What do you think?
Rate this book
Cœur Captif
Original The Captive Heart Sabina had come to Monte Carlo with a sense of excitement and anticipation. How different it all was from the country parsonage she had left in England. It was exciting to be traveling alone, though a little frightening to have to ask the help of a band of gypsies on the road. When Michel, the man she had seen at the gypsy camp, came back into her life again and again, Sabina began to forget why she was in Monte Carlo -- to meet her future mother-in-law and to spend her time with her fiancé, the rich, aristocratic -- and dull -- Lord Thetford. Unable to think of anyone but Michel, Sabina took the most reckless and dramatic step that a young lady of her station and prospects could possibly take. And then it seemed it was all for nothing -- he had disappeared!
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published January 1, 1995
6 people are currently reading
87 people want to read
About the author
Barbara Cartland
1,052 books837 followersBorn in 1901, Barbara Cartland started her writing career in journalism and completed her first book, Jigsaw, when she was just 24. An immediate success, it was the start of her journey to becoming the world’s most famous and most read romantic novelist of all time. Inspiring a whole generation of readers around the globe with her exciting tales of adventure, love and intrigue, she became synonymous with the Romance genre. And she still is to this day, having written over 644 romantic fiction books.
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales.
Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade.
Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all.
Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 9, 2022
Again, one of the Cartland books I read and re-read throughout my teens. For that reason only, it holds a special place in my heart.
November 8, 2023
Available on open library.
This was pretty good and quite romantic.
The heroine travels to Monte Carlo to meet her future mother in law. On the way, her coach breaks down on a deserted mountain path. However she is rescued by Gypsies. She meets the King of the gypsies who is very tall and handsome. He seems to be attracted to her as well.
The heroine is very nervous when she meets her future mother in law, because MIL is very elegant and sophisticated. However, the future MIL is exceedingly kind and generous to the heroine. She has bought her many beautiful gowns for her trousseau.
The heroine is extremely grateful since she knows she looks like a dowdy country bumpkin. The heroine, although gently born, does not come from a wealthy family and she has 4 younger sisters. When she was 17, her parents were able to send her to London for a season, but no one paid any attention to her. She felt totally ignored in her dowdy gowns and went home as a ‘failure’.
One day she is invited by their wealthy neighbors to make up the numbers for dinner. She is very surprised when one of the distinguished young gentlemen notices her. He follows it up by visits to her home, and finally proposes. The fiance is very wealthy and holds an important position at court. As it turns out, her parents were acquainted with his mother so they are very happy with the match. The heroine wants to do everything to please her parents.
When she meets her future mother in law, she really likes her. She is a lovely woman, kind and generous. So she is very surprised to observe that mother and son do not have a good relationship. Her fiancé seems to be ashamed and angry at his widowed mother.
The fiance acts like a sanctimonious prig, always being judgmental, including to the heroine. She realizes that what attracted him to her, was her utter lack of sophistication and her dowdy dress sense. She was the complete opposite of his mother. He does not appreciate the beautiful gowns his mother has been giving the heroine, and he does not like it that she looks lovelier. When her brother gets in trouble, the fiancé makes the heroine beg before helping the brother, he even humiliates him. The heroine realizes that her plans to take care of her younger sisters, once she is married, will never materialize.
The gypsy King is the complete opposite. The heroine encounters him a few more times, he returns to her a family brooch, which she lost. At a dark moment, he comes through and helps her and her brother with no questions asked. He constantly compliments her and offers her his faithful service and lays his heart at her feet.
By now, the heroine realizes she loves him as well. The gypsy king tells her she will have to give up everything if she wants to be his bride. Including her precious family.
The heroine is in a dilemma because she knows she has responsibilities to her family, not to mention her commitment to her fiance, but she cannot marry anyone else feeling as she does for rhe gypsy king. So she goes w him and they have a beautiful midnight gypsy wedding.
After the wedding, her husband tells her to trust him but then drugs her to sleep 😳 and brings her back to her bedroom in MIL’s villa. When the heroine wakes, she remembers everything and can’t understand why her new husband abandoned her.
She is moping about the villa when MIL tells her they are attending an important party that night. Though the heroine dresses in one of her new lovely gowns, she is still depressed. They arrive at a fabulous palace, the home of a Hungarian Princess, the friend of MIL.
SPOILERS: have you guessed?? 😂 After so many Cartland novels, I knew it already.
It turns out the gypsy king is the son of the Princess, but he wanted the heroine to love him for himself. They get married again in a church, (MIL was in on the plan) she loves the heroine more than her son 😅 and the Hero promises to meet her parents and to take care of her brother and all her sisters!!
❤️❤️❤️
This was pretty good and quite romantic.
The heroine travels to Monte Carlo to meet her future mother in law. On the way, her coach breaks down on a deserted mountain path. However she is rescued by Gypsies. She meets the King of the gypsies who is very tall and handsome. He seems to be attracted to her as well.
The heroine is very nervous when she meets her future mother in law, because MIL is very elegant and sophisticated. However, the future MIL is exceedingly kind and generous to the heroine. She has bought her many beautiful gowns for her trousseau.
The heroine is extremely grateful since she knows she looks like a dowdy country bumpkin. The heroine, although gently born, does not come from a wealthy family and she has 4 younger sisters. When she was 17, her parents were able to send her to London for a season, but no one paid any attention to her. She felt totally ignored in her dowdy gowns and went home as a ‘failure’.
One day she is invited by their wealthy neighbors to make up the numbers for dinner. She is very surprised when one of the distinguished young gentlemen notices her. He follows it up by visits to her home, and finally proposes. The fiance is very wealthy and holds an important position at court. As it turns out, her parents were acquainted with his mother so they are very happy with the match. The heroine wants to do everything to please her parents.
When she meets her future mother in law, she really likes her. She is a lovely woman, kind and generous. So she is very surprised to observe that mother and son do not have a good relationship. Her fiancé seems to be ashamed and angry at his widowed mother.
The fiance acts like a sanctimonious prig, always being judgmental, including to the heroine. She realizes that what attracted him to her, was her utter lack of sophistication and her dowdy dress sense. She was the complete opposite of his mother. He does not appreciate the beautiful gowns his mother has been giving the heroine, and he does not like it that she looks lovelier. When her brother gets in trouble, the fiancé makes the heroine beg before helping the brother, he even humiliates him. The heroine realizes that her plans to take care of her younger sisters, once she is married, will never materialize.
The gypsy King is the complete opposite. The heroine encounters him a few more times, he returns to her a family brooch, which she lost. At a dark moment, he comes through and helps her and her brother with no questions asked. He constantly compliments her and offers her his faithful service and lays his heart at her feet.
By now, the heroine realizes she loves him as well. The gypsy king tells her she will have to give up everything if she wants to be his bride. Including her precious family.
The heroine is in a dilemma because she knows she has responsibilities to her family, not to mention her commitment to her fiance, but she cannot marry anyone else feeling as she does for rhe gypsy king. So she goes w him and they have a beautiful midnight gypsy wedding.
After the wedding, her husband tells her to trust him but then drugs her to sleep 😳 and brings her back to her bedroom in MIL’s villa. When the heroine wakes, she remembers everything and can’t understand why her new husband abandoned her.
She is moping about the villa when MIL tells her they are attending an important party that night. Though the heroine dresses in one of her new lovely gowns, she is still depressed. They arrive at a fabulous palace, the home of a Hungarian Princess, the friend of MIL.
SPOILERS: have you guessed?? 😂 After so many Cartland novels, I knew it already.
It turns out the gypsy king is the son of the Princess, but he wanted the heroine to love him for himself. They get married again in a church, (MIL was in on the plan) she loves the heroine more than her son 😅 and the Hero promises to meet her parents and to take care of her brother and all her sisters!!
❤️❤️❤️
June 8, 2025
Honestly a bangerrrr. Actually really well written (the corny romance stuff is very corny but that's what you're here for so no complaining). The characters were well fleshed out which I was not expecting and I actually LOVED some of them. Big downside is of course the weird fetishisation of the Romani people. Other downside was the amount of times the heroine's such delicate, fragile skinniness was mentioned. Shutuppppp.
But overall honestly a good, entertaining romance novel. Sorry for doubting you Barbara Cartland, I definitely will read another one of your books when I need a fun read.
But overall honestly a good, entertaining romance novel. Sorry for doubting you Barbara Cartland, I definitely will read another one of your books when I need a fun read.
August 25, 2009
Read under the title, The Royal Pledge
October 30, 2010
Really loved this one
January 21, 2015
Enjoyed these simple little books in my younger years. Oh, to innocence!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews