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Deseo Rebelde
Jared Marcus Benton, el arrogante y rico duque de Bradford, sólo desea a Caroline Richmond. El pasado misterioso de esta dama, su inteligencia y su espíritu fogoso atraen al duque, cuyo descarado interés provoca en ella el deseo irresistible de domar su presuntuosidad y ganar su amor. Aunque él no quiere atarse a ninguna mujer, una oscura intriga acaba por unirlos contra un enemigo común. Descubrirán entonces el poder de la pasión.
256 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 1986
867 people are currently reading
3237 people want to read
About the author
Julie Garwood
151 books12.5k followersWith more than 35 million books in print and 26 NEW YORK TIMES bestsellers, Julie Garwood has earned a position among America's favorite fiction writers.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
Born and raised in Kansas City, MO, Ms. Garwood attributes much of her success to growing up in a large family of Irish heritage. "The Irish are great storytellers who relish getting all of the details and nuances of every situation. Add in the fact that I was the sixth of seven children. Early in life, I learned that self expression had to be forceful, imaginative, and quick," says Ms. Garwood.
She began her writing career when the youngest of her three children entered school. After the publications of two young-adult books, she turned her talents to historical fiction. Her first novel, GENTLE WARRIOR, was published by Pocket Books in 1985. Since then, she has branched into other genres including contemporary romantic suspense. Today, her name appears regularly on the bestseller lists of every major publication in the country, and her books are translated into dozens of languages around the world. Her bestselling novel FOR THE ROSES was adapted for the HALLMARK HALL OF FAME television movie ROSE HILL.
Ms. Garwood lives in Leawood, KS and is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 463 reviews
April 7, 2013
2.5 to 3 stars.
Should have really paid attention to the year this book was written (1986!) because dear god, the alpha male hero and the feisty, different yet still sensitive and sweet heroine made me want to throw this book against the wall at some points. In one scene, heroine gets pushed down the stairs and her bodice rips and her hair comes all undone and the FIRST thing the hero does is assume she was with some other man. And in another scene she is accosted by another man at a party (not the same man who pushed her down the stairs) and after ripping the attacker off her, Bradford tells her that "that wouldn't have happened if you didn't wear such low-cut and body fitting dresses". What. The. Hell. And this is after she told him already that she didn't like the fact that he doesn't trust her, that he always jumps to his own conclusions. STOP BEING SUCH A DOUCHE BAG, Bradford. Stop letting him treat you like that, Caroline! Ugh. Those parts of the book did not sit well with me
That said, Julie Garwood has written some of my favorite historical romance novels of all time (Saving Grace, Ransom, The Lion's Lady, For the Roses, to name a few). And it looks like this book was her first or second novel so I'm going to let my upset feelings for this book go. It wasn't worth the anger. That said, if you are Garwood fan and HAVE to read EVERYTHING by her, then go ahead and read this. But if you are a new or casual fan, don't bother with this one. There are much better books by her I would recommend you read instead.
Should have really paid attention to the year this book was written (1986!) because dear god, the alpha male hero and the feisty, different yet still sensitive and sweet heroine made me want to throw this book against the wall at some points. In one scene, heroine gets pushed down the stairs and her bodice rips and her hair comes all undone and the FIRST thing the hero does is assume she was with some other man. And in another scene she is accosted by another man at a party (not the same man who pushed her down the stairs) and after ripping the attacker off her, Bradford tells her that "that wouldn't have happened if you didn't wear such low-cut and body fitting dresses". What. The. Hell. And this is after she told him already that she didn't like the fact that he doesn't trust her, that he always jumps to his own conclusions. STOP BEING SUCH A DOUCHE BAG, Bradford. Stop letting him treat you like that, Caroline! Ugh. Those parts of the book did not sit well with me
That said, Julie Garwood has written some of my favorite historical romance novels of all time (Saving Grace, Ransom, The Lion's Lady, For the Roses, to name a few). And it looks like this book was her first or second novel so I'm going to let my upset feelings for this book go. It wasn't worth the anger. That said, if you are Garwood fan and HAVE to read EVERYTHING by her, then go ahead and read this. But if you are a new or casual fan, don't bother with this one. There are much better books by her I would recommend you read instead.
November 22, 2015
Another great story by Julie Garwood, and while I really liked it, I didn't love it.
Bradford was one of, if not the most annoying, of all the Garwood heroes. Dare I say, even worse than all of the Highlanders put together.
But it was still a fun read.
May 5, 2022
When I checked the review of this book, I thought surely the hero wouldn’t be that big of an ass. This is Garwood! But no, he was really an ass, alright. Besotted like the rest of Garwood’s heroine, but an ass plain and simple. I’ve never read any hero being as big as an ass as he, Nicki Minaj would’ve been jealous.
Caroline was raised in the colonies, and when her father suddenly demanded that she go back to England, she complied. Bradford was first intrigued by the black-haired girl who can shoot and defend herself. He was infatuated. Trouble rises when Caroline is in danger and everything goes back to why her father sent her away to the colonies in the first place. Being the overprotective and jealous man that he is, Bradford had his hand full with her. In the midst of troubles, Caroline found herself falling in love with the stubborn man. Bradford, on the other hand, was reluctant to bow down and admit his feelings because of his troubled past. But oh how he wants her so much.
This was Garwood’s take on hate-love relationship because Caroline and Brad argued soooo much. It’s not serious arguing, more like sparring. I’ve shown my discontent over the hero and must admit the heroine isn’t my favorite either. Not because she’s bad or anything, I just see myself reflected on her and I’m uncomfortable lol
As always, Garwood’s humor I found very entertaining. There was a part where Caroline and her sister talks about sex because neither knew what was going to happen. Caroline, who laughs when she’s nervous, was afraid she was going to burst out into laughter in the middle of doing it. Her sister just “prayed” for her lmao.
Julie Garwood is good at making plots. I love the deception and mystery she brings to her stories. The Hero and heroine usually fall in love in the middle of the conflicts and this one is no different. In terms of plot, this book is good. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning but started to pick up in the middle.
Overall, the book is not bad but not Garwood’s best. I do like it when the hero brushes the heroine’s back and caressed her unknowingly, that’s the only thing to swoon over about him to be honest. That and his overprotectiveness are sometimes sweet. Then again, I could find that in multiple other books. The romance part was them being besotted for one another and I’m all for that! I forgive everything just because they love each other so thoroughly:
Case in point. So if you like a hate-love relationship where they argue a lot but are honest about each other’s attraction, then this is for you.
Caroline was raised in the colonies, and when her father suddenly demanded that she go back to England, she complied. Bradford was first intrigued by the black-haired girl who can shoot and defend herself. He was infatuated. Trouble rises when Caroline is in danger and everything goes back to why her father sent her away to the colonies in the first place. Being the overprotective and jealous man that he is, Bradford had his hand full with her. In the midst of troubles, Caroline found herself falling in love with the stubborn man. Bradford, on the other hand, was reluctant to bow down and admit his feelings because of his troubled past. But oh how he wants her so much.
This was Garwood’s take on hate-love relationship because Caroline and Brad argued soooo much. It’s not serious arguing, more like sparring. I’ve shown my discontent over the hero and must admit the heroine isn’t my favorite either. Not because she’s bad or anything, I just see myself reflected on her and I’m uncomfortable lol
As always, Garwood’s humor I found very entertaining. There was a part where Caroline and her sister talks about sex because neither knew what was going to happen. Caroline, who laughs when she’s nervous, was afraid she was going to burst out into laughter in the middle of doing it. Her sister just “prayed” for her lmao.
Julie Garwood is good at making plots. I love the deception and mystery she brings to her stories. The Hero and heroine usually fall in love in the middle of the conflicts and this one is no different. In terms of plot, this book is good. The pacing was a bit slow in the beginning but started to pick up in the middle.
Overall, the book is not bad but not Garwood’s best. I do like it when the hero brushes the heroine’s back and caressed her unknowingly, that’s the only thing to swoon over about him to be honest. That and his overprotectiveness are sometimes sweet. Then again, I could find that in multiple other books. The romance part was them being besotted for one another and I’m all for that! I forgive everything just because they love each other so thoroughly:
"Is there anything that you find appealing about me?” he asked. (...)
“I like the way you kiss me” Bradford didn't answer. Instead, he cupped the sides of her face and drew her toward him.
Case in point. So if you like a hate-love relationship where they argue a lot but are honest about each other’s attraction, then this is for you.
December 10, 2019
Re-reading.
Now I remember why I always only give this four stars. Jered is an ass.
Now I remember why I always only give this four stars. Jered is an ass.
February 4, 2017
So, midway through it I realized this was a Julie Garwood book..And it was a shock.
After being used to the likes of Alec, Ian and Broderick- the bar was set so high that Bradford was a grave disappointment.
I'm all for insta love and obsessive heroes- but being blinded by jealousy, having major trust issues, overbearing, arrogant and asshole are something which makes a hero non alpha and a total dbag.
To be honest, the book frustrated me. I wanted to shake Caroline for giving in every single time, even when he doubted her (I don't believe the love makes you blind argument) and then being seduced by him without effort.
It was poorly executed. Caroline gave her love so freely, and Bradford took forever to reciprocate. He treated her most of the time like possession, and even when he finally "fell" for her, I had my serious doubts.
Ends in a HFN.
Safe
2/5
After being used to the likes of Alec, Ian and Broderick- the bar was set so high that Bradford was a grave disappointment.
I'm all for insta love and obsessive heroes- but being blinded by jealousy, having major trust issues, overbearing, arrogant and asshole are something which makes a hero non alpha and a total dbag.
To be honest, the book frustrated me. I wanted to shake Caroline for giving in every single time, even when he doubted her (I don't believe the love makes you blind argument) and then being seduced by him without effort.
It was poorly executed. Caroline gave her love so freely, and Bradford took forever to reciprocate. He treated her most of the time like possession, and even when he finally "fell" for her, I had my serious doubts.
Ends in a HFN.
Safe
2/5
August 14, 2023
Note: Some of my goodreads shelves can be spoilers
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (there’s 1 more developed scene and a few shorter ones)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥ish (This is hard to rate because there are a handful of scenes but some were so short and light I hesitated to count them as a ‘full’ scene – details at the end of my review – I decided to count the 1 longer-ish scene as a flame and the other open door scenes as a flame)
Humor: Yes, a bit (maybe not as much as her Lairds’ Fiancees series)
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
Percentage which mains are first on page together: Almost immediately (pg 8)
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes
Format: paperback from the library
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is one of Garwood’s stand alone novels
Basic plot:
Caroline catches Bradford’s attention and interest after rescuing his party from bandits.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period (1802)
- English duke hero and English/American heroine (she is English but was sent to America at the age of 4)
- jealous and possessive hero
- hero loves first/hero pursues
- bit of enemies to lovers feel (lots of bickering/banter)
- bit of instalust (especially on the hero’s part)
- you’re okay with an arrogant hero and some pushy dubious consent
- lower steam – there’s a handful of scenes, but so many are short, light or vague – I considered this a 2 steam
First line:
Angry voices awakened the child.
My thoughts:
I was enjoying a bit of the first half of this one, but ultimately the hero was a bit too annoying for me to love this story.
I just finished Garwood’s Lairds’ Fiancees series, and felt like this one was a bit lighter on the humor, so that was a negative for me. I did like the time change to pre-Regency London. I love the setting with balls, and social calls, and wooing and this one had a bit of that.
The hero, Jered, though – he ended up being just too much for me. I can love (and even prefer) a jerk hero, an aggressive hero, and dubious consent, but in this one, the things the hero said were just making me cringe so badly. Hero pursues in this one definitely, which is one of my favorite things, but I was left finding him also unlikable. He didn’t seem to have empathy during certain times for the heroine and came off as rather selfish. I didn’t find him as protective as the Lairds’ Fiancees series – to protect her he seemed to hurt her and leave her, not explain things that should be explained...I was just unhappy with him.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Readability: 📖📖📖📖
Feels: 🦋🦋🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡⚡
Romance: 💞💞
Sensuality: 💋💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑🍑🍑 (there’s 1 more developed scene and a few shorter ones)
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥🔥ish (This is hard to rate because there are a handful of scenes but some were so short and light I hesitated to count them as a ‘full’ scene – details at the end of my review – I decided to count the 1 longer-ish scene as a flame and the other open door scenes as a flame)
Humor: Yes, a bit (maybe not as much as her Lairds’ Fiancees series)
Perspective: Third person from both hero and heroine
Percentage which mains are first on page together: Almost immediately (pg 8)
Cliffhanger: No
Epilogue: Yes
Format: paperback from the library
(Descriptions found at end of my review)
Should I read in order?
This is one of Garwood’s stand alone novels
Basic plot:
Caroline catches Bradford’s attention and interest after rescuing his party from bandits.
Give this a try if you want:
- Georgian time period (1802)
- English duke hero and English/American heroine (she is English but was sent to America at the age of 4)
- jealous and possessive hero
- hero loves first/hero pursues
- bit of enemies to lovers feel (lots of bickering/banter)
- bit of instalust (especially on the hero’s part)
- you’re okay with an arrogant hero and some pushy dubious consent
- lower steam – there’s a handful of scenes, but so many are short, light or vague – I considered this a 2 steam
First line:
Angry voices awakened the child.
My thoughts:
I was enjoying a bit of the first half of this one, but ultimately the hero was a bit too annoying for me to love this story.
I just finished Garwood’s Lairds’ Fiancees series, and felt like this one was a bit lighter on the humor, so that was a negative for me. I did like the time change to pre-Regency London. I love the setting with balls, and social calls, and wooing and this one had a bit of that.
The hero, Jered, though – he ended up being just too much for me. I can love (and even prefer) a jerk hero, an aggressive hero, and dubious consent, but in this one, the things the hero said were just making me cringe so badly. Hero pursues in this one definitely, which is one of my favorite things, but I was left finding him also unlikable. He didn’t seem to have empathy during certain times for the heroine and came off as rather selfish. I didn’t find him as protective as the Lairds’ Fiancees series – to protect her he seemed to hurt her and leave her, not explain things that should be explained...I was just unhappy with him.
Quotes/spoiler-y thoughts:
Content warnings: These should be taken as a minimum of what to expect. It’s very possible I have missed some.
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes:
Extra stuff like what my review breakdown means, where to find me, and book clubs
November 27, 2017
This novel was so good that I wish Julie Garwood would have written more Regency historical romances. The heroine was, as in most of Garwood's historicals, truly a wonderful and original type of young woman. She was sassy and vibrant and had a very independent manner about her, yet she was still soft and feminine. I loved the H too. He was besotted with the heroine from the first time they met and their developing romance was such a lovely courtship. There was the usual inclusion of a mystery and a little of suspense plus a few engaging minor characters. Great vintage Garwood !
February 27, 2016
3.5-4stars!
I started with reading this book on the beginning of the week. Because I have paperback, and Julie Garwood can make my day, this one was read-on-class-when-bored. I could probably sit down, and read it in few hours, but then what would I do, when I'm bored in school. Trust me, this was first time that I was happy about boring classes.
Julie Garwood can't write bad book. I don't know if there is something in her blood or what, but her books always make me happy.Every book that she wrote and I read, got from me 4 or 5 stars.
This one got 3.5-4 stars just because I wasn't so sure about heroine Caroline. Don't understand me wrong. She is strong and beautiful, but I suppose, she is just less funny than another Julie Garwood heroines.
Jered Marcus Benton, the fourth Duke of Bradford was strong, possessive,rich hero,and I didn't have any problem with him.
So on the end I can just say that if you love historical romance with a little bit of mystery, you are going to like this one.
I started with reading this book on the beginning of the week. Because I have paperback, and Julie Garwood can make my day, this one was read-on-class-when-bored. I could probably sit down, and read it in few hours, but then what would I do, when I'm bored in school. Trust me, this was first time that I was happy about boring classes.
Julie Garwood can't write bad book. I don't know if there is something in her blood or what, but her books always make me happy.Every book that she wrote and I read, got from me 4 or 5 stars.
This one got 3.5-4 stars just because I wasn't so sure about heroine Caroline. Don't understand me wrong. She is strong and beautiful, but I suppose, she is just less funny than another Julie Garwood heroines.
Jered Marcus Benton, the fourth Duke of Bradford was strong, possessive,rich hero,and I didn't have any problem with him.
So on the end I can just say that if you love historical romance with a little bit of mystery, you are going to like this one.
January 30, 2021
So... that was alright.
But man, the hero is such a bigot. I kinda hate him. However I did enjoy the first half of the book. The second half was very disappointing. The mystery was also very lackluster.
But man, the hero is such a bigot. I kinda hate him. However I did enjoy the first half of the book. The second half was very disappointing. The mystery was also very lackluster.
April 4, 2023
he could've been a much much better man, he and his misogyny didn't deserve her
March 23, 2010
2.8*s really. I read everything Julie Garwood writes, but some of her older books just irritate me. Like this one. I realize that it was a pattern in historicals written in the 80's, to have the female protagonist get walked all over. But after establishing all the strengths of the character, she gets all walked over and just figures she has to take it until the guy comes to his senses. I hate that. And I really hate that the author never has this male lead accept responsibility for his being a dumb-ass, and there is never any genuine apology! Call me a modern woman, but I like the more modern historicals where people acknowledge and learn form their mistakes, not just pretend it all never happened. Irritating.
July 3, 2018
I think if you're going to write a historical romance set in England, you need to get at least, a few things right. The farthest historical period that Julie Garwood can imagine seems to be 1950's America. The book was really awful. Not only the historical and cultural aspects were jarring, but the hero is such a Douche bag.
Julie Garwood can write, she creates the flow, and her characters come alive, and can, at times be even entertaining, but she's sloppy with everything else.
Julie Garwood can write, she creates the flow, and her characters come alive, and can, at times be even entertaining, but she's sloppy with everything else.
March 29, 2021
1,5 estrellas
Me gustan las historias de romance ambientados en otra época, aunque sean pequeñas, aunque sean cortas, aunque sean rápidas, pero esta lo único que me ha trasmitido son carencias. Dos personajes que podrían haber dado mucho y que no me han dado nada. No es por el instant love, que a mí no me suele molestar; no es por la atracción o deseo por encima del enamoramiento, ya que ellos, para mí, no se enamoran, realmente; no es porque ella esté totalmente fuera de su época (principios del siglo XIX), ya que la educación en las colonias no justifica todo; es más porque toda la trama, toda la estructura, carece de atractivo. La pequeña intriga que atesora, no lo es tanto, ya que desde el primer momento en que aparece su nombre, yo ya tenía la seguridad de saber quién estaba detrás de todo.
No me ha calado la aventura que viven los protagonistas. No la he disfrutado. A solo cincuenta páginas para terminar, no me interesaba lo que me estaban contando.
Me sorprende en una escritora que sabe cómo construir los personajes haya creado a dos protagonistas impredecibles y sin justificación; ella recrimina, cuando a ti no te encaja el porqué lo hace; él se comporta de una manera estúpida.
Nada. No le he sacado nada bueno a esta lectura. Ha sido toda una decepción. Respeto que a otros lectores les haya gustado. Supongo que me esperaba una historia romántica y me he encontrado una llena de clichés no bien llevados.
Me gustan las historias de romance ambientados en otra época, aunque sean pequeñas, aunque sean cortas, aunque sean rápidas, pero esta lo único que me ha trasmitido son carencias. Dos personajes que podrían haber dado mucho y que no me han dado nada. No es por el instant love, que a mí no me suele molestar; no es por la atracción o deseo por encima del enamoramiento, ya que ellos, para mí, no se enamoran, realmente; no es porque ella esté totalmente fuera de su época (principios del siglo XIX), ya que la educación en las colonias no justifica todo; es más porque toda la trama, toda la estructura, carece de atractivo. La pequeña intriga que atesora, no lo es tanto, ya que desde el primer momento en que aparece su nombre, yo ya tenía la seguridad de saber quién estaba detrás de todo.
No me ha calado la aventura que viven los protagonistas. No la he disfrutado. A solo cincuenta páginas para terminar, no me interesaba lo que me estaban contando.
Me sorprende en una escritora que sabe cómo construir los personajes haya creado a dos protagonistas impredecibles y sin justificación; ella recrimina, cuando a ti no te encaja el porqué lo hace; él se comporta de una manera estúpida.
Nada. No le he sacado nada bueno a esta lectura. Ha sido toda una decepción. Respeto que a otros lectores les haya gustado. Supongo que me esperaba una historia romántica y me he encontrado una llena de clichés no bien llevados.
on-kindle-to-read
April 7, 20174/7/17 sale 1.99.
August 8, 2017
I would have given it more stars, but I had such high expectations I felt cheated. Ohh It was all very good,alright. Just that I was disappointed.
July 27, 2024
I just reread this. I can't tell you how many times I have but I truly like it. Jered, the H is kind of a jerk at times. I hated when he sent her,away. The heroine is awesome and she doesn't back down. I really liked her. Someone is trying to kill her though and they don't know why. Here's and his friend Milburn go looking for answers. The heroine has been away from England for 14 years due to an incident that happened when she was a baby and the pieces all start going together.
July 4, 2014
Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" Rebellious Desire was Julie Garwood's second historical romance, and like its predecessor, Gentle Warrior, it was originally published for the Tapestry line of romances. Because of this, the book is a little shorter than her others that she wrote later, and I could see where it was lacking in both character and plot development. I also thought that she still showed signs of the novice writer at this point in her career, so I didn't enjoy this one as much as some of her later works. In addition, it has more of an old-school vibe with a rather brutish hero who doesn't show much of his softer side. For all these reason, I would probably only recommend Rebellious Desire to hard-core fans, not ones who are just starting out with Ms. Garwood's books.
Jered, who is mostly called by his title of Bradford throughout the book, is an insufferably arrogant, stubborn, clueless jerk for a large part of the story. I initially thought it was kind of cute that he was so enamored of Caroline after his first meeting with her that he couldn't stop thinking about her and was trying to find her again. Unfortunately, that cuteness quickly turned into a possessive, jealous streak a mile long. Jered thinks he can, and will, have Caroline no matter what, which didn't sit well with me. He basically tells her she's going to be his, never really taking her feelings into account or giving her a choice in the matter. At times, he was a bit of a bully, and IMHO, was even somewhat verbally abusive to Caroline. For example, he believes she's inciting lust in men by the way she dresses one evening and flat out tells her it was her fault when an unscrupulous man attacks her. On another occasion, when he catches a different man forcing his unwanted attentions upon her, he again thinks she was cheating on him, at least at first. Throughout the story, it is hinted that Jered has difficulty trusting women, presumably because of some other woman (or women) that he's known in the past, but no real details are given as to why until the very end of the book. Even then, that information is told to Caroline by his best friend rather than him sharing it himself, which tends to stunt the intimacy in a romance for me. Sometimes, I can forgive a jerk hero when he has good reasons for acting that way, and admittedly, this new information did make him a tad more sympathetic. However, I think it would have been better if this had come out earlier and they'd had to work through it together. IMO, it would have deepened Jered's characterization and might have made his words and actions throughout the story make more sense. While Jered may not have had a romantic bone in his body and may not have truly known how to treat a lady early on, he was a considerate lover. He also had one of those miraculous eleventh hour turn-arounds, which almost made up for his earlier bad behavior, but notice I only said “almost.” He'll never be one of my favorite romance heroes, and Julie Garwood has certainly written better heroes than Jered, IMHO.
Caroline is a little different than most of Julie Garwood's other heroines I've read to date, in that she's not particularly flighty or scatterbrained. In fact, she's a woman who knows how to take care of herself. Having grown up on a farm in the Colonies, she was taught by her uncle and four male cousins how to shoot and quite well, I might add. This is a skill that she uses to open the story with a bang...literally. She doesn't back down from Jered's overt sexuality, and she goes toe-to-toe with him on many occasions. Admittedly, her declarations of love for him come about rather quickly and with little build-up to them. I just honestly didn't see anything happening at that point that would have caused her to fall for him, other than a physical attraction and lust. Their quick marriage was much the same for me, and once Caroline is married to Jered, she has few options but to go along with what he says, even though he treats her more like a possession than a partner. I will allow though that she, at least, doesn't take his nonsense lying down. Overall, I liked Caroline and thought it was very sweet of her to try everything she could think of to win her stubborn husband's heart and trust, even though she shouldn't have had to.
Probably due in large part to Jered's behavior, I didn't really feel much of a connection between these two for most of the story. Jered doesn't trust Caroline at all, which is a must for me in romance. I could see occasional glimmers of the stubborn alpha who protests too much, but it wasn't quite enough to make me truly believe that Jered loved Caroline. Then they're separated for a while when an attempt is made on Caroline's life and Jered thinks he's trying to protect her by sending her away. I felt like his reasons for not letting her in on the ruse were somewhat weak and the separation didn't really help with the issues I was having with the emotional connection. Even when they're together they spend nearly all their time either arguing or kissing, but the kissing felt rather forced, like Jered was simply imposing his will on Caroline. In this respect, Caroline is the classic bodice ripper heroine who always protests his advances, but then melts like butter in his arms, which rarely ever works for me. As an aside, the way this couple behaves (eg. Going off alone and kissing at balls with her family and others nearby) isn't really consistent with the mores of the era. I kept wondering where the chaperons were.:-) The one positive in their relationship was the love scenes. Given Jered's temperament outside the bedroom, he showed a surprising amount of tenderness and thankfully, there was no forced seduction, although there were a few anger turned to passion moments which aren't really my cup of tea. The love scenes and the ending when Jered finally comes around were the only times I really felt the emotional connection between this pair.
It's never a good sign when I like secondary characters better than the main characters. Jered's best friend Milford was more my kind of guy. He tried to play mediator between Jered and Caroline on more than one occasion, and his gentle guidance sometimes left me wishing he was the hero. Caroline's cousin, Charity, gets to reunite with her love, Paul, a man she met in the Colonies but who later disappeared from her life without a trace. The reasons for his disappearance are very sympathetic, and I also found myself wishing they were more prominent characters, as it seemed like their romance could have been very intriguing and emotional. I thought it was fun that the famous Regency fashion-plate, Beau Brummel actually showed up as a characters in a couple of scenes too.
IMHO the mystery could have been woven in a little better and brought out a little more prominently. There were few characters who even made viable suspects, and only one who truly made sense to me. However, I couldn't even speculate on why they were trying to kill Caroline or how it tied into the past events that were shown in the prologue until it was all revealed. Even then, the denouement was basically told more so than shown. In fact, there were a number of places where this happened, that the author told about events rather than writing them out in richer detail, which might have been a result of a lower word count that had to be met. There was also a lot of head-hopping POVs, which could be rather distracting, and when coupled with multiple names beginning with the same letter(s) (eg. Caroline and Charity or Braxton and Bradford), everything could get rather confusing at times. Still, despite my criticisms and not really liking the hero all that much, Rebellious Desire wasn't exactly a chore to read. Julie Garwood has always been a solid writer, and therefore, some of the weaknesses present in this story didn't bother me as much as they might have if it had been written by a different author. Rebellious Desire definitely won't go down as one of my all-time favorite Garwood books, but it still had it's moments and was better than some other books I've read.
"3.5 stars" Rebellious Desire was Julie Garwood's second historical romance, and like its predecessor, Gentle Warrior, it was originally published for the Tapestry line of romances. Because of this, the book is a little shorter than her others that she wrote later, and I could see where it was lacking in both character and plot development. I also thought that she still showed signs of the novice writer at this point in her career, so I didn't enjoy this one as much as some of her later works. In addition, it has more of an old-school vibe with a rather brutish hero who doesn't show much of his softer side. For all these reason, I would probably only recommend Rebellious Desire to hard-core fans, not ones who are just starting out with Ms. Garwood's books.
Jered, who is mostly called by his title of Bradford throughout the book, is an insufferably arrogant, stubborn, clueless jerk for a large part of the story. I initially thought it was kind of cute that he was so enamored of Caroline after his first meeting with her that he couldn't stop thinking about her and was trying to find her again. Unfortunately, that cuteness quickly turned into a possessive, jealous streak a mile long. Jered thinks he can, and will, have Caroline no matter what, which didn't sit well with me. He basically tells her she's going to be his, never really taking her feelings into account or giving her a choice in the matter. At times, he was a bit of a bully, and IMHO, was even somewhat verbally abusive to Caroline. For example, he believes she's inciting lust in men by the way she dresses one evening and flat out tells her it was her fault when an unscrupulous man attacks her. On another occasion, when he catches a different man forcing his unwanted attentions upon her, he again thinks she was cheating on him, at least at first. Throughout the story, it is hinted that Jered has difficulty trusting women, presumably because of some other woman (or women) that he's known in the past, but no real details are given as to why until the very end of the book. Even then, that information is told to Caroline by his best friend rather than him sharing it himself, which tends to stunt the intimacy in a romance for me. Sometimes, I can forgive a jerk hero when he has good reasons for acting that way, and admittedly, this new information did make him a tad more sympathetic. However, I think it would have been better if this had come out earlier and they'd had to work through it together. IMO, it would have deepened Jered's characterization and might have made his words and actions throughout the story make more sense. While Jered may not have had a romantic bone in his body and may not have truly known how to treat a lady early on, he was a considerate lover. He also had one of those miraculous eleventh hour turn-arounds, which almost made up for his earlier bad behavior, but notice I only said “almost.” He'll never be one of my favorite romance heroes, and Julie Garwood has certainly written better heroes than Jered, IMHO.
Caroline is a little different than most of Julie Garwood's other heroines I've read to date, in that she's not particularly flighty or scatterbrained. In fact, she's a woman who knows how to take care of herself. Having grown up on a farm in the Colonies, she was taught by her uncle and four male cousins how to shoot and quite well, I might add. This is a skill that she uses to open the story with a bang...literally. She doesn't back down from Jered's overt sexuality, and she goes toe-to-toe with him on many occasions. Admittedly, her declarations of love for him come about rather quickly and with little build-up to them. I just honestly didn't see anything happening at that point that would have caused her to fall for him, other than a physical attraction and lust. Their quick marriage was much the same for me, and once Caroline is married to Jered, she has few options but to go along with what he says, even though he treats her more like a possession than a partner. I will allow though that she, at least, doesn't take his nonsense lying down. Overall, I liked Caroline and thought it was very sweet of her to try everything she could think of to win her stubborn husband's heart and trust, even though she shouldn't have had to.
Probably due in large part to Jered's behavior, I didn't really feel much of a connection between these two for most of the story. Jered doesn't trust Caroline at all, which is a must for me in romance. I could see occasional glimmers of the stubborn alpha who protests too much, but it wasn't quite enough to make me truly believe that Jered loved Caroline. Then they're separated for a while when an attempt is made on Caroline's life and Jered thinks he's trying to protect her by sending her away. I felt like his reasons for not letting her in on the ruse were somewhat weak and the separation didn't really help with the issues I was having with the emotional connection. Even when they're together they spend nearly all their time either arguing or kissing, but the kissing felt rather forced, like Jered was simply imposing his will on Caroline. In this respect, Caroline is the classic bodice ripper heroine who always protests his advances, but then melts like butter in his arms, which rarely ever works for me. As an aside, the way this couple behaves (eg. Going off alone and kissing at balls with her family and others nearby) isn't really consistent with the mores of the era. I kept wondering where the chaperons were.:-) The one positive in their relationship was the love scenes. Given Jered's temperament outside the bedroom, he showed a surprising amount of tenderness and thankfully, there was no forced seduction, although there were a few anger turned to passion moments which aren't really my cup of tea. The love scenes and the ending when Jered finally comes around were the only times I really felt the emotional connection between this pair.
It's never a good sign when I like secondary characters better than the main characters. Jered's best friend Milford was more my kind of guy. He tried to play mediator between Jered and Caroline on more than one occasion, and his gentle guidance sometimes left me wishing he was the hero. Caroline's cousin, Charity, gets to reunite with her love, Paul, a man she met in the Colonies but who later disappeared from her life without a trace. The reasons for his disappearance are very sympathetic, and I also found myself wishing they were more prominent characters, as it seemed like their romance could have been very intriguing and emotional. I thought it was fun that the famous Regency fashion-plate, Beau Brummel actually showed up as a characters in a couple of scenes too.
IMHO the mystery could have been woven in a little better and brought out a little more prominently. There were few characters who even made viable suspects, and only one who truly made sense to me. However, I couldn't even speculate on why they were trying to kill Caroline or how it tied into the past events that were shown in the prologue until it was all revealed. Even then, the denouement was basically told more so than shown. In fact, there were a number of places where this happened, that the author told about events rather than writing them out in richer detail, which might have been a result of a lower word count that had to be met. There was also a lot of head-hopping POVs, which could be rather distracting, and when coupled with multiple names beginning with the same letter(s) (eg. Caroline and Charity or Braxton and Bradford), everything could get rather confusing at times. Still, despite my criticisms and not really liking the hero all that much, Rebellious Desire wasn't exactly a chore to read. Julie Garwood has always been a solid writer, and therefore, some of the weaknesses present in this story didn't bother me as much as they might have if it had been written by a different author. Rebellious Desire definitely won't go down as one of my all-time favorite Garwood books, but it still had it's moments and was better than some other books I've read.
September 1, 2021
Već neko vrijeme mi se mota jedna misao u glavi, a to je da bi se Garwood trebala kloniti onoga što stranci zovu regency romance. No znam kako je pisala highlandere i mislim da joj oni puno bolje "leže".
June 14, 2024
Comfort reread
November 9, 2024
Брадфорд и Карълайн
"Непокорни желания" в Читанка
Карълайн е едва на 4 години, когато баща й я изпраща в Америка, където да живее със семейството на по-малкият му брат. Така тя расте във фермата с чичо си, леля си и братовчедите си, които обича невероятно много. След 14 години обаче, баща й праща вест, че иска тя да се прибере у дома в Лондон. Карълайн се подчинява на искането му, и се прибира у дома, смятайки, да остане там само няколко месеца, преди да се прибере обратно у дома, но щом вижда отново баща си знае, че никога няма да го напусне отново. Зад отпращането й има голяма тайна, която младата жена е решена да разкрие.
Още през първият си ден в Англия, тя спасява благородник от шайка бандити и скоро след това се запознава с един от най-добрите приятели на благородника, херцог Брадфорд. Брадфорд е един от най-циничните, най-арогантните и най-властните благородници в Англия. И начина по който Карълайн не се свива пред него, начина по който го предизвиква и изкушава, го карат да я желае повече от всичко на света. И той е готов наистина на всичко, дори ако това означава, че ще трябва да се откаже от живота си на ерген.
Сега, докато силните характери на Карълайн и Брадфорд се сблъскват, борейки се за надмощие, зъл враг крои плановете си, искайки смъртта на Карълайн, и единственият, който може да я защити е Брадфорд.
Както винаги, прелестна книга ама Джули Гарууд. Имаше интрига, леко съспенс, романтична, сладка, забавна. Героите бяха страхотни, историята интересна, а стила на авторката неповторим. 5 звезди и препоръчвам горещо на всички.
"Непокорни желания" в Читанка
Карълайн е едва на 4 години, когато баща й я изпраща в Америка, където да живее със семейството на по-малкият му брат. Така тя расте във фермата с чичо си, леля си и братовчедите си, които обича невероятно много. След 14 години обаче, баща й праща вест, че иска тя да се прибере у дома в Лондон. Карълайн се подчинява на искането му, и се прибира у дома, смятайки, да остане там само няколко месеца, преди да се прибере обратно у дома, но щом вижда отново баща си знае, че никога няма да го напусне отново. Зад отпращането й има голяма тайна, която младата жена е решена да разкрие.
Още през първият си ден в Англия, тя спасява благородник от шайка бандити и скоро след това се запознава с един от най-добрите приятели на благородника, херцог Брадфорд. Брадфорд е един от най-циничните, най-арогантните и най-властните благородници в Англия. И начина по който Карълайн не се свива пред него, начина по който го предизвиква и изкушава, го карат да я желае повече от всичко на света. И той е готов наистина на всичко, дори ако това означава, че ще трябва да се откаже от живота си на ерген.
Сега, докато силните характери на Карълайн и Брадфорд се сблъскват, борейки се за надмощие, зъл враг крои плановете си, искайки смъртта на Карълайн, и единственият, който може да я защити е Брадфорд.
Както винаги, прелестна книга ама Джули Гарууд. Имаше интрига, леко съспенс, романтична, сладка, забавна. Героите бяха страхотни, историята интересна, а стила на авторката неповторим. 5 звезди и препоръчвам горещо на всички.
June 6, 2013
This is the first book by Ms. Garwood that I have read. A blog I read recommended this author, so I found this book, which looked promising to me, at my local library. Honestly, it sat around awhile as I read a couple of amazing books I had been waiting for (talkin’ ‘bout the super talented Tessa Dare here). I was at a place I was ready to read this book and was very excited to do so. I cannot fully express how awful this book is compared to what I usually read. There was no flow, the characters were so cardboard and ridiculously unlikeable, and I was not invested in the story in the slightest! I swear, I cannot for the life of me understand why this book has such a good rating. I kept reading and reading, hoping for something to turn this book around. It never happened. I realize that this is an early book for this author, but other folks have enjoyed this book! How is this possible? Is it that the other books I have read have been so amazing that nothing compares to them and a ho-hum book suddenly is practically unreadable? I have read many books from the 80's with aloof, chest-pounding males, but the hero in this story is absolutely unlovable. And the heroine...she was as self realiant and intelligent as my shoes throughout 98% of the book. The only thing I liked about this book was the relationship between the heroine's cousin and her fiance. What happened when she found him was mildly, very mildly, amusing ("Where are you going?" "I am going to grow a beard!" ba-da-bump.). I doubt I can read any book by this author again.
December 5, 2015
Jered/Duke of Bradford and Caroline. This one takes some patience with the hero. I considered DNFing it, he was such an unloveable ass. But he had his reasons (stupid ones as usual...). The mystery was actually pretty good!
Caroline has grown up in America after the death of her mother. She is self sufficient and confident and not easily impressed. When she reaches a marriageable age, her father requires that she return to England. And so she heads out with her cousin Charity, and their servant/body guard, Ben. Upon a lonely stretch or road Caroline rescues a pompous fool from Brigands and meets Lord Bradford, the fool's friend, when he comes along too little, too late. It is pretty funny and perfectly sets up the tone of the book. Bradford is a conceited ass who invariably assumes the worst of women. Little do either of them know, he has met his match. Then there's the little problem of someone trying to kill Caroline...
I got alternately fed up with Jered and Caroline, but there is an overall arc to the story that comes to a very satisfying ending. The mystery was pretty good too. Kept me guessing! At half way I was sure it was only 3 'annoyed' stars, but I was happy to be proven wrong!
Caroline has grown up in America after the death of her mother. She is self sufficient and confident and not easily impressed. When she reaches a marriageable age, her father requires that she return to England. And so she heads out with her cousin Charity, and their servant/body guard, Ben. Upon a lonely stretch or road Caroline rescues a pompous fool from Brigands and meets Lord Bradford, the fool's friend, when he comes along too little, too late. It is pretty funny and perfectly sets up the tone of the book. Bradford is a conceited ass who invariably assumes the worst of women. Little do either of them know, he has met his match. Then there's the little problem of someone trying to kill Caroline...
I got alternately fed up with Jered and Caroline, but there is an overall arc to the story that comes to a very satisfying ending. The mystery was pretty good too. Kept me guessing! At half way I was sure it was only 3 'annoyed' stars, but I was happy to be proven wrong!
April 30, 2022
I need meaner Hs and not so sweet and understanding hs!
July 20, 2021
You know at this point, I honestly don't think you can go wrong with Julie Garwood.
This was just such a fun, simple, and quick read- I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, as there was some great (yet slightly questionable) banter and chemistry. I mean having said that, this wasn't the best book that I've read by her so far, but it was still fun nonetheless. I do have to say that I think that this book was probably one of the most problematic books by JG that I've read, in the sense that the characters (the hero in particular) were just so stubborn- which was simultaneously hilarious yet invigorating.
But yeah, overall as per usual, this was just a nice story to have read. It had some very simple and straight-to-the-point writing, that just led to a really nice time, if I do say so myself.
This was just such a fun, simple, and quick read- I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book, as there was some great (yet slightly questionable) banter and chemistry. I mean having said that, this wasn't the best book that I've read by her so far, but it was still fun nonetheless. I do have to say that I think that this book was probably one of the most problematic books by JG that I've read, in the sense that the characters (the hero in particular) were just so stubborn- which was simultaneously hilarious yet invigorating.
But yeah, overall as per usual, this was just a nice story to have read. It had some very simple and straight-to-the-point writing, that just led to a really nice time, if I do say so myself.
October 11, 2017
3.25 stars
October 10, 2022
Pisateljica, ki ne razočara
February 25, 2021
Actual rating:3.5
September 22, 2020
Gentle Warrior isn't one of my favorites by the author but it's still an enjoyable historical romance set in the Georgian era.
Growing up in Boston, Caroline Richmond's background is vastly different than the other ladies in London. Drawn to her confidence and fiery spirit Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford, is determined to have her. But Caroline refuses to settle for less than love and will not bend to Bradford's will. After a series of near deadly mishaps, Bradford and Caroline are drawn together, united against an unknown enemy.
Caroline is one of my favorite of Garwood's heroines as she's confident, sassy, and goes after what she wants. I love that she refuses to be told what to do and that she'll ultimately turn any situation to her advantage to get what she wants. Bradford is where the romance falls apart for me as I don't love him as the hero. His inability to trust Caroline is frustrating and he's too unwilling to compromise meaning Caroline had to be the one to take all the steps in their relationship. Honestly I vastly preferred his friend Milford and would have liked for Caroline to end up with him instead. Only enjoying half of the romance means this book isn't one of my favorites by the author which is a shame as I love Caroline so much.
The mystery of who is out to get Caroline was an intriguing one. Having been estranged from her father and living in America, Caroline has little knowledge of who in England could want her dead. The reason for Caroline's estrangement from her father was interesting and definitely not what you would typically imagine to be the reason. Ultimately I enjoyed the mystery storyline and I liked how it wrapped up.
Despite my issues with the hero, Gentle Warrior is still a fun read, but I would recommend the author's medieval works if you're new to her books.
Growing up in Boston, Caroline Richmond's background is vastly different than the other ladies in London. Drawn to her confidence and fiery spirit Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford, is determined to have her. But Caroline refuses to settle for less than love and will not bend to Bradford's will. After a series of near deadly mishaps, Bradford and Caroline are drawn together, united against an unknown enemy.
Caroline is one of my favorite of Garwood's heroines as she's confident, sassy, and goes after what she wants. I love that she refuses to be told what to do and that she'll ultimately turn any situation to her advantage to get what she wants. Bradford is where the romance falls apart for me as I don't love him as the hero. His inability to trust Caroline is frustrating and he's too unwilling to compromise meaning Caroline had to be the one to take all the steps in their relationship. Honestly I vastly preferred his friend Milford and would have liked for Caroline to end up with him instead. Only enjoying half of the romance means this book isn't one of my favorites by the author which is a shame as I love Caroline so much.
The mystery of who is out to get Caroline was an intriguing one. Having been estranged from her father and living in America, Caroline has little knowledge of who in England could want her dead. The reason for Caroline's estrangement from her father was interesting and definitely not what you would typically imagine to be the reason. Ultimately I enjoyed the mystery storyline and I liked how it wrapped up.
Despite my issues with the hero, Gentle Warrior is still a fun read, but I would recommend the author's medieval works if you're new to her books.
September 18, 2013
An early work of Garwood's that I picked up for .99 on Amazon. I'm a little torn about this one. I enjoy her writing style, and the characters she creates feel real. The story arc is good, including the mystery that's part of the plot. The only thing I really disliked are the hero and heroine.
Caroline starts the book as a self confident and assertive woman, who in the opening scene, single-handedly foils a carriage robbery with a combination of daring, quick thinking, and fine shooting. Then she meets the Duke of Bradford. The duke is an arrogant, bullying ape who declares that he will "have" Caroline, and proceeds to spend the better part of the book yelling at her and emotionally abusing her. Caroline transforms before our eyes into a shadow of her former self, willing to trade her independence and self respect for the slightest indication of love from Bradford.
Of course Bradford eventually has his big epiphany, in order to enable the Happily Ever After. But I found myself constantly revising my expectations downward as the book went on. First, I thought it would be "Gee, women are people too!", then I thought it would be "Hm, I guess it wouldn't kill me to be nice to my wife". Finally we ended up with "Hey, I can do whatever I want as long as I tell her I love her!"
Sadly, I think this is fairly typical of romance from the 80s. Very well written book, with unfortunate lead characters.
Caroline starts the book as a self confident and assertive woman, who in the opening scene, single-handedly foils a carriage robbery with a combination of daring, quick thinking, and fine shooting. Then she meets the Duke of Bradford. The duke is an arrogant, bullying ape who declares that he will "have" Caroline, and proceeds to spend the better part of the book yelling at her and emotionally abusing her. Caroline transforms before our eyes into a shadow of her former self, willing to trade her independence and self respect for the slightest indication of love from Bradford.
Of course Bradford eventually has his big epiphany, in order to enable the Happily Ever After. But I found myself constantly revising my expectations downward as the book went on. First, I thought it would be "Gee, women are people too!", then I thought it would be "Hm, I guess it wouldn't kill me to be nice to my wife". Finally we ended up with "Hey, I can do whatever I want as long as I tell her I love her!"
Sadly, I think this is fairly typical of romance from the 80s. Very well written book, with unfortunate lead characters.
March 24, 2011
Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford and Caroline Richmond's book.
I enjoyed Rebelious Desire. I particularly liked how Caroline and Bradford met. The carriage hijack of his friend Brummell was well written and I felt the immediate connection between Bradford and Caroline. I was hoping that Brummell would play a bigger part in the story because it was even more enjoyable when they later met at one of the balls.
The little mystery that was added in the story was a little blan. It wasn't very angsty. The idea of Caroline being sent away to the colonies when she was 4 was sad. I do believe she had a wonderful life with her aunt and uncle though. It was just sad for the missed years she lost with her father and he ended up so lonely.
The nice part about the mystery is that there were a few different villians to choose from so I wasnt really sure who the culprit that wanted to kill Caroline was. The disappointment with the entire mystery was that it took the entire book to figure out and then at 99% you found out who it was and it was over in one page. I just seemed a bit of a let down.
I never read two more stubborn characters. Neither one would give in to each other and it was humourous to guess how far they'd go.
Great story.
I enjoyed Rebelious Desire. I particularly liked how Caroline and Bradford met. The carriage hijack of his friend Brummell was well written and I felt the immediate connection between Bradford and Caroline. I was hoping that Brummell would play a bigger part in the story because it was even more enjoyable when they later met at one of the balls.
The little mystery that was added in the story was a little blan. It wasn't very angsty. The idea of Caroline being sent away to the colonies when she was 4 was sad. I do believe she had a wonderful life with her aunt and uncle though. It was just sad for the missed years she lost with her father and he ended up so lonely.
The nice part about the mystery is that there were a few different villians to choose from so I wasnt really sure who the culprit that wanted to kill Caroline was. The disappointment with the entire mystery was that it took the entire book to figure out and then at 99% you found out who it was and it was over in one page. I just seemed a bit of a let down.
I never read two more stubborn characters. Neither one would give in to each other and it was humourous to guess how far they'd go.
Great story.
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