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My Bought Virgin Wife
She’s mine…
But will her innocence break all my rules?
I’ve never wanted anything like I want heiress Imogen Fitzalan. I married her to secure my empire— but my untouched wife has ignited an undeniable hunger in me. Desire beyond reason wasn’t my plan, yet now I have a new to strip away her obedience, and replace it with a fierce passion to match my own…
But will her innocence break all my rules?
I’ve never wanted anything like I want heiress Imogen Fitzalan. I married her to secure my empire— but my untouched wife has ignited an undeniable hunger in me. Desire beyond reason wasn’t my plan, yet now I have a new to strip away her obedience, and replace it with a fierce passion to match my own…
193 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2019
107 people are currently reading
165 people want to read
About the author
Caitlin Crews
1,096 books595 followersCaitlin Crews discovered her first romance novel at the age of twelve, in a bargain bin at the local five and dime. It involved swashbuckling pirates, grand adventures, a heroine with rustling skirts and a mind of her own, and a seriously mouthwatering and masterful hero. The book (the title of which remains lost in the mists of time) made a serious impression. Caitlin was immediately smitten with romances and romance heroes, to the detriment of her middle school social life. And so began her life-long love affair with romance novels, many of which she insists on keeping near her at all times, thus creating a fire hazard of love wherever she lives.
Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England and Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised near New York City, and fell in love with London on her first visit when she was a teenager. She has backpacked in Zimbabwe, been on safari in Botswana, and visited tiny villages in Namibia. She has, while visiting the place in question, declared her intention to live in Prague, Dublin, Paris, Athens, Nice, the Greek Islands, Rome, Venice, and/or any of the Hawaiian islands. Writing about exotic places seems like the next best thing to actually moving there.
She currently lives in Oregon with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.
Caitlin has made her home in places as far-flung as York, England and Atlanta, Georgia. She was raised near New York City, and fell in love with London on her first visit when she was a teenager. She has backpacked in Zimbabwe, been on safari in Botswana, and visited tiny villages in Namibia. She has, while visiting the place in question, declared her intention to live in Prague, Dublin, Paris, Athens, Nice, the Greek Islands, Rome, Venice, and/or any of the Hawaiian islands. Writing about exotic places seems like the next best thing to actually moving there.
She currently lives in Oregon with her animator/comic book artist husband and their menagerie of ridiculous animals.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
December 11, 2018
An HP novel written in the first person narrative voice, with alternating POV from the H and heroine. Each chapter is told from the POV of one of the two MC's.
IN THE MORNING I was to marry a monster.
I admit that this grabbed my attention with that very dramatic and provocative opening sentence. I spent the entire first chapter pondering whether or not this novel's H was going to be one of those dark, anti-hero figures. I had no idea where the author was going with all of this until I got to chapter 2 and that's when I became totally intrigued by this bit of information, taken straight from the thoughts of the H himself:
Yet here she was. It was the futility of it, I thought. My Don Quixote bride with her wild hair, tilting at windmills and scowling all the while. It made something in my chest tighten.
The term "tilting at windmills" is coined from a scenario in Don Quixote , where the protagonist arrives at a plain, filled with about 30-40 windmills and thinks that they are monsters ! Lol. He goes off on his heroic tangent, armed with his trusty lance and he attacks the "monsters". It is futile, of course and this term "tilting at windmills" is often used when someone suggests that another person is attacking imaginary enemies. The idea that came to mind when I read the line in Caitlin Crews' novel, was that maybe it's her way of showing that Imogen is the knight errant and the H, Javier, is her idea of the imaginary monster. Javier definitely felt that Imogen was out to "slay" him except that she didn't have a lance; her wild red-gold curls represented her lance.
This is an illustration of Don Quixote "tilting at windmills":
I love the classic masterpiece Don Quixote so I was excited to see if Caitlin Crews had just written this sentence in isolation or, if she intended to do a miniature homage to the grand novel in this HP outing. As I continued to read, I kept picking up lots of little clues and I grew even more excited when the pattern developed: it was obvious that the author was using the Don Quixote allusions for a definite reason. In this novel, the author switches it up a bit by comparing her heroine Imogen to the protagonist and titular figure in Don Quixote . In Cervantes' Don Quixote, the titular H is an eccentric old man who wants to be a chivalrous knight so he goes off on these insane quests looking for monsters and giants to slay. He's an eccentric, tragicomic character who's also a bit pitiful. But our heroine, while being victimized by her sister and father, is not pitiful !
She's a feisty, quirky little heroine who has lived in her sister's shadow all her life and is hurt, on a daily basis, by her father's disparaging remarks and emotional cruelty. There are repeated references to Imogen's red-gold curls and it becomes obvious that her curls symbolize her power: her wild, untamable red-gold curls give her an unique identity. I love the author's imagery in this novel ! In chapter 4, the idea is developed further when Javier thinks of her again in the following manner:
Imogen. Red-gold and wild. Tilting at windmills from all sides.
This is Imogen:
And Javier himself brings up the issue of him being a "monster":
“It is in their best interests to call me a monster, because who could be expected to prevail against a creature of myth and lore? Their own shortcomings and failures are of no consequence, you understand. Not if I am a monster instead of a man.”
Her gaze searched my face. “You want to be a monster, then. You enjoy it.”
“You can call me whatever you like. I will marry you all the same.”
Javier is not an actual monster, of course. He's a very sexy looking man on the outside. He's portrayed as a monster because of his super ruthless business practices and his cold, unyielding personality. Javier is also a modern day conqueror and collector: he conquers via financial takeovers and he collects only the finest of everything because his aim is to prove that he is the best among all rich men. He was born in the slums of Madrid, to criminal parents who sold drugs and forced him to sell for them until he was old enough to escape and forge an independent productive life for himself. But his sordid backstory has scarred him emotionally and psychologically because he hides a huge inferiority complex. He is driven by the need to rise to the top and prove that he is richer and more powerful than every other man. But, the only thing his money cannot purchase is an aristocratic lineage. Javier is a complex H who spurns all notions of nobility, despises the blue blooded upper class yet yearns to marry a trophy wife from within that group !
This is Javier:
That's where Imogen comes into his plans. She's an aristocrat from the famous Fitzalan family in France and she's the woman he's chosen as his bride. Ten years before the story began, Javier had wanted to marry her older sister Celeste. But, he was NOT in love with Celeste and had NEVER had a sexual relationship with that hagwitch. Celeste was the ultimate in perfect, aristocratic blonde beauty and that's why Javier had wanted to marry her; she was to be just another item in his grand collection. I wouldn't have enjoyed this novel if that had not been the case. Celeste, while being attracted to Javier, had chosen to follow her snobbish father's dictates and marry a decrepit old French Count because she wanted to be a countess.
When the story starts, however, it is obvious that Celeste has major regrets and still wants Javier. The good thing is that he has absolutely zero feelings for her; in fact, he is only filled with distaste whenever she's around him. Imogen, for her part, didn't want to marry Javier because her dreams were of a more romantic nature. She wanted true love and was even infatuated with a handsome, blue eyed stable boy with whom she'd never spoken. Imogen, like the titular protagonist of Don Quixote , was a dreamer and a reader: she loved books so much. In chapter 3, her ruthless evil father scolds her for her tendency:
"to retreat into these books you love so much, unnatural as you are."
I felt sorry for the lonely, unloved Imogen who only wanted the freedom to shape her own destiny:
Caitlin Crews' fabulous skill with prose, evocative imagery and strong storytelling skills are three of the highlights of this novel. She has often been a "hit or miss" author for me; I've found that when she's good, she really quite impressive but when she's not, it's a major disappointment. Maybe, it's because she takes huge risks when it comes to crafting her storylines because not every risk is guaranteed to appeal to every reader all the time. I enjoyed The Bride's Baby of Shame a lot and it ended up being one of my favourite HP's for this year. That novel was written using the traditional or conventional HP template, but this one was more intriguing because it made my brain perk up a lot ! It's not often that that happens when I read a romance novel and I quite enjoyed analyzing her miniature homage to Don Quixote . I have to confess, though, that I might not have enjoyed this so much if I had read it as a teenager who knew nothing about Don Quixote . My concept and interpretation would've been totally different ! I guess there is one perk to being a well read 29 year old woman...
I loved reading about how Imogen gradually "slew" her "monster" with the power of her love and her untamable red-gold curls. They start off as absolute strangers in a cold arranged marriage, where she is brokered as the pawn in a power game where her father gets money and Javier gets a trophy wife. Interestingly enough, it's obvious from the start that the "monster" Javier is vulnerable to the charms of the quirky, adorable young woman with her crazy curls. There's a scene right after their wedding ceremony, when he looks at her flat ironed hair twisted up into a sophisticated chignon and demands a return of the red gold curls. Lol. I shouldn't laugh because it's quite symbolic and significant to the Don Quixote comparison except that in this case, Imogen uses her curls to slay her monster.
She looked perfect, it was true. But she did not look like Imogen. She did not look like my Don Quixote bride, who carried windmills in her smile and an irrepressible spirit in her wild red-gold curls.
There's a very sexy scene where he's overcome with lust for her after she washes her hair and the curls are back again. He takes her virginity on a table in the magnificent villa on his private island, La Angelita. After this happens, Imogen begins to weave her spell on him but he fights it with his every last breath even while he cannot stop himself from making love to her many times each day. An interesting thing happens in this novel: the heroine is the one who declares her love first ! Some readers will be turned off by this and see it as a woman chasing after a man. I'm not usually a fan of this either, because I prefer it when the man does the chasing. But, in this specific novel it was crucial for this plot and developing storyline because Imogen's weapon was her love: she can only defeat her "monster" with the power of her love. Therefore I saw it is a sign of her power, as a woman, and not as a weakness or as another namby pamby heroine chasing after a man. Actually, Imogen didn't do any chasing; she merely told Javier that she loved him and left him to his devices. It was simple but very effective.
Javier was totally wrecked by her avowals of love. It shattered his perceptions of marriage and forced him to acknowledge his own feelings. It was obvious to me that he also loved her but was, at that point, afraid to admit it because it would be a sign of weakness. What did this "monster" do when his "knight errant wife" slew him with her wild red-gold curls and her confession of love ? He did what most monsters do instinctively when they're faced with a frontal attack: he ran !
I was a man, not the monster they imagined I was. Or I believed I was. And no windmill, either. And if there was any creature on this earth who could make me believe in things I knew to be lies, it was this one. And I could not have that. I could not bear it. That was how I, who had never run from anything, found myself out in the Venice dawn. Running like hell from a woman with red-gold curls, an impossibly sweet smile that cut into me every time I saw it, a defiance that I wanted to taste, not crush—and no sense at all of how she had destroyed me.
The ironic thing was that he kept daily tabs on her even while he stayed away for weeks. He had his servants spy on her and provide him with daily updates on her activities. He was a bit like this sly cute doggy who is spying when he thinks no one is looking:
( And, yes, I NEEDED to use a cute doggy gif here just to be my usual ridiculous self and lighten up the serious tone of this book review ! LOL )
Javier's capitulation was awesome ! He returned to St. Angelita full of fire and fury but was once again conquered by the power of Imogen's love:
“You have ruined me,” I told her, as if I was accusing her of some dark crime. “You took my home. You took my heart when I did not think it existed to be taken. And you left me with nothing. You talk of prison? I have spent these past weeks flying from country to country, looking at every last part of my collection...and none of it matters. None of it is you. The whole world is a prison without you in it.”
This miniature feminist HPlandia homage to Don Quixote is quite good and I really had a splendid time with this book but I can't give it a higher rating because I really wanted an epilogue ! I call it a feminist homage because it is the shy, quiet heroine who's given the symbolic role of conqueror and female "knight errant". It also didn't fill me with major gleeful sighs of romantic splendor. That's because I prefer HP novels that are more traditional. I don't like to think too much when I read an HP novel. Lol. But, I chose to rate this with 4 stars because the writing is good and it kept my attention throughout. Good writing deserves to be rewarded even if it's not the exact style of storytelling that I usually prefer. And, it definitely didn't bore me ! It does end with news that the couple are expecting a baby but I wished there had been more solid proof of Javier's intentions to destroy Imogen's father financially. He had mentioned that he was going to do it as his way of avenging Dermot Fitzalan's emotionally abusive treatment of Imogen. I didn't mind that her sister got no grand comeuppance for being a jealous evil bitch because it was evident, from the scene at the ball in Venice, that Celeste was bitter and tormented, living in an unhappy gilded prison with an old and dour husband who didn't love her. Perhaps that's a little comeuppance for all the nasty things she said to the heroine ?
Safety:No cheating, no OM and no OM. Both MC's were celibate during the few short weeks of their separation.
IN THE MORNING I was to marry a monster.
I admit that this grabbed my attention with that very dramatic and provocative opening sentence. I spent the entire first chapter pondering whether or not this novel's H was going to be one of those dark, anti-hero figures. I had no idea where the author was going with all of this until I got to chapter 2 and that's when I became totally intrigued by this bit of information, taken straight from the thoughts of the H himself:
Yet here she was. It was the futility of it, I thought. My Don Quixote bride with her wild hair, tilting at windmills and scowling all the while. It made something in my chest tighten.
The term "tilting at windmills" is coined from a scenario in Don Quixote , where the protagonist arrives at a plain, filled with about 30-40 windmills and thinks that they are monsters ! Lol. He goes off on his heroic tangent, armed with his trusty lance and he attacks the "monsters". It is futile, of course and this term "tilting at windmills" is often used when someone suggests that another person is attacking imaginary enemies. The idea that came to mind when I read the line in Caitlin Crews' novel, was that maybe it's her way of showing that Imogen is the knight errant and the H, Javier, is her idea of the imaginary monster. Javier definitely felt that Imogen was out to "slay" him except that she didn't have a lance; her wild red-gold curls represented her lance.
This is an illustration of Don Quixote "tilting at windmills":
I love the classic masterpiece Don Quixote so I was excited to see if Caitlin Crews had just written this sentence in isolation or, if she intended to do a miniature homage to the grand novel in this HP outing. As I continued to read, I kept picking up lots of little clues and I grew even more excited when the pattern developed: it was obvious that the author was using the Don Quixote allusions for a definite reason. In this novel, the author switches it up a bit by comparing her heroine Imogen to the protagonist and titular figure in Don Quixote . In Cervantes' Don Quixote, the titular H is an eccentric old man who wants to be a chivalrous knight so he goes off on these insane quests looking for monsters and giants to slay. He's an eccentric, tragicomic character who's also a bit pitiful. But our heroine, while being victimized by her sister and father, is not pitiful !
She's a feisty, quirky little heroine who has lived in her sister's shadow all her life and is hurt, on a daily basis, by her father's disparaging remarks and emotional cruelty. There are repeated references to Imogen's red-gold curls and it becomes obvious that her curls symbolize her power: her wild, untamable red-gold curls give her an unique identity. I love the author's imagery in this novel ! In chapter 4, the idea is developed further when Javier thinks of her again in the following manner:
Imogen. Red-gold and wild. Tilting at windmills from all sides.
This is Imogen:
And Javier himself brings up the issue of him being a "monster":
“It is in their best interests to call me a monster, because who could be expected to prevail against a creature of myth and lore? Their own shortcomings and failures are of no consequence, you understand. Not if I am a monster instead of a man.”
Her gaze searched my face. “You want to be a monster, then. You enjoy it.”
“You can call me whatever you like. I will marry you all the same.”
Javier is not an actual monster, of course. He's a very sexy looking man on the outside. He's portrayed as a monster because of his super ruthless business practices and his cold, unyielding personality. Javier is also a modern day conqueror and collector: he conquers via financial takeovers and he collects only the finest of everything because his aim is to prove that he is the best among all rich men. He was born in the slums of Madrid, to criminal parents who sold drugs and forced him to sell for them until he was old enough to escape and forge an independent productive life for himself. But his sordid backstory has scarred him emotionally and psychologically because he hides a huge inferiority complex. He is driven by the need to rise to the top and prove that he is richer and more powerful than every other man. But, the only thing his money cannot purchase is an aristocratic lineage. Javier is a complex H who spurns all notions of nobility, despises the blue blooded upper class yet yearns to marry a trophy wife from within that group !
This is Javier:
That's where Imogen comes into his plans. She's an aristocrat from the famous Fitzalan family in France and she's the woman he's chosen as his bride. Ten years before the story began, Javier had wanted to marry her older sister Celeste. But, he was NOT in love with Celeste and had NEVER had a sexual relationship with that hagwitch. Celeste was the ultimate in perfect, aristocratic blonde beauty and that's why Javier had wanted to marry her; she was to be just another item in his grand collection. I wouldn't have enjoyed this novel if that had not been the case. Celeste, while being attracted to Javier, had chosen to follow her snobbish father's dictates and marry a decrepit old French Count because she wanted to be a countess.
When the story starts, however, it is obvious that Celeste has major regrets and still wants Javier. The good thing is that he has absolutely zero feelings for her; in fact, he is only filled with distaste whenever she's around him. Imogen, for her part, didn't want to marry Javier because her dreams were of a more romantic nature. She wanted true love and was even infatuated with a handsome, blue eyed stable boy with whom she'd never spoken. Imogen, like the titular protagonist of Don Quixote , was a dreamer and a reader: she loved books so much. In chapter 3, her ruthless evil father scolds her for her tendency:
"to retreat into these books you love so much, unnatural as you are."
I felt sorry for the lonely, unloved Imogen who only wanted the freedom to shape her own destiny:
Caitlin Crews' fabulous skill with prose, evocative imagery and strong storytelling skills are three of the highlights of this novel. She has often been a "hit or miss" author for me; I've found that when she's good, she really quite impressive but when she's not, it's a major disappointment. Maybe, it's because she takes huge risks when it comes to crafting her storylines because not every risk is guaranteed to appeal to every reader all the time. I enjoyed The Bride's Baby of Shame a lot and it ended up being one of my favourite HP's for this year. That novel was written using the traditional or conventional HP template, but this one was more intriguing because it made my brain perk up a lot ! It's not often that that happens when I read a romance novel and I quite enjoyed analyzing her miniature homage to Don Quixote . I have to confess, though, that I might not have enjoyed this so much if I had read it as a teenager who knew nothing about Don Quixote . My concept and interpretation would've been totally different ! I guess there is one perk to being a well read 29 year old woman...
I loved reading about how Imogen gradually "slew" her "monster" with the power of her love and her untamable red-gold curls. They start off as absolute strangers in a cold arranged marriage, where she is brokered as the pawn in a power game where her father gets money and Javier gets a trophy wife. Interestingly enough, it's obvious from the start that the "monster" Javier is vulnerable to the charms of the quirky, adorable young woman with her crazy curls. There's a scene right after their wedding ceremony, when he looks at her flat ironed hair twisted up into a sophisticated chignon and demands a return of the red gold curls. Lol. I shouldn't laugh because it's quite symbolic and significant to the Don Quixote comparison except that in this case, Imogen uses her curls to slay her monster.
She looked perfect, it was true. But she did not look like Imogen. She did not look like my Don Quixote bride, who carried windmills in her smile and an irrepressible spirit in her wild red-gold curls.
There's a very sexy scene where he's overcome with lust for her after she washes her hair and the curls are back again. He takes her virginity on a table in the magnificent villa on his private island, La Angelita. After this happens, Imogen begins to weave her spell on him but he fights it with his every last breath even while he cannot stop himself from making love to her many times each day. An interesting thing happens in this novel: the heroine is the one who declares her love first ! Some readers will be turned off by this and see it as a woman chasing after a man. I'm not usually a fan of this either, because I prefer it when the man does the chasing. But, in this specific novel it was crucial for this plot and developing storyline because Imogen's weapon was her love: she can only defeat her "monster" with the power of her love. Therefore I saw it is a sign of her power, as a woman, and not as a weakness or as another namby pamby heroine chasing after a man. Actually, Imogen didn't do any chasing; she merely told Javier that she loved him and left him to his devices. It was simple but very effective.
Javier was totally wrecked by her avowals of love. It shattered his perceptions of marriage and forced him to acknowledge his own feelings. It was obvious to me that he also loved her but was, at that point, afraid to admit it because it would be a sign of weakness. What did this "monster" do when his "knight errant wife" slew him with her wild red-gold curls and her confession of love ? He did what most monsters do instinctively when they're faced with a frontal attack: he ran !
I was a man, not the monster they imagined I was. Or I believed I was. And no windmill, either. And if there was any creature on this earth who could make me believe in things I knew to be lies, it was this one. And I could not have that. I could not bear it. That was how I, who had never run from anything, found myself out in the Venice dawn. Running like hell from a woman with red-gold curls, an impossibly sweet smile that cut into me every time I saw it, a defiance that I wanted to taste, not crush—and no sense at all of how she had destroyed me.
The ironic thing was that he kept daily tabs on her even while he stayed away for weeks. He had his servants spy on her and provide him with daily updates on her activities. He was a bit like this sly cute doggy who is spying when he thinks no one is looking:
( And, yes, I NEEDED to use a cute doggy gif here just to be my usual ridiculous self and lighten up the serious tone of this book review ! LOL )
Javier's capitulation was awesome ! He returned to St. Angelita full of fire and fury but was once again conquered by the power of Imogen's love:
“You have ruined me,” I told her, as if I was accusing her of some dark crime. “You took my home. You took my heart when I did not think it existed to be taken. And you left me with nothing. You talk of prison? I have spent these past weeks flying from country to country, looking at every last part of my collection...and none of it matters. None of it is you. The whole world is a prison without you in it.”
This miniature feminist HPlandia homage to Don Quixote is quite good and I really had a splendid time with this book but I can't give it a higher rating because I really wanted an epilogue ! I call it a feminist homage because it is the shy, quiet heroine who's given the symbolic role of conqueror and female "knight errant". It also didn't fill me with major gleeful sighs of romantic splendor. That's because I prefer HP novels that are more traditional. I don't like to think too much when I read an HP novel. Lol. But, I chose to rate this with 4 stars because the writing is good and it kept my attention throughout. Good writing deserves to be rewarded even if it's not the exact style of storytelling that I usually prefer. And, it definitely didn't bore me ! It does end with news that the couple are expecting a baby but I wished there had been more solid proof of Javier's intentions to destroy Imogen's father financially. He had mentioned that he was going to do it as his way of avenging Dermot Fitzalan's emotionally abusive treatment of Imogen. I didn't mind that her sister got no grand comeuppance for being a jealous evil bitch because it was evident, from the scene at the ball in Venice, that Celeste was bitter and tormented, living in an unhappy gilded prison with an old and dour husband who didn't love her. Perhaps that's a little comeuppance for all the nasty things she said to the heroine ?
Safety:No cheating, no OM and no OM. Both MC's were celibate during the few short weeks of their separation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 30, 2018
First person POV alert! *Alternating* first person POV alert.
Other possible triggers: hero was with heroine’s sister 8 years before.
It’s never really answered if the hero had sex with the sister since this is first person POV and the heroine never asks out loud – just thinks it. The hero has absolutely no sexual/emotional/any attraction to the sister - so whatever happened in the past stayed in the past.
Now with all of those disclaimers/triggers out of the way, I’ll cover the plot. Self-made hero finally gets his blue-blood wife when the convent-raised heroine is sold by her father -sight unseen- to the hero. The heroine has been raised knowing her father hates her (and her curly hair) and that her fate is to be sold into marriage.
If this sounds like a modern-day Regency, it is.
The story opens with the heroine’s sister telling the heroine that she will be marrying a “monster.” The sister still has the hots for the hero and now that she has given her ancient count an heir and a spare, she is free to play around. Heroine doesn’t see how cold and manipulative her sister is, but is puzzled by her words and the gleam in her eye. The heroine decides to sneak into a gallery overlooking the hero’s rooms so she can get a glimpse of her groom before the wedding. Hero spies her spying on him and they have an electric encounter ending with the heroine’s orgasm by the hero’s hand. (This monster is really good, obv)
The hero is intrigued with the freckles on the nose and the red-gold hair and it’s obvious both of these wounded people are smitten. It takes the rest of the story for them to realize it.
Besides all of the hot sex scenes, there is the added bonus of the hero telling off the sister. The HEA also includes the idea that the heroine can be herself and still be the hit ofthe ton high society because hubby is rich and will protect her always.
Depending how you feel about first person POV and hothouse kind of atmosphere (the H/h are in a world of their own for the most part), will determine your enjoyment of this story. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit slow in parts. Heroine is a dreamy bookwork and you have to laze along with her. Still, I found her likable as well as the hero.
Other possible triggers: hero was with heroine’s sister 8 years before.
It’s never really answered if the hero had sex with the sister since this is first person POV and the heroine never asks out loud – just thinks it. The hero has absolutely no sexual/emotional/any attraction to the sister - so whatever happened in the past stayed in the past.
Now with all of those disclaimers/triggers out of the way, I’ll cover the plot. Self-made hero finally gets his blue-blood wife when the convent-raised heroine is sold by her father -sight unseen- to the hero. The heroine has been raised knowing her father hates her (and her curly hair) and that her fate is to be sold into marriage.
If this sounds like a modern-day Regency, it is.
The story opens with the heroine’s sister telling the heroine that she will be marrying a “monster.” The sister still has the hots for the hero and now that she has given her ancient count an heir and a spare, she is free to play around. Heroine doesn’t see how cold and manipulative her sister is, but is puzzled by her words and the gleam in her eye. The heroine decides to sneak into a gallery overlooking the hero’s rooms so she can get a glimpse of her groom before the wedding. Hero spies her spying on him and they have an electric encounter ending with the heroine’s orgasm by the hero’s hand. (This monster is really good, obv)
The hero is intrigued with the freckles on the nose and the red-gold hair and it’s obvious both of these wounded people are smitten. It takes the rest of the story for them to realize it.
Besides all of the hot sex scenes, there is the added bonus of the hero telling off the sister. The HEA also includes the idea that the heroine can be herself and still be the hit of
Depending how you feel about first person POV and hothouse kind of atmosphere (the H/h are in a world of their own for the most part), will determine your enjoyment of this story. I enjoyed it, but it was a bit slow in parts. Heroine is a dreamy bookwork and you have to laze along with her. Still, I found her likable as well as the hero.
December 4, 2025
There is an extremely popular market for romance novels in which women are forced into roles of utter and complete submission. Mail-order brides. Arranged marriages. Captured by kings/sheikhs/mob bosses/CEOs and forced to do unspeakable acts. Sex slavery. The popularity of this subgenre of romance seems to belie the feminist concept of feminine independence and empowerment. Or does it?
E.L. James reinvigorated the whips-and-chains stereotypes of the bondage and discipline sado-masochism (BDSM) trope in her insanely popular novel “Fifty Shades of Grey”, which resulted in millions of husbands worldwide realizing that their wives were horny little perverts. In that book (and the subsequent sequels), an innocent young virgin is taken in by a powerful, wealthy man who likes domination and rough sex. Through total sexual submissiveness, the young woman ultimately finds love and sexual liberation.
But why is the female submission romance subgenre so popular? I understand it somewhat from a male perspective: Men love to be the one in control in a relationship. I don’t think that’s all that shocking nor politically incorrect to say. I suppose it depends on how controlling a man is willing to be.
And based upon the few romance novels I’ve read and the “Sex and the City” episodes I’ve seen, I am hazarding a guess that a lot of women, whether they admit to it or not, like it when they are being controlled. (If this results in a lot of angry comments, so be it...)
My theory is that books in this genre touch upon a latent desire in both genders for a rather outdated and politically incorrect view of sexual relationships. Whereas it may have once been acceptable for a woman to forego her own needs for a man’s, such a thought is now looked at as barbaric and misogynistic. And rightly so. Still, our collective subconscious keeps the thoughts alive. Fiction like “Fifty Shades of Grey”, essentially, acts as a vicarious fantasy fulfillment.
Caitlin Crews’s “My Bought Virgin Wife” (the title kind of sells it, doesn’t it?) falls squarely into the same female submission genre as “Fifty Shades of Grey”. The “heroine” is a young, virginal innocent named Imogen who is forced into a marriage of convenience with a powerful man of wealth named Javier. It is through complete submission to this man that she falls in love with him, which has the added bonus of making his cold, hard exterior melt away to reveal the decent and loving man inside.
This entire subgenre can be adequately explained by the archetype of “Beauty and the Beast”, in which the young innocent is captured by a monster who forces her into a life of servitude, which he thinks will break her. Instead, it only makes him realize how much of a monster he is, how much he desires to be loved, and how much he loves her. His ultimate revelation---that he is a creature both able to love and worthy of receiving love---transforms him from a monster to a handsome prince.
“My Bought Virgin Wife”, as ridiculous a story as it is, follows this archetype to a ‘T’, and it strangely works. Crews’s prose is actually quite good, and the novel is actually worlds superior to James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Plus, the sex scenes are dynamic, energetic, and actually fun to read, unlike James’s, which were as awkwardly written as one would expect from an 80-year-old nun or an agoraphobic shut-in whose only knowledge of sex is Internet porn.
I think the “Beauty and the Beast” archetype helps to explain the seemingly inexplicable popularity of female submission romance. Who doesn’t love a good monster story in which the monster eventually falls in love with the damsel he’s chasing?
It certainly makes one re-think famous monster stories, from “Frankenstein” to “King Kong” to “Silence of the Lambs”, doesn’t it?
E.L. James reinvigorated the whips-and-chains stereotypes of the bondage and discipline sado-masochism (BDSM) trope in her insanely popular novel “Fifty Shades of Grey”, which resulted in millions of husbands worldwide realizing that their wives were horny little perverts. In that book (and the subsequent sequels), an innocent young virgin is taken in by a powerful, wealthy man who likes domination and rough sex. Through total sexual submissiveness, the young woman ultimately finds love and sexual liberation.
But why is the female submission romance subgenre so popular? I understand it somewhat from a male perspective: Men love to be the one in control in a relationship. I don’t think that’s all that shocking nor politically incorrect to say. I suppose it depends on how controlling a man is willing to be.
And based upon the few romance novels I’ve read and the “Sex and the City” episodes I’ve seen, I am hazarding a guess that a lot of women, whether they admit to it or not, like it when they are being controlled. (If this results in a lot of angry comments, so be it...)
My theory is that books in this genre touch upon a latent desire in both genders for a rather outdated and politically incorrect view of sexual relationships. Whereas it may have once been acceptable for a woman to forego her own needs for a man’s, such a thought is now looked at as barbaric and misogynistic. And rightly so. Still, our collective subconscious keeps the thoughts alive. Fiction like “Fifty Shades of Grey”, essentially, acts as a vicarious fantasy fulfillment.
Caitlin Crews’s “My Bought Virgin Wife” (the title kind of sells it, doesn’t it?) falls squarely into the same female submission genre as “Fifty Shades of Grey”. The “heroine” is a young, virginal innocent named Imogen who is forced into a marriage of convenience with a powerful man of wealth named Javier. It is through complete submission to this man that she falls in love with him, which has the added bonus of making his cold, hard exterior melt away to reveal the decent and loving man inside.
This entire subgenre can be adequately explained by the archetype of “Beauty and the Beast”, in which the young innocent is captured by a monster who forces her into a life of servitude, which he thinks will break her. Instead, it only makes him realize how much of a monster he is, how much he desires to be loved, and how much he loves her. His ultimate revelation---that he is a creature both able to love and worthy of receiving love---transforms him from a monster to a handsome prince.
“My Bought Virgin Wife”, as ridiculous a story as it is, follows this archetype to a ‘T’, and it strangely works. Crews’s prose is actually quite good, and the novel is actually worlds superior to James’s “Fifty Shades of Grey”. Plus, the sex scenes are dynamic, energetic, and actually fun to read, unlike James’s, which were as awkwardly written as one would expect from an 80-year-old nun or an agoraphobic shut-in whose only knowledge of sex is Internet porn.
I think the “Beauty and the Beast” archetype helps to explain the seemingly inexplicable popularity of female submission romance. Who doesn’t love a good monster story in which the monster eventually falls in love with the damsel he’s chasing?
It certainly makes one re-think famous monster stories, from “Frankenstein” to “King Kong” to “Silence of the Lambs”, doesn’t it?
March 31, 2019
Imogen: IN THE MORNING I was to marry a monster.
*****************
Next to my half sister, I had always felt like the Fitzalan troll, better suited to a life beneath a bridge somewhere than the grand society life I’d been bred and trained for.
******************
Javier: WAS A man built from lies.
This had a fairy tale element in the way Crews wrote the story. The heroine is the unwanted, unloved younger daughter that is going to be sacrificed/married off to the Beast/hero for money. The H wasn't good enough for the older, viperish half-sister, but is good enough for the heroine. The older sister is now married to a weaselly old Duke or Baron and now that's she delivered the heir and spare wants to jump back into an affair with the H. She has a hard time comprehending his lack of interest now.
The hero is yet another shut off H due to a horrific childhood and his own equally awful and unloving family. Despite himself he's drawn to the heroine's more madcap ways although years before he had chased the older sister. I'm going to just tell myself it never got physical between the H and the evil spawn so no sister to sister hanky pinky.
It's been over a week since I read it, and I've already forgotten a lot, but it was enjoyable. The heroine could have been a little spunkier and feisty but she's strong enough to lay her emotions on the line for the hero. HEA, and nice to know that the big sister is stuck in a hell of her own making. I would have preferred she die falling from a cliff or something, but a debauched and paunchy husband will have to do.
P.S. I love, love, love this cover.
*****************
Next to my half sister, I had always felt like the Fitzalan troll, better suited to a life beneath a bridge somewhere than the grand society life I’d been bred and trained for.
******************
Javier: WAS A man built from lies.
This had a fairy tale element in the way Crews wrote the story. The heroine is the unwanted, unloved younger daughter that is going to be sacrificed/married off to the Beast/hero for money. The H wasn't good enough for the older, viperish half-sister, but is good enough for the heroine. The older sister is now married to a weaselly old Duke or Baron and now that's she delivered the heir and spare wants to jump back into an affair with the H. She has a hard time comprehending his lack of interest now.
The hero is yet another shut off H due to a horrific childhood and his own equally awful and unloving family. Despite himself he's drawn to the heroine's more madcap ways although years before he had chased the older sister. I'm going to just tell myself it never got physical between the H and the evil spawn so no sister to sister hanky pinky.
It's been over a week since I read it, and I've already forgotten a lot, but it was enjoyable. The heroine could have been a little spunkier and feisty but she's strong enough to lay her emotions on the line for the hero. HEA, and nice to know that the big sister is stuck in a hell of her own making. I would have preferred she die falling from a cliff or something, but a debauched and paunchy husband will have to do.
P.S. I love, love, love this cover.
March 4, 2020
Enjoyed this one quite a bit!
October 15, 2018
ARC provided by NetGalley and Harlequin in exchange for an honest review.
Imogen has been sheltered and protected all her life. Her father controlled her life and has arranged an marriage for her. Her sister was the beautiful one, but not so beautiful on the inside. The man Imogen is to marry was originally wanting her beautiful sister, but her Father had promised her to someone else.
Javier was Imogen intended groom. He came from a tough and not so wonderful childhood that left him dealing with issues through on in life. He was pretty cold and somewhat of jerk at times and I never really warmed up to him. Imogen frustrated me. She seemed weak and to easily manipulated. Imogen wasn't a very strong character/heroine in my opinion.
Javier has the money that Imogen Father is wanting and Imogen has the prestige/lineage, status that Javier is seeking.
Their relationship and the development of it was more of Imogen doing all the work/compromising and Javier getting away with way to much. I also found the ending too abrupt.
Imogen has been sheltered and protected all her life. Her father controlled her life and has arranged an marriage for her. Her sister was the beautiful one, but not so beautiful on the inside. The man Imogen is to marry was originally wanting her beautiful sister, but her Father had promised her to someone else.
Javier was Imogen intended groom. He came from a tough and not so wonderful childhood that left him dealing with issues through on in life. He was pretty cold and somewhat of jerk at times and I never really warmed up to him. Imogen frustrated me. She seemed weak and to easily manipulated. Imogen wasn't a very strong character/heroine in my opinion.
Javier has the money that Imogen Father is wanting and Imogen has the prestige/lineage, status that Javier is seeking.
Their relationship and the development of it was more of Imogen doing all the work/compromising and Javier getting away with way to much. I also found the ending too abrupt.
March 30, 2019
It was ok.
Safety Issue: It was safe with an exception. No cheating or OM/OW drama. But, The hero wanted to marry the heroine's elder sister 8 years ago. There was no clarification if the hero slept with the elder sister... But judging by the situation and heroes reaction I am guessing he didn't. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt advantage.
Check out the StMargarets Review- 👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Safety Issue: It was safe with an exception. No cheating or OM/OW drama. But, The hero wanted to marry the heroine's elder sister 8 years ago. There was no clarification if the hero slept with the elder sister... But judging by the situation and heroes reaction I am guessing he didn't. I am giving him the benefit of the doubt advantage.
Check out the StMargarets Review- 👇
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
December 11, 2018
4.5 stars
"I love you,you fool "
"It isn't going to go away just because you do " she said
"You didn't come after me"
"Javier ..." she whispered one hand dropping to cradle that belly were my child grew and something in me... broke .
"You have ruined me "
"You took my home .you took my heart when I didn't think it existed to be taken "
H was a jerk and I wanted to hit him but he was a good groveling boy 😉
"I love you,you fool "
"It isn't going to go away just because you do " she said
"You didn't come after me"
"Javier ..." she whispered one hand dropping to cradle that belly were my child grew and something in me... broke .
"You have ruined me "
"You took my home .you took my heart when I didn't think it existed to be taken "
H was a jerk and I wanted to hit him but he was a good groveling boy 😉
January 2, 2019
Caitlin Crews is a very good writer. I feel angst while reading her books. I don’t like all the books, some of them are not for me but I certainly loved this one. 4,5 stars
January 24, 2020
Thanks Ivy H ... I could not remember the name of this book but I recalled her review ... so she helped me out here ... lol!
A wonderful book from CC ... when she delivers a good one, she really delivers a good one ..
smart and brave h ... powerful H ... and it was obvious from the beginning how much the h fascinated him ... so worth reading ...
A wonderful book from CC ... when she delivers a good one, she really delivers a good one ..
smart and brave h ... powerful H ... and it was obvious from the beginning how much the h fascinated him ... so worth reading ...
November 22, 2018
4.5 Stars
This was almost a perfect little romance novel! So freaking close! If not for the end where he runs off and leaves her alone for a long time....
Anyway, Imogen Fitzalan has never fit in, with her family, or the high society that she'd forced into. Now she's being forced to marry a man she doesn't know. A man that had once wanted to marry her older half sister... yeah, sounds crazy right? Well, it's all cute. Javier was actually a really nice guy, I felt so badly for him, growing up the way he did and it makes sense as to why he acts the way he does. It fits him perfectly, even if I did want to shake him and tell him to just open up and not run!
Overall, it's a sweet little novel that will have you smiling in the end.
/Thanks to NetGalley for this title in exchange for an honest review/
This was almost a perfect little romance novel! So freaking close! If not for the end where he runs off and leaves her alone for a long time....
Anyway, Imogen Fitzalan has never fit in, with her family, or the high society that she'd forced into. Now she's being forced to marry a man she doesn't know. A man that had once wanted to marry her older half sister... yeah, sounds crazy right? Well, it's all cute. Javier was actually a really nice guy, I felt so badly for him, growing up the way he did and it makes sense as to why he acts the way he does. It fits him perfectly, even if I did want to shake him and tell him to just open up and not run!
Overall, it's a sweet little novel that will have you smiling in the end.
/Thanks to NetGalley for this title in exchange for an honest review/
December 9, 2018
I loved this book! One of the better ones of late, written in a first person view, which is very unusual for a HP. Imogen and Javier were both so deserving of their HEA after the lives they had lead during their formative years. The only thing missing was an epilogue which I really wanted, if just to see Javier finally getting the huge family he so craved.
February 4, 2019
Really not as horrible as the last few I've read by this author. The hero grovels nicely at the end. And I liked the way the heroine is compared to Don Quixote. I actually mentioned the mad Don in my review of THE GUARDIAN'S VIRGIN WARD.
I wonder if CC reads her reviews!
I wonder if CC reads her reviews!
January 9, 2019
My Bought Virgin Wife by Caitlin Crews is a sexy marriage of convenience romance for a French aristocratic daughter, and a Spanish businessman looking for a society status upgrade – and finding love in the bargain.
Imogen Fitzalan is a French heiress who hasn’t had a very happy life. Her mother died when she was young, and she’s trapped with a cruel father who constantly denigrates her over her flamboyant red hair and impulsive manner, comparing her to her perfectly put together blonde half sister Celeste. Ten years earlier, Celeste had turned down the marriage suit of Javier Dos Santos. Javier is back, with the money and power to marry a Fitzalan daughter whom he desires for their blue blood to counter his own poor upbringing. It will bring him into the upper echelons of society and make others take note. But Celeste married another in the interim so Imogen is the one who will be bargained off.
Everyone says that Javier is a monster, but when he is a guest at their home prior to the wedding, she gets caught spying on him and in turn, he gives her a taste of what their marriage bed will be like. She’d thought she’d be leaving one prison for another, but in fact, it’s nothing of the kind. Once married, Javier whisks her off to his island paradise and for some idyllic days they exist only for themselves. But emotion isn’t supposed to be part of the arrangement and when Imogen finds herself falling in love with her husband, will it push him away or will he admit that she’s captured his heart too?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-my...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
Imogen Fitzalan is a French heiress who hasn’t had a very happy life. Her mother died when she was young, and she’s trapped with a cruel father who constantly denigrates her over her flamboyant red hair and impulsive manner, comparing her to her perfectly put together blonde half sister Celeste. Ten years earlier, Celeste had turned down the marriage suit of Javier Dos Santos. Javier is back, with the money and power to marry a Fitzalan daughter whom he desires for their blue blood to counter his own poor upbringing. It will bring him into the upper echelons of society and make others take note. But Celeste married another in the interim so Imogen is the one who will be bargained off.
Everyone says that Javier is a monster, but when he is a guest at their home prior to the wedding, she gets caught spying on him and in turn, he gives her a taste of what their marriage bed will be like. She’d thought she’d be leaving one prison for another, but in fact, it’s nothing of the kind. Once married, Javier whisks her off to his island paradise and for some idyllic days they exist only for themselves. But emotion isn’t supposed to be part of the arrangement and when Imogen finds herself falling in love with her husband, will it push him away or will he admit that she’s captured his heart too?
For more of this review please visit Harlequin Junkie: https://harlequinjunkie.com/review-my...
A copy of this story was provided by the publisher for review.
October 4, 2020
Als ik nog een keer moet lezen over sterke, mannelijke mannen die niet kunnen liefhebben door een lastige jeugd en vrouwen die niet weten hoe bloedmooi ze zijn en lezen als hele karakter hebben dan ga ik gillen.
Read
March 19, 2019Wew, i finished this one and i feel weird.
It is like the heroine said the sky is blue
And the hero disagreeing with her, and claims instead that the sky is in fact "blue"
This is one of those books that after you reach the end and closes it, you'll just ask yourself, 'what did i just read?'
If you enjoy reading novels with 1st person voice, you might enjoy this one or understand and connect with the book, the way i did not.
It is like the heroine said the sky is blue
And the hero disagreeing with her, and claims instead that the sky is in fact "blue"
This is one of those books that after you reach the end and closes it, you'll just ask yourself, 'what did i just read?'
If you enjoy reading novels with 1st person voice, you might enjoy this one or understand and connect with the book, the way i did not.
December 28, 2018
I read the paperback version from Mills and Boon with this cover. This is my first book that I have read by Caitlin Crews, and oh boy did it deliver. The story starts of quiet scary. Imogen Fitzalan is scared as she is about to get married in the morning to a monster, how frightening is that? How is she going to manage a man like Javier Dos Santtos? One of the most interesting stories that makes your heart go out to Imogen in her situation. Will their marriage be a happy one? I've left it open for any power and passion and romance reader to find out. Caitlin Crews also writes under the name Megan Crane.
March 1, 2019
I LOVED this book! There are great reviews out there on this, so I'll keep mine short. The H has a tragic past growing up on the streets of Madrid. The h has always felt unloved and flawed. When they meet the day before their arranged marriage sparks fly!
These two were so perfect for each other and I was so into this book. There were a few minor mentions of the Hero's OW past, but it never bothered me. He was a different man around the h and she soon had him turned inside out in love. He just needed some time to figure it out.
I found this book to be super romantic with all the feels!
Safe for me. No cheating/OW drama.
These two were so perfect for each other and I was so into this book. There were a few minor mentions of the Hero's OW past, but it never bothered me. He was a different man around the h and she soon had him turned inside out in love. He just needed some time to figure it out.
I found this book to be super romantic with all the feels!
Safe for me. No cheating/OW drama.
December 6, 2018
I liked it well enough, but not quite the best I've read from this author.
January 27, 2022
I didn’t mind the first person POV and to be fair I think the writer could write engagingly but I think her literary ambitions must have at times carried her away, and I’m not quite sure if it really mattered to her, or for that matter to the publishers, that what she wrote made any sense at all. Or perhaps they found themselves in awe of her, I don’t know, poetic? Aspirations and prowess???
Which drives me mad. Because, at least have the courtesy to read over what you write and try to see if it makes sense before subjecting unsuspecting souls.
In one passage she describes the cool breeze in the Spanish island she was staying at as a prayer, and when the Hero sits down besides her she thinks the prayer’s been answered. And the offending trait of the heroine which the writer makes out such a broohahahah to hit us on a head to make sure we understand is THE sore point which has disappointed her father and made him despise her, is, hold my shaking hands, HER CURLY red hair. Does this make sense to you? And it took “attendants” hours to straighten her hair. You needn’t suspend disbelief to read this one, you need to suspend a functioning brain.
Which drives me mad. Because, at least have the courtesy to read over what you write and try to see if it makes sense before subjecting unsuspecting souls.
In one passage she describes the cool breeze in the Spanish island she was staying at as a prayer, and when the Hero sits down besides her she thinks the prayer’s been answered. And the offending trait of the heroine which the writer makes out such a broohahahah to hit us on a head to make sure we understand is THE sore point which has disappointed her father and made him despise her, is, hold my shaking hands, HER CURLY red hair. Does this make sense to you? And it took “attendants” hours to straighten her hair. You needn’t suspend disbelief to read this one, you need to suspend a functioning brain.
March 28, 2021
Obligatory ridiculous title aside this was an interesting read. I was intrigued with the storytelling style and the bonus? This author rarely confuses virginity with ingenue.
It's as if she knows I hate ingenues or something.
One of my fave authors in HPlandia
It's as if she knows I hate ingenues or something.
One of my fave authors in HPlandia
October 3, 2018
I liked this book, but I wish Imogen had a little bit more balls to stand up for herself, I mean she did a little but I didn't think it was enough, “you could have stayed if you wished. I didn’t ask you to come with me, I merely said I was done.” Javier was okay I wished the man had more feelings.
April 16, 2021
She’s mine…
But will her innocence break all my rules?
I’ve never wanted anything like I want heiress Imogen Fitzalan. I married her to secure my empire—but my untouched wife has ignited an undeniable hunger in me. Desire beyond reason wasn’t my plan, yet now I have a new aim: to strip away her obedience, and replace it with a fierce passion to match my own…
But will her innocence break all my rules?
I’ve never wanted anything like I want heiress Imogen Fitzalan. I married her to secure my empire—but my untouched wife has ignited an undeniable hunger in me. Desire beyond reason wasn’t my plan, yet now I have a new aim: to strip away her obedience, and replace it with a fierce passion to match my own…
June 11, 2022
Quick Summary: Yea...no.
My Review: I did not like this story. I generously gave it 2 stars because: 1) the FH showed that she had some grit and 2) there was a HEA.
Rating: 2/5
Recommend: No
Audience: A
My Review: I did not like this story. I generously gave it 2 stars because: 1) the FH showed that she had some grit and 2) there was a HEA.
Rating: 2/5
Recommend: No
Audience: A
March 28, 2019
3.5 stars
February 8, 2019
I quite enjoyed this one. It had a lot of the favorite tropes.
A sister who I thought better of and was disappointed.
A cold father who sold his daughter into marriage for his own benefit.
A heroine who is sweet, kind, innocent and feisty as hell. It took her a little while to find herself, but once she did, she owned it.
A hero whose childhood left him in a dark place. He’s cold, harsh and considered by most to be a monster.
I love the way the author chose to write the book in the first person perspective for both the H and h. They get to tell their story, the good and the bad. In my opinion, it gave a more intimate feel to the characters.
This one was well worth the read.
A sister who I thought better of and was disappointed.
A cold father who sold his daughter into marriage for his own benefit.
A heroine who is sweet, kind, innocent and feisty as hell. It took her a little while to find herself, but once she did, she owned it.
A hero whose childhood left him in a dark place. He’s cold, harsh and considered by most to be a monster.
I love the way the author chose to write the book in the first person perspective for both the H and h. They get to tell their story, the good and the bad. In my opinion, it gave a more intimate feel to the characters.
This one was well worth the read.
January 7, 2019
If you want an excellent review (complete with some spoilers), read Ivy's review here .
This was such a different book, I don't know where to start. First, it was written in alternating first-person views. Then, there wasn't a whole lot of action per se, but you *do* get a lot of internal thoughts/ emotions from both of the main characters. You can see and feel what is actually happening with them and how their relationship changes. This makes it so much more personal when some "black moments" happen.
This was such a different book, I don't know where to start. First, it was written in alternating first-person views. Then, there wasn't a whole lot of action per se, but you *do* get a lot of internal thoughts/ emotions from both of the main characters. You can see and feel what is actually happening with them and how their relationship changes. This makes it so much more personal when some "black moments" happen.
April 17, 2020
Caitlin Crews is a magical writer. Her literary allusions, descriptive prose, intelligent dialogue, and superlative plot development usually result in amazingly enjoyable books. This is no exception.
The use of Don Quixote imagery and symbolism throughout is beautifully done.
Imogen and Javier marry because it is dynastically sound for her father and convenient for Javier. The story of how they fall in love and come to their own happy ever after is emotionally satisfying. I loved it.
Only 2 complaints - no epilogue and no proper comeuppance for the hag witch sister Celeste who I personally wanted to see crawl naked on her hands and knees and beg Imogen's forgiveness! Seriously she was one unpleasant bitch. Took off a star for those elements, although the quality of the writing itself is definitely 5 star.
The use of Don Quixote imagery and symbolism throughout is beautifully done.
Imogen and Javier marry because it is dynastically sound for her father and convenient for Javier. The story of how they fall in love and come to their own happy ever after is emotionally satisfying. I loved it.
Only 2 complaints - no epilogue and no proper comeuppance for the hag witch sister Celeste who I personally wanted to see crawl naked on her hands and knees and beg Imogen's forgiveness! Seriously she was one unpleasant bitch. Took off a star for those elements, although the quality of the writing itself is definitely 5 star.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 1, 2019
I just realized I put myself through hours of agony for nothing
Just imagine having a plastic bag around your head with only enough puncture holes to allow you to breathe and not suffocate... that's how I felt while reading this book. Here you are treated to excessive inner dialogue and contemplation by both main characters only to be interrupted by the occasional scene where the h is being belittled, disrespected or physically and verbally abused. Nevertheless, I kept on reading in hope of being rewarded with an ending that would feel like the plastic bag was lifted from my head allowing me to take a much needed deep breath. And suddenly, the story just ends..I'm left with the bag over my head minus a few dollars and hours of my life! Why!!
Just imagine having a plastic bag around your head with only enough puncture holes to allow you to breathe and not suffocate... that's how I felt while reading this book. Here you are treated to excessive inner dialogue and contemplation by both main characters only to be interrupted by the occasional scene where the h is being belittled, disrespected or physically and verbally abused. Nevertheless, I kept on reading in hope of being rewarded with an ending that would feel like the plastic bag was lifted from my head allowing me to take a much needed deep breath. And suddenly, the story just ends..I'm left with the bag over my head minus a few dollars and hours of my life! Why!!
May 25, 2019
3.5 stars!
The impression that I got when I read this book is that I felt like I was being forced fed and I knew I was about to eat but I couldn't taste the food since I was too engrossed in the fact that I couldn't believe I was being forced fed. This getting confusing like how I felt right now. Wasn't sure how many stars I should give to this book. I should've liked it a lot since it got angst, pregnant heroine, grovelling hero and all that. Byt I couldn't find myself to love it. I wasn't sure what I read. It was all a jumbled of mess in my mind.
The impression that I got when I read this book is that I felt like I was being forced fed and I knew I was about to eat but I couldn't taste the food since I was too engrossed in the fact that I couldn't believe I was being forced fed. This getting confusing like how I felt right now. Wasn't sure how many stars I should give to this book. I should've liked it a lot since it got angst, pregnant heroine, grovelling hero and all that. Byt I couldn't find myself to love it. I wasn't sure what I read. It was all a jumbled of mess in my mind.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews