What do you think?
Rate this book
Dangerous Obsession
She was daring and defiant; tender and wanton. She was child. She was woman. She was Rhawnie.
From a starving gypsy in Russia to an exotic demi-mondaine in Paris; from a countess in Bavaria to a sensation in New York; from a survivor in the western wilderness to a card shark in San Francisco - such were the heights and depths of existence for Rhawnie.
Her wit, her cunning, her beauty, the sensuous delights she performs to well protect her even as they cause her agony and shame. For deep in her soul is a love for a man, a man who has brought her only degradation and heartbreak.
Wherever she goes, whatever she does, Rhawnie cannot escape Seth Garrett. The constant ache for his arms, the ever present need for the fires of passion he alone can ignite, and his relentless pursuit of her have made her his prisoner. Across continents fleeing danger and death, Rhawnie runs...from this man...from herself...until she knows that with a love so powerful, a love so shameless, she can do nothing but surrender!
From a starving gypsy in Russia to an exotic demi-mondaine in Paris; from a countess in Bavaria to a sensation in New York; from a survivor in the western wilderness to a card shark in San Francisco - such were the heights and depths of existence for Rhawnie.
Her wit, her cunning, her beauty, the sensuous delights she performs to well protect her even as they cause her agony and shame. For deep in her soul is a love for a man, a man who has brought her only degradation and heartbreak.
Wherever she goes, whatever she does, Rhawnie cannot escape Seth Garrett. The constant ache for his arms, the ever present need for the fires of passion he alone can ignite, and his relentless pursuit of her have made her his prisoner. Across continents fleeing danger and death, Rhawnie runs...from this man...from herself...until she knows that with a love so powerful, a love so shameless, she can do nothing but surrender!
630 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 1, 1978
15 people are currently reading
733 people want to read
About the author
Natasha Peters
16 books39 followersNatasha Peters is a pesudonym for Elizabeth Jordan, who also wrote as Anastasia Cleaver.
Her ideas for her books have taken her to many foreign lands in the East and West, and through the volumes of history and biography. She was also an actress, an artist, a singer, and loved to grow roses.
Her ideas for her books have taken her to many foreign lands in the East and West, and through the volumes of history and biography. She was also an actress, an artist, a singer, and loved to grow roses.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 21, 2022
I don't know how to rate this book. I'm giving it 4 stars because it caused major sleep deprivation & kept me on the edge of my seat completely captivated. This book is not safe, it's not politically correct, & no way would anything like this get published today. It left me feeling so conflicted yet I can't help but give this book a high rating because this story so enthralled me. I would not recommend this book unless you are absolutely fine reading books that depict abusive relationships featuring abusive assholes. Warning this review is going to be rambly and disjointed because I am coming from this book feeling wrung out and I really just want to purge all my thoughts from this book so I can get it out of my system. This is a messy review. I'm definitely going to come back later to edit.
This is one of the darkest romances I've read in long time. For a while this didn't read like a romance at all. Quite frankly, it read like a story of how one young woman got caught up in an abusive relationship with an incredibly controlling & cruel MMC.
***Major Spoilers Ahead***
***One more warning: Seriously, major spoilers ahead. If you like dark BRs, skip this review and just read the book***
Seth Garrett is a selfish bastard. Interested in his own self interests and that's it. When he first rescues Rhawnie from her abusive home when she's still a child (she's 14 years old) he does so because maybe he has some sympathy for her situation, but mainly it suited him as well. I mean, the whole pretense of him meeting Rhawnie in the first place was accepting a young virgin to repay a gambling debt. The moral ambiguity of this man is established pretty fast.
When he sees her again years later he sleeps with her - because she's beautiful, and he outright says it's because he likes beautiful things. He decides to keep Rhawnie as his mistress for a longer amount of time because she becomes lucrative to him after he discovers her talent for playing cards. Eventually, eventually, eventually, there is some clue that he does care for her on some level besides his own self interests. In the beginning it's absolutely obsession & any care he shows towards her is because he recognizes she's a valuable piece of property. God, he was an abusive asshole till the end. He really had no redemption arc. There's sort of one at the end, but it's a bit weak. I'm not complaining though! I really respect writers who are able to depict characters and stories just how they are without pandering to what romance readers want. That doesn't mean this story didn't shock me any less. This author was pretty brave to write this kind of story. It was also refreshing to never have Seth's POV. He's a complex character with hidden motivations and self destructive actions and it's up to the readers to put the pieces together to try to read him. The author never spoon feeds the reader his real motivations for any of the shit he pulls.
...
“Oh, my dear child,” he said with a rueful laugh, “You’re so young. You think that love is generous and good and kind, but it’s not. It’s selfish. Perhaps the most selfish emotion there is.”
When Seth & Rhawnie meet again years later in Paris (Rhawnie is 16 or maybe 18?) Seth promptly seduces Rhawnie. The way in which Seth seduced Rhawnie (guaranteeing her ruin) was deceptive, caddish, & casually cruel. It was both heartbreaking and infuriating to see Rhawnie get caught up in this man's web. Especially because of the age difference/power dynamics/lack of experience or worldly knowledge on Rhawnie's part. He essentially 'ruins' her by taking her virginity and she has no where else to turn, except him.
If you cared about me, if you loved me, you would let me go.”
“If I loved you, Rhawnie, I would do exactly as I am doing now. I’d never let you out of my sight.” He reached out and took my hand and pulled me down on his lap. “I’d tell you that you were beautiful and wonderful, and you would know that meant I couldn’t live without you. I would please you in a thousand and one ways.” He kissed my fingertips and reached up to stroke my cheek. His voice was low-pitched and as smooth as honey and butter. But I knew him too well to believe him.
Rhawnie's period as Seth's mistress is where Seth's obsession with Rhawnie starts to escalate. I like reading about jealous/possessive men, but what really made this turn into more abusive territory for me was the way in which he constantly insulted and degraded Rhawnie. Oh, and there's physical violence as well (). In Savage Surrender Garth teased Elise. It was easy to see through it, and his insults were never so degrading or as crude as Seth's. Here's a tiny example of Seth's charming language:
I have to say this section of the story was one of the most captivating parts for me. He does become Rhawnie's jailor. His possessive behavior towards her escalated in a way that truly frightened me. In a sick/twisted way I do find abusive/controlling MMCs fascinating to read about, and that's Seth to a T. He becomes even more possessive when he finds out Rhawnie has a talent for faro.
The game was faro, still popular all over Europe.
He coached me carefully, creating imaginary situations, describing partners and dealers, teaching me how to read a card player’s face even if I couldn’t read his mind. He told me that a losing man will often bet more heavily—and more foolishly—than a winner.
He cheated shamelessly and scolded me when I failed to catch him. I cheated and crowed happily when he failed to catch me. Finally he declared that I was ready. We would go to Albert de Blazon’s gambling hall on the Rue des Fleurs near the site of the old Bastille. The place was currently fashionable and scores of rich Parisians and visitors from all parts of the world went nightly to indulge their passion for gaming. Seth said that there I could match wits with the best players in Paris. And I would win.
Some scenes like this one were very well-written; the reading experience was cinematic. I felt like I was watching a movie. Speaking of movies: I got major Pygamalion vibes from the beginning of this story (some parts seemed inspired from My Fair Lady as well). I also got MAJOR Funny Girl vibes from this book. Many similarities. Singing heroine/Gambling husband. With Funny Girl, when times were good between Fanny & Nicky, times were good. You could feel their connection/chemistry. The dysfunction was there as well & has always been emotional for me to watch in the movie. This is also the case with the couple in this story. When times are good between them, times are good (usually when they're having sex), but Seth had so many demons and absolutely no healthy coping strategies.
There are so many trigger warnings that come with this story.
Domestic violence/controlling relationships
Rape
Suicide/cutting ()
Infant death
Cheating Cheating/ow drama doesn't always bother me but it riled me up in this book. I'm not rating the book lower because of this BECAUSE I don't consider this book a romance and I actually don't believe in the hea.
The HEA: I don't fully buy it. ALSO the end subplot leading up to the HEA was so so dumb
Phew. What a sordid, dark love story. I think this review might come off as a rant review but omg I promise I LOVED reading it. I can't remember the last time I read over 600 pages in 24 hours. It was a wild ride. Savage Surrender is my favorite though and I think definitely needs to be read first to fully appreciate the side characters that are in this book.
This is one of the darkest romances I've read in long time. For a while this didn't read like a romance at all. Quite frankly, it read like a story of how one young woman got caught up in an abusive relationship with an incredibly controlling & cruel MMC.
***Major Spoilers Ahead***
***One more warning: Seriously, major spoilers ahead. If you like dark BRs, skip this review and just read the book***
Seth Garrett is a selfish bastard. Interested in his own self interests and that's it. When he first rescues Rhawnie from her abusive home when she's still a child (she's 14 years old) he does so because maybe he has some sympathy for her situation, but mainly it suited him as well. I mean, the whole pretense of him meeting Rhawnie in the first place was accepting a young virgin to repay a gambling debt. The moral ambiguity of this man is established pretty fast.
When he sees her again years later he sleeps with her - because she's beautiful, and he outright says it's because he likes beautiful things. He decides to keep Rhawnie as his mistress for a longer amount of time because she becomes lucrative to him after he discovers her talent for playing cards. Eventually, eventually, eventually, there is some clue that he does care for her on some level besides his own self interests. In the beginning it's absolutely obsession & any care he shows towards her is because he recognizes she's a valuable piece of property. God, he was an abusive asshole till the end. He really had no redemption arc. There's sort of one at the end, but it's a bit weak. I'm not complaining though! I really respect writers who are able to depict characters and stories just how they are without pandering to what romance readers want. That doesn't mean this story didn't shock me any less. This author was pretty brave to write this kind of story. It was also refreshing to never have Seth's POV. He's a complex character with hidden motivations and self destructive actions and it's up to the readers to put the pieces together to try to read him. The author never spoon feeds the reader his real motivations for any of the shit he pulls.
...
“Oh, my dear child,” he said with a rueful laugh, “You’re so young. You think that love is generous and good and kind, but it’s not. It’s selfish. Perhaps the most selfish emotion there is.”
When Seth & Rhawnie meet again years later in Paris (Rhawnie is 16 or maybe 18?) Seth promptly seduces Rhawnie. The way in which Seth seduced Rhawnie (guaranteeing her ruin) was deceptive, caddish, & casually cruel. It was both heartbreaking and infuriating to see Rhawnie get caught up in this man's web. Especially because of the age difference/power dynamics/lack of experience or worldly knowledge on Rhawnie's part. He essentially 'ruins' her by taking her virginity and she has no where else to turn, except him.
If you cared about me, if you loved me, you would let me go.”
“If I loved you, Rhawnie, I would do exactly as I am doing now. I’d never let you out of my sight.” He reached out and took my hand and pulled me down on his lap. “I’d tell you that you were beautiful and wonderful, and you would know that meant I couldn’t live without you. I would please you in a thousand and one ways.” He kissed my fingertips and reached up to stroke my cheek. His voice was low-pitched and as smooth as honey and butter. But I knew him too well to believe him.
Rhawnie's period as Seth's mistress is where Seth's obsession with Rhawnie starts to escalate. I like reading about jealous/possessive men, but what really made this turn into more abusive territory for me was the way in which he constantly insulted and degraded Rhawnie. Oh, and there's physical violence as well (). In Savage Surrender Garth teased Elise. It was easy to see through it, and his insults were never so degrading or as crude as Seth's. Here's a tiny example of Seth's charming language:
I have to say this section of the story was one of the most captivating parts for me. He does become Rhawnie's jailor. His possessive behavior towards her escalated in a way that truly frightened me. In a sick/twisted way I do find abusive/controlling MMCs fascinating to read about, and that's Seth to a T. He becomes even more possessive when he finds out Rhawnie has a talent for faro.
The game was faro, still popular all over Europe.
He coached me carefully, creating imaginary situations, describing partners and dealers, teaching me how to read a card player’s face even if I couldn’t read his mind. He told me that a losing man will often bet more heavily—and more foolishly—than a winner.
He cheated shamelessly and scolded me when I failed to catch him. I cheated and crowed happily when he failed to catch me. Finally he declared that I was ready. We would go to Albert de Blazon’s gambling hall on the Rue des Fleurs near the site of the old Bastille. The place was currently fashionable and scores of rich Parisians and visitors from all parts of the world went nightly to indulge their passion for gaming. Seth said that there I could match wits with the best players in Paris. And I would win.
Some scenes like this one were very well-written; the reading experience was cinematic. I felt like I was watching a movie. Speaking of movies: I got major Pygamalion vibes from the beginning of this story (some parts seemed inspired from My Fair Lady as well). I also got MAJOR Funny Girl vibes from this book. Many similarities. Singing heroine/Gambling husband. With Funny Girl, when times were good between Fanny & Nicky, times were good. You could feel their connection/chemistry. The dysfunction was there as well & has always been emotional for me to watch in the movie. This is also the case with the couple in this story. When times are good between them, times are good (usually when they're having sex), but Seth had so many demons and absolutely no healthy coping strategies.
There are so many trigger warnings that come with this story.
Domestic violence/controlling relationships
Rape
Suicide/cutting ()
Infant death
Cheating Cheating/ow drama doesn't always bother me but it riled me up in this book. I'm not rating the book lower because of this BECAUSE I don't consider this book a romance and I actually don't believe in the hea.
The HEA: I don't fully buy it. ALSO the end subplot leading up to the HEA was so so dumb
Phew. What a sordid, dark love story. I think this review might come off as a rant review but omg I promise I LOVED reading it. I can't remember the last time I read over 600 pages in 24 hours. It was a wild ride. Savage Surrender is my favorite though and I think definitely needs to be read first to fully appreciate the side characters that are in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 30, 2022
"You will travel far to find love, only to find that love has traveled with you."
Dangerous Obsession is the sequel to Natasha Peters' first book, "Savage Surrender," although the relation between the books is not revealed until midway through this 630 page epic.
Like so many great bodice rippers of epic scope, Dangerous Obsession takes us through various years and continents. It spans 12 years in the life of Rhawnie, the blonde daughter of a gypsy and a Russian noblewoman.
Rhawnie is not a simpering, treacly-sweet girl or spunky, foot-stamping heroine. She lies for the hell of it: to strangers, to the people she loves, she lies to herself, she even lies on her (near) deathbed! She is an unrepentant thief.
Early on Rhawnie is caught stealing from an innkeeper and Seth, the hero, is forced to remove the purloined items hidden under her petticoats: a bottle of vodka, a wheel of cheese, a large loaf of bread, several sausages, a large knife and a whole chicken! When caught red handed she denies ever touching the stuff and accuses the innkeeper of framing her.
In this Rhawnie reminds me a bit of my daughter who lives by the motto: "Admit nothing, deny everything and make counter-accusations."
Rhawnie is not just a mere mortal...she is beautiful, a professional thief, a fortune-teller, a gambler, a card cheat, men duel and die over her, she is mistress to a king, a threat to a nobleman's power, a baroness, a world-famous singer, a saloon owner, savior of an orphan and a wronged woman, and the love-object of two brothers, who are as opposite as day and night.
The male protagonist, Seth Garrett, is a piece of work and it took me a long time to warm up to him. He’s no Sean Culhane or Domenico, but he's both cruel and vicious and unfeeling and cold. He wins the right to Rhawnie's virginity in a card game, but passes on the offer, as she is only 14 or 15. In angry retaliation, Rhawnie gets beaten and kicked by her lecherous older uncle and Seth just sort of stands there. Then when her uncle rapes her a few pages later, Seth is too late to save her--even though he's in the next room and can hear what's going on.
He destroys any chance Rhawnie has for legitimacy in Paris society by publicly claiming her as his mistress. And what Seth does in Chapter 10 simply calls for a karmic justice which never occurs. But he does properly declare himself at the end and gives himself completely to Rhawnie.
Seth is not perfect; but neither is Rhawnie, so together they are perfect.
Dangerous Obsession is written in first person, but as Rhawnie is a great narrator, with so many wonderful quips and observations, this did not detract. There was an appropriate blend of action and introspection, but no excessive self-absorption of feeling too often found in modern romances. However, the action does get a bit too much at the end. The book is a hefty door-stopper and could have been 50 pages shorter.
Rhawnie and Seth embark on a search for Seth's missing sister that takes them through the American west. They get on TWO different boats that explode and sink into the river, Seth gets injured and Rhawnie nurses him back to life, Rhawnie gets cholera, so Seth has to nurse her back to life (on a regiment on camphor, cannabis and caviar, no less).
They travel for months through the mountains and have many misadventures, she survives a great fire, gets kidnapped, addicted to laudanum, gets rescued...and before you know it--whew!--it's over.
This book was so close to perfect, but like so many bodice rippers, at the end it falters under its own hefty weight. It's a 4 1/2 star read, but I'm rounding it up to a 5 solely on the basis of the heroine, Rhawnie, who is all kinds of awesome. A-.
This book review has been provided by the No Book Left Behind Campaign! A Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous group initiative to review the un-reviewed!
Dangerous Obsession is the sequel to Natasha Peters' first book, "Savage Surrender," although the relation between the books is not revealed until midway through this 630 page epic.
Like so many great bodice rippers of epic scope, Dangerous Obsession takes us through various years and continents. It spans 12 years in the life of Rhawnie, the blonde daughter of a gypsy and a Russian noblewoman.
Rhawnie is not a simpering, treacly-sweet girl or spunky, foot-stamping heroine. She lies for the hell of it: to strangers, to the people she loves, she lies to herself, she even lies on her (near) deathbed! She is an unrepentant thief.
Early on Rhawnie is caught stealing from an innkeeper and Seth, the hero, is forced to remove the purloined items hidden under her petticoats: a bottle of vodka, a wheel of cheese, a large loaf of bread, several sausages, a large knife and a whole chicken! When caught red handed she denies ever touching the stuff and accuses the innkeeper of framing her.
In this Rhawnie reminds me a bit of my daughter who lives by the motto: "Admit nothing, deny everything and make counter-accusations."
Rhawnie is not just a mere mortal...she is beautiful, a professional thief, a fortune-teller, a gambler, a card cheat, men duel and die over her, she is mistress to a king, a threat to a nobleman's power, a baroness, a world-famous singer, a saloon owner, savior of an orphan and a wronged woman, and the love-object of two brothers, who are as opposite as day and night.
The male protagonist, Seth Garrett, is a piece of work and it took me a long time to warm up to him. He’s no Sean Culhane or Domenico, but he's both cruel and vicious and unfeeling and cold. He wins the right to Rhawnie's virginity in a card game, but passes on the offer, as she is only 14 or 15. In angry retaliation, Rhawnie gets beaten and kicked by her lecherous older uncle and Seth just sort of stands there. Then when her uncle rapes her a few pages later, Seth is too late to save her--even though he's in the next room and can hear what's going on.
He destroys any chance Rhawnie has for legitimacy in Paris society by publicly claiming her as his mistress. And what Seth does in Chapter 10 simply calls for a karmic justice which never occurs. But he does properly declare himself at the end and gives himself completely to Rhawnie.
Seth is not perfect; but neither is Rhawnie, so together they are perfect.
Dangerous Obsession is written in first person, but as Rhawnie is a great narrator, with so many wonderful quips and observations, this did not detract. There was an appropriate blend of action and introspection, but no excessive self-absorption of feeling too often found in modern romances. However, the action does get a bit too much at the end. The book is a hefty door-stopper and could have been 50 pages shorter.
Rhawnie and Seth embark on a search for Seth's missing sister that takes them through the American west. They get on TWO different boats that explode and sink into the river, Seth gets injured and Rhawnie nurses him back to life, Rhawnie gets cholera, so Seth has to nurse her back to life (on a regiment on camphor, cannabis and caviar, no less).
They travel for months through the mountains and have many misadventures, she survives a great fire, gets kidnapped, addicted to laudanum, gets rescued...and before you know it--whew!--it's over.
This book was so close to perfect, but like so many bodice rippers, at the end it falters under its own hefty weight. It's a 4 1/2 star read, but I'm rounding it up to a 5 solely on the basis of the heroine, Rhawnie, who is all kinds of awesome. A-.
This book review has been provided by the No Book Left Behind Campaign! A Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous group initiative to review the un-reviewed!
September 30, 2020
Dangerous Obsession by Natasha Peters is a sequel of sorts to Savage Surrender. There are characters from Savage Surrender that reappear in Dangerous Obsession, and you might get more out of it if you read it in sequential order. After having read Savage Surrender, it has completely warped my reading tastes because I found Dangerous Obsession a lighthearted read with the most perfect heroine.
That being said, a lot of WTFuckery still happens. For one example,
I personally couldn't handle the physical assault, sexual and actual slavery that Elise went through in Savage Surrender because they were such extended passages: I really didn't know when she would escape and how much more she would have to take before she escaped. I still feel sick if I just think about the sea witch scene. That to me is hard to read so when I started Dangerous Obsession, I was really prepared for some horrific stuff.
Rhawnie is put into improbable situations but she always manages to escape in the nick of time. I would say the first rape she experiences is one of the toughest moments but it's not too long of a passage. If I loved Elise in SS, I loooved Rhawnie. She was the perfect heroine who could do anything but she was also an anti-heroine in her own right.
She would lie, steal, and just do whatever she set her mind on from opening up a gambling establishment or becoming a touring singer - she was simply an unstoppable success. She was always able to, by her quick thinking, save her hide and achieve her goals. She also had such a joy of living and was simply herself and being present in every moment. I also love it when a heroine can best her man and she did it so many times! From betting better than Seth, knowing how to handle horses, and even saving his ass from drowning!
Reading Natasha Peters makes things click for me in terms of how romance novels can be truly subversive and feminist because it's clear in Dangerous Obsession that gender roles do not work. Rhawnie's spirit is irrepressible and she knows who she is, despite the patriarchy wanting her to shrink herself. Meanwhile, Seth is completely incapable of identifying and communicating love, and it keeps costing him his chance for love and happiness. It's not because he had a horrible breakup that caused him not to trust anyone - it's because men are not taught to value or communicate emotions.
Rhawnie's conversation with Gabrielle was one of the most powerful speeches when she tells Gabrielle "it's stupid of you to carry on like you're the only girl in the world who let a man take advantage of her and then had to pay the price... What good does it do to punish yourself? You have suffered enough. Why add to it? You cannot change what happened. And whatever happened, you're still the same Gabrielle you always were."
Another amazing speech is when Rhawnie confronts Seth near the end: "Why do you hate it when I show you that I can do things? ... You don't want me to have any skills that you didn't teach me. Playing cards. Making love. That's all I'm good for in your mind. You haven't changed. You still want life on your own terms, everything in your own way. I pity you."
To be honest, I felt a little shortchanged by Seth. He was a complete gypsy himself but why did he have his dark moods? Was he simply depressed? Why did he have no purpose in life? I never got this sense of what gave him joy. It seemed he was always escaping from his life and his responsibilities. He never explains himself because he would either punch Rhawnie or force himself on her to finish an argument. In the end, when Seth admits he loved her from the beginning, I liked it and was happy with it but I also wanted to know more about Seth aside from him being the black sheep.
I also have to say that this is the brother love triangle we ALL deserve. I was just as conflicted with Rhawnie. I couldn't decide which S I preferred! Of course Seth because he was a controlling and abusive a-hole but Steven! What a gentleman!
Such a wonderful read. I'm sad to finish it.
That being said, a lot of WTFuckery still happens. For one example,
I personally couldn't handle the physical assault, sexual and actual slavery that Elise went through in Savage Surrender because they were such extended passages: I really didn't know when she would escape and how much more she would have to take before she escaped. I still feel sick if I just think about the sea witch scene. That to me is hard to read so when I started Dangerous Obsession, I was really prepared for some horrific stuff.
Rhawnie is put into improbable situations but she always manages to escape in the nick of time. I would say the first rape she experiences is one of the toughest moments but it's not too long of a passage. If I loved Elise in SS, I loooved Rhawnie. She was the perfect heroine who could do anything but she was also an anti-heroine in her own right.
She would lie, steal, and just do whatever she set her mind on from opening up a gambling establishment or becoming a touring singer - she was simply an unstoppable success. She was always able to, by her quick thinking, save her hide and achieve her goals. She also had such a joy of living and was simply herself and being present in every moment. I also love it when a heroine can best her man and she did it so many times! From betting better than Seth, knowing how to handle horses, and even saving his ass from drowning!
Reading Natasha Peters makes things click for me in terms of how romance novels can be truly subversive and feminist because it's clear in Dangerous Obsession that gender roles do not work. Rhawnie's spirit is irrepressible and she knows who she is, despite the patriarchy wanting her to shrink herself. Meanwhile, Seth is completely incapable of identifying and communicating love, and it keeps costing him his chance for love and happiness. It's not because he had a horrible breakup that caused him not to trust anyone - it's because men are not taught to value or communicate emotions.
Rhawnie's conversation with Gabrielle was one of the most powerful speeches when she tells Gabrielle "it's stupid of you to carry on like you're the only girl in the world who let a man take advantage of her and then had to pay the price... What good does it do to punish yourself? You have suffered enough. Why add to it? You cannot change what happened. And whatever happened, you're still the same Gabrielle you always were."
Another amazing speech is when Rhawnie confronts Seth near the end: "Why do you hate it when I show you that I can do things? ... You don't want me to have any skills that you didn't teach me. Playing cards. Making love. That's all I'm good for in your mind. You haven't changed. You still want life on your own terms, everything in your own way. I pity you."
To be honest, I felt a little shortchanged by Seth. He was a complete gypsy himself but why did he have his dark moods? Was he simply depressed? Why did he have no purpose in life? I never got this sense of what gave him joy. It seemed he was always escaping from his life and his responsibilities. He never explains himself because he would either punch Rhawnie or force himself on her to finish an argument. In the end, when Seth admits he loved her from the beginning, I liked it and was happy with it but I also wanted to know more about Seth aside from him being the black sheep.
I also have to say that this is the brother love triangle we ALL deserve. I was just as conflicted with Rhawnie. I couldn't decide which S I preferred! Of course Seth because he was a controlling and abusive a-hole but Steven! What a gentleman!
Such a wonderful read. I'm sad to finish it.
February 10, 2017
This is a four and a half star read. The first half of this book was awesome. The second half not as much. Natasha Peters is up there with Rosemary Rogers. I fell in love this heroine very early on in the book and could not put it down. Rhawnie is a Gypsy, a self-admitted liar, and a thief, but she has a heart of gold. She's no Mary Sue either! Warning: there is rape in this book but it is not the love interest. I think the scene was handled responsibly. In other words the rapist is not rewarded or excused for his action. Although the heroine has other partners in this book, she is no Pass Around Polly nor is she a weakling. The hero however is very unlikable. He never redeems himself enough to deserve Rhawnie in my opinion. Alas she lost some of her spunk and ended up with the man who didn't deserve her. Still I loved this book for the most part. I do recommend this if you are into the old style bodice rippers. Most of the sex in the book is pretty consensual between the love interests, thought this is some bodice ripping. What is great about this book is the old style passion of the older romances. The hero and heroine did have a great amount of sexual chemistry. I still think she should have left him in the end. Peters should have written a sequel dedicated entirely to the groveling and trying to win her back. I say give it a whirl if you want a good read. This book is better than 99 percent of the fluff out here in Goodreadsland. I abandon many of the books I start because I don't have any time for any bs. This book is worth the time especially if you are too busy to waste time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2019
Bodice Rippers were the dark romance genre of the eighties.
When you pick one up you either get a book that's atmospheric, emotional, and historically accurate as one of my favorites, Stormfire by Christine Monson, or you get a book that's basically just about sex and cares nothing about historical accuracy, such as Savage Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor.
Dangerous Obsession is one of the more impressive bodice rippers that I've read, though it isn't as impressive as Stormfire, nor does it have such a hold on my heart.
But regardless, I was riveted to the pages by the story of Rhawnie, a good hearted gyspy woman who defies society and lets nobody beat her down. She has to be one of my favorite female characters of all time. She's just so kind and funny and forgiving and wise.
Seth, her male love interest, is a hysterical asshole who doesn't understand how to process human emotions properly, so he's always running away from love. But he always returns to Rhawnie, unable to release himself from the spell she's put him under. He was incredibly dominant and unbending, which I'm always a fan of, but he showed no jealousy or tenderness either, which made me unable to read him ever and gave me a bit of emotional disconnect from him sometimes.
So while Rhawnie makes the list of my favorite heroines, Seth doesn't exactly make the cut for me, though I was riveted by him just the same. He's a very morally flawed, mysterious character and he captures every scene he's in.
This story is a hard journey, full of war, politics, betrayal, illness, and deep, insane love between the two main leads. It's incredibly dark, and nobody in the historical romance genre would have the guts to write something like it today, even if it is more true to the time period, which makes me sad.
What also makes me sad is what passes for historical romance these days. (*cough cough Lisa Kleypas... *cough cough Tessa Dare) They don't even care about being factual anymore.
Overall, Dangerous Obsession is just shy of being a masterpiece, and I really loved it. Now I just somehow have to get my hands on the prequel.
TW: Non con, beatings, murder, infant death, illness, and rough sex.
When you pick one up you either get a book that's atmospheric, emotional, and historically accurate as one of my favorites, Stormfire by Christine Monson, or you get a book that's basically just about sex and cares nothing about historical accuracy, such as Savage Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor.
Dangerous Obsession is one of the more impressive bodice rippers that I've read, though it isn't as impressive as Stormfire, nor does it have such a hold on my heart.
But regardless, I was riveted to the pages by the story of Rhawnie, a good hearted gyspy woman who defies society and lets nobody beat her down. She has to be one of my favorite female characters of all time. She's just so kind and funny and forgiving and wise.
Seth, her male love interest, is a hysterical asshole who doesn't understand how to process human emotions properly, so he's always running away from love. But he always returns to Rhawnie, unable to release himself from the spell she's put him under. He was incredibly dominant and unbending, which I'm always a fan of, but he showed no jealousy or tenderness either, which made me unable to read him ever and gave me a bit of emotional disconnect from him sometimes.
So while Rhawnie makes the list of my favorite heroines, Seth doesn't exactly make the cut for me, though I was riveted by him just the same. He's a very morally flawed, mysterious character and he captures every scene he's in.
This story is a hard journey, full of war, politics, betrayal, illness, and deep, insane love between the two main leads. It's incredibly dark, and nobody in the historical romance genre would have the guts to write something like it today, even if it is more true to the time period, which makes me sad.
What also makes me sad is what passes for historical romance these days. (*cough cough Lisa Kleypas... *cough cough Tessa Dare) They don't even care about being factual anymore.
Overall, Dangerous Obsession is just shy of being a masterpiece, and I really loved it. Now I just somehow have to get my hands on the prequel.
TW: Non con, beatings, murder, infant death, illness, and rough sex.
June 1, 2022
I read this book after loving "Savage Surrender" and giving it my first five-star in months (3rd of this year, sadly). I picked this one up after I heard it was a sequel to "Savage Surrender". It stars one (or two) of the sons of Elise and Garth from Book 1. Sadly, I wasn't destined for two five-star reads in a row, as I liked Book 1 a lot more. It's hard to believe, but I actually liked Garth better than another hero, his son Seth (though Garth raped Elise twice, and Seth never technically raped Rhawnie). I also liked Elise a lot better than Rhawnie. Rhawnie's constant talk of Gypsies during the beginning started to get on my nerves.
The book starts when Rhawnie is 14 or 15 (she doesn't know as age isn't important to Gypsies). Her grandfather took her from the Gypsies, but now he's dead, and she is living with her cruel uncle. Enter Seth Garrett (really McClelland). He was gambling with Rhawnie's uncle, and the uncle offered him a virgin, Rhawnie. (I still don't fully understand why he randomly went to Russia to gamble & then wanted to leave as soon as he met Rhawnie? But the author needed to have a way for them to meet, so *shrugs*.) Seeing she's too young for him, he doesn't want to take her back with him to France, but Rhawnie insists. Like Elise in the first book, Rhawnie follows Seth, thus starting her adventures.
Both of them gamble extensively in this book, and Rhawnie even owns a gambling establishment in San Francisco towards the end of the book. (Seth made his living off gambling.) She also has a singing career at one point.
The first half of the book was 4.5 stars for me, but after Seth ditched Rhawnie & their newborn baby in Vienna, I didn't enjoy the story as much. Also, the singing career just reminded me of how I'm not pursuing that, which is not something I like to be reminded by. It just hits too close to home.
I never felt much romance between Seth & Rhawnie. How can you just abandon your wife after she just gave birth to your son? And he took forever to apologize too. That wasn't the only time he abandoned her either.
She also had to beg him to marry her and to allow her to keep the baby. Seth was also very controlling, and she frequently felt trapped in their Paris house.
TW:
Thoughts I had during reading :
Natasha Peters, plz stop with these crazy age gaps 😭
(Yes, it was never stated how old Seth was, but knowing Natasha Peters, he was probably in his early 30s. Especially if his chest was already turning gray. See below.)
Why is Seth ugly, surely Garth & Elise would make pretty babies??
Why is Seth's chest sprinkled w gray hairs? So not attractive (I also imagined him with undefined abdominal muscles/a small gut for some reason.)
I feel like he's plying her with wine to sleep with her. Well at least in this book, the hero does not rape the heroine.
"We were not married but I was certain that we would be, very soon." --gotta love her naivete
Honestly, I would have chosen Martin de Vernay over Seth any day LOL
Important Quotes
"I don’t think I ever hated you. I just resisted—my fate. I love you. And I know that you love me. I suppose we couldn’t help falling in love, we were together so much, and we are so much alike. Two Gypsies. You know what I would do sometimes? I would pretend that we were married..."
"He was my life. All that time I was trying to escape him, I was falling deeper and deeper in love with him."
I loved how she dances with her father-in-law unknowingly, and that Garth is now Vice President! (I looked up James Polk's vice president; obviously, it wasn't Garth.) I was waiting patiently for the Garth-Elise cameos in this book! Damn, I was taken aback by how loving Garth was to Elise in this book.
"Her little imp of desire" is like Anastasia's "inner goddess" in 50 Shades; it's annoying, though it's used far less in this book (thankfully).
The love triangle is between Rhawnie, Seth, and his elder brother, Steven (Etienne, the baby born in the first book). Besides the terrible name, I would have chosen Steven in a heartbeat over Seth!!! I don't fully understand why a female author would write such a cruel, unlikeable hero (sadly, Seth was more unlikeable than his dad) unless it's to explore not having the perfect hero? I wish I could interview Natasha and ask why! Also, Rhawnie just sounded so immature on the last page of the book like she was a child again.
Even though I liked book 1 better, I still would have loved there to be a sequel for Adam (even though he's not Seth's child, but rather nephew).
Now on to read shorter books!! (I could have read 2 books in the time it took me to read one of these.)
The book starts when Rhawnie is 14 or 15 (she doesn't know as age isn't important to Gypsies). Her grandfather took her from the Gypsies, but now he's dead, and she is living with her cruel uncle. Enter Seth Garrett (really McClelland). He was gambling with Rhawnie's uncle, and the uncle offered him a virgin, Rhawnie. (I still don't fully understand why he randomly went to Russia to gamble & then wanted to leave as soon as he met Rhawnie? But the author needed to have a way for them to meet, so *shrugs*.) Seeing she's too young for him, he doesn't want to take her back with him to France, but Rhawnie insists. Like Elise in the first book, Rhawnie follows Seth, thus starting her adventures.
Both of them gamble extensively in this book, and Rhawnie even owns a gambling establishment in San Francisco towards the end of the book. (Seth made his living off gambling.) She also has a singing career at one point.
The first half of the book was 4.5 stars for me, but after Seth ditched Rhawnie & their newborn baby in Vienna, I didn't enjoy the story as much. Also, the singing career just reminded me of how I'm not pursuing that, which is not something I like to be reminded by. It just hits too close to home.
I never felt much romance between Seth & Rhawnie. How can you just abandon your wife after she just gave birth to your son? And he took forever to apologize too. That wasn't the only time he abandoned her either.
She also had to beg him to marry her and to allow her to keep the baby. Seth was also very controlling, and she frequently felt trapped in their Paris house.
TW:
Thoughts I had during reading :
Natasha Peters, plz stop with these crazy age gaps 😭
(Yes, it was never stated how old Seth was, but knowing Natasha Peters, he was probably in his early 30s. Especially if his chest was already turning gray. See below.)
Why is Seth ugly, surely Garth & Elise would make pretty babies??
Why is Seth's chest sprinkled w gray hairs? So not attractive (I also imagined him with undefined abdominal muscles/a small gut for some reason.)
I feel like he's plying her with wine to sleep with her. Well at least in this book, the hero does not rape the heroine.
"We were not married but I was certain that we would be, very soon." --gotta love her naivete
Honestly, I would have chosen Martin de Vernay over Seth any day LOL
Important Quotes
"I don’t think I ever hated you. I just resisted—my fate. I love you. And I know that you love me. I suppose we couldn’t help falling in love, we were together so much, and we are so much alike. Two Gypsies. You know what I would do sometimes? I would pretend that we were married..."
"He was my life. All that time I was trying to escape him, I was falling deeper and deeper in love with him."
I loved how she dances with her father-in-law unknowingly, and that Garth is now Vice President! (I looked up James Polk's vice president; obviously, it wasn't Garth.) I was waiting patiently for the Garth-Elise cameos in this book! Damn, I was taken aback by how loving Garth was to Elise in this book.
"Her little imp of desire" is like Anastasia's "inner goddess" in 50 Shades; it's annoying, though it's used far less in this book (thankfully).
The love triangle is between Rhawnie, Seth, and his elder brother, Steven (Etienne, the baby born in the first book). Besides the terrible name, I would have chosen Steven in a heartbeat over Seth!!! I don't fully understand why a female author would write such a cruel, unlikeable hero (sadly, Seth was more unlikeable than his dad) unless it's to explore not having the perfect hero? I wish I could interview Natasha and ask why! Also, Rhawnie just sounded so immature on the last page of the book like she was a child again.
Even though I liked book 1 better, I still would have loved there to be a sequel for Adam (even though he's not Seth's child, but rather nephew).
Now on to read shorter books!! (I could have read 2 books in the time it took me to read one of these.)
July 14, 2017
I am named for this book. It gave my mother fantasy and solace as a young woman. I say, read it. As Rhawnie, I completely approve.
June 16, 2022
Fantastic, one of those books that ruins you for all the others.
November 1, 2024
Dangerous Obsession by Natasha Peters (1978) is an epic HR masterpiece … should be read after the previous book in the series, Savage Surrender. Easily two of the finest early bodice rippers, along with Stormfire by Christine Monson, or the stories of Steve and Ginny in the Sweet Savage Love books by Rosemary Rogers.
💔 Setting: Russia, France, England, Germany and U.S. early 1840s thru early 1850s, a span of 12 years.
💔 Told completely in the first person POV by the heroine.
💔 Rhawnie is the young daughter (14 or 15) of a Gypsy and an aristocratic woman. She’s been raised by the Gypsies, steeped in Gypsy culture… tells fortunes, steals, is illiterate, and knows how to heal horses. Rhawnie’s taken away to live with her grandfather, and when he dies her nasty uncle becomes her guardian. That’s when she meets the hero, Seth Garrett, a rich American gambler … maybe 10 years older?.. who’s on a business trip to Russia. He wins her virginity in a card game… but then her uncle rapes her first… she kills him, and flees with Seth who really doesn’t want to help her.
💔 Thus begins the obsessive love story of these two fiery impulsive people. Seth abandons her in Paris.., over the years he frequently leaves her without saying a word. He breaks her heart. She discovers he has black moods... he’s cruel, vicious. By age 16 she’s 5’ 11” and stunningly beautiful… all men want her, fight duels over her etc. Their lives intersect thru out the years as Rhawnie transforms herself into a renowned singer thru her inginuity, and strength as a survivor.
💔 Absolutely a nail biting story full of many incredible turns and twists … superb plot development, enthralling, rich with passion, tragedy and danger. Both are awful people at times but deep down are good too. Most importantly, an emotionally charged portrait of a young woman told in her own words.
💔 As much as he hurts her, eventually Rhawnie realizes “He was a part of me as I was a part of him. That’s just the way it was with us.” She suffers mightily until the very end, when Seth finally accepts his enduring love for Rhawnie.
💔A few final thoughts.,, no story is perfect, this one is too long, and the last part back in Bavaria could have been completely omitted. I struggled to truly understand the deeply flawed hero… thought his character wasn’t explored enough. But then this really is Rhawnie’s story not his.
💔 Overall, Dangerous Obsession is painful to read. Emotionally painful. Peter’s talent shines through with magnificent writing… truly a splendid book, and if I include Savage Surrender I feel like I’ve just read the War and Peace of HRs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover by Don Stivers.
💔 Setting: Russia, France, England, Germany and U.S. early 1840s thru early 1850s, a span of 12 years.
💔 Told completely in the first person POV by the heroine.
💔 Rhawnie is the young daughter (14 or 15) of a Gypsy and an aristocratic woman. She’s been raised by the Gypsies, steeped in Gypsy culture… tells fortunes, steals, is illiterate, and knows how to heal horses. Rhawnie’s taken away to live with her grandfather, and when he dies her nasty uncle becomes her guardian. That’s when she meets the hero, Seth Garrett, a rich American gambler … maybe 10 years older?.. who’s on a business trip to Russia. He wins her virginity in a card game… but then her uncle rapes her first… she kills him, and flees with Seth who really doesn’t want to help her.
💔 Thus begins the obsessive love story of these two fiery impulsive people. Seth abandons her in Paris.., over the years he frequently leaves her without saying a word. He breaks her heart. She discovers he has black moods... he’s cruel, vicious. By age 16 she’s 5’ 11” and stunningly beautiful… all men want her, fight duels over her etc. Their lives intersect thru out the years as Rhawnie transforms herself into a renowned singer thru her inginuity, and strength as a survivor.
💔 Absolutely a nail biting story full of many incredible turns and twists … superb plot development, enthralling, rich with passion, tragedy and danger. Both are awful people at times but deep down are good too. Most importantly, an emotionally charged portrait of a young woman told in her own words.
💔 As much as he hurts her, eventually Rhawnie realizes “He was a part of me as I was a part of him. That’s just the way it was with us.” She suffers mightily until the very end, when Seth finally accepts his enduring love for Rhawnie.
💔A few final thoughts.,, no story is perfect, this one is too long, and the last part back in Bavaria could have been completely omitted. I struggled to truly understand the deeply flawed hero… thought his character wasn’t explored enough. But then this really is Rhawnie’s story not his.
💔 Overall, Dangerous Obsession is painful to read. Emotionally painful. Peter’s talent shines through with magnificent writing… truly a splendid book, and if I include Savage Surrender I feel like I’ve just read the War and Peace of HRs. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cover by Don Stivers.
January 8, 2014
I have read this book so many times since first reading as a teenager. I actually searched for a copy on ebay as I had to read it again to see if it was as good as I remembered and I loved it.
Rhawnie half gypsy ,half Russian nobility, brought up wild by the gypsies is so feisty and sly, yet funny and innocent. Seth an American adventurer with a angst ridden past. Nasty, sexy, mean, selfish. He does everything he can to get rid of Rhawnie, then later roles are reversed and she cannot get rid of him. Like a true bodice ripper this takes place all over the world, many adventures are had. There is so much trauma, but also some truly funny moments in their travels when first Seth , then Rhawnie get the better of each other. The horse taming and rabbit hunting springs to mind. They hurt each other, then they nurse each other, then hurt again.
Its a rollercoaster of emotion. I love this book.
Rhawnie half gypsy ,half Russian nobility, brought up wild by the gypsies is so feisty and sly, yet funny and innocent. Seth an American adventurer with a angst ridden past. Nasty, sexy, mean, selfish. He does everything he can to get rid of Rhawnie, then later roles are reversed and she cannot get rid of him. Like a true bodice ripper this takes place all over the world, many adventures are had. There is so much trauma, but also some truly funny moments in their travels when first Seth , then Rhawnie get the better of each other. The horse taming and rabbit hunting springs to mind. They hurt each other, then they nurse each other, then hurt again.
Its a rollercoaster of emotion. I love this book.
August 9, 2013
Loved this book, have re-read it many times. I think it's hilarious, also some hot stuff as well. This book formed my opinion of what a woman can be, very feminist forward in a very macho romantic swoony book environment. I thought the plotting was meticulously well planned out in advance, which I always appreciate. A few convenient plot points a bit silly. The characters are memorable and the pacing / plotting is a great page turner.
January 24, 2016
A really good classic BR. This is the sequel to SAVAGE SURRENDER and it was just as good. Rhawnie, the blond gypsy is a great character and Seth is the reluctant and sometimes abusive love interest. At times I was emotional during this read and I wasn't able to predict the plot. This book is a keeper for me.
January 15, 2014
Most awesome book ever I just couldn't stop read it 4 times now
avoid
May 1, 2023Self note avoid
Cheating, abusive H.
"Bloodies her nose in a drunken fit. Calls her horrible names. Cheats on her and doesn’t give a damn if she knows it. Threatens to kill her and break her arm. Tells her to abort their child AND walks out on her- twice. "
"Cheating This really pissed me off in this book. Especially in California when he was bringing Yvette (OW) into the next room. What an asshole. I hated that he cheated on Rhawnie while she was pregnant"
Cheating, abusive H.
"Bloodies her nose in a drunken fit. Calls her horrible names. Cheats on her and doesn’t give a damn if she knows it. Threatens to kill her and break her arm. Tells her to abort their child AND walks out on her- twice. "
"Cheating This really pissed me off in this book. Especially in California when he was bringing Yvette (OW) into the next room. What an asshole. I hated that he cheated on Rhawnie while she was pregnant"
May 25, 2022
what the fuck
Im glad I went in blind otherwise i wouldn’t have read the book
no seriously, it just kept getting progressively worse and darker i wanted to tear my hair out but i loved the first 30-40% so much that i couldn’t rate it less than a 4.
Guys. If you think you know what you’re getting yourselves into, you’re WRONG
And if you think the hero is redeemable, lovable in any sense of the word, not a complete and utter villain, YOU’RE COMPLETELY TRULY WHOLEHEARTEDLY WRONG
He’s the worst hero I have ever known
And the heroine is amazing except when she’s foolishly giving herself to the hero WHEN HE DOESN’T DESERVE HER AT ALL but anyway. It is what it is.
, a lot ALOT has happened, there is so much agony and twist and turns and hurt I feel like Ive grown 20 years since i first started reading it. It literally feels like a fever dream🤣 So, brace yourselves <3333
Im glad I went in blind otherwise i wouldn’t have read the book
no seriously, it just kept getting progressively worse and darker i wanted to tear my hair out but i loved the first 30-40% so much that i couldn’t rate it less than a 4.
Guys. If you think you know what you’re getting yourselves into, you’re WRONG
And if you think the hero is redeemable, lovable in any sense of the word, not a complete and utter villain, YOU’RE COMPLETELY TRULY WHOLEHEARTEDLY WRONG
He’s the worst hero I have ever known
And the heroine is amazing except when she’s foolishly giving herself to the hero WHEN HE DOESN’T DESERVE HER AT ALL but anyway. It is what it is.
, a lot ALOT has happened, there is so much agony and twist and turns and hurt I feel like Ive grown 20 years since i first started reading it. It literally feels like a fever dream🤣 So, brace yourselves <3333
November 15, 2023
3.5 ⭐️ Thinking back I have no idea what happened. I can only recall the ending, oh how I hated that ending! All of the build up for that? I did love Rhawnie. I loved her spirit, I loved how she used the negative experiences in her life as lessons learned. I will miss her💗
October 14, 2015
Rating: 3.5 stars
As with a lot of books written in the 70s and 80s, this could have had large chunks edited out to make it a better read, but even though Rhawnie and Seth got stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of 'I love you, I hate you,' I loved them. So much chemistry, so much passion. Shame the increasingly silly adventures got in the way, but I guess that's part and parcel of these old doorstoppers!
As with a lot of books written in the 70s and 80s, this could have had large chunks edited out to make it a better read, but even though Rhawnie and Seth got stuck in a seemingly endless cycle of 'I love you, I hate you,' I loved them. So much chemistry, so much passion. Shame the increasingly silly adventures got in the way, but I guess that's part and parcel of these old doorstoppers!
May 28, 2013
I have read this book many times.
June 28, 2025
Rhawnie was born in a Romani encampment in Russia, but a murder and an encounter with a man she is fated to follow to the ends of the earth launch her on a path that will see her go halfway across the globe.
It took me way too long to realize that Rhawnie is a corruption of the Indian name Rani, which means 'queen'.
This is a nice and long and adventurous bodice ripper of the kind I like perfectly. What sets it apart from many others I've read is the character of Rhawnie, who is a warm-hearted inveterate liar, more the heroine of a picaresque than a romance. She's an unapologetic rascal, but you like her all the more for it. Her narration is by turns hilarious and heart-breaking, but she always manages to pick herself up no matter what.
That she admits both to herself and to the reader that the hero Seth is a complete bastard yet she loves him anyway is cathartic - that she's proven she doesn't need him but chooses him anyway is touching. I myself am more ambivalent about him, especially since pretty much he lacks as tragic a past as most misogynistic heroes in bodice rippers, and nearly all his problems are of his own making. I rest assured that he is definitely a complete bastard, of course.
Sections of some of Rhawnie's adventures are less interesting to me that others, and time does take on strange distortions, with several important years passing by in the span of a few pages. The misadventure that leads to the end of the book is a little all over the place, but it does wrap up some dangling plotlines and gives us a suitably satisfying dramatic ending, so I don't mind so much.
It took me way too long to realize that Rhawnie is a corruption of the Indian name Rani, which means 'queen'.
This is a nice and long and adventurous bodice ripper of the kind I like perfectly. What sets it apart from many others I've read is the character of Rhawnie, who is a warm-hearted inveterate liar, more the heroine of a picaresque than a romance. She's an unapologetic rascal, but you like her all the more for it. Her narration is by turns hilarious and heart-breaking, but she always manages to pick herself up no matter what.
That she admits both to herself and to the reader that the hero Seth is a complete bastard yet she loves him anyway is cathartic - that she's proven she doesn't need him but chooses him anyway is touching. I myself am more ambivalent about him, especially since pretty much he lacks as tragic a past as most misogynistic heroes in bodice rippers, and nearly all his problems are of his own making. I rest assured that he is definitely a complete bastard, of course.
Sections of some of Rhawnie's adventures are less interesting to me that others, and time does take on strange distortions, with several important years passing by in the span of a few pages. The misadventure that leads to the end of the book is a little all over the place, but it does wrap up some dangling plotlines and gives us a suitably satisfying dramatic ending, so I don't mind so much.
September 9, 2019
I have chosen the book because of the strong name and reviews but unfortunately it was not as it was mentioned. Heroine was too young some what 14 or 15 but overly mature, over smart and over confident 😐whereas hero was not strong enough. Like what was the problem with him 🙄 whatever was the reason it was not clearly explained and it was messy.He had left the heroine most of the time and was not faithful . Whereas heroine was sure that she had always loved hero but still she was not faithful beside this how she liked both brothers. She wanted to marry one brother and was sleeping with other. I didn't like the story.
January 28, 2018
Me gustó mucho más la precuela con Elise Lesconflair, pero ha sido una lectura entretenida. Rahwney es vivaracha y un terremoto pero Seth es un auténtico horror: mohino, terco, poco cariñoso... Ni siquiera es clara su descripción física pues parece que tiene jeta de patibulario... Confieso que los BRippers ne encantan y que yo a la Peters le perdono todo, pero que el libro tiene debilidades, es innegable.
September 23, 2011
Not sure I would recommend this- Could not really relate to the two main characters. They did not treat each other very well. Love wins out in the end but not sure I liked the way that they got there.
February 13, 2016
drama filled and highly entertaining...you name it, it probably happened to our gypsy heroine.
December 16, 2022
Hmmmm very toxic.
February 13, 2022
This book is like witnessing a train wreck. You can’t help but stick around for the bloody, twisted, torturous end. Our crazy heroine Rhawnie, is a half gypsy free bird who gets mixed up with our sadistic anti-hero Seth as a teenager. Her uncle bets her virginity to Seth in a card game- and loses. She is an unrepentant liar, thief, and schemer but she wants to get away from her rapist uncle and uses Seth as an out.
Seth, oh Seth, you awful bastard. He’s an unrepentant rake, schemer, adulterer, gambler and overall commits just about every heinous sin known to man. He’s verbally, physically, emotionally and mentally abusive to Rhawnie until the final few pages of the book. He ruins her in society forcing her to become his mistress. Keeps her practically locked up in his house, always watching her every move. Bloodies her nose in a drunken fit. Calls her horrible names. Cheats on her and doesn’t give a damn if she knows it. Threatens to kill her and break her arm. Tells her to abort their child AND walks out on her- twice.
I’m sure I’m forgetting more torment he put her through but that’s enough. This is a roller coaster of disaster and a good look into two very toxic, unstable people. Even so, I couldn’t put it down. I had to finish seeing the train wreck to the bitter end because their story is captivating.
Seth, oh Seth, you awful bastard. He’s an unrepentant rake, schemer, adulterer, gambler and overall commits just about every heinous sin known to man. He’s verbally, physically, emotionally and mentally abusive to Rhawnie until the final few pages of the book. He ruins her in society forcing her to become his mistress. Keeps her practically locked up in his house, always watching her every move. Bloodies her nose in a drunken fit. Calls her horrible names. Cheats on her and doesn’t give a damn if she knows it. Threatens to kill her and break her arm. Tells her to abort their child AND walks out on her- twice.
I’m sure I’m forgetting more torment he put her through but that’s enough. This is a roller coaster of disaster and a good look into two very toxic, unstable people. Even so, I couldn’t put it down. I had to finish seeing the train wreck to the bitter end because their story is captivating.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 1, 2025
The heroine in this book is unlike any other. I’ve never quite read a historical romance like this one. It was very toxic but for some reason in a sort of modern way? He was obsessed with her and was making her gamble and they would fight and make love in that exact order and it just reminded me of a modern dark romance. Loved and devoured!!!
And I was so shocked to find there was no rape in this book. After all, this book comes from the same author who wrote Savage Surender. Which had pages and pages, encounter after encounter of the heroine being sexually abused by just about every man she came into contact with, even the hero. I had to make a pros and cons list before starting this book to see if it was worth all I thought it was going to put me through. But guess what??? No rape I was so shocked and relieved.
5 stars!!!!!
And I was so shocked to find there was no rape in this book. After all, this book comes from the same author who wrote Savage Surender. Which had pages and pages, encounter after encounter of the heroine being sexually abused by just about every man she came into contact with, even the hero. I had to make a pros and cons list before starting this book to see if it was worth all I thought it was going to put me through. But guess what??? No rape I was so shocked and relieved.
5 stars!!!!!
December 5, 2022
I can't believe how many people seem to love Natasha Peters's books. I gave this one a try as a second chance after attempting to read "Savage Surrender" (and nearly tossing up my dinner in the process) and I can now give my honest opinion of her books:
I THINK THEY'RE CRAP.
Unless you're into multiple rapes, torture, perpetual lust/hate fests between the so-called H and h, lots of nasty, snarky comments and insults, enslaved people being treated abominably, sailors going berserk, forced drug addiction, horrible beatings and abuse, the h being made a psycho's sex toy, and other assorted goodies, stay away from these two books.
I THINK THEY'RE CRAP.
Unless you're into multiple rapes, torture, perpetual lust/hate fests between the so-called H and h, lots of nasty, snarky comments and insults, enslaved people being treated abominably, sailors going berserk, forced drug addiction, horrible beatings and abuse, the h being made a psycho's sex toy, and other assorted goodies, stay away from these two books.
June 8, 2023
Ive said it before and I'll say it again
I HATE CHEATING BASTARDS!
you abuse, use, torment the heroine I will tolerate it but CHEATING, na, NO!
That being said I think I was done with my bodice ripper era but I thought this books would get me back into that landia but half way through the book I realized the said problem.
Overall Rhawnie was not your regular FMC she was resilient and naive at the same time but she was Good I really like her.
You'll get the unexpected and may or may not like it.
As we know this is BR land you either go big or go home! Lmao
Love,
fiona
I HATE CHEATING BASTARDS!
you abuse, use, torment the heroine I will tolerate it but CHEATING, na, NO!
That being said I think I was done with my bodice ripper era but I thought this books would get me back into that landia but half way through the book I realized the said problem.
Overall Rhawnie was not your regular FMC she was resilient and naive at the same time but she was Good I really like her.
You'll get the unexpected and may or may not like it.
As we know this is BR land you either go big or go home! Lmao
Love,
fiona
August 20, 2023
4.5 stars
This book feels like a marathon. Towards the end, I found myself skimming over some of the 'adventure' pieces so we could get to the good parts. I really like the heroine. She was fun, strong and enthralling. The hero was aloof and brutal most of the book. I don't know that I fully got to know him by the end of the book because he said so little about himself.
Even with this book being 584 pages I found myself burning the midnight oil because I couldn't put it down.
This book feels like a marathon. Towards the end, I found myself skimming over some of the 'adventure' pieces so we could get to the good parts. I really like the heroine. She was fun, strong and enthralling. The hero was aloof and brutal most of the book. I don't know that I fully got to know him by the end of the book because he said so little about himself.
Even with this book being 584 pages I found myself burning the midnight oil because I couldn't put it down.
December 16, 2024
Calling all dark romance readers! If you can find it, grab it.
Rating,
Dangerous Obsession: 5 ⭐️
Plot: 3 ⭐️
Writing: 5 ⭐️
Characters: 4.5 ⭐️
Normal reader spicy: 5 out of 5 🌶️
Spicy readers / veterans: 2 out of 5 🌶️
This pretty much has every trigger warning you can think of. No joke!
But this is a must read for anyone who enjoys dark romance. 🎢
Rating,
Dangerous Obsession: 5 ⭐️
Plot: 3 ⭐️
Writing: 5 ⭐️
Characters: 4.5 ⭐️
Normal reader spicy: 5 out of 5 🌶️
Spicy readers / veterans: 2 out of 5 🌶️
This pretty much has every trigger warning you can think of. No joke!
But this is a must read for anyone who enjoys dark romance. 🎢
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews