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The Tempest: A Gisborne Novel
Guy of Gisborne is a fierce, brooding knight. He is both feared and scorned by those under his command. But under his harsh exterior is a tormented soul, haunted by a tragic past... Cassia is a peasant with a gift for healing, and a secret admiration for the feared lord Gisborne. When fate thrusts him into her hands, she quickly finds that he lives up to his dark reputation. But she also learns there is more to him than meets the eye... Soon they are drawn into a passionate affair, discovering that love is a power that can overcome all things.
320 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 17, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
June 20, 2017
I'm obsessed with Sir Guy of Gisborne from the BBC's Robin Hood, played to perfection by sex-on-legs Richard Armitage. From his smouldering smirks and snarls, to his heartbreaking inner torment and turmoil, to his desperate loneliness and longing to be loved, to his stubble, long hair, guyliner and black clothes - he's a brooding badboy with a haunted soul, a broken man who needs saving.
The book is in part dedicated to 'RA for the inspiration,' and from the first description of him there's no doubting the authors word. Every smirk, every scowl, every eyebrow raise, every tortured look, every tender look - it's RA's Guy, the Guy I adore.
The first two thirds of the book were everything I wanted them to be - despair, anger, resentment, bitterness, discovery, new beginnings, affection, lust, hot Gizzy sex, realisation, love, redemption *drools*
And there it should have ended, but instead the last third pointlessly goes all action and adventure, becomes far too melodramatic, and ends with our Guy being metaphorically castrated. Wearing good guy brown and having a respectable hair cut is NOT Guy, redeemed and loved up or not. Just. No. He wears black, he has long hair. End of.
So although that part spoilt it, the first two thirds were exactly the Guy story I wanted, the Guy story I've played out in my mind on many an occasion (only with me as his leading lady rather than Cassia!).
It won't win any literary prizes, but fantasies rarely do ;-p
The book is in part dedicated to 'RA for the inspiration,' and from the first description of him there's no doubting the authors word. Every smirk, every scowl, every eyebrow raise, every tortured look, every tender look - it's RA's Guy, the Guy I adore.
The first two thirds of the book were everything I wanted them to be - despair, anger, resentment, bitterness, discovery, new beginnings, affection, lust, hot Gizzy sex, realisation, love, redemption *drools*
And there it should have ended, but instead the last third pointlessly goes all action and adventure, becomes far too melodramatic, and ends with our Guy being metaphorically castrated. Wearing good guy brown and having a respectable hair cut is NOT Guy, redeemed and loved up or not. Just. No. He wears black, he has long hair. End of.
So although that part spoilt it, the first two thirds were exactly the Guy story I wanted, the Guy story I've played out in my mind on many an occasion (only with me as his leading lady rather than Cassia!).
It won't win any literary prizes, but fantasies rarely do ;-p
December 17, 2016
I love this book. Thank you Charlotte " hugs you "
March 4, 2017
So. I read this soly because it gisborne on it. I am hoplessly in love with the charcter. (Thank u bbc) Traditionally, he an important charcter in the robin hood ballads. He was a bounty hunter the sheriff sent after robin. They meet in sherwood, duel, & robin decapitates him. And takes his cloak just to add insult to injury. Nowadays, guy is shown in a much different light. He is a lackey of the sheriff, a nobleman. & thats what I love abouthim. With such a jump & so little know about him, it leaves the author with so mjch room for his charater. Why does he hate robin? Why does he work for the sheriff? Is he good or evil? & why is he the way he is?
In bbcs tv show, hes a dark complicated man with power and love and morll issues. He great. And that was who I pictured when I started reading this. And thanks to all the goodreads reviews, I thought itd be good.
Never have I been so wrong.
I mean really, what the hell? This was worse than twilight! But, I suppose I must give the author credit for one thing: it takes a special kind of talent to so completely DESTROY such a wonderful legendary charcter.
There was no love. This was all teenager infatuation overflowing into adulthood. There was no reason fo such an ass of a man to feel anything for this girl but grudging gratitude. He is sick. He goes from hating her and considering making her his whore, to loving her as much as he loved marian. No, just no. Noy plausible in the slightest. And the girl just annoyed me. She bullied a sick guy, and its supposed to be go for him. No, she was just as much of an ass as he was.
Look, this was just plain awful, so to save everyones time and to rescue you all from my ranting, ill make you a list of this that were bad about "temptest"
1. There is nothing redeeming about guy.
2. His crime were never explain. Were we supposed to know what he'd done, or what? I never figured it out.
3. Guy has no hobbies other that to drink.
4.cassia whines about not wanting to be his plaything then runs off the second her dads out of yhe way.
5.guy has unreasonably good luck for someone who is supposed to be evil. Where's the karma.
6. Robin hood was only in this for a couple of pages, and marian even less. If im going to read about guy, I was to see his enemy !
7.the was a badly written fan fiction for bbc robin hood. Some one needs to look in on copyright laws here.
Dont waste your time or money. Even if you do love guy, if youre intellegent, youll see what a piece of crap this is. Anyone who put a 5 star for this was an idiot.
In bbcs tv show, hes a dark complicated man with power and love and morll issues. He great. And that was who I pictured when I started reading this. And thanks to all the goodreads reviews, I thought itd be good.
Never have I been so wrong.
I mean really, what the hell? This was worse than twilight! But, I suppose I must give the author credit for one thing: it takes a special kind of talent to so completely DESTROY such a wonderful legendary charcter.
There was no love. This was all teenager infatuation overflowing into adulthood. There was no reason fo such an ass of a man to feel anything for this girl but grudging gratitude. He is sick. He goes from hating her and considering making her his whore, to loving her as much as he loved marian. No, just no. Noy plausible in the slightest. And the girl just annoyed me. She bullied a sick guy, and its supposed to be go for him. No, she was just as much of an ass as he was.
Look, this was just plain awful, so to save everyones time and to rescue you all from my ranting, ill make you a list of this that were bad about "temptest"
1. There is nothing redeeming about guy.
2. His crime were never explain. Were we supposed to know what he'd done, or what? I never figured it out.
3. Guy has no hobbies other that to drink.
4.cassia whines about not wanting to be his plaything then runs off the second her dads out of yhe way.
5.guy has unreasonably good luck for someone who is supposed to be evil. Where's the karma.
6. Robin hood was only in this for a couple of pages, and marian even less. If im going to read about guy, I was to see his enemy !
7.the was a badly written fan fiction for bbc robin hood. Some one needs to look in on copyright laws here.
Dont waste your time or money. Even if you do love guy, if youre intellegent, youll see what a piece of crap this is. Anyone who put a 5 star for this was an idiot.
November 25, 2012
This "book" is hands down, the worst thing I've read in my entire life! There is no real plot, unless you consider completely implausible, rambling drivel, a story-line. The writer fabricates delusive, overblown consequences for flimsily contrived events laboriously dragging the unlucky reader from one venue to another. The characters are not even remotely developed and thus there are no empathetic relationships. In other words; as a reader, you don't give a rat's derriere what happens to them! "Poor Guy! He's been turned into a completely spineless, fool of a mouse!" I DO realize the author is trying to spin-off of a popular British series, so is perhaps relying on that to hook ready-made character development. But if that were truly the case, than the least the author could do is try to stay true to the qualities of those characters. This personal little pillow fantasy has the hero doing, saying and thinking, completely out-of-character deeds, sayings and thoughts! It would have been far better to have given the hero a completely different name, as that is exactly what the writer has done -created a completely different, (and may I say feeble), persona, totally unrelated to the character, (as portrayed), that he is supposed to represent. The syntax of this piece is equally clumsy and inept and critically interferes with what story line there is. Stories written by children use better linguistics than this! This is not so much a book or even a story as it is a very t-h-i-n-l-y disguised personal square fantasy that the author has crammed, kicking and screaming, into the sad-but-true, quixotic round hole left at the conclusion of the fore mentioned series. "Hey, I like him too honey, but what you've given him is a fate worse than death!" I can not in good conscience give this book even a one star rating as that would indicate effort and at no point in the course of reading this piece, did I feel anything but insulted. In all it was a very painful read.
August 10, 2020
This book had got me out of a really, really reeaalllly long book slump. For years I had put books away and just stopped reading. I have no clue how I found this book or why I was compelled to read it, but that was 8 years ago and I haven't stopped since.
I really have a hard time reviewing my favorite books. I feel like I can never do them justice, so I try and keep it simple by giving them 5 stars. Highly suggest this if you tend to love the villain and want him to get the HEA.
I really have a hard time reviewing my favorite books. I feel like I can never do them justice, so I try and keep it simple by giving them 5 stars. Highly suggest this if you tend to love the villain and want him to get the HEA.
October 17, 2014
Topsy Turvy Robin Hood, where he is the Villain, and Sir Guy is the Hero
The author said she was inspired to write this story by Richard Armitage’s performance as Sir Guy of Gisborne in BBC’s Robin Hood series. While I’ve not seen the TV series, I can assume as a villain, Armitage was enticing. In this story, Sir Guy is made to be the hero and Robin of Locksley comes out as a self-serving outlaw villain. Quite a switch. And I’m not sure it worked.
Set in Nottinghamshire, beginning in 1174 (and continuing for several years), this is the story of Guy of Gisborne whose mother was killed when he was 12 in a robbery. His father is a cold man, who blames Guy and sends him away to live with his even colder uncle, William Briwere, the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Thirteen years later, in 1187, ten-year-old Cassia de Warren forms a dislike of her brother’s friend Robin, Earl of Locksley, because he brought vengeance on her family when he tried, but failed, to kill Sir Guy for killing Robin’s brother. Sheesh! Sir Guy, on order from the Sheriff, takes his vengeance out on Robin and her brother by torching Cassia’s home. But at the last moment, Guy pulls her and her grandmother out of the flames, and thereafter, Cassia admires him.
When she is nearly 18, Cassia, now a widow, and Sir Guy are brought together through an accident that leaves him with a broken ankle. With her healing skills, Cassia tends him. And then they have a physical relationship, which continues even after she learns her husband is alive.
I have to say I had a problem with the adultery. Neither Cassia nor Sir Guy came off as honorable wronging her faithful husband who loved her. She was a harridan toward him and I never really believed she had justification. And remember, this is medieval England.
While the author can write well and certainly weaves quite a tale, some of the middle was slow. (I found myself skipping introspection and reading the dialog to move it along.) To me, Guy still came out as a bad guy and Robin was never around long enough to be a real villain. And I did not like Cassia much. As a healer, she was sympathetic, but as a wife and daughter, not so much.
The trilogy:
THE TEMPEST
MY LADY GISBORNE
THE BARON’S LADY
The author said she was inspired to write this story by Richard Armitage’s performance as Sir Guy of Gisborne in BBC’s Robin Hood series. While I’ve not seen the TV series, I can assume as a villain, Armitage was enticing. In this story, Sir Guy is made to be the hero and Robin of Locksley comes out as a self-serving outlaw villain. Quite a switch. And I’m not sure it worked.
Set in Nottinghamshire, beginning in 1174 (and continuing for several years), this is the story of Guy of Gisborne whose mother was killed when he was 12 in a robbery. His father is a cold man, who blames Guy and sends him away to live with his even colder uncle, William Briwere, the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Thirteen years later, in 1187, ten-year-old Cassia de Warren forms a dislike of her brother’s friend Robin, Earl of Locksley, because he brought vengeance on her family when he tried, but failed, to kill Sir Guy for killing Robin’s brother. Sheesh! Sir Guy, on order from the Sheriff, takes his vengeance out on Robin and her brother by torching Cassia’s home. But at the last moment, Guy pulls her and her grandmother out of the flames, and thereafter, Cassia admires him.
When she is nearly 18, Cassia, now a widow, and Sir Guy are brought together through an accident that leaves him with a broken ankle. With her healing skills, Cassia tends him. And then they have a physical relationship, which continues even after she learns her husband is alive.
I have to say I had a problem with the adultery. Neither Cassia nor Sir Guy came off as honorable wronging her faithful husband who loved her. She was a harridan toward him and I never really believed she had justification. And remember, this is medieval England.
While the author can write well and certainly weaves quite a tale, some of the middle was slow. (I found myself skipping introspection and reading the dialog to move it along.) To me, Guy still came out as a bad guy and Robin was never around long enough to be a real villain. And I did not like Cassia much. As a healer, she was sympathetic, but as a wife and daughter, not so much.
The trilogy:
THE TEMPEST
MY LADY GISBORNE
THE BARON’S LADY
August 30, 2010
One of my favorite characters of all time is Guy of Gisborne, the baddie with a tortured soul played magnificently by Richard Armitage in BBC's Robin Hood. His smirk, his swagger, his black leather getup of series two, and his series three hair were nothing short of perfection. He wasn't just sexy-as-hell mancandy, though. The despair and the loneliness within him.. that haunted look in his eyes was what really moved me. For many months I swooned, drooled, and shed tears over this beautiful broken man.
Unfortunately for Guy,Marian is an idiot history has always placed him on the "villain" shelf. He never gets the girl... until now ;-)
A HUGE thank you to the author for giving Gizzy a gorgeous heartwarming HEA with a woman who truly understands him.
Unfortunately for Guy,
A HUGE thank you to the author for giving Gizzy a gorgeous heartwarming HEA with a woman who truly understands him.
September 18, 2022
I don’t know why I never reviewed this book. It’s a very special book to me, one that holds its place in my heart. This book is the book that shook the dust off for me and got me back reading. I hadn’t picked up a book in years, but this book ended up on my old kindle reader- honestly don’t remember how or why I was promoted to read it, but I did and haven’t looked back.
Perhaps I never reviewed it because it meant so much to me. Either way, this book will always be 5 loving stars.
Perhaps I never reviewed it because it meant so much to me. Either way, this book will always be 5 loving stars.
June 22, 2010
Sir Guy of Gisborne is a fierce , brooding knight. He is both feared and scorned by those under his command. But under his harsh exterior is a lonely soul, haunted by his many sins ...
Cassia is a peasant with a gift for healing... and a secret longing for the feared lord Gisborne. When fate thrusts him into her hands, she quickly learns that he lives up to his dark reputation. But she also discovers there is more to him than meets the eye...
These are the protagonists of THE TEMPEST , A GUY OF GISBORNE STORY by Charlotte Hawkins.. I received it directly from her, it arrived last Friday by mail and I couldn't resist reading it at the weekend since I was fascinating by the idea of a story in which the unfortunate fate of Gisborne had been changed. After watching BBC Robin Hood for 3 series and Richard Armitage's stunning performance as evil black leather-cad Guy, it is impossible not to recognize him in this story. Sarah said she was partly inspired by Richard's Gisborne while writing her story but I must disagree: her hero is totally and utterly the Sir Guy we so well know with his smirks and frownings, his evil glares and his looks of contempt.
Just read this brief excerpt: "His arms were crossed, his broad shoulders hunched. His head was lowered, causing the unruly waves of his dark hair to fall forward, almost covering his eyes. Except for the red and gold coat of arms etched upon his surcoat, he was dressed entirely in black. His long legs took up great strides as he moved back and forth, giving him the likeness of a prowling panther. Impatience was written in every line of his face and figure..."
Does that remind you of ... anyone? I couldn't avoid thinking of Gisborne, waiting for the same bride, Lady Marian. Well, yes, also at the beginning of "The Tempest" Gisborne is going to marry Marian and is waiting for her at the altar. But apparently and at first, the story goes on like in the series while in the following pages the mocked man's initial disappointment becomes furious anger, Marian is imprisoned for her betrayal and things start turning out to be very different after a while. Very different from the story we know, I mean.
Fan Fiction is a trend I've only lately discovered thanks to friends and blogofriends . It's quite an interesting, fascinating world, made of infinite variables. It is, first of all , great fun. It makes the fictional characters you love - from films, TV series and books - go on living in other stories, beyond the words "the end", beyond the last word in the last printed page. And when in these sequels or spin-off stories you find your heroes and heroines get what they deserved , but coudln't have in the original tale, well , you feel very satisfied, at last.
This is what happens to Gisborne here: he got his redemption thanks to a woman's love, he discovers what being loved means and how being appreciated and not feared makes you feel happy.
I particularly like the first half of the novel, where Guy keeps his bold, cheeky , quite ill-tempered self that causes amusing skirmishes between him and Cassia. Quite amusing, until everything becomes different: a passionate love story.
Let's have a look at the heroine now. She's proud, stubborn, strong-willed, brave and extremely beautiful of course. And she loves Gisborne devoutedly, even before she actually meets him (Have you ever loved at a distance? ) She's loyal to him and manages his aggressiveness without being scared of him . She can see beyond his rough surface, directly to his wounded haunted soul longing for love. They are just a perfect match. Too perfect to be true? They are , in fact, romantic fictional characters created to help readers dream, escape, amuse themselves.
From perfection, we come to the flaws...
Some scenes - and unfortunately even the language used in them - sound rather repetitive
Too many happy twists make the story fairy-tale-like
The pace in the second half of the novel is too slow (I'd have shortened it if I had found it difficult to prolong and sustain the"tempest" of emotions which characterizes the first chapters )
The characters (especially the 2 protagonists) in the final part of the story become unbelievably good, positive, generous and sound rather flat (according to E.M. Forster's definition of characters as round/flat)
Guy's relationship with the sheriff (here, Wiliam Briwere) is based on strong dependence, awe and subjection Cassia's bond to her father (Robert De Warren) is based on love, loyalty and obedience. But when they meet and hit it off with each other, they are ready to forget and break any other tie in their lives forever... What will happen to the happy couple after the last word printed on the last page of this novel?
There's already an answer since Sarah has recently posted the first pages of her new novel, REBEL MINE , which is a sequel to THE TEMPEST, on her blog (http://fromthequilltip.blogspot.com/2...) . A promising beginning, full of tenderness and joy. What is going to spoil that perfect idillic family picture? I'm eagerly waiting to know.
Charlotte Hawkins
Cassia is a peasant with a gift for healing... and a secret longing for the feared lord Gisborne. When fate thrusts him into her hands, she quickly learns that he lives up to his dark reputation. But she also discovers there is more to him than meets the eye...
These are the protagonists of THE TEMPEST , A GUY OF GISBORNE STORY by Charlotte Hawkins.. I received it directly from her, it arrived last Friday by mail and I couldn't resist reading it at the weekend since I was fascinating by the idea of a story in which the unfortunate fate of Gisborne had been changed. After watching BBC Robin Hood for 3 series and Richard Armitage's stunning performance as evil black leather-cad Guy, it is impossible not to recognize him in this story. Sarah said she was partly inspired by Richard's Gisborne while writing her story but I must disagree: her hero is totally and utterly the Sir Guy we so well know with his smirks and frownings, his evil glares and his looks of contempt.
Just read this brief excerpt: "His arms were crossed, his broad shoulders hunched. His head was lowered, causing the unruly waves of his dark hair to fall forward, almost covering his eyes. Except for the red and gold coat of arms etched upon his surcoat, he was dressed entirely in black. His long legs took up great strides as he moved back and forth, giving him the likeness of a prowling panther. Impatience was written in every line of his face and figure..."
Does that remind you of ... anyone? I couldn't avoid thinking of Gisborne, waiting for the same bride, Lady Marian. Well, yes, also at the beginning of "The Tempest" Gisborne is going to marry Marian and is waiting for her at the altar. But apparently and at first, the story goes on like in the series while in the following pages the mocked man's initial disappointment becomes furious anger, Marian is imprisoned for her betrayal and things start turning out to be very different after a while. Very different from the story we know, I mean.
Fan Fiction is a trend I've only lately discovered thanks to friends and blogofriends . It's quite an interesting, fascinating world, made of infinite variables. It is, first of all , great fun. It makes the fictional characters you love - from films, TV series and books - go on living in other stories, beyond the words "the end", beyond the last word in the last printed page. And when in these sequels or spin-off stories you find your heroes and heroines get what they deserved , but coudln't have in the original tale, well , you feel very satisfied, at last.
This is what happens to Gisborne here: he got his redemption thanks to a woman's love, he discovers what being loved means and how being appreciated and not feared makes you feel happy.
I particularly like the first half of the novel, where Guy keeps his bold, cheeky , quite ill-tempered self that causes amusing skirmishes between him and Cassia. Quite amusing, until everything becomes different: a passionate love story.
Let's have a look at the heroine now. She's proud, stubborn, strong-willed, brave and extremely beautiful of course. And she loves Gisborne devoutedly, even before she actually meets him (Have you ever loved at a distance? ) She's loyal to him and manages his aggressiveness without being scared of him . She can see beyond his rough surface, directly to his wounded haunted soul longing for love. They are just a perfect match. Too perfect to be true? They are , in fact, romantic fictional characters created to help readers dream, escape, amuse themselves.
From perfection, we come to the flaws...
Some scenes - and unfortunately even the language used in them - sound rather repetitive
Too many happy twists make the story fairy-tale-like
The pace in the second half of the novel is too slow (I'd have shortened it if I had found it difficult to prolong and sustain the"tempest" of emotions which characterizes the first chapters )
The characters (especially the 2 protagonists) in the final part of the story become unbelievably good, positive, generous and sound rather flat (according to E.M. Forster's definition of characters as round/flat)
Guy's relationship with the sheriff (here, Wiliam Briwere) is based on strong dependence, awe and subjection Cassia's bond to her father (Robert De Warren) is based on love, loyalty and obedience. But when they meet and hit it off with each other, they are ready to forget and break any other tie in their lives forever... What will happen to the happy couple after the last word printed on the last page of this novel?
There's already an answer since Sarah has recently posted the first pages of her new novel, REBEL MINE , which is a sequel to THE TEMPEST, on her blog (http://fromthequilltip.blogspot.com/2...) . A promising beginning, full of tenderness and joy. What is going to spoil that perfect idillic family picture? I'm eagerly waiting to know.
Charlotte Hawkins
June 26, 2012
This is a novel which I had heard about previously, but hesitated to look up. After all, it's about Guy of Gisborne - specifically: as he was portrayed by Richard Armitage in the BBC series Robin Hood - and it sounded a bit too fanfic-y for my taste. Then I read another book by the same author and thought, "you know what? I enjoyed this, I might just give it a go anyway".
The Tempest stars the brooding, scowling, smirking (there's a lot of this in the book) and generally pretty horrid Sir Guy of Gisborne, a henchman of the Sheriff of Nottingham. When Sir Guy is badly hurt in an accident, he's taken in by a peasant and his daughter Cassia, who nurses him back to health. However, Sir Guy isn't exactly the most grateful of patients, so Cassia has her work cut out for her. Good thing she's as strong-willed and unbending as he is! She has also always had a thing for the infamous man in black, and caring for him means there are things stirred which perhaps should have been left alone ...
One of the things I love about this story is that it gives series 3 of the BBC series a big two-fingered salute (if you're not British: substitute "a big middle finger") with regards to the fate of Guy of Gisborne.
But the thing is, it's not fanfic at all.
"Wait, what? Why have you been talking about Robin Hood the BBC show just then if this isn't fanfic?" Clearly, the character of Sir Guy is the same as in the show, and some elements are similar (such as being dumped at the altar by Marian), and there's a bit where we see classic Sheriff Vasey show up as well. But the point is, the cast of Robin Hood is part of folklore and up for grabs. The Sheriff here is called Briwere, but it's clear Briwere has more in common with Vasey than the guy Alan Rickman famously played.
It might sound frightfully dull if I said that about half the book is mainly about Guy being nursed back to health and finding Cassia more and more attractive. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong. Their emotions and thoughts draw you in, so when things start heating up, I was eagerly cheering them on.
Which brings us on to ... the sex scenes! There were a fair few of those, but not gratuitous. They were written with a lot of emphasis on touch and emotions, and that was great, very lovingly done. If I have any criticism of them, it would be that they don't tend to do it just once, it's always straight back after the first run. It got a little predictable, but I didn't mind.
Characterisation-wise, Cassia is a good heroine. She does her own thing and is not willing to be mastered by someone just because he's a nobleman who enjoys barking orders at people and having his way. She's got guts, and I applaud her for it. Guy keeps to the wrong side of being a complete bastard for a long time before he finally starts coming around and turn into a human being - even if his nobleman manners still get in the way a bit.
There are so many things I could say about this novel, but they can be summed up in two words: "read" and "it". If you're a fan of Richard Armitage's portrayal of Guy of Gisborne, this is definitely a novel for you. If you're into historical romance novels, this is for you. If you never really liked Marian because she's a deceitful bitch and Robin Hood is an arrogant twerp, this is for you (and Cassia agrees with you very much). If you're of the view that Sir Guy is not just that horrible man who puts babies in the woods but actually has a heart and soul behind that scowling exterior, this is for you.
With rich historical detail and with only minor comments like "did that church ceremony really have to be spelled out word-for-word?", I give The Tempest a comfortable 5 out of 5 straw beds.
The Tempest stars the brooding, scowling, smirking (there's a lot of this in the book) and generally pretty horrid Sir Guy of Gisborne, a henchman of the Sheriff of Nottingham. When Sir Guy is badly hurt in an accident, he's taken in by a peasant and his daughter Cassia, who nurses him back to health. However, Sir Guy isn't exactly the most grateful of patients, so Cassia has her work cut out for her. Good thing she's as strong-willed and unbending as he is! She has also always had a thing for the infamous man in black, and caring for him means there are things stirred which perhaps should have been left alone ...
One of the things I love about this story is that it gives series 3 of the BBC series a big two-fingered salute (if you're not British: substitute "a big middle finger") with regards to the fate of Guy of Gisborne.
But the thing is, it's not fanfic at all.
"Wait, what? Why have you been talking about Robin Hood the BBC show just then if this isn't fanfic?" Clearly, the character of Sir Guy is the same as in the show, and some elements are similar (such as being dumped at the altar by Marian), and there's a bit where we see classic Sheriff Vasey show up as well. But the point is, the cast of Robin Hood is part of folklore and up for grabs. The Sheriff here is called Briwere, but it's clear Briwere has more in common with Vasey than the guy Alan Rickman famously played.
It might sound frightfully dull if I said that about half the book is mainly about Guy being nursed back to health and finding Cassia more and more attractive. You'd think that, but you'd be wrong. Their emotions and thoughts draw you in, so when things start heating up, I was eagerly cheering them on.
Which brings us on to ... the sex scenes! There were a fair few of those, but not gratuitous. They were written with a lot of emphasis on touch and emotions, and that was great, very lovingly done. If I have any criticism of them, it would be that they don't tend to do it just once, it's always straight back after the first run. It got a little predictable, but I didn't mind.
Characterisation-wise, Cassia is a good heroine. She does her own thing and is not willing to be mastered by someone just because he's a nobleman who enjoys barking orders at people and having his way. She's got guts, and I applaud her for it. Guy keeps to the wrong side of being a complete bastard for a long time before he finally starts coming around and turn into a human being - even if his nobleman manners still get in the way a bit.
There are so many things I could say about this novel, but they can be summed up in two words: "read" and "it". If you're a fan of Richard Armitage's portrayal of Guy of Gisborne, this is definitely a novel for you. If you're into historical romance novels, this is for you. If you never really liked Marian because she's a deceitful bitch and Robin Hood is an arrogant twerp, this is for you (and Cassia agrees with you very much). If you're of the view that Sir Guy is not just that horrible man who puts babies in the woods but actually has a heart and soul behind that scowling exterior, this is for you.
With rich historical detail and with only minor comments like "did that church ceremony really have to be spelled out word-for-word?", I give The Tempest a comfortable 5 out of 5 straw beds.
June 16, 2010
I am a Guy of Gisborne fan, so this appealed to me before I even read it. I was surprised at the quality of the writing, which is pretty good for an unknown author. It's not perfect (Some of the language is a bit too modern) but it wasn't so bad as to turn me away. What I really enjoyed were the two main characters. Guy is here in all his brooding badness, but the author has given him a lot of depth. We see into his soul and get into his head, and I love him even more now than I did when I watched him in the BBC series.
Cassia is a great leading lady. She's intelligent and loving, but she's no shrinking violet. She's a peasant healer, which makes for some interesting scenes between her and Guy. I won't give anything away, but let's just say that she tends to his wounds in more ways than one. Lucky girl.
I have to wonder if the author imagined herself in the role of Guy's lover, because she sees Guy the way most fans see him. She feels for him the way we do. Yes, he's a bad boy. He's a criminal, and he's terribly selfish and spoiled at times, and we would love to knock him across the head when he does certain things. But he's so darn vulnerable. He wants to be better, but he doesn't quite know how to do it. He wants to be loved, but is fearful of it. But once he gives in to his feelings, his devotion is absolute. Cassia seems to sense this from the very start, and though it takes some time to redeem her man, she eventually claims her prize...and what a prize he is.
Take this story for what it is...a hugely entertaining love story with a lot of spice and great characters. It's not Shakespeare, but who looks for that when reading a romance novel? This is pure escapism, and it's worth a read.
Cassia is a great leading lady. She's intelligent and loving, but she's no shrinking violet. She's a peasant healer, which makes for some interesting scenes between her and Guy. I won't give anything away, but let's just say that she tends to his wounds in more ways than one. Lucky girl.
I have to wonder if the author imagined herself in the role of Guy's lover, because she sees Guy the way most fans see him. She feels for him the way we do. Yes, he's a bad boy. He's a criminal, and he's terribly selfish and spoiled at times, and we would love to knock him across the head when he does certain things. But he's so darn vulnerable. He wants to be better, but he doesn't quite know how to do it. He wants to be loved, but is fearful of it. But once he gives in to his feelings, his devotion is absolute. Cassia seems to sense this from the very start, and though it takes some time to redeem her man, she eventually claims her prize...and what a prize he is.
Take this story for what it is...a hugely entertaining love story with a lot of spice and great characters. It's not Shakespeare, but who looks for that when reading a romance novel? This is pure escapism, and it's worth a read.
September 18, 2018
Technically 3.5 for enjoyment value.
The Tempest follows Guy of Gisborne, a popular Robin Hood character from.many film, book, and television adaptations, and an original character, a healer named Cassia deWarren, and their growing relationship and romance.
This is a thinly veiled fanfiction of BBC's Robin Hood based on the dark, brooding, and, haunted description of the main character, Guy of Gisborne, popularly played by Richard Armitage.
I'd be lying if I said o wasn't attracted to this book based on that alone, like many of the other reviewers here. That being said, if you know me at all then you know that I have no qualms with fanfiction. I actively read and write it myself. This was probably one of the more polished fanfictions I've encountered. It is by no means perfect, and there were a few things that could have used some improvement.
From what I understand, this is the first thing that the author has self-published. I believe that self-published fanfiction can only be so good but I like to give things a shot if there is a possibility I might like it. It wasn't very expensive on Kindle, so I knew it wouldn't hurt.
I feel like this review would be best organized by things I did like and areas that could have been improved upon.
Firstly, I loved the writing style. I thought it flowed well and the descriptions were strong enough for me to see it clearly in my head. I often found myself impressed with how lovely some of the sentences were. They were flowery without being too boring or oversaturated with too many pointless words or descriptors. I could tell each word had been carefully chosen.
This book was more character driven than plot-driven. The characters were thought out, but I felt some were stronger and more developed than others, which I will go into later. One of these few was Cassia. She, to me, was the most alive out of these characters. I understood her personality, desires, frustrations, hobbies, and life. While I found several of her motivations and decisions questionable, which I will also go into later, she seemed to be the most interesting.
The other two characters who I thought were interesting enough, were actually Robin Hood and Marian. Their characters were contrived, however, and made out to be unlikable so as to get the the reader to like Guy of Gisborne more. The author took the cocky and shallowness of their characters to the next level, which made me actually want more of them. Mostly because I've never really loved their characters despite me loving anything Robin Hood.
Guy of Gisborne is an in-between character for me. His inner conflict, demons, and desires were the most developed aspects of his character. I thought his transition from lust to live was seamless, I hardly noticed it. Which is both good and bad. It makes his arc seem weak and almost non-existent. It was good because making something that seamless is impressive.
Now, what I thought could use some work.
The plot was the biggest issue with this book. More like lack of plot to put it plainly. Like I said earlier, this is a character-driven story. I don't say character-driven plot because they only go through the motions of their situations rather than drive their situations with their actions. Things happen to them, they don't make anything really happen for themselves. It seemed more like a character study in the format of a full-length novel. If I had to guess a vague "maybe" plot it would be: Guy of Gisborne and Cassia struggle with familial and societal obstacles in order to be with each other.
If I have to guess what the plot is then you very likely don't have one.
This leads me into a few of my other points that are related to each other.
While Cassia was the most interesting character, she had no character arc. There were no obstacles for her to overcome herself. Obstacles were overcome for her. She was more like an object placed in the story to create conflict for other characters.
This problem plays into a trope I have a huge problem with. And that trope is: the female character who is only there to reform the bad boy. If I were to reform my earlier attempt at explaining what the plot was, I would change it to just this. She was a well-fleshed out character but was only there for Guy to love and lust over. I think it did a huge disservice to her character. While they did have great chemistry, the stakes weren't high enough for them. The stakes that were there were not threatening enough and it prompted some very serious responses from Cassia. At one point she threatened suicide to her brother and husband if they did not go to Nottingham and save Guy.
Cassia is known as being very clever, which I like, but this is one way to get me turned off of any character. Threatening suicide to get what you want (even if it is for love) is nothing short of manipulative, whether or not she would have gone through with it. It would have been less damaging to her character if she had just gone and saved him herself. Then they could have had an awesome showdown with Robin and the Sherriff.
Which brings us to Robin Hood. This story features Robin Hood characters yet less than a handful are in it. This story focuses primarily on Guy so if you are looking to have lots of interactions with other iconic characters, them you won't get it in this book. Robin Hood is Guy's enemy. So make him the enemy. I think there was a lot of opportunity with the plot that the author didn't take advantage of.
I know it seems like there was a lot that I didn't like. But these were things that I really only thought could have used improvements. Since this book is self-published, and the first the author has produced, I'm reviewing this at face value and basing it mostly on enjoyment. If this was a traditionally published book, then it would be a different story.
I believe there are a few more books in this series. I'm still deciding whether or not I will read them since I'm unsure what else the author could do. Robin Hood and the Sherriff are both dead and the author tied everything up in a nice little bow.
I did enjoy this for what it was. I think the author has a lot of potential to be a great writer. However, if you are looking for a solid read with Robin Hood characters, this is not for you. But, if you are a bit of a fangirl for Richard Armitage's Guy of Gisborne and are looking for a decent romance that gives him the happy ending he deserved, then you'd probably enjoy this.
The Tempest follows Guy of Gisborne, a popular Robin Hood character from.many film, book, and television adaptations, and an original character, a healer named Cassia deWarren, and their growing relationship and romance.
This is a thinly veiled fanfiction of BBC's Robin Hood based on the dark, brooding, and, haunted description of the main character, Guy of Gisborne, popularly played by Richard Armitage.
I'd be lying if I said o wasn't attracted to this book based on that alone, like many of the other reviewers here. That being said, if you know me at all then you know that I have no qualms with fanfiction. I actively read and write it myself. This was probably one of the more polished fanfictions I've encountered. It is by no means perfect, and there were a few things that could have used some improvement.
From what I understand, this is the first thing that the author has self-published. I believe that self-published fanfiction can only be so good but I like to give things a shot if there is a possibility I might like it. It wasn't very expensive on Kindle, so I knew it wouldn't hurt.
I feel like this review would be best organized by things I did like and areas that could have been improved upon.
Firstly, I loved the writing style. I thought it flowed well and the descriptions were strong enough for me to see it clearly in my head. I often found myself impressed with how lovely some of the sentences were. They were flowery without being too boring or oversaturated with too many pointless words or descriptors. I could tell each word had been carefully chosen.
This book was more character driven than plot-driven. The characters were thought out, but I felt some were stronger and more developed than others, which I will go into later. One of these few was Cassia. She, to me, was the most alive out of these characters. I understood her personality, desires, frustrations, hobbies, and life. While I found several of her motivations and decisions questionable, which I will also go into later, she seemed to be the most interesting.
The other two characters who I thought were interesting enough, were actually Robin Hood and Marian. Their characters were contrived, however, and made out to be unlikable so as to get the the reader to like Guy of Gisborne more. The author took the cocky and shallowness of their characters to the next level, which made me actually want more of them. Mostly because I've never really loved their characters despite me loving anything Robin Hood.
Guy of Gisborne is an in-between character for me. His inner conflict, demons, and desires were the most developed aspects of his character. I thought his transition from lust to live was seamless, I hardly noticed it. Which is both good and bad. It makes his arc seem weak and almost non-existent. It was good because making something that seamless is impressive.
Now, what I thought could use some work.
The plot was the biggest issue with this book. More like lack of plot to put it plainly. Like I said earlier, this is a character-driven story. I don't say character-driven plot because they only go through the motions of their situations rather than drive their situations with their actions. Things happen to them, they don't make anything really happen for themselves. It seemed more like a character study in the format of a full-length novel. If I had to guess a vague "maybe" plot it would be: Guy of Gisborne and Cassia struggle with familial and societal obstacles in order to be with each other.
If I have to guess what the plot is then you very likely don't have one.
This leads me into a few of my other points that are related to each other.
While Cassia was the most interesting character, she had no character arc. There were no obstacles for her to overcome herself. Obstacles were overcome for her. She was more like an object placed in the story to create conflict for other characters.
This problem plays into a trope I have a huge problem with. And that trope is: the female character who is only there to reform the bad boy. If I were to reform my earlier attempt at explaining what the plot was, I would change it to just this. She was a well-fleshed out character but was only there for Guy to love and lust over. I think it did a huge disservice to her character. While they did have great chemistry, the stakes weren't high enough for them. The stakes that were there were not threatening enough and it prompted some very serious responses from Cassia. At one point she threatened suicide to her brother and husband if they did not go to Nottingham and save Guy.
Cassia is known as being very clever, which I like, but this is one way to get me turned off of any character. Threatening suicide to get what you want (even if it is for love) is nothing short of manipulative, whether or not she would have gone through with it. It would have been less damaging to her character if she had just gone and saved him herself. Then they could have had an awesome showdown with Robin and the Sherriff.
Which brings us to Robin Hood. This story features Robin Hood characters yet less than a handful are in it. This story focuses primarily on Guy so if you are looking to have lots of interactions with other iconic characters, them you won't get it in this book. Robin Hood is Guy's enemy. So make him the enemy. I think there was a lot of opportunity with the plot that the author didn't take advantage of.
I know it seems like there was a lot that I didn't like. But these were things that I really only thought could have used improvements. Since this book is self-published, and the first the author has produced, I'm reviewing this at face value and basing it mostly on enjoyment. If this was a traditionally published book, then it would be a different story.
I believe there are a few more books in this series. I'm still deciding whether or not I will read them since I'm unsure what else the author could do. Robin Hood and the Sherriff are both dead and the author tied everything up in a nice little bow.
I did enjoy this for what it was. I think the author has a lot of potential to be a great writer. However, if you are looking for a solid read with Robin Hood characters, this is not for you. But, if you are a bit of a fangirl for Richard Armitage's Guy of Gisborne and are looking for a decent romance that gives him the happy ending he deserved, then you'd probably enjoy this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2010
I loved Guy, the misunderstood hero who reforms and Cassia, who sees beneath his exterior to the strong heart and passionate soul he possesses. Their chemistry is great, the passion is volatile. I'd give it five stars for that alone. But like another earlier reviewer, I felt the story got a little lost in the last third of it, when Cassia reunites with lost relatives and Guy journeys to find her. The resolution worked for me, but the scenes with Cassia's family that led up to it felt muddled.
April 8, 2016
Knowing that this novel was inspired by the actor Richard Armitage and his portrayal of Guy of Gisborne in the BBC production of Robin Hood I looked forward to reading this work. I really enjoyed it and thought it very entertaining. It does contain some descriptive intimate scenarios but well written and not in a vulgar way.
November 18, 2010
To be fair, I'm not a real fan of romance, but this is the worst of the genre: lots of very explicit sex with an idiotic plot.
August 2, 2014
Fantastic!! Fell for Guy of Gisborne all over again!! Must read!!!
November 20, 2014
I received my copy of Charlotte Hawkin’s The Tempest, through the Goodreads First Reads program.
I’ll begin this review by stating that I truly enjoyed this book as a work of romantic fiction and plan to read the other two Gisborne novels. I feel the need to specify that I enjoyed it as a work of romantic fiction because I am not entirely certain how to classify it otherwise.
Ms Hawkins declares in her Author’s Notes that she has been a lifelong fan of the tales of Sherwood Forest, preferring the villains over the heroic Robin Hood. She mentions that Richard Armitage’s portrayal of Guy of Gisborne in the BBC version of Robin Hood gave the villain a new depth of character and a legion of followers. As one of those obsessed fans of the BBC version, my own loyalties lay with Jonas Armstrong’s Robin. I fully appreciate the way in which a specific portrayal, whether it be Armitage or Basil Rathbone, can inspire a writer. A huge part of me wants to dissect the novel on historical accuracy, but this is a spin-off of the Robin Hood legend, a tale which is historically problematic to begin with. I do not believe that The Tempest is a work of fanfiction, as some reviewers have claimed. It is a love story between a misunderstood brooding hero and a spirited, stubborn heroine at the mercy of the values and laws of their time. That time just so happens to be the late 12th century, and those characters just happen to be associated with quasi-historical figures.
Guy of Gisborne is not only Master-at-Arms for the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, he is also his nephew, given in servitude to the sheriff by his father when he was just a boy, following the murder of his mother. Guy’s self-worth is undermined at every turn by the Sheriff, the public’s perception of him as a cold, merciless beast, and his own guilt over his inaction as a child, helplessly watching his mother’s murder. Yet there is more to Guy; deep down there is a man with a conscience, a man who just wants to be loved. For a short time, Guy is certain that Marian could be his salvation, but she turned out to be duplicitous, betrayed him and took her own life while in the Nottingham prison. Her loyalties were always to Robin Hood. Cassia is a young peasant girl who comes from a long line of healers. Her brother is friend to Robin Hood, which draws the negative attention of the Sheriff’s men. Rumours of witchcraft, which often follow female healers, coupled with the family’s association with Robin result in the Sheriff ordering Gisborne to set fire to their cottage, with Cassia and her grandmother inside. Gisborne initially follows orders but is overruled by his conscience and storms into the burning cottage to rescue the young girl and elderly woman, telling them to get as far away as they can.
Cassia’s family move to the forest and rebuild their lives, with an aunt living close by. Time passes, Cassia is now a young woman. Her brother and her young husband are presumed dead, having followed Robin of Locksley on Crusade in support of King Richard. She has many reasons to hate Robin Hood, and many reasons to admire Guy of Gisborne. When Gisborne is injured in pursuit of Robin Hood and left for dead by his own men, he is rescued my Cassia’s family. What follows is months of recovery during which Guy is nursed back to health by Cassia and his mood changes from suspicious to comfortable, surly to passionate. At this time, Guy is unaware that the woman he is falling in love with is the same young girl he once saved. Their romance up to this point is credible enough, but then drops off when Cassia’s brother and husband miraculously return home, hale and hearty, having been made landed nobility by the French crown. Edwin plans to pick up where he left off, unaware that his two weeks of pre-war marital bliss with Cassia has been destroyed by Guy of Gisborne. Cassia and Guy’s romance is thwarted by the Sheriff, by her family, by her husband and is only supported by her aunt Matilda. Once again Cassia survives a fire, this time being rescued by her husband with the help of Robin Hood.
My favourite part about this novel was the way that Ms Hawkins played with the Robin Hood legend, portraying Robin as egotistical, smarmy rat, and Guy of Gisborne as the brooding hero. I wish we’d seen more instances of Robin and Marian interacting with Guy, so that Cassia’s dedication to him could have shone all the more. While there were several plot points that I took exception to on the basis of historical accuracy, for instance, the lack of conviction regarding Cassia’s “witchcraft”, and the lack of concern on Guy’s part regarding adultery. It is my understanding that both of these matters would have been considered grievous crimes in the medieval world, with moral and legal implications. While Edwin touted his ownership of Cassia as legal husband, she was “missing” for two weeks before being found in Gisborne’s burning hunting cottage, and by Robin Hood of all people. Perhaps I read that part incorrectly, but it just seemed like suspended reality, allowing ample time for gratuitous sex.
Another fact that I found not credible was the distance between locations. Gisborne tells Cassia’s grandmother to take her far away and never come back. Her brother seems to think that this is their opportunity to move to the forest and make a new start. Conveniently, Robin Hood is still in the area, Nottingham is still within close travel distance, and miraculously, this young woman is allowed to grow up, marry, send a husband and brother off to war and still practice her healing all the while being invisible to the authorities who once branded her family traitors for their association with Robin Hood, and being accused witches to boot! To add insult to injury, the Sheriff admits that he knew all along that Cassia was once sentenced to death in that burning cottage! When Guy is injured, no one from the castle thinks to search cottage to cottage for him, Master-at-Arms, an important person in the Nottingham entourage. Again, when Gisborne whisks Cassia off to his father’s hunting cottage, he is still able to manage the commute back and forth to Nottingham for work without raising any great suspicions until coincidentally he is discovered, the cottage burned and Robin Hood and Edwin there to rescue Cassia. Points like this irritate the educated reader, and yet, for that moment in time, I bought it hook, line and sinker.
I enjoyed the story telling, the passionate characters, and the cameo appearances by Robin and Marian. I turned a blind eye to the historical inaccuracies and physical improbabilities for the sake of enjoying a good love story.
I’ll begin this review by stating that I truly enjoyed this book as a work of romantic fiction and plan to read the other two Gisborne novels. I feel the need to specify that I enjoyed it as a work of romantic fiction because I am not entirely certain how to classify it otherwise.
Ms Hawkins declares in her Author’s Notes that she has been a lifelong fan of the tales of Sherwood Forest, preferring the villains over the heroic Robin Hood. She mentions that Richard Armitage’s portrayal of Guy of Gisborne in the BBC version of Robin Hood gave the villain a new depth of character and a legion of followers. As one of those obsessed fans of the BBC version, my own loyalties lay with Jonas Armstrong’s Robin. I fully appreciate the way in which a specific portrayal, whether it be Armitage or Basil Rathbone, can inspire a writer. A huge part of me wants to dissect the novel on historical accuracy, but this is a spin-off of the Robin Hood legend, a tale which is historically problematic to begin with. I do not believe that The Tempest is a work of fanfiction, as some reviewers have claimed. It is a love story between a misunderstood brooding hero and a spirited, stubborn heroine at the mercy of the values and laws of their time. That time just so happens to be the late 12th century, and those characters just happen to be associated with quasi-historical figures.
Guy of Gisborne is not only Master-at-Arms for the evil Sheriff of Nottingham, he is also his nephew, given in servitude to the sheriff by his father when he was just a boy, following the murder of his mother. Guy’s self-worth is undermined at every turn by the Sheriff, the public’s perception of him as a cold, merciless beast, and his own guilt over his inaction as a child, helplessly watching his mother’s murder. Yet there is more to Guy; deep down there is a man with a conscience, a man who just wants to be loved. For a short time, Guy is certain that Marian could be his salvation, but she turned out to be duplicitous, betrayed him and took her own life while in the Nottingham prison. Her loyalties were always to Robin Hood. Cassia is a young peasant girl who comes from a long line of healers. Her brother is friend to Robin Hood, which draws the negative attention of the Sheriff’s men. Rumours of witchcraft, which often follow female healers, coupled with the family’s association with Robin result in the Sheriff ordering Gisborne to set fire to their cottage, with Cassia and her grandmother inside. Gisborne initially follows orders but is overruled by his conscience and storms into the burning cottage to rescue the young girl and elderly woman, telling them to get as far away as they can.
Cassia’s family move to the forest and rebuild their lives, with an aunt living close by. Time passes, Cassia is now a young woman. Her brother and her young husband are presumed dead, having followed Robin of Locksley on Crusade in support of King Richard. She has many reasons to hate Robin Hood, and many reasons to admire Guy of Gisborne. When Gisborne is injured in pursuit of Robin Hood and left for dead by his own men, he is rescued my Cassia’s family. What follows is months of recovery during which Guy is nursed back to health by Cassia and his mood changes from suspicious to comfortable, surly to passionate. At this time, Guy is unaware that the woman he is falling in love with is the same young girl he once saved. Their romance up to this point is credible enough, but then drops off when Cassia’s brother and husband miraculously return home, hale and hearty, having been made landed nobility by the French crown. Edwin plans to pick up where he left off, unaware that his two weeks of pre-war marital bliss with Cassia has been destroyed by Guy of Gisborne. Cassia and Guy’s romance is thwarted by the Sheriff, by her family, by her husband and is only supported by her aunt Matilda. Once again Cassia survives a fire, this time being rescued by her husband with the help of Robin Hood.
My favourite part about this novel was the way that Ms Hawkins played with the Robin Hood legend, portraying Robin as egotistical, smarmy rat, and Guy of Gisborne as the brooding hero. I wish we’d seen more instances of Robin and Marian interacting with Guy, so that Cassia’s dedication to him could have shone all the more. While there were several plot points that I took exception to on the basis of historical accuracy, for instance, the lack of conviction regarding Cassia’s “witchcraft”, and the lack of concern on Guy’s part regarding adultery. It is my understanding that both of these matters would have been considered grievous crimes in the medieval world, with moral and legal implications. While Edwin touted his ownership of Cassia as legal husband, she was “missing” for two weeks before being found in Gisborne’s burning hunting cottage, and by Robin Hood of all people. Perhaps I read that part incorrectly, but it just seemed like suspended reality, allowing ample time for gratuitous sex.
Another fact that I found not credible was the distance between locations. Gisborne tells Cassia’s grandmother to take her far away and never come back. Her brother seems to think that this is their opportunity to move to the forest and make a new start. Conveniently, Robin Hood is still in the area, Nottingham is still within close travel distance, and miraculously, this young woman is allowed to grow up, marry, send a husband and brother off to war and still practice her healing all the while being invisible to the authorities who once branded her family traitors for their association with Robin Hood, and being accused witches to boot! To add insult to injury, the Sheriff admits that he knew all along that Cassia was once sentenced to death in that burning cottage! When Guy is injured, no one from the castle thinks to search cottage to cottage for him, Master-at-Arms, an important person in the Nottingham entourage. Again, when Gisborne whisks Cassia off to his father’s hunting cottage, he is still able to manage the commute back and forth to Nottingham for work without raising any great suspicions until coincidentally he is discovered, the cottage burned and Robin Hood and Edwin there to rescue Cassia. Points like this irritate the educated reader, and yet, for that moment in time, I bought it hook, line and sinker.
I enjoyed the story telling, the passionate characters, and the cameo appearances by Robin and Marian. I turned a blind eye to the historical inaccuracies and physical improbabilities for the sake of enjoying a good love story.
December 16, 2017
This was an embarrassing read. It was like a fantasy written out by a 14 year old girl who doesn't really understand what love is, and in her extremely simplified point of view has dumbed it down to cutesy school girl nonsense with a lot of unnecessary sex. If you're going to write in sex scenes, please do it smartly. In one part they do it, then again...then again....and then one more time. I'm sure eye rolling was not the intended reaction by the author. LAME. Even if you like that sort of thing, doesn't there need to be some sort of emotional enticement?
Also, there was a considerable amount of misspellings and repetitions within the text itself, which just added to the whole adolescent feel of the book. "Her hair cascaded over him in a fabulous display..." then again a few chapters later, "...her hair cascaded in a fabulous display..." My goodness, how creative!
I would say this was fitted for young adults had it not been for so much damn sex.
Also, there was a considerable amount of misspellings and repetitions within the text itself, which just added to the whole adolescent feel of the book. "Her hair cascaded over him in a fabulous display..." then again a few chapters later, "...her hair cascaded in a fabulous display..." My goodness, how creative!
I would say this was fitted for young adults had it not been for so much damn sex.
April 18, 2021
Avery interesting telling of the journey of Sir Guy Gisborne that had me riveted from beginning to end,I really enjoyed reading how the one seen as a villain is really a misunderstood person who deserved more than he could ever imagine to have but first he had to take a journey that is full of pain, betrayal and ultimately love. I look forward to reading this over and over again.
August 3, 2024
Old-fashioned bodice-ripper
I had got into this a little bit when I realized that this was exactly the kind of book we used to pass around as stress relief when I was in nursing school! Historically inaccurate, of course, and wildly steamy, with all kinds of damsel-in-distress scenes, a brooding (and grumpy!) hero, a nasty villain, a kidnapping of sorts, and all the other requisite stuff of bodice-rippers, it was nonetheless enjoyable stuff for a hot summer's night or day. It was well-written, if one disregards the historical inaccuracies, and the dialogue was occasionally funny. The heroine was feisty and not about to put up with any nonsense, which kind of befuddled the hero at times, and that was a plus. It was a relatively enjoyable romp, all things put together.
I had got into this a little bit when I realized that this was exactly the kind of book we used to pass around as stress relief when I was in nursing school! Historically inaccurate, of course, and wildly steamy, with all kinds of damsel-in-distress scenes, a brooding (and grumpy!) hero, a nasty villain, a kidnapping of sorts, and all the other requisite stuff of bodice-rippers, it was nonetheless enjoyable stuff for a hot summer's night or day. It was well-written, if one disregards the historical inaccuracies, and the dialogue was occasionally funny. The heroine was feisty and not about to put up with any nonsense, which kind of befuddled the hero at times, and that was a plus. It was a relatively enjoyable romp, all things put together.
April 11, 2018
The hero an obliging wimp for half of the book
I liked the growth in the characters, but the hero was a doormat for much of the book. I did like the other side of the robin hood fable
I liked the growth in the characters, but the hero was a doormat for much of the book. I did like the other side of the robin hood fable
May 31, 2020
Enjoyed the characters
I enjoyed the beginning of this story as you got a sense of each character. Unfortunately halfway through my interest started to wane. No fault to the author but the cheesy love interactions didnt do much for me. Still a good read to pass the time.
I enjoyed the beginning of this story as you got a sense of each character. Unfortunately halfway through my interest started to wane. No fault to the author but the cheesy love interactions didnt do much for me. Still a good read to pass the time.
June 19, 2017
Some of the most hackneyed writing it has ever been my misfortune to read. Blech.
October 30, 2016
I loved it. It was a great story and you have to love Sir Guy..
March 20, 2018
Interesting
Good characters and great steamy love sceens fill this novel.really enjoyed a different look at Robbinhood. Nice to see the bad guys win.
Good characters and great steamy love sceens fill this novel.really enjoyed a different look at Robbinhood. Nice to see the bad guys win.
October 3, 2011
I'm sure that this take on Robin Hood's nemesis will not appeal to diehard Prince of Thieves fans, but if you've had a chance to watch BBC series (which lasted only three seasons), you will gobble this book and revel in it. I did. I loved every word this author wrote, and then some!
First, because of the said series, I knew what to expect, or I thought I did. It actually went a bit further then the series in giving us depth to Guy's character that helped me understand his dark and brooding nature. As the title states, this tale is all about Sir Guy and if you're expecting this to be your run-of-the-mill `hero worship' tale, you're in for a big surprise. Ms. Hawkins doesn't shy away from painting her hero with multiple flaws and that's what gave this story a very real, human element that kept my attention.
Cassia is one of those heroines that can be strong yet at the same time very vulnerable. I think that her strength and abundance of patience was what attracted Guy to her. No matter how hard he tried to `manage' her, she never gave into him nor did she allow him to turn her into a meek, withering female. The attraction, chemistry and the tension between the two was built with perfect pace and allowed us to watch Guy slowly show to Cassia his good side, without losing his `bad boy' edge.
As a Guy of Gisborne fan, this story was `up my alley' and I loved it so much that I'm now in the middle of the second book in the series `My Lady Gisborne: A Love Story' and without a doubt I would recommend both. The author continues where she left off and I was happy to catch up with now older couple and their children. William, Theodora, Owen and Evelyn are all a mix of both of their parents and it was so much fun watching their different personalities.
This last year I've read so many new and good authors that the element of surprise in how well this book was written, by an unknown, is lost on me by now. I haven't done much research on Charlotte Hawkins, but I can tell you this: Both her books are better than Catherine Coulter's last one `The Valcourt Heiress' and that, my bookworms, says it all.
If you'd like to step out of your comfort zone as I did, I promise that both of these books will keep you well entertained with its good writing, quick pace and sharp dialogue. And I would be remiss in not letting you know that sensuality in the first book is OFF the charts and it will definitely appeal to many romance lovers. Highly recommended!
First, because of the said series, I knew what to expect, or I thought I did. It actually went a bit further then the series in giving us depth to Guy's character that helped me understand his dark and brooding nature. As the title states, this tale is all about Sir Guy and if you're expecting this to be your run-of-the-mill `hero worship' tale, you're in for a big surprise. Ms. Hawkins doesn't shy away from painting her hero with multiple flaws and that's what gave this story a very real, human element that kept my attention.
Cassia is one of those heroines that can be strong yet at the same time very vulnerable. I think that her strength and abundance of patience was what attracted Guy to her. No matter how hard he tried to `manage' her, she never gave into him nor did she allow him to turn her into a meek, withering female. The attraction, chemistry and the tension between the two was built with perfect pace and allowed us to watch Guy slowly show to Cassia his good side, without losing his `bad boy' edge.
As a Guy of Gisborne fan, this story was `up my alley' and I loved it so much that I'm now in the middle of the second book in the series `My Lady Gisborne: A Love Story' and without a doubt I would recommend both. The author continues where she left off and I was happy to catch up with now older couple and their children. William, Theodora, Owen and Evelyn are all a mix of both of their parents and it was so much fun watching their different personalities.
This last year I've read so many new and good authors that the element of surprise in how well this book was written, by an unknown, is lost on me by now. I haven't done much research on Charlotte Hawkins, but I can tell you this: Both her books are better than Catherine Coulter's last one `The Valcourt Heiress' and that, my bookworms, says it all.
If you'd like to step out of your comfort zone as I did, I promise that both of these books will keep you well entertained with its good writing, quick pace and sharp dialogue. And I would be remiss in not letting you know that sensuality in the first book is OFF the charts and it will definitely appeal to many romance lovers. Highly recommended!
September 4, 2024
I was very confused as to why this existed until I read these reviews and realized it's fan fiction for a BBC show.
August 16, 2010
It was fun to read a book where someone notorious for being bad turns into a good guy because of the love of a good woman. Sir Guy has been burned in the past, so he's mistrustful of women. When he ends up nearly dead by Cassia's house, her father brings him inside and they work to heal Guy. The fireworks start almost immediately between Guy and Cassia. He doesn't trust her, and despite the fact that she's always loved him from afar, she has to put him in his place because it wouldn't do him well to treat her with contempt. This attitude is exactly what makes Guy take note of her.
As he heals, they develop the beginning of a foundation of love, but what does he want with her: a life together or a passing pleasure? Even as she worries he'll move on to another woman, she fears losing him and so agrees to be his mistress in secret.
The rest of the book takes off from there, so I won't spoil it.
There are lots of hot sex scenes which I found to be very well written, and the underlying tenderness between the two as they struggle to face obstacles from those who want to keep them apart pulled at my heart strings. This was a beautifully written story with lots of depth. Watching Guy's heart warm up to Cassia was enjoyable. This is an alpha type hero you can sympathize with, and Cassia is no whimpering female. Definitely worth five stars!
As he heals, they develop the beginning of a foundation of love, but what does he want with her: a life together or a passing pleasure? Even as she worries he'll move on to another woman, she fears losing him and so agrees to be his mistress in secret.
The rest of the book takes off from there, so I won't spoil it.
There are lots of hot sex scenes which I found to be very well written, and the underlying tenderness between the two as they struggle to face obstacles from those who want to keep them apart pulled at my heart strings. This was a beautifully written story with lots of depth. Watching Guy's heart warm up to Cassia was enjoyable. This is an alpha type hero you can sympathize with, and Cassia is no whimpering female. Definitely worth five stars!
November 3, 2012
This book was recommended to me by someone from Pinterest. Anyway, after the glowing recommendation I purchased the kindle edition and started reading it the next day. I LOVE this story of Guy of Gisborne. Richard Armitage plays Guy in the BBC Robin Hood series that lasted only three seasons. Richard is very sexy as Guy of Gisborne and it is him that I thought of while reading this book. It is written by a female author so it is done from a woman's point of view. I could not put this book down until I finished reading it. I did not care much for the Robin Hood series but I loved this book. It was wonderful to read about Guy's transformation from an evil wicked man to a loving husband and father. I was happy that he found his true love in life and that Marian finally was washed from his mind. The lovemaking scenes are very sexy and written beautifully in my humble opinion. There are many lovers of romance novels that get offended by intimate lovemaking scenes being included in the books, but to me they need to get a life and stop being so prudish. As long as it is written tastefully and is about love I don't see anything wrong with that. Many thanks to the author Charlotte Hawkins. You did a fine job with this novel.
June 19, 2012
I quite liked the idea of Robin Hood not being automatically good. I was always hesitant of such descriptions. Although... This book got me thinking, if Robin Hood stole from the rich and gave to the poor, and the government "steals" from the rich (taxes), and gives to the poor (welfare), then isn't the government like Robin Hood?! :D Just a silly thought.
I read the version on Hawkins' website, and I quite liked it. I'll admit I didn't like how... conceding Cassia was at the beginning of the book. She seemed too meek, too easy to control. And I didn't quite follow her train of thought as she decided she loved Guy. Although, I'll admit, sometimes one doesn't decide to love someone, it just happens. But still, recognizing it normally comes as a decision.
Anyways, great story, although the cover isn't the greatest. I applaud the author for taking care to omit spelling and grammar errors. However, be warned of omitting words altogether, because I saw that a few times!
I read the version on Hawkins' website, and I quite liked it. I'll admit I didn't like how... conceding Cassia was at the beginning of the book. She seemed too meek, too easy to control. And I didn't quite follow her train of thought as she decided she loved Guy. Although, I'll admit, sometimes one doesn't decide to love someone, it just happens. But still, recognizing it normally comes as a decision.
Anyways, great story, although the cover isn't the greatest. I applaud the author for taking care to omit spelling and grammar errors. However, be warned of omitting words altogether, because I saw that a few times!
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