Caleb's Bride

by Norah Hess

Fleeing a typhus epidemic in Boston, Roxanne Sherwood ran headlong into a band of Indians and was immediately taken captive. At the mercy of the fierce warriors, Roxy feared for her life…until a white stranger claimed her as his wife. His well-fitting buckskins outlined every detail of his tall, muscular body, and the smoldering look in his dark eyes left no doubt of his desire. To secure her freedom, the Indians declared Roxy must share this man’s bed along with all the intimacies of a married couple. Could she possibly trust the rough-riding frontiersman to introduce her to the pleasures of being a woman? Torn between duty and desire, society and survival, Roxy was sure of only one thing: he must win her heart before she would fully surrender to being…CALEB’S BRIDE.

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Westerns, Historical Fiction, Historical

324 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1978

About the author

Always a daydreamer, and often scolded for it by the grandmother who raised her, Norah Hess always wanted to be a writer. At eighteen, she was sent to Chicago to live with an aunt after her grandmother's death. It was there that she met her husband. After raising three children, Norah decided to write her first novel, and since then has had fifteen published romances. After her husband passed away, she and her two cats moved to Palm Springs, where the desert and mountains inspire her to write her Western romances.

Reviews

[KatieV · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh, for the love of God! That was quite possibly THE stupidest book I've ever read.

Sad thing is, I was warned. I often check out JennyG's ratings before reading something, because I almost always agree with her exactly (or within one star) in the rating. Well, I agreed alright! One star and that's only because you can't give negative stars. Good heavens, why do I allow my morbid curiosity get the better of me. Will I ever learn? It's like I can't resist reading something if I'm strongly warned off of it and, so far, I've always regretted it.

I've read several Hess books and enjoyed them. I loved Fancy. This, however, seemed to have been written by a different person. I know this was one of her earlier novels and apparently she grew a lot as a writer. The characters were one dimensional. The romance was non-existent. There was absolutely NO emotional depth. I can't think of even one nice thing to say.

Some disturbing things happen in this book (lots of slapping women around, including the H slapping the h twice. Women getting raped left and right, and a rather detailed description of one character's brutal rape by her uncle at 12 followed by all her cousins piling on). Thing is, I wasn't emotionally disturbed, because I didn't give enough of a crap about anyone in the book to even bother being disturbed. I just couldn't bring myself to take any of it seriously.

It was just WEIRD and insulting to those of us who are from the mountains of the southeast. Ms. Hess owes the entire state of KY an apology.

Yes, I'm sure there were some rough characters in what was considered the frontier in 1776. I'm sure women (and men) had a rough life. But I seriously doubt that EVERY single man was screwing EVERY woman they encountered and then passing them around to their friends. Even the h's uncle (who was portrayed as a good guy) had sex with his mistress right in front of the heroine. Oh and the mistress was freely shared with his son. Apparently sometimes they even went to see her together. And these were the 'good guys' Good, wholesome family fun right there.

The heroine was completely unbelievable. She was a properly raised young lady from Boston, but she sure caught on fast to the bizarre behavior going on in KY. She flopped her boob out right in front of her male cousin to make the H jealous and to turn him on. Really?!?! Who does that?

This had all the depth, dialogue, and substance of your average 1970s porno. It was almost funny.

[Heather · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was by far the STRANGEST, CRUDEST, most DISGUSTING book I've ever encountered. And I don't mean in the get your heart pounding, good kinda titillating way.



I don't know if I should be shocked or relieved that it was first released in 1978, cuz



What the hell were they smoking back then? Not only is NONE of this consistent with historically accurate behavior of 1776, I don't see how this could even be considered as having been "tweaked" for entertainment purposes cuz...



Let me just give some examples as to what I'm talking about.

Gideon started for the door, muttering angrily, "Uncle Malcolm is going to hear about this." But Roxanne's anxious voice called him back. "No, Gideon, let it be. I acted like a damned hussy and I deserved what I got."

This was said after our heroine, Roxanne, pulled her night gown down (that was previously described as being completely see-through— so she’s traipsing around her uncle and cousin in a sheer nightgown in 1776 with NOTHING underneath it), exposing her breast in front of both the Hero and her teenage, MALE cousin, then preceded to fondle herself. To which the Hero quickly smacked her across the face and told her to cover herself up.



So...just for a little context, Malcom is Gideon's and Roxanne's oldest uncle at around 60 years old. After both his parents died in a carriage accident when he was a small boy, Gideon went to live with his Uncle Malcom in Kentucky. Malcom, originally from London, England, had decided to move to Kentucky from Boston when his wife and son died due to illness many years ago. Roxanne had recently been sent to stay with her family there because of a typhus outbreak in her hometown of Boston. So we have the Uncle, the niece, and the nephew...

"She knew that Ruth was Uncle Malcolm's woman had been for many years. He had bought her from a brutal stepfather when she was but fourteen years old. He built her a small cabin a few miles from his own and settled her in. Over the years, he had visited her regularly, instructing her in how best to please a man in bed."
"...After so long a time, it was evident that the teacher was still very adept. For although Ruth was still a young woman, she had never turned to a younger man. Of course, there is Gideon, Roxanne thought. I don't suppose he counts, though."
"...It was Malcolm himself who first took her cousin to see Ruth. Gideon had told Roxanne all about it one day."

Took Gideon to see her when he was THIRTEEN YEARS OLD.



For SEX lessons!!! With the uncle’s “woman”!

"Ruth, the lad's been playin' with himself! Take him to bed and show him ..."

..."Did you go just the one time?" He had grinned widely and shook his head. "Hell no. I've been goin' regular ever since." "Does Uncle Malcolm know?"

To which Gideon responds, "Sure," and says that they even go together most of the time.....

His hand had gone immediately inside Ruth's blouse, and Roxanne could see the kneading of his fingers through the material. She looked away in embarrassment as Ruth laughed and slapped at his hand. "Shame on you, Malcolm. In front of Roxy."
"...Then, before her popeyed stare, Malcolm had carried Ruth to the bed and was pushing her skirt up around her waist. My God, Roxanne thought, hurrying to sit down with her back to them, he's going to make love to her right under my nose. Amid the noise of the thumping and bumping on the bed, she blushed furiously and would have left the cabin it if wasn't so cold outside."

So, yeah, it’s completely normal that the uncle would be 100% ok with getting down and dirty right there in front of his 18-year old “innocent” niece.



Even all this ick fest aside, the writing was terrible and the characters weren't even likeable. At the beginning of the story when the Hero comes upon the the attempted rape of the heroine and claims that she's his wife, he and her both are subsequently faced with having sex in front of this group of Native Americans in order for them to buy this lie that they’re in fact married. It really didn’t take too much convincing (if any at all) for this supposedly frightened, virginal, properly raised, heroine to let him strip her clothes off. 🤷‍♀️ Then when the hero is trying to prep mentally for having gentle sex with the virgin heroine, the author makes a big deal of the fact that,

"For the first time in his life he did not want to hurt a woman."

Like,



I think we're really meant to swoon at this "heartfelt" sentiment.



The heroine is annoying and always trying to get at the Hero. Why?



But she's dedicated to the attitude and is convinced she wants to marry a man that's been courting her, while simultaneously meeting up to have sex with a 15 year old Native American girl.

"Honey, I don't know if I'm talkin' out of turn, but I think there's something you ought to know. There's a young Indian girl that goes up to Seth's place about every day. I see her cross the river, and Seth always meets her."

But it's not like the Hero is any better. He leaves the heroine, after she makes it clear that she doesn't want anything to do with him, and is taken captive by another Native American tribe where he meets the chief's youngest daughter.

"Little Doe will keep you warm." Caleb smiled now. She had continued to do so ever since.
"...He felt a stirring in his loins. Little Doe was delightful in bed. He had experienced his second virgin, and in the long cold nights he had coached her carefully in the ways that he enjoyed."

So at this point,



and disgusted! And want nothing else to do with this train wreck of a book that I don't see how any sane person could ever actually enjoy reading. Needless to say, I do NOT recommend because it's straight bullshit.

[Simona · Rating 4 out of 5]

very non-pc. one of her earliest books, I think one can find all elements you will find in other books. despite a very poor plot, I liked the book because of the large number of may-december pairings. also the heroine being virgin and then getting desires like man is one thing she does best.
another peculiar aspect you'll find in other books exist here too, not every character gets there ending, happy or otherwise. it bugs me as an epilogue with all the babies from different characters would have left a sweet impression after the rough ride each of them got earlier in the book.

A few pet peeves. Some character just vanished without resolution. Zebe (an older man, lately linked with Lettie) and Nell (Seth's promiscuous sister) should have been introduced earlier and given more ink than Seth. Given the number of times women giving oral sex was mentioned to Roxanne, it was strange to see the Chekov's gun not being used later. But I am thinking of writing an epilogue to resolve those to my satisfaction.

[Readitnweep · Rating 1 out of 5]

The summary of the plot was interesting, though her journey out west away from the epidemic, was a missed opportunity - and I couldn't buy off that she'd go unescorted at that time in history. It wans't the only one. I thought the idea behind the plot was interesting - and there were some good bouts with description and historical touches, but the emotional journey was too easy.

[Amanda Romreader · Rating 1 out of 5]

Nope!!!!! All the content warnings apply! Just nope!

Full review/rant here: http://castoffcovers.blog/2019/07/14/...

[Chrisangel · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second of Ms. Hess's books I've read, and since it's an early one, I won't just the rest by this novel's early HR tropes. It was written in the late 70's, so there's the usual over-the-top misunderstandings, angry words and temper tantrums, sex with other people (on the H's part, though it was part of a role he was playing as a spy) and too little time spent in each other's company. When they are together, it's either a bad fight, or a good f---, or both. Never enough communication, never any attempts to see the other's side and get past their own my-way-or-the-highway attitude. Of course, if Caleb had told Roxanne about the real reason he was with Nell (who happened to be the sister of Seth, the man who wanted to marry Roxanne), it would have saved a lot of bother, but no one wants to try honesty for a change. Certainly not Roxanne, who forgets all about Caleb saving her from a band of Natives by claiming her as his wife, and keeps trying to convince him (and herself) that she hates him, by acting like a snarky bitch, and flashing her boob at her cousin! (In that family, incestuous behavior is a way of life, as are other disgusting habits, like her uncle having sex with his woman while Roxy's in the room, YUCK!!!) As if that's not bad enough, when Caleb discovers she's pregnant, Roxy tells him it's Seth's baby. Then, she says to herself, that if only Caleb would tell her he loved her! Sure, after all, she's made herself so loveable!! A big NO to that!! And also to Caleb's hitting Roxanne, and all the promiscuity among the other characters, and an unnecessary description of what one of the characters, Lettie, endured in her younger days, including rape by her uncle. (The uncles in this book sure have a thing for their nieces! Then again, in real life, there were members of nobility who thought nothing of uncle/niece marriages. Barf bag, anyone?)

There was just too much in this book that could have been done without. Maybe she shouldn't have written it at all.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Norah Hess book. I have to admit, it was different from others in this genre I have read. My main complaint, why it’s a 4 star rating, is that the kindle edition hadn’t been updated in a very long time, and the numerous typos throughout. A thing I liked about this book is that it wasn’t politically correct. It call American Indians “Red Devils”. It also was t PC in response to how men treated woman. No metoo movement in this book. Having said that all, some may be triggered by talk of incest and rape. And abuse of women by men. The hero is an ok guy, though sleeps with many woman. The heroine is a prickly thing and very hard to like. You get villains thrown in there, and in the backdrop the American Revolutionary War. I read this book in 2 sittings in under 24 hours. It takes a lot for me to not want to put a book down. The story was in a way like a train wreck, you can help but watch…or in this case read. I really like her cousin Gideon. Though at times he seemed more mature than our prickly heroine. Also really loved Uncle Malcom. Lettie was a nice surprise to. White Star, a American Indian Renegade was not a nice person and played well a woman scorned. I liked how in this book there was two types of American Indians. The Renegades, and the friendly tribal Indians. How many times does Long Step save our hero’s life?? I really liked along Step a lot also. All the other “hunters” just seemed like male pigs to me. And very low on the evolutionary scale in which it seemed like they treated woman like slaves and lower than animals, all the while sharing the women among themselves.
I will read more of Norah Hess’ books. It’s nice not to have a pc filter placed over historical fiction and romance. 1776 is not 2022, nor should we change history to make it like 2022.

[Eddy DarkSidhePrincess · Rating 1 out of 5]

I remembered the title of this book from my youth, and wanting to test my memory I wanted to make sure I was correct in what I remembered from this one particular segment.
Unfortunately I had remembered correctly.
If you have read this piece of toxic waste then I'm pretty sure you know what part I'm going to ge referring to.
Where Seth forces the one girl to perform oral on him.

Ewwww just ewww. I would have grabbed his nutsack twisted it and bite his d*** off.

I am extremely thankful for Kindle`tm` unlimited so I didn't spend money on thus tripe.

Norah Hess gave another author who did the whole rape writing, a run for her money. I won't mention her name here but her initials are B.S. and one of her favorite descriptions when her heroines are being raped is. "Her treacherous woman's body betrayed her '

[Erika · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sexual abuse and rape, hero slaps the heroine in anger multiple times, dubious consent, racism, sexism, plus not that well written. Why are they even in love? This story is slow-paced and unfulfilling.

[Terryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just couldn't get into this book. It had some good bits but most was crap. Would have been ok if written slightly different. Everyone screwing around with everyone was a bit over the top.
She is sent away from her home and family to avoid an epidemic. He is the hunter that saves her.

[Natalie F · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bit filthy for my taste

I normally like this author but this book was a little bit on the filthy side. Okayish plot..her other books are better.

[Janet Holderman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this woman's books. They keep you captured.

[Porcia Bideau · Rating 1 out of 5]

The Stupidest people EVER!

I actually am a little peeved that I wasted time reading this book. All of the main characters are awful.

[Phyllis Part · Rating 5 out of 5]

Caleb’s bride

A little drawn out but I really enjoyed it from start to finish. I love a book that starts like that

[Tapa in lovezone]

Note to self - Please don’t keep coming back to see if you can try this book. NO. It’s horrible. Dirty books.

[Greeneyes Belle28]

Excellent

[kattie]

Calebs Bride

I loved this story, I recommend every one to read her books, I look forward to reading more of her books. KATTIE.