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DEFIANT BRIDE

From the first time Jasmine's eyes met those of Lord Jamie Cameron in a smoky British inn, theirs was the wrong kind of attraction -- not gentle, slow, and easy, but hot, hard, and all-consuming. The illegitimate daughter of an actress and a duke, Jassy had dreams no man could wench from her in a moment of desire. She's resist this bold nobleman with all the strength of her soul. But her golden hair, fiery temperament, and indomitable spirit obsessed Lord Cameron... and he wanted her with him when he sailed for the new wilderness called Virginia. So he had a bargain for the spit-fire Jassy, one that only a very special woman would dare to make...

400 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1989

73 people are currently reading
1347 people want to read

About the author

Heather Graham

583 books6,899 followers
Also published as Heather Graham Pozzessere and Shannon Drake.

New York Times and USA Today best-selling author Heather Graham majored in theater arts at the University of South Florida. After a stint of several years in dinner theater, back-up vocals, and bartending, she stayed home after the birth of her third child and began to write, working on short horror stories and romances. After some trial and error, she sold her first book, WHEN NEXT WE LOVE, in 1982 and since then, she has written over one hundred novels and novellas including category, romantic suspense, historical romance, vampire fiction, time travel, occult, and Christmas holiday fare. She wrote the launch books for the Dell's Ecstasy Supreme line, Silhouette's Shadows, and for Harlequin's mainstream fiction imprint, Mira Books.

Heather was a founding member of the Florida Romance Writers chapter of RWA and, since 1999, has hosted the Romantic Times Vampire Ball, with all revenues going directly to children's charity.

She is pleased to have been published in approximately twenty languages, and to have been honored with awards frorn Waldenbooks. B. Dalton, Georgia Romance Writers, Affaire de Coeur, Romantic Times, and more. She has had books selected for the Doubleday Book Club and the Literary Guild, and has been quoted, interviewed, or featured in such publications as The Nation, Redbook, People, and USA Today and appeared on many newscasts including local television and Entertainment Tonight.

Heather loves travel and anything have to do with the water, and is a certitified scuba diver. Married since high school graduation and the mother of five, her greatest love in life remains her family, but she also believes her career has been an incredible gift, and she is grateful every day to be doing something that she loves so very much for a living.

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5 stars
456 (34%)
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421 (31%)
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332 (24%)
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93 (6%)
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39 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
Profile Image for Lauren.
1,484 reviews215 followers
January 7, 2022
3.5 stars!!

I've mixed feelings about this book. I've come to expect the same enemies to lover trope that are in all Heather Graham books. My problem is that the MC fought the ENTIRE book without the lover part. Both were so stubborn and said cruel things. The bickering got too redundant.

I did love the history! The story takes place in 1633. The book explores the struggles of early American life, when the H moves his family to Jamestown. I particularly liked learning about Powhatan Indians.

All in all, I would have liked this book, if not for the nonstop angst. Still, I can't stop thinking about the book, which is a credit to the author.
Profile Image for Willow .
263 reviews119 followers
Read
December 29, 2012
Who am I kidding? I'm never going to finish this silly book. I keep thinking I'll pick it up again, but please, I don't care if Jassy and Jamie pull their heads out of their asses long enough to get together. DNF
Profile Image for Mermarie.
461 reviews
May 6, 2012
Heather Graham's Sweet Savage Eden is well written, but I couldn't finish it. I tried. Down to the last 150 pages...still, plot M.I.A. There were gaps in the entire book where Graham merely filled in the lack of substance with extra quarrels-- having absolutely no plot-line. None of the characters were holding card, things just happen, stuff is stuff.. History shouldn't be a crutch for a book. The healing cock & traitorous body trope made me wanna throw daggers at them.




Warning: Persons prone to self inflicted bodily harm, consisting of cutters, facial barbell piercers/ear taggers, knife lickers, Mumbletypeg extremists..this is the book for you. You'll need the constant release of endorphins to suffer this bit of Sweet Savage torture.

This book may have survived, if the heroine had actually went with her first self-confessed plan and avoided taking the ship to America...but Heather Graham swooped in, with her siphoning hose, sucking the life clean out of that promising plotline, and instead--faded completely to black, where the heroine arrived in one piece on the docks in America. We didn't even get to experience the trials of sea during the cross-over, for god's sake!!

I can see where she was heading with the colonial migration and Indian uprising... but it was too late for me. Anger/bitterness between the hero/heroine didn't hold me over, waiting for the big magic moment...because the heroine was undeserving, unappreciative and had an extremely spoiled disposition despite the fact she was poor as a church mouse. I honestly felt sorry for the hero, and every filthy name he called her was SO dead-on and deserved! I actually liked the hero, and wish he knew my number. If you're out there--I'll give you a story, darlin'! ;D As for the heroine(can't even feckin' remember that chit's name), if you're going to be a no girl, at least make it worth our while. I believe her lines can be summed up as, "NO", and "LET ME GO"...and for really intense and groundbreaking scenes, "LET GO -OF- ME!"

Half a star went to the fantastic writing, and the other half of star went to the sound beating the heroine's brother gave her. Well played sir, well played.

I'm sorry... heroine(don't know her name), go somewhere and die.
Profile Image for Kimberly Carrington-Fox.
860 reviews196 followers
August 6, 2018
Me ha parecido un bodice-rippismo de tomo y lomo (creo que el primero que he leído con tanto forzamiento), con un estupendo punto de partida que se acaba perdiendo en el cansino vaivén que es la relación entre los protagonistas. Él cree que es una pilingui y, en su primer encuentro, ella se comporta como tal. Pero a él se le pone en los cataplines que se tienen que casar y, como ella es una muerta de hambre y él un lord, pues bodorrio al canto con posteriores "refrotes que ella no quería pero que internamente acaba queriendo porque él no la trata mal y acaba disfrutando". Ya he dicho mil veces que estas cosas no me importan demasiado (no me tiréis piedras, que os las devuelvo) porque, aunque no me gusta leerlos, los puedo encuadrar en lo históricamente fiel, pero eso de que a través del chingamiento se llegue al enamoramiento hay que saber llevarlo, y me parece que la Graham no lo hace bien, más que nada porque ellos pueden disfrutar mucho en el lecho pero que fuera de él su relación no avance por los enormes malentendidos que tienen... Pues no, es algo que me cansa mucho y aquí se estira hasta el mismo final del libro. La relación entre ambos está estancada desde el principio y lastra todo el libro. Y ellos, que en un principio no me caían mal, me han acabado pareciendo muy pesados, con esa negación de sus sentimientos (y esa manía del maromo de soltarle a ella que es una f(p)ruta, pfffffffff...). Sin embargo, el contexto histórico (algo posterior a la muerte de Pocahontas) me ha parecido fascinante. Reconozco que me encanta que me cuelen historia en estos libros porque, para mí, los hace mucho más interesantes, y desde luego la historia de los primeros colonos en Virginia (el protagonista estuvo con John Smith) y todo lo que acontece en el periodo en el que transcurre la historia de este libro me ha interesado muchísimo, con la relación de los británicos con los nativos, un sangriento conflicto que tuvieron... Pero claro, esto es una novela romántica y esa parte es justo la que falla. Y tenía claro que le iba a dar dos estrellas hasta que al final del libro se le va la cabeza con un personaje y le da un final que me ha sentado como una patada en la peineta, así que le he bajado una estrella.
Profile Image for Regan Walker.
Author 31 books821 followers
March 29, 2017
A Magnificent Love Story That Begins in England and ends in the New World – a Keeper!

This is the first in the North American Women trilogy, a classic and one of my favorites by Heather Graham. It’s part of the Cameron Saga that I highly recommend. They were the first books I read by Heather that led me to become a huge fan of her historical romances.

It begins in 17th century England and tells of Jasmine ("Jassy") and Jamie. The story follows them to New World (Virginia), which was then very much a wild wilderness, untamed and inhabited by hostile Indians.

Jassy has had a hard life as the bastard daughter of a dead nobleman. When her mother dies for lack of medical attention, Jassy learns of her connections to a noble family and, through a series of events, the family takes her in but treats her as little better than a servant. There she meets the dark Lord Cameron who wants to marry her because she reminds him of his "wild Virginia" where he is building a new life. Jassy is in love with his friend, the charming and fair Robert, but Robert has other plans.

Because Jassy fears dying in poverty like her mother, she consents to wed Jamie even though she is not even sure she likes him. But she is honest and tells him she is marrying him so she will not starve.

Jamie Cameron wants the beautiful Jassy—she makes his blood boil—and he believes she will be strong enough to endure the life in the wilderness where there are still Indians and pressures just to survive. But Jamie does not tell Jassy that he intends to take her to the New World because he knows Jassy wants the security of Jamie's beautiful manor in England.

Can she love a man she hates? Can she forget the fair Robert? Can Jamie love the tavern wench who wants only his wealth? So begins an adventure that is so well told and so well done, I have read it again and again. And the others in the series are equally good.

Heather Graham's writing is superb. Her portrait of wild early America is wonderful. The story pulls you in and does not let you go. There are no slow spots as the action and characters are very real. The sexual tension permeates the book and is very believable. You will love Jassy and Jamie and you will find yourself drawn back to those historical times at the beginning of America. This is a keeper!


The Cameron Saga:

The North American Women trilogy:

Sweet Savage Eden
A Pirate's Pleasure
Love Not a Rebel

The Civil War trilogy:

One Wore Blue
And One Wore Gray
And One Rode West
Profile Image for Jena .
2,313 reviews2 followers
May 16, 2023
This was a 4 star read for me 10 years ago, and still a 4/5 star read now (since I’ve been reading barely readable Wattpad like books, written by wannabe authors lately)
.

This story totally “swept me away” to a different time, and I felt all the emotions between the 2 couples. The book made me laugh, mad, sad, happy and infuriated. Omg, at times I was so frustrated by the MCs in this story!!! In particular, this h. I really disliked the h for the majority of the book for acting like an entitled, stuck up bitch.

Plot:
servant h, lord H.
She is totally beautiful.
He is totally rich!
She’s a gold digger, and he’s totally smitten with her.
She’s smitten by his bestfriend Om. 🤷🏻‍♀️
He marries her because he loves her.
She marries him for his money and because she’s been dreaming about being a lady all her life.
After the marriage, he forces her to leave his fancy homes and move to America to live in a hovel with him 😂.
Poor girl, she’s so mad! 😂




Safety
There is rape.
No cheating
H is tempted at one point (he found a beautiful Native American girl naked in his bed), but doesn’t go through with it. He doesn’t kiss or touch her, but he certainly reacted to her beauty, felt lustful and thought of her after she left.🙄

the wannabe ow is around -which he doesn’t encourage- to stir jealousies in h. (And I low key hoped that he would cheat because I was hating on this h still 😂). But no, there is no ow drama.

There is an OM. Someone she liked more than the H in the beginning and this stirs lots of jealousies in H that causes him to lash out at her.
Profile Image for Izzy.
209 reviews
August 25, 2020
H sees h for the first time at a tavern where she worked as a waitress, she accidentally cought his attention while she was working to get some money to buy quinine for her gravely ill mother.

Instead of the H understanding her standing, he asked for her services (as a lady of the night basically). She never intended to lose her virginity like that and she desperately needed the money so she thought of stealing from him, without even knowing it was him who required her services. She thought it was his friend, whom she fell madly in infatuation with at first sight.

You see when the h was working she saw two upper class gentlemen, one, the light and blonde, handsome prince charming sort of fellow and the other (the H) she didn’t even notice until after she spilt liquid on the H and his papers and when the H tried to use her skirt as a rag!

When she arrived to his room, the H remained in the shadows and immediately told her to strip and take a bath, he was behind her, not showing her his face. Meanwhile the h was wondering how to avoid it all and just steal the money. But soon enough she found out whom she was stealing from.
The H humiliated her and threw the money at her face but they didn’t do anything.

But the sad part was that her mother (who was a well known actress and had been under the protection of the Duke, the h’s father, for a long time but when the Duke passed away, they were thrown into poverty) passed away from high fever that same night.

So the next day, the H realises the h was stealing money for her mother and he felt a pang of sympathy for her.

Not taking no for an answer, the H and his golden blonde friend escorted the h to her family and on this journey they found out about the h’s paternal family and lo and behold, the H’s house was basically neigbouring the h’s father’s house.

The H made her brother (the current duke) to take the h under his wing but the duke gave her a job as a companion to the duchess of his house (his wife) , he didn’t recognise her as his sister and he didn’t want to and was quite mean to the h.

The h also had two half sisters, one of whom was really rude and blunt to her. Realising that your father had a mistress whom he had a daughter with and who has just landed on your doorstep can be traumatising but since their parents were no more and clearly the infidelity on the duke’s part is not the h’s fault at all, they should have just let it all go.

But slowly the evil sister started to warm up to he h and her other sister and sister-in-law were really nice to her.

So while at this house, the h desperately wanted to leave and get married to someone, she kept fantasising about the golden headed friend of the H’s. She basically was plotting to get married to him.
But it didn’t work out and she was forced to marry the H instead by the H. Her sisters were delighted while her sister-in-law was at shock because the H hppened to be her brother.

Anyways the marriage took place, and shortly after the h has to tolerate the H’s unbearable touch. There is a lot of back and forth and clearly the h didn’t want sex with the H on her wedding night but the H forced it on her, it was described as forced even though he did try to seduce her.

Shortly after, the H travelled to the new world (aka Virginia, America) since he was investing in the colonies there. He also forced the h to travel and even though the H’s was a duke’s 3rd of 4th son and had a lot of money and had mansion of his own, he still wanted to live in the new world. The h was highly reluctant and didn’t want to go and upon reaching, she started to adjust. I think the fact that her two sisters (the evil one (turned good) married the golden head friend) made it all a lot more bearable to her.

I didn’t like the way this author portrayed the Native Americans as savages but I do understand that was the way how the British thought back then. However, we should understand that this was someone’s home and land that they were invading in a sense even though there were no strict rules about immigration.

Finally a lot of things happen concerning the native Americans and also the fact that one of her sister’s, Elizabeth, the sweet one, got married to the head of a native tribe after being abducted and raped by him! The h was also abducted but she was not raped because she was the wife of the H and they were waiting for the H to come and solve the issues they had. Anyways, I wanted to read Elizabeth’s story and how the heck did she fall in love after being described as a social introvert who used to become tongue tied in front of men? She basically fell in love with Powan, the head of the Native American tribe after he raped her!? Regardless that he was descrived as being very handsome and tall, etc, I sill don’t get it and I would hve been interested to read Elizabeth’s story if there had been one written for her.

Anywayyys, things get better and the h returns to the H and there is an abrupt happily ever after.

Safety: H is h’s only lover, no cheating.

Triggers: H forced h on wedding night. h’s half sister got raped in Virginia by young chief of a tribe.
Also, the h was infatuated by the H’s best friend (golden head) for a very long time and I think there was too much back and forth drama.

This was an interesting novel, the least I can say but its not the kind that you go back to read again and again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Emiliya Bozhilova.
1,915 reviews381 followers
July 14, 2023
Това навремето беше моят номер 1 за противна, нелогична и опасно безмозъчна героиня, изградена на принципа “няма пък!”. Иначе ранната колонизация на САЩ беше добре, и най-ми харесаха индианците.
Profile Image for Fae.
1,295 reviews26 followers
February 21, 2022
The starting was interesting. I was amused that both the hero and heroine were very strong willed and stubborn. But it was hard for me to like them as I progressed into the story. This is mainly because Jamie was too forceful & mean, and Jassy is too prickly.

I didn’t understand the degree of hate Jassy had for Jamie, which lasted for a very long time. Sure, he’s an ass most of the time, but he has helped her on many occasions. I felt she could at least drop her hatred for a while and thank him for what he has done for her, despite being strangers/not close to her. With her being prickly and full of hatred, I couldn’t find it in myself to like her.

While I do enjoy the detailed sex they were having (which was a lot), I wasn’t completely at ease with it because Jassy was unwilling majority of the time, often begging Jamie to stop, but he proceeds to go ahead and take her anyway—regardless of her wishes.

I understand that they made an agreement, where she came into the marriage with nothing and agreed to provide her body for him at any time he wishes, but it doesn’t mean he can ignore her wishes & “rape” her. When a woman says no, and the man still had sex with her, I see it as rape. This book had it and I wasn’t comfortable with it.

Jamie was another kind of mean. He calls her whore and looks down on her so many times. I really hated him for it. If he actually wanted / liked her, he would have treated her better.

Their constant arguments were tiring me out and by half of the book, I considered dropping the book altogether but decided against it, hoping it would become better.

It did become better for a while, of sorts. They argued less, and changed to become nicer to each other.

However, the things that were ruining the story was Jamie’s jealousy and temper, & their inability to communicate like proper adults without shouting at each other. Jamie was constantly hiding his feelings from Jassy, and in the process he often hurls hurtful words towards her. I really disliked that about him. He is allowing his feelings for her and his inability to communicate them to Jassy, to ruin the relationship between him and Jassy.

At the back with the action, it bored me so I skimmed. Probably wouldn’t read another book by this author, if all her heroes and heroines are going to be unlovable like Jassy and Jamie were. If I were to read another book from this author, it would have to be spaced out because I don’t think I have the patience to suffer horrible heroes and heroines.
Profile Image for KatieV.
710 reviews495 followers
June 9, 2014
The constant arguing/misunderstanding between the two wore me down. The intimate scenes were sensual. warning: this is an older bodice ripper type.

****Spoilers

the hero rapes the heroine the first time. They are married, but she's less than willing and he takes her roughly.
Profile Image for Padma.
37 reviews6 followers
January 2, 2022
A very good read, fast paced as well. And such a stubborn hero and heroine and it was a battle of wills. Overall an enjoyable one
Profile Image for Helen.
104 reviews8 followers
February 11, 2023
Sweet Savage Eden

Very good historical romance. Lots of action. Plenty of sex. I do hope the author has a book for Elizabeth. I would like to find out what happens to her.
Profile Image for Danielle Bennett.
23 reviews10 followers
April 8, 2015
Absolutely fantastic! Last night, I couldn't put the book down! It was well written, easy to follow and most importantly; dramatic. It was full of sexual chemistry, amazing banter and moments in which I couldn't help but smile at. The ending was a surprise I must admit, for I did not expect 'THAT' to happen (if already read, you should know what I'm on about lol). I could vividly image everything and I too was transported to Virginia; a new world indeed!
I could feel the nervousness, confusion, pain, horror, lust and love that she (Jassy) felt.
Such a wonderful character full of life, determination and spirit!
Happy to announce that this book is one of my favourites!
It's a MUST read!

I give this book 5 stars with no hesitations =)
7 reviews1 follower
April 16, 2012
One of the only books I have ever been able to re-read in my entire life!

Yes Jamie can be a 'jerk' to put it nicely, and I would never encourage women to put up with some of the things he puts Jassy through. However, it made for an exceptionally captivating story that always keeps me excited to read what happens next.

Heather Graham is an amazing novelist and this is easily my favorite romance novel of all time!
Profile Image for Tiffany Day.
628 reviews16 followers
May 24, 2012
I read this back in the late 80s/early 90 as a teen and I remembered it fondly as a 3 1/2 - 4 stars. I re-read it for fun and man was I disappointed! Too repetitive, slow-moving, and not enough connection between the H & h. I remembered it as being my least favorite of the trilogy but wow - I'm SO disappointed!
Profile Image for Dawn.
715 reviews33 followers
March 16, 2014
Well, this was almost a DNF for me. Too much bodice-ripping and rape. Two-thirds of the book was spent with the hero and heroine, Jamie and Jazzy, hating each other viciously.

He was a Lord who had created a home and community in the New World. He found her as a serving wench living in poverty and abuse. He discovers that she is the illegitimate sister of his sister's husband, a duke. She had tried to steal money from him to save her mother. Upon her mother's death, Jamie takes her to her half-brother's home. He was not happy to see her, but did accept responsibility for her by making her a servant. In a convoluted way, they end up married and in the new community of West Virginia. Their relationship is violent. It wasn't until the last third of the book that there was any tenderness at all. And still, the forced intimacy continues.

I guess I should have been prepared for this. But I have a hard time believing that this was readily accepted even in 1989 when it was first published. I continued to read because this is Heather Graham, after all. Certainly, the HEA was satisfying. And all ended well. But I'm quite shell-shocked by the rapiness of this book. I don't know if I can stomach the next in the series. I'll probably try since the reviews here are quite good. Maybe I'll be better prepared. I can only hope that women, during this period of history, did not have to endure this routinely. Maybe they did. I'm no historian. I trust these well-respected authors to know better than I.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lorelle.
741 reviews24 followers
May 18, 2012

This story begins in England, 1621. The heroine, Jassy Dupre, is the illegitimate daughter of a Duke and an actress. The Hero, Lord Jamie Cameron, is the second son of a duke who has interest in creating his own settlement in the New World. He meets Jassy at an Inn, working as a serving wench, while her mother is dying upstairs. She is caught stealing from Jamie, as she pretends to be his women of the evening. The misunderstandings begin at this point, and they have what appears to be a passionate hatred for each other. Fast forward, (you have to read it to find out), she marries for stability and he, for a strong women, sturdy enough to endure the hardships of colonial life (besides, he has the hots for her). So we have some "rapey" scenes, passionate forced seductions, a whipping, mistrust, rough treatment physically and verbally by Jessie, kidnapping, and lots of bodice ripping. These two are so proud, stubborn, and jealous, you wonder if they any hope. I was almost surprised to find he remained faithful during times of long separation and when opportunity presented itself. The last few pages reveal their love, and their HEA.
6 reviews
April 23, 2021
The overall concept of the book seemed great, but the execution was awful. It was super DUPER r*pey. Like the definition of r*pe. At some points it seemed like the word "No" had no meaning whatsoever. Jamie (the main guy) just would not take no for an answer, during sex with Jasmine (the main girl) or while attempting to control her whole life. I admit, I don't mind a bit of dubious consent if it seems like both characters actually enjoy it and are just refusing out of a sense of moral or societal obligation. However, that is not the case with this book. Jasmine seems to actively hate having sex with Jamie, and Jamie just doesn't care. It never gets better, either, the two main characters seem to hate each other throughout the whole book. I was expecting Jamie to recognize that he was being literally terrible to this woman and fix his behavior, but he never does. I DO NOT RECOMMEND. If you want a book where the characters start out enemies and end up lovers, WITHOUT R*PE, I recommend The Windflower by Laura London. Don't waste your time with this one.
Profile Image for Christina.
87 reviews3 followers
March 14, 2012
I think I found a book where the heroine gets treated like crap just as much as the heroine in A Pirates Love!

The "hero" if that is what you want to call him, constantly talks down, calls the heroine a whore despite that was a virgin when they married, and whisks her away with out even a moment to let her possibly reason with him all so he can have HIS dream in America. One reviewer put it well, he was raised with a loving family yet where does all this anger come from? I feel so bad for Jassy, the heroine, she can't help she was born "a bastard" and yet she is treated like she is the one who made herself that way. But the part that got me was, she was always being called a whore and if anything she was so far from it-even prudish-that I just wanted to throw the book. BUT I did like the storyline.
Profile Image for CaroMommie.
668 reviews8 followers
March 13, 2022
***TRIGGER WARNING...SEXUAL VIOLENCE

This book was not it. It had such promise in the first few chapters, but then it slid into constant and contintued chaos.

She is always screeching, and he is a painfully insecure thug, it’s like he had no class at all.

And there is one word that was used close to 200 times it seems. If this book wasn’t so long and repetitive it might have been salvageable.
Profile Image for Stacy Brown.
362 reviews1 follower
March 22, 2011
First book in the North American Woman series. Love this series. I have read it multiple times.
Profile Image for Lizzy.
420 reviews14 followers
May 17, 2020
Que livro! Eu amei Sweet Savage Eden, primeiro livro da trilogia North American Woman - The Cameron Saga. Eis um verdadeiro clássico do estilo, a escrita de Heather Graham é soberba, envolvente e apaixonada.

A história é desenvolvida na Inglaterra em meados de 1621, no Reinado de James I, e na Colônia da Virgínia, num suposto período de paz com os nativos americanos.

Por aí dá para perceber que os cenários não poderiam ser mais distintos, assim como a vida da heroína Jassy (Jasmine) Dupré é irrevogavelmente modificada quando seu caminho se cruza com o frio e enigmático Lorde Jamie Cameron.

Jamie e seu charmoso amigo Robert conhecem Jassy em uma estalagem, onde a jovem – aprendiz de cozinheira-, trabalhava para se sustentar como garçonete, assim como a sua mãe.

Ocorre que a mãe de Jassy está gravemente enferma e para comprar o remédio que ela necessita, a heroína, em um ato de desespero, aceita uma suposta proposta de Robert para uma noite. Para a sua surpresa, não foi Robert o homem que a convidou e sim Jamie, justamente o homem o qual ela detestou desde o primeiro encontro.

O ajuste sexual não é concretizado, o que não impede que Jamie venha a interferir inexoravalmente na vida de Jassy, mesmo contra a sua vontade. Com a sua ajuda, ela vai ao encontro de seus meios-irmãos, filhos de seu pai – Jassy é filha bastarda do duque de Somerfield -, o que resulta numa grande reviravolta na vida da heroína, culminando num casamento de conveniência com Jamie, justamente o homem que ela jurou odiar. O desenrolar dos acontecimentos levam os recém casados ao Novo Mundo.

Desde o início, uma guerra de temperamentos é travada entre Jassy e Jamie, orgulhosos e apaixonados, eles entregam os seus corpos ao prazer sexual sem cederem seus corações.

Os protagonistas são maravilhosos, ao mesmo tempo em que nos causam uma certa comoção por suas teimosias, simplesmente porque não aceitam o amor recíproco.

Jassy e Jamie são equivalentes em força e espírito, voláteis e sensuais. Sim, o livro é bodice ripper bastante sensual. Vale dizer que há momentos de aventura e um desfecho eletrizante, de tirar o fôlego.

Eu adorei a história no seu conjunto, muito embora em alguns momentos eu me vi tentada a escalpelar em pensamentos Jassy e Jamie por suas tolices.
Recomendo!
Profile Image for Dani.
202 reviews2 followers
August 20, 2020
Aqui temos um romance tempestuoso entre Jassy e Jamie, em que situações da vida os colocaram juntos, duas pessoas extremamente orgulhosas que foram descobrindo o amor em meio á uma terra selvagem.
Eu amei o casal, eles têm muitaaa química, as cenas íntimas por mais que não fossem muito detalhadas, foram ótimas, a interação entre eles era muito boa, e minha maior reclamação é que a autora escreveu um livro enorme mais gastou muito tempo em questões paralelas ao invés de investir mais em cenas do casal :/ Eu não curti muito a trama secundária, por isso não dei 5 estrelas, nenhum personagem me prendeu, principalmente a paixonite da protagonista, e melhor amigo do protagonista, o Robert, um atraso de vida e patético, ainda reforço que a autora poderia ter focado mais no casal principal que tinha uma trama poderosa de orgulho e entrega para mostrar, e ter dado um final com os dois se resolvendo, não colocando aquela situação que se estendeu por muitas páginas, para os dois se resolverem :/ A mocinha testou bastante minha paciência por seu orgulho e ódio contra o mocinho, eu pensei que ela só ia dar o braço a torcer na última linha do livro kkk mas felizmente foi antes e ela foi amadurecendo conforme o desenrolar da trama e foi visível que o único homem possível para combinar com a força dessa mulher era o poderoso e maravilhoso Jamie. Ele também me irritou, não tanto quanto ela mais irritava quando vivia jogando o passado 'pobre e de profissão duvidosa' da mocinha..argh, que raiva que me dava kkkk mas enfim, um livro bem escrito, um casal principal poderoso, mas que infelizmente teve um pouco do seu brilho apagado pela trama/personagens secundários não á altura :/
Profile Image for Suzy Vero.
466 reviews17 followers
March 14, 2024
England 1620….
Jasmine, a serving girl at an inn, is desperate for money so she can buy some medicine for her critically ill mother. Along comes Lord Jamie Cameron … she decides to steal a few coins from him. She’s heartbroken … she’s too late to save her mother.

Jamie’s determined to have her, whisks her away to his palatial home, and marries her… even tho he knows she’s a bastard .., he’s even verbally abusive towards her, and calls her a bastard, and says she’s a whore even tho he knows she’s a virgin. Jassy feels trapped by him… she’s unappreciative that he’s helped her escape from poverty. She keeps screaming at him throughout the story: I hate you! I hate you! Thus begins the never ending fights and battles of wills between these two head strong people.

Their abusive relationship drama continues as they arrive at his extensive property / settlement along the James River in the Virginia Colony. She hates Virginia, he thinks she’s only after his money etc. He demands sex, and she fights back refusing to give in to him. Their mistrust only ends in the last few pages of the story.

It’s interesting to read about one of the earliest settlements in Virginia.., one of the story’s few bright spots. The settlers’ interactions with the Native Americans varies from peaceful to a surprise massacre.

As in other HRs by Heather Graham, the main characters have a strong enemies to lovers relationship. I didn’t particularly care for either Jamie or Jassy.., both were rude, jealous, hurtful, antagonistic, and abusive towards each other … continually! Add in very little romance and this book’s a ho hum read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Franchesca Giglio.
42 reviews
May 24, 2022
NO MAJOR SPOILERS JUST MILD IN THE FIRST PAR



OK the author did an amazing job at writing the story l, the plot ( historical aspects) and the setting where amazing. That being said the romanticization of rape in this book was astronomical. I was literally disgusted and cringed throughout. I would NOT categorize this book as romance. I found nothing romantic about it.

SPOILERS: Just Jamie and hers relationship was just built on this idea of rape and their whole relationship in the first half of the book involves that and it was just so hard to be happy for them or to encourage their relationship in the second half of the book because of what happened. And I hate the miscommunication trope and that was going on throughout this book yeah I just hated Jamie I hated the relationship I did not like that at all and then poor Elizabeth the end of the book I literally want to throw my Kindle across the room. I just hated that the author decided to like have Elizabeth kind of give in to what was happening to her and how the author would be like oh she would fight and cry and then the next time it happened she was silent and then a week later she was welcoming the advances but they weren’t advances, it was rape. But I do understand that Rape would occur because of the time period of the book and I like Jamie would expect things of his wife and how the Native American would perhaps do that sort of thing to the captives but it was just the Romanticization of it that rubs me the wrong way.
Profile Image for Cat The Curious.
126 reviews61 followers
January 18, 2021
Jassy lowly tavern wench bastard to a Lord is propositioned by a Jamie. She thinks it is his friend Robert propositioning her instead. She meets with the intention to rob him. Jassy gives Jamie the bluest balls ever and the game is afoot. Jamie is smitten with Jassy and intends on having her. He forces her into a marriage when they are caught in a compromising position (another blue ball moment) never telling her he intends to take her from England to the New World of Jamestown. Once they get to Jamestown it's misery. I would be pissed too.
This was good but not great. If you're running out of historical bodice rippers to read it will do, but it's nowhere up there with the greats. There's lots of bickering and bodice shredding but the plot is thin. I found myself skimming. Heather Graham does know how to write though. I am going back through her old historicals because the new stuff is mostly fluff.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for L..
1,496 reviews74 followers
March 2, 2024
The illegitimate child of a duke, Jasmine 'Jassy' Dupre has vowed not to die in poverty like her mother. Jamie Cameron was born into English nobility but his heart and ambition is in the New World. These two marry because the author makes them. Jamie spends most of the book raping, bullying and bossing his wife around. Jassy spends most of her time either crying or physically attacking her husband. Do you feel the love? I don't. There's no chemistry, no romance, and no story. Usually I can handle these old skool enemies-to-lovers novels but I was so tired of all the fighting. There were several times when I considered giving up but I managed to muddle through. Now I need a better book to wash this bad taste out of my mouth.
Profile Image for Jassy Custer.
15 reviews
November 29, 2021
So I’m actually named after the protagonist, Jassy- fun fact. I was really looking forward to finally reading this but I’m disappointed. I hate to give any writer a low rating on a novel but, there was WAY TOO MUCH romanticizing rape. There’s a big difference between ‘rough’ and rape. I just kept thinking how toxic the romance was and, how they’re back and forth fighting wore me out. The plot just wasn’t really there for me.

However, I will say the writer was fantastic in the sense of describing imagery especially in comparing England to the New World. Her descriptive writing was excellent. I did feel like I was here reading it- however not the book for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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