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Tender Torment
INNOCENCE DESTROYED ... SLEEPING PASSIONS AWAKENED, STIRRED, SET ABLAZE ... IN A MAJESTIC TALE OF ROMANTIC ADVENTURE!
ALEXANDRA a woman no man could tame; a woman who used what she had to get what she wanted.
Ravaged brutally by a man determined to claim her and her fortune as his own, Alexandra Clarke flees the safety of her home, embarking on a journey that will see her tossed upon the turbulent seas of disgrace and shame -- and treachery.
From the luxury of a New York townhouse to the lush shores of the Caribbean; from the rot and decay of a dying Southern plantation to the arid expanse of Texas, Alexandra recklessly pushes on, ever seeking escape. But there is one man from whom there is no escape. Jake Jarmon -- a man bold in his hunger for her, unrelenting in his quest to control. Jake Jarmon -- only he can satisfy the fiery demands of her body; only he can hurt her with the cold rage of his temper.
Theirs is a proud battle of the wills as they struggle viciously to deny their love; a love that burns with the hot flame of desire; a love that soars with the rapture of their need.
ALEXANDRA a woman no man could tame; a woman who used what she had to get what she wanted.
Ravaged brutally by a man determined to claim her and her fortune as his own, Alexandra Clarke flees the safety of her home, embarking on a journey that will see her tossed upon the turbulent seas of disgrace and shame -- and treachery.
From the luxury of a New York townhouse to the lush shores of the Caribbean; from the rot and decay of a dying Southern plantation to the arid expanse of Texas, Alexandra recklessly pushes on, ever seeking escape. But there is one man from whom there is no escape. Jake Jarmon -- a man bold in his hunger for her, unrelenting in his quest to control. Jake Jarmon -- only he can satisfy the fiery demands of her body; only he can hurt her with the cold rage of his temper.
Theirs is a proud battle of the wills as they struggle viciously to deny their love; a love that burns with the hot flame of desire; a love that soars with the rapture of their need.
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1978
3 people are currently reading
191 people want to read
About the author
Jane Archer
51 books5 followersJane Archer is the bestselling author of eight Jane Archer is the bestselling author of over twenty books. Tender Torment, her first novel published in 1978, sold half a million copies, received a live-action television commercial, hit national bestseller lists, and was later reissued along with sequels, Wild Wind! and Silken Spurs. She is a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award finalist, her novels are popular in many foreign countries, and Out of the West has been optioned for a television movie.
Texas Indian Myths and Legends, a nonfiction, continues to receive wide acclaim. As Nina Romberg, she writes vampire and dark suspense novels. She frequently lectures to promote reading and writing, and, her articles have appeared in Fiction Writer, The Literary Times, Romantic Times, Romance Writers Report and Novelists Ink. She has a degree in graphic design and is the former Creative Director for Book Publishers of Texas
Texas Indian Myths and Legends, a nonfiction, continues to receive wide acclaim. As Nina Romberg, she writes vampire and dark suspense novels. She frequently lectures to promote reading and writing, and, her articles have appeared in Fiction Writer, The Literary Times, Romantic Times, Romance Writers Report and Novelists Ink. She has a degree in graphic design and is the former Creative Director for Book Publishers of Texas
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November 26, 2011Well - I am not sure what to say - this is pretty much car crash territory but yet strangely readable and has actually made me guffaw more than once!
So far the heroine's guardian was murdered by her relatives and then, within minutes, her illegitimate cousin rapes her.
However neither grief nor trauma can keep her down!
She runs away and books passage on a schooner. The captain and crew get totally plastered and try to gang rape her. She falls overboard with a wooden oar in the middle of a raging storm but instead of dying( like any normal person would) she is then picked up (in the freezing ocean some time later) by captain Jake, the eponymous hero. At this stage she has only a damp shift to wear.
He takes her to the Bahamas to his mistress' planation. For some reason she decides she can't tell anyone who she is, despite the fact that she is really very wealthy - and lets be honest - she is in need of some thing to wear other than her shift. Within a mere day the mistress' s brother knows he loves her and proposes to her - however at the same time he tries to grab her breasts and molests her. She runs away and locks herself in the bedroom.
Not deterred by this, when the evil captain of the schooner, calls up to her room to demand she sleep with him in order to get her clothes back, our heroine thinks it's a good idea to go and have a chat. He attacks her and tries to rape her. The hero, who is half way to bedding his mistress, overhears this and dives out the window to the rescue. The captain, mistress and brother all chase them. They run away to the beach and then think that this is a great moment to consummate the relationship in the sand. The hero is disappointed that she is not a virgin and Alex tells him that she was raped but that he will obviously not believe her ( why?) . Our girl's dress is again ruined. The three wicked amigos turn up but the hero prevails and they make it to the ship. Jake persists in having sex with Alex for the rest of the journey and although she protests - she really loves it. He tells her that is is going to take her to Texas with him.
Nonetheless, our heroine decides that she must fun away from the ship into the dock land area of new Orleans - yes she really is too stupid to live!
Surprise surprise, she is almost gang raped by 3 sailors but does escape. For some totally unfathomable reason she decides to pretend to be a street walker and is taken into a dance/ bawdy house, where of course she is plied with drink and her virtue is placed at further risk. she gets involved in a cat fight with a whore and in middle of the fight , her breasts are bared but that doesn't seem to put her off although she is again faced with inconvenient dress loss - I mean how careless can you be?
I don't know if I can continue reading...
Ok - a skim of the next 100 pages reveals: heroine decides to move up in the world and live in a high class brothel. There is actually some comment about her being so lucky that she is wealthy and doesn't have to sell herself - this is despite the fact that she consistently refuses to go to the bank to withdraw any money and is living in a brothel at the mercy of the Madame. Despite assurances that she need not sleep with anyone, the Madame then gives her a drug which makes her wild with passion and she shags Giles. It turns out that the madam is another of our hero's mistresses and she knows he is enamoured of Alex. Accordingly she gets him to watch Alex and giles and he decides to have nothing to do with her anymore. Alex wakes up on a plantation, owned by the family she has been searching for from the outset. Vile Giles is the eldest son of the family. There is another absent son, called jacob, who is off toTexas. Can you possibly foresee the connection!!?!!
Despite everything that has gone before, our heroine, allows Giles to take her to the gazebo , where he yet again rapes her. She really hates him but wants to clean the house and really it's inopportune time to leave, after all he then declares that he will marry her for her money! His step mother who is dying, begs her to go and visit with 'Jacob' in Texas and our girl thinks this is a splendid idea - despite the fact that the casual observer would think travel has not really worked out for her to date and really young women don't generally travel to texas in 1866/67 by themselves to visit strange men - but - why send a letter when she can imperil herself further!
What happens next? Well the step mother dies and as soon as she is buried Giles just can't help himself and drags Alexandra to his bedroom and throws her on the bed. He forces her to swallow some drugged drink - which (within seconds) makes her all languorous. He then takes her to another room and whips her before having sex with her again. Obviously she again loses her clothes! She then runs away after having whipped Giles in the face.
None of this seems to put the h off and Alexandra goes to Texas , accompanied by a Lieutenant Blake who also wants her, whereupon surprise, surprise it emerges that Jacob is really Jake.
He then forces her into his bedroom declaring her missed her, needed her etc despite the fact she was 'a whore a liar and a cheat' - 'she kissed like a whore, made love like one, demanded like one' -I promise it really does go on like this!
So Jake puts her to work in the kitchen, a Mexican ranch hand tries to rape her but is interrupted by Jake who blames Alex. He then calls her a whore , slaps her and takes her back to the bedroom ( ps somehow once again she appears to be in a state of undress)' he then really does rape her, but she gets to like it and then he tells her to go and make his dinner so she flounces off determined to show him that she can't cook??
After a few weeks at the ranch our couple seem to come to terms and Alexandra tells all - except for the fact that she describes everyone who tried to rape her, as actually having raped her - well really how could we expect her to tell the difference at this stage - or maybe it's just too much of a blur!?!
She then finally reveals her identity and they agree to part company after a final trip as she has done her duty to her guardian.
The ranch is attacked by bandits. They attempt to gang rape Alexandra on the kitchen table but are interrupted by Jake ( again further clothes wreckage).
Lieutenant Blake shows up and offers to take her away and our girl agrees, not seeing the need to tell anyone where she is going.
It turns out that he has been duped by her evil cousin Stan (first rapist) who has turned up. Stan kills Blake.
Even worse it seems Stan and Giles are in league as Giles also appears. Jake tracks them and kills Giles but Stan shoots him and carries Alexandra off, thinking jake dead.
Sometime in the middle of all this Alexandra realises she is pregnant - attributing this to Jake - but let's be honest there are other possibilities! She agrees to marry Stan so as to give the baby a name - after all who would worry if their step father had killed their father? Why have qualms at stage?
Fast forward to the wedding day, yes you've guessed it - Jake interupts the wedding, Stan shoots the minister, Jake shoots Stan and our happy couple embrace in the midst of the carnage in New York.
They marry and live happily ever after....
What are the chances?
Hilarious but categorically not a keeper!!!
So far the heroine's guardian was murdered by her relatives and then, within minutes, her illegitimate cousin rapes her.
However neither grief nor trauma can keep her down!
She runs away and books passage on a schooner. The captain and crew get totally plastered and try to gang rape her. She falls overboard with a wooden oar in the middle of a raging storm but instead of dying( like any normal person would) she is then picked up (in the freezing ocean some time later) by captain Jake, the eponymous hero. At this stage she has only a damp shift to wear.
He takes her to the Bahamas to his mistress' planation. For some reason she decides she can't tell anyone who she is, despite the fact that she is really very wealthy - and lets be honest - she is in need of some thing to wear other than her shift. Within a mere day the mistress' s brother knows he loves her and proposes to her - however at the same time he tries to grab her breasts and molests her. She runs away and locks herself in the bedroom.
Not deterred by this, when the evil captain of the schooner, calls up to her room to demand she sleep with him in order to get her clothes back, our heroine thinks it's a good idea to go and have a chat. He attacks her and tries to rape her. The hero, who is half way to bedding his mistress, overhears this and dives out the window to the rescue. The captain, mistress and brother all chase them. They run away to the beach and then think that this is a great moment to consummate the relationship in the sand. The hero is disappointed that she is not a virgin and Alex tells him that she was raped but that he will obviously not believe her ( why?) . Our girl's dress is again ruined. The three wicked amigos turn up but the hero prevails and they make it to the ship. Jake persists in having sex with Alex for the rest of the journey and although she protests - she really loves it. He tells her that is is going to take her to Texas with him.
Nonetheless, our heroine decides that she must fun away from the ship into the dock land area of new Orleans - yes she really is too stupid to live!
Surprise surprise, she is almost gang raped by 3 sailors but does escape. For some totally unfathomable reason she decides to pretend to be a street walker and is taken into a dance/ bawdy house, where of course she is plied with drink and her virtue is placed at further risk. she gets involved in a cat fight with a whore and in middle of the fight , her breasts are bared but that doesn't seem to put her off although she is again faced with inconvenient dress loss - I mean how careless can you be?
I don't know if I can continue reading...
Ok - a skim of the next 100 pages reveals: heroine decides to move up in the world and live in a high class brothel. There is actually some comment about her being so lucky that she is wealthy and doesn't have to sell herself - this is despite the fact that she consistently refuses to go to the bank to withdraw any money and is living in a brothel at the mercy of the Madame. Despite assurances that she need not sleep with anyone, the Madame then gives her a drug which makes her wild with passion and she shags Giles. It turns out that the madam is another of our hero's mistresses and she knows he is enamoured of Alex. Accordingly she gets him to watch Alex and giles and he decides to have nothing to do with her anymore. Alex wakes up on a plantation, owned by the family she has been searching for from the outset. Vile Giles is the eldest son of the family. There is another absent son, called jacob, who is off toTexas. Can you possibly foresee the connection!!?!!
Despite everything that has gone before, our heroine, allows Giles to take her to the gazebo , where he yet again rapes her. She really hates him but wants to clean the house and really it's inopportune time to leave, after all he then declares that he will marry her for her money! His step mother who is dying, begs her to go and visit with 'Jacob' in Texas and our girl thinks this is a splendid idea - despite the fact that the casual observer would think travel has not really worked out for her to date and really young women don't generally travel to texas in 1866/67 by themselves to visit strange men - but - why send a letter when she can imperil herself further!
What happens next? Well the step mother dies and as soon as she is buried Giles just can't help himself and drags Alexandra to his bedroom and throws her on the bed. He forces her to swallow some drugged drink - which (within seconds) makes her all languorous. He then takes her to another room and whips her before having sex with her again. Obviously she again loses her clothes! She then runs away after having whipped Giles in the face.
None of this seems to put the h off and Alexandra goes to Texas , accompanied by a Lieutenant Blake who also wants her, whereupon surprise, surprise it emerges that Jacob is really Jake.
He then forces her into his bedroom declaring her missed her, needed her etc despite the fact she was 'a whore a liar and a cheat' - 'she kissed like a whore, made love like one, demanded like one' -I promise it really does go on like this!
So Jake puts her to work in the kitchen, a Mexican ranch hand tries to rape her but is interrupted by Jake who blames Alex. He then calls her a whore , slaps her and takes her back to the bedroom ( ps somehow once again she appears to be in a state of undress)' he then really does rape her, but she gets to like it and then he tells her to go and make his dinner so she flounces off determined to show him that she can't cook??
After a few weeks at the ranch our couple seem to come to terms and Alexandra tells all - except for the fact that she describes everyone who tried to rape her, as actually having raped her - well really how could we expect her to tell the difference at this stage - or maybe it's just too much of a blur!?!
She then finally reveals her identity and they agree to part company after a final trip as she has done her duty to her guardian.
The ranch is attacked by bandits. They attempt to gang rape Alexandra on the kitchen table but are interrupted by Jake ( again further clothes wreckage).
Lieutenant Blake shows up and offers to take her away and our girl agrees, not seeing the need to tell anyone where she is going.
It turns out that he has been duped by her evil cousin Stan (first rapist) who has turned up. Stan kills Blake.
Even worse it seems Stan and Giles are in league as Giles also appears. Jake tracks them and kills Giles but Stan shoots him and carries Alexandra off, thinking jake dead.
Sometime in the middle of all this Alexandra realises she is pregnant - attributing this to Jake - but let's be honest there are other possibilities! She agrees to marry Stan so as to give the baby a name - after all who would worry if their step father had killed their father? Why have qualms at stage?
Fast forward to the wedding day, yes you've guessed it - Jake interupts the wedding, Stan shoots the minister, Jake shoots Stan and our happy couple embrace in the midst of the carnage in New York.
They marry and live happily ever after....
What are the chances?
Hilarious but categorically not a keeper!!!
October 17, 2010
Setting: Victorian era (post Civil War) – locations: New York, Caribbean, New Orleans, Texas, then back to New York
Heroine: Alexandra Clarke – red hair and green eyes, 20yr old heiress to a shipping firm
Hero: Jake Jarmon – sun-bleached blonde hair and blue eyes, tanned skin, tall, captain of The Flying J
Villain: About every male character (who all attempt to rape the heroine – a few succeed) and all the scorned women in the hero’s past
Plot:Alexandra must flee New York to escape her relatives’ plot to take control over her shipping company. She plans to travel to New Orleans in search of her old friend/guardian’s daughter and grandson for help. Jake rescues Alexandra from the sea after she jumped in to avoid being gang raped by the captain and crew of the ship she was traveling on. Jake takes Alexandra to the Caribbean, and then they travel to New Orleans. Alexandra escapes from Jake in order to continue her search, which eventually leads her to Texas and to Jake again.
Highlights: Plenty of bodice-ripper elements to keep you entertained (e.g. forced seduction by hero, rape by others, attempted gang rape, vindictive/jealous mistresses, arousing stimulant drug induced rape (twice), sexual bondage/whipping
Review: An entertaining read if you like bodice-rippers, the writing was campy at times, and there was a major inconsistency in the story: there were several unsuccessful/attempted rapes, however when the Alexandra tells Jake about it, she says they all actually raped her. It's really quite a hilarious scene, that goes a little something like this:
"Jake, I'm not a whore. I was raped. My cousin raped me."
"Oh no, please don't tell me!"
"Yes, you need to here this. And then, I was raped by a ship captain and his crew."
"Oh god, please no more!"
"I was attacked by a group of sailors, and they raped me. But they paid me. Then, the bouncer raped me."
"No more please!"
"And then your brother drugged me and raped me."
"Oh god!"
Heroine: Alexandra Clarke – red hair and green eyes, 20yr old heiress to a shipping firm
Hero: Jake Jarmon – sun-bleached blonde hair and blue eyes, tanned skin, tall, captain of The Flying J
Villain: About every male character (who all attempt to rape the heroine – a few succeed) and all the scorned women in the hero’s past
Plot:Alexandra must flee New York to escape her relatives’ plot to take control over her shipping company. She plans to travel to New Orleans in search of her old friend/guardian’s daughter and grandson for help. Jake rescues Alexandra from the sea after she jumped in to avoid being gang raped by the captain and crew of the ship she was traveling on. Jake takes Alexandra to the Caribbean, and then they travel to New Orleans. Alexandra escapes from Jake in order to continue her search, which eventually leads her to Texas and to Jake again.
Highlights: Plenty of bodice-ripper elements to keep you entertained (e.g. forced seduction by hero, rape by others, attempted gang rape, vindictive/jealous mistresses, arousing stimulant drug induced rape (twice), sexual bondage/whipping
Review: An entertaining read if you like bodice-rippers, the writing was campy at times, and there was a major inconsistency in the story: there were several unsuccessful/attempted rapes, however when the Alexandra tells Jake about it, she says they all actually raped her. It's really quite a hilarious scene, that goes a little something like this:
"Jake, I'm not a whore. I was raped. My cousin raped me."
"Oh no, please don't tell me!"
"Yes, you need to here this. And then, I was raped by a ship captain and his crew."
"Oh god, please no more!"
"I was attacked by a group of sailors, and they raped me. But they paid me. Then, the bouncer raped me."
"No more please!"
"And then your brother drugged me and raped me."
"Oh god!"
May 21, 2022
Umm ... not meaning to read but I got caught up in it.
maybe
May 2, 2023self note doesnt get crazier than this..
"Jake, I'm not a whore. I was raped. My cousin raped me."
"Oh no, please don't tell me!"
"Yes, you need to here this. And then, I was raped by a ship captain and his crew."
"Oh god, please no more!"
"I was attacked by a group of sailors, and they raped me. But they paid me. Then, the bouncer raped me."
"No more please!"
"And then your brother drugged me and raped me."
"Oh god!"
"Jake, I'm not a whore. I was raped. My cousin raped me."
"Oh no, please don't tell me!"
"Yes, you need to here this. And then, I was raped by a ship captain and his crew."
"Oh god, please no more!"
"I was attacked by a group of sailors, and they raped me. But they paid me. Then, the bouncer raped me."
"No more please!"
"And then your brother drugged me and raped me."
"Oh god!"
April 15, 2011
В началото изобщо не ми хареса, беше като някоя сапунена опера, но като продължих да чета потънах в света на Александра и Джейк. Не можах да оставя книгата докато не затворих и последната страница.
Една стахотна книга, пълна с много изпитания, страдания,предателства, болка, но и с много любов.
За това ако решите да я прочетете не се отказвайте в началото и няма да съжалявате.
Една стахотна книга, пълна с много изпитания, страдания,предателства, болка, но и с много любов.
За това ако решите да я прочетете не се отказвайте в началото и няма да съжалявате.
April 1, 2015
I really don't know what to say about this book.
INNOCENCE DESTROYED ... SLEEPING PASSIONS AWAKENED, STIRRED, SET ABLAZE ... IN A MAJESTIC TALE OF ROMANTIC ADVENTURE!
ALEXANDRA a woman no man could tame; a woman who used what she had to get what she wanted.
Ravaged brutally by a man determined to claim her and her fortune as his own, Alexandra Clarke flees the safety of her home, embarking on a journey that will see her tossed upon the turbulent seas of disgrace and shame -- and treachery.
From the luxury of a New York townhouse to the lush shores of the Caribbean; from the rot and decay of a dying Southern plantation to the arid expanse of Texas, Alexandra recklessly pushes on, ever seeking escape. But there is one man from whom there is no escape. Jake Jarmon -- a man bold in his hunger for her, unrelenting in his quest to control. Jake Jarmon -- only he can satisfy the fiery demands of her body; only he can hurt her with the cold rage of his temper.
Theirs is a proud battle of the wills as they struggle viciously to deny their love; a love that burns with the hot flame of desire; a love that soars with the rapture of their need.
The first impression I get of this book after reading its synopsis is that, it's an erotic love story. If that's what really the author thought of, then I'm sorry to say, she hasn't been quite successful in executing her idea. This book is nothing more than a story for people with a twisted idea of romance.
The main character, Alexandra Clarke, was the most irritating personality I've ever read about. She loses her guardian, and gets raped savagely by her cousin, thereby losing her virginity, and she has ZERO reaction??? Seriously? Is this woman for real?
And every guy she comes across wants to have her.The way the author has portrayed men, like they're some sex crazy people. Yes, she might a really beautiful woman, but EVERY man is interested in her? That's absurd. Everyone wants to rape her.
This book was nothing but a mere disappointment. Finishing it was a pain.The writing was poor, punctuation marks were not appropriately used, and the main character made no sense. Never reading anything from this author ever again.
INNOCENCE DESTROYED ... SLEEPING PASSIONS AWAKENED, STIRRED, SET ABLAZE ... IN A MAJESTIC TALE OF ROMANTIC ADVENTURE!
ALEXANDRA a woman no man could tame; a woman who used what she had to get what she wanted.
Ravaged brutally by a man determined to claim her and her fortune as his own, Alexandra Clarke flees the safety of her home, embarking on a journey that will see her tossed upon the turbulent seas of disgrace and shame -- and treachery.
From the luxury of a New York townhouse to the lush shores of the Caribbean; from the rot and decay of a dying Southern plantation to the arid expanse of Texas, Alexandra recklessly pushes on, ever seeking escape. But there is one man from whom there is no escape. Jake Jarmon -- a man bold in his hunger for her, unrelenting in his quest to control. Jake Jarmon -- only he can satisfy the fiery demands of her body; only he can hurt her with the cold rage of his temper.
Theirs is a proud battle of the wills as they struggle viciously to deny their love; a love that burns with the hot flame of desire; a love that soars with the rapture of their need.
The first impression I get of this book after reading its synopsis is that, it's an erotic love story. If that's what really the author thought of, then I'm sorry to say, she hasn't been quite successful in executing her idea. This book is nothing more than a story for people with a twisted idea of romance.
The main character, Alexandra Clarke, was the most irritating personality I've ever read about. She loses her guardian, and gets raped savagely by her cousin, thereby losing her virginity, and she has ZERO reaction??? Seriously? Is this woman for real?
And every guy she comes across wants to have her.The way the author has portrayed men, like they're some sex crazy people. Yes, she might a really beautiful woman, but EVERY man is interested in her? That's absurd. Everyone wants to rape her.
This book was nothing but a mere disappointment. Finishing it was a pain.The writing was poor, punctuation marks were not appropriately used, and the main character made no sense. Never reading anything from this author ever again.
April 13, 2016
This 1978 novel was a true bodice ripper and I’m sad to say I didn’t like it at all, though I will reread it in the future. I’m sure I’ll feel a bit differently about it then.
It was awful. He’s the bodice ripper parts, in a nutshell;
The heroine is 20 year old Alexandra. She has red-gold hair and green eyes. She was punched in the face and raped by a man who wanted to marry her, raped again on the ship, almost gang raped and jumped overboard to escape, raped yet again by three sailors, raped by the bouncer at the saloon, was drugged (by the female saloon owner and ex lover of the hero) and raped again by the heroes brother (hero just happened to witness the sex but didn’t know she was being raped; thought it was consentual), raped several times by the hero (but always ended up liking it in the end), almost raped by his halfbrother (?).
Even though I didn’t like this, I do want to read another by this author.
It was awful. He’s the bodice ripper parts, in a nutshell;
The heroine is 20 year old Alexandra. She has red-gold hair and green eyes. She was punched in the face and raped by a man who wanted to marry her, raped again on the ship, almost gang raped and jumped overboard to escape, raped yet again by three sailors, raped by the bouncer at the saloon, was drugged (by the female saloon owner and ex lover of the hero) and raped again by the heroes brother (hero just happened to witness the sex but didn’t know she was being raped; thought it was consentual), raped several times by the hero (but always ended up liking it in the end), almost raped by his halfbrother (?).
Even though I didn’t like this, I do want to read another by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 21, 2011
Tender Torment was recommended to me on a Amazon Discussion as a favorite bodice ripper, it was good but I have read better. It was originally written in the 1970's and was the oldest love story I have read accept for the classics. Lots of rapes and close call rapes. I didn't feel the love between the characters -more ownership and intensity than deep true love. I like these kinds of stories with jealousy and the whole bodice ripping thing and search them out, but I felt sometimes in Tender Torment, it was too much and unnecessary to this old school love story.
April 10, 2015
Ok so I didn't realize I hadn't made a review. I read this book when I was only 12 years old so it is near and dear to my heart as one of the first romance novels I have ever read. I loved this book because I did not have a biased opinion on what romance novels should be. I loved everything about and still. This bodice ripper is one of my favorites, almost 20 years later.
May 31, 2017
Yikes. Very rapey. Reading it was like choking down a bowl of lima beans.
January 17, 2024
This book, although written in prime bod rip days and having its share of unpleasantness, also had a H and h that you can't help liking and rooting for their HEA, despite the over-the-top situations, and the times you want to throttle them both.
Wealthy Alexandra (Alex) Clarke hails from NYC in post Civ War days, and plans a getaway to New Orleans, both to escape from her slimy cousins, who are after her fortune and to honor a deathbed promise to Olaf, (who was like a grandpa to her) to find his daughter, Eleanor and grandson, Jacob, who he'd been estranged from for years, and let them know he loved them. (Too bad he waited so many years in a too-little-too-late scenario, but what the heck.) In typical bod rip fashion, one evil cousin, Stan, who lusts after Alex as well as her money, rapes her, smugly declaring that now she'll have to marry him because no one else would want "damaged goods".
Alex manages to escape from that crappy creep and boards Captain Sully's ship for New Orleans. Unfortunately, Capt. Sully is just as horrible as Stan; he tries and almost succeeds in raping Alex (with his crew eagerly waiting their turn) but she manages to escape by throwing herself overboard! She's picked up by a passing ship and the Captain, Jake, can't decide if she's an innocent maiden or a lying whore, as she pretends not to know who she is, because she doesn't want her whereabouts getting back to Stan. They fight their attraction for each other. New Orleans will have to wait, as he's enroute to the Bahamas.
Once there, Alex meets (unfortunately) Hayward and Caroline, brother and sister owners of a failing plantation, remnants of a failed way of life, but both too lacking in character to improve their circumstances. Caroline is one of Jake's ex mistresses, who would like to rekindle things and soon starts coming on to him, which makes Alex jealous. Hayward in turn, comes on to Alex, which infuriates Jake. To add to this madness, Capt. Sully shows up and she has to worry about him revealing her identity, as well as fight off Hayward's advances, and once again ends up nearly raped by the creepy captain. She's rescued by the H captain (who was just getting ready to have sex with Caroline) and soon they're making love on the beach, but the ecstasy is short lived, because Jake discovers she's not a virgin and decides she is a whore, after all. Alex tells him about being raped, but he doesn't believe her. But soon, they're headed back to the ship and away from that horrid island, as a macabre Hayward, Caroline and Capt. Sully followed them to their trysting place and demanded (like escapees from an old horror movie) that Jake give Alex over to them! (WTF!!!) Truly bizarre! And that's the last we see of them!
Aboard ship, the usual Bod Rip stuff happens: Jake insists on lots of sex, at the same time letting Alex know what he thinks of her (the lady is a tramp) while Alex tries not to respond even though her body longs for an orgasm. When they get to N.O. Jake refuses to let her leave the ship, despite her explaining yet again about Olaf, and insists that he's taking her with him to Texas, like it or not. She may be a whore, but he wants her, for the time being. He leaves for a week, during which Alex hits the first mate on the head, escapes to the streets of the Big Easy, but it sure isn't easy for her, as it's getting late, she had no idea where to go (couldn't find a kindly church) and ended up in a dive district, where she's mistaken for a prostitute (like you couldn't see that coming)! Three sailors try to rape her, they're lured away by a real hooker, and then she decides to act like a hooker, too, so guys will leave her alone (not too bright, is she?)! She ends up dragged into a dance hall, where she's forced into a costume, forced to drink champagne, forced to dance with men, sort of forced to fight another dancer, but luckily, not forced to have sex with any customers, though many were hopeful, and a bouncer had a bit of fun with her boobs.
The next thing you know, she has a job singing in a classy brothel, as she needs money to get to the Jarmon plantation and speak to Eleanor. Singing is all she does, though one patron, Giles Beaumont, hopes to change that. The madam, Bella LeBlanc, takes such a friendly interest in her welfare, unusual for a stranger, and will help her get to the Jarmon Plantation by the end of the week, and Alex was very grateful, but should have remembered that old adage: "If something seems too good to be true...."
It turns out Bella is another of Jake's ex's, and she wants back the hot sex only he can give her, but currently he's a bit obsessed with a girl named Alex, with flaming red hair, who he has aboard his ship and plans to take to Texas, so would she be so kind as to get a wardrobe together for her, then when he gets back next week, he'll stop by and pick it up before he heads to the ship? Do they get any dumber??? This part was really silly, as why would Jake think a woman who still wants him, and has made it clear she'll sell her business and go to Texas with him, would want to help him with his latest bedmate? Most women would have told him to shove it, and he never stopped to wonder why she agreed to help??? (This book is a great read, but it does require you to overlook quite a bit.) Next thing you know, Alex is given a glass of champagne that has a rather unusual effect, as she finds herself with an uncontrollable desire to make love with Giles, whom she had felt no attraction for and whose advances she kept putting off. And guess who witnesses their bed of passion? Now Jake's convinced Alex is a lying slut, and he can't get over her lusty romp with Giles when she kept holding back from him! He's now through with her for good! He of course knows nothing about the drug, and neither does Alex, who next thing you know is at the plantation (Giles brought her there a day of two after the drugged rape, telling his stepmother, Eleanor, that she needed rest), where she discovers that Giles was Eleanor's late husband's son, Eleanor is ill and hasn't long to live (the same is true of her father-in-law, Giles's grandfather) and Alex just missed Eleanor's son, Jacob, who stopped by the day before, then left for Texas. (Jacob...Jake...Texas....and Alex didn't get it. Can you say "birdbrain"???)
The best character in the book is Ebba, a former slave who's treated like family by Eleanor, and Alex comes to adore her, and so do I. She stuck by Eleanor, refused to leave her even so she had family up North, and became a good friend to Alex, as they both worked to try and fix up the rundown house as best as they could.
Giles, of course, has more vile plans, to take what he can get form selling off furniture and things, getting a house in the city, and marrying Alex (leaving her no choice, naturally) who he wants to initiate into his world of perverse pleasure. Meanwhile, he once again rapes her in a gazebo, when she was tired, feeling sick and had no energy to fight him, then later forces her to drink some more drugged wine, and rapes her yet again, but not before whipping her, which really excites him. She manages to get away later, along with Ebba, who heads North, while Alex heads for Texas.
She has an army escort, and a young lieutenant falls for her (now who didn't see that coming), and when she arrives at the ranch and meets Lamar Jarmon, she's soon introduced to his nephew, Jake! Yes, Jake/Jacob!! Who would have thought it??? Neither is pleased to see the other and soon Jake is calling Alex all kinds of names for screwing his half-brother, won't listen to her explanation, gets a bit abusive, makes passionate love to her which she can't resist, gets angry at himself for wanting her, while she's angry at herself for responding, but they keep ending up in each other's arms.
Meanwhile, Alex comes to like life on a ranch, even attempts to learn to cook, enjoys watching bronco busting, riding the range, wearing Mexican style peasant outfits, etc. What she didn't like was nearly getting raped yet again, this time by Peco, a Mexican bandito, angry at Jake because of Rosa, his former girl, who became both Jake's housekeeper and mistress. Pecos decided to get revenge by having sex with Alex. Jake saves her, then she's soon in a wild cat fight with Rosa, who wants Jake back. Jake finds this very flattering!
Jake finally comes to believe Alex about Giles, and she tells him everything else that happened, and he also believes that Stan raped her, which is why she wasn't a virgin when they first made love. (Though in my opinion, rape shouldn't be counted as virginity loss, since it wasn't given up willingly.) Jake still doesn't seem to want anything more than fun in bed, and Alex, who loves him, can't go on like that and decides to leave, even though she's pregnant with Jake's baby. The lieutenant helps her, and hoped her gratitude would turn to love, but instead he got a bullet for his troubles, as both Stan and Giles tracked her down and want revenge. They kidnapped Alex and left the lieutenant's body for the vultures. Jake tracks them down (he rescued the lieutenant's body for a decent burial), kills Giles, then is apparently killed by Stan, with no chance for Alex to declare her love. (His coming after her convinced her of his love.) Heartbroken, she goes along with Stan's plans to return to New York and get married, as she'll use him for respectability, and a legitimate name for her baby, nothing else matters without Jake. Stan guesses she's pregnant, and doesn't care much, just as long as he gets both her money and her body, which for now is still slim.
Back in New York, Alex finds the social life doesn't interest her like it does Stan, and she misses Texas. A woman steps in front of their carriage and is nearly killed, and it turned out to be Ebba, who was so despondent she wanted to kill herself. But seeing Alex again gave her the will to recover, and soon she's helping her get ready for her wedding, though hoping Alex will change her mind, despite the baby.
When it's time for the ceremony, and the minister asks if anyone objects, I guess I don't have to tell you who does! Yes, Jake's alive! Once he recovered, he tracked Alex down. Stan tries to shoot him, shoots the minister instead, and is killed by Jake! The minister recovers, Jake and Alex get married, head back to Texas with Ebba and get their HEA!
Of course, if Jake had believed Alex's loss of virginity explanation at the start, they could have gotten together back then and saved themselves a lot of mess!
Wealthy Alexandra (Alex) Clarke hails from NYC in post Civ War days, and plans a getaway to New Orleans, both to escape from her slimy cousins, who are after her fortune and to honor a deathbed promise to Olaf, (who was like a grandpa to her) to find his daughter, Eleanor and grandson, Jacob, who he'd been estranged from for years, and let them know he loved them. (Too bad he waited so many years in a too-little-too-late scenario, but what the heck.) In typical bod rip fashion, one evil cousin, Stan, who lusts after Alex as well as her money, rapes her, smugly declaring that now she'll have to marry him because no one else would want "damaged goods".
Alex manages to escape from that crappy creep and boards Captain Sully's ship for New Orleans. Unfortunately, Capt. Sully is just as horrible as Stan; he tries and almost succeeds in raping Alex (with his crew eagerly waiting their turn) but she manages to escape by throwing herself overboard! She's picked up by a passing ship and the Captain, Jake, can't decide if she's an innocent maiden or a lying whore, as she pretends not to know who she is, because she doesn't want her whereabouts getting back to Stan. They fight their attraction for each other. New Orleans will have to wait, as he's enroute to the Bahamas.
Once there, Alex meets (unfortunately) Hayward and Caroline, brother and sister owners of a failing plantation, remnants of a failed way of life, but both too lacking in character to improve their circumstances. Caroline is one of Jake's ex mistresses, who would like to rekindle things and soon starts coming on to him, which makes Alex jealous. Hayward in turn, comes on to Alex, which infuriates Jake. To add to this madness, Capt. Sully shows up and she has to worry about him revealing her identity, as well as fight off Hayward's advances, and once again ends up nearly raped by the creepy captain. She's rescued by the H captain (who was just getting ready to have sex with Caroline) and soon they're making love on the beach, but the ecstasy is short lived, because Jake discovers she's not a virgin and decides she is a whore, after all. Alex tells him about being raped, but he doesn't believe her. But soon, they're headed back to the ship and away from that horrid island, as a macabre Hayward, Caroline and Capt. Sully followed them to their trysting place and demanded (like escapees from an old horror movie) that Jake give Alex over to them! (WTF!!!) Truly bizarre! And that's the last we see of them!
Aboard ship, the usual Bod Rip stuff happens: Jake insists on lots of sex, at the same time letting Alex know what he thinks of her (the lady is a tramp) while Alex tries not to respond even though her body longs for an orgasm. When they get to N.O. Jake refuses to let her leave the ship, despite her explaining yet again about Olaf, and insists that he's taking her with him to Texas, like it or not. She may be a whore, but he wants her, for the time being. He leaves for a week, during which Alex hits the first mate on the head, escapes to the streets of the Big Easy, but it sure isn't easy for her, as it's getting late, she had no idea where to go (couldn't find a kindly church) and ended up in a dive district, where she's mistaken for a prostitute (like you couldn't see that coming)! Three sailors try to rape her, they're lured away by a real hooker, and then she decides to act like a hooker, too, so guys will leave her alone (not too bright, is she?)! She ends up dragged into a dance hall, where she's forced into a costume, forced to drink champagne, forced to dance with men, sort of forced to fight another dancer, but luckily, not forced to have sex with any customers, though many were hopeful, and a bouncer had a bit of fun with her boobs.
The next thing you know, she has a job singing in a classy brothel, as she needs money to get to the Jarmon plantation and speak to Eleanor. Singing is all she does, though one patron, Giles Beaumont, hopes to change that. The madam, Bella LeBlanc, takes such a friendly interest in her welfare, unusual for a stranger, and will help her get to the Jarmon Plantation by the end of the week, and Alex was very grateful, but should have remembered that old adage: "If something seems too good to be true...."
It turns out Bella is another of Jake's ex's, and she wants back the hot sex only he can give her, but currently he's a bit obsessed with a girl named Alex, with flaming red hair, who he has aboard his ship and plans to take to Texas, so would she be so kind as to get a wardrobe together for her, then when he gets back next week, he'll stop by and pick it up before he heads to the ship? Do they get any dumber??? This part was really silly, as why would Jake think a woman who still wants him, and has made it clear she'll sell her business and go to Texas with him, would want to help him with his latest bedmate? Most women would have told him to shove it, and he never stopped to wonder why she agreed to help??? (This book is a great read, but it does require you to overlook quite a bit.) Next thing you know, Alex is given a glass of champagne that has a rather unusual effect, as she finds herself with an uncontrollable desire to make love with Giles, whom she had felt no attraction for and whose advances she kept putting off. And guess who witnesses their bed of passion? Now Jake's convinced Alex is a lying slut, and he can't get over her lusty romp with Giles when she kept holding back from him! He's now through with her for good! He of course knows nothing about the drug, and neither does Alex, who next thing you know is at the plantation (Giles brought her there a day of two after the drugged rape, telling his stepmother, Eleanor, that she needed rest), where she discovers that Giles was Eleanor's late husband's son, Eleanor is ill and hasn't long to live (the same is true of her father-in-law, Giles's grandfather) and Alex just missed Eleanor's son, Jacob, who stopped by the day before, then left for Texas. (Jacob...Jake...Texas....and Alex didn't get it. Can you say "birdbrain"???)
The best character in the book is Ebba, a former slave who's treated like family by Eleanor, and Alex comes to adore her, and so do I. She stuck by Eleanor, refused to leave her even so she had family up North, and became a good friend to Alex, as they both worked to try and fix up the rundown house as best as they could.
Giles, of course, has more vile plans, to take what he can get form selling off furniture and things, getting a house in the city, and marrying Alex (leaving her no choice, naturally) who he wants to initiate into his world of perverse pleasure. Meanwhile, he once again rapes her in a gazebo, when she was tired, feeling sick and had no energy to fight him, then later forces her to drink some more drugged wine, and rapes her yet again, but not before whipping her, which really excites him. She manages to get away later, along with Ebba, who heads North, while Alex heads for Texas.
She has an army escort, and a young lieutenant falls for her (now who didn't see that coming), and when she arrives at the ranch and meets Lamar Jarmon, she's soon introduced to his nephew, Jake! Yes, Jake/Jacob!! Who would have thought it??? Neither is pleased to see the other and soon Jake is calling Alex all kinds of names for screwing his half-brother, won't listen to her explanation, gets a bit abusive, makes passionate love to her which she can't resist, gets angry at himself for wanting her, while she's angry at herself for responding, but they keep ending up in each other's arms.
Meanwhile, Alex comes to like life on a ranch, even attempts to learn to cook, enjoys watching bronco busting, riding the range, wearing Mexican style peasant outfits, etc. What she didn't like was nearly getting raped yet again, this time by Peco, a Mexican bandito, angry at Jake because of Rosa, his former girl, who became both Jake's housekeeper and mistress. Pecos decided to get revenge by having sex with Alex. Jake saves her, then she's soon in a wild cat fight with Rosa, who wants Jake back. Jake finds this very flattering!
Jake finally comes to believe Alex about Giles, and she tells him everything else that happened, and he also believes that Stan raped her, which is why she wasn't a virgin when they first made love. (Though in my opinion, rape shouldn't be counted as virginity loss, since it wasn't given up willingly.) Jake still doesn't seem to want anything more than fun in bed, and Alex, who loves him, can't go on like that and decides to leave, even though she's pregnant with Jake's baby. The lieutenant helps her, and hoped her gratitude would turn to love, but instead he got a bullet for his troubles, as both Stan and Giles tracked her down and want revenge. They kidnapped Alex and left the lieutenant's body for the vultures. Jake tracks them down (he rescued the lieutenant's body for a decent burial), kills Giles, then is apparently killed by Stan, with no chance for Alex to declare her love. (His coming after her convinced her of his love.) Heartbroken, she goes along with Stan's plans to return to New York and get married, as she'll use him for respectability, and a legitimate name for her baby, nothing else matters without Jake. Stan guesses she's pregnant, and doesn't care much, just as long as he gets both her money and her body, which for now is still slim.
Back in New York, Alex finds the social life doesn't interest her like it does Stan, and she misses Texas. A woman steps in front of their carriage and is nearly killed, and it turned out to be Ebba, who was so despondent she wanted to kill herself. But seeing Alex again gave her the will to recover, and soon she's helping her get ready for her wedding, though hoping Alex will change her mind, despite the baby.
When it's time for the ceremony, and the minister asks if anyone objects, I guess I don't have to tell you who does! Yes, Jake's alive! Once he recovered, he tracked Alex down. Stan tries to shoot him, shoots the minister instead, and is killed by Jake! The minister recovers, Jake and Alex get married, head back to Texas with Ebba and get their HEA!
Of course, if Jake had believed Alex's loss of virginity explanation at the start, they could have gotten together back then and saved themselves a lot of mess!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2024
Great read. It kept me entertained and interested. She was a wealthy heiress who desperately tried to escape the clutches of those that were trying to claim her and her fortune. In the end she suffers. She is abused and raped more than once. Eventually she becomes the captive of the man that had originally saved her. He too literally rapes and abuses her but as time goes by and he discovers more about her he falls in love and she with him. This book seems to be the first in a series. HEA ending.
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