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Dark Guardian
Stranded on an exotic island
It might sound romantic to some, but not to Fliss Naughton. Not when her only companion was the mysterious Brand Carradine.
Brand was her captor and her legal guardian--not that she needed a guardian. And his opinion of her wasn't flattering. He didn't think she was fit to be out on her own.
It was strange, then, that when the time came for her to leave, Fliss found it increasingly difficult to part from him. Was her heart of hearts trying to tell her that she longed to stay by Brand's side?
It might sound romantic to some, but not to Fliss Naughton. Not when her only companion was the mysterious Brand Carradine.
Brand was her captor and her legal guardian--not that she needed a guardian. And his opinion of her wasn't flattering. He didn't think she was fit to be out on her own.
It was strange, then, that when the time came for her to leave, Fliss found it increasingly difficult to part from him. Was her heart of hearts trying to tell her that she longed to stay by Brand's side?
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1991
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 7, 2019
Nothing good ever comes from Truth or Dare.
Just sayin.
Trigger alert: rape
17 year-old heroine accepts the dare to steal a seashell from a statue in the middle of a pool at a house where hero is staying. Heroine sneaks over in the middle of the night, takes off all of her clothes, steals the shell – and
Is raped by the hero for her troubles.
That’s right. Our hero is so overcome with lust that he rapes her. Heroine likes everything he does to her until the painful moment of reckoning. I won’t lie – this was disturbing to read.
Heroine is haunted for five years by this. Hero is, too. Turns out he hasn’t had sex since that night.
Boogenhagen has all the details of how the author tried to turn rape into love and romance, so I won’t go into the plot details. I’ll just say I couldn’t buy what the author was selling beyond these two damaged people really needed to pair off since I don’t think they could have moved on with anyone else.
Just sayin.
Trigger alert: rape
17 year-old heroine accepts the dare to steal a seashell from a statue in the middle of a pool at a house where hero is staying. Heroine sneaks over in the middle of the night, takes off all of her clothes, steals the shell – and
Is raped by the hero for her troubles.
That’s right. Our hero is so overcome with lust that he rapes her. Heroine likes everything he does to her until the painful moment of reckoning. I won’t lie – this was disturbing to read.
Heroine is haunted for five years by this. Hero is, too. Turns out he hasn’t had sex since that night.
Boogenhagen has all the details of how the author tried to turn rape into love and romance, so I won’t go into the plot details. I’ll just say I couldn’t buy what the author was selling beyond these two damaged people really needed to pair off since I don’t think they could have moved on with anyone else.
October 25, 2017
Re Dark Guardian - Rebecca King's HP debut is totally and completely whacked. This is old skool in the guardian/ward trope department, but completely modern in the telling.
Big Warning Going Forward - the h and H meet in the first chapter when the h is dared to snag a piece of statuary from the H's rented bungalow in Jamaica at night. The statue piece is in the middle of a pool and the h strips down to nothing to swim over and get it. The H catches her and proceeds to VERY forcibly seduce her on the lawn by the pool - although she wasn't precisely unwilling, it pretty much is rape and the h is only 17 to the H's thirty years. So if that squicks you out, go find a nice adult beverage and some chocolate and pull out a favorite cuddly Patricia Wilson story and avoid this one.
So the H and h have their lurve pounding moment and the H goes off to get her a shirt or something and the h runs away on her motorscooter. She goes home to her grandfather's house, she lives with him ever since her mum died and her distant father got re-married four months later and sent the h off.
Some days later, the h is recovering from her guilt and shame a bit and comes home to find the H hanging out with her grandpa, who is a resident Jamaican coral expert. The h is immediately embarrassed, but the H doesn't seem to recognize her in her school uniform. The h manages to avoid further contact with the H for the next four years and when the meet again, the h is trying to be an actress in London.
She isn't having much luck and she has a few dodgy roommates. One of them convinces the h to sub for her as a kissogram girl for a birthday party. The h goes to the party to do her kissogram and gets accosted by the guys there when they want a strip show and more. The h is rescued at the last minute by the H. He claims that he was asked by her grandfather to look out for her and he kidnaps her to his flat.
They stop by the h's shared flat on the way and we meet up with the skeevy kissogram company owner, who has lecherous designs on the h. The H warns him off and we find out that the H is a huge big time West End play producer and also does TV shows too.
The H, after some fighting and bruising of the h that happens off book, drags the h back to Jamaica. Where sadly the h's grandfather dies and he appoints the rapist H to be her moral and financial guardian for the next five months until the h turns 21. (Oh the irony of HPlandia!)
The h isn't happy about this and neither is the H, mainly cause he knows exactly who the h is and what he did to her and he is beside himself between unremitting longing and self disgust. The h, who is incredibly naive despite her risky adolescent behavior, still believes the H has no clue that she was the girl from that night four years earlier.
Until skeevy kissogram guy shows up in Jamaica and the h foolishly invites him to have a drink in her home after lunch. She decides to take a quick shower while skeevy kissogram guy waits and he almost rapes her. Fortunately the H rescues her once again and beats skeevy kissogram guy into the ground.
The H is furious with the h and kidnaps her to his private island for the next three weeks until she turns 21 and can be let loose on an unsuspecting world. The h falls in love with the H during this time of course and the H is definitely trying to hold back his passion for her. He recommends that the h try musicals since she isn't having any success at dramatic acting and she has a pretty good voice. Then, after the h tries to escape in a little canoe dugout, he decides to take the h diving and she keeps looking for pearls, even tho there aren't any there.
They have a marvelous time together and the h's birthday is almost upon them. Finally the H can't stand the h's sex kitten mojo anymore and he dumps her back on the mainland two days before the big release date. The h decides to donate some of her grandfather's money and she decides to go hang out with the H on his private island. They have lobster and mangoes and the H gives the h a really nice string of pearls. The H's and h connective passion energy draws them together in a purple burst of bliss and when the h wakes up the next morning, the H is gone.
The h is sad she got dumped, but determined to make it big on the London stage. So she goes back to London, meets a lady theatrical agent who also lets the h share her flat and the h gets lucky and has to take over the part in a big musical when the lead actress breaks her leg and new investor's agree to keep the show running with the h as the lead.
The h becomes a huge success and then she meets the H again. He is the big investor that kept the show going and his cousin is the theatrical agent who shared her flat - the H was trying to protect the h and help her out and he spent six months hiding in the back of theaters to watch the h on tour even when she was only in the chorus. He also claims he has not been with any other women since the h. (I wasn't sure if he meant from five years earlier or from the last time. )
Then he gives the h back her earring that she lost on the very first night they met and he confesses he loves her, but he is a horrible person and he feels really sorry for assaulting her and his guilt made him run off the second time, because he had resolved to keep his hands off of her and couldn't.
The h is all about loving him back and declaring that the first time wasn't an assault but mutual mojo and they resolve to lurve each other up together forever and get married right away and then honeymoon on the H's private island after the h's show is over for the HEA.
I bought the HEA and I confess I liked this one even tho it started out fairly forcefully. The H, after his initial bout of lust aggression, is really not horrible to the h - tho she complains he is because he is very bossy- and there is one tart shaming moment that you can tell the H soon regrets. RK did a good job of an H struggling with himself, which is pretty impressive when you realize just how little dialog and page time the H actually has.
This is not the most PC of HP outings, but it was trainwreckily entertaining. So if the premise is tolerable, give this one a go for an interesting HP outing.
Big Warning Going Forward - the h and H meet in the first chapter when the h is dared to snag a piece of statuary from the H's rented bungalow in Jamaica at night. The statue piece is in the middle of a pool and the h strips down to nothing to swim over and get it. The H catches her and proceeds to VERY forcibly seduce her on the lawn by the pool - although she wasn't precisely unwilling, it pretty much is rape and the h is only 17 to the H's thirty years. So if that squicks you out, go find a nice adult beverage and some chocolate and pull out a favorite cuddly Patricia Wilson story and avoid this one.
So the H and h have their lurve pounding moment and the H goes off to get her a shirt or something and the h runs away on her motorscooter. She goes home to her grandfather's house, she lives with him ever since her mum died and her distant father got re-married four months later and sent the h off.
Some days later, the h is recovering from her guilt and shame a bit and comes home to find the H hanging out with her grandpa, who is a resident Jamaican coral expert. The h is immediately embarrassed, but the H doesn't seem to recognize her in her school uniform. The h manages to avoid further contact with the H for the next four years and when the meet again, the h is trying to be an actress in London.
She isn't having much luck and she has a few dodgy roommates. One of them convinces the h to sub for her as a kissogram girl for a birthday party. The h goes to the party to do her kissogram and gets accosted by the guys there when they want a strip show and more. The h is rescued at the last minute by the H. He claims that he was asked by her grandfather to look out for her and he kidnaps her to his flat.
They stop by the h's shared flat on the way and we meet up with the skeevy kissogram company owner, who has lecherous designs on the h. The H warns him off and we find out that the H is a huge big time West End play producer and also does TV shows too.
The H, after some fighting and bruising of the h that happens off book, drags the h back to Jamaica. Where sadly the h's grandfather dies and he appoints the rapist H to be her moral and financial guardian for the next five months until the h turns 21. (Oh the irony of HPlandia!)
The h isn't happy about this and neither is the H, mainly cause he knows exactly who the h is and what he did to her and he is beside himself between unremitting longing and self disgust. The h, who is incredibly naive despite her risky adolescent behavior, still believes the H has no clue that she was the girl from that night four years earlier.
Until skeevy kissogram guy shows up in Jamaica and the h foolishly invites him to have a drink in her home after lunch. She decides to take a quick shower while skeevy kissogram guy waits and he almost rapes her. Fortunately the H rescues her once again and beats skeevy kissogram guy into the ground.
The H is furious with the h and kidnaps her to his private island for the next three weeks until she turns 21 and can be let loose on an unsuspecting world. The h falls in love with the H during this time of course and the H is definitely trying to hold back his passion for her. He recommends that the h try musicals since she isn't having any success at dramatic acting and she has a pretty good voice. Then, after the h tries to escape in a little canoe dugout, he decides to take the h diving and she keeps looking for pearls, even tho there aren't any there.
They have a marvelous time together and the h's birthday is almost upon them. Finally the H can't stand the h's sex kitten mojo anymore and he dumps her back on the mainland two days before the big release date. The h decides to donate some of her grandfather's money and she decides to go hang out with the H on his private island. They have lobster and mangoes and the H gives the h a really nice string of pearls. The H's and h connective passion energy draws them together in a purple burst of bliss and when the h wakes up the next morning, the H is gone.
The h is sad she got dumped, but determined to make it big on the London stage. So she goes back to London, meets a lady theatrical agent who also lets the h share her flat and the h gets lucky and has to take over the part in a big musical when the lead actress breaks her leg and new investor's agree to keep the show running with the h as the lead.
The h becomes a huge success and then she meets the H again. He is the big investor that kept the show going and his cousin is the theatrical agent who shared her flat - the H was trying to protect the h and help her out and he spent six months hiding in the back of theaters to watch the h on tour even when she was only in the chorus. He also claims he has not been with any other women since the h. (I wasn't sure if he meant from five years earlier or from the last time. )
Then he gives the h back her earring that she lost on the very first night they met and he confesses he loves her, but he is a horrible person and he feels really sorry for assaulting her and his guilt made him run off the second time, because he had resolved to keep his hands off of her and couldn't.
The h is all about loving him back and declaring that the first time wasn't an assault but mutual mojo and they resolve to lurve each other up together forever and get married right away and then honeymoon on the H's private island after the h's show is over for the HEA.
I bought the HEA and I confess I liked this one even tho it started out fairly forcefully. The H, after his initial bout of lust aggression, is really not horrible to the h - tho she complains he is because he is very bossy- and there is one tart shaming moment that you can tell the H soon regrets. RK did a good job of an H struggling with himself, which is pretty impressive when you realize just how little dialog and page time the H actually has.
This is not the most PC of HP outings, but it was trainwreckily entertaining. So if the premise is tolerable, give this one a go for an interesting HP outing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 13, 2019
H was in need of good skilleting but not because he was cruel, just for being as dumb as heroine.
August 30, 2019
If only, if only....if only the heroine at the start of the book was older than 17...then everything else would have gone smoothly and I could have enjoyed it for what it was... “the old vintage hp” we all know... cold, often cruel and brutal hero with the naive sweet heroine...where in the twisted hp-land true love prevails despite the ups and downs and misunderstanding galores.
But despite Ms King’s efforts to redeem our hero ( he swooped in like a superhero and saved our heroine not once but twice from almost being raped; and he stayed celibate for nearly 5 years!) it was alas not enough to get rid of that distaste I had for him when he took advantage of the heroine when she was just 17.
But despite Ms King’s efforts to redeem our hero ( he swooped in like a superhero and saved our heroine not once but twice from almost being raped; and he stayed celibate for nearly 5 years!) it was alas not enough to get rid of that distaste I had for him when he took advantage of the heroine when she was just 17.
April 16, 2021
Stranded on an exotic island
It might sound romantic to some, but not to Fliss Naughton. Not when her only companion was the mysterious Brand Carradine.
Brand was her captor and her legal guardian--not that she needed a guardian. And his opinion of her wasn't flattering. He didn't think she was fit to be out on her own.
It was strange, then, that when the time came for her to leave, Fliss found it increasingly difficult to part from him. Was her heart of hearts trying to tell her that she longed to stay by Brand's side?
It might sound romantic to some, but not to Fliss Naughton. Not when her only companion was the mysterious Brand Carradine.
Brand was her captor and her legal guardian--not that she needed a guardian. And his opinion of her wasn't flattering. He didn't think she was fit to be out on her own.
It was strange, then, that when the time came for her to leave, Fliss found it increasingly difficult to part from him. Was her heart of hearts trying to tell her that she longed to stay by Brand's side?
November 26, 2023
Hmmm. I suppose I could be generous and deem his actions the first time he meets her as out of character. Nevertheless it is not easy to feel comfortable when he, Brand, theatre producer in his 30s, rapes 17 yr old virgin Fliss when he finds her stealing a shell from his swimming pool statue in the dark. It was too dark for him to see her face, but not a birthmark on her leg. Really? He does kind of redeem himself and clearly feels tormented by what he has done and the continuing desire he feels for the young actor who eventually becomes his tumultuous ward. She is a bit provocative. Still. Proceed with caution.
September 25, 2022
This was wild. He literally raped her. No dubious consent about it.
October 17, 2023
Good lord. Where to even start? Rebecca King certainly knows how to start her book with shock tactics: a "ravishment" (to put it mildly) of the 17-year-old heroine by the 30-something hero, in the dark, when neither of them can even see one another.
She's stealing a garden ornament for a dare, he catches her, and his reaction to a trespasser is to shag them. As you do.
It's a brilliantly WTF spectacularly only-in-HP/Mills & Boon-land beginning. Unfortunately things go downhill from there. In a nutshell: the heroine Fliss spends the next few years blaming herself and being too ashamed to let Grant recognise her. Meanwhile he ends up her legal guardian and spends all the time raging at her and controlling her and accusing her of being a slut (even though she's clearly being sexually assaulted) on several occasions.
He eventually locks her up in his house, then an island. But never lays a finger on her.
I mean what's the point of this? We've already had the full-on, ultra edgy starting scene. V-card is long vanished. And then we've got less sex OR romance than the tamest Barbara Cartland.
At the end of course we discover he actually did recognise her, was horrified that he shagged a schoolgirl (maybe next time turn the lights on and introduce yourself before literally plunging straight in?) and treating her like shit is his way of assuaging his guilt. Or something.
This could have been such a great, sexy, tense, steamy, over-the-top piece of vintage fun. But it feels like the author lost her bottle after the first scene.
She's stealing a garden ornament for a dare, he catches her, and his reaction to a trespasser is to shag them. As you do.
It's a brilliantly WTF spectacularly only-in-HP/Mills & Boon-land beginning. Unfortunately things go downhill from there. In a nutshell: the heroine Fliss spends the next few years blaming herself and being too ashamed to let Grant recognise her. Meanwhile he ends up her legal guardian and spends all the time raging at her and controlling her and accusing her of being a slut (even though she's clearly being sexually assaulted) on several occasions.
He eventually locks her up in his house, then an island. But never lays a finger on her.
I mean what's the point of this? We've already had the full-on, ultra edgy starting scene. V-card is long vanished. And then we've got less sex OR romance than the tamest Barbara Cartland.
At the end of course we discover he actually did recognise her, was horrified that he shagged a schoolgirl (maybe next time turn the lights on and introduce yourself before literally plunging straight in?) and treating her like shit is his way of assuaging his guilt. Or something.
This could have been such a great, sexy, tense, steamy, over-the-top piece of vintage fun. But it feels like the author lost her bottle after the first scene.
January 17, 2021
I was so misled I picked up this book. Oh boy, was I misled.
Dear Author:
Tell me why did the hero bed a house intruder without knowing who or what the she even looked like. I mean what if that was his sister, his cousin, etc? Gross! Sorry, but that scene was so unrealistic & poorly executed. He didn’t even know what she looked like but he was ok bedding her just because she was already naked in his arms. Desperate or philanderer? Neither are good. He might as well go to some brothel & sleep with any girl with a paper bag over her head.
Dear Author:
Tell me why did the hero bed a house intruder without knowing who or what the she even looked like. I mean what if that was his sister, his cousin, etc? Gross! Sorry, but that scene was so unrealistic & poorly executed. He didn’t even know what she looked like but he was ok bedding her just because she was already naked in his arms. Desperate or philanderer? Neither are good. He might as well go to some brothel & sleep with any girl with a paper bag over her head.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 7, 2022
Liked more than I thought I would although he was criminal in their first meeting
dnf
September 30, 2024Uninteresting plot.
Read
May 21, 2016 الوصي الغامض - ريبيكا كينغ
August 13, 2025
Love this book. So steamy and sexy.
March 30, 2017
I have no idea why I am reading so many Harlequin Presents right now, but this dude takes the cake for overbearing, jealous, possessive jackwagons.
So like, if you find out that you treated someone poorly (to be extreeeeeemely euphemistic) and your response is to continue treating them like someone who took a shit on your carpet, you are, in fact, a dildobrain. Guess who that makes a dildobrain? BRAND CARRADINE.
I did not actually hate reading this book, but in the end there was simply not enough groveling to make up for the "hero's" behavior. But hot damn, reading HP's is like mainlining drama and angst (dramangst?).
So like, if you find out that you treated someone poorly (to be extreeeeeemely euphemistic) and your response is to continue treating them like someone who took a shit on your carpet, you are, in fact, a dildobrain. Guess who that makes a dildobrain? BRAND CARRADINE.
I did not actually hate reading this book, but in the end there was simply not enough groveling to make up for the "hero's" behavior. But hot damn, reading HP's is like mainlining drama and angst (dramangst?).
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews