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Defiant
She Forced His HandThree years ago Jared St. John was imprisoned, wrongly, for the murder of his own brother. Now, finally free, he wishes only to live in peace, hoping to heal the darkness that plagues his soul. But his self-inflicted isolation is destroyed when he is drugged, spirited away to a church, and forced to marry a brazen enchantress against his will. . .
He Captured Her Heart
Lady Gwyneth of Windrose knows something of false imprisonment, but that doesn't stop her from abducting a stranger when it's her only hope of gaining her liberty. Yet the moment she's alone in her unwilling new husband's powerful presence, everything Gwyneth thought she knew of men--and of seduction--falls by the wayside. For the first time in her life, it's not freedom Gwyneth craves. . .but to give herself over to unyielding passion. . .
"This highly sensual battle of wills/captive-captor romance is highly reminiscent of early Johanna Lindsey." --"Romantic Times" on "Pleasures of Sin"
"Jessica Trapp mixes passion, betrayal, abduction and revenge into a tasty brew." --Hannah Howell on "Master of Pleasure "
He Captured Her Heart
Lady Gwyneth of Windrose knows something of false imprisonment, but that doesn't stop her from abducting a stranger when it's her only hope of gaining her liberty. Yet the moment she's alone in her unwilling new husband's powerful presence, everything Gwyneth thought she knew of men--and of seduction--falls by the wayside. For the first time in her life, it's not freedom Gwyneth craves. . .but to give herself over to unyielding passion. . .
"This highly sensual battle of wills/captive-captor romance is highly reminiscent of early Johanna Lindsey." --"Romantic Times" on "Pleasures of Sin"
"Jessica Trapp mixes passion, betrayal, abduction and revenge into a tasty brew." --Hannah Howell on "Master of Pleasure "
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First published January 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
December 11, 2010
2 ½ stars. It’s escapist and silly and can be enjoyable if that’s your mood. I couldn’t get excited about it.
STORY BRIEF:
Gwyneth is a beautiful noble woman. Many innocent women are in jail. Gwyneth spends every cent she can to bribe jailers to let some of the women go free. She is friends with and works with Irma a local prostitute toward this end. Her father tried many times to marry her off, but she managed to avoid it. Her father has been exiled by the king, and now her brother-in-law plans to force a wedding on her the next day. She fears she won’t be able to get out of it, so Irma helps her with the following. Jared has been coming to the whorehouse for baths. Irma believes he is impotent. Gwyneth and Irma drug him, tie him up, and take him to a local monk forcing him at knifepoint to marry Gwyneth. The plan is for Gwyneth to then have control of her dower lands, pay gold to Jared, and ask him to leave. Gwyneth wants her dower lands to be a refuge for women. After Jared gets free of his bonds, he consummates the marriage (against her will). Then he controls her and keeps her at his side, not letting her go to wherever she plans to go. He doesn’t know what she’s been doing or what she wants. She doesn’t tell him. He doesn’t ask.
A secondary story involves a murder. Jared was innocent but wrongly imprisoned three years ago. He recently escaped and has been searching for clues as to who the killer was.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is current day independent thinking women’s rights activists, set in the 1500s or earlier. Gwyneth uses flirtation with any and all men to get what she wants: help, money, attention. One might say she hates men and uses them as objects. Women are jealous and dislike her for tempting their husbands and sons. I didn’t like her much myself. Her goals of helping women were admirable but nothing else was. She wanted to learn to read but never did because she spent all her free time embroidering for money to help imprisoned women. That was commendable, but I wanted something else to admire or enjoy such as personality, wit or brains – I don’t know.
Jared is close to perfect: handsome, great fighter, great ideals, truly helps and cares for people who need it. When he and Gwyneth go to her dower lands, he sees the locals needing food so he hunts every day to feed them. Gwyneth thinks sex is unpleasant at best. Jared shows her how pleasurable it can be. Apparently Jared loved her for her beauty, because there was nothing else good about her that he knew of. He doesn’t know about her activist activities until much later.
The best part is probably this is different. It’s not a run-of-the-mill romance. If you don’t mind some unbelievability and plot holes, it’s ok as a silly romance. An example of silliness: when they first plan the Jared wedding, why didn’t they offer the deal to him as a way for him to earn some money? If he refused, then they could bop him on the head and force it.
DATA:
Story length: 377 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: unknown, probably 1500s or earlier England. Copyright: 2010. Genre: historical romance.
STORY BRIEF:
Gwyneth is a beautiful noble woman. Many innocent women are in jail. Gwyneth spends every cent she can to bribe jailers to let some of the women go free. She is friends with and works with Irma a local prostitute toward this end. Her father tried many times to marry her off, but she managed to avoid it. Her father has been exiled by the king, and now her brother-in-law plans to force a wedding on her the next day. She fears she won’t be able to get out of it, so Irma helps her with the following. Jared has been coming to the whorehouse for baths. Irma believes he is impotent. Gwyneth and Irma drug him, tie him up, and take him to a local monk forcing him at knifepoint to marry Gwyneth. The plan is for Gwyneth to then have control of her dower lands, pay gold to Jared, and ask him to leave. Gwyneth wants her dower lands to be a refuge for women. After Jared gets free of his bonds, he consummates the marriage (against her will). Then he controls her and keeps her at his side, not letting her go to wherever she plans to go. He doesn’t know what she’s been doing or what she wants. She doesn’t tell him. He doesn’t ask.
A secondary story involves a murder. Jared was innocent but wrongly imprisoned three years ago. He recently escaped and has been searching for clues as to who the killer was.
REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This is current day independent thinking women’s rights activists, set in the 1500s or earlier. Gwyneth uses flirtation with any and all men to get what she wants: help, money, attention. One might say she hates men and uses them as objects. Women are jealous and dislike her for tempting their husbands and sons. I didn’t like her much myself. Her goals of helping women were admirable but nothing else was. She wanted to learn to read but never did because she spent all her free time embroidering for money to help imprisoned women. That was commendable, but I wanted something else to admire or enjoy such as personality, wit or brains – I don’t know.
Jared is close to perfect: handsome, great fighter, great ideals, truly helps and cares for people who need it. When he and Gwyneth go to her dower lands, he sees the locals needing food so he hunts every day to feed them. Gwyneth thinks sex is unpleasant at best. Jared shows her how pleasurable it can be. Apparently Jared loved her for her beauty, because there was nothing else good about her that he knew of. He doesn’t know about her activist activities until much later.
The best part is probably this is different. It’s not a run-of-the-mill romance. If you don’t mind some unbelievability and plot holes, it’s ok as a silly romance. An example of silliness: when they first plan the Jared wedding, why didn’t they offer the deal to him as a way for him to earn some money? If he refused, then they could bop him on the head and force it.
DATA:
Story length: 377 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: moderate. Number of sex scenes: 3. Total number of sex scene pages: 12. Setting: unknown, probably 1500s or earlier England. Copyright: 2010. Genre: historical romance.
March 24, 2011
I could not even finish this book. I tried and got through 3/4 of it before deciding it was too offensive and painful to finish. Deleting it off my Kindle. Rape and control of as woman through humiliation was just too much for me. The only good thing I can say about this book is that it is good to read something like this every once in a lifetime to truly appreciate the well-written, intelligent, thoughtful and well-crafted book/storyline. Not one to write a bad review often, but I couldn't stay silent with this one.
February 29, 2012
If you are a fan of classic historical romances like the ones Johanna Lindsey wrote in the 80’s and early 90’s you will most certainly love Jessica Trapp’s Defiant. But even if you are not into historical romances you can enjoy this smooth written story for its plot delves much deeper than just a simple love story between a fierce hero and a feisty heroine.
Lady Gwyneth of Windrose is known for her great beauty and many men have asked for her hand in marriage, yet Gwyneth has always evaded the shackles of marriage. Gwyneth has no intention to be the property of a man who can show her off whenever he feels like it. All she wants is her freedom. Fate brings her together with Irma, a whore. They share a secret and it is Irma who shows Gwyneth how she can use her beauty to her advantage to help other women. Now Gwyneth is a woman on a mission, she wants to save as many women from prison as she can so they won’t be sold into slavery.
But Gwyneth cannot escape marriage forever and her family forces her to marry some fop. This will endanger her mission so she and Irma come up with a plan. They abduct a stranger; Gwyneth marries him and pays him off so he disappears. This is Gwyneth’s only hope to gain her liberty and continue her mission, but they picked the wrong stranger to mess with for Jared St. John will not disappear. He is here to stay and for the first time in her life Gwyneth cannot seduce a man to do things her way, for the first time in her life she wants to surrender to her passion… passion for her husband.
Jared St. John is the illegitimate child of a lady, she never cared for him. He is a falconer and shares a special bond with his bird Aeliana. Three years ago he was falsely accused of murdering his own brother, now he has escaped. He only wishes to live in peace and clear his name by finding his brother’s real killer. Living in peace is no longer an option when Gwyneth enters his life and forces him to marry her, but marriage to Gwyneth has its advantages so he exercises his rights as her husband while he tries to clear his name. But it is hard not to fall under the spell of such a beauty.
Though Defiant is a classic historical romance, fluently written and fast-paced to read, it also has a high level of girl power and it is a character-driven story. The changes both Jared and Gwyneth undergo during this story add even more layers and depth to them. They come from very different backgrounds, have absolutely nothing in common with one another yet they are very much the same in many ways. They both have a strong sense of justice and this is what eventually leads them to one another.
Gwyneth is a great heroine, as a lady she could have resigned herself to her role as a wife and live an easy life, instead she tries to take control of her own life as much as she can and help other women. She is an idealist trying to improve the position of women in a men’s world. She is persistent, a little stubborn, smart and emphatitic; she puts other people’s needs for her own. Life has taught her that men don’t listen to women very well and if she wants something she has to do it herself. She depends very much on herself and Irma and does not trust men. When Jared stays in her life she must adapt quickly and find new ways to continue her mission, not once does she give up. She is a very strong, compassionate lady and I like her attitude and her assertiveness very much.
Looking from Gwyneth’s point of view Jared sounds like a bastard, but he really isn’t. I must admit when he forced Gwyneth to wear a brank for a day he did not score any points with me, but she really pushed him too far and Jared needed to show that he could handle his wife, after all this story plays out in the middle ages. Being hurt by women all his life makes Jared very cautious of Gwyneth, he is emotionally closed off yet vulnerable at the same time. He does not trust people, especially women easily. Jared only relies on himself and his bird Aeliana. Yet he is very patient and gentle with Gwyneth, he teaches her how to read and shows her that she can trust him and that he has honor. All he wants is to clear his name and live in peace.
There are not many secondary characters in this story; the only important one is Irma. Irma is Gwyneth’s best friend and she is a whore. She lives a harsh life yet tries to make the best of things and is always to help other women. I liked Irma, she is so practical and she made me laugh. She and Gwyneth are an odd pair, together with Jared they are the pivot of Defiant. Still, Jessica Trapp has done a great job at making you feel a connection to this three characters as they try to live their lives on their terms and reach their goals.
I really loved the plotline of this story, there are many little details in the lives of Jared, Gwyneth and Irma that look trivial, yet it turns out that they are very important for the development of the story. These details also show how tangled up their lives really are without them knowing it. All these little details and loose ends come together with a bang at the end of the story.
Defiant was a pleasant surprise for me, I loved it. The well-rounded characters, the undeniable attraction between Jared and Gwyneth, the fluent and profound plotline and the high level of girl power. The solutions Irma and Gwyneth come up with for their problems were hilarious. Yet at the same time Defiant keeps that authentic medieval vibe. Therefore Defiant is a mesmerizing read from start to finish.
Lady Gwyneth of Windrose is known for her great beauty and many men have asked for her hand in marriage, yet Gwyneth has always evaded the shackles of marriage. Gwyneth has no intention to be the property of a man who can show her off whenever he feels like it. All she wants is her freedom. Fate brings her together with Irma, a whore. They share a secret and it is Irma who shows Gwyneth how she can use her beauty to her advantage to help other women. Now Gwyneth is a woman on a mission, she wants to save as many women from prison as she can so they won’t be sold into slavery.
But Gwyneth cannot escape marriage forever and her family forces her to marry some fop. This will endanger her mission so she and Irma come up with a plan. They abduct a stranger; Gwyneth marries him and pays him off so he disappears. This is Gwyneth’s only hope to gain her liberty and continue her mission, but they picked the wrong stranger to mess with for Jared St. John will not disappear. He is here to stay and for the first time in her life Gwyneth cannot seduce a man to do things her way, for the first time in her life she wants to surrender to her passion… passion for her husband.
Jared St. John is the illegitimate child of a lady, she never cared for him. He is a falconer and shares a special bond with his bird Aeliana. Three years ago he was falsely accused of murdering his own brother, now he has escaped. He only wishes to live in peace and clear his name by finding his brother’s real killer. Living in peace is no longer an option when Gwyneth enters his life and forces him to marry her, but marriage to Gwyneth has its advantages so he exercises his rights as her husband while he tries to clear his name. But it is hard not to fall under the spell of such a beauty.
Though Defiant is a classic historical romance, fluently written and fast-paced to read, it also has a high level of girl power and it is a character-driven story. The changes both Jared and Gwyneth undergo during this story add even more layers and depth to them. They come from very different backgrounds, have absolutely nothing in common with one another yet they are very much the same in many ways. They both have a strong sense of justice and this is what eventually leads them to one another.
Gwyneth is a great heroine, as a lady she could have resigned herself to her role as a wife and live an easy life, instead she tries to take control of her own life as much as she can and help other women. She is an idealist trying to improve the position of women in a men’s world. She is persistent, a little stubborn, smart and emphatitic; she puts other people’s needs for her own. Life has taught her that men don’t listen to women very well and if she wants something she has to do it herself. She depends very much on herself and Irma and does not trust men. When Jared stays in her life she must adapt quickly and find new ways to continue her mission, not once does she give up. She is a very strong, compassionate lady and I like her attitude and her assertiveness very much.
Looking from Gwyneth’s point of view Jared sounds like a bastard, but he really isn’t. I must admit when he forced Gwyneth to wear a brank for a day he did not score any points with me, but she really pushed him too far and Jared needed to show that he could handle his wife, after all this story plays out in the middle ages. Being hurt by women all his life makes Jared very cautious of Gwyneth, he is emotionally closed off yet vulnerable at the same time. He does not trust people, especially women easily. Jared only relies on himself and his bird Aeliana. Yet he is very patient and gentle with Gwyneth, he teaches her how to read and shows her that she can trust him and that he has honor. All he wants is to clear his name and live in peace.
There are not many secondary characters in this story; the only important one is Irma. Irma is Gwyneth’s best friend and she is a whore. She lives a harsh life yet tries to make the best of things and is always to help other women. I liked Irma, she is so practical and she made me laugh. She and Gwyneth are an odd pair, together with Jared they are the pivot of Defiant. Still, Jessica Trapp has done a great job at making you feel a connection to this three characters as they try to live their lives on their terms and reach their goals.
I really loved the plotline of this story, there are many little details in the lives of Jared, Gwyneth and Irma that look trivial, yet it turns out that they are very important for the development of the story. These details also show how tangled up their lives really are without them knowing it. All these little details and loose ends come together with a bang at the end of the story.
Defiant was a pleasant surprise for me, I loved it. The well-rounded characters, the undeniable attraction between Jared and Gwyneth, the fluent and profound plotline and the high level of girl power. The solutions Irma and Gwyneth come up with for their problems were hilarious. Yet at the same time Defiant keeps that authentic medieval vibe. Therefore Defiant is a mesmerizing read from start to finish.
April 5, 2012
First, a confession: I really like historical romance, but haven't read many medieval ones. I believe this story is a medieval romance, but the time period isn't terribly recognizable. It felt like the author threw in some historical jargon too unfamiliar for me to place - houppelande was one that stuck out like a sore thumb to me - and peppered the dialogue with lots of "nays" and "prithees," thinking this was all that was needed to convey a sense of time and place. Maybe it's just my ignorance showing through, but I wasn't convinced.
I can appreciate heroine Lady Gwyneth's desire to defy the patriarchal society oppressing her, but didn't find her strategy or implementation very believable - her plan to convert her castle (Which she owned title to outright? Huh?) into a safe haven for wayward women and school for orphan girls was far too modern in sensibility and stretched the author's credibility. Gwyn is an odd mix of naive ignorance and wily seductress, banking on her looks to get whatever she wants. She did win me over, however, with the way she held her ground with Jared: this was the best part of the relationship and the most authentic-feeling aspect of the story.
Jared, though, is another kettle of fish entirely. I never quite warmed up to him, which left the story feeling one-sided. Paradoxically, he seemed too rigidly mired in (likely more historically accurate) chauvenism for me to feel any sympathy or attraction for our hero. I didn't sense much chemistry between Gwyn and Jared aside from their battle of wills.
I wanted to like Irma, Gwyn's prostitute best friend, but it was hard to see her as anything but a user. Too bad - the idea of a noblewoman befriending the lowest female on the social scale had a great deal of potential.
The sale of female prisoners into the slave trade scenario felt very contrived. There was much discussion about Gwyn rescuing legions of falsely-imprisoned women but no mention of their subsequent fate. Without husbands and families to take them in (which is how most landed in prison in the first place), what could their future possibly hold aside from life in a brothel or some equally awful fate? This seemed like a pretty big loose end.
And finally, a warning: do not judge this book by its cover! The only significance it has with the story is that Gwyn is in possession of a sapphire ring. Jared is a falconer, not a warrior, and uses a wooden staff to defend himself, never once laying a hand on a sword. And the tagline - "No woman would tame him..." - leaves me baffled. Jared was drugged, kidnapped, forced into marriage, and molested by the heroine (yes, it's just that preposterous). He resisted Gwyn not because he didn't want to be "tamed" by a woman, but that he wanted freedom.
Suffice it to say I was not impressed. Unless you really love historicals while maintaining very low standards for period accuracy, skip "Defiant."
I can appreciate heroine Lady Gwyneth's desire to defy the patriarchal society oppressing her, but didn't find her strategy or implementation very believable - her plan to convert her castle (Which she owned title to outright? Huh?) into a safe haven for wayward women and school for orphan girls was far too modern in sensibility and stretched the author's credibility. Gwyn is an odd mix of naive ignorance and wily seductress, banking on her looks to get whatever she wants. She did win me over, however, with the way she held her ground with Jared: this was the best part of the relationship and the most authentic-feeling aspect of the story.
Jared, though, is another kettle of fish entirely. I never quite warmed up to him, which left the story feeling one-sided. Paradoxically, he seemed too rigidly mired in (likely more historically accurate) chauvenism for me to feel any sympathy or attraction for our hero. I didn't sense much chemistry between Gwyn and Jared aside from their battle of wills.
I wanted to like Irma, Gwyn's prostitute best friend, but it was hard to see her as anything but a user. Too bad - the idea of a noblewoman befriending the lowest female on the social scale had a great deal of potential.
The sale of female prisoners into the slave trade scenario felt very contrived. There was much discussion about Gwyn rescuing legions of falsely-imprisoned women but no mention of their subsequent fate. Without husbands and families to take them in (which is how most landed in prison in the first place), what could their future possibly hold aside from life in a brothel or some equally awful fate? This seemed like a pretty big loose end.
And finally, a warning: do not judge this book by its cover! The only significance it has with the story is that Gwyn is in possession of a sapphire ring. Jared is a falconer, not a warrior, and uses a wooden staff to defend himself, never once laying a hand on a sword. And the tagline - "No woman would tame him..." - leaves me baffled. Jared was drugged, kidnapped, forced into marriage, and molested by the heroine (yes, it's just that preposterous). He resisted Gwyn not because he didn't want to be "tamed" by a woman, but that he wanted freedom.
Suffice it to say I was not impressed. Unless you really love historicals while maintaining very low standards for period accuracy, skip "Defiant."
January 19, 2011
Okay this is a different review than what I am used to doing. I feel I am being generous on the scoring, 2 stars. I don't know where to begin exactly so I am just going to jump into the fire so to speak, this book has alot of issues including rape which I feel should have been mentioned as a warning not everyone wants to read about it in detail.
I think that the basic plot of the book is good but the beginning is sooooo drawn out and so is the middle then in the last 10 pages of the book she hurrys up the ending. I didn't find it very romantic, actually I was very frustrated. I think if somethings would have been elaborated on more and others not so much, for example it seems like the whole book Jared was telling Gwyneth to shut up. It didn't have alot of physical violence between the MAIN characters but the mental games was to much and boring. I didn't want to hear Jared tell her told to be quiet the entire book and have her just sit and take it and where the male outsmarts the female the entire time.
Also there is the fact that Gwyneth's dower lands were being ravaged and were allowed to get run down but they never say WHY they were let to go bad or who was attacking them and raping children. I find that distastful, it wasn't the 1st rape in the book, but it was just mentioned and not told in detail thank goodness, unlike another rape in the book.
As I said it has a good base but I felt it could have been better. I would like to read some of her other work. I love historical romance and I hope that I will be able to give Ms. Trapp a better review on another book, this book was just not for me.
I think that the basic plot of the book is good but the beginning is sooooo drawn out and so is the middle then in the last 10 pages of the book she hurrys up the ending. I didn't find it very romantic, actually I was very frustrated. I think if somethings would have been elaborated on more and others not so much, for example it seems like the whole book Jared was telling Gwyneth to shut up. It didn't have alot of physical violence between the MAIN characters but the mental games was to much and boring. I didn't want to hear Jared tell her told to be quiet the entire book and have her just sit and take it and where the male outsmarts the female the entire time.
Also there is the fact that Gwyneth's dower lands were being ravaged and were allowed to get run down but they never say WHY they were let to go bad or who was attacking them and raping children. I find that distastful, it wasn't the 1st rape in the book, but it was just mentioned and not told in detail thank goodness, unlike another rape in the book.
As I said it has a good base but I felt it could have been better. I would like to read some of her other work. I love historical romance and I hope that I will be able to give Ms. Trapp a better review on another book, this book was just not for me.
June 1, 2012
I. Despise. This. Beyond. Reason. I thought that this was going to be a story about finding love and mutual respect between two people forced into marriage, and the issues they work through in a power struggle between them. What I didn't think I was going to read was over 100 to 200 pages of emotional to sexual abuse, repeated humiliation on the female heroine, and just over all trauma.I have to applaud the author though, she was writing a historical romance set in one of the darkest period of womens rights and she turned it into...well a story of non-consent, of emotional and sexual abuse, and glorification of rapists. I just want to point something out to the author, rape, even when and if the victim responds physically, does NOT make a fucking romance. There is nothing sexy about rape, there is nothing sexy or redeemable about a man who would use a horrible and inhumane tongue cage on his supposedly cherished wife, and this man does not love this woman, he's had an obsession with her since she was fifteen, and he takes out his issues with his uncaring mother out on a helpless woman. So go on ahead and stick your pen or keyboard into a black hole, because this tripe is only eclipsed by Christine Feehan's Dark Prince.
Actually, just go on ahead and go fuck your self too. An hour and a half of my life, wasted on this piece of shit.
Actually, just go on ahead and go fuck your self too. An hour and a half of my life, wasted on this piece of shit.
August 21, 2018
Well- the last 100 pages made up for the rest.
October 26, 2019
Great book
A great historical romance. Nice to read one with an original plot! So many seem about the same - not this one.
A great historical romance. Nice to read one with an original plot! So many seem about the same - not this one.
August 1, 2023
Loved the story, little lite on the intimate scenes, but it was well written which made up for the lack
January 4, 2011
Defiant by Jessica Trapp
Medieval Romance – Dec. 1st, 2010
3 ½ Stars
Defiant is the story of Jared St. John, a man who was wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his own brother. Now that he's finally freed, he wishes only to live in peace. Unfortunately, this is delayed when he is drugged and taken away to a church where he is forced to marry the enchanting Lady Gwyneth of Windrose. Lady Gwyneth needs a husband in order to protect her people and stop her enemies from trying to claim her land. She requires a man who will marry her and then leave her in peace. But Gwyneth finds that Jared is more than she bargained for! Instead of leaving her alone for the gold she has promised, Jared vows to make Lady Gwyneth as well as her land his own to protect and command.
The author does a fantastic job of creating very compelling and appealing characters with many layers. This made this historical an intriguing read. The 2 main characters are both absorbing in that they are put in situations that requires them to make difficult decisions about what they want to do with their lives. They not only have to protect themselves but those who rely on them to survive as well. This entertaining story with its complex and unusual situations was a fun and exciting read. The only complaint I had was that the story could have used additional character development between the 2 characters.
Reviewed by Mary from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Medieval Romance – Dec. 1st, 2010
3 ½ Stars
Defiant is the story of Jared St. John, a man who was wrongly imprisoned for the murder of his own brother. Now that he's finally freed, he wishes only to live in peace. Unfortunately, this is delayed when he is drugged and taken away to a church where he is forced to marry the enchanting Lady Gwyneth of Windrose. Lady Gwyneth needs a husband in order to protect her people and stop her enemies from trying to claim her land. She requires a man who will marry her and then leave her in peace. But Gwyneth finds that Jared is more than she bargained for! Instead of leaving her alone for the gold she has promised, Jared vows to make Lady Gwyneth as well as her land his own to protect and command.
The author does a fantastic job of creating very compelling and appealing characters with many layers. This made this historical an intriguing read. The 2 main characters are both absorbing in that they are put in situations that requires them to make difficult decisions about what they want to do with their lives. They not only have to protect themselves but those who rely on them to survive as well. This entertaining story with its complex and unusual situations was a fun and exciting read. The only complaint I had was that the story could have used additional character development between the 2 characters.
Reviewed by Mary from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
March 27, 2011
Jessica Trapp's Colorful Medieval World
Defiant Lady Gwyneth meets her defiant match in the person of Jared St. John in Jessica Trapp's latest medieval romance, Defiant.
Fate – and Lady Gwyneth's undying belief in her mission to help lessen the misery of women living near her dower lands – thrusts the lovers along an interwoven plot supported by a delightful cast of whores and noblemen, ragged peasants and heartless slavers, and a hawk to rival any bird of lore.
The recurring appearance of a tiny book given Lady Gwyneth by Jared, a talisman reminding her of his respect for her, brings a special enchantment to the story. Drawing strength from this touchstone, Lady Gwyneth may run rampant through a maze of misconception, but the book helps ground her.
In Defiant, Jessica Trapp yanks us into her colorful medieval world with her skilled descriptions and she keeps us there enmeshed in a multilayered plot crammed with surprise twists and well-researched historical elements.
Nancy Webb
Freelance Writer
Defiant Lady Gwyneth meets her defiant match in the person of Jared St. John in Jessica Trapp's latest medieval romance, Defiant.
Fate – and Lady Gwyneth's undying belief in her mission to help lessen the misery of women living near her dower lands – thrusts the lovers along an interwoven plot supported by a delightful cast of whores and noblemen, ragged peasants and heartless slavers, and a hawk to rival any bird of lore.
The recurring appearance of a tiny book given Lady Gwyneth by Jared, a talisman reminding her of his respect for her, brings a special enchantment to the story. Drawing strength from this touchstone, Lady Gwyneth may run rampant through a maze of misconception, but the book helps ground her.
In Defiant, Jessica Trapp yanks us into her colorful medieval world with her skilled descriptions and she keeps us there enmeshed in a multilayered plot crammed with surprise twists and well-researched historical elements.
Nancy Webb
Freelance Writer
January 30, 2012
I gave this book 1 star.
The blurb on the back sounded interesting.It is the first book I have read by this author and I picked this book up in the library,which is just as well as I would have hated to have paid money for this book.
The beginning of the book held great promise with the establishment of the main characters. Then it went downhill fast. I found the heroine to be annoying and shallow and by the end of the book I could not care less what happened to her. For me the hero started out sympathic and had a strong character, despite his past but by the end of the book I found him to be a controlling bully, who kept telling the heroine to shut up. There was so much brutality, degradation and manipulation going on between the main characters that for me the ending as a happy ever after was sugarcoated drivel.
The blurb on the back sounded interesting.It is the first book I have read by this author and I picked this book up in the library,which is just as well as I would have hated to have paid money for this book.
The beginning of the book held great promise with the establishment of the main characters. Then it went downhill fast. I found the heroine to be annoying and shallow and by the end of the book I could not care less what happened to her. For me the hero started out sympathic and had a strong character, despite his past but by the end of the book I found him to be a controlling bully, who kept telling the heroine to shut up. There was so much brutality, degradation and manipulation going on between the main characters that for me the ending as a happy ever after was sugarcoated drivel.
September 30, 2015
Loved this book! Jessica Trapp tells a great story about two unlikely characters falling in love despite nearly insurmountable odds. Both Jared and Gwyneth are driven by their own demons, each trying to right the wrongs that have consumed them If you're looking for the glamour and glitz associated with the gentry, this is not the book for you. The author delves deeply into the darker side of life in Medieval England and tells the story so well that I got completely caught up in it and felt like I was actually there. Can't wait to read more of her books!
December 18, 2015
Great read! Trapp develops Defiant's major female character with an independent nature that resists the submissive role of women of her day. The plot's complications serve to draw the reader through the story. The problem of female slavery and objects used to oppress them creates a surprising and engaging method of drawing our attention to not only that time but similar problems in our own time. Nice work! An epilogue would be a nice addition to the story. However, it reads well as is.
January 4, 2011
There was nothing really remarkable about this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it as a fast, fun, fluff read, though. And sometimes that's all you want. I will definitely read more of her books.
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January 15, 2011Jan C.'s pick.
January 11, 2013
sucked. so. bad. stay away!!!
March 30, 2016
Het begin was echt zwak, heel zwak,..onwerkelijk,..moeilijk begin dus,..
maar daarna werdhet echt wel goed,.........maar niet goed genoeg, ik ergerde me aan veel dingen.
maar daarna werdhet echt wel goed,.........maar niet goed genoeg, ik ergerde me aan veel dingen.
September 3, 2011
Interesting characters and concept. Quick read
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews