What do you think?
Rate this book
The Forced Bride
When Emily Blake innocently kissed formidable Italian count Rafael Di Salis, she didn't know that she was bound by her late father's wishes to marry him. Emily agreed to be the count's wife until she reached twenty-one....
Count Rafael has bided his time. He's kept his passions under iron control for two years--his bride was young and he did not want to claim her until she was woman enough to handle him. But now she has come of age, she will be his!
Count Rafael has bided his time. He's kept his passions under iron control for two years--his bride was young and he did not want to claim her until she was woman enough to handle him. But now she has come of age, she will be his!
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
84 people are currently reading
570 people want to read
About the author
Sara Craven
493 books266 followersAnne Bushell was born on October 1938 in South Devon, England, just before World War II and grew up in a house crammed with books. She was always a voracious reader, some of her all-time favorites books are: "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen, "Middlemarch" by George Eliot, "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë, "Gone With the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell and "The Code of the Woosters" by P. G. Wodehouse.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
She worked as journalist at the Paignton Observer, but after her marriage, she moved to the north of England, where she worked as teacher. After she returned to journalism, she joined the Middlesbrough Writers' Group, where she met other romance writer Mildred Grieveson (Anne Mather). She started to wrote romance, and she had her first novel "Garden of Dreams" accepted by Mills & Boon in 1975, she published her work under the pseudonym of Sara Craven. In 2010 she became chairman of the Southern Writers' Conference, and the next year was elected the twenty-six Chairman (2011–2013) of the Romantic Novelists' Association.
Divorced twice, Annie lives in Somerset, South West England, and shares her home with a West Highland white terrier called Bertie Wooster. In her house, she had several thousand books, and an amazing video collection. When she's not writing, she enjoys watching very old films, listening to music, going to the theatre, and eating in good restaurants. She also likes to travel in Europe, to inspire her romances, especially in France, Greece and Italy where many of her novels are set. Since the birth of her twin grandchildren, she is also a regular visitor to New York City, where the little tots live. In 1997, she was the overall winner of the BBC's Mastermind, winning the last final presented by Magnus Magnusson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Read
November 20, 2020Re The Forced Bride- this is the standard SC MOC story straight out of the Early Days of HPlandia.
We have the father of the h demanding she marry the H on his deathbed, so the h reluctantly does it cause her "real" true lurve dumped her for a better money option.
Then we get a three year marriage with non consummation, until the "real" lurve other guy crawls back and wants the h to get a divorce with a huge settlement so he can finally cash in.
The h isn't down with divorce tho. 'Cause while she desperately wants to marry her "real" lurve OM, she is still grooming unicorns and wants to show that skill set off in the Church for her second marriage, with all the pretty unicorn's dancing down the aisle to the tune of the Wedding March .
So the h asks for an annulment. The H goes ballistic - even tho he had no objection to divorce-the h takes herself off to thing about things, and we are off to a remote Scottish Cabin for Very Forced Seductions when the H shows up.
They eventually find some lurve club compatibility and the H drags the h to his home in Italy, The h starts to settle in, until we get the usual SC h mopey moments when the h figures out the H has another woman.
Finally we get to the pièce de résistance of the Old Skool lexicon, where the h is convinced the H has dumped her for the OW and the h has to live with it, 'cause now the HP Stork is targeting the h for a special delivery.
Throw in the Classic OW Fight for Her Man move where our Evil OW tells the h that the H is only using the h for an heir while he and the OW have a fabulous life together and finally our h rebels.
She hies herself back to her home, where she discovers that Daddy Dearest died broke and homeless and now the h is going to be looking for a grotty flat and maybe some beans with crumbs for sustenance.
While the h is indulging in thoughts of desperate poverty and council flats, the H is waiting patiently to explain that he really does love her and how come all of his friends knew she was preggers, when she did not even mention anything and that the Evil OW was not a current past time of his-her expiration date passed numerous years before the H married the h.
We finally get the h admitting she loves the H back and she can't wait to get pampered and adored and have a gazillion kids with the H for the sorta pink sparkly HEA.
This isn't terrible if you are a Vintage HP Veteran, but it isn't really interesting either, so you might want to give a pass on this HPlandia outing.
We have the father of the h demanding she marry the H on his deathbed, so the h reluctantly does it cause her "real" true lurve dumped her for a better money option.
Then we get a three year marriage with non consummation, until the "real" lurve other guy crawls back and wants the h to get a divorce with a huge settlement so he can finally cash in.
The h isn't down with divorce tho. 'Cause while she desperately wants to marry her "real" lurve OM, she is still grooming unicorns and wants to show that skill set off in the Church for her second marriage, with all the pretty unicorn's dancing down the aisle to the tune of the Wedding March .
So the h asks for an annulment. The H goes ballistic - even tho he had no objection to divorce-the h takes herself off to thing about things, and we are off to a remote Scottish Cabin for Very Forced Seductions when the H shows up.
They eventually find some lurve club compatibility and the H drags the h to his home in Italy, The h starts to settle in, until we get the usual SC h mopey moments when the h figures out the H has another woman.
Finally we get to the pièce de résistance of the Old Skool lexicon, where the h is convinced the H has dumped her for the OW and the h has to live with it, 'cause now the HP Stork is targeting the h for a special delivery.
Throw in the Classic OW Fight for Her Man move where our Evil OW tells the h that the H is only using the h for an heir while he and the OW have a fabulous life together and finally our h rebels.
She hies herself back to her home, where she discovers that Daddy Dearest died broke and homeless and now the h is going to be looking for a grotty flat and maybe some beans with crumbs for sustenance.
While the h is indulging in thoughts of desperate poverty and council flats, the H is waiting patiently to explain that he really does love her and how come all of his friends knew she was preggers, when she did not even mention anything and that the Evil OW was not a current past time of his-her expiration date passed numerous years before the H married the h.
We finally get the h admitting she loves the H back and she can't wait to get pampered and adored and have a gazillion kids with the H for the sorta pink sparkly HEA.
This isn't terrible if you are a Vintage HP Veteran, but it isn't really interesting either, so you might want to give a pass on this HPlandia outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 12, 2021
I gained a greater appreciation for the hero’s restraint on my second read because this heroine could be provoking. What I’d originally construed as passivity seemed more like polite consideration and respect for the heroine's youth and inexperience this time. In fact, the game of chess the hero plays at one point could be a metaphor for his courtship of the heroine (a slow, steady and subtle attack to crumble the heroine’s defenses).
I’m keeping my rating the same because my enjoyment level remained the same. Otherwise the only significant change was my opinion of the hero, which improved in light of his saint-like patience with the prickly heroine. Heroine’s hostility was a mask to disguise her underlying pride and fear: she had been too inexperienced to examine her real feelings for the hero and too young to deal with them.
Original review
I enjoyed this, but was disappointed with how tame and restrained Rafael appeared. He seemed ready to give Emily up entirely! He only fought for her when she challenged him with an annulment instead of a divorce. Rafael could have been just going through the motions of the divorce as a form of lip service—secretly buying time so he could come up with a better plan to keep Emily—but we'll never know as his true intentions are kept a mystery. Even Rafael's forced seduction of Emily felt lukewarm (not that I'm promoting this type of behavior, but if you're going to be forceful might as well go all in). Instead of breaking down Emily's resistance with a passionate seduction those first few times, Rafael took her in a clinical manner. Another indicator of his passivity was Rafael's admittance of regret for not courting Emily before he'd asked her to marry him; proactivity which could have paved a happier beginning to their marriage.
Okay. Done with my little rant. This was a decent read overall (and Emily didn't bother me like she did other readers).
I’m keeping my rating the same because my enjoyment level remained the same. Otherwise the only significant change was my opinion of the hero, which improved in light of his saint-like patience with the prickly heroine. Heroine’s hostility was a mask to disguise her underlying pride and fear: she had been too inexperienced to examine her real feelings for the hero and too young to deal with them.
Original review
I enjoyed this, but was disappointed with how tame and restrained Rafael appeared. He seemed ready to give Emily up entirely! He only fought for her when she challenged him with an annulment instead of a divorce. Rafael could have been just going through the motions of the divorce as a form of lip service—secretly buying time so he could come up with a better plan to keep Emily—but we'll never know as his true intentions are kept a mystery. Even Rafael's forced seduction of Emily felt lukewarm (not that I'm promoting this type of behavior, but if you're going to be forceful might as well go all in). Instead of breaking down Emily's resistance with a passionate seduction those first few times, Rafael took her in a clinical manner. Another indicator of his passivity was Rafael's admittance of regret for not courting Emily before he'd asked her to marry him; proactivity which could have paved a happier beginning to their marriage.
Okay. Done with my little rant. This was a decent read overall (and Emily didn't bother me like she did other readers).
September 3, 2016
When Emily tells her husband’s lawyer that she wants an annulment on the grounds of non-consummation he recoils in horror.
He is Very Concerned that such a slight on his client’s virility will end in apocalypse. Count Rafael is the manliest man who ever lived! How dare this badly dressed English woman, with her unflatteringly styled hair, publically state that there is a woman Count Rafael has not banged?
He tries to be polite. Won’t Emily reconsider? The divorce settlement is generous. Far more generous than she deserves.
Emily will not. She wants to marry Simon, and she wants to wear bridal white and break her hymen on the equipment of the man she really loves, and she wants the whole world to know about it.
Simon, when she explains her latest triumph over her husband, has reservations. That was a lot of money Emily just flushed, perhaps she should be a darling and reconsider?
No. Emily is off to spend some winter times enjoying howling snow storms at a remote cottage in Scotland. She will weather the annulment apocalypse in comfort and in secret.
Except she won’t. Count Rafael knows all about the cottage, because this whole scheme of insisting on another way to end their marriage and then running away is exactly according to his plan. And consummation is on the menu, whether Emily likes it or not!
Emily’s whole deal is that she was raised to be Lady of the Manor. Her dad was rich, and he didn’t bother her pretty young head with practical details. All he really wanted was for teenage Emily to smile prettily at his business guests and amuse them with polite nonsense at dinner.
It’s unfortunate that she couldn’t bring herself to do that around Rafael. She found him a little disturbing to her dream of everlasting love with Simon. Simon has about million big red flags of ‘you will totally regret letting this man enter your body, your heart, and into any arrangement where he has access to your cash,’ but Emily refuses to see them. Simon is what she wants, and Simon is what she will have. And when she mistakes Rafael for Simon in the dark and snogs him like he’s her last breath, she’s determined to never go near Rafael again.
This is not to be: Emily’s father extracts a deathbed promise that she will marry Rafael, so she does, and is miserable.
Sara Craven is a huge believer in sunk cost, and a lot of her heroines throw everything at a romance that’s never going to work. They even sometimes almost imply that they know it too, that they absolutely and completely believe they don’t deserve anything better than the moment’s happiness of getting their way before the idiot of their dreams destroys them.
Emily can’t be completely unaware that Simon is a snake and that he has no genuine feelings for her. She also can’t be unaware that her stubborn insistence in keeping to her Lady of the Manor role is a prison of her own making. And yet she does, and pretends she’s not miserable about it. She was heartbroken at the loss of her father, who, while he may have been selfish in shaping her to be completely unfit for anything other than putting together a dinner party menu, at least seemed to genuinely care about her.
I’d been prepared to find Rafael ridiculous. But he wasn’t the typical playboy still intent on pursuing his own selfish desires and nursing his secret mummy/daddy issues. It becomes clear that he really was trying to care for Emily in the early period of their marriage, and that he did want to build a relationship with her.
He took her to his home in Italy, to give her a break from memories of her father in her childhood home. He introduced her to his friends, and he had good friends. Often the hero seems to only pal up with old fat men and their hard-eyed hussy wives, but Rafael knew people Emily would like, if she could have given it half a chance.
It was the saddest part of the book that she couldn’t. Rafael eventually had to leave her to her own devices, which of course meant she immediately fixated on being back in her house, and getting Simon, the last thing that had made her happy before she lost her father.
Not that Rafael is perfect. It’s really unclear what, exactly, he wants from Emily. Probably, he doesn’t really know himself. It comes across as reparation – he seemed, ultimately, to want at least something to compensate for the failure of their relationship. Even if it was just a couple of sex romps with a not-altogether-willing virgin.
I found this book, after its initial ridiculousness, sad in a wonderful way. Sara Craven does a good job with characters who destroy themselves through grief. I like that they are awkward and not always very likeable. These women don’t sob prettily until someone comes along and gives them a big hug. They lash out, they act out, they refuse to be nice, and they pursue the exact thing that is completely wrong for them.
He is Very Concerned that such a slight on his client’s virility will end in apocalypse. Count Rafael is the manliest man who ever lived! How dare this badly dressed English woman, with her unflatteringly styled hair, publically state that there is a woman Count Rafael has not banged?
He tries to be polite. Won’t Emily reconsider? The divorce settlement is generous. Far more generous than she deserves.
Emily will not. She wants to marry Simon, and she wants to wear bridal white and break her hymen on the equipment of the man she really loves, and she wants the whole world to know about it.
Simon, when she explains her latest triumph over her husband, has reservations. That was a lot of money Emily just flushed, perhaps she should be a darling and reconsider?
No. Emily is off to spend some winter times enjoying howling snow storms at a remote cottage in Scotland. She will weather the annulment apocalypse in comfort and in secret.
Except she won’t. Count Rafael knows all about the cottage, because this whole scheme of insisting on another way to end their marriage and then running away is exactly according to his plan. And consummation is on the menu, whether Emily likes it or not!
Emily’s whole deal is that she was raised to be Lady of the Manor. Her dad was rich, and he didn’t bother her pretty young head with practical details. All he really wanted was for teenage Emily to smile prettily at his business guests and amuse them with polite nonsense at dinner.
It’s unfortunate that she couldn’t bring herself to do that around Rafael. She found him a little disturbing to her dream of everlasting love with Simon. Simon has about million big red flags of ‘you will totally regret letting this man enter your body, your heart, and into any arrangement where he has access to your cash,’ but Emily refuses to see them. Simon is what she wants, and Simon is what she will have. And when she mistakes Rafael for Simon in the dark and snogs him like he’s her last breath, she’s determined to never go near Rafael again.
This is not to be: Emily’s father extracts a deathbed promise that she will marry Rafael, so she does, and is miserable.
Sara Craven is a huge believer in sunk cost, and a lot of her heroines throw everything at a romance that’s never going to work. They even sometimes almost imply that they know it too, that they absolutely and completely believe they don’t deserve anything better than the moment’s happiness of getting their way before the idiot of their dreams destroys them.
Emily can’t be completely unaware that Simon is a snake and that he has no genuine feelings for her. She also can’t be unaware that her stubborn insistence in keeping to her Lady of the Manor role is a prison of her own making. And yet she does, and pretends she’s not miserable about it. She was heartbroken at the loss of her father, who, while he may have been selfish in shaping her to be completely unfit for anything other than putting together a dinner party menu, at least seemed to genuinely care about her.
I’d been prepared to find Rafael ridiculous. But he wasn’t the typical playboy still intent on pursuing his own selfish desires and nursing his secret mummy/daddy issues. It becomes clear that he really was trying to care for Emily in the early period of their marriage, and that he did want to build a relationship with her.
He took her to his home in Italy, to give her a break from memories of her father in her childhood home. He introduced her to his friends, and he had good friends. Often the hero seems to only pal up with old fat men and their hard-eyed hussy wives, but Rafael knew people Emily would like, if she could have given it half a chance.
It was the saddest part of the book that she couldn’t. Rafael eventually had to leave her to her own devices, which of course meant she immediately fixated on being back in her house, and getting Simon, the last thing that had made her happy before she lost her father.
Not that Rafael is perfect. It’s really unclear what, exactly, he wants from Emily. Probably, he doesn’t really know himself. It comes across as reparation – he seemed, ultimately, to want at least something to compensate for the failure of their relationship. Even if it was just a couple of sex romps with a not-altogether-willing virgin.
I found this book, after its initial ridiculousness, sad in a wonderful way. Sara Craven does a good job with characters who destroy themselves through grief. I like that they are awkward and not always very likeable. These women don’t sob prettily until someone comes along and gives them a big hug. They lash out, they act out, they refuse to be nice, and they pursue the exact thing that is completely wrong for them.
May 9, 2017
Something was off in this story and it wasn’t just because of the marital rape. If you’re going to have your characters take extreme action – like rape to break the impasse of an arid three-year marriage – then perhaps there should be an extreme reaction or a shockwave that reverberates through the rest of the narrative?
Instead we get step-by-step omelette making and shovelling snow. *sigh *
I was looking for OTT and I didn’t get it. I also didn’t get characters I could warm up to. The heroine was young and stubborn and rude when first introduced. And she was still that way three years later. The breathing space the hero gave her was useless. She was still being taken in by the grafter OM, she still didn’t look any deeper into what was going on around her.
The hero was equally ridiculous. He was sarcastic and distant throughout the story.
I was hopeful when the truly evil OW showed in the last few chapters of the book for the dark moment, but even that drama was muted because the heroine didn’t fight back or confront the hero or even question the preposterous tale she was spinning.
These characters didn’t grow or change for their HEA. The ordeals the author concocted for them left them strangely unmoved, so I as a reader was unmoved.
Instead we get step-by-step omelette making and shovelling snow. *sigh *
I was looking for OTT and I didn’t get it. I also didn’t get characters I could warm up to. The heroine was young and stubborn and rude when first introduced. And she was still that way three years later. The breathing space the hero gave her was useless. She was still being taken in by the grafter OM, she still didn’t look any deeper into what was going on around her.
The hero was equally ridiculous. He was sarcastic and distant throughout the story.
I was hopeful when the truly evil OW showed in the last few chapters of the book for the dark moment, but even that drama was muted because the heroine didn’t fight back or confront the hero or even question the preposterous tale she was spinning.
These characters didn’t grow or change for their HEA. The ordeals the author concocted for them left them strangely unmoved, so I as a reader was unmoved.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 26, 2009
Being generous by giving it 2 stars.
Emily is mostly just too stupid and ridiculous for words!!!! I am skipping around a bit and just read where she has convinced herself that she hated him because she was too young and scared to admit that she really loved him.....ARGHHH...meanwhile thinking she loved the sleazebag Simon, who had no redeaming qualities at all...I think he stole some silver candlesticks from her!
Emily is mostly just too stupid and ridiculous for words!!!! I am skipping around a bit and just read where she has convinced herself that she hated him because she was too young and scared to admit that she really loved him.....ARGHHH...meanwhile thinking she loved the sleazebag Simon, who had no redeaming qualities at all...I think he stole some silver candlesticks from her!
January 20, 2014
I liked this okay, but may have liked it better had I not just read the slightly newer Craven HP The Innocent's Surrender. The main plot point was so similar, but I prefer Innocent's Surrender.
*warning* in both of these, the H holds h captive and rapes her. As a bodice ripper fan, I have no problems with that plot in a romance, but am surprised these were written in the last decade. Of course, in a way I suppose you could say these weren't a whole lot removed from your standard 'blackmailed into bed' in that the H was not violent, but basically put the h in a situation where she had no other choice - which is IMHO not far from rape. These were a little more straight forward in that the H literally announces he's going to have the heroine and she passively gives in, due to fear of a much larger man and no one around to help. Also, in neither did the h enjoy the first time "despite her treacherous body". Although, there were indications that both could have enjoyed it had they let themselves.
What bothered/confused me about this one were his reasons for going after her. Would he have let her quietly divorce him if she hadn't hurt his pride by demanding an annulment instead of a divorce due to non-consummation? It's your typical 'I've loved you all along', but that part was strange - especially since he remodeled his home with her in mind (also like Innocent's Surrender).
*warning* in both of these, the H holds h captive and rapes her. As a bodice ripper fan, I have no problems with that plot in a romance, but am surprised these were written in the last decade. Of course, in a way I suppose you could say these weren't a whole lot removed from your standard 'blackmailed into bed' in that the H was not violent, but basically put the h in a situation where she had no other choice - which is IMHO not far from rape. These were a little more straight forward in that the H literally announces he's going to have the heroine and she passively gives in, due to fear of a much larger man and no one around to help. Also, in neither did the h enjoy the first time "despite her treacherous body". Although, there were indications that both could have enjoyed it had they let themselves.
What bothered/confused me about this one were his reasons for going after her. Would he have let her quietly divorce him if she hadn't hurt his pride by demanding an annulment instead of a divorce due to non-consummation? It's your typical 'I've loved you all along', but that part was strange - especially since he remodeled his home with her in mind (also like Innocent's Surrender).
February 28, 2017
No scrap that, DEFINITE rape by husband. I shall not touch this book with a 10 meter pole in my life again and I am deeply ashamed to have to add this to my read pile!
October 31, 2007
I guess I'm too much of a feminist to appreciate a forced wedding night. The story was lame to begin with and once you through in the "forcing" it really tanks. I never finished it so it might have gotten better but I couldn't tell you. If you read it good luck and please let me know if it got any better.
December 21, 2021
I haven’t read a Sara Craven HP for a while, so I enjoyed reading this.
The H and h have a marriage of convenience until the h after three years of marriage asks for an annulment of the marriage because it has never been consummated. The H then decides to turn it into a real marriage.
Sara Craven’s h’s are always blonde (sometimes red-haired), they are always extremely thin like a stick, they have small breasts, are helpless, not very smart and are very good at drawing the most stupid conclusions. This h is the same.
The small-breasted part of the innocent blonde (or red-haired) h seems very important because the evil OW in a Sara Craven HP is always well endowed, voluptuous, sexually experienced and has dark hair.
Light vs dark.
Anyway, this HP was published in 2007, but it’s like a vintage read from the 1980’s. The H is cruel, alpha, but in love and passionate. The h is young, dependent, virgin.
Warning: there are a couple of forced seductions/rape in the story. So this book will not be liked by everyone.
The H and h have a marriage of convenience until the h after three years of marriage asks for an annulment of the marriage because it has never been consummated. The H then decides to turn it into a real marriage.
Sara Craven’s h’s are always blonde (sometimes red-haired), they are always extremely thin like a stick, they have small breasts, are helpless, not very smart and are very good at drawing the most stupid conclusions. This h is the same.
The small-breasted part of the innocent blonde (or red-haired) h seems very important because the evil OW in a Sara Craven HP is always well endowed, voluptuous, sexually experienced and has dark hair.
Light vs dark.
Anyway, this HP was published in 2007, but it’s like a vintage read from the 1980’s. The H is cruel, alpha, but in love and passionate. The h is young, dependent, virgin.
Warning: there are a couple of forced seductions/rape in the story. So this book will not be liked by everyone.
December 11, 2015
Well, could you count it as a non-con if heroine is saying "no" aloud when in her head she says "yes"? Well, let's hold that thought.
Heroine is young and naïve and don't know life very well. She fancy herself in love with her teenage crash only to find out that she was very much in love with her husband all along but was too stupid to realize that and too absorbed in her pretended hatred and stubbornness to be honest with herself and Rafael. All the way through their marriage she was acting like a spoiled child. I won't like you. I won't try to become friends. Don't touch me. You ruin my life. I hate you. I love Simon. No, you don't. You just kept saying that to hold on to smth while you were afraid of your own feelings. Of course no one likes to be forced and you agreed not to sleep together, but why not become friends and partners-in-crime? He was so helping during her father's illness and that's how she paid him back. By being rude and hostile.
On the other hand I think hero was not trying hard enough until that Scottish cottage. He admitted it himself in the end. But I'm blaming him for thinking she knew about being pregnant and was not glad about it. He should know better considering how many things she got wrong in the past. Considering that she is just a naïve little girl that knows nothing of the world. And it was wrong and cruel to keep saying "We will stay married while I want you". There's no love in this sentence at all. And future is unclear. How can you expect that girl will fall for you and open to you if you keep saying it's only temporary and she shouldn't get used to it. And then he took offence that she didn't say "I love you" or "I'm pregnant" to him. Strange guy. :)
Heroine is young and naïve and don't know life very well. She fancy herself in love with her teenage crash only to find out that she was very much in love with her husband all along but was too stupid to realize that and too absorbed in her pretended hatred and stubbornness to be honest with herself and Rafael. All the way through their marriage she was acting like a spoiled child. I won't like you. I won't try to become friends. Don't touch me. You ruin my life. I hate you. I love Simon. No, you don't. You just kept saying that to hold on to smth while you were afraid of your own feelings. Of course no one likes to be forced and you agreed not to sleep together, but why not become friends and partners-in-crime? He was so helping during her father's illness and that's how she paid him back. By being rude and hostile.
On the other hand I think hero was not trying hard enough until that Scottish cottage. He admitted it himself in the end. But I'm blaming him for thinking she knew about being pregnant and was not glad about it. He should know better considering how many things she got wrong in the past. Considering that she is just a naïve little girl that knows nothing of the world. And it was wrong and cruel to keep saying "We will stay married while I want you". There's no love in this sentence at all. And future is unclear. How can you expect that girl will fall for you and open to you if you keep saying it's only temporary and she shouldn't get used to it. And then he took offence that she didn't say "I love you" or "I'm pregnant" to him. Strange guy. :)
September 4, 2012
I was...disappointed. I first encountered this story as a manga (or comic). Unfortunately, that version was absolutely romanticized and did not show the hero's true colors.
Reading the novella, I was taken aback by the boorish way he forced himself on the heroine. Yes, yes, I know that the title is "The Forced Bride" It just didn't make any sense. He could have explained or they could have talked about it, he could have asked that they try and make the marriage work. But nooooooooooo! They had to argue and fight for dominance, who's right, who's wrong, etc etc.
The love was unconvincing too. I'd give a little credit to the heroine for realizing her feelings for the hero, but as for the hero, his being a gentleman came too late to convince me that he really cared for the heroine. If he truly loved, cared, and respected the heroine, he wouldn't have done what he did. Even if he was a man at the end of his ropes, he wouldn't have done it, unless he was the villain. Which he wasn't.
As for the heroine, being almost 21, she's too old to be convincingly naive. Her efforts of putting up fight after fight, not even giving consideration to the hero, was just too childish. Her whole character was too childish. It would've been better if she was presented as an 18 year old, that kind of attitude would've been a bit more believable.
All in all, this novella left me feeling dissatisfied.
Reading the novella, I was taken aback by the boorish way he forced himself on the heroine. Yes, yes, I know that the title is "The Forced Bride" It just didn't make any sense. He could have explained or they could have talked about it, he could have asked that they try and make the marriage work. But nooooooooooo! They had to argue and fight for dominance, who's right, who's wrong, etc etc.
The love was unconvincing too. I'd give a little credit to the heroine for realizing her feelings for the hero, but as for the hero, his being a gentleman came too late to convince me that he really cared for the heroine. If he truly loved, cared, and respected the heroine, he wouldn't have done what he did. Even if he was a man at the end of his ropes, he wouldn't have done it, unless he was the villain. Which he wasn't.
As for the heroine, being almost 21, she's too old to be convincingly naive. Her efforts of putting up fight after fight, not even giving consideration to the hero, was just too childish. Her whole character was too childish. It would've been better if she was presented as an 18 year old, that kind of attitude would've been a bit more believable.
All in all, this novella left me feeling dissatisfied.
December 28, 2013
I guess The Virgin's Wedding Night was an exception. I should've let the title speak for itself. The love scenes were distasteful, bordering on rape even. I don't know if it's normal in this genre but I find them quite troubling that someone would let herself be subjected to such degradation. And worst of all, the character development and depth was even missing if not remotely present. I don't know, maybe romance books are not really my cup of tea.
April 8, 2012
Emily Blake agreed to an arranged marriage with Count Rafael di Salis when she was 18, with the understanding that it would not be consummated (due to her age) and would be dissolved when she reached 21. The story begins 3 months before her 21st birthday, with Emily and Rafael about to get a divorce. She decides that she wants an annulment rather than a divorce, so that she can marry her childhood sweetheart in her local parish church; the vicar will not agree to the wedding if she has been divorced. This sets the stage for Rafael to show up and force Emily to consummate their marriage.
Sara Craven likes her rape fantasies. She has written a number of very good romances that don't have coercion or rape, but it's something you need to be aware of when picking up one of her books. I have seen a number of negative reviews and strong reactions to The Forced Bride due to the whole rape issue. Personally, I think Rafael's actions are closer to coercion than rape. After the first time they have sex, Emily admits to herself that if she really didn't want to do it, she could have tried harder to stop it because Rafael would never use violence to make her have sex with him. Now, I won't get into the whole issue of whether or not violence is necessary for something to be rape - certainly coercion is not pretty, but remember this is romantic fantasy not reality.
Emily was ... odd. A big deal is made of her youth and unreadiness for a physical relationship, which I find pretty absurd. She's not that young. Emily's fiancé is Simon, a flaky jerk who is obviously just using her. She is not particularly broken hearted when faced with his betrayal, and admits that she probably always knew what he was really like but didn't want to admit it to herself. Does that make her seem any less stupid to the reader? Not really. She finally concedes that she has been in love with Rafael since she was 17, and that is what has made her freeze him out and reject him all these years. What? Did that even begin to make sense? I've noticed that many category romance heroines follow up the realisation that they are in love with the hero, with the immediate decision that he must never know (again, "What the...?") but this is taking it to absurd levels. Not only that, she repeatedly feels degraded by Rafael for the strangest things. On the morning after their wedding night (which they didn't consummate) he gives her a ring which is traditionally given to brides in his family as a thank you after the wedding night. Although they both know the marriage hasn't been consummated, he understandably would rather not have everyone else know. She finds the ring degrading. Why? It's meant to be given by husbands to their wives on their honeymoon. How is that degrading?
When they meet up again, Rafael tells Emily that he is also thinking of re-marrying (she assumes he is talking about the Evil Other Woman, Valentina Colona, but the reader knows he means Emily). He tells her that the man who loves her would never have sex with another woman because she would "fill his heart to the exclusion of all others". He assures her that he will keep his wedding vows to the woman he marries and that "there will be no other - ever". Oh, such lovely words that gave me the hope it would be revealed at the end of the book that he has indeed been faithful for Emily for the last 3 years. Alas, the hopes were dashed. During the big loving resolution of the story, he admits that he did indeed have sex with Valentina and this is what led her to telling lies and trying to break up his marriage with Emily. Then he has the gall to be mad that Emily believes the hurtful things said by Valentina over his own profession of innocence. Sigh. Heroes that rape (or coerce) really need even more redeeming qualities than other heroes, and fidelity would certainly have helped soften me towards Rafael.
The bottom line is the forced sex didn't really turn me off, but the story is not particularly engaging. Emily is just too stupid for words, and Rafael is very average. If you have a problem with forced sex story lines, don't bother reading this one.
Sara Craven likes her rape fantasies. She has written a number of very good romances that don't have coercion or rape, but it's something you need to be aware of when picking up one of her books. I have seen a number of negative reviews and strong reactions to The Forced Bride due to the whole rape issue. Personally, I think Rafael's actions are closer to coercion than rape. After the first time they have sex, Emily admits to herself that if she really didn't want to do it, she could have tried harder to stop it because Rafael would never use violence to make her have sex with him. Now, I won't get into the whole issue of whether or not violence is necessary for something to be rape - certainly coercion is not pretty, but remember this is romantic fantasy not reality.
Emily was ... odd. A big deal is made of her youth and unreadiness for a physical relationship, which I find pretty absurd. She's not that young. Emily's fiancé is Simon, a flaky jerk who is obviously just using her. She is not particularly broken hearted when faced with his betrayal, and admits that she probably always knew what he was really like but didn't want to admit it to herself. Does that make her seem any less stupid to the reader? Not really. She finally concedes that she has been in love with Rafael since she was 17, and that is what has made her freeze him out and reject him all these years. What? Did that even begin to make sense? I've noticed that many category romance heroines follow up the realisation that they are in love with the hero, with the immediate decision that he must never know (again, "What the...?") but this is taking it to absurd levels. Not only that, she repeatedly feels degraded by Rafael for the strangest things. On the morning after their wedding night (which they didn't consummate) he gives her a ring which is traditionally given to brides in his family as a thank you after the wedding night. Although they both know the marriage hasn't been consummated, he understandably would rather not have everyone else know. She finds the ring degrading. Why? It's meant to be given by husbands to their wives on their honeymoon. How is that degrading?
When they meet up again, Rafael tells Emily that he is also thinking of re-marrying (she assumes he is talking about the Evil Other Woman, Valentina Colona, but the reader knows he means Emily). He tells her that the man who loves her would never have sex with another woman because she would "fill his heart to the exclusion of all others". He assures her that he will keep his wedding vows to the woman he marries and that "there will be no other - ever". Oh, such lovely words that gave me the hope it would be revealed at the end of the book that he has indeed been faithful for Emily for the last 3 years. Alas, the hopes were dashed. During the big loving resolution of the story, he admits that he did indeed have sex with Valentina and this is what led her to telling lies and trying to break up his marriage with Emily. Then he has the gall to be mad that Emily believes the hurtful things said by Valentina over his own profession of innocence. Sigh. Heroes that rape (or coerce) really need even more redeeming qualities than other heroes, and fidelity would certainly have helped soften me towards Rafael.
The bottom line is the forced sex didn't really turn me off, but the story is not particularly engaging. Emily is just too stupid for words, and Rafael is very average. If you have a problem with forced sex story lines, don't bother reading this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 16, 2012
Okay it wasn’t as bad as everyone was saying, but it did have some problems. I didn’t have a huge problem w/ their first time though. She just didn’t bother to fight physically, but she did mentally and she did an excellent job of it. What bothered me is that she then says to herself that he would never have raped her . . . yet the one time where he basically uses her as a vessel for his lust and I mean it was LITERALLY a wham-bam-thank-you-ma’am kind of moment! That seemed to qualify as something more to get upset about. I could almost feel like it would have been like he had a blow up toy in that instance. And that moment had Emily losing credibility for me as well. She thought she really knew Rafael, but she didn’t really know him at all.
I was wondering why he would have given her a divorce, but then because she wanted an annulment he gets all up in her face. The only things I could come up w/ is that he truly cared for her and had been letting her win for those three years by staying out of her face/space. However, the annulment was the last straw and he was going to give her what for on that score. That is the only thing that I could come up w/. The OW scenario – it felt more like there were several OW involved but only one really warranted a mention in this story. So, now I am wondering if there was ever any OW or just the one when he was at a weak moment. Perhaps the friend gave a little bit of insight in to that situation when she was talking to Emily later on, or perhaps my rose colored glasses were in full swing :)
Overall I liked the story, but I have to say that Emily’s stubbornness got a bit annoying at some points and I just wanted to smack her! I didn’t ever believe that she could care for Simon either. I think she was just frightened of what she was feeling for Rafael and she blocked those feelings w/ Simon. She just used him, but then he was planning on using her as well. I’m still not sure why the doctor would say she was at risk for something bad when each case is as different as the last and no one can ever really know if she would be high risk. So I really didn’t buy that plot point, but it made Emily think Raf was up to something else and well. . . I suppose it moved the story along in that direction.
I was wondering why he would have given her a divorce, but then because she wanted an annulment he gets all up in her face. The only things I could come up w/ is that he truly cared for her and had been letting her win for those three years by staying out of her face/space. However, the annulment was the last straw and he was going to give her what for on that score. That is the only thing that I could come up w/. The OW scenario – it felt more like there were several OW involved but only one really warranted a mention in this story. So, now I am wondering if there was ever any OW or just the one when he was at a weak moment. Perhaps the friend gave a little bit of insight in to that situation when she was talking to Emily later on, or perhaps my rose colored glasses were in full swing :)
Overall I liked the story, but I have to say that Emily’s stubbornness got a bit annoying at some points and I just wanted to smack her! I didn’t ever believe that she could care for Simon either. I think she was just frightened of what she was feeling for Rafael and she blocked those feelings w/ Simon. She just used him, but then he was planning on using her as well. I’m still not sure why the doctor would say she was at risk for something bad when each case is as different as the last and no one can ever really know if she would be high risk. So I really didn’t buy that plot point, but it made Emily think Raf was up to something else and well. . . I suppose it moved the story along in that direction.
August 31, 2013
Very bad. 2stars is being generous. I just have to rant. The plot and behavior of both characters make not a lick of sense to me. I absolutely hate the h, so stupid and self absorbed. I have something against h that got nothing to do and would not even help in charity, jeez, when will charity project ever "ends", so why can't she make herself useful in the meantime instead of just lazing around like a lazy bum. Seriously with the amount of idle time she has on hand and being so self absorbed to the exclusion of all else, you would have thought she would be able to figure herself out instead of being totally senseless and stupid.
I seriously pity the H for falling for hwr especially when she hasn't done a thing deserving of it, being only petty bitchy and acerbic whenever she is around him. Dude you are so much better off without her, move on already!
I still have no idea why she is against him, as there doesn't seem to have a valid reason, she just is unreasonably immature in my book. He doesn't show he cared much either and seriously like another reader had mentioned, if he is so crazy about her, I cannot be happy with the ow thing. The forcing issue doesn't bug me much, except that I don't see why it is there in terms of plot necessity and it became even weirder when she submitted afterwards, making her behaviour qualified more for a move to the asylum...Also if both want this marriage, instead of doing the intense staring match and sighing in private, why won't they take more of an initiative to make things work? Why did the H not make more of an effort in the past 3 years and kept reminding the h this is temporary. The h I can excuse as she doesn't know her own mind and seems to be tstl anyways...and why is he ok with a divorce and not an annulment. It is not like people will know what is written in the separation papers,
The whole story flow is just so not making sense that it is seriously a waste of my time. I am surprised as I remembered author as being pretty good and now I have another few books written by her and am dreading having to read them...
I seriously pity the H for falling for hwr especially when she hasn't done a thing deserving of it, being only petty bitchy and acerbic whenever she is around him. Dude you are so much better off without her, move on already!
I still have no idea why she is against him, as there doesn't seem to have a valid reason, she just is unreasonably immature in my book. He doesn't show he cared much either and seriously like another reader had mentioned, if he is so crazy about her, I cannot be happy with the ow thing. The forcing issue doesn't bug me much, except that I don't see why it is there in terms of plot necessity and it became even weirder when she submitted afterwards, making her behaviour qualified more for a move to the asylum...Also if both want this marriage, instead of doing the intense staring match and sighing in private, why won't they take more of an initiative to make things work? Why did the H not make more of an effort in the past 3 years and kept reminding the h this is temporary. The h I can excuse as she doesn't know her own mind and seems to be tstl anyways...and why is he ok with a divorce and not an annulment. It is not like people will know what is written in the separation papers,
The whole story flow is just so not making sense that it is seriously a waste of my time. I am surprised as I remembered author as being pretty good and now I have another few books written by her and am dreading having to read them...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 23, 2014
Sara Craven's novels always, always frustrate me. But they're like an addiction, I keep coming back to them!
So the hero was obnoxious as always, cruel, and ruthless. and don't even let me start about the rape scenes, VERY frustrating! the heroine concept of love was very twisted. Like really I want to shake some sense into her.
The ending was rushed as always.
But still a decent read, better than The Innocent's Surrender and The Highest Stakes of All which I totally loathed the heroes in both of them.
So the hero was obnoxious as always, cruel, and ruthless. and don't even let me start about the rape scenes, VERY frustrating! the heroine concept of love was very twisted. Like really I want to shake some sense into her.
The ending was rushed as always.
But still a decent read, better than The Innocent's Surrender and The Highest Stakes of All which I totally loathed the heroes in both of them.
November 12, 2016
I'm all for strong men taking what they want.. but I honestly felt like this book was promoting rape! and that's just not on! Granted she never said no physically.. meaning with her body but still the idea screams rape.. and I was a lil taken aback by it ... But the heroine was simply an unlikable shrew... granted she's young but when was that ever an excuse.... The guy is Ok!! but it was hard to love it when she was whining soo much
February 27, 2015
Cute manga, with a extremley naive and slightly aanoying heroine and A Hero who confuses the shit into me.
But All the same, enjoyable but with the read?...Meh! Thats your choice its cute but I dunno.
August 15, 2019
Well, the sex scenes were hot but the second scene was kinda rapey for me (sorry). And I didn't get to understand why the heroine fell in love with the Hero, I didn't feel it. And most of all, I didn't get to understand why the heroine fell in love with Simon in the first place hahaha (he was a jerk).
August 6, 2020
I loved this book, one of my favorite books by Sara Craven 💖
April 21, 2018
A rather dull little book. It could have been much better, but so could most books.
June 3, 2018
The h annoyed me. She was young and so damned immature.
The H was an ass at first, but he grew on me.
The OW was unimportant.
The book was ok. Nothing to write home about.
And the maid did it! :)
The H was an ass at first, but he grew on me.
The OW was unimportant.
The book was ok. Nothing to write home about.
And the maid did it! :)
July 30, 2017
Ay... De verdad que esta es una de esas historias que no se olvida.
A mi me encantó la historia de Rafa Di Salis y Emily, aunque sí tengo que reconocer que Emily tiene sus momentos en los que la quise matar, sobre todo por cabezota; pero en algunas cosas tenía sus puntos claros y es que Rafa es el típico super macho italiano arrogante que no da explicaciones y hace las cosas esperando que le entiendan. Raf es el tipo de hombre por lo que cualquier mujer babearía sin control... XD
A mi me gustó mucho la historia. De las mejores de Sara Craven.
A mi me encantó la historia de Rafa Di Salis y Emily, aunque sí tengo que reconocer que Emily tiene sus momentos en los que la quise matar, sobre todo por cabezota; pero en algunas cosas tenía sus puntos claros y es que Rafa es el típico super macho italiano arrogante que no da explicaciones y hace las cosas esperando que le entiendan. Raf es el tipo de hombre por lo que cualquier mujer babearía sin control... XD
A mi me gustó mucho la historia. De las mejores de Sara Craven.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 11, 2020
3.5 stars
Kinda enjoyed this one. The H loved the h since the first time they met and he admitted it and aware of it, unlike most H that loved living in denial. The h thought she loved OM but turned out he was a poor manipulative jerk. the first few time H and h made love she tried to be unresponsive but after a few days of no sex, she suddenly turned out being a wanton and jumped him, that was something. Bottomline, I liked this. Wish there was an epilogue but the ending was sweet and the H was adorably stupid lol
Kinda enjoyed this one. The H loved the h since the first time they met and he admitted it and aware of it, unlike most H that loved living in denial. The h thought she loved OM but turned out he was a poor manipulative jerk. the first few time H and h made love she tried to be unresponsive but after a few days of no sex, she suddenly turned out being a wanton and jumped him, that was something. Bottomline, I liked this. Wish there was an epilogue but the ending was sweet and the H was adorably stupid lol
July 24, 2018
I don't see how love could've blossomed from this pile of non-stop angst
Author's really need to know when enough, is enough. How can there be proper chemistry and character development if H & h are doing nothing but be distrustful, hateful, suspicious, bitter, neglectful, forceful and all out negative.
Then all of a sudden it's on the lsst page and they're calling each other darlings!! So stupid
Author's really need to know when enough, is enough. How can there be proper chemistry and character development if H & h are doing nothing but be distrustful, hateful, suspicious, bitter, neglectful, forceful and all out negative.
Then all of a sudden it's on the lsst page and they're calling each other darlings!! So stupid
October 12, 2016
Star Rating: ★½☆☆☆
WTF did I just read? Look, I'm good with forced seduction, especially with older books, but this isn't forced seduction. He flat out rapes her and keeps doing it. He gets mad and just uses her body. And then she falls in love with him?
Sorry, no way... not buying and not enjoying.
WTF did I just read? Look, I'm good with forced seduction, especially with older books, but this isn't forced seduction. He flat out rapes her and keeps doing it. He gets mad and just uses her body. And then she falls in love with him?
Sorry, no way... not buying and not enjoying.
January 5, 2013
Although the whole story was in the heroin's point of view, it was so well written that it didn't needed to see what was on the hero's mind. A story so strong and captivating that made me feel in the heroin's shoes while I read it. This is one of the books from Sara Craven that I ever enjoyed
July 28, 2014
Vile hero. Stupid heroine. Poor plot. And I didn't get very far before 1. Realising I had read it before 2. Realising that I had thrown the paperback book away years ago for a reason 3. Remembering that this is one of the worst Mills and Boon I have ever read.
Sara Craven can do better than this.
Sara Craven can do better than this.
September 3, 2017
One of my favorite authors
I liked the storyline. Very stubborn young heroine, and of course a strong, handsome, hero, who would not let her go. She finally allowed herself to feel passion for her husband, and then realized it had been love all along.
I liked the storyline. Very stubborn young heroine, and of course a strong, handsome, hero, who would not let her go. She finally allowed herself to feel passion for her husband, and then realized it had been love all along.
April 26, 2019
Con toda la situación de estar sin servicio eléctrico, internet u operadora no me había dado cuenta que de hecho alguna vez terminé este libro. Nueve años después no pude pasar del quinto capítulo.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews