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Gray Eagle #5
Tender Ecstasy
Kiss of the night wind. . .Whispered kisses. . .Follow the wind. . .Each novel that Janelle Taylor writes is filled with heart-pounding passion and romantic adventure. Yet it is the compelling saga of the beautiful Alisha and her Indian lover Gray Eagle and their descendants which continues to enthrall her readers the most. . .Tender EcstasyIn a wagon train deep in Sioux territory rose Rebecca Kenny, the most ravishing woman Bright Arrow had ever seen. Her soft perfect curves were an intoxicating blend of innocence and seduction that drove him mad with desire. The hot-blooded brave had to have her--but wisdom demanded that he slay the enticing creature along with all the other white invaders. The bronze-skinned youth killed her companions--but fate commanded that he save Rebecca, capture her, torment her. . .and soar with her to the dizzying heights of blazing ecstasy!
Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1983
47 people are currently reading
298 people want to read
About the author
Janelle Taylor
101 books243 followersThe legendary Janelle Taylor was born on June 28, 1944 in Athens, GA. In 1965, she married Michael Taylor with whom she had two children, Angela Taylor-MacIntyre and Alisha Taylor Thurmond. Ms. Taylor attended the Medical College of Georgia from 1977 to 1979 and Augusta State University from 1980-1981. She withdrew from the latter after she sold her first two novels. Today, she is the author of thirty-nine novels, three novellas, and many contributions to other collections. There are thirty-nine million copies of her works in print worldwide and she has made The New York Times Bestseller List eight times. Ms. Taylor's works have also been featured ten times on the "1 million +" bestseller's list at Publisher's Weekly.
Some of Ms. Taylor's most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.
Ms. Taylor's interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor's favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.
She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.
Some of Ms. Taylor's most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.
Ms. Taylor's interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor's favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.
She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 17, 2017
This review is of “Tender Ecstasy”, book #5 in the “Ecstasy/Gray Eagle” series by Janelle Taylor.
The Story: After the prologue provides a backstory, we move into the main story. “Tender Ecstasy” begins approximately 14 years after “Bittersweet Ecstasy” ended. Bright Arrow, son of Alisha Williams/Princess Shalee and Gray Eagle, who was introduced in the prior book as a child, is now an adult and the hero of this book. While on a raid, Bright Arrow and his braves rescue Rebecca Kenny, the heroine of the book. Rebecca is the daughter of Joe Kenny, who led Alisha’s fated wagon train west, and Mary O’Hara, who was introduced in book #2, “Defiant Ecstasy”. Bright Arrow saves Rebecca from being raped by a soldier and fights and kills a Cheyenne warrior to claim her. Soon after, Rebecca and Bright Arrow become lovers, although they have differing views of their relationship.
Bright Arrow takes Rebecca to the Oglala camp, and things get even more tense as a secret about her is revealed, which exposes things which Gray Eagle, in particular, doesn’t want known. Eventually, Rebecca is allowed to stay with Bright Arrow as his slave.
Another storyline involves the Oglala’s ongoing war against whites and soldiers. On a scouting trip, Bright Arrow is captured by soldiers from a nearby fort, Fort Dakota, and Rebecca volunteers to free him; with the help of an elaborate plan hatched by Gray Eagle, she does. The plan is discovered by Lieutenant Timothy Moore, the commander of the fort, and Rebecca suffers a bit. However, in the end, Fort Dakota goes the way of Fort Pierre, Rebecca is rescued, she reunites with Bright Arrow and they are happy. For now, anyway.
Upside: All of the good qualities of Mrs. Taylor’s writing are here: the descriptive style, the emotionalism of the characters, the depth of historical research. Rebecca is a likeable and sympathetic character.
Downside: All of the worst of Mrs. Taylor’s writing is, sadly, also on display: The arrogant male characters. The physical abuse of women. Mrs. Taylor’s overuse of exclamation points! I found the writing a little shallow and the rescue of Rebecca was a little underwhelming for my tastes.
Sex: The love scenes are pretty mild here.
Violence: A few killings; both Alisha and Rebecca are slapped by male characters. The violence is not super graphic, but it’s there nonetheless.
Bottom Line: I found “Tender Ecstasy” a bit of a comedown from “Brazen Ecstasy”, but it’s still a good book.
The Story: After the prologue provides a backstory, we move into the main story. “Tender Ecstasy” begins approximately 14 years after “Bittersweet Ecstasy” ended. Bright Arrow, son of Alisha Williams/Princess Shalee and Gray Eagle, who was introduced in the prior book as a child, is now an adult and the hero of this book. While on a raid, Bright Arrow and his braves rescue Rebecca Kenny, the heroine of the book. Rebecca is the daughter of Joe Kenny, who led Alisha’s fated wagon train west, and Mary O’Hara, who was introduced in book #2, “Defiant Ecstasy”. Bright Arrow saves Rebecca from being raped by a soldier and fights and kills a Cheyenne warrior to claim her. Soon after, Rebecca and Bright Arrow become lovers, although they have differing views of their relationship.
Bright Arrow takes Rebecca to the Oglala camp, and things get even more tense as a secret about her is revealed, which exposes things which Gray Eagle, in particular, doesn’t want known. Eventually, Rebecca is allowed to stay with Bright Arrow as his slave.
Another storyline involves the Oglala’s ongoing war against whites and soldiers. On a scouting trip, Bright Arrow is captured by soldiers from a nearby fort, Fort Dakota, and Rebecca volunteers to free him; with the help of an elaborate plan hatched by Gray Eagle, she does. The plan is discovered by Lieutenant Timothy Moore, the commander of the fort, and Rebecca suffers a bit. However, in the end, Fort Dakota goes the way of Fort Pierre, Rebecca is rescued, she reunites with Bright Arrow and they are happy. For now, anyway.
Upside: All of the good qualities of Mrs. Taylor’s writing are here: the descriptive style, the emotionalism of the characters, the depth of historical research. Rebecca is a likeable and sympathetic character.
Downside: All of the worst of Mrs. Taylor’s writing is, sadly, also on display: The arrogant male characters. The physical abuse of women. Mrs. Taylor’s overuse of exclamation points! I found the writing a little shallow and the rescue of Rebecca was a little underwhelming for my tastes.
Sex: The love scenes are pretty mild here.
Violence: A few killings; both Alisha and Rebecca are slapped by male characters. The violence is not super graphic, but it’s there nonetheless.
Bottom Line: I found “Tender Ecstasy” a bit of a comedown from “Brazen Ecstasy”, but it’s still a good book.
November 20, 2014
Kinda boring compared to the first four books in the series. There's over a decade of time passed since the last book and the book is supposed to be about Gray Eagle and Shalee/Alisha's 18 year old son, Bright Arrow. He's hot, has mucho prowess and all that. While him and his homies are raiding a wagon train and almost everyone, he meets Rebecca. Their feelings for each other are pretty deep from the beginning, although he does a couple hurtful things to her in the beginning for the benefit of saving face in front of his friends.
Too much of the book was focused on his parents. I would have preferred more of it be about the new couples. Gray Eagle and Alisha had their four books and needed to step aside more in the plot.
Too much of the book was focused on his parents. I would have preferred more of it be about the new couples. Gray Eagle and Alisha had their four books and needed to step aside more in the plot.
May 29, 2020
Tender Ecstasy
“For a time, peace will rule our lands and hearts once more. I have much to live for, my lovely Grass Eyes. Perhaps it is time I learn to speak words of truce with the white man. They are many; more will come. They cannot be halted forever. There must be truce between us. Many have died and more will die unless the hatred is prevented with peace. I pray the Great Spirit will guide me on this new and dangerous path.”
“For a time, peace will rule our lands and hearts once more. I have much to live for, my lovely Grass Eyes. Perhaps it is time I learn to speak words of truce with the white man. They are many; more will come. They cannot be halted forever. There must be truce between us. Many have died and more will die unless the hatred is prevented with peace. I pray the Great Spirit will guide me on this new and dangerous path.”
October 8, 2025
Gray Eagle is a Suiox chief who married a white captive. They have a sone Bright Arrow who loves his parents and grows strong. Gray Eagle is the strongest chief and so when his son finds and falls in love with a white woman Rebecca they can't marry because she is an enemy. It's discovered Rebecca is the daughter of their good friend Joe
November 28, 2018
Started reading the first few pages and couldn't finish it because the timing was off from book 3 in the series. In book 3 the timing for conception for Rebecca would have been before Bright Arrow. Authors didn't keep track of time.
March 25, 2022
Devotion
I had a hard time putting this book down. I think this is the best in the series that I have read.The love of Rebecca and Bright Arrow was deep even with the things that happened to them
I had a hard time putting this book down. I think this is the best in the series that I have read.The love of Rebecca and Bright Arrow was deep even with the things that happened to them
June 18, 2025
Book 5 of the 9 book series
This had to be my favorite book so far out of the 9 book series. I could not put it down. It introduced a new white girl Rebecca Kenny to the Series. Love the book!
This had to be my favorite book so far out of the 9 book series. I could not put it down. It introduced a new white girl Rebecca Kenny to the Series. Love the book!
January 9, 2021
Boring. And how convenient they all speak their darkest secrets and desires out loud so the protagonist/ antagonist hear it all (faceslap).
October 2, 2022
Gray Eagle and Sin
They are all amazing and so interesting. The story is a delight and pleasure to read or even listen to...
They are all amazing and so interesting. The story is a delight and pleasure to read or even listen to...
March 13, 2014
This is the second time around for this book. I read this book the first time back in 1983 when it was first release. I loved it. I re-read and enjoyed again. Bright Arrow rescues Rebecca Kenny from being raped, but in turn, makes her his slave. A catch 22. He will fight another Indian over her to the death because the brave wants her to. He does not let on that he can speak or understand English, which makes it very interesting. They seem to fall in love but do not admit it even to themselves. This is a very good story in this series.
August 16, 2016
Fair, interesting look at a romance between an Indian and a white girl. Some unrealistic elements, such as a rape the girl enjoys; and too much dialogue but an intriguing romance nonetheless. I wish there had been a sequel.
August 11, 2020
Not that good.
April 20, 2013
This was my first ever romance novel.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews