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Medieval #1
What a Scoundrel Wants
In this dazzling, original tale, Carrie Lofty imagines a new chapter in the well-loved Robin Hood fable. Meet Robin's rakish nephew, Will Scarlet, a man whose talents with the sword and the ladies are legendary—until his desire for one woman changes everything.
A Passionate Lover
A swordsman for the Sheriff of Nottingham, Will Scarlet has finally emerged from his famous uncle's shadow. But when he's unwittingly drawn into a bloody battle between the Sheriff and a nobleman, it's impossible to tell friend from foe. A woman's screams lead Will straight into the carnage to save her—but the ravishing young lady is not the helpless maid she appears to be.
An Amorous Lady
Meg of Keyworth lost her sight to illness years ago, but that hasn't stopped her mission to save her imprisoned sister, who's been arrested by none other than Will Scarlet. Meg wants to hate Will for betraying her family, but he sparks heated desire in her heart—a desire that only he can satisfy. Meg is lovely and loving, and bedding her is sensual bliss. To please her in every way is what he wants most.for Will knows he will cherish her forever.
A Passionate Lover
A swordsman for the Sheriff of Nottingham, Will Scarlet has finally emerged from his famous uncle's shadow. But when he's unwittingly drawn into a bloody battle between the Sheriff and a nobleman, it's impossible to tell friend from foe. A woman's screams lead Will straight into the carnage to save her—but the ravishing young lady is not the helpless maid she appears to be.
An Amorous Lady
Meg of Keyworth lost her sight to illness years ago, but that hasn't stopped her mission to save her imprisoned sister, who's been arrested by none other than Will Scarlet. Meg wants to hate Will for betraying her family, but he sparks heated desire in her heart—a desire that only he can satisfy. Meg is lovely and loving, and bedding her is sensual bliss. To please her in every way is what he wants most.for Will knows he will cherish her forever.
354 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
501 people want to read
About the author
Carrie Lofty
15 books220 followersTwo time RITA-nominated and multiple RT Reviewers' Choice-winning author Carrie Lofty has over twenty-five books to her name--or four names, to be precise. Her paranormal (as
Lindsey Piper
) and historical romances from Pocket have been described as "nuanced and superbly realized" (The Chicago Tribune) and "sexy, brutal and somehow innocent" (All About Romance).
In college, Carrie lured an unsuspecting Englishman to the Midwest, where she's kept him a happy ex-pat for more than twenty years. With two teen daughters and a master’s degree specializing in the America West, Carrie is a movie buff, Civil War museum docent, online tutor, and Halloween haunted house actor.
In college, Carrie lured an unsuspecting Englishman to the Midwest, where she's kept him a happy ex-pat for more than twenty years. With two teen daughters and a master’s degree specializing in the America West, Carrie is a movie buff, Civil War museum docent, online tutor, and Halloween haunted house actor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
March 27, 2010
I (finally) was able to finish the book on Wednesday & debated whether / not it’s worth a review (it's cathartic sometimes after reading a mediocre book). I tried really hard to like this book ‘cuz I luved the sequel. Alas, it’s a lost cause & mainly ‘cuz the story arc made me feel like a tossed salad & the nasty heroine killed the book for me. The oversexed heroine is so spiteful, downright rude, vindictive, ungrateful, irascible (to define her succinctly : an utter bitch), that I wondered why oh whyyy the hero felt attracted to her off-putting demeanor & bad attitude. Being blind is not an excuse for being a bitter pill. I believe she’s the most unsympathetic heroine I’ve ever read in my misfortune. When I say she’s oversexed, I’m not implying that she’s @ the height of her slutdom. Will got injured while trying to save Meg. To massage acid onto his sore open wounds, the nuts-numbing heroine inexplicably forced herself on Will (tho’ he got no problem sporting a boner once her blind groping intensified). ‘Bitch in heat’ shoulda been the title of the chapter. The non-consensual boinking on page 39 caught me off guard ‘cuz I didn’t see it coming @ such an early stage. From antagonism to insta lust = 0 – 200 mph. Wild horses couldn’t have torn the friction-luving heroine away. A mind-boggling passage to illustrate her logic-defying excuse :
< After the juicy coupling >
Will : "But why do it in my sleep ? W/out my permission ?
Meg : "Because taking is more enjoyable than asking."
Will : "I'm certain those men on the road thought the same of your struggles."
Meg : "Hardly the same instance."
Will : "U touched me for your pleasure, w/out my consent. Explain the difference."
Meg : "U were asleep."
I put this book on my suspension pile @ that point. Having read the sequel prior to this, CL seemed to have written the kinks out in the sequel, ‘cuz “Scoundrel’s Kiss” was more polished in terms of plotting, execution & characterizations. W/ this prequel, I had the vibe that CL tried too hard to make the plot too intricate that it came across as convoluted & maze-like that my simple, overworked & underpaid brain felt like scrambled eggs when valiantly trying to be n-sync w/ who & what’s going on LOL…. The conflict w/ Robin felt contrived. In her attempt to portray a multi-layered heroine, she took a wrong turn & somehow steered the damaged heroine into bitchville. Patience has never been my forte & the belligerent heroine just aggravated my overstretched nerves beyond a breaking point. The indefensible heroine shoulda been left hanging by her toenails, esp for harboring the thought of letting her sis get her comeuppance in jail ‘cuz they have a luv-hate relationship (sis Ada had poached on Meg’s former lover & he’s no prize anyway ‘cuz he’s a double-dealing scumbag). It’s prolly not ingrained in Meg to forgive & forget, but blood should be thicker than water. Methinks the heroine is the epitome of “no man is an island”. She woulda been more appealing to me if she’d risen above her pettiness.
To start off, I had to block the mental visual of Christian Slater ‘cuz I’ve always had a low opinion of his features (no offense if U’re a die-hard fan, folks). I replaced him w/ Cary Elwes (pre-Saw & circa “Robin Hood : Men in Tights”, to be exact) even tho’ Will describes himself (per Meg’s request) as having a wheat-colored hair. Wanting to finish this book was an arduous undertaking. I luved CL’s exquisite prose & distinctive ability to write swashbuckling adventures. Her talent was never in question. I thought Will was not the sharpest tool in the shed due to his poor judgement in his past (Marian) & present (Meg). When it took me a month to read a book & left me cold, there must be something wrong. I tried to see the bigger picture & forced myself to pick it up again & again. The “scoundrel” on the title actually refers to the immature heroine who adopts the “me, me, me” antics. Boo freakin’ hoo. Will woulda gotten more warmth if he had travelled barefoot to Antarctica. I gotta give credit where credit is due, ‘cuz he doesn’t put up w/ her erratic behavior. It’s a slippery downward slope from the moment he set eyes on Meg. On page 130, he even stole the words right outta my fingers. I don’t have a copy anymore but IIRC, he said something along the line : “U make it very hard to care what happens 2 U.” Bingo ! Her abrasive personalities & negativity were too pervasive for me. I couldn’t see thru’ her prickly exterior even after I dug deeper to find a smidgeon of redeemable quality about her. She’s like a recalcitrant child who keeps pushing his buttons to see how far she can dodge the arrow. The book had potentials but ultimately, it’s a letdown. Will did himself no favor by hooking up w/ an unsophisticated, ornery termagant. He shoulda simply sprinted in the other direction as fast as his wheels could carry him =^2
< After the juicy coupling >
Will : "But why do it in my sleep ? W/out my permission ?
Meg : "Because taking is more enjoyable than asking."
Will : "I'm certain those men on the road thought the same of your struggles."
Meg : "Hardly the same instance."
Will : "U touched me for your pleasure, w/out my consent. Explain the difference."
Meg : "U were asleep."
I put this book on my suspension pile @ that point. Having read the sequel prior to this, CL seemed to have written the kinks out in the sequel, ‘cuz “Scoundrel’s Kiss” was more polished in terms of plotting, execution & characterizations. W/ this prequel, I had the vibe that CL tried too hard to make the plot too intricate that it came across as convoluted & maze-like that my simple, overworked & underpaid brain felt like scrambled eggs when valiantly trying to be n-sync w/ who & what’s going on LOL…. The conflict w/ Robin felt contrived. In her attempt to portray a multi-layered heroine, she took a wrong turn & somehow steered the damaged heroine into bitchville. Patience has never been my forte & the belligerent heroine just aggravated my overstretched nerves beyond a breaking point. The indefensible heroine shoulda been left hanging by her toenails, esp for harboring the thought of letting her sis get her comeuppance in jail ‘cuz they have a luv-hate relationship (sis Ada had poached on Meg’s former lover & he’s no prize anyway ‘cuz he’s a double-dealing scumbag). It’s prolly not ingrained in Meg to forgive & forget, but blood should be thicker than water. Methinks the heroine is the epitome of “no man is an island”. She woulda been more appealing to me if she’d risen above her pettiness.
To start off, I had to block the mental visual of Christian Slater ‘cuz I’ve always had a low opinion of his features (no offense if U’re a die-hard fan, folks). I replaced him w/ Cary Elwes (pre-Saw & circa “Robin Hood : Men in Tights”, to be exact) even tho’ Will describes himself (per Meg’s request) as having a wheat-colored hair. Wanting to finish this book was an arduous undertaking. I luved CL’s exquisite prose & distinctive ability to write swashbuckling adventures. Her talent was never in question. I thought Will was not the sharpest tool in the shed due to his poor judgement in his past (Marian) & present (Meg). When it took me a month to read a book & left me cold, there must be something wrong. I tried to see the bigger picture & forced myself to pick it up again & again. The “scoundrel” on the title actually refers to the immature heroine who adopts the “me, me, me” antics. Boo freakin’ hoo. Will woulda gotten more warmth if he had travelled barefoot to Antarctica. I gotta give credit where credit is due, ‘cuz he doesn’t put up w/ her erratic behavior. It’s a slippery downward slope from the moment he set eyes on Meg. On page 130, he even stole the words right outta my fingers. I don’t have a copy anymore but IIRC, he said something along the line : “U make it very hard to care what happens 2 U.” Bingo ! Her abrasive personalities & negativity were too pervasive for me. I couldn’t see thru’ her prickly exterior even after I dug deeper to find a smidgeon of redeemable quality about her. She’s like a recalcitrant child who keeps pushing his buttons to see how far she can dodge the arrow. The book had potentials but ultimately, it’s a letdown. Will did himself no favor by hooking up w/ an unsophisticated, ornery termagant. He shoulda simply sprinted in the other direction as fast as his wheels could carry him =^2
June 11, 2009
As book reviews go, this one is actually one of the more difficult ones I've tried to write. I say that not because I have any reservations about whether or not I liked this book - no contest there, I totally loved it. The difficulty stems more from trying to describe a very intricate plot, explain exactly why I liked it, and trying to cram all of it into a readable & *marginally* concise review:P
Everyone, and most especially romance readers, has some sort of preconception - be it literary or cinematically based - regarding the Robin Hood legend and the familiar characters many of us have known and loved since childhood. For me, it was Erroll Flynn in those impossibly gay green tights, which didn't seem so impossibly gay when I was 10 years old, and suffering from a major crush on a guy who I later found out (much to my annoyance) died about a year before I was even born:P What a bummer. Erroll was hawt. When Kevin Costner did Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves back in 1991, I was in near ecstasies. I certainly thought Kevin was hawt at the time, so this worked for me. Coincidentally, Marsha Canham released the first book in her Robin Hood trilogy: Through A Dark Mist, later that same year, and though I discovered them some years later, anything I have read since that deals with the Robin Hood legend has had that series to measure up to as well. Enter Carrie Lofty and What A Scoundrel Wants...
Lofty doesn't attempt anything so ambitious as attempting to rewrite her own version of the Robin Hood legend. A wise move for a new author, in my opinion. What she did instead was write something that could respectably dovetail with almost every other popular adaptation of Robin Hood - most especially with Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. What A Scoundrel Wants could very nearly pick right up where the film leaves off.
Will Scarlet is the hero of this tale, and rest assured, flawed though he may well be, Lofty's Will is very much a hero. Beta male and rebellious as ever about building a life in the shadow of Robin Hood (his uncle in this case), he sets out to make a life of wine, women & song for himself, employed by the new sheriff of Nottingham. As sheriffs go, the new guy is actually quite a bit nastier than Alan Rickman was in Prince of Thieves, and not nearly as entertaining.
Unfortunately for Will, he is set up to be the patsy in one of the sheriff's nefarious plots, and in the process of extricating himself from a very sticky and life-threatening situation, he comes to the aid of a lady in distress (another potential patsy), the heroine, Meg of Keyworth. Meg is a very brilliant and gifted alchemist, shunned by the local populace as being a mad witch. She's blind due to a childhood illness (meningitis), stubborn & prickly in a way that other romance heroines tend to merely flirt with being, and she was on her way to Nottingham to rescue her sister Ada from gaol, where she has been held since Will arrested her on the sheriff's behalf a few days previously. She has also discovered how to create counterfeit emeralds, which her sister was arrested attempting to sell.
Will rescues Meg and leads her off into the forest, thinking she can clear him from any wrongdoing in the murder of a local nobleman. Once he realizes she's blind, and then discovers her identity, he offers to lead her to Nottingham himself, thinking he can somehow barter her to clear himself. Upon discovering Will's identity, Meg realizes that he's the man who arrested her sister and that she can't trust him, and she sets out to lose him.
In the process of tending to Will's injuries, Meg finds herself very strongly attracted to Will, and they have a brief and very unexpected sexual encounter. She sedates him & slinks away, because she knows she can't trust him or herself around him. They are quickly reunited however, when Will is captured by a band of outlaw foresters, led by a thief & scoundrel named Hugo, who seems to have taken it upon himself to fill the vacant shoes of Robin Hood. In a nutshell, Hugo is a swine, and Meg stumbles across the outlaws in the process of hanging Will and the murdered local nobleman's son, who they captured in the forest. Meg persuades Hugo - who she has a "history" with - to release Will and the nobleman, and they set out once again to rescue Ada. Meg isn't pleased to be back with Will, but recognizing that he has saved her life more than once, she resolves to use him in her quest to free her sister, and then part company with him at the earliest opportunity. Will realizes by now that Meg is the one who made the counterfeit emeralds, and that he can use her to keep his neck out of the hangman's noose. And, of course, during all of this mutual plotting and planning Meg and Will are *still* very attracted to each other...
Sound complicated? It is. But it works well in terms of building suspense and a fair degree of sexual tension between the H&H. The external conflict keeps Meg & Will together and forced to depend on one another, and in the process allows their relationship a chance to develop. It's rocky and very mutually self-serving at first, but both characters develop well in the process, as their initial impressions of each other begin to change. Meg continues to be stubborn and more than a little annoying, but when Will comes through for her when it really counts, she realizes just exactly what sort of man he is - he's a hero.
I can't say that everyone is going to appreciate Meg as a heroine. I found her very difficult to warm to at first myself. Will is no saint either though, and in terms of what his brain tells him he should do in the interests of self-preservation, Meg isn't far off the mark when it comes to character assessment. From the moment that he encounters her however, he never actually does take the easy road and act in his own self-interest. It's not quite the complete journey to accepting himself as a noble and self-sacrificing hero; his illustrious uncle's equal in any way. But he's on the right track and he does get there eventually, once he's able to face Robin again and they can finally resolve past differences and misunderstandings.
And Robin Hood, once he does arrive in the story, is the perfect compliment to Will as a brother-in-arms, rather than as a cardboard prop, or as a rival for Will's place as the hero of this story. Lofty manages to write him, his contribution to resolving the external conflict, and his oftentimes troubled relationship with Will in such a way as to lose nothing of his larger than life heroic character. In other words, Robin Hood has more than just a walk-on role in the story, but from beginning to end, Will Scarlet is the hero.
I very highly recommend this story, especially to historical lovers who enjoy highly visual action/adventure tales. Lofty can swashbuckle with the best of them, IMO. She has a very unique talent for taking something that should feel as familiar as an old shoe, and turning it into something original and unexpected. Her love scenes are at once steamy and so tender they'll curl your toes, her characters multi-faceted and interesting - even when they are less than perfect, sometimes downright despicable. I had a little difficulty with getting into their heads and fully understanding what exactly they thought they were doing at times, but always felt like I was in very capable hands with this author, and that everything would come together in the end. And it did, very well. Almost surprisingly well, from my point of view. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. The cover & title don't do it justice, in my opinion, but like the characters, it's what's inside that counts:)
Grade: A-
Sensuality Rating: R
Everyone, and most especially romance readers, has some sort of preconception - be it literary or cinematically based - regarding the Robin Hood legend and the familiar characters many of us have known and loved since childhood. For me, it was Erroll Flynn in those impossibly gay green tights, which didn't seem so impossibly gay when I was 10 years old, and suffering from a major crush on a guy who I later found out (much to my annoyance) died about a year before I was even born:P What a bummer. Erroll was hawt. When Kevin Costner did Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves back in 1991, I was in near ecstasies. I certainly thought Kevin was hawt at the time, so this worked for me. Coincidentally, Marsha Canham released the first book in her Robin Hood trilogy: Through A Dark Mist, later that same year, and though I discovered them some years later, anything I have read since that deals with the Robin Hood legend has had that series to measure up to as well. Enter Carrie Lofty and What A Scoundrel Wants...
Lofty doesn't attempt anything so ambitious as attempting to rewrite her own version of the Robin Hood legend. A wise move for a new author, in my opinion. What she did instead was write something that could respectably dovetail with almost every other popular adaptation of Robin Hood - most especially with Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves. What A Scoundrel Wants could very nearly pick right up where the film leaves off.
Will Scarlet is the hero of this tale, and rest assured, flawed though he may well be, Lofty's Will is very much a hero. Beta male and rebellious as ever about building a life in the shadow of Robin Hood (his uncle in this case), he sets out to make a life of wine, women & song for himself, employed by the new sheriff of Nottingham. As sheriffs go, the new guy is actually quite a bit nastier than Alan Rickman was in Prince of Thieves, and not nearly as entertaining.
Unfortunately for Will, he is set up to be the patsy in one of the sheriff's nefarious plots, and in the process of extricating himself from a very sticky and life-threatening situation, he comes to the aid of a lady in distress (another potential patsy), the heroine, Meg of Keyworth. Meg is a very brilliant and gifted alchemist, shunned by the local populace as being a mad witch. She's blind due to a childhood illness (meningitis), stubborn & prickly in a way that other romance heroines tend to merely flirt with being, and she was on her way to Nottingham to rescue her sister Ada from gaol, where she has been held since Will arrested her on the sheriff's behalf a few days previously. She has also discovered how to create counterfeit emeralds, which her sister was arrested attempting to sell.
Will rescues Meg and leads her off into the forest, thinking she can clear him from any wrongdoing in the murder of a local nobleman. Once he realizes she's blind, and then discovers her identity, he offers to lead her to Nottingham himself, thinking he can somehow barter her to clear himself. Upon discovering Will's identity, Meg realizes that he's the man who arrested her sister and that she can't trust him, and she sets out to lose him.
In the process of tending to Will's injuries, Meg finds herself very strongly attracted to Will, and they have a brief and very unexpected sexual encounter. She sedates him & slinks away, because she knows she can't trust him or herself around him. They are quickly reunited however, when Will is captured by a band of outlaw foresters, led by a thief & scoundrel named Hugo, who seems to have taken it upon himself to fill the vacant shoes of Robin Hood. In a nutshell, Hugo is a swine, and Meg stumbles across the outlaws in the process of hanging Will and the murdered local nobleman's son, who they captured in the forest. Meg persuades Hugo - who she has a "history" with - to release Will and the nobleman, and they set out once again to rescue Ada. Meg isn't pleased to be back with Will, but recognizing that he has saved her life more than once, she resolves to use him in her quest to free her sister, and then part company with him at the earliest opportunity. Will realizes by now that Meg is the one who made the counterfeit emeralds, and that he can use her to keep his neck out of the hangman's noose. And, of course, during all of this mutual plotting and planning Meg and Will are *still* very attracted to each other...
Sound complicated? It is. But it works well in terms of building suspense and a fair degree of sexual tension between the H&H. The external conflict keeps Meg & Will together and forced to depend on one another, and in the process allows their relationship a chance to develop. It's rocky and very mutually self-serving at first, but both characters develop well in the process, as their initial impressions of each other begin to change. Meg continues to be stubborn and more than a little annoying, but when Will comes through for her when it really counts, she realizes just exactly what sort of man he is - he's a hero.
I can't say that everyone is going to appreciate Meg as a heroine. I found her very difficult to warm to at first myself. Will is no saint either though, and in terms of what his brain tells him he should do in the interests of self-preservation, Meg isn't far off the mark when it comes to character assessment. From the moment that he encounters her however, he never actually does take the easy road and act in his own self-interest. It's not quite the complete journey to accepting himself as a noble and self-sacrificing hero; his illustrious uncle's equal in any way. But he's on the right track and he does get there eventually, once he's able to face Robin again and they can finally resolve past differences and misunderstandings.
And Robin Hood, once he does arrive in the story, is the perfect compliment to Will as a brother-in-arms, rather than as a cardboard prop, or as a rival for Will's place as the hero of this story. Lofty manages to write him, his contribution to resolving the external conflict, and his oftentimes troubled relationship with Will in such a way as to lose nothing of his larger than life heroic character. In other words, Robin Hood has more than just a walk-on role in the story, but from beginning to end, Will Scarlet is the hero.
I very highly recommend this story, especially to historical lovers who enjoy highly visual action/adventure tales. Lofty can swashbuckle with the best of them, IMO. She has a very unique talent for taking something that should feel as familiar as an old shoe, and turning it into something original and unexpected. Her love scenes are at once steamy and so tender they'll curl your toes, her characters multi-faceted and interesting - even when they are less than perfect, sometimes downright despicable. I had a little difficulty with getting into their heads and fully understanding what exactly they thought they were doing at times, but always felt like I was in very capable hands with this author, and that everything would come together in the end. And it did, very well. Almost surprisingly well, from my point of view. I didn't expect to like this book as much as I did. The cover & title don't do it justice, in my opinion, but like the characters, it's what's inside that counts:)
Grade: A-
Sensuality Rating: R
did-not-finish
May 7, 2017Well, I gave it a shot. :( sadly, I couldn't get into it. It should have been fun. I love robin hood. And a member of the gang? Lots of potential. But, the writing the writing was just to annoying. I had to keep going back to reread things. Then there was the plot. It was much to confusing, even for me. There were like a million things going on at once and to many hints at back stories that weren't getting explained, but mentioned.
But my biggest issue was this sex scene. So I get that instant sexual attraction and interactions are probably pretty common in these sorts romance books. (Shirt rippers I call em.) But this wasn't like that. It wasn't sex.
This. Was. Rape.
So the main man, will scarlet got hurt. So he's all wounded and feverous. So meg, our "heroine", fixes him up and even gives him some herbs. So, OK, that's nice.
Then he falls asleep. And she starts touching his face to see what he looks like, cause she's blind. Then she starts touching his chest . . .and it all goes bad from there. He was hurt and had a fever and was all hoped up on her weird alchemy shit. And she straddles him and starts raping him! I don't care if he liked it! He was not in a right state of mind to be doing that
. It. Was. Rape.
And to make things worse, meg makes a fucking joke out of it! She pretty much said it was OK for her to do because she was a girl. and when he asks what the difference was between some dudes touching her early in the book and whaf she had just done she goes "you were asleep." Like that made it ok.
No it's not! Its NOT OK! It was sick and wrong and in NO way was it sexy! God it pissed me off. I think I may have try again later on this one. >:( or just get rid of the damn thing, but I hate to get rid of a robin hood novel. Don't read. Go find a different robin hood book if you want to read about him. I can recommend much better ones. Ones that don't include jerks like meg.
But my biggest issue was this sex scene. So I get that instant sexual attraction and interactions are probably pretty common in these sorts romance books. (Shirt rippers I call em.) But this wasn't like that. It wasn't sex.
This. Was. Rape.
So the main man, will scarlet got hurt. So he's all wounded and feverous. So meg, our "heroine", fixes him up and even gives him some herbs. So, OK, that's nice.
Then he falls asleep. And she starts touching his face to see what he looks like, cause she's blind. Then she starts touching his chest . . .and it all goes bad from there. He was hurt and had a fever and was all hoped up on her weird alchemy shit. And she straddles him and starts raping him! I don't care if he liked it! He was not in a right state of mind to be doing that
. It. Was. Rape.
And to make things worse, meg makes a fucking joke out of it! She pretty much said it was OK for her to do because she was a girl. and when he asks what the difference was between some dudes touching her early in the book and whaf she had just done she goes "you were asleep." Like that made it ok.
No it's not! Its NOT OK! It was sick and wrong and in NO way was it sexy! God it pissed me off. I think I may have try again later on this one. >:( or just get rid of the damn thing, but I hate to get rid of a robin hood novel. Don't read. Go find a different robin hood book if you want to read about him. I can recommend much better ones. Ones that don't include jerks like meg.
April 30, 2009
Carrie Lofty has decided to write about Will Scarlett, who was a member of Robin’s band of merry thieves. If you have seen the 1991 movie, Prince of Thieves with Kevin Costner playing Robin, then you remember Christian Slater as Will Scarlet. In that movie we find out Will is Robin’s long lost half-brother. In Carrie’s What a Scoundrel Wants, Robin is Will’s uncle, and Will has turned his back on everything Robin believed in. Will works for a new evil Sheriff of Nottingham. What a Scoundrel Wants takes place a few years later, after Robin became an outlaw. He is now off fighting with King Richard, and his wife, Marian, and their young son are all alone at Locksley Manor, waiting for Robin’s safe return. Will was supposed to stay and watch over Marian, but he left because he feels he did something so horrible, where he destroyed the trust Robin has placed in him.
Will needs to survive and he aligns himself with the Sheriff for reasons some readers may think is a very selfish one. But Will is all alone. He has no where else to turn to. He hates what he has to do, but sucks it up and makes the best of it, just like he always has. Will is responsible for arresting a young woman buy the name of Ada, who was trying to use some counterfeit emeralds while she was in Nottingham. She was placed in the dungeon where Peter Finch, the Sheriff, wants Ada to make him more. Finch has a way with a knife and gives Ada a taste of some torture to make her do what he wants. Ada has no choice but to agree, even though it is her sister, Meg, who is the one responsible in making these jewels.
Meg is on her way to rescue Ada. Her party is besieged by a representative of the Sheriff. Will happens to be included in this group of men, and before he knows it, both sides are fighting each other. Will doesn’t notice Meg at first, until she is caught by one of the Sheriff’s men who will probably rape and kill her. Will saves Meg and brings her safely away. But he then realizes by saving Meg, he may have made himself an outlaw once again. Will wants to lose Meg, but because he has a sense of chivalry, he will help her return home. Will is in for quite the surprise, because Meg is not some meek gentlewoman, but is rather waspish and stubborn. He feels the sting of her tongue and she never really does thank him for coming to her rescue. All Will wants to do is rest since he was hurt in the fray, but Meg complains to the point where he leaves her by the river to fend for herself. And he doesn’t care that Meg is blind.
Meg’s blindness wasn’t from birth, but rather because of a horrible illness. The reason she is so rude and basically a bitch because she is out of her element. She hates everything about her life, from her lack of sight, to the death of her father, and even that of her Ada, who she felt betrayed her by lusting after her lover. If it were up to Meg, she would let her sister rot, but since Ada is her sister, and endangered herself by selling the counterfeit jewels, Meg has no choice, because of family honor, to save Ada.
Even though the forest may seem a pretty big place to get lost in, Will and Meg keeping coming in contact with one another. They actually need each other. Meg needs his eyes, and for Will to help her save Ada. Will can’t turn away from Meg because he finds her to be very intriguing. She gives him a sense of honor and begrudging respect. Will feels he finally has a purpose when it comes to Meg, and as he learns who this particular woman is, he begins to fall in love with her.
Not only does Will have to work for Meg’s respect and love, he has to face his own internal demons, such as the ones he has for Robin and Marian, and his guilt with working for the other side. He also has to stay alive and make sure Meg is safe because Will’s former employer, the Sheriff of Nottingham, now wants Meg for his own evil plans and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
What a Scoundrel Wants has a lot of action, tension and many layers to the characters Carrie has written. This is a gritty story, where violence, torture and greed is a way of life. Meg suffers a great deal from the injustices against her. I can understand why she acts out the way she does, but it got to a point that I wanted someone to smack her and tell her to get over it, we all have problems you snotty brat. Yes, Meg reminded me a bratty little girl who would throw a temper tantrum to get what she wanted. At least Will wasn’t a push over and wouldn’t put up with her crap. When he left her by the river to fend for herself, I wondered if Meg had fallen into the river by accident and could have drowned, would I have been sympathetic? I don’t think so.
My main peeve with What a Scoundrel Wants was the character of Meg. I did feel for her anguish because of her handicap and everything that has gone wrong in her life, but enough is enough. Because Meg is so bitter towards her sister Ada, for impeaching on a past lover, Meg feels that Ada should suffer like she has. So what if Ada is at the hands of some deranged psycho who likes to use his knife to cut Ada’s tender flesh? Ada had the audacity to steal her blind sister’s boyfriend at the time. I also found the way that Meg treated Will was very harsh. Again, I understand that she couldn’t trust him right away, but her harpy like attitude towards him was a bit grating. And when horny Meg decides to literally mount Will, while he is under a fever induced sleep because he was hurt saving Meg, I was disgusted. I can’t figure out at the moment why Meg would want Will, because you can practically see her seething with hate for Scarlet. And since Will is weak and Meg is straddling his naked bits with her own naked ones, he has no choice but to give Meg what she wants. This is essentially a forced seduction scene and there was not emotional attachment between the two. Meg needed a warm male body to quench her desires and Will had no other choice but to go along with it. That scene left me very unsatisfied.
I was more interested in Will and his inner turmoil, especially when he confronts those demons. As for his epiphany toward Meg, where he comes to the conclusion that he loves her, that doesn’t ring true to me. I never saw anything between these two that would make me think that they are perfect for one another. If Will had saved the day and left Meg to look for brighter pastures, I wouldn’t have been surprised.
Other than my issues with the love story between Meg and Will, I found Carrie’s writing to be almost lyrical in her telling. I felt like I was reading a ballad, a medieval poetry about knights whose armor is less than shining. The action scenes were great, and I could taste the blood and desperation in the air. I was also very intrigued by Ada and the relationship she had with Peter Finch, the Sheriff. I think there was more than meets the eye between these two and not just the one introductory scene of torture Finch inflicts on Ada. I am not sure if Carrie meant to keep this a mystery, or if something was left out because I feel that a few interactions were missing between these two. The final scene between Ada and Finch was somewhat confusing, mainly because the way Ada overreacts to Finch when he tells her he will never let her go.
I have been on the fence as to what grade to give What a Scoundrel Wants. I did find Carrie’s writing excellent and the atmosphere of the novel to be incredible, but I couldn’t get over my dislike with Meg and the lack of chemistry between her and Will. Their romance just didn’t do anything for me.
I have to hand it to Carrie for finally giving a most beloved character his own story. I just wish his mate would have been more worthy of his love.
Will needs to survive and he aligns himself with the Sheriff for reasons some readers may think is a very selfish one. But Will is all alone. He has no where else to turn to. He hates what he has to do, but sucks it up and makes the best of it, just like he always has. Will is responsible for arresting a young woman buy the name of Ada, who was trying to use some counterfeit emeralds while she was in Nottingham. She was placed in the dungeon where Peter Finch, the Sheriff, wants Ada to make him more. Finch has a way with a knife and gives Ada a taste of some torture to make her do what he wants. Ada has no choice but to agree, even though it is her sister, Meg, who is the one responsible in making these jewels.
Meg is on her way to rescue Ada. Her party is besieged by a representative of the Sheriff. Will happens to be included in this group of men, and before he knows it, both sides are fighting each other. Will doesn’t notice Meg at first, until she is caught by one of the Sheriff’s men who will probably rape and kill her. Will saves Meg and brings her safely away. But he then realizes by saving Meg, he may have made himself an outlaw once again. Will wants to lose Meg, but because he has a sense of chivalry, he will help her return home. Will is in for quite the surprise, because Meg is not some meek gentlewoman, but is rather waspish and stubborn. He feels the sting of her tongue and she never really does thank him for coming to her rescue. All Will wants to do is rest since he was hurt in the fray, but Meg complains to the point where he leaves her by the river to fend for herself. And he doesn’t care that Meg is blind.
Meg’s blindness wasn’t from birth, but rather because of a horrible illness. The reason she is so rude and basically a bitch because she is out of her element. She hates everything about her life, from her lack of sight, to the death of her father, and even that of her Ada, who she felt betrayed her by lusting after her lover. If it were up to Meg, she would let her sister rot, but since Ada is her sister, and endangered herself by selling the counterfeit jewels, Meg has no choice, because of family honor, to save Ada.
Even though the forest may seem a pretty big place to get lost in, Will and Meg keeping coming in contact with one another. They actually need each other. Meg needs his eyes, and for Will to help her save Ada. Will can’t turn away from Meg because he finds her to be very intriguing. She gives him a sense of honor and begrudging respect. Will feels he finally has a purpose when it comes to Meg, and as he learns who this particular woman is, he begins to fall in love with her.
Not only does Will have to work for Meg’s respect and love, he has to face his own internal demons, such as the ones he has for Robin and Marian, and his guilt with working for the other side. He also has to stay alive and make sure Meg is safe because Will’s former employer, the Sheriff of Nottingham, now wants Meg for his own evil plans and will kill anyone who gets in his way.
What a Scoundrel Wants has a lot of action, tension and many layers to the characters Carrie has written. This is a gritty story, where violence, torture and greed is a way of life. Meg suffers a great deal from the injustices against her. I can understand why she acts out the way she does, but it got to a point that I wanted someone to smack her and tell her to get over it, we all have problems you snotty brat. Yes, Meg reminded me a bratty little girl who would throw a temper tantrum to get what she wanted. At least Will wasn’t a push over and wouldn’t put up with her crap. When he left her by the river to fend for herself, I wondered if Meg had fallen into the river by accident and could have drowned, would I have been sympathetic? I don’t think so.
My main peeve with What a Scoundrel Wants was the character of Meg. I did feel for her anguish because of her handicap and everything that has gone wrong in her life, but enough is enough. Because Meg is so bitter towards her sister Ada, for impeaching on a past lover, Meg feels that Ada should suffer like she has. So what if Ada is at the hands of some deranged psycho who likes to use his knife to cut Ada’s tender flesh? Ada had the audacity to steal her blind sister’s boyfriend at the time. I also found the way that Meg treated Will was very harsh. Again, I understand that she couldn’t trust him right away, but her harpy like attitude towards him was a bit grating. And when horny Meg decides to literally mount Will, while he is under a fever induced sleep because he was hurt saving Meg, I was disgusted. I can’t figure out at the moment why Meg would want Will, because you can practically see her seething with hate for Scarlet. And since Will is weak and Meg is straddling his naked bits with her own naked ones, he has no choice but to give Meg what she wants. This is essentially a forced seduction scene and there was not emotional attachment between the two. Meg needed a warm male body to quench her desires and Will had no other choice but to go along with it. That scene left me very unsatisfied.
I was more interested in Will and his inner turmoil, especially when he confronts those demons. As for his epiphany toward Meg, where he comes to the conclusion that he loves her, that doesn’t ring true to me. I never saw anything between these two that would make me think that they are perfect for one another. If Will had saved the day and left Meg to look for brighter pastures, I wouldn’t have been surprised.
Other than my issues with the love story between Meg and Will, I found Carrie’s writing to be almost lyrical in her telling. I felt like I was reading a ballad, a medieval poetry about knights whose armor is less than shining. The action scenes were great, and I could taste the blood and desperation in the air. I was also very intrigued by Ada and the relationship she had with Peter Finch, the Sheriff. I think there was more than meets the eye between these two and not just the one introductory scene of torture Finch inflicts on Ada. I am not sure if Carrie meant to keep this a mystery, or if something was left out because I feel that a few interactions were missing between these two. The final scene between Ada and Finch was somewhat confusing, mainly because the way Ada overreacts to Finch when he tells her he will never let her go.
I have been on the fence as to what grade to give What a Scoundrel Wants. I did find Carrie’s writing excellent and the atmosphere of the novel to be incredible, but I couldn’t get over my dislike with Meg and the lack of chemistry between her and Will. Their romance just didn’t do anything for me.
I have to hand it to Carrie for finally giving a most beloved character his own story. I just wish his mate would have been more worthy of his love.
Read
February 10, 2009I think i'm going to have to give up...I have no idea what's going on. I think there's some sort of raid...the hero and heroine appeared to have been captured by the Sherriff of Nottingham, who is not Alan Rickman. There's an unappreciative sister, but I don't understand why she's so whiny. I'm pretty sure the hero and heroine are supposed to be in lust with each other, but buggered if I can see it. Hmm. I wonder if my latest book shipment has arrived as yet. I really want to read that Kresley Cole one!
November 29, 2008
If you're a BIG fan of tales of Robin Hood, you will probably enjoy "What a Scoundrel Wants" by Carrie Lofty. This book is based on the character of Will Scarlet from Robin Hood's band. If you're not a fan, the myriad threads and required foreknowledge will likely leave you hanging.
July 10, 2013
In this dazzling, original tale, Carrie Lofty imagines a new chapter in the well-loved Robin Hood fable. Meet Robin's rakish nephew, Will Scarlet, a man whose talents with the sword and the ladies are legendary—until his desire for one woman changes everything.
Grade: B
I first discovered this book while running a search over on Smart Bitches for books that rated an A. When I read the description about a book based on Robin Hood it piqued my interest. After reading on and discovering that the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves inspired it, or more importantly that Christian Slater’s portrayal of Will Scarlet did, I was sold.
Young Christian! I still love his older movies, like Heathers and Pump Up The Volume. That voice, his sarcastic wit. Yessss.
Now don’t get me wrong, I know that Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves is a kind of a terrible movie. One that you remember fondly even if you feel guilty because it was so badly written and inaccurate. And Kevin Costner? Really? But despite all that was wrong with the movie there were some really wonderful things too. Namely Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. He stole every scene he was in. And Morgan Freeman! And yes, a very young and always snarky Christian Slater.
So this book is like fanfiction in that way. Really well written and researched fanfic. Hell yeah. I’m so there. I love historical novels. And romance novels. And kick ass heroines. This one has them all. (And Will Scarlet!) Frankly I’m kind of surprised that there were not more reviews for this over on Amazon, but most were favorable. The one with the lowest stars takes the author to task for a sex scene in which Meg, our lead character puts the moves on Will while he is asleep and injured. Because that is wrong, wrong, wrong. And yeah. I sympathize with a reader who doesn’t like that kind of thing, although it is very prevalent in romance novels. But normally it is the guy making the advances. I couldn’t help but wonder if this reader was upset about that in all romance books or if it was just because in this instance it was a woman being the aggressor? (And let’s not get into the discussion of dub-con and how it has no place in real life. We’re talking about fiction here.) The thing is, Meg is not some weepy character who has no spine. She lies. She smart as hell. She’s manipulative. She’s violent at times. And if she wants something she goes after it. It was fucking refreshing to read about a female character like this. And then there’s Will!
I really liked this one. (And for 3.99, you can’t beat the price.) While this book is classified as romance, I enjoyed it more than most I have read. There is a complicated story line, the writing is superb, and the secondary characters are well developed.
Oh man, I need to watch Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves Again… Someone save me from Kevin Costner and Bryan Adams!
Grade: B
I first discovered this book while running a search over on Smart Bitches for books that rated an A. When I read the description about a book based on Robin Hood it piqued my interest. After reading on and discovering that the 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves inspired it, or more importantly that Christian Slater’s portrayal of Will Scarlet did, I was sold.
Young Christian! I still love his older movies, like Heathers and Pump Up The Volume. That voice, his sarcastic wit. Yessss.
Now don’t get me wrong, I know that Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves is a kind of a terrible movie. One that you remember fondly even if you feel guilty because it was so badly written and inaccurate. And Kevin Costner? Really? But despite all that was wrong with the movie there were some really wonderful things too. Namely Alan Rickman as the Sheriff of Nottingham. He stole every scene he was in. And Morgan Freeman! And yes, a very young and always snarky Christian Slater.
So this book is like fanfiction in that way. Really well written and researched fanfic. Hell yeah. I’m so there. I love historical novels. And romance novels. And kick ass heroines. This one has them all. (And Will Scarlet!) Frankly I’m kind of surprised that there were not more reviews for this over on Amazon, but most were favorable. The one with the lowest stars takes the author to task for a sex scene in which Meg, our lead character puts the moves on Will while he is asleep and injured. Because that is wrong, wrong, wrong. And yeah. I sympathize with a reader who doesn’t like that kind of thing, although it is very prevalent in romance novels. But normally it is the guy making the advances. I couldn’t help but wonder if this reader was upset about that in all romance books or if it was just because in this instance it was a woman being the aggressor? (And let’s not get into the discussion of dub-con and how it has no place in real life. We’re talking about fiction here.) The thing is, Meg is not some weepy character who has no spine. She lies. She smart as hell. She’s manipulative. She’s violent at times. And if she wants something she goes after it. It was fucking refreshing to read about a female character like this. And then there’s Will!
I really liked this one. (And for 3.99, you can’t beat the price.) While this book is classified as romance, I enjoyed it more than most I have read. There is a complicated story line, the writing is superb, and the secondary characters are well developed.
Oh man, I need to watch Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves Again… Someone save me from Kevin Costner and Bryan Adams!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 18, 2009
Genre: Historical Romance; My Rating 4.5 of 5
I really enjoyed this historic romance with its vulnerable characters and fast paced action.
Will Scarlett is bitter and resentful that he is always in the shadow of his famous Uncle, Robin Hood. He has taken a job as a swordsman for his old enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Hearing a woman’s screams, he rushes in to rescue the young woman. He then discovers that he is the intended fall guy to be accused and arrested for the murder of her noble escort. As he is trying to escape and keep the beautiful young lady safe he discovers that she is blind and cannot testify that she visually knows that he was not part of the murdering swordsmen. Also, she has her own reasons to not like him or want to help him. Surrounded by others who may be friend or foe, Will struggles to find a way to prove he is innocent and that the Sheriff is guilty of plotting murder.
The beautiful Meg lost her sight as a young girl but has learned to live with the help of her sister. Meg practices and experiments as an alchemist, like her father before her. There is antagonism and distrust between the sisters but Meg does not realize the depth of her sister’s anger and feelings that she is trapped by Meg’s dependence.
Will doesn’t think he is good enough for a woman like Meg and Meg doesn’t know if she can trust any man. But they are drawn together by their troubles and their heated desires. Can they grow beyond their own vulnerabilities and fears to share love and life after the battles are done?
Each Chapter starts with a bit of a poem or saying related to the legends of Robin Hood. I like that sort of blurb for each chapter and these give a bit of hint as to what will happen in the chapter.
Both the hero and heroine are clearly flawed and vulnerable but very likeable characters. I really liked the strength shown in Meg’s character that was developed to offset her blindness. The action kept the story moving as I wanted to know how they were going to get out of trouble and I kept guessing at who was the real villain! A great spin off from the Robin Hood legends.
I really enjoyed this historic romance with its vulnerable characters and fast paced action.
Will Scarlett is bitter and resentful that he is always in the shadow of his famous Uncle, Robin Hood. He has taken a job as a swordsman for his old enemy, the Sheriff of Nottingham. Hearing a woman’s screams, he rushes in to rescue the young woman. He then discovers that he is the intended fall guy to be accused and arrested for the murder of her noble escort. As he is trying to escape and keep the beautiful young lady safe he discovers that she is blind and cannot testify that she visually knows that he was not part of the murdering swordsmen. Also, she has her own reasons to not like him or want to help him. Surrounded by others who may be friend or foe, Will struggles to find a way to prove he is innocent and that the Sheriff is guilty of plotting murder.
The beautiful Meg lost her sight as a young girl but has learned to live with the help of her sister. Meg practices and experiments as an alchemist, like her father before her. There is antagonism and distrust between the sisters but Meg does not realize the depth of her sister’s anger and feelings that she is trapped by Meg’s dependence.
Will doesn’t think he is good enough for a woman like Meg and Meg doesn’t know if she can trust any man. But they are drawn together by their troubles and their heated desires. Can they grow beyond their own vulnerabilities and fears to share love and life after the battles are done?
Each Chapter starts with a bit of a poem or saying related to the legends of Robin Hood. I like that sort of blurb for each chapter and these give a bit of hint as to what will happen in the chapter.
Both the hero and heroine are clearly flawed and vulnerable but very likeable characters. I really liked the strength shown in Meg’s character that was developed to offset her blindness. The action kept the story moving as I wanted to know how they were going to get out of trouble and I kept guessing at who was the real villain! A great spin off from the Robin Hood legends.
December 14, 2008
Legends and tales of adventure always grab my attention, especially Robin Hood and his merry men. Will Scarlett is one character who I think is often overlooked, but Carrie Lofty has definitely brought this character into the spotlight with a great tale. The story opens with an ambush, and from there you are running through the woods, with pit stops at a forest encampment, village, the obligatory castle and dungeons, and a stop at a Loxley Manor, home to Robin Hood. He and Marian are a small part of the story, which gives the reader more insight to Will's back story and character.
Meg for her part is a strong women who is trying to make the best of a situation, getting through life blind. I understand she needs to be tough yet vulnerable, however her stubbornness became tiresome after a while.
With regards to Will, his history and growth into manhood is done nicely. He is vulnerable himself, yet seeks to take care of someone just as vulnerable as himself, Meg. Will and Meg make a great couple and complement one another well, as all great couples do. They are willing to defend each other to the last, and love each other deeply.
I did have a tough time getting into this book in the beginning. Since Meg is blind, the reader does not get the standard description of Will right off the bat. For me that was a little frustrating because, I like to create the mental picture. The one I had of Will and Meg did not fully develop until half way through the book. Once it did however, all was well. It was as if I knew what they looked like from the beginning.
Over all this book was an entertaining and enjoyable read. The characters, descriptions, speech, and the like, definitely transport you back to merry ole England. You could smell the smoke from the fire. The romantic scenes were also very descriptive, so be careful on public transportation (ha-ha). I would recommend reading this book if you are looking for some adventure and romance because it definitely fits the bill. I will be keeping my eye out for Lofty's next book as well.
Meg for her part is a strong women who is trying to make the best of a situation, getting through life blind. I understand she needs to be tough yet vulnerable, however her stubbornness became tiresome after a while.
With regards to Will, his history and growth into manhood is done nicely. He is vulnerable himself, yet seeks to take care of someone just as vulnerable as himself, Meg. Will and Meg make a great couple and complement one another well, as all great couples do. They are willing to defend each other to the last, and love each other deeply.
I did have a tough time getting into this book in the beginning. Since Meg is blind, the reader does not get the standard description of Will right off the bat. For me that was a little frustrating because, I like to create the mental picture. The one I had of Will and Meg did not fully develop until half way through the book. Once it did however, all was well. It was as if I knew what they looked like from the beginning.
Over all this book was an entertaining and enjoyable read. The characters, descriptions, speech, and the like, definitely transport you back to merry ole England. You could smell the smoke from the fire. The romantic scenes were also very descriptive, so be careful on public transportation (ha-ha). I would recommend reading this book if you are looking for some adventure and romance because it definitely fits the bill. I will be keeping my eye out for Lofty's next book as well.
April 21, 2010
I have to admit, in the interest of writing a totally honest review, that I'm not that familiar with the Robin Hood legends. What little I know of Will Scarlet is that he either gets a tiny sidekick role or left out of the thing entirely when it comes to movies and books. So, I was really excited to see him in a starring role. I loved the heroine, even though I usually cringe at the thought of original characters interacting with established characters in a story... I'm always a bit afraid they're going to become avatars for the author's Mary Sue fantasies.
As far as Heroines go, she's not perfect. She's self-absorbed and self-pitying, and she has a tendency to get lost in daydreams. I loved that. I love characters who aren't perfect. In fact, no one in this book is a perfect character. They're realistic, not just cardboard cut-outs of typical historical romance figures. The author definitely gets bonus points in my book for making Robin Hood kind of a jerk. That takes real guts.
I'm never a fan of heroines with disabilities, because they tend to be written as either saintly and patient, with no volatile emotions because they're The Noble Cripple, or they're made into The Magic Cripple who might be [insert physical disability here:], but has all kinds of amazing powers because of it. Yes, Meg is talented, but not because of her blindness. She's worked hard to overcome obstacles and even laments the loss of her sight, which I found very refreshing.
My only complaint about this book is that the plot seems like too much for the word count, and I felt like we were whipping past really important things. Also, I hated Meg's sister, and desperately wanted Dr. Phil to step in and tell Meg to stop putting her life in danger for this woman who was manipulating and using her.
As far as Heroines go, she's not perfect. She's self-absorbed and self-pitying, and she has a tendency to get lost in daydreams. I loved that. I love characters who aren't perfect. In fact, no one in this book is a perfect character. They're realistic, not just cardboard cut-outs of typical historical romance figures. The author definitely gets bonus points in my book for making Robin Hood kind of a jerk. That takes real guts.
I'm never a fan of heroines with disabilities, because they tend to be written as either saintly and patient, with no volatile emotions because they're The Noble Cripple, or they're made into The Magic Cripple who might be [insert physical disability here:], but has all kinds of amazing powers because of it. Yes, Meg is talented, but not because of her blindness. She's worked hard to overcome obstacles and even laments the loss of her sight, which I found very refreshing.
My only complaint about this book is that the plot seems like too much for the word count, and I felt like we were whipping past really important things. Also, I hated Meg's sister, and desperately wanted Dr. Phil to step in and tell Meg to stop putting her life in danger for this woman who was manipulating and using her.
January 17, 2025
I would never notice Carrie Lofty’s debut work “What a Scoundrel Wants” if not for the contest held by Ann Aguirre. Not only Ann offered the chance to win a free book but she also introduce me to a very fascinating storyline, which I would never know considering where I am (Thailand) and the book would not even have a shot of having been ordered by the local bookstore.
I do not know much about Robin Hood Legend except for the “Prince of Thieves” movie. Blaming it on Kevin Costner, I admit I am not a big Robin Hood fan. I found the Sheriff (or Alan Rickman in disguise) and Will Scarlet to be more interesting especially Scarlet since I almost know nothing about him. There are a lot of tales concerning him but it varied and inconsistency. So I think he is the character open to a lot of interpretation without contradicting the legend.
And what a story this book tells.
I would like to call this book “Robin Hood: The Next Generation” because it tell the story after Robin and his merry men conquered the treason plot by King John. Now Robin left for the war in France and asked Will to look after his family. But for some reasons, Will also left Marian and joined the new Sheriff of Nottingham. No one understood his reason and I did not think Will also understand it himself.
At the beginning of the story, Will and the sheriff’s man patrolled the wood but it was the front of conspiracy, which resulted with a dead earl and a run from authority again for Will, this time with a woman rumored to be witch.
But Meg of Keyworth was not an ordinary witch. She did not play with magic but an alchemist and her ability make her the most wanted woman in Nottingham. And if Will wanted to protect Marian and her son, he must return her to the sheriff. It should be easy for the man who claimed he had no moral. But there was something about Meg that made him never want to abandon her anywhere.
I began reading this book with the intention of reading a couple chapters to get the idea about the plot but this story kept dawn me deeper and deeper until I could not put it down. I loved seeing the development of Will’s character and very proud to announce that he was growing up strongly. It was not that he changed so much from the first to the last page. It was more like he comprehended about his ability, that he was not just one of Robin’s men but a leader on his own.
It is my nature to be crazy about the hero. Will passed my test in the scene when he approached Robin and asked for help completed the growing up process Will endured for the course of this book and also showed how much he loved Meg. To admit that he could not do it alone and asked for help was not easy for this proud young man but he was willing to do it for the woman. It was meant more than the word of love.
However, this story offered more than a hero. It was the heroine that won me over.
Meg ROCK!!!
She is the most interesting character I have ever read in ages, a blind woman in Medieval England. To say her life was not easy was not enough to describe Meg. But she overcame all that to be the most memorable heroine. Meg can fight, survive the wood, and had enough wit to escape from dangerous situation without waiting for the hero. Sometime she even helped Will. The most surprising thing was I believed it all. I believed that she would survive, become her own women, and did not let the handicapped held her down.
I absolutely love the scene when Meg, which depressed on her injury was left in the wood by Will. It showed everything about the story, of how much Will have confident in Meg' ability to survive, which meant the most.
This story offered more to the readers who want more. If you are try of the traditional storyline or characters casted from the central casting center, I would like to recommend this book.
Grade B
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เมื่อคิดว่าแม็กซ์จะพลาดอะไรไปบ้าง หากได้ไม่ได้อ่านเจอเกี่ยวกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ในบลอกของแอน อาเกียเร (แอนเป็นนักเขียนเรื่อง Grimspace ที่เราชอบมาก ๆ) เราก็อดขนลุกขึ้นมาไม่ได้นะคะ เพราะมันหมายถึงแม็กซ์จะพลาดหนังสือดีมาก ๆ ไปเลยเล่มนึง
หนังสือเล่มนี้จะว่าไปก็คือตอนต่อของตำนานเรื่องโรบิน ฮู้ดนั่นเอง เล่าเรื่องหลังจากเหตุการณ์ที่โรบิน และเพื่อนพ้องของเขาเอาชนะความพยายามก่อกบฎของพระเจ้าจอห์น แต่โฟกัสของเรื่องไม่ใช่โรบินอีกต่อไป หากแต่เป็นวิล สการ์เล็ต
ด้วยเหตุผลบางอย่างวิล แปรพักตร์ไปทำงานให้กับนายอำเภอแห่งน็อตติ้งแฮม (คนใหม่นะคะ ไม่ใช่คนที่เป็นศัตรูกับโรบิน) ในวันนึงระหว่างการลาดตระเวณตามปกติ เขาก็หลงไปอยู่ในแผนการลอบทำร้ายครั้งใหญ่ และนั่นทำให้เขากลายเป็นผู้ถูกกล่าวหาว่าฆ่าท่านเอิร์ล และจำเป็นต้องหนีไปกับหญิงตาบอดที่ถูกเชื่อกันว่าเป็นแม่มด
หนทางเดียวที่เขาจะเคลียร์ชื่อเสียงของตัวเองได้ ก็คือนำตัวเม็คไปส่งให้กับนายอำเภอ มันน่าจะเป็นเรื่องง่าย เพราะไหน ๆ เขาก็ได้ชื่ออยู่แล้วว่าเป็นคนที่ไม่มีศีลธรรมนัก แต่วิลกลับพบว่า ตัวเองไม่อาจทำได้ มันมีบางสิ่งเกี่ยวกับเม็คที่ทำให้เขาไม่อาจปล่อยให้เธอจากไปได้
ตัวละครในเรื่องเป็นจุดเด่นที่แม็กซ์ชอบมากที่สุด ทั้งวิลและเม็คไม่ใช่ตัวละครที่เราหาได้จากหนังสือโรแมนซ์แนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป และถ้าคุณคิดว่าคุณอ่านโรแมนซ์มาเยอะแล้ว (และอาจจะเบื่อแล้ว) แม็กซ์แนะนำเรื่องนี้ให้อ่านกันนะคะ เพราะมันแตกต่างออกไปจริง ๆ
สำหรับวิล เขาถูกรู้จักกัน (ในตำนานเรื่องโรบิน ฮู้ด) ว่าเป็นลูกน้องของโรบิน แต่ในเรื่องนี้เราจะได้เห็นการเติบโตเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของเขา หลายครั้งที่เขาคิดว่าตัวเองไม่ใช่ฮีโร่ ไม่ใช่คนที่หวังพึ่งพาได้ แต่ทุกครั้งเขาก็พิสูจน์ว่าสิ่งที่เขาคิดกับตัวเองไม่ใช่ความจริง โดยเฉพาะฉากที่เขาพูดกับเม็คว่า เขาตั้งใจจะส่งมอบตัวเธอให้กับนายอำเภอ แต่เห็นไหม สุดท้ายเขาก็คือคนที่พาเธอหนี (ในขณะที่คนซึ่งเธอหวังพึ่งให้ช่วยเหลือ กลับทิ้งเธอไว้เผชิญชะตากรรม) และฉากตอนใกล้จบเรื่องที่เขา ซึ่งเป็นคนที่หยิ่งในศักดิ์ศรี และคิดเสมอว่าเอาตัวรอดเองได้ บากหน้าไปขอความช่วยเหลือจากโรบิน เป็นเครื่องยืนยันความรักที่เขามีให้เม็คเป็นอย่างดี และยังเป็นเครื่องหมายบ่งบอกถึงการเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของเขาอย่างชัดเจนอีกด้วย
และเม็ค เธอเป็นนางเอกที่น่าทึ่ง และอาจจะดีที่สุดที่เราได้อ่านในปีนี้เลยนะคะ คาแร็คเตอร์ของเธอโดดเด่นจนบางครั้งก็กลบวิลไปเหมือนกัน หญิงตาบอดในอังกฤษยุคกลาง ไม่ใช่นางเอกที่เราอยากอ่านนักหรอก แต่เม็คไม่เคยเป็นหญิงสาวผู้น่าสงสาร อ่อนแอ ช่วยเหลือตัวเองไม่ได้ ต้องรอพระเอกขี่ม้าขาวมา คุณไม่ได้อ่านเรื่องอย่างนั้นในเล่มนี้หรอกนะ เพราะวิลก็ไม่มีม้าสีขาว เขาเองก็มีประเด็นในใจที่ต้องเอาชนะหลายเรื่อง และที่สำคัญเม็คช่วยตัวเองได้ ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น เธอช่วยวิลได้ด้วย เม็คเป็นนางเอกที่เข้มแข็ง และเก่งที่สุดคนนึงที่เราได้อ่าน
อย่างที่บอกค่ะ เรื่องนี้สำหรับคนที่ต้องการความแตกต่าง และความแปลกใหม่ในแง่ของตัวละคร
คะแนนที่ 80/ หรือ B
I do not know much about Robin Hood Legend except for the “Prince of Thieves” movie. Blaming it on Kevin Costner, I admit I am not a big Robin Hood fan. I found the Sheriff (or Alan Rickman in disguise) and Will Scarlet to be more interesting especially Scarlet since I almost know nothing about him. There are a lot of tales concerning him but it varied and inconsistency. So I think he is the character open to a lot of interpretation without contradicting the legend.
And what a story this book tells.
I would like to call this book “Robin Hood: The Next Generation” because it tell the story after Robin and his merry men conquered the treason plot by King John. Now Robin left for the war in France and asked Will to look after his family. But for some reasons, Will also left Marian and joined the new Sheriff of Nottingham. No one understood his reason and I did not think Will also understand it himself.
At the beginning of the story, Will and the sheriff’s man patrolled the wood but it was the front of conspiracy, which resulted with a dead earl and a run from authority again for Will, this time with a woman rumored to be witch.
But Meg of Keyworth was not an ordinary witch. She did not play with magic but an alchemist and her ability make her the most wanted woman in Nottingham. And if Will wanted to protect Marian and her son, he must return her to the sheriff. It should be easy for the man who claimed he had no moral. But there was something about Meg that made him never want to abandon her anywhere.
I began reading this book with the intention of reading a couple chapters to get the idea about the plot but this story kept dawn me deeper and deeper until I could not put it down. I loved seeing the development of Will’s character and very proud to announce that he was growing up strongly. It was not that he changed so much from the first to the last page. It was more like he comprehended about his ability, that he was not just one of Robin’s men but a leader on his own.
It is my nature to be crazy about the hero. Will passed my test in the scene when he approached Robin and asked for help completed the growing up process Will endured for the course of this book and also showed how much he loved Meg. To admit that he could not do it alone and asked for help was not easy for this proud young man but he was willing to do it for the woman. It was meant more than the word of love.
However, this story offered more than a hero. It was the heroine that won me over.
Meg ROCK!!!
She is the most interesting character I have ever read in ages, a blind woman in Medieval England. To say her life was not easy was not enough to describe Meg. But she overcame all that to be the most memorable heroine. Meg can fight, survive the wood, and had enough wit to escape from dangerous situation without waiting for the hero. Sometime she even helped Will. The most surprising thing was I believed it all. I believed that she would survive, become her own women, and did not let the handicapped held her down.
I absolutely love the scene when Meg, which depressed on her injury was left in the wood by Will. It showed everything about the story, of how much Will have confident in Meg' ability to survive, which meant the most.
This story offered more to the readers who want more. If you are try of the traditional storyline or characters casted from the central casting center, I would like to recommend this book.
Grade B
What a Scoundrel Wants ของแครี่ ลอฟตี้
เมื่อคิดว่าแม็กซ์จะพลาดอะไรไปบ้าง หากได้ไม่ได้อ่านเจอเกี่ยวกับหนังสือเล่มนี้ในบลอกของแอน อาเกียเร (แอนเป็นนักเขียนเรื่อง Grimspace ที่เราชอบมาก ๆ) เราก็อดขนลุกขึ้นมาไม่ได้นะคะ เพราะมันหมายถึงแม็กซ์จะพลาดหนังสือดีมาก ๆ ไปเลยเล่มนึง
หนังสือเล่มนี้จะว่าไปก็คือตอนต่อของตำนานเรื่องโรบิน ฮู้ดนั่นเอง เล่าเรื่องหลังจากเหตุการณ์ที่โรบิน และเพื่อนพ้องของเขาเอาชนะความพยายามก่อกบฎของพระเจ้าจอห์น แต่โฟกัสของเรื่องไม่ใช่โรบินอีกต่อไป หากแต่เป็นวิล สการ์เล็ต
ด้วยเหตุผลบางอย่างวิล แปรพักตร์ไปทำงานให้กับนายอำเภอแห่งน็อตติ้งแฮม (คนใหม่นะคะ ไม่ใช่คนที่เป็นศัตรูกับโรบิน) ในวันนึงระหว่างการลาดตระเวณตามปกติ เขาก็หลงไปอยู่ในแผนการลอบทำร้ายครั้งใหญ่ และนั่นทำให้เขากลายเป็นผู้ถูกกล่าวหาว่าฆ่าท่านเอิร์ล และจำเป็นต้องหนีไปกับหญิงตาบอดที่ถูกเชื่อกันว่าเป็นแม่มด
หนทางเดียวที่เขาจะเคลียร์ชื่อเสียงของตัวเองได้ ก็คือนำตัวเม็คไปส่งให้กับนายอำเภอ มันน่าจะเป็นเรื่องง่าย เพราะไหน ๆ เขาก็ได้ชื่ออยู่แล้วว่าเป็นคนที่ไม่มีศีลธรรมนัก แต่วิลกลับพบว่า ตัวเองไม่อาจทำได้ มันมีบางสิ่งเกี่ยวกับเม็คที่ทำให้เขาไม่อาจปล่อยให้เธอจากไปได้
ตัวละครในเรื่องเป็นจุดเด่นที่แม็กซ์ชอบมากที่สุด ทั้งวิลและเม็คไม่ใช่ตัวละครที่เราหาได้จากหนังสือโรแมนซ์แนวย้อนยุคทั่วไป และถ้าคุณคิดว่าคุณอ่านโรแมนซ์มาเยอะแล้ว (และอาจจะเบื่อแล้ว) แม็กซ์แนะนำเรื่องนี้ให้อ่านกันนะคะ เพราะมันแตกต่างออกไปจริง ๆ
สำหรับวิล เขาถูกรู้จักกัน (ในตำนานเรื่องโรบิน ฮู้ด) ว่าเป็นลูกน้องของโรบิน แต่ในเรื่องนี้เราจะได้เห็นการเติบโตเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของเขา หลายครั้งที่เขาคิดว่าตัวเองไม่ใช่ฮีโร่ ไม่ใช่คนที่หวังพึ่งพาได้ แต่ทุกครั้งเขาก็พิสูจน์ว่าสิ่งที่เขาคิดกับตัวเองไม่ใช่ความจริง โดยเฉพาะฉากที่เขาพูดกับเม็คว่า เขาตั้งใจจะส่งมอบตัวเธอให้กับนายอำเภอ แต่เห็นไหม สุดท้ายเขาก็คือคนที่พาเธอหนี (ในขณะที่คนซึ่งเธอหวังพึ่งให้ช่วยเหลือ กลับทิ้งเธอไว้เผชิญชะตากรรม) และฉากตอนใกล้จบเรื่องที่เขา ซึ่งเป็นคนที่หยิ่งในศักดิ์ศรี และคิดเสมอว่าเอาตัวรอดเองได้ บากหน้าไปขอความช่วยเหลือจากโรบิน เป็นเครื่องยืนยันความรักที่เขามีให้เม็คเป็นอย่างดี และยังเป็นเครื่องหมายบ่งบอกถึงการเป็นผู้ใหญ่ของเขาอย่างชัดเจนอีกด้วย
และเม็ค เธอเป็นนางเอกที่น่าทึ่ง และอาจจะดีที่สุดที่เราได้อ่านในปีนี้เลยนะคะ คาแร็คเตอร์ของเธอโดดเด่นจนบางครั้งก็กลบวิลไปเหมือนกัน หญิงตาบอดในอังกฤษยุคกลาง ไม่ใช่นางเอกที่เราอยากอ่านนักหรอก แต่เม็คไม่เคยเป็นหญิงสาวผู้น่าสงสาร อ่อนแอ ช่วยเหลือตัวเองไม่ได้ ต้องรอพระเอกขี่ม้าขาวมา คุณไม่ได้อ่านเรื่องอย่างนั้นในเล่มนี้หรอกนะ เพราะวิลก็ไม่มีม้าสีขาว เขาเองก็มีประเด็นในใจที่ต้องเอาชนะหลายเรื่อง และที่สำคัญเม็คช่วยตัวเองได้ ยิ่งไปกว่านั้น เธอช่วยวิลได้ด้วย เม็คเป็นนางเอกที่เข้มแข็ง และเก่งที่สุดคนนึงที่เราได้อ่าน
อย่างที่บอกค่ะ เรื่องนี้สำหรับคนที่ต้องการความแตกต่าง และความแปลกใหม่ในแง่ของตัวละคร
คะแนนที่ 80/ หรือ B
August 23, 2010
Wow, was this bad. The writing was horrid and the plot, cliched.
The love interests meet in the first few pages & despise each other. From the first 100 pages, it is clear the rest of the book will be about their struggle. Finally, they'll find they don't hate each other but actually love each other madly.
To be honest, I really wasn't a fan of either character. I could really care less about them.
Some of my favourite written atrocities:
A character is shoved, face down into the mud. "Dirt painted his tongue." Painted?!
"Suspicion yet swam through her voice like fish in a stream." Say wha?!?!
"Air shoving in & out of his nostrils like a wild mob, he stared at the ground."
Sooo bad.
The love interests meet in the first few pages & despise each other. From the first 100 pages, it is clear the rest of the book will be about their struggle. Finally, they'll find they don't hate each other but actually love each other madly.
To be honest, I really wasn't a fan of either character. I could really care less about them.
Some of my favourite written atrocities:
A character is shoved, face down into the mud. "Dirt painted his tongue." Painted?!
"Suspicion yet swam through her voice like fish in a stream." Say wha?!?!
"Air shoving in & out of his nostrils like a wild mob, he stared at the ground."
Sooo bad.
August 16, 2011
It was actually quite hilarious in its over the top-ness. But a lot of it seemed convoluted, and I never got why this had to be a Robin Hood related story. I mostly remember thinking "OMG, this is sooo bad".
May 14, 2009
Not bad. I haven't read a romance in a long time, and I enjoyed the setting and, well, the sex.
Want to read
August 31, 2010I just won this book from Goodreads First Reads Giveaway. I look forward to reading it!
Read
October 3, 2025I don't normally leave reviews, but I think this book needs a review. I listened to the audiobook.
I was looking for something in the "free" category to listen to until my subscription renews... I was craving a romance novel, but I am picky... I love historical romance, it can't be too predictable, I need spice and a good story.
This book had mixed reviews, and it was definitely hard to get into at first. The narrator is a little bland (but by the end, I enjoyed his voice), and I think it would require focus to read the book as well. You definitely have to pay attention.
The description of battle scenes was poetic, and once I was used to the writing style, it felt like watching a movie.
I read reviews the people didn't like the main characters, but I think it takes time to understand them, and like all good characters, no one is completely good or evil. I read reviews that people didn't like the "whining" female character, to which I respond, she's f-ing blind in the middle ages! She lives with a constant battle of wanting to be independent but needing help. The main male character has a deep struggle with pride, and the question of, "What does it mean to be a true hero?"
The spice between a blind woman and a handsome man gave me what I needed in a romance. I read a review that the female character "forced" herself on the male character and that scene was off-putting... Well, I wouldn't call it forced, she saw an opportunity (and as a blind woman, she craved touch and got carried away..) The male character, like I would describe most men... if you offer... he'll take the opportunity... I thought it was sexy and there are more loving scenes afterwards if thats what you crave.
Don't listen to the bad reviews. Give this book a chance.
I was looking for something in the "free" category to listen to until my subscription renews... I was craving a romance novel, but I am picky... I love historical romance, it can't be too predictable, I need spice and a good story.
This book had mixed reviews, and it was definitely hard to get into at first. The narrator is a little bland (but by the end, I enjoyed his voice), and I think it would require focus to read the book as well. You definitely have to pay attention.
The description of battle scenes was poetic, and once I was used to the writing style, it felt like watching a movie.
I read reviews the people didn't like the main characters, but I think it takes time to understand them, and like all good characters, no one is completely good or evil. I read reviews that people didn't like the "whining" female character, to which I respond, she's f-ing blind in the middle ages! She lives with a constant battle of wanting to be independent but needing help. The main male character has a deep struggle with pride, and the question of, "What does it mean to be a true hero?"
The spice between a blind woman and a handsome man gave me what I needed in a romance. I read a review that the female character "forced" herself on the male character and that scene was off-putting... Well, I wouldn't call it forced, she saw an opportunity (and as a blind woman, she craved touch and got carried away..) The male character, like I would describe most men... if you offer... he'll take the opportunity... I thought it was sexy and there are more loving scenes afterwards if thats what you crave.
Don't listen to the bad reviews. Give this book a chance.
January 7, 2023
Take out the names and places from Robin Hood and this is a typical romance book.
April 6, 2013
For the second very memorable time, Smart Bitches Trashy Books has failed me. Not as spectacularly as with Captive, but it would be difficult to find another book that fails that hard.
This, while not overtly terrible, was wholly disappointing.
I couldn't like either of the characters -- almost hated them, really -- until about two chapters to the end (if that), which of course makes it nigh impossible to get involved in the book. That aside, the romance is nonexistent until the end.
There are so many secondary characters and situations that this felt like a poorly explained sequel in a series (especially at the beginning). I understand the urge to not info-drop, but hell's bells, lady.
The fight scenes happened way too often and sometimes unnecessarily.
The heroine is alternately described as smelling bad/vinegary/like a witch and then clean and delicious, when she hasn't (at least to the reader's knowledge) taken a bath in between. I mean, come on, they only took baths about once a year in this time period. If the hero says the heroine smells bad, and then twenty pages later after a run through the woods sticks his face between her legs and says she smells delicious... ecch. Gives me the shudders. Once they even crawled through a medieval sewer pipe and dived headfirst into the sewer-polluted river at the end of it, and they called that a bath.
The worst, though, were the blindingly obvious typos. Sometimes words were left out and made a sentence hard to understand, but other times there were things that a single proofread should have easily caught. Sometimes it was less important, if irritating: spelling "waddle-and-daub" instead of "wattle-and-daub". Other times... *shudder*... "She heard the sound of steal sliding out of a sheath..."
This, while not overtly terrible, was wholly disappointing.
I couldn't like either of the characters -- almost hated them, really -- until about two chapters to the end (if that), which of course makes it nigh impossible to get involved in the book. That aside, the romance is nonexistent until the end.
There are so many secondary characters and situations that this felt like a poorly explained sequel in a series (especially at the beginning). I understand the urge to not info-drop, but hell's bells, lady.
The fight scenes happened way too often and sometimes unnecessarily.
The heroine is alternately described as smelling bad/vinegary/like a witch and then clean and delicious, when she hasn't (at least to the reader's knowledge) taken a bath in between. I mean, come on, they only took baths about once a year in this time period. If the hero says the heroine smells bad, and then twenty pages later after a run through the woods sticks his face between her legs and says she smells delicious... ecch. Gives me the shudders. Once they even crawled through a medieval sewer pipe and dived headfirst into the sewer-polluted river at the end of it, and they called that a bath.
The worst, though, were the blindingly obvious typos. Sometimes words were left out and made a sentence hard to understand, but other times there were things that a single proofread should have easily caught. Sometimes it was less important, if irritating: spelling "waddle-and-daub" instead of "wattle-and-daub". Other times... *shudder*... "She heard the sound of steal sliding out of a sheath..."
February 29, 2012
I really dug this book. And that's despite the title. But I took the advice of the ladies over at SBTB and I'm so glad I did. You can find their review here since I agree completely with them:
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bl...
I will say that the part of the review that got me excited enough to pick up the book (not that I needed much arm twisting since the concept alone had me) was the following:
"The action sequences are also spectacular, and they had an almost cinematic quality to them. I could see how they’d be filmed, or how they’d play visually, which underscores the descriptive talent in narrating and blocking at work in the book. The other fun part of this novel is the adventure that makes the plot look like the end result of a game of dominos. Right turn here, wait backwards we go, double cross! No wait, over there, wait, right turn, run! There’s no predicting how the mysteries will be resolved. Neither Will nor Meg are sure who to trust, or if they can even trust each other, and even the reader is challenged to figure out the potential motivations and machinations of every character - including the protagonists - as Meg and Will puzzle through their quest."
Basically the book is well plotted, has well developed characters and is really beautifully written. I don't care that it's a romance (although I would say that it's more of a cross-genre novel that utilizes some familiar romance tropes as opposed to a straight romance) and I don't care about the title. It's a fun good read.
http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/bl...
I will say that the part of the review that got me excited enough to pick up the book (not that I needed much arm twisting since the concept alone had me) was the following:
"The action sequences are also spectacular, and they had an almost cinematic quality to them. I could see how they’d be filmed, or how they’d play visually, which underscores the descriptive talent in narrating and blocking at work in the book. The other fun part of this novel is the adventure that makes the plot look like the end result of a game of dominos. Right turn here, wait backwards we go, double cross! No wait, over there, wait, right turn, run! There’s no predicting how the mysteries will be resolved. Neither Will nor Meg are sure who to trust, or if they can even trust each other, and even the reader is challenged to figure out the potential motivations and machinations of every character - including the protagonists - as Meg and Will puzzle through their quest."
Basically the book is well plotted, has well developed characters and is really beautifully written. I don't care that it's a romance (although I would say that it's more of a cross-genre novel that utilizes some familiar romance tropes as opposed to a straight romance) and I don't care about the title. It's a fun good read.
October 22, 2018
Excellent addition to the Merry Men mythos! Meg is a phenomenal woman and I really liked the way the author portrayed her within small town medieval life. The tumultuous relationship with Will is lovely and feels very human with both of them struggling to allow vulnerability and build trust. Also the way each of them learns to think outside of themselves is really well done.
Fabulous handling of sex and sexually-charged situations!! Other romance writers take note!
Not gonna lie - I was a little annoyed at the band getting back together, but my temper was soothed by the author's skilful handling of them - Robin Hood isn't allowed to pull focus from Will but instead their interactions shape Will’s development as a character and the progression of his relationship with Meg.
Fabulous handling of sex and sexually-charged situations!! Other romance writers take note!
Not gonna lie - I was a little annoyed at the band getting back together, but my temper was soothed by the author's skilful handling of them - Robin Hood isn't allowed to pull focus from Will but instead their interactions shape Will’s development as a character and the progression of his relationship with Meg.
August 1, 2009
I liked this book. I did. The only problem was that I got lost a lot. I SO SO SO badly wish Carrie Lofty would embrace ONE SINGLE WORD: SAID. I can't even count the number of times I had to read back to figure out who was talking and several times, I THOUGHT I knew who was talking and I was dreadfully wrong and had to go back and figure it out. SAID! It's such a simple word that it literally disappears onto the page (not to mention it makes it SO MUCH EASIER to listen to a novel out loud, which I do DAILY on my Kindle). I spent much of this book feeling like I was as blind as the protagonist, but I did love the story and the writing was good.
April 17, 2018
I would never have bought it - a story about Will Scarlett, an ally of Robin Hood (!) - just did that because of a review by SmartbitcheTrashyBooks, but it paid off: a well-written story, credible characters, humor, lots Action, no unbelievable happy ends and a lot of tortured hero.
A blind alchemist is rescued by Will Scarlett and flees with him into the woods around Nottingham. They get ambushed again and again, are caught several times, can free themselves from dark dungeons etc. In the end, she will NOT see again, and that's a good thing.
Downer: the ending is somehow too short and it implies the continuation of the story in another novel.
A blind alchemist is rescued by Will Scarlett and flees with him into the woods around Nottingham. They get ambushed again and again, are caught several times, can free themselves from dark dungeons etc. In the end, she will NOT see again, and that's a good thing.
Downer: the ending is somehow too short and it implies the continuation of the story in another novel.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 23, 2012
A vividly described story that plunges the reader deep into the milieu of Robin Hood's era, this book brings home the gritty reality of the time thanks to the author's attention to detail and careful research. Will is a conflicted hero, sometimes even less than a hero for being on the wrong side or even stuck in the middle between his personal hatreds and the hatreds his position in society bring to him naturally. Meg is tough and resilient, a true heroine who both uses her handicap and overcomes it. A good read with an interesting take on the legend although a bit too gritty and violent for my taste.
August 5, 2012
I have loved Robin Hood books from a variety of authors ranging from Parke Godwin to Marsha Canham, and I am so happy to see a book that sits well alongside them. While the publisher, for reasons unknown, elected to punish this month's debut author with a stupid title and a hideous cover (you can actually see the model's chest stubble (not attractive), What a Scoundrel Wants is a solid read. The tale focuses on the much-maligned Will Scarlet rather than Robin himself, and the author gives readers a good, meaty story as well as a passionate romance.
This is a partial review. You can find the rest at All About Romance:
http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
This is a partial review. You can find the rest at All About Romance:
http://likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookRev...
August 20, 2009
Pretty much as bad as the name suggests, but not quite in the usual way. I was pleased to find a story about Will Scarlet, and the first chapter or two were quite promisingly well written. I got the impression that some research had been done, which is always nice.
After that came the improbable sex and it went rapidly downhill into a confused mess. I think Will Scarlet would have turned over in his grave, if he'd had one. I didn't bother to go more than a few chapters in, so I don't know if there were redeeming virtues.
After that came the improbable sex and it went rapidly downhill into a confused mess. I think Will Scarlet would have turned over in his grave, if he'd had one. I didn't bother to go more than a few chapters in, so I don't know if there were redeeming virtues.
February 7, 2011
I'm giving this book 3.5 stars. To be honest I'm not sure how to review this book. I did love the story, however, there were parts in between that I had a hard time getting through.
IMO the book was a little longer than it should have been and I think that's why I had some trouble getting through it.
Overall this book is well worth the read but there were parts that were dull. I love the story of Nottingham and Robin Hood. The characters were very likable and they were well developed throughout the book.
IMO the book was a little longer than it should have been and I think that's why I had some trouble getting through it.
Overall this book is well worth the read but there were parts that were dull. I love the story of Nottingham and Robin Hood. The characters were very likable and they were well developed throughout the book.
February 20, 2011
This was a really great medieval historical romance. The writing was very poetic and lyrical, giving the feel of a bard's story from the time. The history was well done but didn't get in the way of the action. The characters are both flawed but grow with each other. Meg is a little hard to love, but I enjoyed her journey learning to trust Will. I gave it full stars because I greatly admired the writing and the lengths the hero goes to save her. His willingness to sacrifice his body was well done. Highly recommended for those who like Robin hood stories.
October 7, 2015
More than I bargained for
Although the title has absolutely nothing to do with the story, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great pace and good descriptions. Especially loved the main characters - the heroine was certainly no damsel in distress... And the hero, though completely flawed, was sufficiently hero-like without onerous descriptions of "rippling muscles" and hard....you know whats. Almost everything you learn about them is more based on character than physique. Great distraction.
Although the title has absolutely nothing to do with the story, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Great pace and good descriptions. Especially loved the main characters - the heroine was certainly no damsel in distress... And the hero, though completely flawed, was sufficiently hero-like without onerous descriptions of "rippling muscles" and hard....you know whats. Almost everything you learn about them is more based on character than physique. Great distraction.
Read
March 15, 2012"Ti pentirai della tua scelta, Meg?-Non più di quanto tu ti pentirai di aver salvato la vita ad una ragazza cieca sulla strada per Nottingham."
Rispetto al sequel mi è piaciuto di più perché mi è sembrato più coerente come trama e meno lento come ritmo... però resta il fatto che a parte una delicata scena d'amore tra i due protagonisti verso la metà del libro in cui lui si mostra molto attento e premuroso relativamente alla cecità di Meg l'ho trovato poco passionale come romance.
Rispetto al sequel mi è piaciuto di più perché mi è sembrato più coerente come trama e meno lento come ritmo... però resta il fatto che a parte una delicata scena d'amore tra i due protagonisti verso la metà del libro in cui lui si mostra molto attento e premuroso relativamente alla cecità di Meg l'ho trovato poco passionale come romance.
February 19, 2009
This was a fun romance with an interesting topic and perspective. I like that Lofty didn't gloss over the dirtiness of living in the woods and fighting. She didn't try to make that romantic. The only reason I didn't get it more stars was that it started very slowly. It took me awhile to get into it.
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