortir en société. Elle aime lire et le soleil. Etant la fille illégitime approuvée du Tsar, Léonida a une mère qui a partagé sa relation avec le Tsar avec sa meilleure amie, la défunte duchesse d'Huntley, la mère de Stefan et de Edmond. Les lettres échangées sont une cause de soucis pour sa mère qui se fait chanter par une quelconque personne.
Le Duc d'Huntley, Stefan, s'occupe depuis toujours du domaine qu'il a reçu après la mort de ses parents. Toujours occupé, il n'a pas encore trouvé une femme digne de son nom par rapport à son frère Edmond. Mais l'arrivée de Léonida à Meadowland pourrait le faire changer d'avis sur les femmes.
~ Léonida et Stefan sont deux personnages indépendants à fort caractère. Léonida doit réparer les erreurs de sa mère qui a réussit à mettre le grappin sur le Tsar et continue à croire en lui. Toutefois, son voyage en Angleterre et surtout sous le toit de Stefan, Leonida ne peut cacher son jeu à Stefan. Les deux protagonistes jouent au jeu du chat et de la souris surtout quand Léonida par quand le danger lui est devenu trop près.
~ De près ou de loin, Rosemary Rogers immisce les méchants dans des chapitres pour qu'on puisse découvrir qui est après qui. Ce petit jeu, l'auteure y est habituée grâce au premier tome de la saga. Néanmoins, j'ai trouvé ce tome beaucoup moins intéressant alors que Stefan et Léonida sont parfaits dans leur rôle.
~ La passion qui unit les deux personnages dès le début du roman est assez réaliste contenu de ce qui est attendu par la suite. Stefan est un homme qui ne se laisse pas berner même si ses doutes le laisse perplexe face à Léonida qui est la parfaite femme pour lui.
~ Même si l'histoire et les péripéties sont différentes, les péripéties de Rosemary Rogers ne m'ont pas convaincu. Certains passages sont surfait et ne laisse aucun doute sur la fin qui entoure quasiment tous les personnages. Mais des questions persistent sur certains protagonistes qui entourent Léonida.
~ L'intrigante n'est pas aussi charmant que le précédent tome mais l'histoire autour des personnes est très bien construite et donne le goût au voyage.
Source : http://madness-story.blogspot.fr/2016...
Arrivera-t-elle à retrouver ses lettres ?
Le Duc d'Huntley est-il sous le charme de la belle russe ?
~ Léonida est une jeune femme posée qui n'aime pas sortir en société. Elle aime lire et le soleil. Etant la fille illégitime approuvée du Tsar, Léonida a une mère qui a partagé sa relation avec le Tsar avec sa meilleure amie, la défunte duchesse d'Huntley, la mère de Stefan et de Edmond. Les lettres échangées sont une cause de soucis pour sa mère qui se fait chanter par une quelconque personne.
Le Duc d'Huntley, Stefan, s'occupe depuis toujours du domaine qu'il a reçu après la mort de ses parents. Toujours occupé, il n'a pas encore trouvé une femme digne de son nom par rapport à son frère Edmond. Mais l'arrivée de Léonida à Meadowland pourrait le faire changer d'avis sur les femmes.
~ Léonida et Stefan sont deux personnages indépendants à fort caractère. Léonida doit réparer les erreurs de sa mère qui a réussit à mettre le grappin sur le Tsar et continue à croire en lui. Toutefois, son voyage en Angleterre et surtout sous le toit de Stefan, Leonida ne peut cacher son jeu à Stefan. Les deux protagonistes jouent au jeu du chat et de la souris surtout quand Léonida par quand le danger lui est devenu trop près.
~ De près ou de loin, Rosemary Rogers immisce les méchants dans des chapitres pour qu'on puisse découvrir qui est après qui. Ce petit jeu, l'auteure y est habituée grâce au premier tome de la saga. Néanmoins, j'ai trouvé ce tome beaucoup moins intéressant alors que Stefan et Léonida sont parfaits dans leur rôle.
~ La passion qui unit les deux personnages dès le début du roman est assez réaliste contenu de ce qui est attendu par la suite. Stefan est un homme qui ne se laisse pas berner même si ses doutes le laisse perplexe face à Léonida qui est la parfaite femme pour lui.
~ Même si l'histoire et les péripéties sont différentes, les péripéties de Rosemary Rogers ne m'ont pas convaincu. Certains passages sont surfait et ne laisse aucun doute sur la fin qui entoure quasiment tous les personnages. Mais des questions persistent sur certains protagonistes qui entourent Léonida.
~ L'intrigante n'est pas aussi charmant que le précédent tome mais l'histoire autour des personnes est très bien construite et donne le goût au voyage.
Source : http://madness-story.blogspot.fr/2016...
Read
September 20, 2011"Vi prometto di mantenervi al caldo, anche negli inverni più rigidi, di procurarvi tutti i libri e le serate tranquille che vorrete e di darvi sempre il primo posto nella mia vita"
Come in altri romanzi della Rogers che ho letto la parte dell'avventura (fughe, imprevisti, rischi di vario tipo corsi dai protagonisti) e dell'intrigo politico è al centro della trama più della storia d'amore tra i protagonisti... trattandosi di una saga il protagonista di questo romanzo è il fratello del protagonista del romanzo precedente che si intitolava "Alla corte dello zar" anche se in questo libro mostra un lato intraprendente e avventuroso che nel libro precedente non emergeva, facendolo sembrare solo un tranquillo lord inglese dedito all'amministrazione delle proprie proprietà, mentre il fratello emigrato in Russia e consigliere dello zar appariva come il tipo movimentato e libertino della famiglia!!!
Solo nel finale Stefan torna ad essere il tranquillo gentiluomo della puntata precente come dimostra la frase che ho scelto come titolo!!!
Come in altri romanzi della Rogers che ho letto la parte dell'avventura (fughe, imprevisti, rischi di vario tipo corsi dai protagonisti) e dell'intrigo politico è al centro della trama più della storia d'amore tra i protagonisti... trattandosi di una saga il protagonista di questo romanzo è il fratello del protagonista del romanzo precedente che si intitolava "Alla corte dello zar" anche se in questo libro mostra un lato intraprendente e avventuroso che nel libro precedente non emergeva, facendolo sembrare solo un tranquillo lord inglese dedito all'amministrazione delle proprie proprietà, mentre il fratello emigrato in Russia e consigliere dello zar appariva come il tipo movimentato e libertino della famiglia!!!
Solo nel finale Stefan torna ad essere il tranquillo gentiluomo della puntata precente come dimostra la frase che ho scelto come titolo!!!
August 5, 2013
Empecé a leer este libro porque ya tenía mucho tiempo en espera y pues bueno, no tenía las grandes esperanzas pero me sorprendió que este libro me gustara demasiado.
La historia me engancho, porque el misterio que envuelve a los protagonistas te emociona, y luego está la forma en que la autora la iba desenvolviendo, y en lo personal se me hizo muy fácil de leer que te enganchaba muy fácil.
Sobre los personajes principales no tengo ninguna queja, pues teníamos a Leonida, una mujer con un honor fuerte y con un carácter difícil de manipular, es decir, cuando tenía algo claro no había vuelta atrás. Con respecto a sus sentimientos fue lo mismo que lo anterior.
Ahora, con respecto a Stefan tampoco tenía problemas al leerlo pues me encantaba la forma en que demostraba sus sentimientos y una de las cosas que me fascino de él fue que era un necio, terco, irritante y tonto y al mismo tiempo todo un amor.
El final me gusto muchísimo, todos los sentimientos de los capítulos finales me tenían con el alma en un hilo pero valió la pena.
La historia me engancho, porque el misterio que envuelve a los protagonistas te emociona, y luego está la forma en que la autora la iba desenvolviendo, y en lo personal se me hizo muy fácil de leer que te enganchaba muy fácil.
Sobre los personajes principales no tengo ninguna queja, pues teníamos a Leonida, una mujer con un honor fuerte y con un carácter difícil de manipular, es decir, cuando tenía algo claro no había vuelta atrás. Con respecto a sus sentimientos fue lo mismo que lo anterior.
Ahora, con respecto a Stefan tampoco tenía problemas al leerlo pues me encantaba la forma en que demostraba sus sentimientos y una de las cosas que me fascino de él fue que era un necio, terco, irritante y tonto y al mismo tiempo todo un amor.
El final me gusto muchísimo, todos los sentimientos de los capítulos finales me tenían con el alma en un hilo pero valió la pena.
October 23, 2011
An interesting historical novel. The author takes us through the intrigue of Russian aristocracy involving a prince, a mistress, their daughter and some letters written by the mistress to a friend in England. The action is good, the story moved along quite nicely.
May 10, 2014
quelques invraisemblables mais cela se lit bien facilement . ceci dit apparemment j'ai lu le second livre de la trilogie. il me reste à lire le premier et le dernier et enfin me faire une idée plus précise .
August 11, 2016
Stefan possesses a couple traits I hate in heroes: He's arrogant. He's high-handed. He doesn't trust the heroine but he wants to screw her. He's a grown man who apparently has zero control over his lust. I don't care to be honest.
September 17, 2009
Could not get into the book. So, I skimmed through to complete.
October 7, 2016
SUCKED SO BAD I ONLY READ THE START AND SOME PAGES FROM THE END!!
April 8, 2016
A Russian spy historical must read!
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews