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Tudor Series #1
Caught in the Act
Determined to remain single, beautiful Meredith Straffen fabricates a physical deformity and exhibits inexcusably bad behavior, but soon the very man she wished to drive away begins warming her icy heart, in a novel set in Tudor England
375 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1990
1 person is currently reading
170 people want to read
About the author
Betina Krahn
60 books312 followersKrahn, born Betina Maynard, is the second daughter of Dors Maynard and Regina Triplett. Krahn learned to read at the age of four, and began making up her own stories when she was only six. In fifth grade she won a silver "Noble Order of Bookworms" pin for her achievements in reading, and the following year she began writing down her stories.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
Krane was graduated from high school in Newark, Ohio and received a B.S. in Education (Biological Sciences) at Ohio State University. After college, Krahn taught science in Newark, and studied for a graduate degree at Ohio State in the summers. It was during those summers that she met her future husband, physics graduate student Donald Krahn.
The family moved to Oklahoma, where Krahn finished the work for her Masters of Education in Counseling in 1973. In 1974, she gave birth to her first child, Nathan, with the second son Zebulun arriving in 1978. With two young children, Krahn became a stay-at-home mother for a time, also finding time to volunteer on a community board working to get funding for mental health care in part of Western Oklahoma. Once the funding was secured, Krahn worked as an HR director for a mental health center.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
April 27, 2021
After the old Earl dies the servants panick. They have been embezzling his money for 20 yrs. When the Earl's granddaughter is named heir the servants do everything to control her, including hiring a sadistic governess. Next they betroth her to a rogue gambler. Jack agrees to marry, bed, and leave her for $500.00 a year. When the two MC spend time together...surprise surprise.. they fall in love.
This story reminded me of Cinderella. It's like reading 400pgs of a meek women suffering from abuse and waiting for Prince Charming to save the day. ...except this Prince Charming leaves 2 days after the wedding. It was frustrating! I kept waiting for the h to get a backbone and fight back.
The romance was the saving grace. The H and h clicked well together and had great chemistry.
I hope my review doesn't discourage others from reading this book. While this BR wasn't for me, others might enjoy it.
This story reminded me of Cinderella. It's like reading 400pgs of a meek women suffering from abuse and waiting for Prince Charming to save the day. ...except this Prince Charming leaves 2 days after the wedding. It was frustrating! I kept waiting for the h to get a backbone and fight back.
The romance was the saving grace. The H and h clicked well together and had great chemistry.
I hope my review doesn't discourage others from reading this book. While this BR wasn't for me, others might enjoy it.
August 27, 2014
It's always so refreshing to open a Betina Krahn book and I've always had fond memories of two of her early works. Caught in the Act and its sequel, Behind Closed Doors. However, you know how memories are. In this case they were correct. It was a joy to reread Caught in the Act, tempered with a little melancholy because Ms. Krahn seems to be taking a rest from writing. As much as we readers sometime forget authors are human beings too, sometimes their personal lives hit bumps in the roads just like the rest of us. Ms. Krahn went through some very rough times not too long ago, but now her life seems to be on the sunny side once again...so maybe she will pick up that pencil or hit that keyboard and gift us with some more bright, sparkly work.
Now to the book. Caught in the Act takes place in Tudor England during the last days of Mary Tudor's reign. Any student of history will tell you that Mary's reign was full of dark dangerous scary intrigue. Not only in the court, but also in the countryside, which is where most of this story takes place. Our heroine, Merrie, is an orphan who has been raised by an older couple. They have loved Merrie and given her free range with her inquisitive mind. While she may be a total innocent in some ways, she is intelligent beyond her years. She speaks Latin and Greek, reads classical books, and is what one would call a learned woman. But Merrie cannot stay with this wonderful couple who love her. You see, she's a romance heroine and for this story to work there must be some kind of tension. That tension comes in the form of a crafty family of servants and a conniving solicitor. These villains have a plan. They have been skimming money from the estate of their doddering employer, an earl, for years. And then what does this earl do? He dies. Well, what can these crafty villains do? They can pretend that he is still alive while they search for his heir. Guess who his heir is? Can't think who it might be? Well, I'll tell you - our lovely, innocent Merrie. So, they bring our honest, trusting, innocent Merrie to the estate, in the care of a simply horrible companion/governess and they continue to feed off of the estate. Now, for some reason they decide that in order to keep Merrie under their control even more they must marry her off to a man of their choosing. They look for a rake, gambler, someone who doesn't care about anything, someone who is in desperate need of money. They find that person of the form of Jack Huntington.
Well, nothing turns out the way they or anyone else plans. And let me say this about Merrie and Jack, they are a wonderful couple. The story seemed to be organized in sections; the funny section, the heartbreak section, and the defeat-the-villain section. Each portion of the book was marvelous and had me smiling through most of it. In the first part of the book, Merrie overhears her scheming caretakers planning her marriage to someone she doesn't know and she runs away. Now, because this is a romance book and we all know how coincidental things happen within those covers, whose room should she accidentally hide in when she's running away? Jack of course. And, what is Jack doing? Well, he's seducing a married woman. Merrie, who is hiding in the closet, gets quite an eyeful. Not knowing that Jack is her intended she hightails it back to the estate and into the scheming arms of the villains. When Jack shows up at the estate to claim his bride, Merrie sees who it is and doesn't want to have anything to do with him. So, her clever plan is to do things that will give him a disgust of her, but all those things do is intrigue Jack. There were some pretty funny parts in this portion, dare I say it, some chuckle-out-loud times. Anyway, it is during this time period that Jack and Merrie get to know each other, become friends, and eventually fall in love. Then Jack is forced by the villains to leave Merrie behind and he does. I have to say that Ms. Krahn writing was so exceptional during this portion that I could actually feel Merrie's pain as Jack is leaving her. Some great writing.
And that is only half of the book! There's more wonderful writing that comes. Jack has to not only defeat the bad guys but grovel and win Merrie's love back. Spoiler - he does. Caught in the Act is a funny, touching book. It's filled with laughter, intrigue, poignancy, heartbreak, and a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this delightful story.
KaysBlog
Now to the book. Caught in the Act takes place in Tudor England during the last days of Mary Tudor's reign. Any student of history will tell you that Mary's reign was full of dark dangerous scary intrigue. Not only in the court, but also in the countryside, which is where most of this story takes place. Our heroine, Merrie, is an orphan who has been raised by an older couple. They have loved Merrie and given her free range with her inquisitive mind. While she may be a total innocent in some ways, she is intelligent beyond her years. She speaks Latin and Greek, reads classical books, and is what one would call a learned woman. But Merrie cannot stay with this wonderful couple who love her. You see, she's a romance heroine and for this story to work there must be some kind of tension. That tension comes in the form of a crafty family of servants and a conniving solicitor. These villains have a plan. They have been skimming money from the estate of their doddering employer, an earl, for years. And then what does this earl do? He dies. Well, what can these crafty villains do? They can pretend that he is still alive while they search for his heir. Guess who his heir is? Can't think who it might be? Well, I'll tell you - our lovely, innocent Merrie. So, they bring our honest, trusting, innocent Merrie to the estate, in the care of a simply horrible companion/governess and they continue to feed off of the estate. Now, for some reason they decide that in order to keep Merrie under their control even more they must marry her off to a man of their choosing. They look for a rake, gambler, someone who doesn't care about anything, someone who is in desperate need of money. They find that person of the form of Jack Huntington.
Well, nothing turns out the way they or anyone else plans. And let me say this about Merrie and Jack, they are a wonderful couple. The story seemed to be organized in sections; the funny section, the heartbreak section, and the defeat-the-villain section. Each portion of the book was marvelous and had me smiling through most of it. In the first part of the book, Merrie overhears her scheming caretakers planning her marriage to someone she doesn't know and she runs away. Now, because this is a romance book and we all know how coincidental things happen within those covers, whose room should she accidentally hide in when she's running away? Jack of course. And, what is Jack doing? Well, he's seducing a married woman. Merrie, who is hiding in the closet, gets quite an eyeful. Not knowing that Jack is her intended she hightails it back to the estate and into the scheming arms of the villains. When Jack shows up at the estate to claim his bride, Merrie sees who it is and doesn't want to have anything to do with him. So, her clever plan is to do things that will give him a disgust of her, but all those things do is intrigue Jack. There were some pretty funny parts in this portion, dare I say it, some chuckle-out-loud times. Anyway, it is during this time period that Jack and Merrie get to know each other, become friends, and eventually fall in love. Then Jack is forced by the villains to leave Merrie behind and he does. I have to say that Ms. Krahn writing was so exceptional during this portion that I could actually feel Merrie's pain as Jack is leaving her. Some great writing.
And that is only half of the book! There's more wonderful writing that comes. Jack has to not only defeat the bad guys but grovel and win Merrie's love back. Spoiler - he does. Caught in the Act is a funny, touching book. It's filled with laughter, intrigue, poignancy, heartbreak, and a satisfying ending. I highly recommend this delightful story.
KaysBlog
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 2, 2012
Wonderful Elizabethan Love Story!
Krahn knows how to write superb romance and this one is no exception. It’s intriguing, fast paced and has great depth. She describes accurately the Elizabethan age and uses language (including quotes from the classics) and detailed descriptions to capture the feeling of 16th century England. (You might want to read the Author’s Note first!) And she does it all very well, even adding her own original poetry for a clever touch. I have come to love her novels and unequivocally recommend this one.
The story tells of young, innocent Merrie Straffen, an orphan and only recently aware she is the granddaughter of an earl, who is now dead. She was raised by a kindly couple who taught her the classics and to read in Latin and Greek. The old earl’s estate is run by a family of scheming servants and a solicitor who wants to remain in charge of her fortune. So they plot to wed her to a man they can be sure will remain in London and leave Merrie to them to control. They pick a known rake, Gentleman Jack Huntington, and offer him 500 pounds a year to wed her, consummate the marriage and then hie off to London. Before Merrie even meets the man she’s been betrothed to, she inadvertently observes him in the act of making love to a married countess. In her attempt to avoid a marriage to an adulterer, Merrie, who is a very talented and beautiful young woman, makes herself out to be a complete dolt. But Jack is soon on to her and is determined to have her.
From the start to the finish this is a well told tale that will keep you turning pages. It could have been called “When a Rake Woos a Reluctant Lady” for that is the story. He’s a handsome rake who loves women and is undone by a young innocent’s brilliance and goodness. And she is growing up and becoming an amazing woman at a turbulent time in England’s history. Get this one!
Krahn knows how to write superb romance and this one is no exception. It’s intriguing, fast paced and has great depth. She describes accurately the Elizabethan age and uses language (including quotes from the classics) and detailed descriptions to capture the feeling of 16th century England. (You might want to read the Author’s Note first!) And she does it all very well, even adding her own original poetry for a clever touch. I have come to love her novels and unequivocally recommend this one.
The story tells of young, innocent Merrie Straffen, an orphan and only recently aware she is the granddaughter of an earl, who is now dead. She was raised by a kindly couple who taught her the classics and to read in Latin and Greek. The old earl’s estate is run by a family of scheming servants and a solicitor who wants to remain in charge of her fortune. So they plot to wed her to a man they can be sure will remain in London and leave Merrie to them to control. They pick a known rake, Gentleman Jack Huntington, and offer him 500 pounds a year to wed her, consummate the marriage and then hie off to London. Before Merrie even meets the man she’s been betrothed to, she inadvertently observes him in the act of making love to a married countess. In her attempt to avoid a marriage to an adulterer, Merrie, who is a very talented and beautiful young woman, makes herself out to be a complete dolt. But Jack is soon on to her and is determined to have her.
From the start to the finish this is a well told tale that will keep you turning pages. It could have been called “When a Rake Woos a Reluctant Lady” for that is the story. He’s a handsome rake who loves women and is undone by a young innocent’s brilliance and goodness. And she is growing up and becoming an amazing woman at a turbulent time in England’s history. Get this one!
June 20, 2010
This was one of the first romance novels I ever read, and I still pick it up every now and then just for old times sake. It's bawdy, it's romantic, it's smart...I can't say enough about it. What I love most is the hero, Gentleman Jack. For once, we get a rouge who doesn't treat women like dirt. He worships women and understands them. He's a ladies man in the best sense, and I fell in love with him, and I can see how his innocent bride falls so easily for him.
Merrie Straffen is one of my favorite heroines. Her naivete in matters of love and sex are counterbalanced by her great intelligence and spirit. I wish there could be more heroines out there that are both beautiful and smart without being irritaingly perfect.
A great read if you can find it.
Merrie Straffen is one of my favorite heroines. Her naivete in matters of love and sex are counterbalanced by her great intelligence and spirit. I wish there could be more heroines out there that are both beautiful and smart without being irritaingly perfect.
A great read if you can find it.
December 9, 2022
3.5 stars
November 21, 2017
The grossly overused word, "bubbies", is only the first reason I'm taking this to Half Price Books to sell. I understand that it was a different time, and a different language, but if reading this book was like a drinking game, I would die of alcohol poisoning from all the annoying, overused words! It was an ok story, the characters were likeable enough, but I found myself skipping paragraphs just to get to something interesting.
March 28, 2012
Surprisingly funny at times with interesting H/h. It was a treat to read and the hero is swoon-worthy, with some very sexy scenarios. Be sure to read the authors note first, as it gives you the meanings of some of the words commonly used at that time period in Elizabethan England, which is at the end of the book.
January 17, 2014
If you loved the glamour and passion of the Showtime series THE TUDORS, but couldn't stand the way all the brightest, most spirited female characters met horrible deaths, this is the book for you!
March 17, 2024
Set in the waning years of Mary Tudor's reign, "Caught in the Act" is a capable historical romance that tells the story of Merrie Streffan, a well-educated but naive young heiress who is manipulated by her amoral servants into marriage to "Gentleman" Jack Huntington, a younger son and wastrel whom they think will be no impediment to their continuing thievery from Merrie's estate. Of course the two fall in love, following along the familiar path from "arranged marriage turns to love" and "rake is reformed by love." What sets this novel apart is Merrie's erudition and Jack's encouragement of her independence. In addition, Jack is not a bounder and wants to make things right. A political subplot comes along close to the end, which seems largely unnecessary, given that the novel's delight in colorful language, its high-keyed sensuality, and its leads are argument enough for reading this book.
April 2, 2025
This was pretty good, though frustrating at times. I would have loved to see all those crummy servants locked in the dungeon for a LONG time!! I liked both the H and h (always love a story where the H is a rake/rogue but true love reforms him), and this h is smart and spirited without going overboard and also kind and loving without coming across as a Mary Sue.
There were some things I could have done without, like all the Ovid quotes and putting the couple's situation into poetry got annoying fast, and so did the constant references to "riding the pony" when it came to their sexcapades, enough already, we get get idea!
A few flaws, but still worth reading.
There were some things I could have done without, like all the Ovid quotes and putting the couple's situation into poetry got annoying fast, and so did the constant references to "riding the pony" when it came to their sexcapades, enough already, we get get idea!
A few flaws, but still worth reading.
February 11, 2021
Loved it! A few plot points rankled me, for I hate seemingly helpless situations where an innocent is at the mercy of someone who has, or at least appears to have, the law on their side. There was also a bit of the exposition fairy at the end to explain what had really been going on. Also I felt the villains motive of greed was enough without adding in the business with Queen Elizabeth. But those two personal niggles did nothing to take away from how much I enjoyed this couple and their getting together.
August 29, 2023
Classic Betina Krahn, in between the early and the more recent. I'm always impressed by how she takes the battle of the sexes as her theme and sets it in different time periods, with different customs, mores, and meanings to words. Very well researched, written, and simply thought out.
(This isn't her best, though: I'm not entirely sure the hero is very heroic, and I prefer it when she increases the chemistry and downplays the sex scenes.)
(This isn't her best, though: I'm not entirely sure the hero is very heroic, and I prefer it when she increases the chemistry and downplays the sex scenes.)
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews