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The Druid Chronicles #2
Captive
A new erotic historical series set in a world of magical heroines and sexy warriors.
When the Romans destroyed her world, Morwyn took a vow of celibacy to spite her goddess. Then she's captured by a mercenary whose animal charms and chiseled body will test her conviction...
Brennus has spent three years undercover in the Roman Legion. So when his men brutalize the fiery Celtic beauty, he saves her-by claiming her as his own.
As they near Roman headquarters, Morwyn resolves to honor her vow of celibacy-but if Brennus were to ravage her, could she be blamed for enjoying his body? With just a hint of seduction, sooner or later the warrior will succumb to his exquisite captive.
When the Romans destroyed her world, Morwyn took a vow of celibacy to spite her goddess. Then she's captured by a mercenary whose animal charms and chiseled body will test her conviction...
Brennus has spent three years undercover in the Roman Legion. So when his men brutalize the fiery Celtic beauty, he saves her-by claiming her as his own.
As they near Roman headquarters, Morwyn resolves to honor her vow of celibacy-but if Brennus were to ravage her, could she be blamed for enjoying his body? With just a hint of seduction, sooner or later the warrior will succumb to his exquisite captive.
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 20, 2011
7 people are currently reading
355 people want to read
About the author
Christina Phillips
73 books458 followersChristina grew up in England and spent her childhood visiting ruined castles and Roman remains and daydreaming about Medieval princesses and gallant knights. When she wasn’t lost in the past, she was searching for magical worlds in the backs of wardrobes and watching old Hammer Horrors from the safety of behind the sofa. She now lives in sunny Western Australia with her high school sweetheart and their two cats who are convinced the universe revolves around their needs. They are not wrong.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 10, 2011
Morwyn is a Druid priestess who leaves her home to join the rebels against the Roman Legions. She’s attacked and almost raped, but rescued by a Gaul mercenary named Dunmacos, who has a reputation of being cruel and unjust. But Dunmacos is only a disguise, for he is really Bren, working undercover for the Briton king, Caratacus- the same king Morwyn wants to join forces with. She doesn’t trust Dunmacos, but when he makes himself her protector on her journey, she has no choice but to accept.
Guilt and loss runs through Morwyn’s body. She has lost one lover, who loved her, but one she didn’t love in return since she cared for an unstable Druid priest who ended up betraying her people. She doesn’t know what to make of Dunmacos, and although she’s wary of him, she’s very attracted to him. She decides to give into her desires and take him as her lover for the short time they are together. Bren is more than willing, and they engage in a sexual relationship that transforms into something deeper between the two.
Both are hiding secrets from one another, and through Morwyn’s visions, she figures out Dunmacos may have slaughtered her lover. She now must decide whether to kill him for revenge, or let him live and leave him before she forgets everything she has planned for her enslaved people. Bren has a mission that’s close to destroying him. He’s tired and no longer wants to fight, hoping that Morwyn will accept him for he truly is and forgive him for his lies and deceit.
Captive is an erotic juicy romance set in Roman times. This is a very gritty novel about two people who feel lost in the world. Morwyn hides her fear behind her cutting remarks, and even though Bren is on the end of most of them, he doesn’t allow her anger and taunts to affect him. He can see behind the mask Morwyn holds up to the world and wants to help her heal. These two use physical pleasure to accomplish that and they don’t disappoint. Christina Phillips’s writing is flavorful and electric. The love scenes are hot and steamy and the sex speak between Morwyn and Bren is blunt and dirty.
There were a few issues I had mainly from the way Morwyn first reacts to Bren when they meet. She’s about to be raped and brutalized when Bren rescues her. We learn before this attack that she has forsaken sex and will abstain. But the moment she meets Bren, her sacrifice flies out the window. I couldn’t understand, how almost being raped, Morywn becomes turned on very quickly after meeting Bren, who she finds to be a barbarian and one she can’t trust. There’s no aftermath of her attack, no time to reflection, and right away she’s wondering when she and Bren can do the horizontal dance with one another.
I also found some of Morwyn’s motivations confusing and questionable. She also tended to grate on my nerves with her acid personality. Bren was written more dimensionally and I found myself more sympathetic to his plight versus Morwyn’s. I had to re-read the ending a few times because it ended so abruptly and wasn’t very fulfilling.
Christina Phillips does write a very different setting found in historical romance and if not for some scratching my head over certain actions on the characters’ part, this would have been a recommend read. I will say that Christina’s heroines are very strong and can rise above the horrors surrounding them. Captive is a book most historical readers will probably enjoy.
Guilt and loss runs through Morwyn’s body. She has lost one lover, who loved her, but one she didn’t love in return since she cared for an unstable Druid priest who ended up betraying her people. She doesn’t know what to make of Dunmacos, and although she’s wary of him, she’s very attracted to him. She decides to give into her desires and take him as her lover for the short time they are together. Bren is more than willing, and they engage in a sexual relationship that transforms into something deeper between the two.
Both are hiding secrets from one another, and through Morwyn’s visions, she figures out Dunmacos may have slaughtered her lover. She now must decide whether to kill him for revenge, or let him live and leave him before she forgets everything she has planned for her enslaved people. Bren has a mission that’s close to destroying him. He’s tired and no longer wants to fight, hoping that Morwyn will accept him for he truly is and forgive him for his lies and deceit.
Captive is an erotic juicy romance set in Roman times. This is a very gritty novel about two people who feel lost in the world. Morwyn hides her fear behind her cutting remarks, and even though Bren is on the end of most of them, he doesn’t allow her anger and taunts to affect him. He can see behind the mask Morwyn holds up to the world and wants to help her heal. These two use physical pleasure to accomplish that and they don’t disappoint. Christina Phillips’s writing is flavorful and electric. The love scenes are hot and steamy and the sex speak between Morwyn and Bren is blunt and dirty.
There were a few issues I had mainly from the way Morwyn first reacts to Bren when they meet. She’s about to be raped and brutalized when Bren rescues her. We learn before this attack that she has forsaken sex and will abstain. But the moment she meets Bren, her sacrifice flies out the window. I couldn’t understand, how almost being raped, Morywn becomes turned on very quickly after meeting Bren, who she finds to be a barbarian and one she can’t trust. There’s no aftermath of her attack, no time to reflection, and right away she’s wondering when she and Bren can do the horizontal dance with one another.
I also found some of Morwyn’s motivations confusing and questionable. She also tended to grate on my nerves with her acid personality. Bren was written more dimensionally and I found myself more sympathetic to his plight versus Morwyn’s. I had to re-read the ending a few times because it ended so abruptly and wasn’t very fulfilling.
Christina Phillips does write a very different setting found in historical romance and if not for some scratching my head over certain actions on the characters’ part, this would have been a recommend read. I will say that Christina’s heroines are very strong and can rise above the horrors surrounding them. Captive is a book most historical readers will probably enjoy.
February 1, 2011
Captive by Christina Phillips
Historical Romance -Feb. 1st, 2011
4 ½ stars
Captive is the second erotic historical written by Christina Phillips set in ancient Roman times. In this story, the magical Druids have been slowly taken over by the ruthless Roman army bent on world domination. Primal and sexy, I love this series.
Morwyn is one of the chosen Druids but she gave up the old ways when her lover was killed by the Romans. Although she did not love her lover, she feels responsible for his death and questions her faith. Set on revenge, she hopes to find a rumored Roman rebellion and join them. Disguised as merchants, she set out with fellow Druids only to be ambushed by vicious and corrupt Romans intent on looting and rape. Morwyn knows she will die but vows that they will not break her spirit. Suddenly, she is saved by a Gaul mercenary who threatens to reveal the Romans’ illegal ambush if they do not let her go. The Gaul informs them they can keep their loot. They reluctantly agree because the Gaul is feared and trusted by their high ranking superiors. Morwyn feels the Gaul is a traitor to his people and wants nothing to do with him. But her traitorous body has other ideas. Soon Morwyn finds herself flirting with the scoundrel and enjoying his coarse company.
This second book is almost as thrilling as the first. I loved the interplay between the two main characters as the indomitable and sassy Morwyn flirts with the Gaul, Bren. Bren has been pretending to work with the Romans but is really a spy. His reputation is black and unsavory, but the author gives him a vulnerability and humanity that proves how worthy he actually is. It was fun to read how this sober and serious Bren lightens up under Morwyn’s sensuous attack. Once Morwyn realizes how much she actually likes him, he doesn’t stand a chance! Morwyn and Bren also have deep emotional baggage that makes this story intense and interesting. When Bren reveals what drives him, I really felt for him. But the best sections are their interactions as they flirt with each other and slowly learn to respect and care for each other. I loved how Morwyn realizes how brave and noble Bren is and defends him. The only thing that I would have liked better is a more detailed idea of what Druid magic/beliefs are in the story.
Sensual and vibrant, this historical romance is emotional and sexy. I could not put it down and this may be my favorite new time period in historical romance. I can’t wait for the author to write more!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
Historical Romance -Feb. 1st, 2011
4 ½ stars
Captive is the second erotic historical written by Christina Phillips set in ancient Roman times. In this story, the magical Druids have been slowly taken over by the ruthless Roman army bent on world domination. Primal and sexy, I love this series.
Morwyn is one of the chosen Druids but she gave up the old ways when her lover was killed by the Romans. Although she did not love her lover, she feels responsible for his death and questions her faith. Set on revenge, she hopes to find a rumored Roman rebellion and join them. Disguised as merchants, she set out with fellow Druids only to be ambushed by vicious and corrupt Romans intent on looting and rape. Morwyn knows she will die but vows that they will not break her spirit. Suddenly, she is saved by a Gaul mercenary who threatens to reveal the Romans’ illegal ambush if they do not let her go. The Gaul informs them they can keep their loot. They reluctantly agree because the Gaul is feared and trusted by their high ranking superiors. Morwyn feels the Gaul is a traitor to his people and wants nothing to do with him. But her traitorous body has other ideas. Soon Morwyn finds herself flirting with the scoundrel and enjoying his coarse company.
This second book is almost as thrilling as the first. I loved the interplay between the two main characters as the indomitable and sassy Morwyn flirts with the Gaul, Bren. Bren has been pretending to work with the Romans but is really a spy. His reputation is black and unsavory, but the author gives him a vulnerability and humanity that proves how worthy he actually is. It was fun to read how this sober and serious Bren lightens up under Morwyn’s sensuous attack. Once Morwyn realizes how much she actually likes him, he doesn’t stand a chance! Morwyn and Bren also have deep emotional baggage that makes this story intense and interesting. When Bren reveals what drives him, I really felt for him. But the best sections are their interactions as they flirt with each other and slowly learn to respect and care for each other. I loved how Morwyn realizes how brave and noble Bren is and defends him. The only thing that I would have liked better is a more detailed idea of what Druid magic/beliefs are in the story.
Sensual and vibrant, this historical romance is emotional and sexy. I could not put it down and this may be my favorite new time period in historical romance. I can’t wait for the author to write more!
Reviewed by Steph from the Bookaholics Romance Book Club
May 4, 2012
The year is 50 A.D. and the Romans have invaded Briton. They are advancing on Cymru, the western peninsula rich in gold, copper and lead. The Druids have to form the resistance.
Bren, a Gaul auxiliary stationed in Cymru, spent the last three years undercover in the Roman Legions. His loyalty is to the king of Briton; this is absolute. But his time is running out fast. Morwyn has taken a vow of celibacy as her Goddess demands. She is going to the rebel camps when she is captured by the Romans. Bren sees a way to protect her but he will have to claim her as how own to do it. But Morwyn doesn’t want to give up her holy vow. As they approach the Roman headquarters, they find themselves on fire with a passion that threatens them both.
There is magic, love, and war in Captive by author Christina Phillips; this is the second novel in the Forbidden series. Morwyn must choose between her chastity and religion, and the man who makes her forget it all. I love how strong and free-spirited Morwyn is. She is a very powerful woman who wields powerful magic and well as a powerful spirit. She is beautiful and at times seemingly frail when she goes up against big bad Roman soldiers.
Bren is a man who is living on the edge. He is a spy in the most powerful army the world has ever seen. His discovery would mean his death and the death of his countrymen. He has a big heart and Morwyn wraps herself right around it before Bren can even blink. He is honorable and always tries to do the right thing. The mix of magic, history, and action in this book makes it one to remember.
Bren, a Gaul auxiliary stationed in Cymru, spent the last three years undercover in the Roman Legions. His loyalty is to the king of Briton; this is absolute. But his time is running out fast. Morwyn has taken a vow of celibacy as her Goddess demands. She is going to the rebel camps when she is captured by the Romans. Bren sees a way to protect her but he will have to claim her as how own to do it. But Morwyn doesn’t want to give up her holy vow. As they approach the Roman headquarters, they find themselves on fire with a passion that threatens them both.
There is magic, love, and war in Captive by author Christina Phillips; this is the second novel in the Forbidden series. Morwyn must choose between her chastity and religion, and the man who makes her forget it all. I love how strong and free-spirited Morwyn is. She is a very powerful woman who wields powerful magic and well as a powerful spirit. She is beautiful and at times seemingly frail when she goes up against big bad Roman soldiers.
Bren is a man who is living on the edge. He is a spy in the most powerful army the world has ever seen. His discovery would mean his death and the death of his countrymen. He has a big heart and Morwyn wraps herself right around it before Bren can even blink. He is honorable and always tries to do the right thing. The mix of magic, history, and action in this book makes it one to remember.
November 21, 2011
Heat, passion and conflict flare during the times of Romans versus Celts, making 'Captive'anything but your average historical romance!
December 21, 2021
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO ENJOY THIS ONE AS MUCH BECAUSE THE HEROINE STARTED OFF A SHREW and she was some sort of villainess in the first book of the series because they were all somehow misguided. I'm glad to read this after months of the first book because then I wasn't clouded by annoyance for the heroine. Truthfully, this story was more like a 3.5 stars but I'm feeling generous because Christina Phillips always write such hot and scorching love scenes.
FULL REVIEW TO COME!
FULL REVIEW TO COME!
March 5, 2022
Read.
August 31, 2011
Christina Phillips latest novel, Captive (book 2 in the FORBIDDEN series) takes place in AD 50 at a time when the Romans were conquering all surrounding lands. This story takes place in Cymru, an island off the coast of Britain, where the Romans have killed and raped to overtake lands rich in minerals of gold, copper and lead. Lead by the Druids, the people of Cymru rebel and then flee to the Isle of Mon to recoup their strength and develop a plan to attack the Romans again.
One of the Druids is a priestess named Morwyn who is disillusioned by the Druids and wants to join the rebels to fight for her country. Another reason is the loss of her lover who was killed by the Romans. She decides to travel to Camulodunon, where her closest friend, Carys, now lives to try to persude her to join the rebels. She travels with traders along their route but are attacked by Roman soldiers who kill everyone but Morwyn. She is to be used for their pleasure and then killed.
Brennus is a loyal Briton soldier who is fighting undercover in the Roman army to gather valuable information that might possibly save Cymru from destruction. He accidentally comes upon the scene of the trader’s murders and saves Morwyn from the brutality of the Roman soldiers. He does not believe in rape and torture and displeases his Roman army brothers by taking her under his protection.
Morwyn hates Bren even though he has saved her; she believes he will keep her for himself and rape her when they are alone. She fights him every step of the way, both physically and verbally. Through it all, Bren tries to keep a calm reserve understanding her behavior quite well. He also starts to lust after Morwyn admiring her strength and passion. But he will not force himself on her.
Not knowing what to do with Morwyn, Bren decides to take her to Camulodunon. Along the long ride on horseback, Morwyn starts to develop a lust for Bren as well. His strength, reserve and kindness, as well as his bright green eyes, sets well with Morwyn but she hates him for who he is and will not give in to her desires. She fights every attempt of kindness that Bren offers and makes life miserable for both of them. After a horrible nightmare about her lover’s death, Bren comforts her and they both give in to their longing for each other. Bren is happy about this, as he is becoming more and more enthralled with Morwyn, but she hates him even more now. Her guilt is overwhelming.
Once they reach Camulodunon, Morwyn sneaks out one night while Bren is gone, to find her friend, Carys. Once again, she is filled with hatred and repulsion as she finds out Carys has married a Roman soldier and is carrying his child. She will be of no help to Morwyn now and desolate and angry, she returns to the inn. She has no where else to go. Not knowing exactly why Morwyn is so unhappy, Bren brings her gifts. One night at dinner in a fine restaurant, they both start to open up to each other. But they both have many secrets and must protect who they really are. Especially Morwyn, who finds out that Bren has a deep hatred for Druids.
Bren decides to bring Morwyn home to Cymru as he has been asked by the Romans to spy on the Druids. Bren uses this to his advantage as he needs to see his British King to get further orders. He gets lodging for Morwyn and while he is away, Morwyn goes to find the Druid Elder in hopes of finding the British King to offer her assistance in their fight for freedom. She reveals to him her true identity and he tells her how to find the King’s secret hideout in the forest. Morwyn sets out immediately to find him. She does not want to leave Bren, as she now considers him hers, but she has no choice.
Bren returns to Morwyn’s lodgings to find her gone. He is desolate, believing his dreams of a life with Morwyn are over. All he has left is to fight with his King for Cymru’s freedom. So he sets out to find the King’s hideout in the forest……..
Captive is a very fast paced story of love and betrayal, of passions and desires and how secrets can destroy everything is its path. Bren and Morwyn are so real that the reader can feel their passion and their pain. We want them both to reveal their secrets in the hopes of ending this pain but it is not always the case. Ms. Phillips has a lot of twists and turns in her story which adds even more to the desire to keep reading until we reach the last page.
I give this novel 4 stars
One of the Druids is a priestess named Morwyn who is disillusioned by the Druids and wants to join the rebels to fight for her country. Another reason is the loss of her lover who was killed by the Romans. She decides to travel to Camulodunon, where her closest friend, Carys, now lives to try to persude her to join the rebels. She travels with traders along their route but are attacked by Roman soldiers who kill everyone but Morwyn. She is to be used for their pleasure and then killed.
Brennus is a loyal Briton soldier who is fighting undercover in the Roman army to gather valuable information that might possibly save Cymru from destruction. He accidentally comes upon the scene of the trader’s murders and saves Morwyn from the brutality of the Roman soldiers. He does not believe in rape and torture and displeases his Roman army brothers by taking her under his protection.
Morwyn hates Bren even though he has saved her; she believes he will keep her for himself and rape her when they are alone. She fights him every step of the way, both physically and verbally. Through it all, Bren tries to keep a calm reserve understanding her behavior quite well. He also starts to lust after Morwyn admiring her strength and passion. But he will not force himself on her.
Not knowing what to do with Morwyn, Bren decides to take her to Camulodunon. Along the long ride on horseback, Morwyn starts to develop a lust for Bren as well. His strength, reserve and kindness, as well as his bright green eyes, sets well with Morwyn but she hates him for who he is and will not give in to her desires. She fights every attempt of kindness that Bren offers and makes life miserable for both of them. After a horrible nightmare about her lover’s death, Bren comforts her and they both give in to their longing for each other. Bren is happy about this, as he is becoming more and more enthralled with Morwyn, but she hates him even more now. Her guilt is overwhelming.
Once they reach Camulodunon, Morwyn sneaks out one night while Bren is gone, to find her friend, Carys. Once again, she is filled with hatred and repulsion as she finds out Carys has married a Roman soldier and is carrying his child. She will be of no help to Morwyn now and desolate and angry, she returns to the inn. She has no where else to go. Not knowing exactly why Morwyn is so unhappy, Bren brings her gifts. One night at dinner in a fine restaurant, they both start to open up to each other. But they both have many secrets and must protect who they really are. Especially Morwyn, who finds out that Bren has a deep hatred for Druids.
Bren decides to bring Morwyn home to Cymru as he has been asked by the Romans to spy on the Druids. Bren uses this to his advantage as he needs to see his British King to get further orders. He gets lodging for Morwyn and while he is away, Morwyn goes to find the Druid Elder in hopes of finding the British King to offer her assistance in their fight for freedom. She reveals to him her true identity and he tells her how to find the King’s secret hideout in the forest. Morwyn sets out immediately to find him. She does not want to leave Bren, as she now considers him hers, but she has no choice.
Bren returns to Morwyn’s lodgings to find her gone. He is desolate, believing his dreams of a life with Morwyn are over. All he has left is to fight with his King for Cymru’s freedom. So he sets out to find the King’s hideout in the forest……..
Captive is a very fast paced story of love and betrayal, of passions and desires and how secrets can destroy everything is its path. Bren and Morwyn are so real that the reader can feel their passion and their pain. We want them both to reveal their secrets in the hopes of ending this pain but it is not always the case. Ms. Phillips has a lot of twists and turns in her story which adds even more to the desire to keep reading until we reach the last page.
I give this novel 4 stars
March 21, 2011
More like 3.5.
When the man she most admired and secretly loved betrayed not only herself but her people, Morwayn, a druid, lost faith in her god and her people. When she hears news that her friend was murdered, all Morwayn can think of is to avenge his death. To do that she must leave the secret isle where her people went into hiding after the Roman’s invaded her land. Unfortunately, before she could find the encampment where the Briton king hides with the rest of the rebels, she is attacked by the Romans and the mercenaries who travel with them. Her savior comes in the unlikely from of a Gaul mercenary who claims her for his own and insists she accompany him on his mission throughout Roman occupied Briton. As they travel, Morwayn and the Gaul, two people on opposite sides of the war spectrum discover that not only does their passion blaze hot, but that they are not so different from each other as it first appeared.
I really enjoyed Forbidden, the first book in this series and I was eagerly looking forward to reading CAPTIVE. Unfortunately, CAPTIVE had a very slow start for me. After reading a couple pages, I put CAPTIVE down in preference to other reads. I believe the reason CAPTIVE had a slow start for me, is because I had serious issues with Morwayn for the first half of CAPTIVE.
In Forbidden I didn’t really warm up to Morwayn’s character and once I started reading CAPTIVE I found Morwayn hard and unyielding. I also found some of her reactions to situations (such as having a physical reaction to the hero right after she just escaped being raped and killed and treating her best friend – the heroine in the previous novel – as a traitor when it was proved that she was correct and justified in her actions) for lack of a better word, annoying. While I have no issues with strong, female characters (in fact I quite like them) in this case I felt Morwayn’s unyielding, single-minded personality made her hard to identify with. If I can’t sympathize with a character, I can’t connect with them, which was the case with Morwayn. However, the more I got into CAPTIVE, the more I warmed up to Morwayn.
However, my reaction to Morwayn was the only issue that I had with CAPTIVE. While I’ve seen an upswing in Roman set historical romance novels, CAPTIVE is one of the best, unique, and eye-grabbing that I’ve come across. Ms. Phillips has a great voice and puts her characters in interesting situations that I’m always curious to see how she’s going to manage to get them out of. Even if you are not a fan of Romans, Druids, and ancient Briton, I think you’ll find CAPTIVE a solid read.
When the man she most admired and secretly loved betrayed not only herself but her people, Morwayn, a druid, lost faith in her god and her people. When she hears news that her friend was murdered, all Morwayn can think of is to avenge his death. To do that she must leave the secret isle where her people went into hiding after the Roman’s invaded her land. Unfortunately, before she could find the encampment where the Briton king hides with the rest of the rebels, she is attacked by the Romans and the mercenaries who travel with them. Her savior comes in the unlikely from of a Gaul mercenary who claims her for his own and insists she accompany him on his mission throughout Roman occupied Briton. As they travel, Morwayn and the Gaul, two people on opposite sides of the war spectrum discover that not only does their passion blaze hot, but that they are not so different from each other as it first appeared.
I really enjoyed Forbidden, the first book in this series and I was eagerly looking forward to reading CAPTIVE. Unfortunately, CAPTIVE had a very slow start for me. After reading a couple pages, I put CAPTIVE down in preference to other reads. I believe the reason CAPTIVE had a slow start for me, is because I had serious issues with Morwayn for the first half of CAPTIVE.
In Forbidden I didn’t really warm up to Morwayn’s character and once I started reading CAPTIVE I found Morwayn hard and unyielding. I also found some of her reactions to situations (such as having a physical reaction to the hero right after she just escaped being raped and killed and treating her best friend – the heroine in the previous novel – as a traitor when it was proved that she was correct and justified in her actions) for lack of a better word, annoying. While I have no issues with strong, female characters (in fact I quite like them) in this case I felt Morwayn’s unyielding, single-minded personality made her hard to identify with. If I can’t sympathize with a character, I can’t connect with them, which was the case with Morwayn. However, the more I got into CAPTIVE, the more I warmed up to Morwayn.
However, my reaction to Morwayn was the only issue that I had with CAPTIVE. While I’ve seen an upswing in Roman set historical romance novels, CAPTIVE is one of the best, unique, and eye-grabbing that I’ve come across. Ms. Phillips has a great voice and puts her characters in interesting situations that I’m always curious to see how she’s going to manage to get them out of. Even if you are not a fan of Romans, Druids, and ancient Briton, I think you’ll find CAPTIVE a solid read.
April 5, 2011
Christina Phillips weaves a fascinating tale with an intricate setting and powerful characters, intertwining the deep emotional turmoil of guilt, hatred and searing passions in her latest erotic historical romance, CAPTIVE. I loved finding a historical romance that took place somewhere other than England's ballrooms. I've been craving a different setting and Ms. Phillips definitely satisfied that want, with her rich details of the Roman invasion of Britain.
I loved how Bren and Morwyn were able to move into a relationship, with so much against them. There was little reason for them to trust each other, yet they found themselves wanting to believe the best in each other. I found it interesting how Morwyn twisted her desire into an acceptable penalty to her shaken faith, while she tried to keep her heart out of it, she didn't quite succeed. But then again, neither did Bren, who fought a guilt as strong as hers. The passion between them was scorching hot, and I felt Ms. Phillips did a great job creating sizzling scenes that never seemed to get lost in over-the-top prose.
The struggle of the war being fought around them was not lost in the story, as Bren and Morwyn both had loyalties and promises they needed to fulfill. I like that neither were willing to give up their cause, even if unbeknownst to them it was for the same side.
I would have liked to have seen Morwyn fulfill her promise to Carys, though I was happy to get a glimpse of Carys and Maximus and their future. I am definitely looking for more of the Forbidden series, I hope it won't be too long until the next book is published.
I loved how Bren and Morwyn were able to move into a relationship, with so much against them. There was little reason for them to trust each other, yet they found themselves wanting to believe the best in each other. I found it interesting how Morwyn twisted her desire into an acceptable penalty to her shaken faith, while she tried to keep her heart out of it, she didn't quite succeed. But then again, neither did Bren, who fought a guilt as strong as hers. The passion between them was scorching hot, and I felt Ms. Phillips did a great job creating sizzling scenes that never seemed to get lost in over-the-top prose.
The struggle of the war being fought around them was not lost in the story, as Bren and Morwyn both had loyalties and promises they needed to fulfill. I like that neither were willing to give up their cause, even if unbeknownst to them it was for the same side.
I would have liked to have seen Morwyn fulfill her promise to Carys, though I was happy to get a glimpse of Carys and Maximus and their future. I am definitely looking for more of the Forbidden series, I hope it won't be too long until the next book is published.
September 6, 2016
Morwyn is a Druid who is intent on vengeance for her people and those she has loved and lost at the hands of the Romans. Blinded by her anger and feelings of guilt, she is struggling with her faith and her Goddess. Hearing of a group that is planning a rebellion against the enemy, Morwyn travels with a small group. But when they are set upon by a group of soldiers, Morwyn expects to breathe her last breath. And then he appears and claims her for his own, and her life will never be the same again. But if he thinks that she will meekly do as she is told, he will be sadly mistaken.
When Bren comes across Morwyn he knows that the only way he can save her from these monsters is to claim her as his captive. A Roman to everyone here, nobody is aware that Bren is living a secret life, a spy within the enemy Roman camp. And as much as Morwyn's headstrong attitude makes him want to share the truth with her, he knows he cannot. As their fiery relationship develops into passion and love, they are both still struggling with secrets from their pasts and hiding from the truth.
CAPTIVE by Christina Phillips is a rich historical romance, with plenty of magic and mayhem added in for good measure. The second book in The Druid Chronicles series, it is easily read as a standalone. I really loved Morwyn and Bren as they are both strong, loyal, determined and feisty. With plenty of danger and misunderstandings, the plot flowed easily for me. Overall CAPTIVE by Christina Phillips is an enjoyable read.
*Book received from author in exchange for an honest review
When Bren comes across Morwyn he knows that the only way he can save her from these monsters is to claim her as his captive. A Roman to everyone here, nobody is aware that Bren is living a secret life, a spy within the enemy Roman camp. And as much as Morwyn's headstrong attitude makes him want to share the truth with her, he knows he cannot. As their fiery relationship develops into passion and love, they are both still struggling with secrets from their pasts and hiding from the truth.
CAPTIVE by Christina Phillips is a rich historical romance, with plenty of magic and mayhem added in for good measure. The second book in The Druid Chronicles series, it is easily read as a standalone. I really loved Morwyn and Bren as they are both strong, loyal, determined and feisty. With plenty of danger and misunderstandings, the plot flowed easily for me. Overall CAPTIVE by Christina Phillips is an enjoyable read.
*Book received from author in exchange for an honest review
June 23, 2011
Won on Goodreads First Reads on March 08, 2011. Received March 17, 2011, can't wait to read it!
Thoroughly enjoyable read.
Set in AD 50, the story centers around an undercover Gaul warrior(Bren) spying on the Romans; and a Druid priestess (Morwyn) who has been taken captive by said Gaul in an attempt to keep her safe. They both fight an instant attraction to one another that will ultimately break down both their defenses. Morwyn took a vow of celibacy to spite her goddess, whom she lost faith in after the Romans destroyed life as she knew it. Bren has been spying for his Briton King for three years posing as Dunmacos a truly horrible Roman mercenary feared by many.
Thoroughly enjoyable read.
Set in AD 50, the story centers around an undercover Gaul warrior(Bren) spying on the Romans; and a Druid priestess (Morwyn) who has been taken captive by said Gaul in an attempt to keep her safe. They both fight an instant attraction to one another that will ultimately break down both their defenses. Morwyn took a vow of celibacy to spite her goddess, whom she lost faith in after the Romans destroyed life as she knew it. Bren has been spying for his Briton King for three years posing as Dunmacos a truly horrible Roman mercenary feared by many.
March 2, 2011
This second release from Christina was okay, but I find it odd that the heroine goes on and on about not having sex because of her guilt over the death of a man and then as she is saved from being raped by the hero, she gets the itch and wants to do the Roman tango with him.
Much smutty, wet fun starts that's semi-purple prose like. The ending is somewhat abrupt and made me scatch my head.
I'm on the fence whether to give this 2 or 3 stars.
Much smutty, wet fun starts that's semi-purple prose like. The ending is somewhat abrupt and made me scatch my head.
I'm on the fence whether to give this 2 or 3 stars.
April 22, 2013
I am not a big fan of historical romance....but this series is A++++
Author chose an era that is not always used in historical romance...her work is well researched...and book is sizzling hot! Loved it!
Author chose an era that is not always used in historical romance...her work is well researched...and book is sizzling hot! Loved it!
February 15, 2011
One star automatically for the setting. Using ancient times (in this case, Roman occupied Britain) is an automatic selling point for me.
April 14, 2011
We need more romances like this one. Loved it!
August 11, 2016
really fun romance novel. I read it in a morning at the beach, maybe even devoured it. Very fun read.
April 25, 2011
full review coming soon
April 25, 2016
Absolutely fantastic. Great setting. Great characters. HAWT read.
April 23, 2017
First off, I need to apologise to Ms Phillips because my reading did this book no justice at all. I started this book while I was "on vacation" which turned out to be two months of family emergencies and life happened. I started and stopped this book so many times, not because I didn't enjoy the book but because life got in the way of reading. Point in fact, I think it took me 1.5 months to read this one book. That's unheard of! Very sorry.
That said, I truly enjoyed this book. There's so much history between the pages as well as triumph and sorrow. As I read this series, it breaks my heart to know the Celts lost the war and the Romans did take over, but at the same time I cheered them on for their fighting spirit and their tenacity as they rebelled against the Romans when they fought for their freedom. It's very bittersweet for me.
Bren is such a tortured soul and I loved him. He was so torn between being the man the wants to be and the man he is pretending to be. I admired his dedication to the cause and fighting for the freedom of the Celts to the exclusion of all his own personal desires until he meets Morwyn. There's so much pain buried in him that all I wanted to do was hug him and tell him everything would be alright, even though I knew in the reality of history that was not true. I wanted happiness for him.
As for Morwyn, she's such a brave, feisty soul. I admired her tenacity and her desire to fight for the freedom for her people. I wept for her as she lost her faith in her goddess but I also cheered for her when she found love in spite of it. She had the courage to face herself and admit her feelings even when they weren't the right thing to do at the time, even knowing it would be frowned upon if her people found out who Bren was pretending to be.
Both Bren and Morwyn touched my heart with their strength, their faith and dedication. I really wanted a happy ending for the both of them because they deserved it. Fortunately for me, this is a romance. :-)
I loved the way Ms Phillips handled the "enemies to lovers" trope in this story. It's not a favorite trope of mine and in general, if I know that's the trope, I tend to steer clear of the story. However, I liked the historical setting of the story and I like Ms Phillips' writing. Morwyn starts off hating Bren and wanting to slit his throat, however, Ms Phillips does not dwell on the enmity between them for long because sexual attraction takes over and Bren proves himself to be a man worthy of love despite outward appearances.
Thank you for a bittersweet glimpse into Celtic history, Ms Phillips. I look forward to the next books in the series.
See more from Deanna's World
That said, I truly enjoyed this book. There's so much history between the pages as well as triumph and sorrow. As I read this series, it breaks my heart to know the Celts lost the war and the Romans did take over, but at the same time I cheered them on for their fighting spirit and their tenacity as they rebelled against the Romans when they fought for their freedom. It's very bittersweet for me.
Bren is such a tortured soul and I loved him. He was so torn between being the man the wants to be and the man he is pretending to be. I admired his dedication to the cause and fighting for the freedom of the Celts to the exclusion of all his own personal desires until he meets Morwyn. There's so much pain buried in him that all I wanted to do was hug him and tell him everything would be alright, even though I knew in the reality of history that was not true. I wanted happiness for him.
As for Morwyn, she's such a brave, feisty soul. I admired her tenacity and her desire to fight for the freedom for her people. I wept for her as she lost her faith in her goddess but I also cheered for her when she found love in spite of it. She had the courage to face herself and admit her feelings even when they weren't the right thing to do at the time, even knowing it would be frowned upon if her people found out who Bren was pretending to be.
Both Bren and Morwyn touched my heart with their strength, their faith and dedication. I really wanted a happy ending for the both of them because they deserved it. Fortunately for me, this is a romance. :-)
I loved the way Ms Phillips handled the "enemies to lovers" trope in this story. It's not a favorite trope of mine and in general, if I know that's the trope, I tend to steer clear of the story. However, I liked the historical setting of the story and I like Ms Phillips' writing. Morwyn starts off hating Bren and wanting to slit his throat, however, Ms Phillips does not dwell on the enmity between them for long because sexual attraction takes over and Bren proves himself to be a man worthy of love despite outward appearances.
Thank you for a bittersweet glimpse into Celtic history, Ms Phillips. I look forward to the next books in the series.
See more from Deanna's World
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