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The Blackthorn Trilogy #3
Risk Everything
When Darkness FallsUpon a moonless midnight, his face in shadow, a silent man came riding. . .Could it be? Is it him, so far from his lands and his people? Meghan can make no mistake, not when her heart cries out his Rolf MacDaidh. She had loved him once, in secret--and now the man they called the Lord of Vengeance wanted her[]To Rolf, Meghan of Blackthorn is more precious than gold. But he must forget his bygone dreams of her as his bride and remember that she is no more than a captive now. Yet her beauty bewitches him still--and her spirit kindles a passionate desire that cannot be tamed. . .
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2005
About the author
Sophia Johnson
53 books39 followersAfter our daughters were married and moved away, my husband and I retired. It didn't take long for the "empty nest" syndrome to strike. It took much longer before we did something about it, though. Fifteen years! We bought a little long-coat Chihuahua who became the terror of the neighborhood - even on a leash. When he was three years old and not even attmpting to be friendly with anyone other than my husband and me, we got him a companion. A tri-colored Papillon named Konner. He's a sweetheart and kisses everyone.
One day, our youngest grandson whispered in my ear, "Does Pop-Pop really think Jammie (the Chihuahua) is his baby?" I had to explain about us missing someone to take care of, so we cuddled the dogs when our grandchildren weren't around. After a big hug and kiss, he understood we needed someone or something to cuddle.
I love writing. One night, I dreamt that I couldn't anymore. You know what came to mind when I opened my eyes? I wouldn't be able to breathe life into the characters demanding their stories.
I think that's a little nutty, don't you? My characters become real to me, and when I'm writing, they tell me what they want to do, how they want to feel, what they will and will not allow. Cheez! Talk about bossy!
One day, our youngest grandson whispered in my ear, "Does Pop-Pop really think Jammie (the Chihuahua) is his baby?" I had to explain about us missing someone to take care of, so we cuddled the dogs when our grandchildren weren't around. After a big hug and kiss, he understood we needed someone or something to cuddle.
I love writing. One night, I dreamt that I couldn't anymore. You know what came to mind when I opened my eyes? I wouldn't be able to breathe life into the characters demanding their stories.
I think that's a little nutty, don't you? My characters become real to me, and when I'm writing, they tell me what they want to do, how they want to feel, what they will and will not allow. Cheez! Talk about bossy!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
February 6, 2019
A raw effort intent on shoving fake, hokey angst down a reader's throat. I don't mind a horrid, cruel H being mean and humiliating to a h but not an inconsistent, farcical account like this!
So, a ditto to this review by Jane Stewart (with spoilers)-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All that plus -
I didn't buy his mealy-mouthed remorse/grovel one bit. In the end, he comes across a weak, super-tstl guy with zero perception and credibility. And she goes from an over-reactive nuisance to I’ll-show-him, me-super-Mary-Sue.
Zero connect, zero love or romance - as I know it.
Only 'Tarse'! (Don't ask!)
Yuck, I need a memory eraser.
Only, only thing I liked a wee bit? Her take on how to return the favor (or flavor - of humiliation).
So, a ditto to this review by Jane Stewart (with spoilers)-
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
All that plus -
I didn't buy his mealy-mouthed remorse/grovel one bit. In the end, he comes across a weak, super-tstl guy with zero perception and credibility. And she goes from an over-reactive nuisance to I’ll-show-him, me-super-Mary-Sue.
Zero connect, zero love or romance - as I know it.
Only 'Tarse'! (Don't ask!)
Yuck, I need a memory eraser.
Only, only thing I liked a wee bit? Her take on how to return the favor (or flavor - of humiliation).
September 16, 2010
Horrible. Terrible. I couldn't wait for it to be over. I was angry and frustrated during the entire book until the epilogue.
The plot was bad and the characters were awful. In the following paragraph, I give examples as to why the two main characters were unlikeable and the plot line was uninteresting.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Meghan and Rolf were attracted to each other as teens. We are never told why he returned to his clan and married Ingirid. Meghan grieved when she learned of his marriage. Someone kills Ingirid and frames the murder on Connor, Meghan's brother. Now out of hatred and wanting revenge, Rolf kidnaps Meghan and plans to turn her into his leman (mistress) and get her pregnant. Throughout the kidnapping she is unlikeable. Fighting with him and throwing temper tantrums. Then all of a sudden they do a handfasting (temporary marriage) and they have enjoyable sex. Then she gets mad because he had thought she was not a virgin. She keeps fighting him and then enjoys sex with him. Then they fight more. I did not like her personality at all. Her motto was "Never will I be as other women. I will accept no man as master o'er me." (page 220) During the second half of the book I didn't like Rolf because after he and Meghan mutually fall in love with each other, he leaves Meghan to marry Ailsa, whom he had agreed to marry before the kidnapping and handfasting. He had lied to Meghan by not telling her that he was planning to marry another. He claimed his honor required him to keep a previous commitment to marry Ailsa. The reason he committed to Ailsa was that after Ingirid died, he felt he needed a wife to give him heirs, but he didn't care who it was, and Ailsa was available and interested, so he promised her he'd marry her. This wasn't a promise to a king or another laird to guarantee peace between clans, it was just that he needed a wife and she would do. Now, he makes good on his promise even though he loves Meghan and dislikes Ailsa. Meghan is mad and terribly hurt. I won't tell the rest, but there was nothing fun or enjoyable about this story. I was angry most of the time I was reading it. I wished I had not wasted my time with this.
DATA:
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: twelve. Setting: 1074 Scotland. Copyright: 2005. Genre: historical romance.
The plot was bad and the characters were awful. In the following paragraph, I give examples as to why the two main characters were unlikeable and the plot line was uninteresting.
CAUTION SPOILERS:
Meghan and Rolf were attracted to each other as teens. We are never told why he returned to his clan and married Ingirid. Meghan grieved when she learned of his marriage. Someone kills Ingirid and frames the murder on Connor, Meghan's brother. Now out of hatred and wanting revenge, Rolf kidnaps Meghan and plans to turn her into his leman (mistress) and get her pregnant. Throughout the kidnapping she is unlikeable. Fighting with him and throwing temper tantrums. Then all of a sudden they do a handfasting (temporary marriage) and they have enjoyable sex. Then she gets mad because he had thought she was not a virgin. She keeps fighting him and then enjoys sex with him. Then they fight more. I did not like her personality at all. Her motto was "Never will I be as other women. I will accept no man as master o'er me." (page 220) During the second half of the book I didn't like Rolf because after he and Meghan mutually fall in love with each other, he leaves Meghan to marry Ailsa, whom he had agreed to marry before the kidnapping and handfasting. He had lied to Meghan by not telling her that he was planning to marry another. He claimed his honor required him to keep a previous commitment to marry Ailsa. The reason he committed to Ailsa was that after Ingirid died, he felt he needed a wife to give him heirs, but he didn't care who it was, and Ailsa was available and interested, so he promised her he'd marry her. This wasn't a promise to a king or another laird to guarantee peace between clans, it was just that he needed a wife and she would do. Now, he makes good on his promise even though he loves Meghan and dislikes Ailsa. Meghan is mad and terribly hurt. I won't tell the rest, but there was nothing fun or enjoyable about this story. I was angry most of the time I was reading it. I wished I had not wasted my time with this.
DATA:
Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: twelve. Setting: 1074 Scotland. Copyright: 2005. Genre: historical romance.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2011
This is a tedious, awful book, despite the few sensual scenes (which in themselves are not entirely without titillatory value). A sure way of gaging the tedium quotient of a romantic novel is the frequency with which one starts skipping the main couple's tete-a-tete pages, as this reader had to do on numerous occasions.
That aside, the most objectionable element of the book was the terrible falsification of the past, the thoroughly unbelievable female character(s) and the lack of any truth about women's (especially members of the nobility)social position in the 11th c. Now, one would not normally read historical romance novels for the sake of historical research, nor for gaining some profound insight into what experience must have been like in the remote past(although some romance genre writers do rise way above genre conventions and expectations and brilliantly work historical research into their writing, making their story pulsate with power, pathos and a felt truth. Such writing actively takes up a relation to the past), but I do expect to see some effort put in trying to imagine what would have been like to be a woman in, say, the 11th c., with all the odds stacked against you, all your yearnings not only thwarted but not even acknowledged as yearnings.
How a heroine who comes from such a world struggles against it, what struggles she wins and what struggles she loses in her entanglement with the demands (and frustrations) of love, is what I expect to read. The best in historical romance show us heroes and heroines who radiate out of their own time and face us today. What I don't want is a stick figurine from this century transported onto a sketchy account of 11th c. Scotland. This reader dislikes nothing more than the treatment of the past as a set of props, as an advertising billboard for the self-congratulatory tone of our inarticulate cultures.
'Risking Everything' has a facade of historicity -language, descriptions of weapons, home life, food and clothing- but what would truly elevate these so-called historical elements into interesting fiction is entirely missing. As it is, the above elements remain mere disguises in a bad suburban ballo in maschera, or pathetic heritage industry anachronisms, like those Tower of London actors milling around the tourist throng. The heroine is an irritating cartoonish tomboy, straight out of a Disney computer game, and the hero, with all his stated traumatic experiences and fake angst,remains a blank page with a tumescent 'tarse' (give me Brenda Joyce's tumescent Normans over him, any time).
The story is full of inconsistencies and illogicalities. The pair were supposed to be attracted to each other in their (her) adolescence, and although that attraction is initially stated with pomposity and then restated (when the writer remembers she introduced such an element in her story), it is never once felt in the couple's exchanges -which, in any case, consist mostly in door slamming and infantile tantrums, constant bickering and senseless utterances, and there's so many of them that you are bound to get a headache- nor does it inform the (lack of) development of their passion. The couple's contretemps are endless, tiresome and without any contribution either to plot developments or the mechanics of love.
There are other failings too, such as the hero's stupid conviction that the friends and allies of a life time are the murderers of his first wife! Without any intimation of a potential conflict and a stated big and strong alliance, at a time and place where you needed allies more than oxygen, your best friends suddenly come and murder your wife!!! Nothing is said as to the motivation the hero could have attributed to such an act. There was no land dispute, no forging of different alliances, no vying for power or title that could have lead those friends to up and off the first wife. They had nothing to gain and everything to lose (starting a new bloody conflict while being engaged in so many others). So given this, a writer would have to go to great lengths to explain why the hero thought his friends went suddenly and inexplicably bonkers and killed his wife. And not only that but they left their calling card tartan behind, so he could easily identify them!!! Johnson says nothing about any of this, leaving aside that there was no tartan before the 16th c., and the hero just accepts it at face value without any investigation or reflection on the subject starting a bloody war against his best friends ( who, in vain, protested their innocence). The whole thing stinks of writer manipulation against all the laws of basic logic. The trouble with this kind of thing is that while the writer's life is made very easy, the reader's intelligence is so insulted that she decides never to spend her coin on this kind of tosh again. Once the hero is established, and early on, as the biggest blockhead of the Dark Ages nothing can save him, not his big 'tarse', not his supposed love for the heroine, NOTHING.
There are other titanic logical inconsistencies too. One such is the fact that nothing is made of the stated, early on in the story, adolescent attraction hero and heroine supposedly felt for each other. Given that both families were friends and allies at the time, hence no objection to such a match (on the contrary, you'd expect them to have been betrothed in the cradle), why didn't the hero offer for her? Why did he turn away from the heroine and offered for another woman? We are never told. We have to accept that stuff happens to stuff.
The cartoonish sense of history is so pronounced that I lost all will to live and remember that I ever read such crap. As if having a woman not only train with men in the arts of war, as well as being their trainer, was not ridiculous enough; as if having a woman wearing men's couture in the 11th c was not a silly idea that should have been immediately discarded -it is well known that women were forbidden from putting on male garments (it was considered a sin by the church) and whoever defied the injunction was put to torture and then incarcerated for life (rather than be considered an eccentric and a charming tomboy like the heroine is!!!). As if all of the above was not wall-banging, wall-and-skull-cracking enough, we were also subjected to the spectacle of an 11 c. lady of the nobility getting pregnant by her lover and refusing to marry him, although he was more than willing to marry her! Without roaring with laughter from all that taking the piss, Johnson in all seriousness has her heroine declaring that she prefers to live out of wedlock with the impregnator instead (one does not abandon a formidable tarse, after all). But the tsunami of crap keeps on breaking on the reader's' head, and we are also treated to the spectacle of her entire gang of male relatives applauding her decision, supporting her and telling her things like, 'it's your life and you are free to make your own choices'. They must have read it in in Cosmo. If you can get past phrases like, 'male chauvinistic pig' in A.D. 1069, without reaching for the sick bag then you have much greater immunity to crap than I and you ought to be congratulated.
A good writer of historical romances would always seek imaginative ways to fashion a strong female character OUT OF THE PAST. To give her a world whose symbolic order partly rested on the brutal subjugation of women, and show how such a woman carved a path within that world of terror. A very bad writer (i.e., the majority in the HR genre) would just write a book like Sophia Johnson did, full of projections of excruciating and trite contemporary cliches about relationships, and throw in a backdrop of cheap props just for the sake of shelving this crap under HR. I have only myself to blame for wasting my time on earth in reading books like this, and although I have avoided this writer like the plague ever since, and will continue to do so, the bad odour of this book still lingers.
That aside, the most objectionable element of the book was the terrible falsification of the past, the thoroughly unbelievable female character(s) and the lack of any truth about women's (especially members of the nobility)social position in the 11th c. Now, one would not normally read historical romance novels for the sake of historical research, nor for gaining some profound insight into what experience must have been like in the remote past(although some romance genre writers do rise way above genre conventions and expectations and brilliantly work historical research into their writing, making their story pulsate with power, pathos and a felt truth. Such writing actively takes up a relation to the past), but I do expect to see some effort put in trying to imagine what would have been like to be a woman in, say, the 11th c., with all the odds stacked against you, all your yearnings not only thwarted but not even acknowledged as yearnings.
How a heroine who comes from such a world struggles against it, what struggles she wins and what struggles she loses in her entanglement with the demands (and frustrations) of love, is what I expect to read. The best in historical romance show us heroes and heroines who radiate out of their own time and face us today. What I don't want is a stick figurine from this century transported onto a sketchy account of 11th c. Scotland. This reader dislikes nothing more than the treatment of the past as a set of props, as an advertising billboard for the self-congratulatory tone of our inarticulate cultures.
'Risking Everything' has a facade of historicity -language, descriptions of weapons, home life, food and clothing- but what would truly elevate these so-called historical elements into interesting fiction is entirely missing. As it is, the above elements remain mere disguises in a bad suburban ballo in maschera, or pathetic heritage industry anachronisms, like those Tower of London actors milling around the tourist throng. The heroine is an irritating cartoonish tomboy, straight out of a Disney computer game, and the hero, with all his stated traumatic experiences and fake angst,remains a blank page with a tumescent 'tarse' (give me Brenda Joyce's tumescent Normans over him, any time).
The story is full of inconsistencies and illogicalities. The pair were supposed to be attracted to each other in their (her) adolescence, and although that attraction is initially stated with pomposity and then restated (when the writer remembers she introduced such an element in her story), it is never once felt in the couple's exchanges -which, in any case, consist mostly in door slamming and infantile tantrums, constant bickering and senseless utterances, and there's so many of them that you are bound to get a headache- nor does it inform the (lack of) development of their passion. The couple's contretemps are endless, tiresome and without any contribution either to plot developments or the mechanics of love.
There are other failings too, such as the hero's stupid conviction that the friends and allies of a life time are the murderers of his first wife! Without any intimation of a potential conflict and a stated big and strong alliance, at a time and place where you needed allies more than oxygen, your best friends suddenly come and murder your wife!!! Nothing is said as to the motivation the hero could have attributed to such an act. There was no land dispute, no forging of different alliances, no vying for power or title that could have lead those friends to up and off the first wife. They had nothing to gain and everything to lose (starting a new bloody conflict while being engaged in so many others). So given this, a writer would have to go to great lengths to explain why the hero thought his friends went suddenly and inexplicably bonkers and killed his wife. And not only that but they left their calling card tartan behind, so he could easily identify them!!! Johnson says nothing about any of this, leaving aside that there was no tartan before the 16th c., and the hero just accepts it at face value without any investigation or reflection on the subject starting a bloody war against his best friends ( who, in vain, protested their innocence). The whole thing stinks of writer manipulation against all the laws of basic logic. The trouble with this kind of thing is that while the writer's life is made very easy, the reader's intelligence is so insulted that she decides never to spend her coin on this kind of tosh again. Once the hero is established, and early on, as the biggest blockhead of the Dark Ages nothing can save him, not his big 'tarse', not his supposed love for the heroine, NOTHING.
There are other titanic logical inconsistencies too. One such is the fact that nothing is made of the stated, early on in the story, adolescent attraction hero and heroine supposedly felt for each other. Given that both families were friends and allies at the time, hence no objection to such a match (on the contrary, you'd expect them to have been betrothed in the cradle), why didn't the hero offer for her? Why did he turn away from the heroine and offered for another woman? We are never told. We have to accept that stuff happens to stuff.
The cartoonish sense of history is so pronounced that I lost all will to live and remember that I ever read such crap. As if having a woman not only train with men in the arts of war, as well as being their trainer, was not ridiculous enough; as if having a woman wearing men's couture in the 11th c was not a silly idea that should have been immediately discarded -it is well known that women were forbidden from putting on male garments (it was considered a sin by the church) and whoever defied the injunction was put to torture and then incarcerated for life (rather than be considered an eccentric and a charming tomboy like the heroine is!!!). As if all of the above was not wall-banging, wall-and-skull-cracking enough, we were also subjected to the spectacle of an 11 c. lady of the nobility getting pregnant by her lover and refusing to marry him, although he was more than willing to marry her! Without roaring with laughter from all that taking the piss, Johnson in all seriousness has her heroine declaring that she prefers to live out of wedlock with the impregnator instead (one does not abandon a formidable tarse, after all). But the tsunami of crap keeps on breaking on the reader's' head, and we are also treated to the spectacle of her entire gang of male relatives applauding her decision, supporting her and telling her things like, 'it's your life and you are free to make your own choices'. They must have read it in in Cosmo. If you can get past phrases like, 'male chauvinistic pig' in A.D. 1069, without reaching for the sick bag then you have much greater immunity to crap than I and you ought to be congratulated.
A good writer of historical romances would always seek imaginative ways to fashion a strong female character OUT OF THE PAST. To give her a world whose symbolic order partly rested on the brutal subjugation of women, and show how such a woman carved a path within that world of terror. A very bad writer (i.e., the majority in the HR genre) would just write a book like Sophia Johnson did, full of projections of excruciating and trite contemporary cliches about relationships, and throw in a backdrop of cheap props just for the sake of shelving this crap under HR. I have only myself to blame for wasting my time on earth in reading books like this, and although I have avoided this writer like the plague ever since, and will continue to do so, the bad odour of this book still lingers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 18, 2011
One of my favorite books ever! Have reread so many times I can't count anymore. It was an emotional read, so when I am looking for a good cry this is one of the books I pick up. The heroine is so strong and battles the hero at every turn and when she finally surrenders because of his promise it turns into a beautiful love story. The heartbreak was wrenching for me, but it does lead to a lot of groveling.
September 1, 2020
over the top historical romance. Heroine was shrewish for too long. That's why I took so long reading. I kept needing a break from the shrewish heroine. I understand why she wanted to be better than any man and deny her femininity however she was so annoying and I couldn't accept she was better than men at ***everything***. I rolled my eyes so much everytime she boasted how superior her skills were.
the hero. he was annoying too. He was too blind to see who he married was an evil woman. I was impressed the author had the hero complete his vengeance. Most romance authors have the hero alter their revenge schemes when the hero forms a bond with the heroine.
so glad I am finally done with this book! It began capturing my interest then it became boring last it got interesting when the hero married. Whew.
the hero. he was annoying too. He was too blind to see who he married was an evil woman. I was impressed the author had the hero complete his vengeance. Most romance authors have the hero alter their revenge schemes when the hero forms a bond with the heroine.
so glad I am finally done with this book! It began capturing my interest then it became boring last it got interesting when the hero married. Whew.
September 21, 2010
This is the first book by Sophia Johnson that I've read and I wasn't disapointed. I love a good revenge theme and this one is one of the best that I've read. Not only does our H use the h as a tool for his revenge against her brother but he follows through on the plan. Ususally the plan is discovered before it can be pulled off or the H confesses because he's fallen in love and can't go through with it.Not so in Risk Everything and it makes for some very emotional scenes.
August 11, 2021
I loved the drama and angst. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
November 22, 2011
2/3 stars
This was a well written book that had a bodice ripper feel. I disliked the hero throughout the story. He was vindictive, cruel, and very selfish. I can't think of one redeeming quality he had. Yes, he did some major groveling and, I guess, redeemed himself by the end; however, by then, I simply didn't care. I liked the heroine and was proud she made the hero accountable for his actions, but I didn't buy into her allowing him back into her life. I really don't feel her character would have allowed that. It felt like the author knew she needed a HEA and forced her heroine into betraying her better self. It just didn't work for me!
This was a well written book that had a bodice ripper feel. I disliked the hero throughout the story. He was vindictive, cruel, and very selfish. I can't think of one redeeming quality he had. Yes, he did some major groveling and, I guess, redeemed himself by the end; however, by then, I simply didn't care. I liked the heroine and was proud she made the hero accountable for his actions, but I didn't buy into her allowing him back into her life. I really don't feel her character would have allowed that. It felt like the author knew she needed a HEA and forced her heroine into betraying her better self. It just didn't work for me!
May 27, 2013
Seriously annoyed with this book. There were so many things that bothered me about the character's actions. Most of all though I couldn't figure out how the H could have known the h for most of her lifetime and claim to 'love' her but still manage to have two marriages before he tells the h how he feels? Not to mention the horrible way he treats her for most of the book. Just could not get comfortable with what was going on but I did get into the book enough to finish it in one day, that says something right!
August 29, 2020
2.5 stars
I liked the heroine. Didn’t like the hero...not even at the end. Story was interesting but it lost stars because the ending didn’t make sense. From everything we read about Meghan, it does not make sense she’d take Rolf back. But I guess the author needed a HEA...
I liked the heroine. Didn’t like the hero...not even at the end. Story was interesting but it lost stars because the ending didn’t make sense. From everything we read about Meghan, it does not make sense she’d take Rolf back. But I guess the author needed a HEA...
August 14, 2010
Have you ever read a book that you know drives you batty, that you know you shouldn’t like, but you can’t help but read it nevertheless? I believe we call these guilty pleasures. Such is the case with Risk Everything. I was reading it while at the RWA conference and despite all the events and meetings going on around me, I still managed to steal time to read this one – even though it drove me batty. It’s a Medieval and already this year I’m way ahead of where I was last year in reading this genre.
Meghan of Blackthorn is not your typical medieval miss. Instead she’s quite the warrior type. She is out hunting when she is captured by Rolph MacDaidh. He was a friend of her childhood, but now he holds her brother responsible for the death of his wife and child and plans on using Meghan to gain his revenge.
At first Meghan frustrated me with her warrior ways. I kept wishing these two would just sit down and talk things over, but they didn’t. By the time I either got used to Meghan or she mellowed somewhat, I’m not sure which, I was really starting to enjoy this book. And then Rolph did something so very unforgiveable. I hated what he did to the heroine and never really did forgive him it by the end of the book.
But still, the story kept me reading it even in the middle of a conference so I consider that a good sign. Although the grade isn’t that high for this one, oddly enough it doesn’t really reflect how compelling I found it. And I do want to read the others in this series so I’m thinking that’s a good thing!
Meghan of Blackthorn is not your typical medieval miss. Instead she’s quite the warrior type. She is out hunting when she is captured by Rolph MacDaidh. He was a friend of her childhood, but now he holds her brother responsible for the death of his wife and child and plans on using Meghan to gain his revenge.
At first Meghan frustrated me with her warrior ways. I kept wishing these two would just sit down and talk things over, but they didn’t. By the time I either got used to Meghan or she mellowed somewhat, I’m not sure which, I was really starting to enjoy this book. And then Rolph did something so very unforgiveable. I hated what he did to the heroine and never really did forgive him it by the end of the book.
But still, the story kept me reading it even in the middle of a conference so I consider that a good sign. Although the grade isn’t that high for this one, oddly enough it doesn’t really reflect how compelling I found it. And I do want to read the others in this series so I’m thinking that’s a good thing!
October 31, 2013
Lots of dramas and angsty and the heroine was tough and strong, but the hero needed to be clubbed on the head many a time. Not sure why he never married her initially despite loving her from the start, instead of marrying his first wife, thereby breaking her heart. He proceeded to smash it several times over, then purée it some more, and she still forgave him relatively quickly. Resolution came about very hastily and loose ends knotted over somewhat clumsily. Still, I liked the emotional perspectives from both protagonists, and I'm a sucker for tear jerking plots.
January 2, 2015
Okay I have to re-read now. Why would I give it three stars if there is cheating??? OMG!
January 20, 2014
Meghan was *fantastic*. She is probably my favorite of all heroines in this genre. Rolf, on the other hand, was so stupid, I found it impossible to believe he was Laird of his clan. His younger brother would definitely make a better Laird.
Driven by a very weak attempt to fool him, he's convinced an old friend of his murdered his wife. He then decides to get revenge by capturing that man's sister (a woman he'd known and loved in the past). He forces her on a march behind his horse, leaving her her bloody and in horrible shape, only to tie her in the stables like an animal. THEN she's nearly raped by one of his men.
I MIGHT have believed that a decent man could prey on a young innocent woman this way IF there was any plausible reason to believe her family had slaughtered his wife, but… he KNEW the brother, and knew him to be honorable (at least in the past), so this behaviors as way off the charts in terms of acceptable vengeful alpha male behavior.
Meghan is so totally awesome that she soon gains the respect and friendship of almost everyone she meets in his clan. Regardless, he continues his plan to dishonor her… and even after time spent with her where they actually manage to forge a friendship of a sorts (due to his deceit), he continues his plan to dishonor her.
Not seeing Ailsa for what she was was another mark against him in the 'brain power' column. His clan should have challenged his right as Laird after he exposed them to Ailsa. She was downright dangerous and physically abused one of the women in his clan.
Rolf was simply an idiot. A boorish idiot at that. Meghan had feelings from him that predated this incident and it's not unusual to love someone who isn't worthy of it… so she doesn't earn TSTL points from me on that count. I was young once too and made some stupid love choices.
She does make him wait a long time for her acceptance of him after the fact, and her behavior towards him once she learns of his lies is fantastic. She gets an A+, He gets an F.
Driven by a very weak attempt to fool him, he's convinced an old friend of his murdered his wife. He then decides to get revenge by capturing that man's sister (a woman he'd known and loved in the past). He forces her on a march behind his horse, leaving her her bloody and in horrible shape, only to tie her in the stables like an animal. THEN she's nearly raped by one of his men.
I MIGHT have believed that a decent man could prey on a young innocent woman this way IF there was any plausible reason to believe her family had slaughtered his wife, but… he KNEW the brother, and knew him to be honorable (at least in the past), so this behaviors as way off the charts in terms of acceptable vengeful alpha male behavior.
Meghan is so totally awesome that she soon gains the respect and friendship of almost everyone she meets in his clan. Regardless, he continues his plan to dishonor her… and even after time spent with her where they actually manage to forge a friendship of a sorts (due to his deceit), he continues his plan to dishonor her.
Not seeing Ailsa for what she was was another mark against him in the 'brain power' column. His clan should have challenged his right as Laird after he exposed them to Ailsa. She was downright dangerous and physically abused one of the women in his clan.
Rolf was simply an idiot. A boorish idiot at that. Meghan had feelings from him that predated this incident and it's not unusual to love someone who isn't worthy of it… so she doesn't earn TSTL points from me on that count. I was young once too and made some stupid love choices.
She does make him wait a long time for her acceptance of him after the fact, and her behavior towards him once she learns of his lies is fantastic. She gets an A+, He gets an F.
September 7, 2010
Wow well i only read this book because i read a review saying that the hero Rolf handfasted with the heroine Meghan because he wanted her to give him a son (a replacement for his infant son that died, apparently killed by Meghans brother) and then married his betrothed and i just had to see what happened!
I didn't expect to love it! I just couldn't put the damn thing down! He handfasted with Meghan then right in font of her married his horrid betrothed! Everyone at the keep knew of the plans as well! Lucky most ended up loving her and tried to help her after the marriage. I absolutely felt sorry for Meghan when she unknowingly prepared the new brides chamber ready for her arrival and when she played a welcome tune on the bag pipes as the horses came through the gates! I was just imagining how furious i would be!
I couldn't believe that Rolf went through with his plan it was very very mean. But you could feel his pain and see he wished that things could be different. I'm not sure Rolf redeemed himself as thoroughly as i would have liked and the story had a few flaws but for some reason it worked for me.
I usually can't handle a lot of heroine treated like dirt sort of suspense in my books i end up putting them down and starting a new one then going back when ive calmed down! lol But i couldn't put this down, my baggy reading till 3 am eyes can attest to that!
You will absolutely love Meghan she is a ball buster! Doesn't let anyone push her around and is a skilled warrior! The sex his frequent and steamy and they do have some nice quiet romantic times together.
One thing i would love to know is, if the Hero and Heroine fell in love as teens why did he marry his first wife?!
Read it, it's not expensive and is definitely worthy of a few hours of your time!
I didn't expect to love it! I just couldn't put the damn thing down! He handfasted with Meghan then right in font of her married his horrid betrothed! Everyone at the keep knew of the plans as well! Lucky most ended up loving her and tried to help her after the marriage. I absolutely felt sorry for Meghan when she unknowingly prepared the new brides chamber ready for her arrival and when she played a welcome tune on the bag pipes as the horses came through the gates! I was just imagining how furious i would be!
I couldn't believe that Rolf went through with his plan it was very very mean. But you could feel his pain and see he wished that things could be different. I'm not sure Rolf redeemed himself as thoroughly as i would have liked and the story had a few flaws but for some reason it worked for me.
I usually can't handle a lot of heroine treated like dirt sort of suspense in my books i end up putting them down and starting a new one then going back when ive calmed down! lol But i couldn't put this down, my baggy reading till 3 am eyes can attest to that!
You will absolutely love Meghan she is a ball buster! Doesn't let anyone push her around and is a skilled warrior! The sex his frequent and steamy and they do have some nice quiet romantic times together.
One thing i would love to know is, if the Hero and Heroine fell in love as teens why did he marry his first wife?!
Read it, it's not expensive and is definitely worthy of a few hours of your time!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 5, 2018
Finally found this book! Read it in several hours. Ms. Johnson has a very pleasant writing style which can make the reader laugh, smile, fear and feel anger and jealousy to name a few emotions, all in one chapter. The story was based in medieval times. Not sure about any inaccuracies to detail about the time it's based on and didn't care as her writing style kept me interested and entertained throughout the whole book. Would of liked to see more written detail where Rolf (hero and dirty dog) grovelled to Meghen at the end, but the book would have probably ended up running more than 400 pages. Don't read this book if you don't like cheating, betrayal, angst (lot's of it). I don't think this novel will make the top ten of all time but it definitely is in my top ten and will stay on my top shelf as a re-read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 31, 2014
I only read maybe 2/3rds of the book and had to stop. The only reason I gave it two stars was because of the heroine and the writing style. The rest just left me disappointed (I say disappointed because I'm being nice). The hero was selfish, stupid, vindictive, cruel and the Heroine (though I loved her spirit and mind set for most of the book) bowed to his will! I really expected more from the this book. It started out so good and the writing was excellent. But I couldn't stomach how sick the turn of events were going. I would have loved an alternative ending, something that's a little more realistic. But to each their own I guess.
October 13, 2011
This is one of those books that is a guilty pleasure of mine. While I detest some of the events within the book, I commend the heroine for her backbone and her honor and pride. The hero isn't much to my liking, as he has the constant need for vengeance and is of the mentality of you woman, you not strong like man (pounds chest) and he just makes you want to smack him upside the head. Overall, the secondary characters I liked well and the heroine enough to give this book 3 stars.
July 13, 2011
Not bad really but not at all what I thought. It had a hint of paranormal to it. I don't like my historical with paranormal in it. Time travel is in the background of this series, so this is my first and only book in this series I will read.
April 19, 2018
super-angsty read....mostly unnecessary angst. H is a jerk.
Overall, 4 stars!
Overall, 4 stars!
December 30, 2018
Tenía este libro desde hace unos cuantos años en la estantería, no me acordaba de él pero haciendo limpieza de fin de años lo he visto y he decidido darle una oportunidad. Después de leerlo lo único que bueno que puedo decir es que ahora tengo espacio para otros libros.
Pude haberle puesto una estrella más pero no creo que se lo merezca. Novela romántica que forma parte de una trilogía. No he leído los dos primeros pero no creo que me haya perdido nada interesante porque pese a que este libro no contiene ningún elemento paranormal las dos historias anteriores cuentan con un viaje en el tiempo y un personaje que lee la mente.
La trama tiene que ver con la venganza y con dos protagonistas cada cual peor. No me ha gustado la protagonista, una mujer que hace lo que le dé la gana (viste como un hombre, pelea, caza y lanza puñales como el mejor guerrero) sin considerar a los que la rodean. Él por su parte es un machista empedernido que usa su fuerza para hacer lo que quiere. Algunas de las escenas de sexo -que hay bastantes hacia la mitad del libro- son muy cuestionables.
No suelo quejarme mucho de los libros románticos porque tienen a ser bastantes estereotipados en cuando a trama y personajes -el dicho "leído uno leído todos" es muy cierto - pero hay algunas cosas que me aborrezco: la falta de rigor histórico en cuanto al comportamiento de la mujer en la época en la que transcurre la novela. Es imposible que en el siglo XI una joven dama de la nobleza vistiese pantalones o se comportara como un marimacho, y es imposible que los guerreros curtidos le rogaran consejos. Lo de que se pone de pie mientras cabalga el caballo ya es cosa del Circo del Sol.
Por alguna curiosa razón hay escritoras que no entiende que los personajes son de una época y no al revés.
En fin, no la recomiendo, no me ha gustado nada.
Pude haberle puesto una estrella más pero no creo que se lo merezca. Novela romántica que forma parte de una trilogía. No he leído los dos primeros pero no creo que me haya perdido nada interesante porque pese a que este libro no contiene ningún elemento paranormal las dos historias anteriores cuentan con un viaje en el tiempo y un personaje que lee la mente.
La trama tiene que ver con la venganza y con dos protagonistas cada cual peor. No me ha gustado la protagonista, una mujer que hace lo que le dé la gana (viste como un hombre, pelea, caza y lanza puñales como el mejor guerrero) sin considerar a los que la rodean. Él por su parte es un machista empedernido que usa su fuerza para hacer lo que quiere. Algunas de las escenas de sexo -que hay bastantes hacia la mitad del libro- son muy cuestionables.
No suelo quejarme mucho de los libros románticos porque tienen a ser bastantes estereotipados en cuando a trama y personajes -el dicho "leído uno leído todos" es muy cierto - pero hay algunas cosas que me aborrezco: la falta de rigor histórico en cuanto al comportamiento de la mujer en la época en la que transcurre la novela. Es imposible que en el siglo XI una joven dama de la nobleza vistiese pantalones o se comportara como un marimacho, y es imposible que los guerreros curtidos le rogaran consejos. Lo de que se pone de pie mientras cabalga el caballo ya es cosa del Circo del Sol.
Por alguna curiosa razón hay escritoras que no entiende que los personajes son de una época y no al revés.
En fin, no la recomiendo, no me ha gustado nada.
August 12, 2019
Meghan of Blackthorn (1074) grew up with boys and is much more comfortable in men's clothing doing male pursuits. When she's kidnapped by her childhood love - Rolf MacDaidh, she's not happy, but not alarmed until she discovers he wants her to bear his a child as his leman to replace the babe and wife he thinks her brother killed in a raid. They fight constantly until he handfasts with her, then the sex gets hot and heavy. The she discovers he's to wed another, but he won't let her go.
Eventually, after lots of misunderstandings and sex, they discover the new wife and her loved killed the first wife and are hoping to get rid of Meghan and Rolf now that he's not cooperating. She's mentally unstable and goes off the roof eventually leaving Rolf and Meghan to finally get together.
Obviously part of a series about the family, but understandable alone. Lots of sex - hardly a story without it - definitely R.
Eventually, after lots of misunderstandings and sex, they discover the new wife and her loved killed the first wife and are hoping to get rid of Meghan and Rolf now that he's not cooperating. She's mentally unstable and goes off the roof eventually leaving Rolf and Meghan to finally get together.
Obviously part of a series about the family, but understandable alone. Lots of sex - hardly a story without it - definitely R.
March 15, 2022
Angst, steam, humor and a kick-ass heroine!
This was really good.
spoiler:
This was really good.
spoiler:
September 14, 2019
Couldn't finish, couldn't even read further than the half of it. Still so sorry for wasting time on such a bag of garbage. Even I, being from an Asian country and not entirely familiar with European contries' history, can readily realize the extent of foolishness in describing a heroine in 11 century!!! And the plot and interactions, such a stereotype that made me wanna throw up...
August 25, 2017
stupid hero, all the problem is his fault
Murphy's law, whatever can go wrong, will go wrong
Murphy's law, whatever can go wrong, will go wrong
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 7, 2019
Very tedious book.
March 30, 2015
I can understand why this book has so many mixed reviews. I did not read the other books in the series, though I got the impression they are more on the fantastical side. However this one has no magic and reads more like an old school bodice ripper.
The H wants revenge on the h brother, so he kidnaps the h. The first quarter of the book is the h constantly attempting to escape the H, which continuously ends in both failure and injury for her. The next quarter is her constantly challenging the H, which ends in her storming off and him wanting to have sex with her. The H is, a bastard... He's not as bad as classic bodice rippers, but there were a few times where I wanted to knee him in the crotch. He never physically abuses the h( though she does get minor injuries fleeing him, or from him keeping her tied up). He also never rapes her(yay to that). However, he tells her flat out he wants her as his leman so she can bear him a son and when she refuses . This is the 1st book I've ever read where the H actually . I really wasnt sure how the author was going to get to the HEA at that point. I wanted the H to beg more, maybe humiliate himself more than he did, but otherwise I was happy with the story overall.
One thing that was never discussed or explained... Maybe this was discussed in a previous book, but I kept waiting for it and was lost as to why it was never brought up.
If you're looking for an old school bodice ripper that has less abuse of the h, than I'd recommend this
The H wants revenge on the h brother, so he kidnaps the h. The first quarter of the book is the h constantly attempting to escape the H, which continuously ends in both failure and injury for her. The next quarter is her constantly challenging the H, which ends in her storming off and him wanting to have sex with her. The H is, a bastard... He's not as bad as classic bodice rippers, but there were a few times where I wanted to knee him in the crotch. He never physically abuses the h( though she does get minor injuries fleeing him, or from him keeping her tied up). He also never rapes her(yay to that). However, he tells her flat out he wants her as his leman so she can bear him a son and when she refuses . This is the 1st book I've ever read where the H actually . I really wasnt sure how the author was going to get to the HEA at that point. I wanted the H to beg more, maybe humiliate himself more than he did, but otherwise I was happy with the story overall.
One thing that was never discussed or explained... Maybe this was discussed in a previous book, but I kept waiting for it and was lost as to why it was never brought up.
If you're looking for an old school bodice ripper that has less abuse of the h, than I'd recommend this
January 9, 2011
3.5 stars
Rolf kidnaps Meghan and uses her to plot revenge against her brother(Connor).....who used to be his close friend until a horrible tragedy ripped them apart. This story was different from your average romance due to the hurtful and even violent (at times) nature of the H/H relationship. Even after Rolf admits to himself that he has always loved Meghan and always will, he still goes through with his plan for revenge and he ultimately destroy's Meghan. It all works out in the end but this is no sweet and endearing romance. Rolf and Meghan's relationship is full of hurt, betrayal, lies, scorn, mistrust and much more. I think I would have rated this higher if Meghan gave Rolf a much harder time and not giving in to his pleas for forgiveness so quickly. I would have made him suffer and I'm surprised that Meghan didn't because she sure had the attitude to do it. Overall, not a bad read.
Rolf kidnaps Meghan and uses her to plot revenge against her brother(Connor).....who used to be his close friend until a horrible tragedy ripped them apart. This story was different from your average romance due to the hurtful and even violent (at times) nature of the H/H relationship. Even after Rolf admits to himself that he has always loved Meghan and always will, he still goes through with his plan for revenge and he ultimately destroy's Meghan. It all works out in the end but this is no sweet and endearing romance. Rolf and Meghan's relationship is full of hurt, betrayal, lies, scorn, mistrust and much more. I think I would have rated this higher if Meghan gave Rolf a much harder time and not giving in to his pleas for forgiveness so quickly. I would have made him suffer and I'm surprised that Meghan didn't because she sure had the attitude to do it. Overall, not a bad read.
January 22, 2011
Made me laugh and cry. I already adored Meghan from the first two books. This was my favourite of the three. I found it an emotional roller coaster as you can tell something is going to happen that's gonna hurt Meghan and you cant help but like her character. She's so strong, independent and full of fire. Even when faced with a challenge she comes out on top and you cant help but laugh at her antics.
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