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Awaken, My Love
“Schone first pushed the erotic envelope in her first romance novel, “Awaken My Love,” which was based on the unique — and some say wacky — premise of time travel via masturbatory orgasm.” -Salon
A 19th century English Baron skilled in Tantric Sex.
A 20th century woman resigned to a passionless marriage.
A SOLO ACT OF PLEASURE.
She wakes up in another woman’s body.
Married to another woman’s husband.
Where Bedlam is a place instead of a noun.
A 19th century English Baron skilled in Tantric Sex.
A 20th century woman resigned to a passionless marriage.
A SOLO ACT OF PLEASURE.
She wakes up in another woman’s body.
Married to another woman’s husband.
Where Bedlam is a place instead of a noun.
Hardcover
First published July 1, 1995
55 people are currently reading
734 people want to read
About the author
Robin Schone
48 books493 followersUSA Today and Amazon Bestselling Author Robin Schone writes British Victorian novels about love, the legal & social penalties of Women’s sexuality and the occasional dinosaur. She is translated in 15 languages. The Lady's Tutor is a Cosmopolitan "Must Read" erotic novel. RUSQ (Reference and User Services of the American Library Association) chose Scandalous Lovers to “represent the wide range of historical fiction in romance.” Claims RUSQ: "Robin Schone writes sensual, explicit stories...about characters who are frequently older and less beautiful than most romance protagonists. Her history is impeccable; the storytelling is straightforward but emotionally driven."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 130 reviews
March 10, 2023
Tropes:
- Time travel romance
- Love at first sight
- Troubled marriage
- Evil guardians
CW: Incest, rape (off the page), mild violence
I rarely read time travel romance (I think I've read less than 5 books in this genre so far), so this book feels like a breath of fresh air to me. I haven't been particularly enamoured with Ms Schone's books previously, although she is a highly popular name in the erotic historical romance genre. This book was very captivating and had a bit of everything (paranormal, gothic, mystery, romance).
Things I liked:
An original plot
- Highly engrossing (read it in one sitting)
- I appreciate that the author tried to keep the historical setting as authentic as possible. The descriptions are spot-on.
- One of the love scenes came across as unique. Charles used the 'Kama Sutra' book to seduce Elaine/Morgianna.
- The druid thing is an interesting element.
- There was a proper explanation to the whole time travel thing.
- The best part is seeing Elaine navigate life as a 21st-century woman in a 19th-century world.
Things I did not quite like:
- The characterisation could be better. I never did get a sense of the characters (what motivates them, Charles's past is a bit murky, etc).
- Charles ear fetish thing, urgghh (unless you love earwax). This one appeared in 2 of the love scenes (it's foreplay for Charles).
Steam factor: I'd consider this mid-steam, which is a low bar since this is regarded as an erotica. If you disregard the opening scene, the next full love scene only came in after the 50% mark.
- Time travel romance
- Love at first sight
- Troubled marriage
- Evil guardians
CW: Incest, rape (off the page), mild violence
I rarely read time travel romance (I think I've read less than 5 books in this genre so far), so this book feels like a breath of fresh air to me. I haven't been particularly enamoured with Ms Schone's books previously, although she is a highly popular name in the erotic historical romance genre. This book was very captivating and had a bit of everything (paranormal, gothic, mystery, romance).
Things I liked:
An original plot
- Highly engrossing (read it in one sitting)
- I appreciate that the author tried to keep the historical setting as authentic as possible. The descriptions are spot-on.
- One of the love scenes came across as unique. Charles used the 'Kama Sutra' book to seduce Elaine/Morgianna.
- The druid thing is an interesting element.
- There was a proper explanation to the whole time travel thing.
- The best part is seeing Elaine navigate life as a 21st-century woman in a 19th-century world.
Things I did not quite like:
- The characterisation could be better. I never did get a sense of the characters (what motivates them, Charles's past is a bit murky, etc).
- Charles ear fetish thing, urgghh (unless you love earwax). This one appeared in 2 of the love scenes (it's foreplay for Charles).
Steam factor: I'd consider this mid-steam, which is a low bar since this is regarded as an erotica. If you disregard the opening scene, the next full love scene only came in after the 50% mark.
October 10, 2010
This is the novel that launched Robin Schone as a great writer blending historical and erotica seamlessly...and I'm glad this isn't the first book I've read. If it were, I wouldn't have given this author a chance.
I was intrigued by the book's description of time travel, I'm always fascinated with how characters deal with the century they're in, which is very different from what they're used to. Not only did the heroine (Elaine) time travel, she also traveled from one country to another. She's from Chicago then she was transported to Dorset, and since this author writes in riddles, I didn't quite catch when exactly she occupied Morrigan's body.
The pace was very slow, and the heroine didn't even use that time to get accustomed to her surroundings. I understand the shock and impossibility of it, but Elaine didn't handle it well. I've read several novels with time travel in it and most of the characters adapted well to their new environment, even took it as an adventure.
Of course there were a lot of questions about the body's identity. Elaine should've just acted as herself - to hell with the servants. She's described as a plump woman with a voracious sexual appetite, unsatisfied by her dispassionate husband. Charles shares the same predicament and early on it seemed they're perfect for each other.
Unfortunately, I know where the story is going but the plot was weak, so were the characters. I can't deny the quality erotica but that's not enough. I hated that Elaine was weak until the end, that even though Charles sensed something was wrong, he deduced that Morrigan (Elaine) is mad.
I also hated the antagonists - they're really classic and for once, Elaine didn't get the upper hand, most of the time she's a doormat.
One could skip this, it's not one of those compelling reads.
I was intrigued by the book's description of time travel, I'm always fascinated with how characters deal with the century they're in, which is very different from what they're used to. Not only did the heroine (Elaine) time travel, she also traveled from one country to another. She's from Chicago then she was transported to Dorset, and since this author writes in riddles, I didn't quite catch when exactly she occupied Morrigan's body.
The pace was very slow, and the heroine didn't even use that time to get accustomed to her surroundings. I understand the shock and impossibility of it, but Elaine didn't handle it well. I've read several novels with time travel in it and most of the characters adapted well to their new environment, even took it as an adventure.
Of course there were a lot of questions about the body's identity. Elaine should've just acted as herself - to hell with the servants. She's described as a plump woman with a voracious sexual appetite, unsatisfied by her dispassionate husband. Charles shares the same predicament and early on it seemed they're perfect for each other.
Unfortunately, I know where the story is going but the plot was weak, so were the characters. I can't deny the quality erotica but that's not enough. I hated that Elaine was weak until the end, that even though Charles sensed something was wrong, he deduced that Morrigan (Elaine) is mad.
I also hated the antagonists - they're really classic and for once, Elaine didn't get the upper hand, most of the time she's a doormat.
One could skip this, it's not one of those compelling reads.
December 8, 2014
Las escenas hot tardan en llegar. Pero si algo se puede decir que es los libros de esta mujer no son una mera sucesión de escenas. En éste vemos, además de los problemas que plantea la situación de retroceder en el tiempo, fuera comodidades del siglo XX-XXI, temas como el sentimiento de culpa por una supuesta infidelidad (en realiad real porque ella no es ella).
La influencia de la educación (no puedo comentar más sin spoilear)y, siguiendo la línea de la autora, los beneficios del sexo tántrico.
No será mi favorita de la autora, pero el tema alrededor del que gira me a atrapado lo suficiente.
El final un poco confuso, normal. Los viajes en el tiempo por ahora no tienen lógica.
La influencia de la educación (no puedo comentar más sin spoilear)y, siguiendo la línea de la autora, los beneficios del sexo tántrico.
No será mi favorita de la autora, pero el tema alrededor del que gira me a atrapado lo suficiente.
El final un poco confuso, normal. Los viajes en el tiempo por ahora no tienen lógica.
February 5, 2017
Se nota que es un primer libro y, aunque en algunos momentos es bastante lioso, la forma de escribir de la autora lo compensa.
November 29, 2025
Hubo una época, allá por los años noventa, en que se pusieron de moda los romances con viaje en el tiempo. Igual que ahora me imagino que a cualquier novelista de romántica le piden romantasía, que es lo que se lleva (sea o no lo que quiere escribir), por aquel entonces todo quisque y su madre se dedicaba a los viajes en el tiempo. Así que no es de extrañar que esta primera novela de Robin Schone, de 1995, recurriera a ese tópico.
Si dejas eso a un lado, lo que te encuentras es con un matrimonio en crisis (por mucho que el «cuerpo» de la esposa sea de una y «la mente», por así decirlo, de otra). A través del sexo y del furioso interés que ahora tiene la esposa por ese tema, conectan y se enamoran. Porque aunque se hable poco de amor, y mucho de sexo, al final de lo que se trata es de eso, de que acaben enamorados, y no solo dándole al manubrio.
Estuve dudando si ponerle dos o tres estrellas. La forma que tiene de escribir Schone es estupenda. Lo sensual se le daba de fábula (utilizo el pasado porque creo que ya no publica). Tiene su punto de interés que sea bastante naturalista en cuanto a los aspectos cotidianos en el siglo XIX. Aparecerán aquí con cierta crudeza los orinales y su contenido, malos olores corporales, escasa higiene, y los trapos que usaban para la menstruación, por no hablar de personajes muy desagradables con tal obsesión religiosa que agobian al lector más que a la protagonista. No es para estómagos delicados. Los trigger warnings, si se hubieran llevado hace treinta años, habrían ocupado hoja y media.
Hasta la propia ambigüedad de los protagonistas principales, que a veces te exasperan, y otras los comprendes, podría ser otro punto a favor.
Pero al final lo he dejado en dos estrellas, porque me tuve que saltar algunas partes aburridas, aparte de que las magufadas druídicas me dan cierta risa floja.
Si dejas eso a un lado, lo que te encuentras es con un matrimonio en crisis (por mucho que el «cuerpo» de la esposa sea de una y «la mente», por así decirlo, de otra). A través del sexo y del furioso interés que ahora tiene la esposa por ese tema, conectan y se enamoran. Porque aunque se hable poco de amor, y mucho de sexo, al final de lo que se trata es de eso, de que acaben enamorados, y no solo dándole al manubrio.
Estuve dudando si ponerle dos o tres estrellas. La forma que tiene de escribir Schone es estupenda. Lo sensual se le daba de fábula (utilizo el pasado porque creo que ya no publica). Tiene su punto de interés que sea bastante naturalista en cuanto a los aspectos cotidianos en el siglo XIX. Aparecerán aquí con cierta crudeza los orinales y su contenido, malos olores corporales, escasa higiene, y los trapos que usaban para la menstruación, por no hablar de personajes muy desagradables con tal obsesión religiosa que agobian al lector más que a la protagonista. No es para estómagos delicados. Los trigger warnings, si se hubieran llevado hace treinta años, habrían ocupado hoja y media.
Hasta la propia ambigüedad de los protagonistas principales, que a veces te exasperan, y otras los comprendes, podría ser otro punto a favor.
Pero al final lo he dejado en dos estrellas, porque me tuve que saltar algunas partes aburridas, aparte de que las magufadas druídicas me dan cierta risa floja.
June 15, 2020
Esta es la primera novela escrita por la autora (año 1995) y ya quisieran muchos tener el nivel que se gasta la misma. Sabréis por mis reseñas que “El tutor” fue la primera novela que leí de ella y quedé encantada.
En “El despertar del amor” se nota su estilo y algo que viene a estar presente en ellas es el descubrimiento de los placeres, el uso de manuales del sexo, las referencias al sexo tántrico, detalles que ya son característicos y muy usados por la autora para que mediante ellos nuestros protagonistas se descubran en el plano carnal.
Elaine Metcliffe es la protagonista, una mujer de treinta y nueve años que vive un matrimonio donde prima la rutina y las relaciones sexuales brillan por su ausencia y aquí viene la novedad, la autora incorpora un toque de fantasía incorporando los viajes en el tiempo. Esto me ha gustado mucho, yo que soy fan de “Outlander” me pirro por este tipo de historias.
El otro protagonista es Charles Mortimer, él es el típico noble inglés que se casa por conveniencia (eso creo, puesto que esto no se detalla pero pienso que se intuye), es un hombre apasionado, pero ha dado con una mujer fría y su meta es introducirla y despertar su pasión.
Elaine es una mujer apasionada pero en su anterior vida, sus circunstancias, un cuerpo que ella no acepta y un marido despegado no le dejan disfrutar de lo que podría ser. Ahora su “nuevo ser” representado en la joven Morrigan...
...continúa la reseña en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
En “El despertar del amor” se nota su estilo y algo que viene a estar presente en ellas es el descubrimiento de los placeres, el uso de manuales del sexo, las referencias al sexo tántrico, detalles que ya son característicos y muy usados por la autora para que mediante ellos nuestros protagonistas se descubran en el plano carnal.
Elaine Metcliffe es la protagonista, una mujer de treinta y nueve años que vive un matrimonio donde prima la rutina y las relaciones sexuales brillan por su ausencia y aquí viene la novedad, la autora incorpora un toque de fantasía incorporando los viajes en el tiempo. Esto me ha gustado mucho, yo que soy fan de “Outlander” me pirro por este tipo de historias.
El otro protagonista es Charles Mortimer, él es el típico noble inglés que se casa por conveniencia (eso creo, puesto que esto no se detalla pero pienso que se intuye), es un hombre apasionado, pero ha dado con una mujer fría y su meta es introducirla y despertar su pasión.
Elaine es una mujer apasionada pero en su anterior vida, sus circunstancias, un cuerpo que ella no acepta y un marido despegado no le dejan disfrutar de lo que podría ser. Ahora su “nuevo ser” representado en la joven Morrigan...
...continúa la reseña en: https://oceanodelibros.blogspot.com/2...
February 21, 2021
Read another book by Robin Schone and decided to try another one. Although time travel read typically don't appeal to me I thought his one was nicely done and kept my interest.
June 3, 2012
Elaine Metcliffe, a 20th-century, middle-aged woman of average looks, slightly overweight, with a 9-5 job as an analyst has been married for 17 years to a man who has truly shared little of himself intimately, or otherwise, with her. She realizes one night as she falls asleep after pleasuring herself that her life has been lonelier with him than before him, and she has much of the same to look forward to. Such a bleak existence! Her last wish before sleep overtakes her is to have a life with love and intimacy, and as she awakens in the a.m., destiny is well on its way to fulfilling her heartfelt request, just not in the 20th-century.
Charles Mortimer, a 19th-century English baron, has been married for a year to a beautiful bride that is as cold and passionless as she is beautiful. He has waited for an entire year for her to turn 21 and begin his conjugal relationship with her, as agreed. It has been pure agony for him, for he is not the sort to look elsewhere for sexual fulfillment. However, over the year, he has seen much deeper than the outer beauty which bewitched him at his first meeting with her and which led to this hopelessly, cold, lonely marriage. He realizes after his night of cold, frigid sex that she will always hold herself away from him and true intimacy, just barely tolerating his touch. His hopes of finding a marriage of love, respect, and passion have been dashed. Angry with himself for his lustful foolishness, and angry with his wife for being the cold-fish she is, he promises himself he will get something from this marriage and from her, even if only in the form of heirs.
These two desperately lonely individuals are thrown together when Elaine awakens in the 19th-century in the body of Charles's wife and their story takes off! Although there is time travel and a little dark magic mixed into the plot, this story is mainly about sexual awakening, trust, and self-discovery. It focuses on the intimacy between two people, and how that can develop in an atmosphere of hurt, anger, and distrust. The sex is definitely good and hot! However, the time-travel and dark-magic aspect feels out of place. The same story could have been told without it and maybe even made more solid, with a more interesting flow of drama. The story has some very interesting plot twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed, but the plot just seemed a little too choppy, jumping between aspects of fantasy, eroticism, and soul-deep dramatic scenes.
Charles Mortimer, a 19th-century English baron, has been married for a year to a beautiful bride that is as cold and passionless as she is beautiful. He has waited for an entire year for her to turn 21 and begin his conjugal relationship with her, as agreed. It has been pure agony for him, for he is not the sort to look elsewhere for sexual fulfillment. However, over the year, he has seen much deeper than the outer beauty which bewitched him at his first meeting with her and which led to this hopelessly, cold, lonely marriage. He realizes after his night of cold, frigid sex that she will always hold herself away from him and true intimacy, just barely tolerating his touch. His hopes of finding a marriage of love, respect, and passion have been dashed. Angry with himself for his lustful foolishness, and angry with his wife for being the cold-fish she is, he promises himself he will get something from this marriage and from her, even if only in the form of heirs.
These two desperately lonely individuals are thrown together when Elaine awakens in the 19th-century in the body of Charles's wife and their story takes off! Although there is time travel and a little dark magic mixed into the plot, this story is mainly about sexual awakening, trust, and self-discovery. It focuses on the intimacy between two people, and how that can develop in an atmosphere of hurt, anger, and distrust. The sex is definitely good and hot! However, the time-travel and dark-magic aspect feels out of place. The same story could have been told without it and maybe even made more solid, with a more interesting flow of drama. The story has some very interesting plot twists and turns that I thoroughly enjoyed, but the plot just seemed a little too choppy, jumping between aspects of fantasy, eroticism, and soul-deep dramatic scenes.
May 10, 2022
I mostly enjoyed this the style of narration did take some getting used to but the underlying story was intriguing. It's a body swap time travel romance where our heroine Elaine a slightly overweight frustrated housewife finds herself inhabiting the body of a young Morrigan Gayle from Dorset England 1883.
Awakening she first thinks it a dream but slowly comes to the realisation that she really is stuck in the past and her new life comes complete with an old Harridan of a maid and a husband who seems to detest her. Morrigan's life and Elaine's new reality isn't fun she has a crippled leg and doesn't seem to command much respect from those around her and her personal cleanliness is also very suspect. if she's going to be stuck here for a while then things definitely need to change. then there's her husband who is the most infuriating man and seems to have made it his mission to now seduce her is it even cheating if she's in the body of his wife is Elaine's dilemma she's also terrified of being discovered and considered mad and carted off to an asylum.
I found this unusual especially considering the victorian hero sexually was totally ahead of his times with all his tantric interests and lemon soaked contraceptives he was also very explicit which I loved in fact the language used here was refreshing for a historical setting. he's still the usual victorian man though with strange ideas regarding women and hysteria and totally dictatorial in fact he was a bit of an all-around ass with major mood swings so much so he was giving me whiplash.
The intimate scenes here were hot and there was definite chemistry they were a little on the dub-con side but again this was also authentic to the time period. there was intrigue mystery and heat and though not perfect it definitely had more positives than negatives and overall I enjoyed this.
Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
September 7, 2015
The things that stopped this being a "totally dire" rating were -
- There was some interesting genuine evil going on .
- um, that's it really. The sex was a bit ho-hum.
My main complaint is that the tone of the book is completely inconsistent. It lurches from Analysis of a Failed Marriage, to Time Travel, to Aren't the Victorians Strange, to Sexual Awakening, to Don't Look Now - Evil is Just Around the Corner, to Abused Child Gets Revenge, to ...oh, fill in any other genre you care to.
An overloaded, jumble-sale of a plot might have been redeemed by its characters, but Elaine (poor Elaine) is towed along in the wake unable to decide whether she is going to cow C19th England (I think this is set in England) by virtue of her good American common sense, or scuttle away as a victim of her awful family. And don't get me started on Charles - misogynistic, domineering, but curiously willing to allow his wife to wear the same unwashed dress for a year.
No, sorry, on reflection, this is back to just a one star read.
- There was some interesting genuine evil going on .
- um, that's it really. The sex was a bit ho-hum.
My main complaint is that the tone of the book is completely inconsistent. It lurches from Analysis of a Failed Marriage, to Time Travel, to Aren't the Victorians Strange, to Sexual Awakening, to Don't Look Now - Evil is Just Around the Corner, to Abused Child Gets Revenge, to ...oh, fill in any other genre you care to.
An overloaded, jumble-sale of a plot might have been redeemed by its characters, but Elaine (poor Elaine) is towed along in the wake unable to decide whether she is going to cow C19th England (I think this is set in England) by virtue of her good American common sense, or scuttle away as a victim of her awful family. And don't get me started on Charles - misogynistic, domineering, but curiously willing to allow his wife to wear the same unwashed dress for a year.
No, sorry, on reflection, this is back to just a one star read.
December 13, 2019
This was one of the first erotic books I had ever read. Just from reading this one I was hooked. Now I own all of Ms. Schone's books, as well as many other erotic/romantica authors.
This book combines excellent storytelling, wonderful multi-dimensional characters, and deeply intricate world-building.
Yes, it is somewhat of a time travel book, but with an interesting twist. You see, the heroine, Elaine who is bored and dissatisfied with her marriage and life, travels backward in time and enters another woman's body. She enters the body of Morrigan. Morrigan is a newly married woman and hasn't yet consummated her marriage - even after a year of marriage. Morrigan, in turn, goes forward in time to take over for Elaine and to live her life.
This book really does combine the best of both worlds. It is filled with terror, evil, heartbreak, mystery and some really HOT shenanigans between Elaine and her new 'husband'.
This book is set in an unusual period, the Victorian era, which seems to be Ms. Schone's specialty.
I think that the story itself will keep you riveted, while the creative love-making and secondary and tertiary stories are the icings on the cake
This book combines excellent storytelling, wonderful multi-dimensional characters, and deeply intricate world-building.
Yes, it is somewhat of a time travel book, but with an interesting twist. You see, the heroine, Elaine who is bored and dissatisfied with her marriage and life, travels backward in time and enters another woman's body. She enters the body of Morrigan. Morrigan is a newly married woman and hasn't yet consummated her marriage - even after a year of marriage. Morrigan, in turn, goes forward in time to take over for Elaine and to live her life.
This book really does combine the best of both worlds. It is filled with terror, evil, heartbreak, mystery and some really HOT shenanigans between Elaine and her new 'husband'.
This book is set in an unusual period, the Victorian era, which seems to be Ms. Schone's specialty.
I think that the story itself will keep you riveted, while the creative love-making and secondary and tertiary stories are the icings on the cake
August 7, 2014
I adored every book by this author until I read this one. It bored me to tears, I'm surprised I made it halfway before giving up.
March 14, 2016
3.75 stars
February 21, 2014
This is the second book I've read from Robin Schone. The first was the lady's tutor. I love the way there is no boring chapter. This book is a good mix of time traveling and erotica historical. And the HEA is a great.
June 22, 2012
Awaken, My Love is my first read by Robin Schone. Not like her usual erotica historical romance, this one more like paranormal time travel that take historical setting. Elaine in her thirthies, if I remember well she's 36, give and take, has a rocky relationship with her husband. One day she woke up in another woman body and transfer back to 19th century (still, if I remember well, I read this almost 2 years ago). She must face her husband,Lord Charles Mortimer. Aka the husband of woman that her body she trapped of. Because Charles is furious with her to deny his sexual need.
Some things I remember are, I got the contraceptional idea here. Such as Elaine use lemon and insert it into her sex (not the lemon, its more like the lemon used to wet the sponge), to prevent pregnancy. Oh, I just know about that! Then some sex position that Charles introduced to Elaine, from Kama Sutra or maybe The Perfume Garden. Really, read this book make your sex knowledge improved! :P
The heavy erotica content in this book will not make readers uncomfortable, since there's no menage. Instead they will know some sex knowledge at 19th century. Funny they know how to prevent pregnancy, like what I told before, use Lemon! Not sure if its can be practiced in this era, since women will prefer pill.
I think readers that love historical romance, mix with erotica, some paranormal element and time travel, will enjoy this.
Some things I remember are, I got the contraceptional idea here. Such as Elaine use lemon and insert it into her sex (not the lemon, its more like the lemon used to wet the sponge), to prevent pregnancy. Oh, I just know about that! Then some sex position that Charles introduced to Elaine, from Kama Sutra or maybe The Perfume Garden. Really, read this book make your sex knowledge improved! :P
The heavy erotica content in this book will not make readers uncomfortable, since there's no menage. Instead they will know some sex knowledge at 19th century. Funny they know how to prevent pregnancy, like what I told before, use Lemon! Not sure if its can be practiced in this era, since women will prefer pill.
I think readers that love historical romance, mix with erotica, some paranormal element and time travel, will enjoy this.
March 7, 2014
Refreshingly Different. Loved the time travel premise, twisting/turning plot, late-Victorian setting. Warning: contains forced seduction/dubious consent. Also the author isn’t shy about addressing the sorts of problems a modern woman would have being thrown into the past. For myself, it helped make the heroine and her predicament more believable. Hot, graphic love scenes. Highly alpha hero. Heinous villains. Plenty of tension and suspense. I was wondering how the author could possibly accomplish a satisfying ending, but she did. The book is imperfect (aren’t all creative endeavors—by someone’s yardstick?), yet both so fascinating and emotional I didn’t care about the decidedly minor issues.
September 11, 2015
Qué buen libro. Será que en mis comienzos leí muchos viajes en el tiempo y es una temática que me atrae, pero realmente no me perdería leer este género y encima escrito por Robin Schone. Y no me defraudó para nada, tiene las típicas cuestiones que una se plantea acerca de viajar a otro tiempo con todas las incomodidades que esto implica. El libro tiene algunos puntos flojos (me hubiera gustado saber más acerca de la vida de Morrigan en el cuerpo de Elaine, por ejemplo), pero al fin y al cabo te das cuenta de que poco importa porque la historia te mantiene en vilo de principio a fin. Muy recomendable ^^/
March 26, 2019
Beautiful romance about time travel! Elaine left behind a loveless husband and travels to a gorgeous Baron Charles!!! His 'wife' was a beautiful, but passionless woman.
Elaine finds herself shocked to be in what she considers the stone ages, with no modern amenities.
She is pleasantly surpised to have a handsome and passionate husband!
This story has romance, drama, mystery, and sizzling love scenes. I could not stop reading it.
I enjoy all of Robin Schone's book, she never disappoints!
Elaine finds herself shocked to be in what she considers the stone ages, with no modern amenities.
She is pleasantly surpised to have a handsome and passionate husband!
This story has romance, drama, mystery, and sizzling love scenes. I could not stop reading it.
I enjoy all of Robin Schone's book, she never disappoints!
June 28, 2015
3.5 stars
June 29, 2020
No es lo mejor que he leido de la autora, pero aun asi me atrapó. Ciertas confusiones con los viajes en el tiempo, pero estuvo bien.
May 28, 2018
This is the first book I have read by this author and I must say I was blown away . The author takes us on a very erotic trip back to the 19th century . Where she wakes up in another woman's body to a English baron, who by the way is built for sin and wants to wake up the sexual desire in his young wife . Elaine/ Morrigan is torn between her 20th century ideals and the ideals of those of ladies in the 19th century. Will Charles win out or will Elaine have to give up her place when the woman she traded bodies with want her body back .
This story had me hooked from the very first page . The characters are well written and complex . Elaine/ Morrigan is such a fun character . Elaine is transported back to the 19th century and is totally confused on what is happening . She was hilarious as she is trying to figure out what the heck is going on . She honestly thinks that she is going crazy and is thinking that she should be locked away . When she is finally figuring things out she grows and starts to let go of Elaine 20th century and starts becoming the lady of the house . She is such a hoot to read, you will love her trust me . Charles well what can we say about him . He is built for sin let me tell you . He has read the karma sutra and knows the way of tantric sex . He would be any woman's fantasy . He is also a frustrated man , we can see his frustration though out the book . He wants his bride and wants to love her with all his heart . We see him tease and love his bride Elaine / Morrigan . He also stands up for her through out the book especially when her family shows up and starts to belittle and put her down . Elaine starts to stand up to these people and man she grows leaps and bounds when she does that. You will absolutely hate her family , they remind me of social climbing piranha . They are arrogant and honestly during the dining scenes they remind me of pigs at a trough . You will oh so laugh at these people . Her uncle is just creepy and he is hiding so much .
This story had me hooked from the beginning . The author takes us on such a fun journey . We see so many transformations through out the book . The author doesn't sugar coat what life is like in the 1800s . I mean it sounds like torture corsets alone would drive me crazy but the chamber pots yeah no. Just imagine what you would do for your time of the month without protection yeah I can't either . The author has Elaine fumble through it with humor . I will warn you there is a twist at the end of the book that had me wow that's how it happened . She totally turned the story on its side . If there is only one thing the ending I wish had more of a punch and declarations of love between them . Don't get me wrong the ending was awesome was hoping for a little bit more fireworks . This won't be the last book I read from this author . So if you want an epic read for your summer reading list this is the book for you
August 13, 2025
I won't spend too much time on this plot because is was basic but nonsensical at the same time.
Elaine wakes up in the body of a crippled, Christian Conservative young woman with a husband
who hates her and has no idea who she's come to be there. She does not speak for the majority
of the book as she's afraid the servants and her husband will listen to her strange American
accent and know she is a fraud? She has to deal with her shrewd and judgmental family and her
sexually aggressive husband - while at the same time, dealing with the real Morrigan who seeks
to destroy her and win her true husband back.
This book made me at times extremely uncomfortable and at other times physically cringe at the
craziness of it all. I truly hated it from start to finish and there were no redeemable qualities
to be found. Charles, the husband, is aggressive and I would say rapes Elaine on many occasions as
she is clearly and firmly saying no, even struggling against his advances despite her 'wet pussy'
direct quote. Elaine is a fucking idiot who does nothing to stand up for herself when she's betrated
and torn to shreds by her stuck up nutso family or the maid who is stealing shit from her.
This book was not romantic in the least. It was porn mixed with stupid characters who had nothing
positive to bring to the story. The sex scenes were bad but the worst parts were Charles washing
his wifes vagina with vinegar after he comes inside her repeatedly because he doesn't want a child.
This was AFTER they made peace and came to be affectionate with each other. Or looking at her
vagina after their first sexual experience together to see if her vagina looks
swollen or is torn....I cannot stress to you how awful a feeling that washed over me reading this
shit. I deserve a fucking medal for not setting fire to this book from the jump and sparing myself
from having to think about this again. I actually read this book to the end. Dealt with the incest,
the rape, my hatred for all these characters but what did it matter? In the end, this book will
be donated and I will pass this evil on to the next unsuspecting reader.
Elaine wakes up in the body of a crippled, Christian Conservative young woman with a husband
who hates her and has no idea who she's come to be there. She does not speak for the majority
of the book as she's afraid the servants and her husband will listen to her strange American
accent and know she is a fraud? She has to deal with her shrewd and judgmental family and her
sexually aggressive husband - while at the same time, dealing with the real Morrigan who seeks
to destroy her and win her true husband back.
This book made me at times extremely uncomfortable and at other times physically cringe at the
craziness of it all. I truly hated it from start to finish and there were no redeemable qualities
to be found. Charles, the husband, is aggressive and I would say rapes Elaine on many occasions as
she is clearly and firmly saying no, even struggling against his advances despite her 'wet pussy'
direct quote. Elaine is a fucking idiot who does nothing to stand up for herself when she's betrated
and torn to shreds by her stuck up nutso family or the maid who is stealing shit from her.
This book was not romantic in the least. It was porn mixed with stupid characters who had nothing
positive to bring to the story. The sex scenes were bad but the worst parts were Charles washing
his wifes vagina with vinegar after he comes inside her repeatedly because he doesn't want a child.
This was AFTER they made peace and came to be affectionate with each other. Or looking at her
vagina after their first sexual experience together to see if her vagina looks
swollen or is torn....I cannot stress to you how awful a feeling that washed over me reading this
shit. I deserve a fucking medal for not setting fire to this book from the jump and sparing myself
from having to think about this again. I actually read this book to the end. Dealt with the incest,
the rape, my hatred for all these characters but what did it matter? In the end, this book will
be donated and I will pass this evil on to the next unsuspecting reader.
December 24, 2012
I love a good time travel and a good romance novel and this one is great in both ways. I loved the way the author developed her characters, sending a 21st center woman into the body of a 18th century womans body on the night her husband is finally able to consecrate the marriage. She was a virgin. The life the woman lives is a shock to the woman inhabiting her body! The husband can tell there is something different going on with his wife but not exactly what. The author does write erotic love scenes and I loved the way she introduced the sexual content to the wife and into the husbands mind, how she has him believe he has awakened something in his wife with the taking of her virginity. The love scenes are really written well I was drawn into the story, I couldn't put it down. I couldn't wait to see what happened on the next page. I actually stayed up most of the night reading, my hubby was in the other bedroom with an awful cold and neither of us slept much.
I really loved this book and asked the author if she had written any more about these characters. She hasn't done any more time travel but does write erotic romance and most all of them are during the victorian era.
Here is the description as shown here on Good Reads:
When thirty-nine-year-old Elaine Metcliffe awakens one morning, she is astounded to find herself in a strange bed, in another century--inhabiting the body of another woman. In this, her "new" life, she is married to English baron Charles Mortimer--dark, breathtakingly handsome--and bent not only on seducing the resentful young woman he believes her to be, but educating her in practices of physical pleasure Elaine has never dared to imagine. Torn between fidelity to the passionless husband she left behind and the exquisite temptation Charles offers with every touch, Elaine will discover that the dark magic responsible for her transport to this time and place is no match for the carnal delights that make her want to stay...
I really loved this book and asked the author if she had written any more about these characters. She hasn't done any more time travel but does write erotic romance and most all of them are during the victorian era.
Here is the description as shown here on Good Reads:
When thirty-nine-year-old Elaine Metcliffe awakens one morning, she is astounded to find herself in a strange bed, in another century--inhabiting the body of another woman. In this, her "new" life, she is married to English baron Charles Mortimer--dark, breathtakingly handsome--and bent not only on seducing the resentful young woman he believes her to be, but educating her in practices of physical pleasure Elaine has never dared to imagine. Torn between fidelity to the passionless husband she left behind and the exquisite temptation Charles offers with every touch, Elaine will discover that the dark magic responsible for her transport to this time and place is no match for the carnal delights that make her want to stay...
March 24, 2011
I was big into time-travel romances in the 1980's, with Constance O'Day Flannery being my favorite. Haven't read anything like that, besides "Outlander", for ages.
This is a case of body swap. Elaine, a 39 year old "modern" woman who's husband isn't interested in having much of a sex life, with Morrigan, a 21 year old 19th century woman who is pretty much frigid.
The story stays with Elaine. We see nothing of the "future" after Elaine goes back in time.
I put modern in quotes because Elaine didn't feel quite so modern to me (even accounting for the fact that this book was first published 15 years ago). Despite being in high tech and having "The Joy of Sex" hidden under her bed, she was still rather uncomfortable with her own body, and not just in a 20 lbs overweight sort of way.
She was also very timid. Part of it was the initial "not talking" thing, which was blamed on "what the hell accent should I have?" But also the way she let Hettie treat her. Not to mention the harping on the fear that she'd be thrown in an insane asylum.
I mostly liked Charles, the 19th century English Baron that Elaine finds her self married to. Although, he was having some odd mood swings at the beginning.
This was intended to be more erotica than romance, and that feels fairly accurate. The sparks fly between Elaine and Charles when they stop fighting each other. In other words, the sex scenes were better than the surrounding plot.
Overall, decent, but ultimately forgettable read.
This is a case of body swap. Elaine, a 39 year old "modern" woman who's husband isn't interested in having much of a sex life, with Morrigan, a 21 year old 19th century woman who is pretty much frigid.
The story stays with Elaine. We see nothing of the "future" after Elaine goes back in time.
I put modern in quotes because Elaine didn't feel quite so modern to me (even accounting for the fact that this book was first published 15 years ago). Despite being in high tech and having "The Joy of Sex" hidden under her bed, she was still rather uncomfortable with her own body, and not just in a 20 lbs overweight sort of way.
She was also very timid. Part of it was the initial "not talking" thing, which was blamed on "what the hell accent should I have?" But also the way she let Hettie treat her. Not to mention the harping on the fear that she'd be thrown in an insane asylum.
I mostly liked Charles, the 19th century English Baron that Elaine finds her self married to. Although, he was having some odd mood swings at the beginning.
This was intended to be more erotica than romance, and that feels fairly accurate. The sparks fly between Elaine and Charles when they stop fighting each other. In other words, the sex scenes were better than the surrounding plot.
Overall, decent, but ultimately forgettable read.
September 30, 2012
This is the first book I've read by this author although some of her other books are on my wish list. This is the first book she had written.
I'm a little conflicted about it. I applaud the author's historical research and the plot is intriging. The love scenes were very well written. Still, the flow of the story and characters were un-even. I would expect Elaine to have been a bit less wimpy considering she was from the future. Charles' motivations were not clear either.
Also, some of the scenes felt cut off. For example, in one scene Charles made a big deal about wanting to stay the night with Elaine. Elaine was called away and had a very upsetting encounter. I expected her to return to her room and have some kind of conversation with Charles but in the next paragraph it's the following morning.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and I will try other books by this author.
I'm a little conflicted about it. I applaud the author's historical research and the plot is intriging. The love scenes were very well written. Still, the flow of the story and characters were un-even. I would expect Elaine to have been a bit less wimpy considering she was from the future. Charles' motivations were not clear either.
Also, some of the scenes felt cut off. For example, in one scene Charles made a big deal about wanting to stay the night with Elaine. Elaine was called away and had a very upsetting encounter. I expected her to return to her room and have some kind of conversation with Charles but in the next paragraph it's the following morning.
Overall, I did enjoy this book and I will try other books by this author.
December 26, 2012
I'm not big on time-travel books so I think the historical details were spot-on and it wasn't as smutty as I like (of course, Elaine for a better portion of the book remembered she was married and didn't want to be a unfaithful) and Charles could be pretty infuriating. And Morrigan was definitely not a nice character - don't pity her at all.
This was a good debut book and I'm glad I was able to read it since it was only recently released in ebook format and I don't read physical books anymore. Which is why, unless it ever gets released in ebook form, I'll never be able to read
.
Still, a good read, just not a reread like Robin's other books are for me.
This was a good debut book and I'm glad I was able to read it since it was only recently released in ebook format and I don't read physical books anymore. Which is why, unless it ever gets released in ebook form, I'll never be able to read
. Still, a good read, just not a reread like Robin's other books are for me.
November 25, 2010
This book was pretty good. I liked the characters a lot. But had trouble with the heroine's attitude throughout much of it. She just seemed to take everything people threw at her, without fighting. That annoyed me. Especially when you factor in that she was supposedly a strong, modern woman.
November 6, 2024
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January 30, 2022
You're probably going to hate this one or love it. I happen to love it and am reading it for the second time after eight years. You do have to read it very slowly as a lot is contained within the sentences, then put yourself in Elaine's position whilst remembering this book was written almost 30 years ago. The main goal of this story is exploring eroticism and the author has done this in spades - plus it's her first ever book, so remember that. It's very atmospheric and dark'ish'.
Elaine is from Chicago USA, frumpy, 39, works with computers, is introverted and in a happy, but boring marriage containing no passion. I assume she has no children. One morning she wakes up in the body of a 21 year old skinny, extremely smelly and dirty woman, who lives sometime in 1800's England. At first she thinks she's dreaming, but...she's not. She doesn't know where she is, when she is, who she is, but she knows what she is. A cold, very religious young woman who doesn't want to be married and who is controlled by an elderly, smelly harridan of a Scottish woman who locks her in her room whilst threatening 'Bedlam' if she doesn't obey. (Bedlam was an insane asylum and many women were sent there for not conforming to society - supposedly).
Elaine is too frightened to speak to anyone, because she doesn't know how her voice will come out, modern American, English, Scottish etc. If it had been me, I would have simply talked to myself when no one was in the room to find out, but that apparently would have been too easy... Her new body has a limp and she has to adjust to that. When her English 'husband' appears she has to deal with a strange attraction to him, even though 'Morrigan' has hated him for the entire year of their marriage. Elaine loves her husband back home in the USA, so everything happening feels like adultery. She has no idea of the lord's name either, as everyone calls him 'my lord'.
So this is very much a book dealing with the head and the heart. Then of course, we have to deal with WHY Elaine jumped backwards over 100 years in time. There's Druids and magic and weird stuff that is at the core of that. This is a strange book, but the story is so different, memorable and erotic that it's difficult to forget.
Elaine is from Chicago USA, frumpy, 39, works with computers, is introverted and in a happy, but boring marriage containing no passion. I assume she has no children. One morning she wakes up in the body of a 21 year old skinny, extremely smelly and dirty woman, who lives sometime in 1800's England. At first she thinks she's dreaming, but...she's not. She doesn't know where she is, when she is, who she is, but she knows what she is. A cold, very religious young woman who doesn't want to be married and who is controlled by an elderly, smelly harridan of a Scottish woman who locks her in her room whilst threatening 'Bedlam' if she doesn't obey. (Bedlam was an insane asylum and many women were sent there for not conforming to society - supposedly).
Elaine is too frightened to speak to anyone, because she doesn't know how her voice will come out, modern American, English, Scottish etc. If it had been me, I would have simply talked to myself when no one was in the room to find out, but that apparently would have been too easy... Her new body has a limp and she has to adjust to that. When her English 'husband' appears she has to deal with a strange attraction to him, even though 'Morrigan' has hated him for the entire year of their marriage. Elaine loves her husband back home in the USA, so everything happening feels like adultery. She has no idea of the lord's name either, as everyone calls him 'my lord'.
So this is very much a book dealing with the head and the heart. Then of course, we have to deal with WHY Elaine jumped backwards over 100 years in time. There's Druids and magic and weird stuff that is at the core of that. This is a strange book, but the story is so different, memorable and erotic that it's difficult to forget.
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