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Taskill Witches #1
The Harlot
It is a Dark Era, one when a lusty lass will do what she must to survive. Even if it means bartering flesh for a palmful of coins…
Forced to watch her mother burned at the stake and separated from her siblings in the aftermath, Jessie Taskill is similarly gifted, ripe with a powerful magic that must stay hidden. Until one night when she's accused by a rival, and Jessie finds herself behind prison walls with a roguish priest unlike any man of the cloth she has known.
In reality, Gregor Ramsay is as far from holy as the devil himself, but his promise of freedom in return for her services may be her salvation. Locked into a dubious agreement, Jessie resents his plan to have her seduce and ruin his lifelong enemy. But toying with Gregor’s lust for her is enjoyable, and she agrees to be his pawn while secretly intending to use him just as he is using her.
Forced to watch her mother burned at the stake and separated from her siblings in the aftermath, Jessie Taskill is similarly gifted, ripe with a powerful magic that must stay hidden. Until one night when she's accused by a rival, and Jessie finds herself behind prison walls with a roguish priest unlike any man of the cloth she has known.
In reality, Gregor Ramsay is as far from holy as the devil himself, but his promise of freedom in return for her services may be her salvation. Locked into a dubious agreement, Jessie resents his plan to have her seduce and ruin his lifelong enemy. But toying with Gregor’s lust for her is enjoyable, and she agrees to be his pawn while secretly intending to use him just as he is using her.
336 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2011
21 people are currently reading
2633 people want to read
About the author
Saskia Walker
151 books355 followersSaskia is British by birth, but because of her parent's nomadic tendencies she grew up traveling the globe--an only child with a serious book habit. She dreamed of being a writer since the age of 12 and finally began writing seriously in the late 1990s.
Saskia's short stories have now been published in over one hundred international anthologies and magazines including Cosmo, and Bust. In the noughties Saskia started working on longer projects and since then her novels have been published by Penguin and Harlequin as well as other publishing houses. To her absolute delight two of her novels won Passionate Plume awards and her work has twice been nominated for an Romantic Times Magazine Reviewers' Choice Award. Her Witches of Scotland series was widely translated and became a Scandinavian bestseller. In 2015 she became a USA TODAY bestselling author. It's been an amazing journey! Saskia is now a full time author and she has many more stories to tell.
Saskia lives in the north of England, on the beautiful, windswept landscape of the Yorkshire moors, with her real life hero, Mark. Mark supports her work through all its ups and downs, and manages to keep her sane and grounded when fiction threatens to take over.
http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk.home.html
Saskia's short stories have now been published in over one hundred international anthologies and magazines including Cosmo, and Bust. In the noughties Saskia started working on longer projects and since then her novels have been published by Penguin and Harlequin as well as other publishing houses. To her absolute delight two of her novels won Passionate Plume awards and her work has twice been nominated for an Romantic Times Magazine Reviewers' Choice Award. Her Witches of Scotland series was widely translated and became a Scandinavian bestseller. In 2015 she became a USA TODAY bestselling author. It's been an amazing journey! Saskia is now a full time author and she has many more stories to tell.
Saskia lives in the north of England, on the beautiful, windswept landscape of the Yorkshire moors, with her real life hero, Mark. Mark supports her work through all its ups and downs, and manages to keep her sane and grounded when fiction threatens to take over.
http://www.saskiawalker.co.uk.home.html
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
May 24, 2011
Note: Do not bother reading either this review or the novel itself if you are likely to be offended by graphic sexual content, including but not limited to: light bdsm, m/m couplings and f/f couplings. If your tastes are somewhat more vanilla, this book is perhaps not for you.
Now, I'd just like to say I am so glad I've had the opportunity to read this! I have never ever given 5 stars to an erotic novel, I reserve such ratings for books that I deem to have more 'substance'. This usually means that there are at least two well-developed and interesting characters, that the plot is good and rounded off well (if it is a stand-alone novel), that it exceeds my expectations and gives me something that I never saw coming... well, erotica or not, this is exactly what this book gave me. It must be noted that this is so very much more than just sex (though there's plenty of that), the best comparison I can make is to Pretty Woman - you know, the movie with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere - this is basically a 19th century version of that story in many ways. Which is not even slightly a complaint, I love that film.
The two are very similar, this is the story about a 'harlot' (Jessie - which, incidentally, is one of my favourite songs) who is charged with witchcraft and sentenced to death. She is then rescued by a wealthy man (Gregor) who wishes to use her to seduce his enemy and infiltrate his enemy's estate. Gregor's attempts to tutor Jessie in the art of seducing his enemy become more than just your ordinary lessons; desire quickly flares between the two of them and this leads to more serious emotions arising. The two begin to have a mutual understanding of one another and note the strange similarities to be found between this wealthy man and this prostitute. To mention Pretty Woman once more, that film has the line that best describes how the relationship flourishes and how the two leading characters discover how alike they are: "You and I are such similar creatures, Vivian, we both screw people for money". It's a highly appropriate line for this novel also, she's a prostitute and he admits to being a thief and what some might call a blackguard.
I simply adored both characters too. Gregor is a wealthy man-of-the-world who seeks revenge on the man who tore his family apart. Jessie is a harlot and a witch (yes, it wasn't a false accusation) who is hindered rather than helped by her powers in a world where numerous innocent women were burned at the stake. He's dark and very sexy, I was surprised just how much I liked him after hearing his critical assessment of Jessie upon meeting her and her "delectable arse". And Jessie was a fantastically fiery heroine who knew what she wanted without apologies; the two of them were practically combustible together. This book works as a fantastic love story (from someone who doesn't much care for love stories) as well as an erotic novel. The book transcends so many genres: erotica, romance, historical fiction and fantasy. And each one of those is created well. I loved the historical setting, I seem to be developing an obsession with books set in 18th/19th century Scotland and England thanks to the large amount of historical fiction I've been wading through lately.
This novel is an amazing accomplishment. I read erotica because it's hot and I generally ignore the story as a rule, but the incredible way the author wove the characters' backstories into the central plot had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know the truth about what happened before and where the plot will take us next. So, so very highly recommended!
Now, I'd just like to say I am so glad I've had the opportunity to read this! I have never ever given 5 stars to an erotic novel, I reserve such ratings for books that I deem to have more 'substance'. This usually means that there are at least two well-developed and interesting characters, that the plot is good and rounded off well (if it is a stand-alone novel), that it exceeds my expectations and gives me something that I never saw coming... well, erotica or not, this is exactly what this book gave me. It must be noted that this is so very much more than just sex (though there's plenty of that), the best comparison I can make is to Pretty Woman - you know, the movie with Julia Roberts and Richard Gere - this is basically a 19th century version of that story in many ways. Which is not even slightly a complaint, I love that film.
The two are very similar, this is the story about a 'harlot' (Jessie - which, incidentally, is one of my favourite songs) who is charged with witchcraft and sentenced to death. She is then rescued by a wealthy man (Gregor) who wishes to use her to seduce his enemy and infiltrate his enemy's estate. Gregor's attempts to tutor Jessie in the art of seducing his enemy become more than just your ordinary lessons; desire quickly flares between the two of them and this leads to more serious emotions arising. The two begin to have a mutual understanding of one another and note the strange similarities to be found between this wealthy man and this prostitute. To mention Pretty Woman once more, that film has the line that best describes how the relationship flourishes and how the two leading characters discover how alike they are: "You and I are such similar creatures, Vivian, we both screw people for money". It's a highly appropriate line for this novel also, she's a prostitute and he admits to being a thief and what some might call a blackguard.
I simply adored both characters too. Gregor is a wealthy man-of-the-world who seeks revenge on the man who tore his family apart. Jessie is a harlot and a witch (yes, it wasn't a false accusation) who is hindered rather than helped by her powers in a world where numerous innocent women were burned at the stake. He's dark and very sexy, I was surprised just how much I liked him after hearing his critical assessment of Jessie upon meeting her and her "delectable arse". And Jessie was a fantastically fiery heroine who knew what she wanted without apologies; the two of them were practically combustible together. This book works as a fantastic love story (from someone who doesn't much care for love stories) as well as an erotic novel. The book transcends so many genres: erotica, romance, historical fiction and fantasy. And each one of those is created well. I loved the historical setting, I seem to be developing an obsession with books set in 18th/19th century Scotland and England thanks to the large amount of historical fiction I've been wading through lately.
This novel is an amazing accomplishment. I read erotica because it's hot and I generally ignore the story as a rule, but the incredible way the author wove the characters' backstories into the central plot had me on the edge of my seat wanting to know the truth about what happened before and where the plot will take us next. So, so very highly recommended!
May 13, 2011
Warning: This review is designed for adults 18 years or older. It contains mature subject matter and coarse language.
Jessie has got to be the horniest heroine I have ever encountered. She is working as a whore in 18th century Scotland when Gregor spies her in a fight with another whore over a potential customer. Jessie puts on quite a show, but it comes to an end when the other woman accuses her of witchcraft. Jessie is promptly arrested. But Gregor is taken by her and figures that if he helps her escape, he can use her in his scheme for revenge against the man who drove his father to suicide. He figures she can seduce his enemy and gain information to help take him down.
From the moment Gregor meets her in the jail cell, these two are going at it. Then they're doing it some more as Gregor teaches Jesse how to seduce his enemy with feigned innocence. Throughout the course of the book, we're also treated to Jessie spying on two guys having sex, behind a door that's not entirely closed... which brings us to watching Jessie spend some quality time with herself as she savors the memory. Later, Jessie gets down and dirty with a female maid for Gregor's viewing pleasure. So that when all is said and done, we've spanned the sexual horizon from m/f to m/m to f/f to lusty masturbation.
Yeah, yeah... there's a plot going on in the background. Gregor's trying to get revenge and get his family's land back.. yada, yada. But back to the sex. Jessie really loves sex. And we hear alot about her lady-bits and how they long for attention. Of course, the author's choice word in the matter is "cunny." And it made me cringe every one of the 44 times I read it. Every so often, she supplemented it with "puss." (I guess I'm not going to be able to share this review on Amazon.)
This book reminded me a lot of one of those period-style Showtime After Dark movies from years-ago. Everyone is randy and ribald. There's lots of dirty talk and sex that spans the spectrum. (OK, in all fairness, there was no m/m buttsecks on Showtime back then, but you get the idea.) I honestly am at a loss on how to rate it. If you're looking for a period story that is really lusty and you don't mind the word "cunny," this is 100% for you. And don't get me wrong, there were moments I was quite, er, enthralled in it myself... despite lines like:
And...
I'm just going to assume that anyone who picks this up is looking for something dirty and spicy, not Jane Eyre... not even a Regency Romance (not by a longshot.) I'll have to rate it in the context for which it's intended. 4 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
Jessie has got to be the horniest heroine I have ever encountered. She is working as a whore in 18th century Scotland when Gregor spies her in a fight with another whore over a potential customer. Jessie puts on quite a show, but it comes to an end when the other woman accuses her of witchcraft. Jessie is promptly arrested. But Gregor is taken by her and figures that if he helps her escape, he can use her in his scheme for revenge against the man who drove his father to suicide. He figures she can seduce his enemy and gain information to help take him down.
From the moment Gregor meets her in the jail cell, these two are going at it. Then they're doing it some more as Gregor teaches Jesse how to seduce his enemy with feigned innocence. Throughout the course of the book, we're also treated to Jessie spying on two guys having sex, behind a door that's not entirely closed... which brings us to watching Jessie spend some quality time with herself as she savors the memory. Later, Jessie gets down and dirty with a female maid for Gregor's viewing pleasure. So that when all is said and done, we've spanned the sexual horizon from m/f to m/m to f/f to lusty masturbation.
Yeah, yeah... there's a plot going on in the background. Gregor's trying to get revenge and get his family's land back.. yada, yada. But back to the sex. Jessie really loves sex. And we hear alot about her lady-bits and how they long for attention. Of course, the author's choice word in the matter is "cunny." And it made me cringe every one of the 44 times I read it. Every so often, she supplemented it with "puss." (I guess I'm not going to be able to share this review on Amazon.)
This book reminded me a lot of one of those period-style Showtime After Dark movies from years-ago. Everyone is randy and ribald. There's lots of dirty talk and sex that spans the spectrum. (OK, in all fairness, there was no m/m buttsecks on Showtime back then, but you get the idea.) I honestly am at a loss on how to rate it. If you're looking for a period story that is really lusty and you don't mind the word "cunny," this is 100% for you. And don't get me wrong, there were moments I was quite, er, enthralled in it myself... despite lines like:
"... it made Gregor wonder what it would be like to plow her furrow, to ease his cock into that alluring niche."
And...
"There will be many who are eager to split your virginal crack with their pricks."
I'm just going to assume that anyone who picks this up is looking for something dirty and spicy, not Jane Eyre... not even a Regency Romance (not by a longshot.) I'll have to rate it in the context for which it's intended. 4 stars.
*ARC Provided by NetGalley
August 2, 2011
Advice to all husbands whose wife's libido has gone down the drain and are experiencing a dry spell: go get this book and give it to your woman NOW.
First off, I should make clear straight away that this is not my usual genre. Or rather it is but slightly less. I do enjoy me some good steamy paranormal romance (I'm thinking Cat and Bones here) but I had some really unfortunate experience with PRN bordering on erotica (I'm thinking Beyond the Highland Mist here). This is mainly erotica with romance and a bit of paranormal added. It shouldn't be my cup of tea.
But I have to confess that this was done rather well.
I recently read a passage from Tempest Rising that summarizes the genre I am referring to and which I do not like:
"She liked a very particular kind of plot: the kind where the pirate kidnaps some virgin damsel, rapes her into loving him, and then dispatches lots of seamen while she polishes his cutlass. Or where the Highland clan leader kidnaps some virginal English Rose, rapes her into loving him, and then kills entire armies of Sassenachs while she stuffs his haggis. Or where the Native American kidnaps a virginal white settler, rapes her into loving him, and then kills a bunch of colonists while she whets his tomahawk."
This is not the case, as Jessie is certainly not virginal.
The Harlot is basically an 18th century version of Pretty Woman. Jessie, known as the Harlot of Dundee, gets spotted during a catfight (imagine various anatomic parts on display here) by Gregor, a man with an agenda of revenge.
Arrested for witchcraft, Jessie gets imprisoned and is bound to be burnt at the stake. But Gregor has other plans for Jessie. He wants to recruit her and employ her fine arts to seduce his long time enemy, the one who caused his father's death and defrauded him of all his properties. Of course, the plan does not go as devised because Gregor and Jessie hopelessly fall in love with each other (and each other's crotches).
But make no mistake. Despite the Pretty Woman motif, this book is no fairy tale for teens. The sexual content abounds and is as varied as it gets: there's m/m and f/f action, all kinds of imaginable positions and some minor bondage.
While I have to confess that the sexual scenes, though... emh, interesting are not something I would read on a daily basis, in Walker's case I appreciated the fact that she kept the weird metaphors and awkward terminology to a minimum, still maintaining the scene highly flammable. If you want to know what I'm talking about you might want to check my review of Beyond the Highland Mist.
I also liked Jessie pretty much. Even though she is a total nympho and the secret dream of 99.9% of the male population on Earth, she is no damsel in distress but a determined woman set to achieve her goals and who will resort to any possible means to do it.
All in all, certainly an entertaining read, well written and less clichéd than usual.
An advance copy of this book was kindly sent to me by the author through the GoodReads FirstReads program
First off, I should make clear straight away that this is not my usual genre. Or rather it is but slightly less. I do enjoy me some good steamy paranormal romance (I'm thinking Cat and Bones here) but I had some really unfortunate experience with PRN bordering on erotica (I'm thinking Beyond the Highland Mist here). This is mainly erotica with romance and a bit of paranormal added. It shouldn't be my cup of tea.
But I have to confess that this was done rather well.
I recently read a passage from Tempest Rising that summarizes the genre I am referring to and which I do not like:
"She liked a very particular kind of plot: the kind where the pirate kidnaps some virgin damsel, rapes her into loving him, and then dispatches lots of seamen while she polishes his cutlass. Or where the Highland clan leader kidnaps some virginal English Rose, rapes her into loving him, and then kills entire armies of Sassenachs while she stuffs his haggis. Or where the Native American kidnaps a virginal white settler, rapes her into loving him, and then kills a bunch of colonists while she whets his tomahawk."
This is not the case, as Jessie is certainly not virginal.
The Harlot is basically an 18th century version of Pretty Woman. Jessie, known as the Harlot of Dundee, gets spotted during a catfight (imagine various anatomic parts on display here) by Gregor, a man with an agenda of revenge.
Arrested for witchcraft, Jessie gets imprisoned and is bound to be burnt at the stake. But Gregor has other plans for Jessie. He wants to recruit her and employ her fine arts to seduce his long time enemy, the one who caused his father's death and defrauded him of all his properties. Of course, the plan does not go as devised because Gregor and Jessie hopelessly fall in love with each other (and each other's crotches).
But make no mistake. Despite the Pretty Woman motif, this book is no fairy tale for teens. The sexual content abounds and is as varied as it gets: there's m/m and f/f action, all kinds of imaginable positions and some minor bondage.
While I have to confess that the sexual scenes, though... emh, interesting are not something I would read on a daily basis, in Walker's case I appreciated the fact that she kept the weird metaphors and awkward terminology to a minimum, still maintaining the scene highly flammable. If you want to know what I'm talking about you might want to check my review of Beyond the Highland Mist.
I also liked Jessie pretty much. Even though she is a total nympho and the secret dream of 99.9% of the male population on Earth, she is no damsel in distress but a determined woman set to achieve her goals and who will resort to any possible means to do it.
All in all, certainly an entertaining read, well written and less clichéd than usual.
An advance copy of this book was kindly sent to me by the author through the GoodReads FirstReads program
January 10, 2012
Saskia Walker's The Harlot nearly never made it to my finished book shelf. One of the first scenes featured a man having sex with a prostitute in a jail cell. I'm not sure when this novel takes place (1800's perhaps? There is mention at one point of muskets.) At any rate, it surely takes place in a time before penicillin. Therefore, so much talk of unprotected sex with a prostitute and endless references to her "wet cunny" did nothing for me but send visions of syphilis and crabs and whatnot. So icky. Plus, the idea of prostitution being a sexy profession sought out by women who love sex irritates me as well. But that is a rant for another day.
To get back on point, I stayed with this story, and am glad I did. Although we initially see characters motivated primarily by their libido, as the story continues actual character development takes place. And an actual relationship. And a sort of interesting plot. Hooray!
It seems silly to write a well thought out review, because once I start to break it all down, there is a lot more to critique than praise. However, it's erotica. Historical-fictiony erotica at that. (ie: lots of excuses to use silly phrases such as, "Yes sire" and "If it so pleases Master" and whatnot) But as far as this genre goes, it is one of the better written books.
To get back on point, I stayed with this story, and am glad I did. Although we initially see characters motivated primarily by their libido, as the story continues actual character development takes place. And an actual relationship. And a sort of interesting plot. Hooray!
It seems silly to write a well thought out review, because once I start to break it all down, there is a lot more to critique than praise. However, it's erotica. Historical-fictiony erotica at that. (ie: lots of excuses to use silly phrases such as, "Yes sire" and "If it so pleases Master" and whatnot) But as far as this genre goes, it is one of the better written books.
May 15, 2011
I really enjoyed this book and if I seem a little surprised by this, well, I am! This is not your typical Historical Romance, even though it takes place in 18th Century Scotland, I think I would categorize it more a Historical Erotic Romance, lots of hot sex!! :) - They don't call Jessie Taskill 'The Harlot of Dundee' for nothing. She is a wonderful heroine, fiesty, brazen and full of life without being obnoxious, and and btw, she is a witch!! That is how she meets Gregor Ramsy, she is in a bar fight with another 'working girl' when she is accused of using her witchcraft to in the fight. This all makes Gregor take notice, not only does he feel a certain draw to her but feels she would be perfect to play the key part in his plot for revenge against his long time enemy, so he agrees to get her out of jail, where she has ended up waiting to be hanged for witchcraft, in return for her help.
Now, this may sound like a pretty basic plot but I give it 4 stars for the characters also, we are not just dealing with your basic whore and angry man bent on revenge! Both Jessie and Gregor are very in depth characters that are a lot more amazing than they seem on the surface, their chemistry is amazing and they really make the story a page turner, well that, and all the great sex!!! I don't to give anymore of the story away but I recommend this book, especially if you like Steamy Historical Romance!!
***This book was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley!!
Now, this may sound like a pretty basic plot but I give it 4 stars for the characters also, we are not just dealing with your basic whore and angry man bent on revenge! Both Jessie and Gregor are very in depth characters that are a lot more amazing than they seem on the surface, their chemistry is amazing and they really make the story a page turner, well that, and all the great sex!!! I don't to give anymore of the story away but I recommend this book, especially if you like Steamy Historical Romance!!
***This book was provided to me as an ARC by Netgalley!!
May 5, 2011
I really enjoy books by Saskia Walker. I have a hard time categorizing her books, and I like that. I’ve yet to read a book by Walker where I wasn’t thoroughly entertained by the story and the arousing sexual scenes.
Jessie-
She’s the Harlot on the cover. To call Jessie feisty is an understatement. She is tough and fierce but she has a real tender side. At the beginning of the book, Jessie is hiding her magic. She has powerful magic but due to events that happened to Jessie’s family, she must forcefully power down her magic. At first when you meet Jessie, you think she is just a whore using her body to get what she wants. Later you find out that she is a strong woman, who fights for what she wants, and cares deeply for others.
Gregor Ramsay-
Gregor was a fun character because in the beginning, he thought he was the one in control and that he was going to be able to easily handle Jessie. Surprise. Surprise. One of the first sex scenes in the jail cell, quickly taught Gregor to think otherwise. He did have his hands full in more ways than one with Jessie. His goal in “obtaining” Jessie was to use Jessie against his enemy. He didn’t expect the passion that would ignite between Jessie and himself.
Overall-
I loved the adventure, the paranormal elements and of course, the smoking hot sex scenes.
4 out of 5 stars.
Jessie-
She’s the Harlot on the cover. To call Jessie feisty is an understatement. She is tough and fierce but she has a real tender side. At the beginning of the book, Jessie is hiding her magic. She has powerful magic but due to events that happened to Jessie’s family, she must forcefully power down her magic. At first when you meet Jessie, you think she is just a whore using her body to get what she wants. Later you find out that she is a strong woman, who fights for what she wants, and cares deeply for others.
Gregor Ramsay-
Gregor was a fun character because in the beginning, he thought he was the one in control and that he was going to be able to easily handle Jessie. Surprise. Surprise. One of the first sex scenes in the jail cell, quickly taught Gregor to think otherwise. He did have his hands full in more ways than one with Jessie. His goal in “obtaining” Jessie was to use Jessie against his enemy. He didn’t expect the passion that would ignite between Jessie and himself.
Overall-
I loved the adventure, the paranormal elements and of course, the smoking hot sex scenes.
4 out of 5 stars.
September 15, 2017
Frustrating. I liked both leads (particularly Jessie) & the full-on bodice ripper dynamic between them (which felt so delightfully old skool). I also liked the plot & the writing.
But...
Too much sex. It got stale. It stalled the story. Nearly every significant scene was packed with unnecessary boinking, which is my main critique of romantica in general. Such frustration was particularly annoying in this case, as the fun plot & flamboyant characters felt overshadowed by the naughty bits. If half the sex -- or even a third -- had been replaced by actual Story-Type Material(tm), the book would've been greatly improved, perhaps to the point of a 4-star rating.
That said, I loved Jessie's unashamed sensuality (which, in a rare moment of non-sex, is revealed as a trait which has nothing to do with her profession) & non-whiny vulnerability. She's one of those larger-than-life leads that have become so rare in the past 10-15 years of milksop Avons, thereby phasing out the bodice-shredding elements that I prefer in genre romance. Not that I'm bitter about it. Nope. Not at all... >____>
Anyway.
I'd be willing to try this author again if she ventures into more mainstream historical fic. R-rated lovin' is fine -- but I'd prefer a few intense scenes to the repetitive every-other-chapter erotica checklist.
But...
Too much sex. It got stale. It stalled the story. Nearly every significant scene was packed with unnecessary boinking, which is my main critique of romantica in general. Such frustration was particularly annoying in this case, as the fun plot & flamboyant characters felt overshadowed by the naughty bits. If half the sex -- or even a third -- had been replaced by actual Story-Type Material(tm), the book would've been greatly improved, perhaps to the point of a 4-star rating.
That said, I loved Jessie's unashamed sensuality (which, in a rare moment of non-sex, is revealed as a trait which has nothing to do with her profession) & non-whiny vulnerability. She's one of those larger-than-life leads that have become so rare in the past 10-15 years of milksop Avons, thereby phasing out the bodice-shredding elements that I prefer in genre romance. Not that I'm bitter about it. Nope. Not at all... >____>
Anyway.
I'd be willing to try this author again if she ventures into more mainstream historical fic. R-rated lovin' is fine -- but I'd prefer a few intense scenes to the repetitive every-other-chapter erotica checklist.
November 11, 2018
A dark erotica novel set in 1715. Almost anything goes in here, but the author pulls it off beautifully.
October 3, 2019
Book nr. 101 of 2019.
August 29, 2023
I'm offended that I purchased this to read it.
2 stars
4 on the spice scale
2 stars
4 on the spice scale
May 12, 2011
One word... Wow! If you want a lot of steam (I'm thinkin' twenty-minute-sauna-110F-at-least steam here), with a bit of (accurate) historical stuff, and a decent plot thrown in, then this book is for you!
It was my first book by Saskia Walker (received through netgalley), and it certainly won't be my last.
On the face of it, it had loads of things which I wouldn't normally like (m-m and f-f action, moderately-repentent prostitute as heroine), but it was just so well-written, steamy but not cheesy or offensive, with enough historical details to really make you feel the credibility without detracting from a solid plot, that I just didn't have the I'm-starting-to-feel-this-is-creepy feeling I would have expected.
What did I like..
- The steam - Goodness me, is this book steamy or what? Not icky, silly steam either, but fluid (oh dear, did I really say that?) and credible. In a couple of places, I did start to wander where the smutty bits were going, and whether they really helped the plot at all, but just when I got to thinking that, the author moved on to a different part of the plot or character development, so it wasn't overwhelming.
- The hero and heroine - I'm not sure I actually "liked" them, but they fit the story perfectly, and their romance was pretty good.
- The setting - Scotland straight after the union with England, at a time when witches were still hunted in rural areas. It was just done incredibly well. I really can't visualise this story working quite so well in any other era.
What I didn't like so much..
- Some of the steamy bits didn't seem to add much to the story, to be honest. But, really, this is erotica, what did I expect?
So, 4 stars. Great kindle smut. Loved it, and I'm now going to check out the author's other work...
It was my first book by Saskia Walker (received through netgalley), and it certainly won't be my last.
On the face of it, it had loads of things which I wouldn't normally like (m-m and f-f action, moderately-repentent prostitute as heroine), but it was just so well-written, steamy but not cheesy or offensive, with enough historical details to really make you feel the credibility without detracting from a solid plot, that I just didn't have the I'm-starting-to-feel-this-is-creepy feeling I would have expected.
What did I like..
- The steam - Goodness me, is this book steamy or what? Not icky, silly steam either, but fluid (oh dear, did I really say that?) and credible. In a couple of places, I did start to wander where the smutty bits were going, and whether they really helped the plot at all, but just when I got to thinking that, the author moved on to a different part of the plot or character development, so it wasn't overwhelming.
- The hero and heroine - I'm not sure I actually "liked" them, but they fit the story perfectly, and their romance was pretty good.
- The setting - Scotland straight after the union with England, at a time when witches were still hunted in rural areas. It was just done incredibly well. I really can't visualise this story working quite so well in any other era.
What I didn't like so much..
- Some of the steamy bits didn't seem to add much to the story, to be honest. But, really, this is erotica, what did I expect?
So, 4 stars. Great kindle smut. Loved it, and I'm now going to check out the author's other work...
May 22, 2014
Uno de los peores libros que he leído. En serio. No le he podido encontrar nada bueno.
Es un verdadero sin sentido, una sucesión de escenas de sexo, más estilo manual de todas las posibilidades con las que contamos, disfrazado bajo el absurdo guión de una venganza que resulta de lo más irrisoria.
Puedo entender que se le catalogue de erótico, aunque tampoco entiendo porqué lo erótico tiene que ser descrito de una manera tan vulgar y con esa falta de vocabulario. Pero que me expliquen qué tiene la relación de ellos de romántica.
Hasta donde estamos dispuestas aguantar las lectoras de romántica. El problema de los booms es que acaban publicando lo impublicable.
Es un verdadero sin sentido, una sucesión de escenas de sexo, más estilo manual de todas las posibilidades con las que contamos, disfrazado bajo el absurdo guión de una venganza que resulta de lo más irrisoria.
Puedo entender que se le catalogue de erótico, aunque tampoco entiendo porqué lo erótico tiene que ser descrito de una manera tan vulgar y con esa falta de vocabulario. Pero que me expliquen qué tiene la relación de ellos de romántica.
Hasta donde estamos dispuestas aguantar las lectoras de romántica. El problema de los booms es que acaban publicando lo impublicable.
March 28, 2022
Meh. This has been on my TBR since I DNFed it a long time ago and I'm glad I at least gave it another go.
This was a decently steamy historical romance with a harlot witch/ man bent on revenge thrown together to achieve his goal and her escape from the pyre while lusty feelings and tensions continue to rise.
So all in all okay, but I didn't really feel satisfied at the ending- plot wise yes, but feelings wise But that may just be me.
This was a decently steamy historical romance with a harlot witch/ man bent on revenge thrown together to achieve his goal and her escape from the pyre while lusty feelings and tensions continue to rise.
So all in all okay, but I didn't really feel satisfied at the ending- plot wise yes, but feelings wise But that may just be me.
May 7, 2012
It's not often that you come across a HR heroine is an actual prostitute. Not that I'm saying she's a role model or anything, but HR has an overabundance of virginal or sexually repressed heroine who reach their first orgasm with their heroes.
Anyway, I classify this book as "historical romantica" (romantic erotica), so those not interested in explicit sex scenes, move out of the way. This is definitely not your book.
The main character is Jessi Taskill, a prostitute recently accused of witchcraft. Along comes the hero, Gregor Ramsay, who witnesses the scuffle that lands her in jail, and proposes a bargain. What he wants is to get revenge on the man who destroyed his father's life and led his to suicide and he figures that Jessi would be the perfect spy to do it. Personally, I think the hero just wants to get frisky with Jessi, but rationalizes to himself that she would be the perfect tool to extract information from his enemy. So, reluctantly, Jessi joins forces with Gregor, but their insatiable lust for each other opens them up and leads them to love each other. With the help of each other, they learn to face their past and work together find the truth about Gregor's history.
So, remember, explicit sex scenes? The H/h started off at the jailhouse with oral sex, then some regular sex, followed by the heroine's voyeurism of a m/m scene (not the hero, I promise), then the hero watches the heroine with the main (yep, f/f), then some nice fluffy vanilla stuff, then an angry, dubious consent sex scene, followed up by more normal sex.
Obviously, Jessi isn't a wilting daisy. In fact, she enjoys sex and is quite adventurous. She's also a witch, so she has supernatural powers that she utilizes occasionally. I liked Jessi, especially since she wasn't going through some type of moral crisis with her history of prostitution. It was a bad thing, but it is what it is and nothing can change that.
Gregor, on the other hand, had a lot of emo issues. He is hellbent on getting his revenge and at times moody and violent to random people for no reason except that he's having a crappy day. Personally, this man's too volatile, but I still liked him until I read The Scene. Maybe this isn't a big deal to most people, but Gregor essentially rapes Jessi because he was so angry that she was "flirty" with some guy. Jessi protests, but goes with it because she was flattered that he would be so jealous *facepalm*. The only way I was able to rate this 4 stars is by mentally IGNORING this scene, because everything else was pretty likeable. The plot follows his discovery of his father's death 15 years ago.
There are a few axillary characters, like Morag (the maid), the excise man, Mr. Grant, and the laborer, who apparently have their own story about their threesome, but that's it. Considering that the series is called the 'Taskill Witches', I am assuming the brother and sister of Jessi will get their own books. I'm looking forward to read more from Ms. Walker, so I can't wait until they are released.
Overall, a good read and I would recommend it. It's interesting and different and I hope this would encourage more writers to step outside the box.
Anyway, I classify this book as "historical romantica" (romantic erotica), so those not interested in explicit sex scenes, move out of the way. This is definitely not your book.
The main character is Jessi Taskill, a prostitute recently accused of witchcraft. Along comes the hero, Gregor Ramsay, who witnesses the scuffle that lands her in jail, and proposes a bargain. What he wants is to get revenge on the man who destroyed his father's life and led his to suicide and he figures that Jessi would be the perfect spy to do it. Personally, I think the hero just wants to get frisky with Jessi, but rationalizes to himself that she would be the perfect tool to extract information from his enemy. So, reluctantly, Jessi joins forces with Gregor, but their insatiable lust for each other opens them up and leads them to love each other. With the help of each other, they learn to face their past and work together find the truth about Gregor's history.
So, remember, explicit sex scenes? The H/h started off at the jailhouse with oral sex, then some regular sex, followed by the heroine's voyeurism of a m/m scene (not the hero, I promise), then the hero watches the heroine with the main (yep, f/f), then some nice fluffy vanilla stuff, then an angry, dubious consent sex scene, followed up by more normal sex.
Obviously, Jessi isn't a wilting daisy. In fact, she enjoys sex and is quite adventurous. She's also a witch, so she has supernatural powers that she utilizes occasionally. I liked Jessi, especially since she wasn't going through some type of moral crisis with her history of prostitution. It was a bad thing, but it is what it is and nothing can change that.
Gregor, on the other hand, had a lot of emo issues. He is hellbent on getting his revenge and at times moody and violent to random people for no reason except that he's having a crappy day. Personally, this man's too volatile, but I still liked him until I read The Scene. Maybe this isn't a big deal to most people, but Gregor essentially rapes Jessi because he was so angry that she was "flirty" with some guy. Jessi protests, but goes with it because she was flattered that he would be so jealous *facepalm*. The only way I was able to rate this 4 stars is by mentally IGNORING this scene, because everything else was pretty likeable. The plot follows his discovery of his father's death 15 years ago.
There are a few axillary characters, like Morag (the maid), the excise man, Mr. Grant, and the laborer, who apparently have their own story about their threesome, but that's it. Considering that the series is called the 'Taskill Witches', I am assuming the brother and sister of Jessi will get their own books. I'm looking forward to read more from Ms. Walker, so I can't wait until they are released.
Overall, a good read and I would recommend it. It's interesting and different and I hope this would encourage more writers to step outside the box.
May 24, 2011
This was the first time I've read this author and I was pretty entertained by this book. I liked the heroine and her use of magic, and the steamy stuff was not bad, even though some of the language made me giggle sometimes. It's probably more wordy and detailed than it needs to be for a book like this, but hey, to each his own.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
An advance copy was provided by the publisher for this review.
September 13, 2017
entre el 2 y 3 como para entretener media hora pero no tenia nada de complicado en la trama.
June 10, 2011
The Harlot is a spicy Scottish tale of revenge, witchcraft and seduction.
Gregor Ramsay is out for revenge against the main that destroyed his family over a decade ago. When he comes upon Jessie in a whorehouse he decides that he could use her to seduce and take down his enemy. After fighting with another woman over a customer though, she is accused of witchcraft and carted off to jail. Gregor then rescues her, takes her against the wall, and helps her escape but only after she agrees to help him in his mission. Gregor and Jessie then embark on a sensual journey of magic and mayhem.
The Harlot is about; well…a harlot known as The Harlot of Dundee, so needless to say this novel has a whole lot of sex in it. So insert all the naughty warnings here. ;)
Gregor is supposedly teaching Jessie the finer arts of innocent seduction but really it’s just an excuse to get under the sheets, on top of the table, on the floor, from the back, tied up…yeah, you catch my drift. Oh, he puts up a strong front at first, determined to remain in control and keep it a strictly a business relationship, but he quickly falls into Jessie’s charms and opts for the hands on kind of teaching. Throughout the story he holds firm to his goals of revenge, trying not to succumb to his attraction to the feisty, spirited and passionate Jessie, but as his knowledge of her life and character deepen, so does his feelings. While Jessie is dealing with her own internal struggle of her growing powers and hiding them from Gregor along with her budding feelings for him.
The sex did overshadow the main plot of revenge a lot but being erotica this wasn’t surprising. There is also a subplot of m/m that, in the end, added an important nugget to the main plot. And then just to fully round out the sexual exploits of this novel there was a f/f with the maid for Gregor’s viewing pleasure. Basically, there was sex, a little plot, sex, a little more from the plot, sex, sex, some sub-plot here, sex, sex, sex, The End.
It took me forever, it seemed, to finish The Harlot and I had a real hard time keeping focused on it. I actually read two other books in between this one, which was a first for me; I usually stick to them one at a time. I cannot pin point any specific reason for this except I just didn’t connect strongly with the characters. And the overuse of the word ‘cunny’, I don’t ever want to read that word again now! This wasn’t a bad novel in any way; the story was good, I just don’t think it was for me. If you like historicals and erotica with a little of the supernatural thrown in then I would definitely recommend this one to you, it just wasn’t my glass of wine.
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
Gregor Ramsay is out for revenge against the main that destroyed his family over a decade ago. When he comes upon Jessie in a whorehouse he decides that he could use her to seduce and take down his enemy. After fighting with another woman over a customer though, she is accused of witchcraft and carted off to jail. Gregor then rescues her, takes her against the wall, and helps her escape but only after she agrees to help him in his mission. Gregor and Jessie then embark on a sensual journey of magic and mayhem.
The Harlot is about; well…a harlot known as The Harlot of Dundee, so needless to say this novel has a whole lot of sex in it. So insert all the naughty warnings here. ;)
Gregor is supposedly teaching Jessie the finer arts of innocent seduction but really it’s just an excuse to get under the sheets, on top of the table, on the floor, from the back, tied up…yeah, you catch my drift. Oh, he puts up a strong front at first, determined to remain in control and keep it a strictly a business relationship, but he quickly falls into Jessie’s charms and opts for the hands on kind of teaching. Throughout the story he holds firm to his goals of revenge, trying not to succumb to his attraction to the feisty, spirited and passionate Jessie, but as his knowledge of her life and character deepen, so does his feelings. While Jessie is dealing with her own internal struggle of her growing powers and hiding them from Gregor along with her budding feelings for him.
The sex did overshadow the main plot of revenge a lot but being erotica this wasn’t surprising. There is also a subplot of m/m that, in the end, added an important nugget to the main plot. And then just to fully round out the sexual exploits of this novel there was a f/f with the maid for Gregor’s viewing pleasure. Basically, there was sex, a little plot, sex, a little more from the plot, sex, sex, some sub-plot here, sex, sex, sex, The End.
It took me forever, it seemed, to finish The Harlot and I had a real hard time keeping focused on it. I actually read two other books in between this one, which was a first for me; I usually stick to them one at a time. I cannot pin point any specific reason for this except I just didn’t connect strongly with the characters. And the overuse of the word ‘cunny’, I don’t ever want to read that word again now! This wasn’t a bad novel in any way; the story was good, I just don’t think it was for me. If you like historicals and erotica with a little of the supernatural thrown in then I would definitely recommend this one to you, it just wasn’t my glass of wine.
http://readingbetweenthewinesbookclub...
August 19, 2012
This review can also be found on Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell-blog.
It’s seldom that I find and read an erotic novel that I enjoy for the sex scenes alone. This, however, is one of those rare occasions.
Saskia Walker’s The Harlot is set in the historical Scotland, to year 1715. There, the story starts with a cat fight in a bar, where two whores are fighting for a man and their pimp is taking bets. One of the women is Jessie Taskill, The Harlot of Dundee, a woman who truly enjoys a tumble and doesn’t imitate the dead when under a man.
Gregor Ramsay is a man on a mission, seeking for a revenge. He needs the help of a capable but not too innocent woman to spy his enemies for him. When Gregor sees Jessie’s bare buttocks, he decides she’s just the girl for the task.
I admit, the plot is on the thin side, almost anaemic, but it does string together the unbelievably arousing sex scenes. Usually, I’d prefer more build up, more unresolved sexual tension, more waiting, but here the quick debauchery makes sense. For the plot. Of course with so much sex in a book there needs to be games to keep things fresh and exciting.
The first half of the book is spent on Gregor teaching Jessie how to seduce Ivor Wallace, the land owner Gregor holds a grudge against. This is where the voyeurism and light BDSM play comes in. If that’s not your thing or if you’d prefer to avoid hints of m/m and f/f, you should probably give this book a pass. However, if those things don’t bother you, make sure you either have a significant other at hand or enough batteries to keep you happy.
The second half, in comparison, drowns in plot as Jessie starts to spy for Gregor and Gregor learns choice things about his past and the past of his parents. Jessie also reveals that the accusations thrown at her in Dundee weren’t as inaccurate as Gregor believed.
Why then, if I enjoyed the book so thoroughly, am I not giving it a higher rating? The writing itself explains it. Especially the introduction to Jessie’s point of view felt repetitive and wooden. She started going on about her “secret talent” while talking about witchcraft and it annoyed me more than the usually irritating word choices for smut. Speaking of which, I’ve hidden a list under the spoiler tags. If you, like I, can’t stand certain words for genitalia or other body parts, well, beware:
And I’m only rounding up, because deep down, I still prefer plot over smut.
It’s seldom that I find and read an erotic novel that I enjoy for the sex scenes alone. This, however, is one of those rare occasions.
Saskia Walker’s The Harlot is set in the historical Scotland, to year 1715. There, the story starts with a cat fight in a bar, where two whores are fighting for a man and their pimp is taking bets. One of the women is Jessie Taskill, The Harlot of Dundee, a woman who truly enjoys a tumble and doesn’t imitate the dead when under a man.
Gregor Ramsay is a man on a mission, seeking for a revenge. He needs the help of a capable but not too innocent woman to spy his enemies for him. When Gregor sees Jessie’s bare buttocks, he decides she’s just the girl for the task.
I admit, the plot is on the thin side, almost anaemic, but it does string together the unbelievably arousing sex scenes. Usually, I’d prefer more build up, more unresolved sexual tension, more waiting, but here the quick debauchery makes sense. For the plot. Of course with so much sex in a book there needs to be games to keep things fresh and exciting.
The first half of the book is spent on Gregor teaching Jessie how to seduce Ivor Wallace, the land owner Gregor holds a grudge against. This is where the voyeurism and light BDSM play comes in. If that’s not your thing or if you’d prefer to avoid hints of m/m and f/f, you should probably give this book a pass. However, if those things don’t bother you, make sure you either have a significant other at hand or enough batteries to keep you happy.
The second half, in comparison, drowns in plot as Jessie starts to spy for Gregor and Gregor learns choice things about his past and the past of his parents. Jessie also reveals that the accusations thrown at her in Dundee weren’t as inaccurate as Gregor believed.
Why then, if I enjoyed the book so thoroughly, am I not giving it a higher rating? The writing itself explains it. Especially the introduction to Jessie’s point of view felt repetitive and wooden. She started going on about her “secret talent” while talking about witchcraft and it annoyed me more than the usually irritating word choices for smut. Speaking of which, I’ve hidden a list under the spoiler tags. If you, like I, can’t stand certain words for genitalia or other body parts, well, beware:
And I’m only rounding up, because deep down, I still prefer plot over smut.
September 3, 2016
My biggest issue with this book is perhaps something I should have anticipated. See, I went into this for the plot, which was sandwiched thinly between many sex scenes. It's an erotic novel, so of course there's going to be an emphasis on the sex. It's pretty much the selling point of the genre. But after a promising setup, the story falls by the wayside so Gregor and Jessie can get their lust on for at least half the book before the plot realizes 'oh yeah, I should get back to work' and pokes its head in. As a result, what should have been several key developments are crammed in awkwardly at the last minute, losing the impact they should have had.
Both Jessie and Gregor serve as point-of-view characters, which is fairly standard in a romance novel since it gives a better chance to show the developing feelings between them. What's noteworthy is that the two of them have and use different vocabularies. The tone doesn't change dramatically, but Jessie's word of choice isn't necessarily the same word Gregor would use, and these preferences stay steady throughout the book. It was a subtle touch I appreciated, since it's true that even if they're from the same region, no two people will always express themselves exactly alike.
The prose does, however, veer towards various shades of purple, more so when sex is involved. There are a lot of "dewy clefts," "sweet furrows," and the occasional "rounded womanly cushion." Since this is erotica, there are a lot of sex scenes, so your tolerance level will have a lot to do with how much you enjoy The Harlot. Well, that and whether you're interested in sex that's held together by a plot or a plot that's held together by a lot of sex.
Both Jessie and Gregor serve as point-of-view characters, which is fairly standard in a romance novel since it gives a better chance to show the developing feelings between them. What's noteworthy is that the two of them have and use different vocabularies. The tone doesn't change dramatically, but Jessie's word of choice isn't necessarily the same word Gregor would use, and these preferences stay steady throughout the book. It was a subtle touch I appreciated, since it's true that even if they're from the same region, no two people will always express themselves exactly alike.
The prose does, however, veer towards various shades of purple, more so when sex is involved. There are a lot of "dewy clefts," "sweet furrows," and the occasional "rounded womanly cushion." Since this is erotica, there are a lot of sex scenes, so your tolerance level will have a lot to do with how much you enjoy The Harlot. Well, that and whether you're interested in sex that's held together by a plot or a plot that's held together by a lot of sex.
May 15, 2011
A historical that features a heroine who is a Lady of the Night and who is also a possessor of "the craft." The hero is a man who has borne the burden of his father's suicide for 11 years and now is ready to carry out the revenge he has been nurturing for that long period of time. Jenny is a woman who has done lots of things in her life to survive and selling her body is just the latest effort to make sufficient money to return to the Highlands of Scotland to live and to find her twin and brother. There is a definite downturn in her luck, however, when she is jailed with an accusation of witchcraft but is rescued by Gregor who wants her to be a "tool" in his plan for revenge. Of course, this means that she will have to be trained for her task as well as making it necessary for her to spend time with Gregor, time during which both their hearts become involved, even though they are neither one willing up to that fact. This is a very erotic read and one that gradually engages the heart and pulls the reader into the story. This is one of those books where I was so strongly tempted to go to the end and find out what happened to these two. It is historically accurate and within that context is an accurate reflection of that culture. I highly recommend it and feel it is really a very find read.
October 29, 2012
This one was kind of odd. It was readable, but it ultimately it seems to fall a bit short on all fronts. Read as erotic romance, the sex scenes were a little bit too awkward (partly due to the unsexiness of the language) to stand alone, so they really needed a solid plot line to back them up. The plot, however, didn't really rise to the occasion, and then ultimately fell off a cliff entirely. A very (unnecessarily) convoluted set of circumstances, characters, and relationships were set up, and then most of those threads were abandoned. I was left with a boatload of red herrings, which would have been frustrating as a reader if I had been more invested, but fortunately I was happy enough to be done with it. The story refused to conform to the expected romance formulas, which might have been refreshing if it had stepped out in ways that made it more interesting or more fun, rather in ways that seemed to serve it's own ends.
August 15, 2011
YE OLDE CINEMAX boring story!!
Not many years ago, maybe 30, I would have spent a little extra time reading the r rated scenes. I found myself only scanning through some of these scenes, oh brother, yuck, don't want to read it, glad the young people are enjoying their sex lives, but mostly typical naughty book bs. The story was pretty silly too. Magic, but minimal, revenge, but minimal, sex, boring and stupid with heaving this and throbbing that. Brother. And what are these submissive themes all about?
No Country for old Men and I'm not really that old.
June 5, 2011
This slope to kindle smut is very slippery.....
June 1/11 -- just bought it!!! Yay!
June 1/11 -- just bought it!!! Yay!
May 17, 2011
This review is also published at http://thebookaholiccat.com
Gregor Ramsay is having a drink at the Dundee inn when a fight starts; two prostitutes are cat fighting for a customer. One of them attracted his attention; she is feisty and beautiful. He learns her name is Jessie Taskill and is known as The Harlot of Dundee. She is perfect for what he needs and decides to talk to her after the fight.
Jessie is winning the fight but her opponent declares Jessie is having the advantage because she is using witchcraft on her. Jessie is immediately arrested and taken into custody. Gregor knows the laws against witch are severe and Jessie would be dead within a week. He decides the best thing to do is to help her escape, like that she will be in his debt and he could use her for his revenge.
Jessie is considering using witchcraft to escape when Gregory arrives to her cell dress as a clergyman. He tells her he would help her escape in exchange of a favor. Jessie misinterpreted his meaning and “pays” him right away, but that was not what Gregory intended so after he is more specific and explains his plan for revenge to Jessie.
Gregory wants revenge from the man who destroyed his father. He wants Jessie to infiltrated his house, seduce him and acquire important information in regards to some lands.
After Jessie’s escape, Gregor takes her to his lodgings where he starts to train her in the acts of innocence and submission, just the way his enemy prefers the girls. But with this “training” Gregory and Jessie start to get closer and their priorities begin to change.
It was difficult for me to get into the first third of the book; I attribute this to Jessie’s character. She is a prostitute who enjoys too much her job. The book’s blurb describes her as a “lusty lass” and I think the description falls short. Usually when books are written about prostitutes the women are forced or with no other option and they don’t enjoy their job. So seeing this character who loves and enjoys what she does was a little bit of turn off for me. But after some pages I started to learn more about her and started to like “lusty” Jessie a little more.
Jessie has a troubled past, her mother was accused of being a witch, later she was stoned and burned, while Jessie, her twin sister Maisie and brother Lennox were forced to watch. After that Jessie was taken away from her siblings to never see them again. And from then on she has lived a tough life where she has been rejected and pointed at for her mother’s sins. Also Jessie has power as her mother had, but she needs to hide it. Getting caught would mean her death. All these factors make her more likable and real at the end.
Gregor is another troubled soul. But he is caring and fun. Even though he just wanted Jessie as an instrument to obtain his revenge he cared about her from the beginning.
Jessie and Gregor relationship was a steamy one; things started superficially between them, just sex and maybe company but things were developed well in the story, making a believable change for the characters.
The Harlot is set in Scotland in the XVIII century, in a time where the conflicts between England and Scotland were at its peak, making it interesting and historically accurate. It shows the people moods in regards with this situation. Also shows us how easily it was to accuse somebody of witchcraft and how these persons were hunted down and burn in the stake without clemency.
The plot was an interesting one and it had a good pace, especially the last half of the book. I also liked the paranormal aspect of the book, it was a nice complement to the story.
I felt the end of the book was left without resolution in certain aspects. I think an epilogue would have been necessary to learn if Jessie “search” had fruits and also with certain things in regards to Gregor, I won’t say what to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.
The language of this book was another thing that turn me off a little bit, I don’t mind at all the “dirty talk”, I might say I enjoy it (a lot) if it’s well done, but in this book I don’t know how many times the words cunny, puss, cock, length, blunt and dripping were used, but they were many times. So many times that the language felt repetitive and unoriginal.
The Harlot was my first book by Saskia Walker and it won’t be my last. If you want a book with “lots” of sexy time, in an historical setting, with a wanton heroine and a touch of paranormal, this book is for you.
Gregor Ramsay is having a drink at the Dundee inn when a fight starts; two prostitutes are cat fighting for a customer. One of them attracted his attention; she is feisty and beautiful. He learns her name is Jessie Taskill and is known as The Harlot of Dundee. She is perfect for what he needs and decides to talk to her after the fight.
Jessie is winning the fight but her opponent declares Jessie is having the advantage because she is using witchcraft on her. Jessie is immediately arrested and taken into custody. Gregor knows the laws against witch are severe and Jessie would be dead within a week. He decides the best thing to do is to help her escape, like that she will be in his debt and he could use her for his revenge.
Jessie is considering using witchcraft to escape when Gregory arrives to her cell dress as a clergyman. He tells her he would help her escape in exchange of a favor. Jessie misinterpreted his meaning and “pays” him right away, but that was not what Gregory intended so after he is more specific and explains his plan for revenge to Jessie.
Gregory wants revenge from the man who destroyed his father. He wants Jessie to infiltrated his house, seduce him and acquire important information in regards to some lands.
After Jessie’s escape, Gregor takes her to his lodgings where he starts to train her in the acts of innocence and submission, just the way his enemy prefers the girls. But with this “training” Gregory and Jessie start to get closer and their priorities begin to change.
It was difficult for me to get into the first third of the book; I attribute this to Jessie’s character. She is a prostitute who enjoys too much her job. The book’s blurb describes her as a “lusty lass” and I think the description falls short. Usually when books are written about prostitutes the women are forced or with no other option and they don’t enjoy their job. So seeing this character who loves and enjoys what she does was a little bit of turn off for me. But after some pages I started to learn more about her and started to like “lusty” Jessie a little more.
Jessie has a troubled past, her mother was accused of being a witch, later she was stoned and burned, while Jessie, her twin sister Maisie and brother Lennox were forced to watch. After that Jessie was taken away from her siblings to never see them again. And from then on she has lived a tough life where she has been rejected and pointed at for her mother’s sins. Also Jessie has power as her mother had, but she needs to hide it. Getting caught would mean her death. All these factors make her more likable and real at the end.
Gregor is another troubled soul. But he is caring and fun. Even though he just wanted Jessie as an instrument to obtain his revenge he cared about her from the beginning.
Jessie and Gregor relationship was a steamy one; things started superficially between them, just sex and maybe company but things were developed well in the story, making a believable change for the characters.
The Harlot is set in Scotland in the XVIII century, in a time where the conflicts between England and Scotland were at its peak, making it interesting and historically accurate. It shows the people moods in regards with this situation. Also shows us how easily it was to accuse somebody of witchcraft and how these persons were hunted down and burn in the stake without clemency.
The plot was an interesting one and it had a good pace, especially the last half of the book. I also liked the paranormal aspect of the book, it was a nice complement to the story.
I felt the end of the book was left without resolution in certain aspects. I think an epilogue would have been necessary to learn if Jessie “search” had fruits and also with certain things in regards to Gregor, I won’t say what to keep this review as spoiler free as possible.
The language of this book was another thing that turn me off a little bit, I don’t mind at all the “dirty talk”, I might say I enjoy it (a lot) if it’s well done, but in this book I don’t know how many times the words cunny, puss, cock, length, blunt and dripping were used, but they were many times. So many times that the language felt repetitive and unoriginal.
The Harlot was my first book by Saskia Walker and it won’t be my last. If you want a book with “lots” of sexy time, in an historical setting, with a wanton heroine and a touch of paranormal, this book is for you.
July 5, 2011
It’s been quite a while since I’ve read a romance book. And, woo boy, was it steamy. I think I’ve had enough sex in a book to last me for a month, maybe two! But then again that’s probably what I get because this is an erotica novel.
There are a few things I enjoyed about this book, one of them being the romance and the characters – Jessie, especially. I loved how the romance didn’t revolve around the charismatic, all-knowing, and experienced man awakening the passion in the innocent, virginal girl. Nope. Jessie knows her sex and thoroughly enjoys it. Awesome! None of this, “Oh my! What is this fire in my loins?” crap. Haha. Gregor, too, agrees with the notion it’s more fun to have sex with a woman who enjoys what she’s doing than the so called corrupting of the innocent. Heh.
Another thing that’s good about this book is that the main plot of this story isn’t really centered on one of the two striving to make the other fall in love with them. Instead, it’s based on Gregor’s need to seek revenge on a man who has wronged him and to do this he’s going to use Jessie. Heh.
You like your sex? Well, you’ve got enough for everything in here. There’s your regular male x female sex, there’s oral, bondage, masturbation, male on male (oh, yes), and female on female (oooh). Everything in the whole spectrum you could ever want or need! And if you’re not a fan of male on male or female on female, then uh, skip the scenes?
There is a lot of sex, though. I think every other chapter or every other other chapter has one. Some of the words used made me giggle because they just sound so funny. Ie: cunny, puss, ballocks, whatever. Since there is so much sex, the descriptions tend to become repetitive. Like, “her cunny clenched” or things like that. I don’t know, gets kinda stale after a while.
It does take a while to get on with the whole revenge scheme and by the time she gets sent into the other man’s house almost 2/3rds of the book has already passed. And the amount of time spent in there is relatively little. Let down? Just a bit. I wanted more of her devious acting and sensuality put on display to charm and ingratiate herself into the enemy’s clutches. But, alas, it did bring about an exciting climax. Happy ending for everyone? (Well, almost everyone) You bet!
Ooh, and also the magic Jessie has is very non-intrusive and brings about a good amount of character backstory and introspectiveness on her. So if you’re not really into the whole spells and magic part, be relieved, it’s not going to bother you at all. Although, that one part at the end did have me snickering.
A decent read and probably a plus for those who love erotica and historical romances set outside of the usual Regency eras.
There are a few things I enjoyed about this book, one of them being the romance and the characters – Jessie, especially. I loved how the romance didn’t revolve around the charismatic, all-knowing, and experienced man awakening the passion in the innocent, virginal girl. Nope. Jessie knows her sex and thoroughly enjoys it. Awesome! None of this, “Oh my! What is this fire in my loins?” crap. Haha. Gregor, too, agrees with the notion it’s more fun to have sex with a woman who enjoys what she’s doing than the so called corrupting of the innocent. Heh.
Another thing that’s good about this book is that the main plot of this story isn’t really centered on one of the two striving to make the other fall in love with them. Instead, it’s based on Gregor’s need to seek revenge on a man who has wronged him and to do this he’s going to use Jessie. Heh.
You like your sex? Well, you’ve got enough for everything in here. There’s your regular male x female sex, there’s oral, bondage, masturbation, male on male (oh, yes), and female on female (oooh). Everything in the whole spectrum you could ever want or need! And if you’re not a fan of male on male or female on female, then uh, skip the scenes?
There is a lot of sex, though. I think every other chapter or every other other chapter has one. Some of the words used made me giggle because they just sound so funny. Ie: cunny, puss, ballocks, whatever. Since there is so much sex, the descriptions tend to become repetitive. Like, “her cunny clenched” or things like that. I don’t know, gets kinda stale after a while.
It does take a while to get on with the whole revenge scheme and by the time she gets sent into the other man’s house almost 2/3rds of the book has already passed. And the amount of time spent in there is relatively little. Let down? Just a bit. I wanted more of her devious acting and sensuality put on display to charm and ingratiate herself into the enemy’s clutches. But, alas, it did bring about an exciting climax. Happy ending for everyone? (Well, almost everyone) You bet!
Ooh, and also the magic Jessie has is very non-intrusive and brings about a good amount of character backstory and introspectiveness on her. So if you’re not really into the whole spells and magic part, be relieved, it’s not going to bother you at all. Although, that one part at the end did have me snickering.
A decent read and probably a plus for those who love erotica and historical romances set outside of the usual Regency eras.
June 11, 2011
I got this book as an ARC from NetGalley.
While Jessie Taskill -nicknamed the Harlot of Dundee- was fighting with a fellow whore for the favor of a client she is accused of witchcraft and sent to the tollbooth. This happened in front of Gregor Ramsay who was looking for a whore to help him seduce his enemy to take his revenge on him.
He found the exact thing he needed!! So he aimed on rescuing her on the terms of performing the task he asks of her.
She had a hard life, starting with watching her mother get burned at the stake by the villagers after accusations of witchcraft. She was always afraid to let her craft be known so as not to suffer a fate like her mother.
He had a hard life too, orphaned as a child and raised by his father that committed suicide when he was a youth, he vowed to take revenge on the man that caused his father to do so.
With a lot of hot scenes together it seems they are very suitable together.. Their romance flourishes with both of them denying the affection and assuming it's only business.
The tenderness and fierceness of their love is breathtaking. It was a refreshing book to read. Although I was not into the book at the beginning with using some certain words like cu**y and pu** for example which was a bit weird, then I got into the story and found it to be relevant to the timing of the story since it's 1715.
The love scenes are too hot to be believable but it was hot nevertheless. So I enjoyed it and devoured the book so fast.
I will be checking other books for this author and put her on my favorite list. I just love Scotland based novels, although it did not take part in the Highlands!!
So if you don't mind a bit of "old sex words", don't miss out on this great book.. It's romantic erotica at it's best!!
I loved the cover too, it is what attracted me to the book in the first place :)
A quote I enjoyed:
Jessie had grown fond of him, and it was in her nature to reach out to those who were suffering, even though that often brought trouble her way. I will help him with this. I will make it right.
While Jessie Taskill -nicknamed the Harlot of Dundee- was fighting with a fellow whore for the favor of a client she is accused of witchcraft and sent to the tollbooth. This happened in front of Gregor Ramsay who was looking for a whore to help him seduce his enemy to take his revenge on him.
He found the exact thing he needed!! So he aimed on rescuing her on the terms of performing the task he asks of her.
She had a hard life, starting with watching her mother get burned at the stake by the villagers after accusations of witchcraft. She was always afraid to let her craft be known so as not to suffer a fate like her mother.
He had a hard life too, orphaned as a child and raised by his father that committed suicide when he was a youth, he vowed to take revenge on the man that caused his father to do so.
With a lot of hot scenes together it seems they are very suitable together.. Their romance flourishes with both of them denying the affection and assuming it's only business.
The tenderness and fierceness of their love is breathtaking. It was a refreshing book to read. Although I was not into the book at the beginning with using some certain words like cu**y and pu** for example which was a bit weird, then I got into the story and found it to be relevant to the timing of the story since it's 1715.
The love scenes are too hot to be believable but it was hot nevertheless. So I enjoyed it and devoured the book so fast.
I will be checking other books for this author and put her on my favorite list. I just love Scotland based novels, although it did not take part in the Highlands!!
So if you don't mind a bit of "old sex words", don't miss out on this great book.. It's romantic erotica at it's best!!
I loved the cover too, it is what attracted me to the book in the first place :)
A quote I enjoyed:
Jessie had grown fond of him, and it was in her nature to reach out to those who were suffering, even though that often brought trouble her way. I will help him with this. I will make it right.
July 2, 2020
Herregud säger jag bara.
Första meningen är:
"Det första Gregor Ramsay lade märke till med skökan var hennes härliga skinkor.".
Jag visste att den här boken var en erotisk bok men inte att det skulle börja så snabbt. Men jaha tänkte jag att det är nog inte så farligt ändå.
På andra sidan kommer dock detta:
"När hon gjorde det flög kjolen och underkjolen upp igen. Åsynen av hennes nakna lår och bak - liksom hennes fylliga lilla kulle och fuktiga springa där inne - fick åskådarna att jubla högt. Det var verkligen en eggade syn. Gregor kunde inte låta bli att undra hur det skulle vara att plöja hennes lockande fåra och trycka in staken i den.".
Jag har inte svårt för sex det är inte det. Jag kan läsa om det när det beskrivs (gud jag vet inte) kanske lite mer romantiskt som det kan vara i New Adult och en del Young Adult böcker. Här är det bara för mycket och jag skäms över att läsa det ska jag vara ärlig. Men eftersom jag fick boken från Harquelin så läste jag vidare.
Men när man är inne i andra kapitlet (det är inte långa kapitlen) och Gregor och Jessica som andra huvudpersonen heter har sex i ett fängelse blev det för mycket! Det kändes som jag läste en scen precis tagen ifrån en porrfilm!
Jag måste tyvärr därför ge upp med böckerna, jag skäms och mår dåligt över att läsa den. Har därför också kommit fram till att erotiska böcker är nog inte min grej. Känns dock lite jobbigt att ge upp på böckerna när jag fick dom från ett bokförlag men i och för sig så frågade jag inte efter böckerna heller.
Första meningen är:
"Det första Gregor Ramsay lade märke till med skökan var hennes härliga skinkor.".
Jag visste att den här boken var en erotisk bok men inte att det skulle börja så snabbt. Men jaha tänkte jag att det är nog inte så farligt ändå.
På andra sidan kommer dock detta:
"När hon gjorde det flög kjolen och underkjolen upp igen. Åsynen av hennes nakna lår och bak - liksom hennes fylliga lilla kulle och fuktiga springa där inne - fick åskådarna att jubla högt. Det var verkligen en eggade syn. Gregor kunde inte låta bli att undra hur det skulle vara att plöja hennes lockande fåra och trycka in staken i den.".
Jag har inte svårt för sex det är inte det. Jag kan läsa om det när det beskrivs (gud jag vet inte) kanske lite mer romantiskt som det kan vara i New Adult och en del Young Adult böcker. Här är det bara för mycket och jag skäms över att läsa det ska jag vara ärlig. Men eftersom jag fick boken från Harquelin så läste jag vidare.
Men när man är inne i andra kapitlet (det är inte långa kapitlen) och Gregor och Jessica som andra huvudpersonen heter har sex i ett fängelse blev det för mycket! Det kändes som jag läste en scen precis tagen ifrån en porrfilm!
Jag måste tyvärr därför ge upp med böckerna, jag skäms och mår dåligt över att läsa den. Har därför också kommit fram till att erotiska böcker är nog inte min grej. Känns dock lite jobbigt att ge upp på böckerna när jag fick dom från ett bokförlag men i och för sig så frågade jag inte efter böckerna heller.
May 11, 2011
The Harlot begins with the heroine, Jessie engaged in a catfight with a fellow harlot while a room full of bar patrons looks on or makes wagers. Among the crowd is the hero, Gregor Ramsay; a blackguard seaman who's hellbent on revenge against the man who destroyed his father. Gregor is fascinated by Jessie; not only by her lush curves but also by her brazen, shameless behavior. He believes that Jessie is just the woman he needs to help exact revenge against his enemy but his plans are temporarily side-tracked when Jessie is jailed under charges of witchcraft. Fortunately, Jessie is not imprisoned very long, for Mr. Ramsay comes to her rescue and helps her escape after his very thorough "reward". ;) Soon Jessie is being tutored by Gregor towards his enemies sexual preferences, all so she can infiltrate his estate, seduce him and obtain the information Gregor needs to thwart his enemy. But Gregor and Jessie get more than what they bargain for when they start to care for one another. And when Gregor learns a devastating secret, he discovers where his heart truly lies.
This book was enjoyable yet easy to put down. I was put-off by Jessie at the beginning of the book. She comes off very strong and I wasn't sure I would like her but I did warm up to her. I liked Gregor; he really won me over after the smoking hot spanking scene. ;) FYI, there are a few M/M and F/F sex scenes. The Harlot was raunchy, fun and not for the faint of heart.
This book was enjoyable yet easy to put down. I was put-off by Jessie at the beginning of the book. She comes off very strong and I wasn't sure I would like her but I did warm up to her. I liked Gregor; he really won me over after the smoking hot spanking scene. ;) FYI, there are a few M/M and F/F sex scenes. The Harlot was raunchy, fun and not for the faint of heart.
June 15, 2011
Saskia Walker, as always, continues to surprise and astound me at her ability to adapt and form a story true to an era, a time, or a character as opposed to writing each of her stories in her own singular voice. I love the old world erotic novel feel of this book, it fits and makes you feel more into the story. I would have loved more information about the witch hunts, I know it's sort of a downer for an erotic novel but I would have loved to learn more about this time in history
I love Jessie in this story. She is a firecracker and she has no qualms about making dark sure everyone knows it. She does was she wants, when it suits her, and she makes no apologies for it. I like Ramsay but I had a hard time connecting to him, he seemed to distant for me to really get a good connection to him but he is still a good character. I love that he is able to accept his love for Jessie for what it is and not try to run far far away from it. Ms. Walker has an ability to turn characters into treasured and loved friends and I found a new and kindred friend in Jessie. She is a women after my own heart.
The plot twists here and there and the sensuality is, as always, top notch but I didn't feel a real love for the plot, I just wanted more the characters. I found myself wanting to see what Jessie would do next as opposed to knowing Mr. Ramsay's nefarious plans. This book will be added to my collection to be read over and over.
I love Jessie in this story. She is a firecracker and she has no qualms about making dark sure everyone knows it. She does was she wants, when it suits her, and she makes no apologies for it. I like Ramsay but I had a hard time connecting to him, he seemed to distant for me to really get a good connection to him but he is still a good character. I love that he is able to accept his love for Jessie for what it is and not try to run far far away from it. Ms. Walker has an ability to turn characters into treasured and loved friends and I found a new and kindred friend in Jessie. She is a women after my own heart.
The plot twists here and there and the sensuality is, as always, top notch but I didn't feel a real love for the plot, I just wanted more the characters. I found myself wanting to see what Jessie would do next as opposed to knowing Mr. Ramsay's nefarious plans. This book will be added to my collection to be read over and over.
September 11, 2021
** 4.5 stars 🌟 🤩 ✨ **
Magic and historical romance - blend them together and get ready for a crazy hot adventure that throws together a woman that is trying to hide her secret witchy-side (for fear of being burned alive like her mother) and a roguish Scotsman who has a plan of his own. The chemistry between this two is smoldering from the very beginning and as this gripping story continues they realize it is more than chemistry, it's a passion that can only be found once in a lifetime.
This is the first book in the Witches series and sets the overall story up very well for more intriguing times as the Taskill siblings try to reunite after years apart while trying to deal with their magic and how others deal with it too. I look forward to reading how the other siblings will find each other and love on their journeys together
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
Magic and historical romance - blend them together and get ready for a crazy hot adventure that throws together a woman that is trying to hide her secret witchy-side (for fear of being burned alive like her mother) and a roguish Scotsman who has a plan of his own. The chemistry between this two is smoldering from the very beginning and as this gripping story continues they realize it is more than chemistry, it's a passion that can only be found once in a lifetime.
This is the first book in the Witches series and sets the overall story up very well for more intriguing times as the Taskill siblings try to reunite after years apart while trying to deal with their magic and how others deal with it too. I look forward to reading how the other siblings will find each other and love on their journeys together
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review
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