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Silk Trilogy #1
Silk and Shadows
From the New York Times bestselling author—a classic love story that has become one of her most beloved and acclaimed historical romances...
He called himself Peregrine, and like the falcon he was wild and free. He was superbly handsome, fabulously wealthy, overwhelmingly seductive. He cut a dazzling swath through Victorian London—and wove a web of desire around beautiful and proud Lady Sara St. James, pledged to wed another man.
In Peregrine's arms Sara learned the meaning of forbidden passion—and forbidding mystery. Only the burning power of love could pierce Peregrine's chilling silence about his secret past and hidden purpose...as Sara plunged into a whirlpool of yearning and uncertainty with a man who was everything a woman could want or fear...
He called himself Peregrine, and like the falcon he was wild and free. He was superbly handsome, fabulously wealthy, overwhelmingly seductive. He cut a dazzling swath through Victorian London—and wove a web of desire around beautiful and proud Lady Sara St. James, pledged to wed another man.
In Peregrine's arms Sara learned the meaning of forbidden passion—and forbidding mystery. Only the burning power of love could pierce Peregrine's chilling silence about his secret past and hidden purpose...as Sara plunged into a whirlpool of yearning and uncertainty with a man who was everything a woman could want or fear...
419 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1991
1005 people are currently reading
1789 people want to read
About the author
Mary Jo Putney
160 books2,249 followersShe writes young adult fiction as M.J. Putney.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
Mary Jo Putney was born on 1946 in Upstate New York with a reading addiction, a condition for which there is no known cure. After earning degrees in English Literature and Industrial Design at Syracuse University, she did various forms of design work in California and England before inertia took over in Baltimore, Maryland, where she has lived very comfortably ever since.
While becoming a novelist was her ultimate fantasy, it never occurred to her that writing was an achievable goal until she acquired a computer for other purposes. When the realization hit that a computer was the ultimate writing tool, she charged merrily into her first book with an ignorance that illustrates the adage that fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
Fortune sometimes favors the foolish and her first book sold quickly, thereby changing her life forever, in most ways for the better. (“But why didn't anyone tell me that writing would change the way one reads?”) Like a lemming over a cliff, she gave up her freelance graphic design business to become a full-time writer as soon as possible.
Since 1987, Ms. Putney has published twenty-nine books and counting. Her stories are noted for psychological depth and unusual subject matter such as alcoholism, death and dying, and domestic abuse. She has made all of the national bestseller lists including the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USAToday, and Publishers Weekly. Five of her books have been named among the year’s top five romances by The Library Journal. The Spiral Path and Stolen Magic were chosen as one of Top Ten romances of their years by Booklist, published by the American Library Association.
A nine-time finalist for the Romance Writers of America RITA, she has won RITAs for Dancing on the Wind and The Rake and the Reformer and is on the RWA Honor Roll for bestselling authors. She has been awarded two Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards, four NJRW Golden Leaf awards, plus the NJRW career achievement award for historical romance. Though most of her books have been historical, she has also published three contemporary romances. The Marriage Spell will be out in June 2006 in hardcover, and Stolen Magic (written as M. J. Putney) will be released in July 2006.
Ms. Putney says that not least among the blessings of a full-time writing career is that one almost never has to wear pantyhose.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 255 reviews
February 14, 2016
It's been many years since I read this book. After I started my "relationship" with Kindle, I have downloaded this book remembering that I really liked the book when I was but a young girl. I have recommended the book to a few GR friends as one of my favorites from Mary Jo Putney but had never re-read it until tonight. And I am finally writing a proper review for it.
After paging through a few "new" regency novels, all with glowing ratings and written in the past 5 years, I got really tired of all the fluffiness and all the strong heroines who think acting irresponsibly and childishly translates into courage. In my desperation, I finally opened this book, many years later since my last read of the book.
I have always thought, that Putney has a heavy hand. I cannot vouch for her newer books since I have not read them. But her older books, like The Fallen Angel series and The Silk Trilogy, are all heavyweight romance and suspense novels. I always finish her books with a full but relatively heavy heart. She writes often about suffering and the struggles of her characters and their revelation of finding peace and love. One does not enjoy a Putney novel. One endures and prevails a Putney novel, if that makes sense at all.
Since I loved Silk and Shadow in my youth, I am familiar with the story (multiple rereads). The villain and all the conversations with secondary characters who are not central to the romance but had to happen to make this rich story possible are all familiar to me. I have read about them multiple times and did not need to re-read to remember them. I imagine with the little time I have nowadays for reading, I would not have had the patience for all these suspense plots if I had to read it for the first time.
The central plot is simple: vengeful hero returned after 20 years, finally prepared to take down his enemy, met his most worthy opponent to date, a particular woman who would not back down from letting him surrender his soul to the devil for another's crimes. There is no need to recount the plot. I think what makes this book is fantastic characterization and a particular quest of love which really resonates with me.
Putney created Mikahl and Sara, darkness and light, unrest and peace, these two characters are exactly the opposites on the surface. What they have in common is pains, but you will have to read the book to find out exactly what. They are just alive in this book. Multi-layered and complicated characters. I can't describe them better than this feeble attempt. Suffice it to say, I love the depth of these 2 characters. There aren't so many characters which deserve the word "depth".
Every time I read a book which I end up giving 5 stars, I always wonder, what exactly in the story managed to strike a chord in me? There appears to be no patterns. I have given 5 stars to books with great ratings and books with less than flattering ratings. And when I was almost done with this reread, it hit me. I think I know now what calls to me in these books.
It is the struggle of coming to terms with oneself, in particular, in love.
I have always known that I have a strong affinity to the darker emotions of the human psyche. A Cinderella story, as sweet as it may be, holds very little charm and fascination for me. I get easily bored with sex, quick attraction, and "I love you" in romance stories. What I do respond to, is the need to give up so that you may gain, to let go so that something may be kept. This is how I have known love. A final showdown of selves. How much are you willing to let go, for a chance at love? This internal struggle between what we think we want to do and what we really want to do. In this sense, love is in its ugliest moment. It forces you to give up when you are so close to your goal, to forgive when your heart burns with disappointment, and sometimes, to walk away when you desperately want to stay.
If I look at all my 5 stars reviews, many of them share this theme, this coming to terms with oneself in love, a reckoning in the last hour: just how far will you go, for a glimpse of love? Mikahl and Sara spoke to me as characters in this book, because both of them had to make a journey of faith. A faith in one's principles, a faith in self-worth, and a faith in going all out for love.
I think Putney excels at building complicated characters and a rich background for the story. Her weakness, appears to be the conversations. Sometimes the characters say the most bizarre things and sometimes the turns of conversations are ill-prepared. But I usually find the writing great. I love her imagery and her ability to build characters and give them a deserving story. This book is no exception. Great proses, vivid imagery, complicated characters and rich background. It does not get much better than this. I feel the conversations are sometimes a bit off, too rational and almost "academic" at times, which definitely has a negative impact on making this book an emotional read, the emotional flow was interrupted because of the awkward conversations. But the book spoke to me. I appreciate Mikahl and Sara's journey and am glad to find that l still love the story today.
After paging through a few "new" regency novels, all with glowing ratings and written in the past 5 years, I got really tired of all the fluffiness and all the strong heroines who think acting irresponsibly and childishly translates into courage. In my desperation, I finally opened this book, many years later since my last read of the book.
I have always thought, that Putney has a heavy hand. I cannot vouch for her newer books since I have not read them. But her older books, like The Fallen Angel series and The Silk Trilogy, are all heavyweight romance and suspense novels. I always finish her books with a full but relatively heavy heart. She writes often about suffering and the struggles of her characters and their revelation of finding peace and love. One does not enjoy a Putney novel. One endures and prevails a Putney novel, if that makes sense at all.
Since I loved Silk and Shadow in my youth, I am familiar with the story (multiple rereads). The villain and all the conversations with secondary characters who are not central to the romance but had to happen to make this rich story possible are all familiar to me. I have read about them multiple times and did not need to re-read to remember them. I imagine with the little time I have nowadays for reading, I would not have had the patience for all these suspense plots if I had to read it for the first time.
The central plot is simple: vengeful hero returned after 20 years, finally prepared to take down his enemy, met his most worthy opponent to date, a particular woman who would not back down from letting him surrender his soul to the devil for another's crimes. There is no need to recount the plot. I think what makes this book is fantastic characterization and a particular quest of love which really resonates with me.
Putney created Mikahl and Sara, darkness and light, unrest and peace, these two characters are exactly the opposites on the surface. What they have in common is pains, but you will have to read the book to find out exactly what. They are just alive in this book. Multi-layered and complicated characters. I can't describe them better than this feeble attempt. Suffice it to say, I love the depth of these 2 characters. There aren't so many characters which deserve the word "depth".
Every time I read a book which I end up giving 5 stars, I always wonder, what exactly in the story managed to strike a chord in me? There appears to be no patterns. I have given 5 stars to books with great ratings and books with less than flattering ratings. And when I was almost done with this reread, it hit me. I think I know now what calls to me in these books.
It is the struggle of coming to terms with oneself, in particular, in love.
I have always known that I have a strong affinity to the darker emotions of the human psyche. A Cinderella story, as sweet as it may be, holds very little charm and fascination for me. I get easily bored with sex, quick attraction, and "I love you" in romance stories. What I do respond to, is the need to give up so that you may gain, to let go so that something may be kept. This is how I have known love. A final showdown of selves. How much are you willing to let go, for a chance at love? This internal struggle between what we think we want to do and what we really want to do. In this sense, love is in its ugliest moment. It forces you to give up when you are so close to your goal, to forgive when your heart burns with disappointment, and sometimes, to walk away when you desperately want to stay.
If I look at all my 5 stars reviews, many of them share this theme, this coming to terms with oneself in love, a reckoning in the last hour: just how far will you go, for a glimpse of love? Mikahl and Sara spoke to me as characters in this book, because both of them had to make a journey of faith. A faith in one's principles, a faith in self-worth, and a faith in going all out for love.
I think Putney excels at building complicated characters and a rich background for the story. Her weakness, appears to be the conversations. Sometimes the characters say the most bizarre things and sometimes the turns of conversations are ill-prepared. But I usually find the writing great. I love her imagery and her ability to build characters and give them a deserving story. This book is no exception. Great proses, vivid imagery, complicated characters and rich background. It does not get much better than this. I feel the conversations are sometimes a bit off, too rational and almost "academic" at times, which definitely has a negative impact on making this book an emotional read, the emotional flow was interrupted because of the awkward conversations. But the book spoke to me. I appreciate Mikahl and Sara's journey and am glad to find that l still love the story today.
Read
July 22, 2019Let's just say this: I normally really enjoy MJP and this book has not aged well.
Trigger warnings for this review.
I think revenge narratives in romance are inherently difficult - for all the Count of Monte Cristo is a sexy motherfucker he destroys literally everything and everyone around him for reasons that become increasingly detached from, and have never been justified by, the reality of his own suffering. Don't get me wrong, I love that book, but it it's not ... y'know ... *romantic*. Although I suppose pulling someone back from the brink of such intense destruction through the power of wuv is ... potentially romantic? If you're into that kind of thing. Which might explain the apparent popularity of revenge narratives in romance.
Anyway, this one doesn't work for me. Like, at all ever. No thank you. Do not pass Go. Do not collect £200.
It's one of those "terrible things happen to the hero in the Middle East and now he is rich and powerful and everyone gonna pay" type affairs. And the Middle East is all slaves and decadence and legit paedophilia, which feels ... how can I put this without getting out of my lane... kind of an inappropriate way to portray another culture? Oh, and the hero turns out to be secretly white all along a la The Sheik. Why are we still doing this?
Let's not even touch upon his ... borderline? rape of the heroine at her own engagement party.
And the villain. God help us all, the villain is a misogynistic sociopathic bisexual paedophile who owns a bunch of brothels. Brothels that offer BDSM and same-sex interactions. OH AND ALSO BROTHELS WHERE THEY KIDNAP UNDERAGE VIRGINS AND LET YOU BONK THEM WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. And I can't tell you how much it itches my feet that KIDNAPPING UNDERAGE VIRGINS FOR NON-CONSENSUAL SEX is basically presented as equal in depravity to consensual BDSM and queerness.
And, obviously, obviously, it's difficult to talk about "bisexuality" when it comes to historical characters because the concept didn't exist. And even in the modern world there exists a distinction in identity between "falls in love with someone of the same gender-identity as you" and "will sexually abuse people of any gender because sexual abuse is about power not about sex." And I think there's a case to be made that the villain isn't bisexual per se, so much as an equal opportunities abuser. And it's very clear his rape of the hero (which happened when the hero was young and in the Middle East) was about power, rather than desire.
But, y'know. Do we have to? Do we have to do this thing where the queer-coded character is literally monstrous in every possible respect? Do we have to directly equate queerness with rape, paedophilia, misogyny and sociopathy? Looking at it as generously as I can, I guess the argument for piling vices on the villain serves to justify the hero's need to destroy him. Because an obsession with destroying someone is not really a sexy, romantic, or appealing trait, and I think having the villain be so across-the-board terrible to literally everyone in the whole world was meant to level out the inherent selfishness of revenge. Yes, it is definitely not okay to sexually abuse someone as a child, but it's also not okay to set out to ruin someone's life until they kill themselves. And I guess the only way to make this remotely acceptable was to engineer a situation where the villain's eventual demise following the actions of the hero was a net social good, above and beyond Peregrine's personal need for revenge.
I'm also not super okay with the bit where the villain takes the hero to what the text calls a "homosexual brothel" (despite the fact that the first recorded use of the word homosexual is in 1891 and the book is set in 1839 - come onnnnnnnnn, at least research us before you other us). The chapter is sort of the hero's POV but the scene nevertheless felt like it was being presented as some kind of ... queer freakshow for the eyebrow raising of a presumed heterosexual audience. There's a sham-marriage which I understand was a thing in the 17th and 18th century - and the text is quick to point out that the bride is strapping and mustachioed, and the groom is shorter. Because LOL or something. Also the hero spends the entire couple of paragraphs we spend here being utterly disgusted, "his skin crawling", "controlling his distaste" etc. and at one point some perfectly innocent queer boy touches his arm and he freaks the flip out and sends him running for cover.
Now, I think this is partially meant to be about hero's history of sexual abuse at the hands of the (male) villain. But Peregrine doesn't have *generalised* sexual distaste/fear. He visits a BDSM brothel earlier and is perfectly civil to the local dominatrix, despite the fact that, it's more than strongly implied, the villain is actively sadistic in the sexual pleasures he takes.
So it just feels like the text is telling me the queer people are freaky and weird, inherently disgusting, and also, ps, by the way literal paedophiles. It's possible I am overreacting and reading ungenerously, but ... well. I found this book genuinely hard to get through. At worst, I felt it thought I was gross. At best, that it had no concept of a world in which I existed.
I liked the heroine, though. She deserved better than Peregrine.
Trigger warnings for this review.
I think revenge narratives in romance are inherently difficult - for all the Count of Monte Cristo is a sexy motherfucker he destroys literally everything and everyone around him for reasons that become increasingly detached from, and have never been justified by, the reality of his own suffering. Don't get me wrong, I love that book, but it it's not ... y'know ... *romantic*. Although I suppose pulling someone back from the brink of such intense destruction through the power of wuv is ... potentially romantic? If you're into that kind of thing. Which might explain the apparent popularity of revenge narratives in romance.
Anyway, this one doesn't work for me. Like, at all ever. No thank you. Do not pass Go. Do not collect £200.
It's one of those "terrible things happen to the hero in the Middle East and now he is rich and powerful and everyone gonna pay" type affairs. And the Middle East is all slaves and decadence and legit paedophilia, which feels ... how can I put this without getting out of my lane... kind of an inappropriate way to portray another culture? Oh, and the hero turns out to be secretly white all along a la The Sheik. Why are we still doing this?
Let's not even touch upon his ... borderline? rape of the heroine at her own engagement party.
And the villain. God help us all, the villain is a misogynistic sociopathic bisexual paedophile who owns a bunch of brothels. Brothels that offer BDSM and same-sex interactions. OH AND ALSO BROTHELS WHERE THEY KIDNAP UNDERAGE VIRGINS AND LET YOU BONK THEM WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT. And I can't tell you how much it itches my feet that KIDNAPPING UNDERAGE VIRGINS FOR NON-CONSENSUAL SEX is basically presented as equal in depravity to consensual BDSM and queerness.
And, obviously, obviously, it's difficult to talk about "bisexuality" when it comes to historical characters because the concept didn't exist. And even in the modern world there exists a distinction in identity between "falls in love with someone of the same gender-identity as you" and "will sexually abuse people of any gender because sexual abuse is about power not about sex." And I think there's a case to be made that the villain isn't bisexual per se, so much as an equal opportunities abuser. And it's very clear his rape of the hero (which happened when the hero was young and in the Middle East) was about power, rather than desire.
But, y'know. Do we have to? Do we have to do this thing where the queer-coded character is literally monstrous in every possible respect? Do we have to directly equate queerness with rape, paedophilia, misogyny and sociopathy? Looking at it as generously as I can, I guess the argument for piling vices on the villain serves to justify the hero's need to destroy him. Because an obsession with destroying someone is not really a sexy, romantic, or appealing trait, and I think having the villain be so across-the-board terrible to literally everyone in the whole world was meant to level out the inherent selfishness of revenge. Yes, it is definitely not okay to sexually abuse someone as a child, but it's also not okay to set out to ruin someone's life until they kill themselves. And I guess the only way to make this remotely acceptable was to engineer a situation where the villain's eventual demise following the actions of the hero was a net social good, above and beyond Peregrine's personal need for revenge.
I'm also not super okay with the bit where the villain takes the hero to what the text calls a "homosexual brothel" (despite the fact that the first recorded use of the word homosexual is in 1891 and the book is set in 1839 - come onnnnnnnnn, at least research us before you other us). The chapter is sort of the hero's POV but the scene nevertheless felt like it was being presented as some kind of ... queer freakshow for the eyebrow raising of a presumed heterosexual audience. There's a sham-marriage which I understand was a thing in the 17th and 18th century - and the text is quick to point out that the bride is strapping and mustachioed, and the groom is shorter. Because LOL or something. Also the hero spends the entire couple of paragraphs we spend here being utterly disgusted, "his skin crawling", "controlling his distaste" etc. and at one point some perfectly innocent queer boy touches his arm and he freaks the flip out and sends him running for cover.
Now, I think this is partially meant to be about hero's history of sexual abuse at the hands of the (male) villain. But Peregrine doesn't have *generalised* sexual distaste/fear. He visits a BDSM brothel earlier and is perfectly civil to the local dominatrix, despite the fact that, it's more than strongly implied, the villain is actively sadistic in the sexual pleasures he takes.
So it just feels like the text is telling me the queer people are freaky and weird, inherently disgusting, and also, ps, by the way literal paedophiles. It's possible I am overreacting and reading ungenerously, but ... well. I found this book genuinely hard to get through. At worst, I felt it thought I was gross. At best, that it had no concept of a world in which I existed.
I liked the heroine, though. She deserved better than Peregrine.
November 9, 2018
Reseña completa: http://masromance.blogspot.com/2018/1...
Complicado valorarla.
Si tuviera que opinar exclusivamente de la trama le daría las 4. Es una historia de venganza en la que el romance queda relegado a un segundo plano. Esta llena de clichés, y esto no es una queja, me gustan y creo que lo son porque gustan en general. Tiene buenos giros, aunque en general es bastante previsible.
El romance aunque es bonito, no ha logrado conquistarme y, sobre todo, justo por una escena que se mueve entre lo que admito y lo que no, le ha bajado una estrella
Por lo demás, está muy bien escrita y cuenta con datos interesantes que muestran el conocimiento que tiene la autora de la época de la que escribe, la critica social es dura y ciertas escenas son duras pues habla de temas que lo son, crueles y horribles.
Charles Weldon resulta un personaje muy bueno en su papel de malo, fiel reflejo de la hipocresía social victoriana, pues no nos tenemos engañar que muchas de las cosas que aparecen en la novela son lamentablemente ciertas y más habituales de lo que nos pensamos.
Recomendable si buscáis la típica historia de venganza
Complicado valorarla.
Si tuviera que opinar exclusivamente de la trama le daría las 4. Es una historia de venganza en la que el romance queda relegado a un segundo plano. Esta llena de clichés, y esto no es una queja, me gustan y creo que lo son porque gustan en general. Tiene buenos giros, aunque en general es bastante previsible.
El romance aunque es bonito, no ha logrado conquistarme y, sobre todo, justo por una escena que se mueve entre lo que admito y lo que no, le ha bajado una estrella
Por lo demás, está muy bien escrita y cuenta con datos interesantes que muestran el conocimiento que tiene la autora de la época de la que escribe, la critica social es dura y ciertas escenas son duras pues habla de temas que lo son, crueles y horribles.
Charles Weldon resulta un personaje muy bueno en su papel de malo, fiel reflejo de la hipocresía social victoriana, pues no nos tenemos engañar que muchas de las cosas que aparecen en la novela son lamentablemente ciertas y más habituales de lo que nos pensamos.
Recomendable si buscáis la típica historia de venganza
April 15, 2023
Read: 4/8/23
Another great MJP book! The author is very good at writing mysterious H.
Peregrine is bent on revenge no matter the cost! Firstly, he needs to stop the villian"s betrothal to the intriguing Lady Sara. He, off course, doesn't expect to develop real feelings for her.
Sara was a great counterpart to Peregrine's darkness. She's level-headed and mature (TG!). I enjoyed her character and the two character's interactions. I just rooted for this couple!
I also enjoyed watching him slowly inacting his revenge against an evil man. Though we don't learn why he wants to destroy the man till the end, it was easy to guess and let me tell you, it's dark! I enjoyed watching the villain suffer.
I'm also always amazed how MJP is able to incorporate characters from so many different cultures. It's not an easy thing to do, but she brings their cultural differences together beautifully.
Negative: I thought the book was a little too long. Some parts were slow.
Still, I highly recommend this book! I'm glad BOTM picked it for this month.
Another great MJP book! The author is very good at writing mysterious H.
Peregrine is bent on revenge no matter the cost! Firstly, he needs to stop the villian"s betrothal to the intriguing Lady Sara. He, off course, doesn't expect to develop real feelings for her.
Sara was a great counterpart to Peregrine's darkness. She's level-headed and mature (TG!). I enjoyed her character and the two character's interactions. I just rooted for this couple!
I also enjoyed watching him slowly inacting his revenge against an evil man. Though we don't learn why he wants to destroy the man till the end, it was easy to guess and let me tell you, it's dark! I enjoyed watching the villain suffer.
I'm also always amazed how MJP is able to incorporate characters from so many different cultures. It's not an easy thing to do, but she brings their cultural differences together beautifully.
Negative: I thought the book was a little too long. Some parts were slow.
Still, I highly recommend this book! I'm glad BOTM picked it for this month.
February 19, 2017
This started out so promising, a 3 possibly a 4 star book with great writing, a dark and mysterious alpha hero in search of revenge and an intelligent heroine with her own, much milder past. At the 37% mark, thank you Kindle for accuracy, I had my first doubts then, later, smart characters doing stupid things ruined it.
Mikhael, the H has come to England to exact revenge on Charles, smug, self-satisfied, VERY ambitious fiancee of Sara, the beloved cousin to H’s BF. Charles is also a very evil doer. VERY as in not a fun bad guy, but a gross bad guy that needs to die a horrible death.
In the quest for revenge, and to save Sara from marrying a sanctimonious whoremonger, the H seduces Sara …at her own engagement ball. The shark started jumping at this point. From here on end, ranting spoiler…
.
Such a promising start. Great writing, interesting characters, intricate plot, but the two main characters degenerated into such stupidity I couldn’t get beyond it. The H I could handle as his reasons for wanting revenge are clear and understandable. ..
Mikhael, the H has come to England to exact revenge on Charles, smug, self-satisfied, VERY ambitious fiancee of Sara, the beloved cousin to H’s BF. Charles is also a very evil doer. VERY as in not a fun bad guy, but a gross bad guy that needs to die a horrible death.
In the quest for revenge, and to save Sara from marrying a sanctimonious whoremonger, the H seduces Sara …at her own engagement ball. The shark started jumping at this point. From here on end, ranting spoiler…
.
Such a promising start. Great writing, interesting characters, intricate plot, but the two main characters degenerated into such stupidity I couldn’t get beyond it. The H I could handle as his reasons for wanting revenge are clear and understandable. ..
April 9, 2017
I'm not sure how I missed this story until now. The author is a reliable "go to" storyteller for me and this turned out to be no exception.
Peregrine revenge plan is to destroy his enemy financially, socially and physically. Part of the plan involves separating the enemy from his wealthy, high-born fiancée, Lady Sara. Peregrine sets out to charm and compromise her but finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her honesty and quiet strength. What started as a straightforward revenge plot with no regards for collateral damage became much more complicated when love enters into the equation. Can Peregrine escape the demons of his past and make a bright future with the woman he loves?
The story is not fun and fluffy read. It deals with serious issues of slavery and child prostitution. The plot is complex and very tightly drawn.
There is a brief secondary love story involving Jenny, a young girl Peregrine rescues from the virgin brothel, and his lawyer, Benjamin Slade. The romance is not given a lot of time but it’s touching and sweet.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
He called himself Peregrine, the wanderer, and he came to London for revenge.
With this intriguing opening line, Ms. Putney introduces us to a mysterious and exotic man who would become a hero of the story. Who is he? We know that he came from a remote area of Central Asia. He goes by the name of Prince Peregrine of Kafiristan, Mikahl. Slowly throughout the story the man behind the name is revealed. If you liked dark and tortured heroes, you wouldn’t be disappointed.Peregrine revenge plan is to destroy his enemy financially, socially and physically. Part of the plan involves separating the enemy from his wealthy, high-born fiancée, Lady Sara. Peregrine sets out to charm and compromise her but finds himself unexpectedly drawn to her honesty and quiet strength. What started as a straightforward revenge plot with no regards for collateral damage became much more complicated when love enters into the equation. Can Peregrine escape the demons of his past and make a bright future with the woman he loves?
The story is not fun and fluffy read. It deals with serious issues of slavery and child prostitution. The plot is complex and very tightly drawn.
There is a brief secondary love story involving Jenny, a young girl Peregrine rescues from the virgin brothel, and his lawyer, Benjamin Slade. The romance is not given a lot of time but it’s touching and sweet.
I am looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
April 9, 2018
3’5 Estrellas, pero se lo subo a 4 porque lo he disfrutado mucho, es una novela muy de las de antes, con un buen argumento y desarrollo.
En éste libro de Mary Jo Putney tenemos un protagonista atípico: el príncipe Peregrino, un extraño y exótico personaje que viene a Inglaterra desde las lejanas estepas de Asia, pero Peregrino está en Inglaterra por un motivo muy poderoso: vengarse del aristócrata Charles Weldon. Tanto su persona como su pasado es un misterio, nadie salvo Ross Carlisle conoce realmente al príncipe Peregrino, y gracias a este, Peregrino se codeará entre las más altas esferas de la aristocracia, para destruir a su enemigo.
Entre las personas con más influencia, se encuentra la prima de Ross, Sara. Es una dama fría y lógica, pero un personaje al que realmente he admirado, sí, me gustaría leer más protagonistas de novela romántica como ella. Sara es la hija única de un duque, no es excepcionalmente hermosa y por su edad podría considerársela una soltera. Un desgraciado accidente la dejó en cierto modo lisiada, de ahí que se la considerara incasable, por eso es una suerte que Sara aceptara un matrimonio de conveniencia con Charles Weldon.
La llegada de Peregrino a las esferas sociales desbaratará todo lo que Sara creía que sería su futuro. Para Peregrino el fin justifica los medios, es capaz de llegar a cualquier lugar con tal de conseguir su venganza. Charles Weldon es el hijo menor de un aristócrata, pero es un arribista que ha conseguido su fortuna mediante engaños, extorsión y mercadería ilícita, pero no sólo eso, es un canalla de la peor calaña y un hipócrita. Peregrino se ha tomado veinticinco años de su vida para estudiarle y preparar su venganza, ahora ha llegado el momento, y su primera baza para llegar a Weldon es Sara.
En “Besos de Seda” se trata un tema muy duro y peliagudo, pero un asunto que por desgracia siempre ha sido muy común, lo fue en el pasado, y lo sigue siendo en nuestros días. Por eso cuando conoces al personaje de Weldon, estás seguro de que merece el peor de los castigos, y entiendes perfectamente el pensamiento de Peregrino respecto a Weldon.
El romance de los protagonistas no es lo más notable de la historia, a mí personalmente me ha gustado porque es un romance de los que va lentamente. Por supuesto los protagonistas se sienten atraídos el uno por el otro desde el principio, pero Sara es una mujer a punto de casarse con otro hombre. Peregrino cuando ve a Sara, solo la ve como un medio para llegar a un fin, es la prometida de su enemigo ¿Qué se sentirá al arrebatársela y así perder la enorme dote que acompaña? Aunque poco a poco y a medida que se vayan conociendo, irá surgiendo el amor entre ellos.
No voy a negar que probablemente el romance no guste a todo el mundo, de hecho la primera escena íntima de los protagonistas es un poco polémica, pero no le di mayor importancia, cosa que no quiere decir que no me gustara. Pero en el terreno pasional Peregrino es un maestro, y después las relaciones sexuales se convierten en un acto muy sensual. Eso para mí, que suelo pasar las escenas de sexo en diagonal, es muy interesante, porque ha conseguido mantenerme enganchada a leerlas.
No creo que pueda contar mucho más, porque sería soltar varios spoilers del libro, y creo que lo interesante es leerlo y descubrir la historia por una misma. Tanto la historia cruda que tiene de trasfondo, como el duro y misterioso pasado de Peregrino, él mismo no es un personaje fácil, y admito que me ha gustado mucho más Sara que él.
Sin duda lo recomiendo si te gusta el buen romance histórico, más allá de la frivolidad y banalidad que encierran estas novelas. A mí me ha parecido una historia interesante, y he disfrutado leyéndola, de modo que no tardaré en leer el segundo libro de la serie.
En éste libro de Mary Jo Putney tenemos un protagonista atípico: el príncipe Peregrino, un extraño y exótico personaje que viene a Inglaterra desde las lejanas estepas de Asia, pero Peregrino está en Inglaterra por un motivo muy poderoso: vengarse del aristócrata Charles Weldon. Tanto su persona como su pasado es un misterio, nadie salvo Ross Carlisle conoce realmente al príncipe Peregrino, y gracias a este, Peregrino se codeará entre las más altas esferas de la aristocracia, para destruir a su enemigo.
Entre las personas con más influencia, se encuentra la prima de Ross, Sara. Es una dama fría y lógica, pero un personaje al que realmente he admirado, sí, me gustaría leer más protagonistas de novela romántica como ella. Sara es la hija única de un duque, no es excepcionalmente hermosa y por su edad podría considerársela una soltera. Un desgraciado accidente la dejó en cierto modo lisiada, de ahí que se la considerara incasable, por eso es una suerte que Sara aceptara un matrimonio de conveniencia con Charles Weldon.
La llegada de Peregrino a las esferas sociales desbaratará todo lo que Sara creía que sería su futuro. Para Peregrino el fin justifica los medios, es capaz de llegar a cualquier lugar con tal de conseguir su venganza. Charles Weldon es el hijo menor de un aristócrata, pero es un arribista que ha conseguido su fortuna mediante engaños, extorsión y mercadería ilícita, pero no sólo eso, es un canalla de la peor calaña y un hipócrita. Peregrino se ha tomado veinticinco años de su vida para estudiarle y preparar su venganza, ahora ha llegado el momento, y su primera baza para llegar a Weldon es Sara.
En “Besos de Seda” se trata un tema muy duro y peliagudo, pero un asunto que por desgracia siempre ha sido muy común, lo fue en el pasado, y lo sigue siendo en nuestros días. Por eso cuando conoces al personaje de Weldon, estás seguro de que merece el peor de los castigos, y entiendes perfectamente el pensamiento de Peregrino respecto a Weldon.
El romance de los protagonistas no es lo más notable de la historia, a mí personalmente me ha gustado porque es un romance de los que va lentamente. Por supuesto los protagonistas se sienten atraídos el uno por el otro desde el principio, pero Sara es una mujer a punto de casarse con otro hombre. Peregrino cuando ve a Sara, solo la ve como un medio para llegar a un fin, es la prometida de su enemigo ¿Qué se sentirá al arrebatársela y así perder la enorme dote que acompaña? Aunque poco a poco y a medida que se vayan conociendo, irá surgiendo el amor entre ellos.
No voy a negar que probablemente el romance no guste a todo el mundo, de hecho la primera escena íntima de los protagonistas es un poco polémica, pero no le di mayor importancia, cosa que no quiere decir que no me gustara. Pero en el terreno pasional Peregrino es un maestro, y después las relaciones sexuales se convierten en un acto muy sensual. Eso para mí, que suelo pasar las escenas de sexo en diagonal, es muy interesante, porque ha conseguido mantenerme enganchada a leerlas.
No creo que pueda contar mucho más, porque sería soltar varios spoilers del libro, y creo que lo interesante es leerlo y descubrir la historia por una misma. Tanto la historia cruda que tiene de trasfondo, como el duro y misterioso pasado de Peregrino, él mismo no es un personaje fácil, y admito que me ha gustado mucho más Sara que él.
Sin duda lo recomiendo si te gusta el buen romance histórico, más allá de la frivolidad y banalidad que encierran estas novelas. A mí me ha parecido una historia interesante, y he disfrutado leyéndola, de modo que no tardaré en leer el segundo libro de la serie.
February 2, 2022
I sincerely don't know what to say. But if you like secrets, mystery, danger, suspense and romance with a bit of exotic places, this book was definitely a good one. Here you see the hero on the quest of a 25 years vengeance. Yes, a quarter of a century waiting for the right time. I liked him even though sometimes he went beyond the line of right and wrong. His thoughts were not always pretty and he had no problem losing as long as the villain lost alongside him.
The heroine on the other hand had a very clear view on her mind of what is right and wrong. Though it is easy to judge from your table when you have never needed to work for your bread. But she was unlucky to find herself in the middle of their vendetta and for that I felt sorry for her, but as the hero said, I would be even sorrier if he had done noting to help her.
Spoilers from here on...
The secret was a heavy one and the villain was trully disgusting. The book held me curious even when I was about done for the secret to be revealed. It takes very long for us to understand the hero's reasons.
One thing I disliked deeply was the fact that the heroine took her marriage vows lightly and when the hero most needed her (when he told his secret that nobody knew but him and the villain) she left him. And it is not that I didn't agree with what she was saying, but she should have stayed and helped him see the light. In the end everything worked out but not in a satisfactory way in my opinion. Their relationship I mean.
I think she was incredibly naive believing she could change the world with a simple snap of her fingers. That dangerous things as what the villain dealt with would be simple enough to prove. I hated that she said she understood the hero but left anyway. Idiot. And for a moment there in the end I hopped she would make a compromise as the hero was making his, but nooo.... Blah. That action was what made me deduct 1 star from an otherwise crazy but great story.
The heroine on the other hand had a very clear view on her mind of what is right and wrong. Though it is easy to judge from your table when you have never needed to work for your bread. But she was unlucky to find herself in the middle of their vendetta and for that I felt sorry for her, but as the hero said, I would be even sorrier if he had done noting to help her.
Spoilers from here on...
The secret was a heavy one and the villain was trully disgusting. The book held me curious even when I was about done for the secret to be revealed. It takes very long for us to understand the hero's reasons.
One thing I disliked deeply was the fact that the heroine took her marriage vows lightly and when the hero most needed her (when he told his secret that nobody knew but him and the villain) she left him. And it is not that I didn't agree with what she was saying, but she should have stayed and helped him see the light. In the end everything worked out but not in a satisfactory way in my opinion. Their relationship I mean.
I think she was incredibly naive believing she could change the world with a simple snap of her fingers. That dangerous things as what the villain dealt with would be simple enough to prove. I hated that she said she understood the hero but left anyway. Idiot. And for a moment there in the end I hopped she would make a compromise as the hero was making his, but nooo.... Blah. That action was what made me deduct 1 star from an otherwise crazy but great story.
Read
April 1, 2019DNF at 26%
Unfortunately I can't muster enough interest to continue. The revenge angle is too open, there is no mystery. The characters are written in such a way that it feels like the author was trying to make them into something they were not. I didn't feel any chemistry or even mutual like between the MCs. Maybe one day I will continue, but today is not that day. This is the case of it's me not you here. The writing is perfectly fine, it's just not for me.
Unfortunately I can't muster enough interest to continue. The revenge angle is too open, there is no mystery. The characters are written in such a way that it feels like the author was trying to make them into something they were not. I didn't feel any chemistry or even mutual like between the MCs. Maybe one day I will continue, but today is not that day. This is the case of it's me not you here. The writing is perfectly fine, it's just not for me.
March 30, 2022
Maybe because I’ve read “all” the good HR novels and read a lot of meh and cr*p in the quest for the next good book but I really liked this.
It was intense and dark and well written and very very good. But then I love angst and this was angsty.
I also loved all characters, especially the heroine, and the hero, and Jenny, and Benjamin, and Ross and oh almost everything about the book, despite the TW topics.
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Almost 5, but 4.5 because first time sex was I’d-say-it’s-rape by hero and also horrible, tear wrenching scenes with child sex trafficking and abuse.
It was intense and dark and well written and very very good. But then I love angst and this was angsty.
I also loved all characters, especially the heroine, and the hero, and Jenny, and Benjamin, and Ross and oh almost everything about the book, despite the TW topics.
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Almost 5, but 4.5 because first time sex was I’d-say-it’s-rape by hero and also horrible, tear wrenching scenes with child sex trafficking and abuse.
November 29, 2018
#RitaPutney #RetoRita2
Es una historia preciosa. Me ha gustado mucho.
Es una novela con mucha narrativa, necesaria en mi opinión y escrita maravillosamente.
Es una historia preciosa. Me ha gustado mucho.
Es una novela con mucha narrativa, necesaria en mi opinión y escrita maravillosamente.
April 17, 2018
3,5 estrellas, pero le subo a 4 porque la protagonista de esta historia me ha encantado. Sí, ella. Son pocas las historias en las que ella tiene las ideas así de claras, es constante con lo que piensa y hace y no es cabezona en depende qué situaciones. Por todo eso y por cómo ha evolucionado a lo largo de la historia, es que este libro ha tenido media puntuación más.
La trama está muy bien también. Nos encontramos con una historia de venganza por una situación pasada entre el protagonista, Peregrine y Weldon, el secundario más malvado que he conocido en mucho tiempo. Aunque es una situación que lamentablemente se daba mucho, me ha gustado la valentia de la autora a a hora de plasmarlo.
Sarah, la protagonista, será el instrumento que Peregrino utilizará para llegar hasta Weldon y con la que comenzará esta historia en la que el amor aparece poco a poco por parte de él más que de ella (aunque quién la culparía).
Sobre los secundarios, decir que me han encantado todos, desde Benjamin y Jenny, que tienen una historia compartida muy bonita pasando por Ross, de quien me he enamorado más que de el protagonista y del que ya estoy leyendo el libro, sobre todo tras saber el secreto que ocultaba de su pasado.
No es una historia perfecta, tiene algunas escenas y situaciones que no me han gustado mucho entre los protagonistas por parte de él y el final es demasiado poco lo que le ocurre al malo y no sabemos qué ocurre con Eliza, pero aún así, es una novela bien ambientada, bien estructurada y con una trama atrayente. La recomiendo a todas las amantes de éste género.
La trama está muy bien también. Nos encontramos con una historia de venganza por una situación pasada entre el protagonista, Peregrine y Weldon, el secundario más malvado que he conocido en mucho tiempo. Aunque es una situación que lamentablemente se daba mucho, me ha gustado la valentia de la autora a a hora de plasmarlo.
Sarah, la protagonista, será el instrumento que Peregrino utilizará para llegar hasta Weldon y con la que comenzará esta historia en la que el amor aparece poco a poco por parte de él más que de ella (aunque quién la culparía).
Sobre los secundarios, decir que me han encantado todos, desde Benjamin y Jenny, que tienen una historia compartida muy bonita pasando por Ross, de quien me he enamorado más que de el protagonista y del que ya estoy leyendo el libro, sobre todo tras saber el secreto que ocultaba de su pasado.
No es una historia perfecta, tiene algunas escenas y situaciones que no me han gustado mucho entre los protagonistas por parte de él y el final es demasiado poco lo que le ocurre al malo y no sabemos qué ocurre con Eliza, pero aún así, es una novela bien ambientada, bien estructurada y con una trama atrayente. La recomiendo a todas las amantes de éste género.
April 13, 2021
Absolutely loved the slow burn of the book!
July 25, 2012
Well, hello, definitely lust at first sight by Sara when she meets Peregrine. By the way for some weird reason the name Peregrine is keeping me out of the story somewhat.
So sad when Peregrine meets Jenny Miller in the virgins brothel and she describes what life choices she really has. Just depressing knowing women's lives were really like this and still like this is some parts of the world. Oh man I just kept thinking please, please Peregrine save her. This line made my eyes water: "If he chose, he could help this girl, but what was the point of saving one little whore? It would make no difference to that vast, endless, tragic horde of broken children.
But as Jenny stared at him with great stark eyes, he knew that it would make a difference to her."
For some reason I didn't really feel into the story until the dramatic library scene where Peregrine and Sara are found making out on the sofa. Her fiancée Charles loses his shit and I could almost feel Peregrines satisfaction at delivering a blow to his enemy. I was anxious to read on because I felt like now some stuff was going to go down not only between Peregrine and Charles but Peregrine and Sara.
Even though they had such a small part in the story Jenny and Slade kind of stole the show for me at times. The tough vulnerability of Jenny was written wonderfully, like this line: "But she had never known that a man could want a woman and not take her because he did care. There was something very fragile and precious in the idea, though she didn't really understand it. Maybe someday she would."
I really did enjoy how Peregrine healed Sara's inner scars over her limp. Peregrine made Sara into a woman and it was commendable writing by Putney for the beautiful way she wrote this.
After Peregrines past is revealed (I thought this should have been done earlier) and Sara finally finds out the extent of Peregrines revenge on Charles, she decides to leave him. I thought how fast Sara left Peregrine and the way it was done was very immature. Sara should have stayed around to talk to Peregrine longer. Writing him a note and giving back her wedding ring seemed liked a very hasty decision.
This was quite a tale, but it did not hit a cord with me like so many have before. There are definitely some dark issues Putney deals with in this book and she does a great job. I can see how some people describe this book as beautiful and poignant, but it just didn't reach that level for me. I was never completely immersed into the story. I know a lot of people think the world of this book but for me it was just an "eh" book.
C
So sad when Peregrine meets Jenny Miller in the virgins brothel and she describes what life choices she really has. Just depressing knowing women's lives were really like this and still like this is some parts of the world. Oh man I just kept thinking please, please Peregrine save her. This line made my eyes water: "If he chose, he could help this girl, but what was the point of saving one little whore? It would make no difference to that vast, endless, tragic horde of broken children.
But as Jenny stared at him with great stark eyes, he knew that it would make a difference to her."
For some reason I didn't really feel into the story until the dramatic library scene where Peregrine and Sara are found making out on the sofa. Her fiancée Charles loses his shit and I could almost feel Peregrines satisfaction at delivering a blow to his enemy. I was anxious to read on because I felt like now some stuff was going to go down not only between Peregrine and Charles but Peregrine and Sara.
Even though they had such a small part in the story Jenny and Slade kind of stole the show for me at times. The tough vulnerability of Jenny was written wonderfully, like this line: "But she had never known that a man could want a woman and not take her because he did care. There was something very fragile and precious in the idea, though she didn't really understand it. Maybe someday she would."
I really did enjoy how Peregrine healed Sara's inner scars over her limp. Peregrine made Sara into a woman and it was commendable writing by Putney for the beautiful way she wrote this.
After Peregrines past is revealed (I thought this should have been done earlier) and Sara finally finds out the extent of Peregrines revenge on Charles, she decides to leave him. I thought how fast Sara left Peregrine and the way it was done was very immature. Sara should have stayed around to talk to Peregrine longer. Writing him a note and giving back her wedding ring seemed liked a very hasty decision.
This was quite a tale, but it did not hit a cord with me like so many have before. There are definitely some dark issues Putney deals with in this book and she does a great job. I can see how some people describe this book as beautiful and poignant, but it just didn't reach that level for me. I was never completely immersed into the story. I know a lot of people think the world of this book but for me it was just an "eh" book.
C
October 19, 2016
I did not enjoy reading this at all. It was actually a bit insufferable. I was actually predicting it was a three star read by the middle but as I continued to read, I felt my brain cells shrinking from rage. I use the word rage but it is more along the lines of frustration. I'm almost finished reading it but I have to gnash my teeth and endure. There are so many things I don't like about this book. I thought the first half was bad, it had a reprieve in the middle, but then it returned to its roots and it continued to decay.
The beginning, I don't get why she was adamant on marrying him. I don't get why she rushed into it. She didn't know Weldon. I don't get why she was very close minded about him. Peregrine told her about him. Doesn't that warrant a little suspicion? Of course not, it doesn't create that much conflict. She even had hints of Weldon's temper. Instead, she agreed to the hurried marriage date. What's the rush? She was a twenty seven year old woman who held out on marriage. Nothing in the book explained why she changed her mind now. Her cousin pointed out that she had many choices. Instead, the book made her engage herself to Weldon and so she is. This is just indicative of the many events in the book. They don't feel organic. All the events felt contrived. Perhaps the only thing in this book that seemed to develop naturally and had a heart was Jenny and Slade. Other than that, the events that surrounded Sara and Peregrine is just insufferable to read in that it was contrived. Despite the many evidences of why she should be wary of Weldon and the fact that it was in her nature to stay single, she got engaged to Weldon. It just didn't develop naturally. The argument that Weldon is charming also doesn't fly with me because Peregrine also had that trait but Sara always believed Weldon's words over Peregrine. Even in the last action, Sara admitted herself that she didn't really believe the depths of Weldon's depravity. She was told about it. Peregrine told him that Weldon raped him as a child and you're telling me she didn't understand...are you kidding me? Reading this book made me boil.
The other big thing. I didn't like the heroine. She was so wooden and prudish. I kind of get it, she isn't operating with many information. Peregrine was keeping a lot of stuff from her but honestly, she was really clueless. It was kind of infuriating that she was demanding that he stop his vengeance. He kind of has a right to it. I don't think she really understands how monstrous Weldon was. Peregrine told her that he got raped as a boy for months and her first words was to drop his revenge was a bit off putting. It was off putting in the sense that she was ignorant and giving advices. She was remonstrating him on how he is hurting innocent people and yet, she has no words against Weldon? She was telling him about how he could do all these good things but what has she done? Where does she get the authority to lecture him when she does nothing? Unless her character was just being used as a mouthpiece, what has she really done in this novel? She didn't shut down the brothels. She made some vague plans about helping the needy but when has she made contact with the poor? It was just annoying to read. I don't know if it is the writing and it is lacking in adequacy or it is just the character as a a person in general who is lacking but I really didn't like reading about her.
Peregrine also sucks. What kind of sloppy revenge plan has he been making. It was so sloppy. He gives out key information and isn't prepared for backlash. He says he had been plotting for years but he has so many openings where Weldon could strike back. It was just annoying because I think he has the sense that he has a lot of finesse in carrying out the plan but he is actually sloppy. Also, are you kidding me? Why would you write send the kid to a brothel? Honestly, I blame the writing for this because it is just so cliched. This isn't the only instance where a key information is given at just the right time to produce a predictable event. In this case, his cousin just happens to give out the information that Peregrine just so happens to write some important notes and he keeps it in a drawer. Other cliches include, but are not limited to, the prudish wife giving the ultimatum to not kill the monster Weldon or their marriage is over, the wife being the cure to his revenge mania, the compromise in the library, the wife finding out that she was just a tool in the revenge, the wife rushing into danger only to find herself very outmatched and she ends up getting rescued.
Anyways, the only good part in this book was Jenny and Slade. I felt there was actually some heart in the scene. I don't mind if this 400 something pages was reduced to 30 something just for Jenny and Slade's romance. They had more of a connection and chemistry in their meagre cameos than Sara and Peregrine displayed throughout the book.
I really didn't like this book. It was excruciating to read. I feel like I lost some brain cells so I'm going to keep the summary short.
Peregrine returned to England to execute his revenge plan against Weldon. Weldon raped him as a young boy and when Weldon was done, Peregrine was to be given away to a pasha to be a eunuch. Peregrine had beautiful green eyes though so he was bundled off along with other slave boys to be sent somewhere else. Peregrine escaped and he built his life from there. He returned as a wealthy man and his friend gave him the title of the prince. He had the plan to destroy Weldon's life bit by bit. He planned to hit his business, destroy his reputation, destroy his engagement, and just ruin him. In his execution of his plans, he ends up engaged to Weldon supposed fiancee.
Peregrine keeps a lot of secret. He doesn't think Sara can handle the truth, and he is kind of right. Sara is clueless about a lot of things but that doesn't stop her from being judgmental. They build a marriage together and enjoy their sex life. Sara falls for him and gives him an ultimatum to drop his revenge or she will leave. She leaves and he hands Weldon's case over to the authorities. Weldon has Sara though when she decided to go to the brothel with just one guard and Weldon was about to rape her. Peregrine comes in the nick of time and rescues her. Weldon kills himself. Jenny and Slade get engaged. Peregrine and Sara reconcile.
The beginning, I don't get why she was adamant on marrying him. I don't get why she rushed into it. She didn't know Weldon. I don't get why she was very close minded about him. Peregrine told her about him. Doesn't that warrant a little suspicion? Of course not, it doesn't create that much conflict. She even had hints of Weldon's temper. Instead, she agreed to the hurried marriage date. What's the rush? She was a twenty seven year old woman who held out on marriage. Nothing in the book explained why she changed her mind now. Her cousin pointed out that she had many choices. Instead, the book made her engage herself to Weldon and so she is. This is just indicative of the many events in the book. They don't feel organic. All the events felt contrived. Perhaps the only thing in this book that seemed to develop naturally and had a heart was Jenny and Slade. Other than that, the events that surrounded Sara and Peregrine is just insufferable to read in that it was contrived. Despite the many evidences of why she should be wary of Weldon and the fact that it was in her nature to stay single, she got engaged to Weldon. It just didn't develop naturally. The argument that Weldon is charming also doesn't fly with me because Peregrine also had that trait but Sara always believed Weldon's words over Peregrine. Even in the last action, Sara admitted herself that she didn't really believe the depths of Weldon's depravity. She was told about it. Peregrine told him that Weldon raped him as a child and you're telling me she didn't understand...are you kidding me? Reading this book made me boil.
The other big thing. I didn't like the heroine. She was so wooden and prudish. I kind of get it, she isn't operating with many information. Peregrine was keeping a lot of stuff from her but honestly, she was really clueless. It was kind of infuriating that she was demanding that he stop his vengeance. He kind of has a right to it. I don't think she really understands how monstrous Weldon was. Peregrine told her that he got raped as a boy for months and her first words was to drop his revenge was a bit off putting. It was off putting in the sense that she was ignorant and giving advices. She was remonstrating him on how he is hurting innocent people and yet, she has no words against Weldon? She was telling him about how he could do all these good things but what has she done? Where does she get the authority to lecture him when she does nothing? Unless her character was just being used as a mouthpiece, what has she really done in this novel? She didn't shut down the brothels. She made some vague plans about helping the needy but when has she made contact with the poor? It was just annoying to read. I don't know if it is the writing and it is lacking in adequacy or it is just the character as a a person in general who is lacking but I really didn't like reading about her.
Peregrine also sucks. What kind of sloppy revenge plan has he been making. It was so sloppy. He gives out key information and isn't prepared for backlash. He says he had been plotting for years but he has so many openings where Weldon could strike back. It was just annoying because I think he has the sense that he has a lot of finesse in carrying out the plan but he is actually sloppy. Also, are you kidding me? Why would you write send the kid to a brothel? Honestly, I blame the writing for this because it is just so cliched. This isn't the only instance where a key information is given at just the right time to produce a predictable event. In this case, his cousin just happens to give out the information that Peregrine just so happens to write some important notes and he keeps it in a drawer. Other cliches include, but are not limited to, the prudish wife giving the ultimatum to not kill the monster Weldon or their marriage is over, the wife being the cure to his revenge mania, the compromise in the library, the wife finding out that she was just a tool in the revenge, the wife rushing into danger only to find herself very outmatched and she ends up getting rescued.
Anyways, the only good part in this book was Jenny and Slade. I felt there was actually some heart in the scene. I don't mind if this 400 something pages was reduced to 30 something just for Jenny and Slade's romance. They had more of a connection and chemistry in their meagre cameos than Sara and Peregrine displayed throughout the book.
I really didn't like this book. It was excruciating to read. I feel like I lost some brain cells so I'm going to keep the summary short.
Peregrine returned to England to execute his revenge plan against Weldon. Weldon raped him as a young boy and when Weldon was done, Peregrine was to be given away to a pasha to be a eunuch. Peregrine had beautiful green eyes though so he was bundled off along with other slave boys to be sent somewhere else. Peregrine escaped and he built his life from there. He returned as a wealthy man and his friend gave him the title of the prince. He had the plan to destroy Weldon's life bit by bit. He planned to hit his business, destroy his reputation, destroy his engagement, and just ruin him. In his execution of his plans, he ends up engaged to Weldon supposed fiancee.
Peregrine keeps a lot of secret. He doesn't think Sara can handle the truth, and he is kind of right. Sara is clueless about a lot of things but that doesn't stop her from being judgmental. They build a marriage together and enjoy their sex life. Sara falls for him and gives him an ultimatum to drop his revenge or she will leave. She leaves and he hands Weldon's case over to the authorities. Weldon has Sara though when she decided to go to the brothel with just one guard and Weldon was about to rape her. Peregrine comes in the nick of time and rescues her. Weldon kills himself. Jenny and Slade get engaged. Peregrine and Sara reconcile.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 24, 2023
BOTM for April on HRBC. The h Sara daughter of Duke of Haddenfield 29 and was injured after falling off a horse 9 years before. The H is Michael Connery a wealthy Prince from Kafiristan.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
July 19, 2015
I wrote a similar review for MJP'S The Rake. As a romance novel this book merits 3 stars; however, as a historical fiction this book deserves 5 stars. You know 'comfortable' is a dangerous state of being...because it is tantamount to a constant state of being which allows no room for change and therefore no room for growth. MJP knows how to force you out of your comfort zone. She knows how to get under your skin and invade your mind and plant small worms of doubt that continue to move and slither until you acknowledge their presence and change to accommodate them as now being part of your heart and mind. She drags you out of your dark cocoon of comfort into the light to confront it without blinders. So when you read this be ready for your skin to crawl and for your thoughts to shy away from her words. But if you can storm the weather and survive the experience you change and grow as a result.
The concept is age old quest of vengeance and the climax the predictable scenario of love conquers all, but what makes this book remarkable is MJP'S ability to create multidimensional characters...to present their pain and anguish in a relatable way...to proportion the depth of their mistakes to the reality of the consequences. You love them...you hate them...and you definitely want to know them. I don't do a summary of the plot because there are many but I like to address a few criticisms I came across. Before you left a finger to blame Peregrine imagine yourself in his situation as the ten year old boy...helpless but still hopeful with faith in humanity...only to lose everything because of that faith. I like the fact that MJP writes such flawed characters but what makes them endearing is their quest for atonement for their mistakes. Ok enough of my abstract babbling go read the book.
The concept is age old quest of vengeance and the climax the predictable scenario of love conquers all, but what makes this book remarkable is MJP'S ability to create multidimensional characters...to present their pain and anguish in a relatable way...to proportion the depth of their mistakes to the reality of the consequences. You love them...you hate them...and you definitely want to know them. I don't do a summary of the plot because there are many but I like to address a few criticisms I came across. Before you left a finger to blame Peregrine imagine yourself in his situation as the ten year old boy...helpless but still hopeful with faith in humanity...only to lose everything because of that faith. I like the fact that MJP writes such flawed characters but what makes them endearing is their quest for atonement for their mistakes. Ok enough of my abstract babbling go read the book.
July 27, 2015
Worthy Victorian Tale of Revenge and Redemption with a Mysterious Hero
Set in England at outset of the Victorian era in 1839, this is the story of Lady Sara St. James, the daughter of the Duke of Haddonfield and Mikahl Khanauri, an exotic chieftain from the East who has come to London for revenge on Sir Charles Weldon, betrothed to Sara. Mikahl is introduced to London society as Prince Peregrine of Kafiristan by his good friend Ross, Lord Carlisle, Sara’s cousin.
From the very beginning, practical Sara is drawn to Mikahl, as are all the ladies of London. He is mysterious, masculine and very wealthy. She does not love her betrothed, Charles, but thinks he will make a decent husband for a plain girl with a limp (from a terrible riding accident she had as a child). Charles, who has a dark side, wants her for her noble lineage and for her dowry. Mikahl thinks she is beautiful and courageous of heart.
As a part of his revenge on Charles, Mikahl seduces Sara to the point she will be ruined and arranges for her father and her betrothed to witness her shamelessly kissing him. Then he offers to marry her, never realizing his heart is involved.
Putney brings us a wonderful set of complex characters and at times their banter had me laughing. And who could not love the mysterious Mikahl who sees beyond the surface to what lies beneath? He recognizes Sara’s pain because he has experienced much pain himself. She may think little of herself, but he does not.
The plot will keep you guessing, knowing both the hero and villain hide secrets as they prepare to unleash their weapons on each other. A worthy tale of redemption, revenge and letting go of the past to embrace the future.
The Silk Trilogy:
Silk and Shadows
Silk and Secrets
Veils of Silk
Set in England at outset of the Victorian era in 1839, this is the story of Lady Sara St. James, the daughter of the Duke of Haddonfield and Mikahl Khanauri, an exotic chieftain from the East who has come to London for revenge on Sir Charles Weldon, betrothed to Sara. Mikahl is introduced to London society as Prince Peregrine of Kafiristan by his good friend Ross, Lord Carlisle, Sara’s cousin.
From the very beginning, practical Sara is drawn to Mikahl, as are all the ladies of London. He is mysterious, masculine and very wealthy. She does not love her betrothed, Charles, but thinks he will make a decent husband for a plain girl with a limp (from a terrible riding accident she had as a child). Charles, who has a dark side, wants her for her noble lineage and for her dowry. Mikahl thinks she is beautiful and courageous of heart.
As a part of his revenge on Charles, Mikahl seduces Sara to the point she will be ruined and arranges for her father and her betrothed to witness her shamelessly kissing him. Then he offers to marry her, never realizing his heart is involved.
Putney brings us a wonderful set of complex characters and at times their banter had me laughing. And who could not love the mysterious Mikahl who sees beyond the surface to what lies beneath? He recognizes Sara’s pain because he has experienced much pain himself. She may think little of herself, but he does not.
The plot will keep you guessing, knowing both the hero and villain hide secrets as they prepare to unleash their weapons on each other. A worthy tale of redemption, revenge and letting go of the past to embrace the future.
The Silk Trilogy:
Silk and Shadows
Silk and Secrets
Veils of Silk
July 28, 2017
Every once in a while I read a book so bad that I get even angrier at how there is no 'zero stars' option on here. This book was awful. It was so bad that I just skipped 10 chapters and the story picked up right where it had left off. She-is-saying-no-but-my-urge-is-too-strong kind of BS: Check. Racism/Islamophobia with no understanding of history: Check. Abnoxious 'hero': check. Insta-attraction that's difficult to believe even by HR standards: Check. You get the point, I have nothing but frustration and annoyance to share about this book. What I would love to read is an analysis of how it managed to garner a rating of 3.9 #MysteriesOfTheUniverse
November 6, 2021
Good adventure, rather like an old fashioned bodice ripper. The H is out for vengeance and the h unexpectedly falls into his 'lap' giving him an opportunity. She's a well developed character whose passion for the H helps him. She's a lovely person, I liked her strength and conviction. I didn't like the H as much as his Machiavellian activities were OTT. It's good not great.
June 28, 2022
Es un libro con un ritmo pausado, la autora se toma su tiempo para presentarnos a los personajes y la trama.
Peregrine es un hombre en búsqueda de venganza, quiere despojar a su enemigo todo lo que es querido para él. Le da igual a quien tenga que utilizar para hacerlo. No quiere dañar a nadie en su venganza pero si no lo puede evitar tampoco le preocupa. Su primer objetivo es hacer fracasar sus planes de boda y para eso piensa quitarle a su prometida.... Al fin y al cabo le hará un favor a la prometida, ninguna mujer tendría que ser condenada a vivir con un monstruo.
La prometida es Sara una mujer que una caída de un caballo le ha dejado coja. Esa cojera le a impedido volver a montar y a bailar, dos cosas que le apasionaba... pero eso cambia con la llegada de Peregrine. El príncipe extranjero le demuestra que puede volver a hacer lo que tanto le gustaba. Poco a poco se va dejando conquistar por ese fascinante hombre que le abierto un mundo nuevo, que le sacia sus ganas de aprender.
Lo que empezó siendo una pieza más en su venganza, termina siendo algo más, algo le remueve mu has cosas a Pregrine.
Como digo la autora se toma su tiempo en introducirnos en la trama. La relación de los protagonistas se va cociendo a fuego lento. También juega muy bien con la trama de la venganza, va tejiendo la telaraña para que te vayas enganchando, queriendo saber que pasó entre Peregrine y Weldon para que lo odie tanto.... Y si finalmente va a ser capaz de llevar a buen puerto su venganza.
Peregrine es un hombre en búsqueda de venganza, quiere despojar a su enemigo todo lo que es querido para él. Le da igual a quien tenga que utilizar para hacerlo. No quiere dañar a nadie en su venganza pero si no lo puede evitar tampoco le preocupa. Su primer objetivo es hacer fracasar sus planes de boda y para eso piensa quitarle a su prometida.... Al fin y al cabo le hará un favor a la prometida, ninguna mujer tendría que ser condenada a vivir con un monstruo.
La prometida es Sara una mujer que una caída de un caballo le ha dejado coja. Esa cojera le a impedido volver a montar y a bailar, dos cosas que le apasionaba... pero eso cambia con la llegada de Peregrine. El príncipe extranjero le demuestra que puede volver a hacer lo que tanto le gustaba. Poco a poco se va dejando conquistar por ese fascinante hombre que le abierto un mundo nuevo, que le sacia sus ganas de aprender.
Lo que empezó siendo una pieza más en su venganza, termina siendo algo más, algo le remueve mu has cosas a Pregrine.
Como digo la autora se toma su tiempo en introducirnos en la trama. La relación de los protagonistas se va cociendo a fuego lento. También juega muy bien con la trama de la venganza, va tejiendo la telaraña para que te vayas enganchando, queriendo saber que pasó entre Peregrine y Weldon para que lo odie tanto.... Y si finalmente va a ser capaz de llevar a buen puerto su venganza.
January 31, 2018
leído en Julio 2014
Me gustó mucho!!
Me gustó mucho!!
April 30, 2018
No me ha gustado, no he conectado.
November 4, 2020
After a few start-and-stops with Silk and Shadows, I finally got into it!
I read this for the revenge plot but I had to stop several times because Peregrine, marketed heavily as an exotic eastern prince, laid it on thick. I'm not saying that Peregrine is cringeworthy - he comes off quite suave, mysterious etc. but he was fetishized because he spent time in the east. I guessed early on something about his past, so it doubly irked me that he was considered so "oriental." Oh and the yin and yang discourse during sex did not age well.
However, things really kick off after the engagement ball between Lady Sara and Charles Weldon. Charles Weldon was so messed up. He actually reminded me of the villain in Jo Goodman's otherwise forgettable, A Season to Be Sinful because they were both hyperbolic in their misogyny, as opposed to the general and internalized misogyny we get treated to in most romances.
I don't love the perfect English rose heroines, which I thought I was going to get with Lady Sara but I don't have much to say about her except I enjoyed the discussion of her scars - not the passage when Peregrine tries to show her how hot she is to the male gaze, but when he says it's understandable why she has so much wounding around her scars that she needs to heal.
Silk and Secrets reminded me of what I enjoyed in Putney's Dearly Beloved. I remember not being impressed during the beginning but was absolutely dying by the end. I would love it if I was instantly hooked from the first page, but I enjoy Putney's writing style so that it's easy to read.
I read this for the revenge plot but I had to stop several times because Peregrine, marketed heavily as an exotic eastern prince, laid it on thick. I'm not saying that Peregrine is cringeworthy - he comes off quite suave, mysterious etc. but he was fetishized because he spent time in the east. I guessed early on something about his past, so it doubly irked me that he was considered so "oriental." Oh and the yin and yang discourse during sex did not age well.
However, things really kick off after the engagement ball between Lady Sara and Charles Weldon. Charles Weldon was so messed up. He actually reminded me of the villain in Jo Goodman's otherwise forgettable, A Season to Be Sinful because they were both hyperbolic in their misogyny, as opposed to the general and internalized misogyny we get treated to in most romances.
I don't love the perfect English rose heroines, which I thought I was going to get with Lady Sara but I don't have much to say about her except I enjoyed the discussion of her scars - not the passage when Peregrine tries to show her how hot she is to the male gaze, but when he says it's understandable why she has so much wounding around her scars that she needs to heal.
Silk and Secrets reminded me of what I enjoyed in Putney's Dearly Beloved. I remember not being impressed during the beginning but was absolutely dying by the end. I would love it if I was instantly hooked from the first page, but I enjoy Putney's writing style so that it's easy to read.
March 8, 2023
Audio- re-read
I didn't remember anything about this one only that it was my least favorite of the series. It's still my least fave. The narrator was pretty good but I feel the romance is second to the revenge plot. The villain took up way too much space and the relationship development suffered. It also has very dark themes. Overall decent but not MJP's best.
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥/5
Tropes
Fake identify
Marriage of convenience
CW: discussion of child rape/ brothels and a pedophile villain.
I didn't remember anything about this one only that it was my least favorite of the series. It's still my least fave. The narrator was pretty good but I feel the romance is second to the revenge plot. The villain took up way too much space and the relationship development suffered. It also has very dark themes. Overall decent but not MJP's best.
⭐⭐⭐/5
🔥/5
Tropes
Fake identify
Marriage of convenience
CW: discussion of child rape/ brothels and a pedophile villain.
December 1, 2021
Una cosa algo viejuna, alargada, pero con emociones muy reales, momentos en los que los personajes dejan de ser clichés y se convierten en personas que tienes la impresión que han de existir, de verdad, en alguna parte. Peregrine, príncipe de Kafiristán, llega a Inglaterra en busca de venganza. Será implacable: quitará al malote todo lo que aprecia. Una de las cosas que se pone como objetivo es romper el compromiso matrimonial del malo con lady Sara St. James. Este mes de diciembre esta novela cumple treinta años. Se nota en cosas como el orientalismo, o que el foráneo en el fondo no es totalmente ajeno a la civilización inglesa, o que aparezca sexo homosexual en un contexto negativo, nunca positivo. Pero vamos, quitando eso, para mí aún se puede leer con gusto, siempre que le des el tiempo suficiente para una lectura detenida. Y dejes que gane cuerpo, despliegue todos sus aromas, sin apresurarte.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
Crítica amplia, en mi blog.
April 18, 2017
Mikahl is Prince Peregrine and he has come to England for one purpose -- revenge. Lady Sara is the Duke of Haddonfield's daughter. When Sara is betrothed to Charles Weddon, Mikahl does everything in his power to break the betrothal. Once broken, he marries Sara. Mikahl hates Charles Weddon. He wants to destroy Charles and then kill him. But will Mikahl's vengeance cost him his wife? Can a man bent on revenge change his course?
Sara is a strong heroine with a moral fiber. Mikahl has suffered abuse and pain. They compliment each other. The reader is spellbound by the characters' growth. The plot is solid and the subplots are neatly tied up. I look forward to the next book in the series.
Sara is a strong heroine with a moral fiber. Mikahl has suffered abuse and pain. They compliment each other. The reader is spellbound by the characters' growth. The plot is solid and the subplots are neatly tied up. I look forward to the next book in the series.
April 27, 2017
Muy bien ! termino esta historia casi totalmente satisfecha. Me han encantado los personajes, sus diálogos y el desarrollo de las relaciones entre ellos. El desenlace del conflicto de Peregrino al final se hizo un poco largo y hay algunos sucesos que recuerdan a otras historias, lo cual puede ser bueno o malo dependiendo de quien lea. De todas maneras esto último no le resta mérito al libro. Es una novela que se puede recomendar con tranquilidad.
May 25, 2017
3.5 stars I kind of struggled with most of this book. The writing was good but for whatever reason the story never really grabbed me. I don't particularly care for over the top evil villains and this book had a pretty despicable one so that might be part of the reason I wouldn't count this as a favorite. However, the two main characters were both likeable and saved the book from being a dnf for me.
April 6, 2019
I first read this book quite a number of years ago and I've read it several times since that first time. It's one of the books I have in print but wanted to also get in ebook form so I would have it with me always. Mikhail or Perigrine as he is also known is a mysterious character bent on revenge. The book takes place in Victorian England and the object of Mikhails revenge is one Charles Weldon. I don’t want to give much away, but Mikhails need for revenge is understandable.
He appeals to his old friend Ross for an introduction to London society. He feigns an interest in Ross’s cousin Sara who just happens to be betrothed to Charles. Mikhail methodically sets about secretly taking apart Charles life and Sara is a large part of his revenge. But Mikhail develops feelings for Mikhail but she is a very honourable woman who sees things in an entirely different light. When she finds out the truth of Mikhails plans it almost destroys their relationship.
I know I’m being very vague about details here. I don’t want to give away any spoilers to the books and let those deciding to give this one a try find out on their own that things aren’t all that they seem in this book.
Like I said, I first read this book years ago and it most wonderfully stands the test of time and I still give it the five stars it deserves.
He appeals to his old friend Ross for an introduction to London society. He feigns an interest in Ross’s cousin Sara who just happens to be betrothed to Charles. Mikhail methodically sets about secretly taking apart Charles life and Sara is a large part of his revenge. But Mikhail develops feelings for Mikhail but she is a very honourable woman who sees things in an entirely different light. When she finds out the truth of Mikhails plans it almost destroys their relationship.
I know I’m being very vague about details here. I don’t want to give away any spoilers to the books and let those deciding to give this one a try find out on their own that things aren’t all that they seem in this book.
Like I said, I first read this book years ago and it most wonderfully stands the test of time and I still give it the five stars it deserves.
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