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Lie Down in Roses
The willful Lady Genevieve would do anything to save her beloved Edenby Castle--even if she had to share the name and the bed of her most treacherous foe, Lord Tristan. They were born to be enemies and destined to be lovers--players in a perilous game of intrigue and passion where the price was one woman's innocence and the prize was one man's heart.
507 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
85 people are currently reading
921 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Drake
51 books565 followersHeather Graham Pozzessere
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
aka Heather Graham, Shannon Drake
Heather Graham was born on March 15, 1953 and grew up in Dade County, Florida, and attended the University of South Florida at Tampa, majoring in theater arts and touring Europe and parts of Asia and Africa as part of her studies. After college, she acted in dinner theaters, modeled, waitressed, and tended bar. She married Hershey Dennis Possezzere, and after the birth of her third child, she was determined to devote her efforts to her writing: her dream. She sold her first book in 1982.
Today, this author's success is reflected not just by reader response and the over 20 million copies of her books in print, but in many other ways. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Heather has received numerous awards for her novels, including over 20 trade awards from magazines such as Romantic Times and Affaire de Coeur, bestseller awards from B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, and BookRak, and several Reviewers' Choice and People's Choice awards.
Heather has appeared on Entertainment Tonight, Romantically Speaking, a TV talk show that aired nationwide on the Romance Classics cable channel, and CBS Sunday News. She has been quoted in People and USA Today, been profiled in The Nation, and featured in Good Housekeeping. Her books have been selections for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild. She has been published across the world in more than 15 languages and has published over 70 titles, including anthologies and short stories.
Now, she had five children. Somehow, this prolific author manages to juggle it all - family, career, and marriage - while reaching a level of success to which few can aspire.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
December 23, 2020
Re-read..dont know why I did, I looked at the book and couldn't remember those feelings in my review, so gave it another try. I have so many older Shannon Drake books I need to get read!
3.5 Stars was my first rating, but now drop to a 3..Hero was an abusive dick..more so this time.
So the feeling I had in this first review stand.
1485-In the time of The War Of the Roses
TRISTAN de la TERE, and his friends are returning from London when they come upon unspeakable horror on the outskirts of Tristan's lands.
Even though he gallops madly towards his castle to his wife and unborn child, the worst that he fears awaits him upon his arrival.
Was this Richard Duke of Gloucester's doing?
All because Tristan had voiced a demand that the boys be shown?
Proof that they weren't murdered by his hand?
The loss of his beloved wife and the child he would never hold was too much too bare.
And so Tristan leaves and joins forces with Henry Tudor the Lancaster, claimant revenge buried deep inside him,but ready to surface at any time.
GENEVIEVE LLEWELLYN, and her father are stout supporters for King Richard but as fate has it..
her life will take a different turn due to this War when their castle is taken, and as her father refuses to yield, he looses his life in battle and the Castle is now left in his daughter's hands.
Now here is where the real battle begins, not on the battlefield but with two stubborn, hurt, revengeful souls.
What I thought of the story/plot-line:
I think the author should have done more with these characters in this time period, but instead it seemed like the whole story was around Tristan locking the Heroine up and submitting her to "physical activity" shall we say..(but alas that's how these old Bodice Rippers go).
I found the Hero abusive and cruel ( I lost track at how many times her yanked her around by the hair) and even towards the end I found he couldn't win me over.
I liked the Heroine's character better but the author over did the "her lashes swept down" "her lashes fell softly" (my eyes started to hurt) I also felt the story took forever to get to where it needed to, lacked the historical detail that would have made it more interesting, but at least there was enough action to keep me reading.
An ok read, but it wont sit on my "favorite-keeper" shelf.
3.5 Stars was my first rating, but now drop to a 3..Hero was an abusive dick..more so this time.
So the feeling I had in this first review stand.
1485-In the time of The War Of the Roses
TRISTAN de la TERE, and his friends are returning from London when they come upon unspeakable horror on the outskirts of Tristan's lands.
Even though he gallops madly towards his castle to his wife and unborn child, the worst that he fears awaits him upon his arrival.
Was this Richard Duke of Gloucester's doing?
All because Tristan had voiced a demand that the boys be shown?
Proof that they weren't murdered by his hand?
The loss of his beloved wife and the child he would never hold was too much too bare.
And so Tristan leaves and joins forces with Henry Tudor the Lancaster, claimant revenge buried deep inside him,but ready to surface at any time.
GENEVIEVE LLEWELLYN, and her father are stout supporters for King Richard but as fate has it..
her life will take a different turn due to this War when their castle is taken, and as her father refuses to yield, he looses his life in battle and the Castle is now left in his daughter's hands.
Now here is where the real battle begins, not on the battlefield but with two stubborn, hurt, revengeful souls.
What I thought of the story/plot-line:
I think the author should have done more with these characters in this time period, but instead it seemed like the whole story was around Tristan locking the Heroine up and submitting her to "physical activity" shall we say..(but alas that's how these old Bodice Rippers go).
I found the Hero abusive and cruel ( I lost track at how many times her yanked her around by the hair) and even towards the end I found he couldn't win me over.
I liked the Heroine's character better but the author over did the "her lashes swept down" "her lashes fell softly" (my eyes started to hurt) I also felt the story took forever to get to where it needed to, lacked the historical detail that would have made it more interesting, but at least there was enough action to keep me reading.
An ok read, but it wont sit on my "favorite-keeper" shelf.
June 20, 2021
***First read: 2nd Feb,2019***
Rating: 5-stars
***Reread: 6th June, 2020***
Rating: 4-stars
The story is set in the early Tudor time period where males were the dominating members and the females the follow through. Henry was surprisingly a 'nice' character here, for without his demands and his input the main characters would be in ruin. It was surprising considering the top food chain leaders always come and scatter the good times.
Lie Down In Roses is a revenge plot romance, where both the H and h has their families murdered and brought together when their hatred makes them do unspeakable things to each other.
He,
'He clenched his teeth and turned to stare with sudden distaste at the woman who stood so quietly behind him. Her silver eyes promised battle and defiance, never tenderness; though her voice was laced with sweetness, her words had a biting edge.'
She,
'He smiled at her again, a distant, mocking smile, as if he were totally indifferent to her. He despised her, she realized, with a dangerously controlled hatred, leashed beneath a cordial demeanor.'
Genevieve Llewellyn and Tristan de la Tere tale began when both of them are at their downs. Genevieve's family was believed to be murdered by the enemy. Tristan returned one day home to have his family, wife and unborn child murdered. Both of them are from different sides and loyalties lies else where. Under Henry's orders Tristan is to own Genevieve's household for there is no male member. Genevieve not a Henry supporter was not easily giving up, she agrees to be his mistress, manipulates him and (not) kills Tristan, unfortunately he is not dead and returns back with vengence.
'So . . .” he murmured, staring at her quite frankly, “you intend to keep your promise?” “Promise . . . ?” she murmured blankly, and again he hiked a dark brow, and his lip curled slightly with amusement. “Your promise, Genevieve. To entertain and delight . . . and please me.” “Ah ... of course,” she murmured uneasily. He smiled. “You should be warned, milady. Well and truly warned. You’ll not break a promise to me,” he said softly.'
Tristan was really cruel. He locks Genevieve in her chamber and makes her hold the promise of being his mistress. She is heartbroken for everything that belongs to her is owned by other. She fights back, tries to escape and eventually her punishments get stricter. She believes Tristan murdered her family (in battle) and won't become his lover. Tristan can be brutal, his past influences him in many stances and for Genevieve's sake I hated him at times. Tristan is a hardened character.
'He was the enemy; she was the conquered prize. She could never be more; she was simply a captive kept now in her own residence, and useful there—for the time.'
Genevieve started as a firecracker but she tamed as the story progresses. I can't understand why can't the characters open their mouth to explain when they are falsely accused of something. My frustation with Genevieve is that. Her future is bleak and she has fallen in love with her enemy who won't love or marry her.
"Aye, we were blessed.” He nuzzled her head. “But what shall I do now, love? I have no walls behind which to hold my errant, wild rose of a wife. ”Genevieve smiled, rolling her head against his chest to glance up into his features. “You have needed no walls to hold me, milord, for a long, long time now. There are delicate chains about my heart that tie me to you forever.”
I like this story how it defined roses and wars - very sensual and brutal. You can expect a cruel hero from beginning to end. This is my reread and I took away a star because I lost the thrill of the book and didn't enjoyed as I did the first time. I wouldn't want you to miss this, Shannon Drake/Heather Graham's historicals, it's a must read.
Rating: 5-stars
***Reread: 6th June, 2020***
Rating: 4-stars
The story is set in the early Tudor time period where males were the dominating members and the females the follow through. Henry was surprisingly a 'nice' character here, for without his demands and his input the main characters would be in ruin. It was surprising considering the top food chain leaders always come and scatter the good times.
Lie Down In Roses is a revenge plot romance, where both the H and h has their families murdered and brought together when their hatred makes them do unspeakable things to each other.
He,
'He clenched his teeth and turned to stare with sudden distaste at the woman who stood so quietly behind him. Her silver eyes promised battle and defiance, never tenderness; though her voice was laced with sweetness, her words had a biting edge.'
She,
'He smiled at her again, a distant, mocking smile, as if he were totally indifferent to her. He despised her, she realized, with a dangerously controlled hatred, leashed beneath a cordial demeanor.'
Genevieve Llewellyn and Tristan de la Tere tale began when both of them are at their downs. Genevieve's family was believed to be murdered by the enemy. Tristan returned one day home to have his family, wife and unborn child murdered. Both of them are from different sides and loyalties lies else where. Under Henry's orders Tristan is to own Genevieve's household for there is no male member. Genevieve not a Henry supporter was not easily giving up, she agrees to be his mistress, manipulates him and (not) kills Tristan, unfortunately he is not dead and returns back with vengence.
'So . . .” he murmured, staring at her quite frankly, “you intend to keep your promise?” “Promise . . . ?” she murmured blankly, and again he hiked a dark brow, and his lip curled slightly with amusement. “Your promise, Genevieve. To entertain and delight . . . and please me.” “Ah ... of course,” she murmured uneasily. He smiled. “You should be warned, milady. Well and truly warned. You’ll not break a promise to me,” he said softly.'
Tristan was really cruel. He locks Genevieve in her chamber and makes her hold the promise of being his mistress. She is heartbroken for everything that belongs to her is owned by other. She fights back, tries to escape and eventually her punishments get stricter. She believes Tristan murdered her family (in battle) and won't become his lover. Tristan can be brutal, his past influences him in many stances and for Genevieve's sake I hated him at times. Tristan is a hardened character.
'He was the enemy; she was the conquered prize. She could never be more; she was simply a captive kept now in her own residence, and useful there—for the time.'
Genevieve started as a firecracker but she tamed as the story progresses. I can't understand why can't the characters open their mouth to explain when they are falsely accused of something. My frustation with Genevieve is that. Her future is bleak and she has fallen in love with her enemy who won't love or marry her.
"Aye, we were blessed.” He nuzzled her head. “But what shall I do now, love? I have no walls behind which to hold my errant, wild rose of a wife. ”Genevieve smiled, rolling her head against his chest to glance up into his features. “You have needed no walls to hold me, milord, for a long, long time now. There are delicate chains about my heart that tie me to you forever.”
I like this story how it defined roses and wars - very sensual and brutal. You can expect a cruel hero from beginning to end. This is my reread and I took away a star because I lost the thrill of the book and didn't enjoyed as I did the first time. I wouldn't want you to miss this, Shannon Drake/Heather Graham's historicals, it's a must read.
November 8, 2021
Un libro bien escrito y tan entretenido que te mantiene en sus páginas hasta que lo terminas. Bien ambientado, usando de telón de fondo la Guerra de las Dos Rosas, entre los York y los Lancaster, enfrentamiento que por supuesto marca el antagonismo de los dos personajes principales.
Pero lo que más me gustó fue la habilidad de la autora para, en una forma muy pausada y casi sin que el lector lo advierta, dar vuelta los sentimientos de Tristán y Geneviève, transformando un odio incondicional en un amor que los consume... muy bien logrado.
En contra, sólo decir que decae un poco en las escenas íntimas respecto de otras novelas de la autora; no están mal, pero me faltó esa chispa que he encontrado en otros de sus libros.
Pero lo que más me gustó fue la habilidad de la autora para, en una forma muy pausada y casi sin que el lector lo advierta, dar vuelta los sentimientos de Tristán y Geneviève, transformando un odio incondicional en un amor que los consume... muy bien logrado.
En contra, sólo decir que decae un poco en las escenas íntimas respecto de otras novelas de la autora; no están mal, pero me faltó esa chispa que he encontrado en otros de sus libros.
September 29, 2015
I am being generous, I know, but Drake sucked me in middle way. I was rooting for this couple. There was a lot to be desired but some how the author kept me till the end. 3.5. Stop pulling her hair Tristan!
September 30, 2017
4 and 1/2 stars – Great Storytelling
Hard to put down and very well written, as are all Heather Graham's stories, but this one has some disturbing elements. Set in the 15th century England during the time of the War of the Roses (when Richard III and Henry Tudor compete for the throne), this is the story of Lady Genevieve whose family seat is Edenby Castle, a lovely place on the English coast.
When Lord Tristan, nobleman and knight loyal to Henry Tudor, asks for her father to feed his knights and is denied based on the family's loyalty to Richard III, the anger of Henry Tudor rises. He tells Tristan to take the castle and do whatever he wants with Genevieve. In the process, her father, many of his men and her much loved fiancé are killed and she is left the "lord of the castle" to negotiate with Tristan.
Following a plan conceived by others, she lures Tristan and his men into a trap that backfires. Tristan is bitter with what he perceives as her treachery, but wants the lady for his pleasure so he takes her. Thereafter, he treats her abysmally, locking her away in various rooms of the castle. Throughout this, Tristan undertakes battles for King Henry, all successful, and grows in stature, power and wealth within the English court.
You really feel for Genevieve, however, the beautiful, proud and courageous young woman who is forced to become his prisoner and his whore to her great shame without much of a life except for the nights he chooses to spend with her. And, yes, they do share a passion but it's hard to see how that can make up for being treated so badly. And how can he blame her when she repeatedly tries to escape? What woman wouldn't?
He has no interest in marrying her even when she becomes pregnant with his bastard child. But at least King Henry likes her and has a major role in the happy ending. I did find her folding to him at the end a bit difficult to believe. Not sure that would ever happen. Ah, but this is romance, right?
Hard to put down and very well written, as are all Heather Graham's stories, but this one has some disturbing elements. Set in the 15th century England during the time of the War of the Roses (when Richard III and Henry Tudor compete for the throne), this is the story of Lady Genevieve whose family seat is Edenby Castle, a lovely place on the English coast.
When Lord Tristan, nobleman and knight loyal to Henry Tudor, asks for her father to feed his knights and is denied based on the family's loyalty to Richard III, the anger of Henry Tudor rises. He tells Tristan to take the castle and do whatever he wants with Genevieve. In the process, her father, many of his men and her much loved fiancé are killed and she is left the "lord of the castle" to negotiate with Tristan.
Following a plan conceived by others, she lures Tristan and his men into a trap that backfires. Tristan is bitter with what he perceives as her treachery, but wants the lady for his pleasure so he takes her. Thereafter, he treats her abysmally, locking her away in various rooms of the castle. Throughout this, Tristan undertakes battles for King Henry, all successful, and grows in stature, power and wealth within the English court.
You really feel for Genevieve, however, the beautiful, proud and courageous young woman who is forced to become his prisoner and his whore to her great shame without much of a life except for the nights he chooses to spend with her. And, yes, they do share a passion but it's hard to see how that can make up for being treated so badly. And how can he blame her when she repeatedly tries to escape? What woman wouldn't?
He has no interest in marrying her even when she becomes pregnant with his bastard child. But at least King Henry likes her and has a major role in the happy ending. I did find her folding to him at the end a bit difficult to believe. Not sure that would ever happen. Ah, but this is romance, right?
October 17, 2023
Тук баба Хедър беше прекалила. Една от най-глупавите и подли героини в исторически романс! И мен някой да се опита да ме убие и да се отърве от трупа ми, както главната героиня прави с героя, при условие, че имаше и много по-разумни опции за действие, би ме вбесило. Изобщо как я изтърпя момчето тази празноглава истеричка, която се държа идиотски в цялата книга, просто не стана ясно.
2,5⭐️
2,5⭐️
July 27, 2022
Re-read 2022 still 4 🌟.
I don’t remember what my impressions were when I read this over 10yrs ago, but I ended up liking the evil wannabe om more than the H this time around. This evil dude was so obsessed with the h that he was willing to do anything to get her and gave zero fucks about morals. 🤷🏻♀️
- no cheating
- this is a bodice rapey and not pc.
- the H is still hung over his dead wife and child.
I normally don’t read romance books with a dead ex trope, but in this book, I felt like he grieved longer because of the way they died more than him still being in love. With that said, he did truly love his dead wife and this was annoyingly dragged out til the end.sigh.
His wife was brutally gang raped and murdered by an army sent by the king, and the 6month old baby she carried was cut out of her stomach and thrown away from her body like trash when the H came home to find them. It was a heartbreaking scene.😭
I don’t remember what my impressions were when I read this over 10yrs ago, but I ended up liking the evil wannabe om more than the H this time around. This evil dude was so obsessed with the h that he was willing to do anything to get her and gave zero fucks about morals. 🤷🏻♀️
- no cheating
- this is a bodice rapey and not pc.
- the H is still hung over his dead wife and child.
I normally don’t read romance books with a dead ex trope, but in this book, I felt like he grieved longer because of the way they died more than him still being in love. With that said, he did truly love his dead wife and this was annoyingly dragged out til the end.sigh.
His wife was brutally gang raped and murdered by an army sent by the king, and the 6month old baby she carried was cut out of her stomach and thrown away from her body like trash when the H came home to find them. It was a heartbreaking scene.😭
January 16, 2022
"He did not just desire her, he needed her. He was taken with her spirit, with her voice and her words, her tenderness to those she loved. He admired her tenacity and her loyalty to those gone before her. All this time and he had not broken her, for she was too fine to be broken."
January 26, 2013
I really loved this book. I had been looking for something to get lost in and decided to try to pick a book that I already own from my dtb tbr. I looked at several but I knew this was the one when I picked it up. Boy I'm glad I did, it kept me in the world of Knights and Lady's and I didn't have to think about a mystery leak in my foundation or that on Monday a company is going to come and tear up my floors that I put in only 3 years ago....uggg I'm thinking about it agian! Time to get on with this review and pick another book.
Genevieve (h) daughter of the lord of the castle, had sworn loyalty to him and to never give up the fight to save the castle from the man invading and trying to take it over. She will fight her enemy to the bitter end.
Tristan (H) was awarded the castle from the conquering King and he means to take it and the lady of the castle for his own, no matter what.
Genevieve now held prisoner and her castle taken, she vows to stop at nothing to gain her freedom.
Tristan will never trust her and he knows that she hates him but that doesn't stop him from taking her night after night.
It's not long until the only place these two do not fight each other is in the bed, there they forget all that holds them apart but when the light of day returns they quickly remember.
This was such an angst filled read, of course I do love my bodice rippers for that reason. It was a fun read with never a dull moment. =)
Genevieve (h) daughter of the lord of the castle, had sworn loyalty to him and to never give up the fight to save the castle from the man invading and trying to take it over. She will fight her enemy to the bitter end.
Tristan (H) was awarded the castle from the conquering King and he means to take it and the lady of the castle for his own, no matter what.
Genevieve now held prisoner and her castle taken, she vows to stop at nothing to gain her freedom.
Tristan will never trust her and he knows that she hates him but that doesn't stop him from taking her night after night.
It's not long until the only place these two do not fight each other is in the bed, there they forget all that holds them apart but when the light of day returns they quickly remember.
This was such an angst filled read, of course I do love my bodice rippers for that reason. It was a fun read with never a dull moment. =)
January 21, 2025
Second time reading. Not so great.
She did it again. Heather Graham aka Shannon Drake is simply astounding.
Once more I wonder, how does she get these plots, these stories, these characters, these twists ...
I loved them. I adored them. I lived for them.
The angst between the couple was ever present - until the very ending of the book.
There's this constant push and pull between them that you couldn't help but ache for them.
I absolutely craved for these types of stories whereby even after the couple got together, there was this constant battle between them; never ending, never boring.
The only part that I wished the author could have improved would be .... you guessed it: the groveling part. There was none, which I loathed. I loved some mean - ol - groveling, especially when the Hero had slapped the heroine thinking she betrayed him. That, too was a star taken off from the rating.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. Yes, it was long ... over 500 pages, but I gulped them all within a day. I even liked the historical bits that at times bored me - on other books.
Simply amazing. You won't regret reading this one.
She did it again. Heather Graham aka Shannon Drake is simply astounding.
Once more I wonder, how does she get these plots, these stories, these characters, these twists ...
I loved them. I adored them. I lived for them.
The angst between the couple was ever present - until the very ending of the book.
There's this constant push and pull between them that you couldn't help but ache for them.
I absolutely craved for these types of stories whereby even after the couple got together, there was this constant battle between them; never ending, never boring.
The only part that I wished the author could have improved would be .... you guessed it: the groveling part. There was none, which I loathed. I loved some mean - ol - groveling, especially when the Hero had slapped the heroine thinking she betrayed him. That, too was a star taken off from the rating.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this book. Yes, it was long ... over 500 pages, but I gulped them all within a day. I even liked the historical bits that at times bored me - on other books.
Simply amazing. You won't regret reading this one.
February 20, 2022
Reading this novel made me experience a rollercoaster of different emotions. In the first half, I was captivated by the amazing storytelling but also just plain upset. I've read many bodice rippers, with heroes crueler than Tristan, the male lead from this novel, but he honestly triggered me every time he came on the page.
He was extremely self righteous and he and the other main characters kept gaslighting the heroine, when in my opinion, she didn't do anything that unforgivable. Definitely still morally wrong, but understandable given the horrible circumstances. Because of his siege upon her family home and her father's refusal to surrender due to loyalty to King Richard, both her father and the man she was going to marry die. Whether or not he allowed them to surrender if they wanted to doesn't enter into it, in my opinion. They still died because he showed up and wanted Genevieve's father to switch loyalties to King Henry after he'd given a sworn oath to another. He knew before going to Edenby that her father would never surrender and he’d have to take the castle for himself.
It wasn't much of a choice at all, but the rather weird sentiment going around is that Genevieve doesn't have any right to be upset about this, as it was just "battle" and not Tristan's fault at all. He uses this kind of logic when he assaults Genevieve after taking her family home from her, saying that she doesn't know what REAL rape is, because he's seen worse. I was like, please do us all the favor of shutting the hell up, thanks.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Because Genevieve goes out in the midst of the fighting, she finds her father dying on the ground and he makes her swear to never surrender Edenby to any invaders. So she tricks Tristan into thinking she has surrendered, lures him into her bedroom with the promise of a dishonorable union between them, and then tries to murder him.
She thinks he's dead, and that all is well. This leads to a rather hardcore scene where Tristan literally has to dig himself out of his own grave. And this is where the revenge story between Genevieve and Tristan starts.
He swears to take everything from her, make her his concubine, and make her pay for what's she done to him. And maybe I'm crazy, because listen, I know what Tristan has been through was traumatic, I understand what she did was underhanded... but was what Tristan did to her family and life in one night any more honorable? He carries the trauma of his wife and child being unjustly murdered, but he indirectly causes the same type of trauma in Genevieve's life, but for some reason she's not allowed to feel upset about his role in it at all.
His hate for her lasts hundreds of pages, without the regular obsession that Bodice ripper heroes often feel for the female leads until much later. That made this book really hard to read for me. I honestly felt so bad for Genevieve, and was kind of rooting for her to get free of the male lead. But Tristan doesn't want that. He wants her to suffer daily, but also to never leave him, not even to live her life alone in a convent. But as he starts to feel something for her, he resents the fact that she does not love him freely, because he's a major piece of work.
Of course, he takes out his new found feelings on her, unable to process them correctly because he can't see past his hate, just when she realizes that she loves him as well. I didn't mind Genevieve coming to this conclusion, but her sudden capitulation to Tristan didn't really feel organic. I would have loved for her to continue to try to be free, and actually succeed, knowing she loved him but also knowing she could not stay with them.
But that's not what happens. They both confess their love for one another, and this brief honeymoon period was the most charming part of the novel. It made me feel like Tristan's love had become genuine. Then he messes it all up.
Treating her badly (after she's just given birth!) and withdrawing from Genevieve and then refusing to believe that she hasn't betrayed him again. I went from loving him back to hating him in the blink of an eye, and while he sort of atones near the end of the novel, it wasn't enough for me to think he actually deserves Genevieve.
Still, I'm mostly happy with ending. Genevieve behaved in a contrived manner that didn't make sense, doing the most ridiculous thing to further the plot along, but I still think this story was good enough that I can't give it any less than four stars. It made me feel so much, though not all those feelings were entirely pleasant.
If you want a really intense hate to love romance, you'll probably love this book. I really feel that they both genuinely despised each other, so the happy ending was hard earned.
TW: Non- con
He was extremely self righteous and he and the other main characters kept gaslighting the heroine, when in my opinion, she didn't do anything that unforgivable. Definitely still morally wrong, but understandable given the horrible circumstances. Because of his siege upon her family home and her father's refusal to surrender due to loyalty to King Richard, both her father and the man she was going to marry die. Whether or not he allowed them to surrender if they wanted to doesn't enter into it, in my opinion. They still died because he showed up and wanted Genevieve's father to switch loyalties to King Henry after he'd given a sworn oath to another. He knew before going to Edenby that her father would never surrender and he’d have to take the castle for himself.
It wasn't much of a choice at all, but the rather weird sentiment going around is that Genevieve doesn't have any right to be upset about this, as it was just "battle" and not Tristan's fault at all. He uses this kind of logic when he assaults Genevieve after taking her family home from her, saying that she doesn't know what REAL rape is, because he's seen worse. I was like, please do us all the favor of shutting the hell up, thanks.
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Because Genevieve goes out in the midst of the fighting, she finds her father dying on the ground and he makes her swear to never surrender Edenby to any invaders. So she tricks Tristan into thinking she has surrendered, lures him into her bedroom with the promise of a dishonorable union between them, and then tries to murder him.
She thinks he's dead, and that all is well. This leads to a rather hardcore scene where Tristan literally has to dig himself out of his own grave. And this is where the revenge story between Genevieve and Tristan starts.
He swears to take everything from her, make her his concubine, and make her pay for what's she done to him. And maybe I'm crazy, because listen, I know what Tristan has been through was traumatic, I understand what she did was underhanded... but was what Tristan did to her family and life in one night any more honorable? He carries the trauma of his wife and child being unjustly murdered, but he indirectly causes the same type of trauma in Genevieve's life, but for some reason she's not allowed to feel upset about his role in it at all.
His hate for her lasts hundreds of pages, without the regular obsession that Bodice ripper heroes often feel for the female leads until much later. That made this book really hard to read for me. I honestly felt so bad for Genevieve, and was kind of rooting for her to get free of the male lead. But Tristan doesn't want that. He wants her to suffer daily, but also to never leave him, not even to live her life alone in a convent. But as he starts to feel something for her, he resents the fact that she does not love him freely, because he's a major piece of work.
Of course, he takes out his new found feelings on her, unable to process them correctly because he can't see past his hate, just when she realizes that she loves him as well. I didn't mind Genevieve coming to this conclusion, but her sudden capitulation to Tristan didn't really feel organic. I would have loved for her to continue to try to be free, and actually succeed, knowing she loved him but also knowing she could not stay with them.
But that's not what happens. They both confess their love for one another, and this brief honeymoon period was the most charming part of the novel. It made me feel like Tristan's love had become genuine. Then he messes it all up.
Treating her badly (after she's just given birth!) and withdrawing from Genevieve and then refusing to believe that she hasn't betrayed him again. I went from loving him back to hating him in the blink of an eye, and while he sort of atones near the end of the novel, it wasn't enough for me to think he actually deserves Genevieve.
Still, I'm mostly happy with ending. Genevieve behaved in a contrived manner that didn't make sense, doing the most ridiculous thing to further the plot along, but I still think this story was good enough that I can't give it any less than four stars. It made me feel so much, though not all those feelings were entirely pleasant.
If you want a really intense hate to love romance, you'll probably love this book. I really feel that they both genuinely despised each other, so the happy ending was hard earned.
TW: Non- con
August 17, 2018
While this was a well-written, engaging story, it was certainly not without its faults. I actually didn't know for SURE what time period this was going to take place in when I bought the book, so when I read "1483" and realized we were RIGHT at my favorite point in English history (or one of them, at least) with Richard III's capture of the throne and the absolute height of the Wars of the Roses, I was sure this was going to garner at least a four-star review. Romance in the late Plantagenet/early Tudor period? YES! But, as I said, there were issues, and even my three-star review might be a bit of a stretch. In any case, I liiiiiked it.
Okay, so this story follows Tristan, a former supporter of Richard Plantagenet, duke of Gloucester (now Richard III). When Richard seized the throne from his young nephew (and then shortly after that nephew and his brother disappeared entirely), Tristan made it clear that he could not continue to support Richard unless he was shown proof that the princes hadn't been killed by his order. Richard doesn't like this, and Tristan's family home - not to mention his wife and unborn child - pay the price. This hardens Tristan, understandably, and shapes his character for the rest of the book. He's driven by revenge against Richard, and he's cold and seemingly heartless because of the tragic loss in his life.
On the other side, there's Genevieve. Her family has long been a supporter of the white rose (York house/Richard), so when Tristan is sent by Richard's enemy, Henry Tudor, to claim her family's castle, Edenby, she's naturally against him. Her father and fiance fight against Tristan and his troops, but the castle is still taken, and suddenly Genevieve finds herself Tristan's prisoner. When Henry Tudor defeats Richard in the Battle of Bosworth, she really has no power, and the England she knows and loves is forever changed.
This is, at least, how the story line gets set up. We have vengeful Tristan and prisoner Genevieve, and while this book is categorized as a "romance", it's really quite dark. Tristan is horrible to Genevieve, and as one can imagine, the story becomes a bit rape-y (okay, more than a bit).
NOW, this novel was written in the 80s, I believe. I'm not excusing rape-y stories because of their publication date, but I will say that I understand romances written in the 80s and 90s tended to take on more of this dominating, aggressive male vibe. While this was certainly sexy when the book was written (and the author was writing for an audience that LIKED that stuff - women getting thrown around, clothes torn off against their will, then unexpectedly having an orgasm)... it's not sexy to me. That's not what romance novels are made of NOW, so it taints the experience of reading. I can't deduct too many stars for this reason, however, because I understand that this isn't a "modern" romance novel. Styles have changed, and this is outdated. It just didn't work for me NOW.
Also, never was I convinced of Tristan and Genevieve's love. Sure, that rape-y, aggressive "relationship" morphed into something more romantic over time, but it really wasn't convincing to me. Tristan was brutal and mean to her almost up until the very end, and I truly thought Genevieve hated him for the vast majority. In all honesty, putting myself in her shoes, I could NEVER fall in love with him - he was a villain. But again, the style of romance novels has changed dramatically, so this probably worked when it was written.
A difficult novel to review because of all the changes over time, but I enjoyed reading it for the most part. It's well written, and the author created a nice setting that was easy to get wrapped up in. All in all, certainly not a favorite of mine, but I liked it enough to (almost) earn it 3 stars.
Okay, so this story follows Tristan, a former supporter of Richard Plantagenet, duke of Gloucester (now Richard III). When Richard seized the throne from his young nephew (and then shortly after that nephew and his brother disappeared entirely), Tristan made it clear that he could not continue to support Richard unless he was shown proof that the princes hadn't been killed by his order. Richard doesn't like this, and Tristan's family home - not to mention his wife and unborn child - pay the price. This hardens Tristan, understandably, and shapes his character for the rest of the book. He's driven by revenge against Richard, and he's cold and seemingly heartless because of the tragic loss in his life.
On the other side, there's Genevieve. Her family has long been a supporter of the white rose (York house/Richard), so when Tristan is sent by Richard's enemy, Henry Tudor, to claim her family's castle, Edenby, she's naturally against him. Her father and fiance fight against Tristan and his troops, but the castle is still taken, and suddenly Genevieve finds herself Tristan's prisoner. When Henry Tudor defeats Richard in the Battle of Bosworth, she really has no power, and the England she knows and loves is forever changed.
This is, at least, how the story line gets set up. We have vengeful Tristan and prisoner Genevieve, and while this book is categorized as a "romance", it's really quite dark. Tristan is horrible to Genevieve, and as one can imagine, the story becomes a bit rape-y (okay, more than a bit).
NOW, this novel was written in the 80s, I believe. I'm not excusing rape-y stories because of their publication date, but I will say that I understand romances written in the 80s and 90s tended to take on more of this dominating, aggressive male vibe. While this was certainly sexy when the book was written (and the author was writing for an audience that LIKED that stuff - women getting thrown around, clothes torn off against their will, then unexpectedly having an orgasm)... it's not sexy to me. That's not what romance novels are made of NOW, so it taints the experience of reading. I can't deduct too many stars for this reason, however, because I understand that this isn't a "modern" romance novel. Styles have changed, and this is outdated. It just didn't work for me NOW.
Also, never was I convinced of Tristan and Genevieve's love. Sure, that rape-y, aggressive "relationship" morphed into something more romantic over time, but it really wasn't convincing to me. Tristan was brutal and mean to her almost up until the very end, and I truly thought Genevieve hated him for the vast majority. In all honesty, putting myself in her shoes, I could NEVER fall in love with him - he was a villain. But again, the style of romance novels has changed dramatically, so this probably worked when it was written.
A difficult novel to review because of all the changes over time, but I enjoyed reading it for the most part. It's well written, and the author created a nice setting that was easy to get wrapped up in. All in all, certainly not a favorite of mine, but I liked it enough to (almost) earn it 3 stars.
November 1, 2007
I LOVE THIS BOOK! I re-read it all the time!! Full of misunderstandings at the beginning. Hero finds it difficult to deal with the fact that he is in love with the heroine, and shows it very poorly for a long time... but of course he comes around and everything is all good!
June 30, 2018
decent historical romance. Although I thought the H took it a little too far when he kept trying to put the h under lock and key on the slightest pretext.
October 3, 2022
Ya lo dije en mi blog, «cuando coges una de la vieja escuela te encuentras,… una de la vieja escuela».
Y eso es lo que te encuentras en esta novela, con Tristán de la Tere y Geneviève de Edenby en bandos enfrentados en la guerra de las Dos Rosas. Esto es un aburrimiento con un «héroe» que coge prisionera a la heroína, la viola repetidamente y se da más de un sopapo. Genevieve intenta escapar –lógico, dada su situación–, pero con más voluntad y atolondramiento que otra cosa. Chica, piensa un poco, planea con la cabeza, que la tienes para algo más que para peinar ese espléndido cabello rubio tantas veces mencionado.
Un aburrimiento de historia. Hay cosas old skool que aún se leen con interés. Esta novela no es una de ellas.
Y eso es lo que te encuentras en esta novela, con Tristán de la Tere y Geneviève de Edenby en bandos enfrentados en la guerra de las Dos Rosas. Esto es un aburrimiento con un «héroe» que coge prisionera a la heroína, la viola repetidamente y se da más de un sopapo. Genevieve intenta escapar –lógico, dada su situación–, pero con más voluntad y atolondramiento que otra cosa. Chica, piensa un poco, planea con la cabeza, que la tienes para algo más que para peinar ese espléndido cabello rubio tantas veces mencionado.
Un aburrimiento de historia. Hay cosas old skool que aún se leen con interés. Esta novela no es una de ellas.
February 4, 2017
I (mostly) really liked Tristan and Genevieve, and the plot moves along at a great pace.
There's action, romance, intrigue, a little history, it's basically a story that would normally get 5 stars and a ton of praise from me.
Alas, there are a couple of instances when what Tristan does to Genevieve is straight up rape and I had a really hard time getting over that. Was I supposed to excuse it because he was getting his revenge and she ended up enjoying it? I couldn't.
It's a testament to how great the rest of the book actually is that I couldn't quite give the book a lower rating.
There's action, romance, intrigue, a little history, it's basically a story that would normally get 5 stars and a ton of praise from me.
Alas, there are a couple of instances when what Tristan does to Genevieve is straight up rape and I had a really hard time getting over that. Was I supposed to excuse it because he was getting his revenge and she ended up enjoying it? I couldn't.
It's a testament to how great the rest of the book actually is that I couldn't quite give the book a lower rating.
August 19, 2020
Been awhile since I read a historical/ medieval romance and I’m afraid it didn’t sit well with me.
May 30, 2022
I loved this book. The writing - the story line. I quickly got into it but read it slowly. It reminds me why I like historical romance so much.
June 21, 2013
This book could have worked, except that most of the characters were sooooo unreasonable. Tristan, our H, I liked. I also liked his second-in-command, Jon.
Background set-up: Tristan is the second son of an earl that has supported Richard III (against Henry VII). However, the princes in the tower disappear and Tristan demands that Richard present the princes. On his way home from London, he returns to find his entire family and castle slaughtered. His father, his older brother, his brother's heir, and Tritan's pregnant wife. He learns from a surviving maid that Tristan's wife begged but was given no mercy. He tracks down the marauders who killed his family and learns that it was at Richard III's orders for questioning Richard III about the princes. Hence, Tristan gives his support to Henry VII.
Fast-forward 2 years and Henry VII and Richard III are about to war. Tristan's army seeks food and lodging for the night at Genevieve's home. Her father, a Richard III supporter, refuses and Tristan's army raids Genevieve's home.
So much of what happens in this plot happens only because people are being really stupid and foolish. Because I could not have much sympathy for these "stupid" characters, I did not enjoy the book very much.
Stupidity-1: Genevieve's father's refusal to feed and house Tristan's soldiers. I understand his initial refusal on the basis that he had pledged his loyalty to Richard III. However, when it became clear that he was losing a battle, why continue to fight? Especially, when, as his own daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law pointed out, most of the nobles in the land are playing neutral? Had you opened your doors, none of this would have happened.
Stupidity-2: After Genevieve has lost her battle, she continues to resent the hell out of Tristan. OK, so yes, if I lost, I would also resent the victor. However, Genevieve played really dirty. She had her chance for mercy, but she chose trickery instead. Also, it's stupid of Genevieve to continually accuse Tristan of murdering her father and fiance when she herself knows that the battle only started because her father refused the knights a meal. She even advised her father against his actions.
Stupidity-3: Genevieve, Genevieve, Genevieve. She really is a stupid girl. She never gives any quarter, even when she is shown mercy again and again. She also doesn't listen to her aunt who rightly shows her that there is more to life than her stubborn pride. Throughout the book, Genevieve holds onto her pride more than she does the welfare of others. And there's the fact that she is really just so stupid when it comes to Guy.
Heat level: room temperature. Like those Harlequin books from the 70s where you know the main couple had sex, but only because the author says they had sex. Or a pregnancy occurs.
Background set-up: Tristan is the second son of an earl that has supported Richard III (against Henry VII). However, the princes in the tower disappear and Tristan demands that Richard present the princes. On his way home from London, he returns to find his entire family and castle slaughtered. His father, his older brother, his brother's heir, and Tritan's pregnant wife. He learns from a surviving maid that Tristan's wife begged but was given no mercy. He tracks down the marauders who killed his family and learns that it was at Richard III's orders for questioning Richard III about the princes. Hence, Tristan gives his support to Henry VII.
Fast-forward 2 years and Henry VII and Richard III are about to war. Tristan's army seeks food and lodging for the night at Genevieve's home. Her father, a Richard III supporter, refuses and Tristan's army raids Genevieve's home.
So much of what happens in this plot happens only because people are being really stupid and foolish. Because I could not have much sympathy for these "stupid" characters, I did not enjoy the book very much.
Stupidity-1: Genevieve's father's refusal to feed and house Tristan's soldiers. I understand his initial refusal on the basis that he had pledged his loyalty to Richard III. However, when it became clear that he was losing a battle, why continue to fight? Especially, when, as his own daughter and soon-to-be son-in-law pointed out, most of the nobles in the land are playing neutral? Had you opened your doors, none of this would have happened.
Stupidity-2: After Genevieve has lost her battle, she continues to resent the hell out of Tristan. OK, so yes, if I lost, I would also resent the victor. However, Genevieve played really dirty. She had her chance for mercy, but she chose trickery instead. Also, it's stupid of Genevieve to continually accuse Tristan of murdering her father and fiance when she herself knows that the battle only started because her father refused the knights a meal. She even advised her father against his actions.
Stupidity-3: Genevieve, Genevieve, Genevieve. She really is a stupid girl. She never gives any quarter, even when she is shown mercy again and again. She also doesn't listen to her aunt who rightly shows her that there is more to life than her stubborn pride. Throughout the book, Genevieve holds onto her pride more than she does the welfare of others. And there's the fact that she is really just so stupid when it comes to Guy.
Heat level: room temperature. Like those Harlequin books from the 70s where you know the main couple had sex, but only because the author says they had sex. Or a pregnancy occurs.
November 17, 2018
1⭐️
Not quite sure why I’m reviewing a book that came out before I was born, and is just being released under the author’s name instead of a pseudonym, but ok here I am.
This was a hard to read historical romance. It heavily relies on violence and abuses towards women, mainly in the form of dubious consent, which I would say falls under rape for the first portion of the book.
The hair fetish is real and alive in this book, lots of pulling/dragging/combing/entwining. And excessive amount.
It is not a book that is female friendly, And without a doubt is a book that should have stayed locked in 1988...
(This book was provided by NetGalley)
January 23, 2018
There's a fine line between alpha and asshole, and this hero crossed it.
I mean yes, fine, he's traumatized and feels betrayed and blah blah blah but sweet Jesus, man, what the actual hell?
I literally lost count of how many people slapped the heroine. How many times the 'hero' slapped her, ffs. Or dragged her by the hair. Or raped her. Because if she's kicking and screaming and telling you no, then it's rape even if she ends up having an orgasm. Sorry, bro, those are the rules. I don't understand how she ended up falling in love with someone who treated her so horribly.
I mean yes, fine, he's traumatized and feels betrayed and blah blah blah but sweet Jesus, man, what the actual hell?
I literally lost count of how many people slapped the heroine. How many times the 'hero' slapped her, ffs. Or dragged her by the hair. Or raped her. Because if she's kicking and screaming and telling you no, then it's rape even if she ends up having an orgasm. Sorry, bro, those are the rules. I don't understand how she ended up falling in love with someone who treated her so horribly.
January 12, 2016
Historical romance people if you don't like sexism physical abuse and non consensual sex don't read these book. This has elements of all this it in. Not great but not bad.
March 8, 2022
I noticed many scanning/typo errors in this kindle version. 3 stars
March 19, 2025
Love wins
Heather Graham has written a wonderful historical romance story, Tristan came as a conquer, after a brutal battle, but Genevieve conquered him! This book was fantastic to read, England history with the story added to the plot, I couldn't stop reading it,! Fantastic plot, had me guessing what direction author was going, I'd recommend this book to everyone that enjoys a good historical romance book, Tristan and Genevieve had a very rough romance but worh it, secondary people in story added a lot to book!
Heather Graham has written a wonderful historical romance story, Tristan came as a conquer, after a brutal battle, but Genevieve conquered him! This book was fantastic to read, England history with the story added to the plot, I couldn't stop reading it,! Fantastic plot, had me guessing what direction author was going, I'd recommend this book to everyone that enjoys a good historical romance book, Tristan and Genevieve had a very rough romance but worh it, secondary people in story added a lot to book!
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March 5, 2024Read it, skimmed a lot, not rating it.
Fascinating start. I had high hopes.
Ultimately, I didn't care for the writing or the main characters.
They were constantly at each other's throats, it got old fast.
It dragged; super repetitive, which made it boring.
I should have DNFed, but I was curious enough about the conclusion.
Read it on Hoopla. Title is under Heather Graham, not Shannon Drake.
Fascinating start. I had high hopes.
Ultimately, I didn't care for the writing or the main characters.
They were constantly at each other's throats, it got old fast.
It dragged; super repetitive, which made it boring.
I should have DNFed, but I was curious enough about the conclusion.
Read it on Hoopla. Title is under Heather Graham, not Shannon Drake.
January 9, 2025
This novel erased the disappointingly bitter taste of Blue Heaven, Black Knight (the last read book from the author), and reminded me of why I love the author. Shannon Drake/Heather Graham has amazing writing skills, with fully fleshed out storylines and complex, intriguing characters. Lie Down in Roses wasn’t perfect (what book is 🤷🏾♀️?), but it was enjoyable.
January 10, 2018
I am not sure that I really enjoyed this book. The hero is a complete bastard until damn near the end of the book.
January 14, 2022
I didn’t realize this book would contain rape, but it most certainly did. I’m not sure if the author was trying to disguise the rape as somehow ok because the woman being raped liked it, but even if a woman likes it, it can still be rape. Anyways, that made me very upset.
I continued reading the book because I wanted to get to a part where they made love willingly from both sides because if I left it where it was, it would forever remain absolutely terrible. Now I can at least try and forget the rape and attempt to replace it with their “love” they found in the end.
Considering his treatment of her, I don’t know why she ever liked him at all.
I gave it two stars because it is well-written and I’m sure I can find a more horrifying story with much worse treatment of women somehow. Somehow people always find worse ways to abuse people.
I continued reading the book because I wanted to get to a part where they made love willingly from both sides because if I left it where it was, it would forever remain absolutely terrible. Now I can at least try and forget the rape and attempt to replace it with their “love” they found in the end.
Considering his treatment of her, I don’t know why she ever liked him at all.
I gave it two stars because it is well-written and I’m sure I can find a more horrifying story with much worse treatment of women somehow. Somehow people always find worse ways to abuse people.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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July 13, 2024I’m not sure how to rate this book, I enjoyed it and as always Graham writes very well. I read it in sections so it feels like different books, some I liked and some I didn’t. It was from one disagreement to another throughout the story, Genevieve in her “fieriness” may become annoying for some. To be fair, I will re-read to see if it’s worth 5 stars and update.
August 27, 2012
okuyabilmem epey zamanımı aldı ilk başta tristanın eşinin ve doğmamış coğunun katledilmesi çok üzdü beni sonra genevieve ile buluşması çok konu gitti geldi tam şu oldu derken değişik şeyler oldu sonunda güzeldi ..
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