The Flame and the Flower

Jun 02, 2010 Kat Kennedy rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-romance-romance, just-plain-bad, kat-s-book-reviews, kat-s-rants

I read this book years ago when I was a teenager. I had borrowed all the Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novels from my mother's shelf and she had stolen them from her mother. Kind of creepy, yes, but I read my grandmother's literary porn.

As a teenager I may have actually given this book three stars. I actually enjoyed reading Brandon's dominating ways and Heather's bodice-ripping adventures. Though, despite my youngish years, I still found their first encounter "disturbing" and Brandon's subsequent trea...more I read this book years ago when I was a teenager. I had borrowed all the Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novels from my mother's shelf and she had stolen them from her mother. Kind of creepy, yes, but I read my grandmother's literary porn.

As a teenager I may have actually given this book three stars. I actually enjoyed reading Brandon's dominating ways and Heather's bodice-ripping adventures. Though, despite my youngish years, I still found their first encounter "disturbing" and Brandon's subsequent treatment of Heather over the first year of their marriage as disgraceful.

I haven't read this book in a few years but I find myself continually puzzled. Granted it was the first of its kind and it spawned a new genre, but I kind of wish it hadn't.

These "alpha male" romantic heroes really get on my nerve. When dissected, they're often nothing but spoiled, selfish little bullies. The illusion that their poor behavior is because of raging lust and that once their issues with the heroine is resolved they turn into sweet puppies is actually misleading and sick.

No. Spoiled self brats continue to be spoiled selfish brats. Men who require the whole world, and their women included, to bow to their whims and serve their needs should not be romantic heroes. Men like this in real life are abusive, controlling assholes!

Maybe it's because I'm not a big fan of the Romance genre. Sure, I love romantic books - I really enjoy reading them, but I have read a select few and to me they have often seemed more like a How To Guide: How To Have Your Very Own Abusive Relationship.

And people wonder why women end up in abusive relationships when they're told that the very controlling behaviors exhibited by men in these novels are sweet and caring gestures. No. They're controlling and manipulative.

It's not just the Romance Genre though that is guilty of this. It's a sickness that has pervade other types of fiction *Glares at the Paranormal and Urban Fantasy Genre*

I would much like to read a novel where the male character is a responsible adult capable of monitoring his temper on occasion and not throwing a temper tantrum every time he doesn't get his way. I would like to read novels where the heroine isn't a victim of every situation - she's someone that takes charge of her life and sticks up for herself.

In my mind, Brandon Birmingham needs to go sit in the corner and think about what he's done.

Kathleen E. Woodiwiss can join him too.(less)

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Jun 20, 2011 Tara rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: lust-at-first-sight, pirates-of-the-burning-sea

I really don't get why people considered Kathleen E Woodiwiss to be the queen of historical romance?! I mean I have only read two of her novels and I can honestly say that she was nowhere near as good as other talented authors such as Judith Mcnaught and Laurie Mcbain. This book for instance is utter shite, full of stupid one dimensional characters with a pointless storyline that just drags on and on!!

Don't waste your precious time reading this crap, you will only be sorry!

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Mar 17, 2008 Pamela(AllHoney) rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, desert-island-keepers, hr-georgian-regency, hr-pirate-nautical, married-couple, bodice-rippers, pregnant-heroine, own, virgin-heroine, kiss-me-i-m-irish, my-5-star-romances

The first full length romance novel I read. The one that got me hooked! Heather, the heroine, is taken to London by her aunt's brother who has evil plans for the young beauty. Captain Brandon Birmingham, the hero, is an American on his last journey before settling down at his plantation home and getting married. The captain's men pick up what they believe is a prostitute but it's Heather who has run away after she believes she has killed a man. She thinks the men are the law to arrest her. I've...more

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Jul 20, 2011 Teresa Medeiros rated it 5 of 5 stars

In 1972, Kathleen E. Woodiwiss did what every writer dreams of doing—she wrote a classic novel with her very first book. The Flame and the Flower had it all—passion, conflict, adventure, drama, a setting that sweeps us from Georgian England to a plantation in the Carolinas, and unforgettable characters. She broke all the conventional rules of historical fiction by making the sexual relationship between her hero and heroine a vital component of their emotional relationship and in doing so, gave b...more

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May 15, 2010 Lady Danielle aka The Book Huntress rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: fans of old school, gentle bodice ripper romance

Shelves: historical-romance, forced-encounter, owned-copy, pregnancy, shotgun-marriage, married-couple-romance, young-innocent-heroine, sweet-heroine, heroine-i-loved, hero-redeems-himself, seafaring, bad-boy-rake-or-rogue, stalkerific-hero, baby, stalker-ex-or-wannabe-lover, bodice-ripper, antebellum-civil-war

It was nice to finally read this signature romance by a historical romance great. I quite enjoyed it. Initially, I was a bit worried, because Brandon came off as an arrogant, self-absorbed jerk. However, he really redeemed himself, showing a profound selflessness and dedication for his young wife. Yes, he did rape her. If you don't like rape in a romance, then you won't like this book, and I would not judge you. We all have our personal tastes and comfort zones. Rape is a plot device I can toler...more It was nice to finally read this signature romance by a historical romance great. I quite enjoyed it. Initially, I was a bit worried, because Brandon came off as an arrogant, self-absorbed jerk. However, he really redeemed himself, showing a profound selflessness and dedication for his young wife. Yes, he did rape her. If you don't like rape in a romance, then you won't like this book, and I would not judge you. We all have our personal tastes and comfort zones. Rape is a plot device I can tolerate, depending on the execution. My issues with Brandon were due to his blase' reaction to raping a young woman. He was willing to gloss over his action, and to keep her as his mistress since the stallion had already gotten into the barn, so to speak. He didn't apologize to her. But, we come to see that over the course of this story, Brandon does acknowledge his wrongdoing to Heather, and takes measures to do better by her in the future. He's not perfect, but he was a good man and he really did show his love for Heather as this story progressed. In fact, some of his gentleness towards Heather reminded me of a Julie Garwood hero, particularly in the scene when Heather's water has broken and he's trying to get her changed. He was exasperated with her reasoning about him turning his back while she changed, and cleaning up the water from the floor, but he remained gentle and kind with her. So, yes he did redeem himself. He showed her a lot of patience and understanding about the 'big secret' she was hiding.

Brandon is in some ways a stalkerific hero. He's very possessive, obsessed with, and jealous about Heather. He doesn't want any man near her, and was about to go crazy when the men were fawning over her at the ball they held. I found it interesting that he didn't really get too angry at his brother Jeff, even though Jeff was flirting really heavily with Heather. But, I think his love for his brother made it clear to him that this was no real threat.

The things I loved about this story:
*The love bond that grows between Heather and Brandon becomes very profound and beautiful. They showed their love physically in many scenes, and most of them are non-sexual. With gentle touches and caresses, and how thoughtful they were to each other's wellbeing and needs. I loved that most of this book doesn't involve love scenes, because we get to see the relationship between Heather and Brandon develop in a good way, and to reset the tone of their first meeting in this story. I would recommend this book to a reader who wants a good romance book showing a couple who is married. When the love scenes occur later on in the book, they are the more vague, pretty language type, if that's not your thing.
*The beautifully descriptive and atmospheric writing. Ms. Woodiwiss was a very talented writer. Her writing is gorgeous and elegant. It invokes a period feel that I really immersed myself in. I felt like I was there during many of the scenes due to her vivid writing.
*The familial and friendly interactions between the characters. Jeff is quite the character. He is funny and insightful. I liked the humor in this story.
*Very good adventure moments and a decent mystery. The murders that occur in this book were surprisingly dark, although they all occur off-screen.
*Heather is a great character. She was such a sweet, kind, gentle, innocent heroine. But she isn't one of those heroines who made my eyes roll or got on my nerves. She is timid, but strong in some ways. Nowadays, it seems as though romance fans have made authors afraid to write heroines like her. But I quite enjoyed her. She reminds me of some of Julie Garwood's loveable heroines, although she doesn't show the sustained bizarre logic that they show ( which cracks me up). This girl was a real sweetie for me.
Things I wasn't Crazy About:
*Slavery is a huge issue for this reader. I respect that some readers aren't particularly bothered by romance novels set in slavery times, but I don't care for them. I hate the idea of slavery, even if it is true that some slave-owners were kind to, and often thought of their slaves as family-members. I think Ms. Woodiwiss wanted to have a story set in the American South, but wasn't too comfortable with the connotations of slavery. She seemed to shy away from showing the ugly aspects of slavery in the interactions of Brandon with his slaves. She never even called them slaves, referring to them as servants. I won't presume to tell an author how to write, but I didn't really care for the soft-shoeing here. I'd rather she called a spade a spade, and showed Brandon as a more kindly slaveowner. That would have been more realistic for me. The Disneyland depiction of the slave plantation is a bit insulting for me as a reader. As I said, this is my personal issue. I don't judge other readers who have no quarrel with it. Having said that, this was a book set in the slavery times that didn't bother me as much as some did (soft-shoeing may have served a role in this).
*I wasn't sure if I liked the almost caricature-like depiction of some of the Black characters. I almost felt as though Ms. Woodiwiss watched Gone With the Wind, and wrote Hatti based on Mammy from Gone With the Wind. The other Black characters had almost no personality. They were shadow-figures who fetched, cleaned, and carried. It made me wince, more than a few times.
*Physical beauty=good, External ugliness=bad. I didn't really like that underlying theme here. The villain was a very ugly man, and his heart was ugly. He could have easily been really gorgeous and evil. Louisa, Brandon's scheming ex-fiance was showed as a lacking contrast to Heather, not just in poor character, but because she was large-framed, and in her thirties, and not sexually innocent like Heather. Young and firm-fleshed isn't necessarily always better than mature and buxom. A woman's value isn't necessarily in her virginity or lack of sexual experience. Louisa was very promiscuous, and she wasn't a nice person, and I didn't like her, but I don't think she should have been rejected based on her getting older. Not that Woodiwiss was saying this, but there were contrasts drawn between the two that relied heavily on physical appearance. It made me uncomfortable.

I can honestly say that I really liked this story. It took forever to read (small print, and length), but it was very readable. I loved Brandon and Heather as a couple, despite their inauspicious start. If you would like to read classic, well-done, old-School romance, this is a good place to start. Recommended if you don't mind slavery in your romances.(less)

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Sep 22, 2012 Naima rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

5 stelle perch�� riesce perfettamente a fare ci�� che ci si aspetta: la tensione sensuale ti incolla alle pagine!
Le temperature salgono e l'estate mi invita a sperimentare nuovi generi e a cimentarmi in letture pi�� leggere. E cos�� mi �� venuto subito in mente questo titolo suggeritomi da due vicine anobiane: non avevo mai letto un vero romance storico prima e quando ho saputo che questa scrittrice era niente p�� p�� di meno che l'inventrice del genere mi sono affidata alla sua penna. La prima...more

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Mar 04, 2011 Deb rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, historical

A young lady who has been raised by an abusive stepmother since the death of her parents is overjoyed when she gets a chance to leave her home and travel to London with a cousin. This lady is extraordinarily beautiful and it seems that all the males she meets immediately want to rape her, including her cousin. She manages to get away from him but is then nabbed by a couple of guys (who think she is a prositute) and taken to a ship where she is raped by the dashing captain. The rest of the book i...more

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Mar 18, 2013 Falina rated it 1 of 5 stars

Though The Flame and the Flower was published in the 1970s, which is when the Second Wave of feminism hit (or so I understand), the attitude of the author regarding the role of women in this novel more closely matches the stereotypical attitude of the 1950s. I feel that this is the type of romance novel that leads people to believe that all romance novels are anti-feminist -- it is a story with a patriarchal hero and a drooping "flower" of a heroine, who is in the end so grateful for safety and...more

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Feb 07, 2013 Carrie Carter rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Dec 13, 2012 Filza rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: dislike, frustrating

THIS REVIEW MAY HAVE SPOILERS

I really didn't want to read past their first encounter. But I thought the Hero would redeem himself somehow. I mean, he just grabs women of the street and rapes them? What the hell? But the Hero didn't redeem himself at all. =/

Although the way he treated her at first after their marriage was NOT impressive, at least he didn't rape her again (of course this was because he was trying to express his anger at what he thought of as 'blackmail'. But still). But then he...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Sammy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cheaters-suck, forced-seduction, heroine-raped, virgins-like-sex-too, bodice-ripper, angst-upon-angst, tear-jerker, historical-romance

I had read that this was one of the original bodice rippers, originally published in 1972. So imagine my surprise to find this book sitting on the shelf at my local library in the year 2012. It's 1799 and Heather is lost in the city of London after escaping a violent attack. She is taken by two men to a ship's captain and willingly goes with them, thinking them to be taking her to a law man. Little does Heather know that they are mere seamen just into port that are looking for a prostitute to ta...more I had read that this was one of the original bodice rippers, originally published in 1972. So imagine my surprise to find this book sitting on the shelf at my local library in the year 2012. It's 1799 and Heather is lost in the city of London after escaping a violent attack. She is taken by two men to a ship's captain and willingly goes with them, thinking them to be taking her to a law man. Little does Heather know that they are mere seamen just into port that are looking for a prostitute to take to their Captain to ease his needs. Well when Heather goes willingly...a "major misunderstanding" initiates a chain reaction of events. I enjoyed Woodwiss' writing style and the love story that was born of those events.

Captain Brandon was a total rake and I hated him with every fiber of my being. He was an impatient, domanearing alpha male with a short fuse of a temper. As the book progressed I grew to love him though he frustrated me as few other heros have. His stubborn attitude and ignorance led to much heartache for him and his heroine. Heather was a breath of fresh air. She was only eighteen and very naive but she was quite fiesty when necessary. Though she had lived a loveless hard life, she had a kind heart and longed to be loved. Some have complained that she had no backbone and only sought to please Brandon. But she only sought to please him in order to secure her future and not rile his temper. The love that developed between these arose from a horrible even but it developed into a deep heart wrenching love.

Though this was a historical romance, there were parts that seamed implausible to me but they didn't ruin the story. The people seamed far to openly rude for high society. Some single women seamed too eager to flaunt that they were sexually active in front of others. And there was the fact that the hero, who owned a plantation in Charleston, SC in 1800, didn't own slaves and allowed the negress that ran his home to use the term "white trash" when referring to another slave owner. Now all that being said, the story was better because people were rude and very dramatic. It would have been boring and stuffy otherwise. I'm glad that the hero refused to own slaves. It made me love him all the more.

I'll admit I've become spoiled by reading the more detailed, dare I say explicit, love scenes of the current time. I enjoyed this story enough that I wasn't bothered by its lack of detail. It was actually a refreshing change.(less)

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Oct 27, 2012 Bethany rated it 4 of 5 stars

I first read it as a teenager. I've probably read it about four or five times over the years, but not in the last fifteen. Fifteen years ago I switched from romance to mystery. I remember this being one of the best romantic novels I had read. I would put all of Kathleen Woodiwiss' books at the top of the romance pile. She's been referred to as the Queen of romance, and I feel, deservedly so. It's funny that my friend just rated this book, and it showed up on my goodreads news page, because I was...more

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Aug 04, 2012 Lena Diablo rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-fiction

I forced my way through this novel from start to end. If it hadn't been so horrifically genuine it would have been funny. Every single stupid thought you've ever heard an abused woman utter with that tragic loss of logic is in the plot of this book. From 'he rapes me but he really loves me deep down' to 'a baby will fix our marriage'. True it's written slightly better then your average two-bit rape porno but that hardly makes up for a plot that encourages the idea that raping women is a good way...more

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Mar 09, 2012 Moira & Mina Naveen rated it 5 of 5 stars

The Flame and the Flower, by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
This Is The Way A Sweeping Romance Is Done.........

Although a Lady, Heather Simmons exists as little more than a servant in her Uncle & Aunt's home after her father's death leaves her an orphan. When conniving Aunt Fanny sends her to London with her lecherous brother, Heather's freedom, and possibly her life, are forfeit, and what appears to be a cruel twist of fate thrusts Lady Heather into the arms of Captain Brandon Birmingham, a dark and...more The Flame and the Flower, by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss
This Is The Way A Sweeping Romance Is Done.........

Although a Lady, Heather Simmons exists as little more than a servant in her Uncle & Aunt's home after her father's death leaves her an orphan. When conniving Aunt Fanny sends her to London with her lecherous brother, Heather's freedom, and possibly her life, are forfeit, and what appears to be a cruel twist of fate thrusts Lady Heather into the arms of Captain Brandon Birmingham, a dark and dangerous adventurer from the Americas. This encounter sparks a chain of events that sweep Heather to the North American continent and into a love affair that is both passionate and frightening, as her own dark secret threatens her chances at keeping the happiness she discovers, and her life.

Published in 1972, The Flame and the Flower is a classic example of great romance. Kathleen E. Woodiwiss writes a searing romance within a grand, sweeping story, beginning in 1799. Woodiwiss' hero and heroine are so much more than the too-often two-dimensional characters crafted in novels meant to elicit three dimensional images in readers' minds, and the deepness of personality the author created had this Broad feasting on the story and cheering Heather and Brandon toward claiming the love before them. Delving into the thoughts of her main characters, Woodiwiss bares their fictitious souls to her audience beautifully, writing with rich, meaty language sure to satisfy those who seek a romantic adventure.

Definitely 'old-school', The Flame and the Flower delivers an alpha male all the way in Captain Birmingham, and a strong, smart heroine in Lady Heather Simmons. I stumbled across this title while reading Beyond Heaving Bosoms: The Smart Bitches' Guide to Romance Novels, by Sarah Wendell and Candy Tan. It appeared on the Bitches' top ten list, and thereby made it onto my TBR pile. I'm certainly glad it did. This Broad is daring to give all four stars today. Thank you Kathleen E. Woodiwiss for reminding me why I love romance novels so very much.(less)

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Jul 28, 2011 Deborah Ideiosepius rated it 3 of 5 stars

I read this book AGES ago; it would have been early eighties and it was one of my first historical fiction experiences. Picked up for what would be an exorbitant amount today, at a rattey second hand book shop somewhere in the middle east. I enjoyed it throughly and became quite deeply addicted to historical romance for some years as a result of this book.

I came across it on Goodreads a while ago, read the reviews, raised my eyebrows thought ‘really?’ and went off to re-read it. In review the v...more I read this book AGES ago; it would have been early eighties and it was one of my first historical fiction experiences. Picked up for what would be an exorbitant amount today, at a rattey second hand book shop somewhere in the middle east. I enjoyed it throughly and became quite deeply addicted to historical romance for some years as a result of this book.

I came across it on Goodreads a while ago, read the reviews, raised my eyebrows thought ‘really?’ and went off to re-read it. In review the various comments readers have made about it are quite interesting... and yes, many are good points however;
(view spoiler)(less)

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Dec 15, 2010 Ing rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. My Synopsis:
Heather Simmons was left penniless after the passing of her father two years ago. For two years now Heather has been living with her uncle John and aunt Fanny. She is verbally and physically abused and treated like a servant for the past two years by her aunt Fanny. William, the beloved brother of her aunt, who lives in London comes for a visit and offers to take Heather to London for a teaching position at a finishing school. The aunt who wants Heather gone agrees for Heather to acc...more My Synopsis:
Heather Simmons was left penniless after the passing of her father two years ago. For two years now Heather has been living with her uncle John and aunt Fanny. She is verbally and physically abused and treated like a servant for the past two years by her aunt Fanny. William, the beloved brother of her aunt, who lives in London comes for a visit and offers to take Heather to London for a teaching position at a finishing school. The aunt who wants Heather gone agrees for Heather to accompany her brother back to London. Heather who has been wanting to get away from this life is so excited for this opportunity and thinks this will lead to a better life for herself. Once in London it soon becomes clear that William has other ideas. Heather flees from William believing she has killed him after he attacks her. Heather ends up at the docks of London and is mistakenly thought to be a dockside whore.

Captain Brandon Birmingham and his crew has just docked in the London harbor and is in need of some entertainment. Brandon is a yankee merchant and this is his last trip to London. He plans on selling the ship. He couldn't believe his eyes when his crew brought him back, Heather. Heather loses her innocence that night to Brandon. She flees back to her aunt and uncle but realizes later that she is expecting. Heather is taken back to London by her aunt and uncle where they force Brandon to marry Heather with the help of a powerful family friend. Heather finds herself married and taken away from England to America with her new husband. Will her life be any better with her new husband in a new country?

My Thoughts:
I was curious to read this book after the reviews I read about it on Amazon. This book was published in the 70's and written by a iconic author in the romance world. I didn't know what to expect. First off be warned there is a rape scene. There is no doubt in my mind the hero rapes the heroine at the beginning of the book. Doesn't matter that he thought she was a dockside whore if a woman says no it's rape. It was an ugly scene and after the rape I wanted to basically kick Brandon's ass. He acknowledges that she was innocent but still plans to keep her for his pleasure. WTF?? I managed not to throw the book across the room. Well actually I bought this as an ebook on my Nook so I couldn't really throw that but I didn't have the urge to. :) I managed to get pass this point in the book and let me tell you I didn't have high hopes on believing that a happily ever after was plausible. Woodiwiss is a masterful writer. Not only did I believe in their happy ending, I also became invested in these two by the end of the book. Brandon is a man with a lot of pride and he hates the fact that he was forced to marry Heather. So he basically tries to be a dick to her but he can't. He takes care of her and he treats her with kid gloves. Heather is still pretty young and has had a hard life. On their journey to America they both begin to learn things about one another and start to fall in love. I liked seeing this. It was a nice slow build up of their relationship from distrust to love. Woodiwiss, allows the reader this glimpse and actually makes you a believer of this unlikely love story. It wasn't all smooth sailing but you do get slowly see something blooming. Heather didn't take crap from Brandon. I liked how she did stand up to him and gain confidence and maturity. I was so happy that the people in Brandon's home rallied around her and loved her. It was good to see her get some love. Not all though loved Heather. Brandon was engaged before going to London so the fiancee was not happy about Brandon's new wife. You can imagine she didn't take the news very well. It was nice though to see Brandon protecting Heather from his ex-fiancee. As they begin to grow and trust each other murder happens and Heather's past comes to haunt them. Their new found love will be put to the test.

I honestly liked this book. The writing was beautiful. It was your good old fashion epic stories from the days of the bodice ripper. I do recommend that people give this book a chance and pick it up. I understand it's not one for everyone but if you're willing, read it. I can't in all honesty give this book 5 pages because as much as I ended up liking it, the beginning was too much. I tried to pretend the first half of the book didn't happened. Also just a note I do not condone rape nor does rape equal romance in my book but I can appreciate a well written book and that was what this book was. (less)

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Oct 08, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: historical-romance-prior-to-wwll

Weak, obedient female. Abusive, prideful male. They each think the other doesn’t want them. Pleasant reading, but feels dated.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This was first published in 1972. I haven’t read many romance novels published before the 1980s, but this is what I would expect. The heroine wants to be loving, serving, and obedient to her husband. Most heroines in today’s romance novels are different. They are smart, independent, adventurous, and not obedient, which generally makes today’s novels mor...more Weak, obedient female. Abusive, prideful male. They each think the other doesn’t want them. Pleasant reading, but feels dated.

REVIEWER’S OPINION:
This was first published in 1972. I haven’t read many romance novels published before the 1980s, but this is what I would expect. The heroine wants to be loving, serving, and obedient to her husband. Most heroines in today’s romance novels are different. They are smart, independent, adventurous, and not obedient, which generally makes today’s novels more interesting for me. But older novels can be great. I’m thinking of Jane Eyre written in 1847 with fascinating characters – or Pride and Prejudice written in 1894. It can be done, but I found the two Woodiwiss novels I’ve read not to stand out in those ways. This book was pleasant reading, and I did NOT have the feeling of wishing it would be over. It’s a sweet story. It’s a little longer than most romance novels.

The reason I read this was because I saw it in an article. Some college professors who teach romance novel courses were interviewed. This book was assigned reading for their students. I wonder what they talked about in class, maybe the following. Lisa on Goodreads wrote: “The book that started it all. The first romance novel of the kind we know today -- rather than fading to black or moving behind a closed door, Woodiwiss included sex scenes, with minimal euphemism and a connection to the emotional development of the characters. Before the Flame and the Flower, this did not exist.” Thanks Lisa.

If this were a contemporary romance, I would complain about the lack of communication and inaccurate assumptions between the couple. A five minute honest conversation would have cleared up the main conflict for most of the book. But since the setting is 1799, I was willing to go along with it. The heroine is obedient to her husband. She has no spine and accepts his angry abuse. She is so frightened of him, that she cowers and avoids intimacy. He is emotionally cruel. He is ignorant of how his actions affect her, and he believes she does not desire him. This conflict continues for an unbelievably long period of time.

One of the novel’s settings is a plantation in the south in 1799 which included slaves. The conversations with the household “help” were pleasant and caring and did not detract from the romance story. But the mere existence of slaves (even though not talked about in the story) could have a smell that is uncomfortable for some.

STORY BRIEF:
In 1799, Heather’s repulsive uncle attempts to rape her. She accidentally kills him, then runs away and ends up on a ship. The captain of the ship, Brandon, thinks she is a prostitute and rapes her, taking her virginity. She tries to resist Brandon’s rape but not as desperately as she did when the uncle attempted rape. Brandon is very handsome after all. She is able to escape him later and returns home. When she discovers she is pregnant, a wealthy friend of the family forces Brandon to marry her. Brandon hates being forced and tells Heather she will be treated as nothing more than a servant in his home. She accepts this because she has no other options. This can’t be any worse than the life she lived as a slave to her cruel aunt. After they marry, Brandon wants to have sex with Heather, but he refuses because of his anger and pride. She wants sex and intimacy but doesn’t let him know because of her own pride.

DATA:
Story length: 484 pages. Swearing language: mild. Sexual language: mild. Number of sex scenes: 7. Total number of sex scene pages: 11. Setting: 1799 and later, England, traveling the Atlantic, and South Carolina. Copyright: 1972. Genre: historical romance.(less)

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Jul 14, 2010 Christine rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I'm afraid I didn't like either of the characters in this book. He was a jerk who RAPED her at their first encounter -- repeatedly -- and she was a mouse with no backbone. Mostly, I didn't like him. He never redeemed himself for what he did to her in any way and I have no idea why they fell in love. She'd been running from another rape attempt when she fell into his clutches, but apparently that rape attempt was not ok...because he wasn't good looking? I'm not sure what differentiated the two. O...more

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Dec 13, 2009 Laura rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book was recommended to me by a friend, so I immediately reserved it at the library. Then I actually perused some reviews. I knew starting out that this books was controversial because of the rape that takes place several times, and the further mentions of it and fear the protagonist feels.

That being said, I was interested enough to start the book. It took me a couple tries to get into the story. Right of the bat, I felt for Heather and her plight. Then she must run from one bad situation i...more This book was recommended to me by a friend, so I immediately reserved it at the library. Then I actually perused some reviews. I knew starting out that this books was controversial because of the rape that takes place several times, and the further mentions of it and fear the protagonist feels.

That being said, I was interested enough to start the book. It took me a couple tries to get into the story. Right of the bat, I felt for Heather and her plight. Then she must run from one bad situation into another into another. Because I'd read the back cover of the book, I knew that Brandon would end up the love interest, so it was difficult for me to reconcile what happened in the beginning of the story to everything that unfolds throughout the rest of the book. I never felt like he acknowledged how wrong he was, and even if he had, I'm not sure I would have liked him anyone.

It's with that in mind that I write a rather conflicted review. On the one hand, I was easily pulled into the story. I loved Heather's point of view. She seemed innocent, yet strong. She was demure, yet able to fight back when she got the gumption to. I found it quite easy to get engrossed in the Heather's life and all she had to endure. I also even started liking Brandon. I didn't want to, and I still feel somewhat disgusted with myself for liking him.

I can't ever condone rape, and the fact that it was used in a teasing manner toward the end of the book soured me into giving only 3 stars. The more I think about it, the more I feel it overshadowed the story in my mind. I'm not saying that a rape victim wouldn't then fall in love with her rapist. And, this is historical. I'm sure such situations were much more acceptable in the time setting of this story.

I feel like I shouldn't have liked this book, but I did. Would I recommend it? I'm not sure. I would have to preface my recommendation with this review. The story was well written, engaging, and full of excellent description. It was my first historical romance novel, and I will definitely read more. I even want to read the "exciting follow-up novel" to this one.(less)

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Apr 13, 2009 Lisa rated it 3 of 5 stars

The book that started it all. Anyone interested in writing romance novels (or fans of same) should read this book. It's not Woodiwiss' best, and contains a number of elements that would be considered serious taboos in today's romance novel world. However, the Flame and the Flower was the first romance novel of the kind we know today -- rather than fading to black or moving behind a closed door, Woodiwiss included sex scenes, with minimal euphemism and a connection to the emotional development of...more

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May 18, 2013 Irenejosie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, i-love-my-heroes, love-at-sea, married-by-force, love-the-love, heroines-with-babies, fighter-heroes, i-love-my-heroines, blue-collar-captain-farmer, petite-heroines

Now I know why they were called barbarians in those times. Capt. Brandon Birmingham is as excellent proof.

I only just recently discovered Ms. Woodiwiss and read The Wolf and the Dove and loved it. This is just my second Kathleen Woodiwiss read.

The story was captivating and without dull moments. Ms. Woodiwiss sure knows how to weave a tale.

Capt. Brandon Birmingham ranks up there in my most liked heroes. Sure, there were times at the beginning that his character left much to be desired but I don't...more Now I know why they were called barbarians in those times. Capt. Brandon Birmingham is as excellent proof.

I only just recently discovered Ms. Woodiwiss and read The Wolf and the Dove and loved it. This is just my second Kathleen Woodiwiss read.

The story was captivating and without dull moments. Ms. Woodiwiss sure knows how to weave a tale.

Capt. Brandon Birmingham ranks up there in my most liked heroes. Sure, there were times at the beginning that his character left much to be desired but I don't really know how the mind of men during those times (and in these times) work so it was kind of acceptable for me (Americans were often described as uncivilized before). And, anyway, he redeemed himself beautifully with his tender ways with Heather.

Heather was a splendid heroine, with the way she developed from being a girl into a woman. And you really could believe that despite of what you were made to suffer through in your earlier years, if you refuse to be a bitter person, your true colors would shine through. Despite of the abusive way she was treated by her aunt, she remained sweet and not at all aggrieved like most heroines nowadays (well, it must also be taken into consideration that this was written in the 80's where, I believe, tormented h's were not yet in fashion).

I liked the development of Brandon and Heather's relationship which, IMO, was believable due to their circumstances. It was lust at first sight for him which prospered into love even without the intimacies of marriage, and I liked that. And she overcame her fear of him which was commendable considering her youth and their first few meetings. Of course, how Brandon eventually treated her and how she was made to feel welcome by Hatti, Jeff and the others, helped. She decided upon herself to be the wife of Brandon in all sense of the word and take her rightful place beside him in their bed when she discovered her feelings for him had blossomed into love.

I felt a little disappointed with the way the story ended, though. I mean, I was happy they got their happily ever after but I would have liked for it to have had a more elaborate ending like stating if Brandon's name was cleared, what happens in the near future, etc., etc.. But I still loved the story enough to give it it's rightfully deserved 5 stars.

(less)

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Sep 03, 2010 Bhetti rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

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Jul 12, 2010 Ashley S. rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is another book I can not put down...It was the first book that ever introduced me to the historical romance world and I can read this book over and over again, never getting tired of it. Kathleen E. Woodiwiss is one of the best authors and she's also one of my favortie authors...I love her books. The main characters Heather and Brandon are funny yet deep and meaningful with their everlasting love for one another...Kathleen hits the mark each time when she talks about the complex and layere...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Valia Malkia wa vitabu rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: abusive-relationship, another-psycho, are-you-messing-with-me, bad-taste, big-asshole, big-jerk, books-everyone-loved-but-i-did-not, bottom-of-the-pile, disturbing, heroes-who-deserve-a-swift-kick-in, heroes-to-slap, fake-happy-ever-after, heroines-you-want-to-slap, meh, psycopathic-hero, too-stupid-to-live-heroine, too-boring-to-finish, this-is-not-love-it-is-slavery

SMH...If this is what romance came from,then aren't I glad that I was born after these type of books were fashionable.I usually go through romance lists to determine the 'best' books and this book is in practically all,so I finally succumbed and got some of the late Woodiwiss' books.I wish I did not.If this is how all her books are I foresee myself DNFing most.
Brandon aka A**hole aka rapist aka all things men should never be was the 'hero'(Emphasis on hero used very loosely.First,he raped her RE...more

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Jun 29, 2012 CrazyPenguinLady rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: made-me-feel-rotten

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I did not hate this book. Woodiwiss is a good writer. I really felt for the heroine. And I understand why so many people love it, and recommended it to me, and I thank them for it. I just... disagree.

I didn't like the hero's actions in the beginning, I didn't like them throughout, and my dislike deepened when he never regretted them or thought they were wrong. I hated that the heroine forgave him for everything even though he never apologized. I really don't mind the whole forced sex thing, as...more

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Oct 19, 2009 Cam rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm only about 2 chapters in and the innocent heroine Heather who was too naive to realize her cousin for the lecherous toad that he was escapes from his attempted rape only to be mistaken for a high class whore and raped by the 'hero' Brandon. Really? It doesn't matter that she went from being raped by a fat relative to a hot pirate, she was still raped and he doesn't even show remorse- only mildly intrigued. Now he wants to 'keep' her as his mistress because she's "too much of a prize to let g...more I'm only about 2 chapters in and the innocent heroine Heather who was too naive to realize her cousin for the lecherous toad that he was escapes from his attempted rape only to be mistaken for a high class whore and raped by the 'hero' Brandon. Really? It doesn't matter that she went from being raped by a fat relative to a hot pirate, she was still raped and he doesn't even show remorse- only mildly intrigued. Now he wants to 'keep' her as his mistress because she's "too much of a prize to let go". He's got a LOT of making up to do in the rest of this novel.

* a little past half of the novel* I guess Woodwiss had Brandon suffer for his unapologetic rape at the beginning by not getting any on a ship for about 3 months while being tortured with Heather's (often half-clad) body in close proximity. Though I appreciate the restraint of his not touching her it wasn't because he was sorry for what he did at the beginning, in fact it seems he thought that well justified seeing as they "just got to port" that day and was impliedly very horny, he didn't touch her out of pride because he yelled that he wouldn't. He wouldn't because he was blackmailed into marriage she would be treated no more than a servant -although his actions are very much to the contrary.

The development of his feelings for Heather is plain for the readers to see which is lovely but Brandon is confused and sexually frustrated to see it lol

The internal dialogue throws me off a couple of seconds whenever I come across one since they're not italicized as is usual but other than that the writing is quite good and I can't help but want to read more.

Brandon's he-man attitude is irritating though and he often forgets his wife's condition and how she got like than in the first place, he might not hit women but his words are often cutting and insensitive; one of the hardest heroes to like that I've ever come across.

**finished**

Ok, I get why it's a romance classic, though Woodwiss did take a risk there by having the hero rape the heroine in the first few pages. Luckily I wanted to see Brandon redeem himself and that he did. I'm not sure but I think the language and dialogue got more flowery towards the end, which was a little corny but understandable considering when it was written and the setting of the period.

4 1/2 stars.(less)

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Jan 23, 2011 adventurat rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: nobody at all, ever

Shelves: library-book, e-book, 2011, historical, romance, fiction

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is generally acknowledged as the very first sexed-up historical romance ever published, the book that begat an entire sub-genre and made Katherine E. Woodiwiss a household name. It's the original Old-Skool romance, and bears all the hallmarks of it: the characters are cardboard cutouts who move through the scenery, behaving in ways dictated by the demands of the plot; the hero is an alpha male (aka "complete jerk"), the heroine is spiritless, cowardly, and submissive, but is possessed...more

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Sep 16, 2009 Amanda Westmont rated it 4 of 5 stars

I would give this book five stars, but it had two things that bugged me: 1) HEAD HOPPING!* and 2) it was too long by about 30%. But it was basically the first historical romance ever written and it's FANTASTIC.

Head hopping happened on almost every page, sometimes within single paragraphs. Most people don't notice it (Hello Lonesome Dove!) but I really like SOME kind of an indication, be it an extra line break or a new chapter, to indicate which characters' thoughts I'm currently reading. Woodiwi...more

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Nov 08, 2012 Julie (Mom2lnb) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Fans of "Old-School" Historical Romance

Shelves: historical-romance, read-2012

Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" For years, I had no intention of reading The Flame and the Flower because of its infamous rape scene. The hero raping the heroine simply isn't my cup of tea, and I really didn't think I could enjoy a romance in which this happens. After reading numerous reviews, I finally convinced myself to give it a shot for three reasons. The first, and probably most important reason, is that I'm a huge fan of romance and am pretty well-read in the genre, and recently, have...more Reviewed for THC Reviews
"3.5 stars" For years, I had no intention of reading The Flame and the Flower because of its infamous rape scene. The hero raping the heroine simply isn't my cup of tea, and I really didn't think I could enjoy a romance in which this happens. After reading numerous reviews, I finally convinced myself to give it a shot for three reasons. The first, and probably most important reason, is that I'm a huge fan of romance and am pretty well-read in the genre, and recently, have taken up writing romance too. The Flame and the Flower is considered to be the book that birthed the modern romance novel, so I didn't feel that I could call myself a true fan without reading the book that started it all. Second, I've read other books by Kathleen Woodiwiss that I've enjoyed, including one that is still in my top 20 all-time favorites. And last, but not least, I hate to read series books out of order, and since I was interested in the other books in the Birmingham Family series, I wanted to start from the beginning. In the end, The Flame and the Flower left me with mixed feelings. I didn't hate it, but neither did I love it like so many other romance fans do. It was a very readable book, more so than many others I've tried, and aside from showing its age a bit in both style and content, it was a fairly entertaining read. However, the whole rape scene kind of left a bad taste in my mouth, and the memory of it haunted me throughout, essentially marring the better parts of the book. If this had not been a factor, I can honestly say that I would have really enjoyed it and probably could have placed it on my keeper list.

I'll start by getting the bad stuff out of the way up front with my analysis of the rape. It all started with a case of mistaken identity. Brandon believes that Heather is a common street walker. A part of me wanted Heather to speak up sooner and disabuse him of that notion, but I realized that the poor girl was probably in shock from the near rape she had just experienced at the hand's of her aunt's evil brother and thinking that she had accidentally killed him. Therefore, she most likely wasn't thinking too clearly. I'm not sure Brandon would have believed her anyway. She did fight back and say “no,” but he seemed to think she was playing a game with him. In my mind, no means no, and there is never any good excuse for a man to force himself on a woman. However, with all the complications and misunderstandings abounding, I might have been able to forgive Brandon for the initial rape, but when he realized Heather was a virgin and she finally did explain how she came to be on the street and that she wasn't a prostitute, he should have stopped, apologized profusely, and given her compensation beyond the added insult of offering to make her his mistress. Instead he proceeds to rape her two more times and undoubtedly, would have done more if she hadn't escaped. He all but said he was going to hold her captive and continue to rape her until she enjoyed it, which only served to make me want to throttle the guy. Also having this happen right after the aunt's brother tried to rape Heather makes it somehow seem that just because Brandon is attractive and the other guy wasn't it was OK. Rape is never sexy nor romantic in any way no matter who the perpetrator is. Even the characters themselves don't deny that it was rape, but once they start to fall in love, they tend to treat it in a rather blasé manner which I found to be somewhat insulting to women who have been through this kind of trauma. This is just my take on it though, but it is also the reason that this one scene, which occurred in Chapter 1, cast a pall over the rest of the novel.

As you can probably tell from the above paragraph, Brandon begins the story as an insufferably arrogant jerk who seems to think he's God's gift to women. In my opinion, he's anything but a gentleman and doesn't have a clue how to treat a lady with respect. He laments the fact that he doesn't feel loving or possessive toward his fiancée in the way that a man who is about to be married should, but when Heather stirs those feelings in him, he takes it way too far. Brandon is a complete hypocrite, who whines about being forced to marry Heather when she becomes pregnant with his child, but never once considers her feelings in the matter, nor the fact that he got himself into this mess by forcing her to have sex with him. He then proceeds to punish her for the whole situation and constantly mock her with his demeaning smiles and laughter, which made me want to smack the jerk upside the head. Once married, he occasionally does something kind toward Heather, but then turns right around and negates it by doing or saying something vicious. This man has a jealous streak a mile wide and a serious case of passive/aggressive behavior. He constantly blows hot and cold, or perhaps I should say warm and cold, since he rarely rises much beyond an icy demeanor during the first half of the book. He is also a chauvinist who seems to think women are the ones responsible for inflaming men's passions, rather than being accountable for his own actions. He can be cruel and selfish, rarely considering Heather's needs and feelings. Granted, there's something to be said for Brandon not forcing himself on Heather again once they're married, even though it was considered to be his right as a husband, but he certainly spends a lot of time considering the possibility. I can also give him credit for nursing Heather while she was sick (although his boorish behavior is what caused it in the first place), and I think this was the turning point in their relationship. Once they arrive in America, he also defends her against Louisa's attacks, both physically and verbally, never allowing the potentially embarrassing truth of her getting pregnant out of wedlock to come out. From that point on, Brandon gradually began to soften, although he still had some blustery moments that hurt Heather's feelings. When he realizes he's falling in love with her (about 3/4 of the way in), he finally settles down to become a much more ideal hero. I can't say that I truly understood why he fell in love with Heather and started treating her better, as he doesn't really have any major epiphanies, but I am very glad that he eventually became a nicer person. I'm also glad that he never cheated on her. However, just when I thought things were getting better, Brandon flew into a fit of jealousy over Heather dancing with other men at a ball they were hosting. Afterward he demands his husbandly rights and threatens to rape Heather again if she doesn't submit willingly, which isn't my idea of effective foreplay. Heather initially got a little ticked, and rightly so, by his dominance and unwillingness to show her any love or tenderness, but then almost immediately did an about face and decided it was turning her on. The ensuing love scene itself was fine (thankfully no more rape), but knowing how they got there, cast a pall over it too. The bottom line: If Brandon had been the hero he was during the latter half of the book (minus the alpha posturing for sex) right from the beginning, he could have easily made my favorite romance heroes list, but with him being a big, fat jerk for a large part of the story, he'll never be a favorite with me like he is with many other fans.

Heather was not as much of a shrinking violet as I expected her to be. In fact, she was a pretty strong young woman for her age, who had lost her parents early and was living with an aunt and uncle. The aunt treated her no better than a servant, so essentially she was a Cinderella-type heroine. In some ways, she was a product of her time, often meekly following others, but in reality, she had few other options for survival. Underneath it all though, she showed some spunk. I'm actually glad that Heather escaped from Brandon after the rape, even though I knew it wouldn't last. After they were married, I loved that she fought back against Brandon's callousness and him ordering her around and called him for what he was, a rapist. She even had a few other choice words for him, which were exactly what I'd been thinking. If I were Heather, I don't believe I'd have been worried when she thought Brandon had left her at the inn. To the contrary, I'd have been relieved. For her to think she couldn't go back to her father's friends for help seemed a little ridiculous to me, since they obviously cared for her like a daughter. At least some of the time, she stood up for herself, and spoke the truth, but of course, every time she did, Brandon complained about her waspish tongue and acted like she the one who was always wrong, then proceeded to punish her in some way. Much like Brandon, I'm not sure why Heather fell in love with him, except that he gradually begins to treat her better. Since there isn't much deep POV to speak of, it's more like a magical thing that just happened to her. The reader gradually sees her becoming more possessive and jealous toward Brandon, until she simply loves him and wants to be a wife to him in every way. The bottom line: Heather weathered through all the bad things that happened to her like a trooper, and in many ways, deserved better than the guy she ended up with, but if she's happy...[shrug]

As for secondary characters, the bad guys, William Court, Thomas Hint, and Brandon's ex-fiancée, Louisa, were all really bad and in the end, paid the price for their evil deeds. The good guys helped to off-set Brandon's temperamental nature. Early in the story there was a young man from Heather's village, Henry, who was vying for her affections. Of course, Heather conveniently didn't love him, but neither did she love Brandon at the time. Henry, however, was so sweet and so blinded by his love for Heather that I couldn't help wondering if he might not have understood about the rape and married her anyway if she'd had the courage to tell him. In the end, I wasn't quite sure what purpose Henry served, since he got left out in the cold. He did make an impression on me though, and in spite of the fact that he never would have been able to give Heather the material things that Brandon could, he certainly was a lot nicer. Brandon's housekeeper, Hattie, was essentially the stereotypical black servant in the old South, except that she nor any of his other servants were referred to as slaves. She was a kind, caring mother hen, always doting on Heather and the baby and not afraid to give Brandon a piece of her mind when he deserved it. Last, but not least, was Brandon's brother, Jeff, who was a real Southern gentleman. He's an easy-going guy who could teach his brother a thing or two about manners and sometimes tried. Jeff became an instant ally for Heather, occasionally goading Brandon into taking more responsibility for her and her well-being, as well as prodding him with a bit of jealousy to get him to realize what a wonderful woman he had. I liked Jeff a whole lot more than Brandon and think he'll make a great hero, so I'm really looking forward to reading his stories. He appears in two novellas, The Kiss, and Beyond the Kiss, as well as the full-length novel, A Season Beyond a Kiss.

As a study in the history of the romance novel, The Flame and the Flower was an interesting read. The author does underscore the lack of choices for women in that era. Heather was first at the mercy of her abusive aunt, then nearly raped by the aunt's brother, who lured her away by devious means, then actually raped by Brandon, who seemed to think he could have Heather just because she was a woman all alone in the world. To top it all off, she was forced to wed her rapist, because she became pregnant. It certainly sounds like a potentially realistic scenario for those times, but I'm sure that most women who found themselves in such an untenable position never experienced the happy ending that Heather did, which is, of course, what makes it romance rather than real-life. Brandon was a typical man's man of the era, and so also something of a product of the times, but still, I didn't feel he was justified in forcing himself on a woman just because he was lonely and found her beautiful. He would have had to do a whole lot of groveling to make up for what he did, but of course, he never truly shows any genuine remorse. Even if he had, it still might not have been enough to make me like him, but it certainly would have helped. The novel had some slow places, but overall, it held my attention pretty well. Although I thought the book showed some of the greenness in Ms. Woodiwiss' style (it was her first novel), The Flame and the Flower is classic Kathleen Woodiwiss and she is a good storyteller. Overall, it was worth the read. It just wasn't entirely my cup of tea.(less)

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Jun 29, 2010 Christine rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: kiss-me-now-you-fool

What I learned from this book: 1. rape is ok if you're a hot, sensuous man. 2. beauty= good, ugly= bad

I am reading my way through Romance Readers Top 100 and I finished Shanna first and then The Flame and the Flower. I really enjoyed Shanna's story, protagonists and flowery language. I read The Flame and the Flower next and am frankly mystified as to why it holds such a special place in so many readers hearts. Is is because it was one of the first romance novels you read?

My principal misgiving...more What I learned from this book: 1. rape is ok if you're a hot, sensuous man. 2. beauty= good, ugly= bad

I am reading my way through Romance Readers Top 100 and I finished Shanna first and then The Flame and the Flower. I really enjoyed Shanna's story, protagonists and flowery language. I read The Flame and the Flower next and am frankly mystified as to why it holds such a special place in so many readers hearts. Is is because it was one of the first romance novels you read?

My principal misgiving about the book will be pretty obvious: The hero's repeated rape of the heroine in the beginning of the book. Not just the rape, but his cavalier attitude about it. Literally *laughing* in her face after learning about the terrible mistake that brought her to him and telling her to face the reality, the harms been done, now she'll have to be his mistress, time for some more rape, but don't worry baby you'll get used to it, btw don't attempt to leave because now you're my prisoner. Then when he gets called out on his actions and has to marry her he verbally abuses her and rails, "i have a fiance! what am i supposed to tell her?!" Seriously?

Not once throughout the book does he evince any sort of remorse for his heinous treatment of her in the beginning. Yeah, sure, they fall in love and his promises that she would eventually beg for it from him come true, and he lavishes affection on her, great. Besides realizing that he could, gulp, love a 'slip of a girl' his character doesn't really grow in my opinion. He spends the first half of the book being such a jerk that I hoped she would run off with the brother. Finally, hero and heroine start having sex and everything is great between them. I've actually been sucked in at this point and am manipulated into being happy for them. But wait--- now there's a crazy rapist/ murderer on the loose. Unlike our hero he's evil because he's disgustingly ugly (also he kills people). Evil guy tries to rape/kill our heroine and the hero saves her.

HEA ruined by this interchange 3 pages from the end: "If you had killed Mr. Court, do you think I would have blamed you? My Lord, the man deserved it!" (interesting... so HE deserves to die for wanting to rape her, but it's ok for the hero to rape her) After this follows a revelation about "Lady Cabot's" and some chuckles about what it would have been like had she worked at the brothel. Still the worst is yet to come---
"I'm glad that bastard who thought of putting you there met his end. Otherwise I might be tempted to go back and wring his blasted neck. He got what he deserved for trying to rape you."
She looked at him slyly. "You were the one who raped me. What were your just desserts?"
He grinned leisurely. "I received my just rewards when I had to marry a cocky wench like you."

Nice. Not only does he never feel any remorse, or apologize, but the whole thing is a joke by the end?!

On a side note I also find it really obnoxious how Louisa is compared to Heather and found lacking, not so much in character, but in physical beauty which REFLECTS that lack of character. There are countless examples in the book, the most annoying of which I found to be when Louisa barges in on the happy couple while Heather's top is undone because she was just breast-feeding her son. Brandon's reaction to this is to remember how Louisa's boobs are getting saggy cuz she's so old and how she's nowhere near as hot as Heather so where does she get off with that attitude? Good thing you're into raping nubile teenagers Brandon, or else you might be shackled into marriage with someone only 3 years younger than you!

I'm not trying to attack some people's favorite author, but I sincerely want to know *why* this book is so beloved.

(less)

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