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Tender Savage
TOO FAST TO STOP
When innocent Erica Hansen fled to Minnesota to escape the Civil War's horrors, she had no idea she was stepping right into the middle of an Indian uprising. And until a painted, whooping brave swept her onto his stallion, she never guessed how unsafe her new home really was. The curvaceous blonde struggled against her captor's grip, but the farther they rode from civilization, the wilder her response to him became. The passionate beauty knew she should bite, scratch and kick the warrior, but before she could think of the consequences, Erica began to caress, kiss and embrace him!
TOO FAR TO RETURN
From the moment he beheld the golden-haired paleface, the Sioux fighter named Viper swore she'd never meet the white captives' fate of torture and degradation. This was a woman created for the most ecstatic kinds of lovemaking ... and the virile male would make sure he'd be the one to show her the myriad ways to enjoy pleasure. He promised himself he'd release her when the furor of the battle died down. But once the jet-haired Sioux trapped her in his arms, he realized a lifetime was too short to savor her ivory skin, to exult in her lavender scent, to take her time and again as her Tender Savage.
When innocent Erica Hansen fled to Minnesota to escape the Civil War's horrors, she had no idea she was stepping right into the middle of an Indian uprising. And until a painted, whooping brave swept her onto his stallion, she never guessed how unsafe her new home really was. The curvaceous blonde struggled against her captor's grip, but the farther they rode from civilization, the wilder her response to him became. The passionate beauty knew she should bite, scratch and kick the warrior, but before she could think of the consequences, Erica began to caress, kiss and embrace him!
TOO FAR TO RETURN
From the moment he beheld the golden-haired paleface, the Sioux fighter named Viper swore she'd never meet the white captives' fate of torture and degradation. This was a woman created for the most ecstatic kinds of lovemaking ... and the virile male would make sure he'd be the one to show her the myriad ways to enjoy pleasure. He promised himself he'd release her when the furor of the battle died down. But once the jet-haired Sioux trapped her in his arms, he realized a lifetime was too short to savor her ivory skin, to exult in her lavender scent, to take her time and again as her Tender Savage.
480 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 1989
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About the author
Phoebe Conn
55 books56 followersPhoebe Conn is the maiden name and pseudonym of Phoebe Jane Conn a best-selling American author of thirty-seven romance novels. She has also published three futuristic romances under the pseudonym Cinnamon Burke.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 12, 2021
This review is of “Tender Savage”, a standalone by Phoebe Conn.
The book starts in Wilmington, Delaware, June 1862 (The book spans the time period from June 1862 to September 1863). Erica Hanson, the heroine of the book, and Mark Randall are kissing passionately. The night won’t end happily for either, however. (Mark and Erica’s father, Lars, a physician, are leaving to join the Union army in the Civil War. Erica is being sent to New Ulm, Minnesota, to live with Lars’ sister, Britta, and her husband Karl Ludwig, who own a store there). Erica wants to marry Mark, or at least become his lover before he leaves for war, and Mark refuses. This is the source of the conflict between them.
When Erica arrives in New Ulm, she makes the acquaintance of Viper, a half-Lakota, half-white Indian and the hero of the book. They share kisses and are attracted to each other. However, Viper and his fellow Lakota will soon be at war with the white citizens of New Ulm after promises from the government fail to materialize. During the uprising, Viper kidnaps Erica. (He does so for two reasons; one, to keep her from being killed, and two, because he’s hot for her. BTW, she is for him as well). Erica and Viper become lovers, and are married in the Lakota tradition.
Soon, however, problems emerge. Viper’s aunt and a woman who is in lust with him cause problems for Erica. An even bigger problem will soon present itself in the form of Mark, who arranges a transfer to Minnesota to find Erica and marry her.
Mark arrives in Minnesota, finds Erica with Viper and arrests him, binding him over to stand trial in a military tribunal, where Viper is tried and convicted. After this, Viper asks Mark to marry Erica, which Mark agrees to. Erica and Mark marry, and he is sent back to Wilmington to rejoin the Union Army. Happiness and sadness soon follow, as Erica discovers she is pregnant with Viper’s child, while Mark is seriously injured during the war, becomes blinded and basically an invalid who needs constant care.
Back in Minnesota, Viper has his conviction vacated, and he leaves the state and heads to Delaware to find Erica. Adopting the name “Etienne Bouchard”-his French grandfather’s name-Viper finangles his way into becoming Mark’s companion, which severely irritates Erica. Soon after “Etienne’s” arrival, Erica gives birth to a son, who looks like Etienne. This creates a rift between Erica and Etienne on one side, with Lars and Sarah Randall, Mark’s sister, on the other. (Mark doesn’t know he’s not the child’s father).
In the end, Mark passes away, Erica and Viper go back to Minnesota-to a different part of the state-Lars and Sarah marry, and both couples have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: The backdrop of “Tender Savage” is the Minnesota Sioux Uprising of 1862, an actual occurrence. Mrs. Conn does a fairly good job melding her fictional characters with real people and events.
Downside: On some levels, “Tender Savage” tries to be like Nancy Henderson (Nan) Ryan’s excellent book “Kathleen’s Surrender”. Like that book, “Tender Savage” takes place in part during the Civil War and features a love triangle. That, however, is where the similarities end.
Mrs. Ryan had the ability to make me as a reader care about her characters and feel their emotions. Mrs. Conn, although she tries, sadly, does not. This is the seventh book I’ve read by her, and like the other six, “Tender Savage” lacks both emotional depth and character development.
I also had issues with the heroine and hero. Erica checks off the basic romance heroine boxes: she’s beautiful, young, sexy, has a great body, but...that’s it. There really is no substance to her. Viper is worse. Mrs. Conn would have been better served to name him “Etienne Bouchard”, because Viper is basically a white Indian. Although she did research on the uprising, it is clear that Mrs. Conn did none on the Lakota tribe, because there is almost nothing about Viper-sans living in a teepee and eating pemmican-that would identify him as a Native American. The only depth to his character is that we learn he has French ancestry. There is very little romantic chemistry between Erica and Viper, the beginning of their relationship in no way indicates love-they are in lust with each other-and although Mrs. Conn tries at the end, she falls well short of creating the type of characters I can truly care about.
I also didn't like the fact that after he gained access to the Hanson home, Viper spent a great deal of time trying to have sex with Erica despite the fact that she was married to Mark (I also didn't buy the "Erica and Mark didn't consummate their marriage, therefore they weren't legally married and Viper's actions were okay" excuse at the end of the book, either).
Sex: I will give Mrs. Conn credit for writing slightly better love scenes here than in her previous books, but that is damning with very faint praise.
Violence: Most of the violence takes place “off-screen”. However, there are “on-screen” scenes of assault, battery, and a slashing that take place.
Bottom Line: There was the foundation for a good book in “Tender Savage”. Unfortunately, Mrs. Conn was not the author to mine the gold that might have been there. Instead, the book ends up in pewter territory.
The book starts in Wilmington, Delaware, June 1862 (The book spans the time period from June 1862 to September 1863). Erica Hanson, the heroine of the book, and Mark Randall are kissing passionately. The night won’t end happily for either, however. (Mark and Erica’s father, Lars, a physician, are leaving to join the Union army in the Civil War. Erica is being sent to New Ulm, Minnesota, to live with Lars’ sister, Britta, and her husband Karl Ludwig, who own a store there). Erica wants to marry Mark, or at least become his lover before he leaves for war, and Mark refuses. This is the source of the conflict between them.
When Erica arrives in New Ulm, she makes the acquaintance of Viper, a half-Lakota, half-white Indian and the hero of the book. They share kisses and are attracted to each other. However, Viper and his fellow Lakota will soon be at war with the white citizens of New Ulm after promises from the government fail to materialize. During the uprising, Viper kidnaps Erica. (He does so for two reasons; one, to keep her from being killed, and two, because he’s hot for her. BTW, she is for him as well). Erica and Viper become lovers, and are married in the Lakota tradition.
Soon, however, problems emerge. Viper’s aunt and a woman who is in lust with him cause problems for Erica. An even bigger problem will soon present itself in the form of Mark, who arranges a transfer to Minnesota to find Erica and marry her.
Mark arrives in Minnesota, finds Erica with Viper and arrests him, binding him over to stand trial in a military tribunal, where Viper is tried and convicted. After this, Viper asks Mark to marry Erica, which Mark agrees to. Erica and Mark marry, and he is sent back to Wilmington to rejoin the Union Army. Happiness and sadness soon follow, as Erica discovers she is pregnant with Viper’s child, while Mark is seriously injured during the war, becomes blinded and basically an invalid who needs constant care.
Back in Minnesota, Viper has his conviction vacated, and he leaves the state and heads to Delaware to find Erica. Adopting the name “Etienne Bouchard”-his French grandfather’s name-Viper finangles his way into becoming Mark’s companion, which severely irritates Erica. Soon after “Etienne’s” arrival, Erica gives birth to a son, who looks like Etienne. This creates a rift between Erica and Etienne on one side, with Lars and Sarah Randall, Mark’s sister, on the other. (Mark doesn’t know he’s not the child’s father).
In the end, Mark passes away, Erica and Viper go back to Minnesota-to a different part of the state-Lars and Sarah marry, and both couples have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: The backdrop of “Tender Savage” is the Minnesota Sioux Uprising of 1862, an actual occurrence. Mrs. Conn does a fairly good job melding her fictional characters with real people and events.
Downside: On some levels, “Tender Savage” tries to be like Nancy Henderson (Nan) Ryan’s excellent book “Kathleen’s Surrender”. Like that book, “Tender Savage” takes place in part during the Civil War and features a love triangle. That, however, is where the similarities end.
Mrs. Ryan had the ability to make me as a reader care about her characters and feel their emotions. Mrs. Conn, although she tries, sadly, does not. This is the seventh book I’ve read by her, and like the other six, “Tender Savage” lacks both emotional depth and character development.
I also had issues with the heroine and hero. Erica checks off the basic romance heroine boxes: she’s beautiful, young, sexy, has a great body, but...that’s it. There really is no substance to her. Viper is worse. Mrs. Conn would have been better served to name him “Etienne Bouchard”, because Viper is basically a white Indian. Although she did research on the uprising, it is clear that Mrs. Conn did none on the Lakota tribe, because there is almost nothing about Viper-sans living in a teepee and eating pemmican-that would identify him as a Native American. The only depth to his character is that we learn he has French ancestry. There is very little romantic chemistry between Erica and Viper, the beginning of their relationship in no way indicates love-they are in lust with each other-and although Mrs. Conn tries at the end, she falls well short of creating the type of characters I can truly care about.
I also didn't like the fact that after he gained access to the Hanson home, Viper spent a great deal of time trying to have sex with Erica despite the fact that she was married to Mark (I also didn't buy the "Erica and Mark didn't consummate their marriage, therefore they weren't legally married and Viper's actions were okay" excuse at the end of the book, either).
Sex: I will give Mrs. Conn credit for writing slightly better love scenes here than in her previous books, but that is damning with very faint praise.
Violence: Most of the violence takes place “off-screen”. However, there are “on-screen” scenes of assault, battery, and a slashing that take place.
Bottom Line: There was the foundation for a good book in “Tender Savage”. Unfortunately, Mrs. Conn was not the author to mine the gold that might have been there. Instead, the book ends up in pewter territory.
Read
October 13, 2022DNF at a little under 60%. Based on what I did read, this would be about a 2.5/5 star read for me.
I tried to finish this. I really did. I wanted to like it so badly. But there were several issues.
•The not-quite-insta-love. Erica and Viper have a grand total of three meetings before he kidnaps her, but he’s already decided he wants her to be his wife. They spend a few more days together, and then confess their love for each other.
•So. Much. Unnecessary. Drama. It’d be one thing if this was an epic a la Comanche Moon by Catherine Anderson, but this just isn’t that. A lot of the drama can be seen coming from a mile away, and all it did was make me want to skim through it, not actually read it. I went into this wanting to read about a white woman captured by a Native American and falling in love with him - not having to deal with jealousy from other women and other men.
•Mark was just so unlikeable. Learn to take no for an answer!
•The historical facts, while appreciated, disrupted the narrative flow of the book. Kind of gave me the feeling of Cassie Edwards’ plagiarism scandal lol.
I didn’t even make it to page 300, but it still felt like such an agonizingly long read. I might come back to it and try to finish it later, but I doubt it.
(Still laughing at Song of the Wren believing Erica “bewitched” Viper and “turned him into a demon” because he went down on her lol.)
I tried to finish this. I really did. I wanted to like it so badly. But there were several issues.
•The not-quite-insta-love. Erica and Viper have a grand total of three meetings before he kidnaps her, but he’s already decided he wants her to be his wife. They spend a few more days together, and then confess their love for each other.
•So. Much. Unnecessary. Drama. It’d be one thing if this was an epic a la Comanche Moon by Catherine Anderson, but this just isn’t that. A lot of the drama can be seen coming from a mile away, and all it did was make me want to skim through it, not actually read it. I went into this wanting to read about a white woman captured by a Native American and falling in love with him - not having to deal with jealousy from other women and other men.
•Mark was just so unlikeable. Learn to take no for an answer!
•The historical facts, while appreciated, disrupted the narrative flow of the book. Kind of gave me the feeling of Cassie Edwards’ plagiarism scandal lol.
I didn’t even make it to page 300, but it still felt like such an agonizingly long read. I might come back to it and try to finish it later, but I doubt it.
(Still laughing at Song of the Wren believing Erica “bewitched” Viper and “turned him into a demon” because he went down on her lol.)
March 8, 2016
Finished this just a few minutes ago, and surprised there aren't any written reviews for this book. I know it's older, but it's a great story, filled with historical detail as well as romance. The story actually covers two occurrences at the same time....the Civil War and the Sioux uprisings in Minnesota....and I felt it was extremely well written. The heroine was perfectly portrayed I thought....I imagine at the time this book was to have taken place she was an exception rather than the norm, simply for her outlook on the situations she finds herself in. I would definitely read this again, and would recommend to anyone who likes historical romance involving a Native American....this was an excellent read, a definite keeper!
October 8, 2017
This story is about a 17 year old girl who becomes friends with an Indian man in his mid 20's. She doesn't understand why her relatives don't want her near him so she sneaks off to see him secretly. As their friendship grows she sees for herself how the government is stealing and lying to the Sioux Indians, and how they are forced to live on small plots of land that are very poor for farming so many of them are starving. Viper warns her that his tribe and others are getting angry and restless and want to fight back so there is going to be an uprising and many will die.
The uprising occurs and many of the towns men are gone to fight in the civil war, so that only leaves the elderly men and very young boys left to defend their families. Viper takes her away before it starts and keeps her safe and their love blossoms, the only problem is ... She is engaged to a man that is captain fighting in the civil war. He hears of the uprising and kidnapping of his woman and he goes to find her. He finds them and viper is put in jail and awaiting trial for the possibility of being hanged for kidnapping and being apart of the uprising. Erica discovers she can't marry the captain because she no longer loves him she wants to marry Viper.
While viper is in jail the captain goes back to the fights and his severely injured in the head. So Erica is torn with who to be with, she feels obligated to stay with and take care of the captain because he has lost a lot of memories and has a mind at times like a child. During this time she also discovers she's pregnant and she knows for certain it's vipers. After a turn of events viper is let out of prison and finds Erica..
Oh my what a triangle. Things happen that I never would have predicted. Some of the events and names in this story actually happened. Lone Crow was an actual person who was portrayed in this story...
Very good story filled with suspense and romance
The uprising occurs and many of the towns men are gone to fight in the civil war, so that only leaves the elderly men and very young boys left to defend their families. Viper takes her away before it starts and keeps her safe and their love blossoms, the only problem is ... She is engaged to a man that is captain fighting in the civil war. He hears of the uprising and kidnapping of his woman and he goes to find her. He finds them and viper is put in jail and awaiting trial for the possibility of being hanged for kidnapping and being apart of the uprising. Erica discovers she can't marry the captain because she no longer loves him she wants to marry Viper.
While viper is in jail the captain goes back to the fights and his severely injured in the head. So Erica is torn with who to be with, she feels obligated to stay with and take care of the captain because he has lost a lot of memories and has a mind at times like a child. During this time she also discovers she's pregnant and she knows for certain it's vipers. After a turn of events viper is let out of prison and finds Erica..
Oh my what a triangle. Things happen that I never would have predicted. Some of the events and names in this story actually happened. Lone Crow was an actual person who was portrayed in this story...
Very good story filled with suspense and romance
October 11, 2014
enjoyable read
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews