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Gray Eagle #3
Forbidden Ecstasy
Forbidden Ecstasy by Janelle Taylor.
ALISHA
was silk and satin, honey and fire. Never before did the possession of a man fill her with such excitement as-when she held her handsome Indian lover in her arms. That she was a white woman living in the red man's world did not matter. They had promised each other their hearts forever -- nothing could keep them apart.
GRAY EAGLE
was fierce and gentle, powerful and possessive.
He would never forsake his bride of two moons; he would never let her go.
But when Alisha awoke to dawn's first light her bronze-skinned warrior was gone.
Her lips were swollen from his savage kisses; her body bruised from his brutal passion -- and still she longed for him.
Lost between two worlds, she was desperate and alone. Betrayed by her savage lover, she hungered for their
FORBIDDEN ECSTASY
ALISHA
was silk and satin, honey and fire. Never before did the possession of a man fill her with such excitement as-when she held her handsome Indian lover in her arms. That she was a white woman living in the red man's world did not matter. They had promised each other their hearts forever -- nothing could keep them apart.
GRAY EAGLE
was fierce and gentle, powerful and possessive.
He would never forsake his bride of two moons; he would never let her go.
But when Alisha awoke to dawn's first light her bronze-skinned warrior was gone.
Her lips were swollen from his savage kisses; her body bruised from his brutal passion -- and still she longed for him.
Lost between two worlds, she was desperate and alone. Betrayed by her savage lover, she hungered for their
FORBIDDEN ECSTASY
494 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1982
69 people are currently reading
393 people want to read
About the author
Janelle Taylor
101 books243 followersThe legendary Janelle Taylor was born on June 28, 1944 in Athens, GA. In 1965, she married Michael Taylor with whom she had two children, Angela Taylor-MacIntyre and Alisha Taylor Thurmond. Ms. Taylor attended the Medical College of Georgia from 1977 to 1979 and Augusta State University from 1980-1981. She withdrew from the latter after she sold her first two novels. Today, she is the author of thirty-nine novels, three novellas, and many contributions to other collections. There are thirty-nine million copies of her works in print worldwide and she has made The New York Times Bestseller List eight times. Ms. Taylor's works have also been featured ten times on the "1 million +" bestseller's list at Publisher's Weekly.
Some of Ms. Taylor's most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.
Ms. Taylor's interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor's favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.
She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.
Some of Ms. Taylor's most recent books include By Candlelight, Someday Soon, Lakota Dawn, and Lakota Winds (due out in paperback in May 1999). She has also made contributions to other books including The Leukemia Society Cookbook, Christmas Rendezvous, and Summer Love. In addition, readers can see her as co-host of the QVC/TV Romance Book Club Show.
Ms. Taylor's interests include collecting spoons, coins from around the world, ship models, dolls, and old books. She loves to fish, ride horses, play chess, target-shoot, travel (especially in her motorhome and out West), hunt for Indian relics, and take long walks with her husband. Reading, in particular books set before 1900 and current Biographies, Thrillers, Horror, or Fantasy novels, is also one of Ms. Taylor's favorite activities. She is also extremely active with charity work and was even featured on the cover of Diabetes Forecast in February of 1998.
She lives in the country on seventy-nine acres of woods and pasture with a lake and a catfish pond. She writes her novels in a Spanish cottage which overlooks a five-acre lake, a working water mill, gazebo, and covered bridge.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 27, 2013
Dear God I can't put these down! This book just annoyed the crap out of me! I skimmed most of it, because again we were rehashing the same crap from book 1 and 2.
Why don't you love me? Why do you treat me so badly? What am I doing wrong? *SIGH*
But I am going to read the entire series, just to say I did it!
Why don't you love me? Why do you treat me so badly? What am I doing wrong? *SIGH*
But I am going to read the entire series, just to say I did it!
February 9, 2017
This review is of “Bittersweet Ecstasy”, (“Ecstasy/Gray Eagle #3) by Janelle Taylor.
The Story: The heroine of the first four books, Alisha Williams, and her husband, Gray Eagle, the “hero”, have been married for four days. They have only spent two days together, however, as Gray Eagle has left Alisha to obtain supplies. When Gray Eagle doesn’t return to her, Alisha wonders what happened.
What she doesn’t know is that Gray Eagle was shot and left for dead by her friend, Powchutu. There are two reasons he did this: 1). To punish Gray Eagle for his abhorrent behavior toward Alisha; and 2)., Powchutu is in love/lust with Alisha. Alisha believes Powchutu’s lies about why Gray Eagle hasn’t returned, and they set off together. On their trip, which culminates in St. Louis, Alisha and Powchutu will meet, or meet again, four people who will play a major role in their lives. They are: Joe Kenny, a white trapper, Mary O’Hara, a mute young woman and niece to Jamie O’Hara, a lodgings owner, and, sadly, Jeffery Gordon, the evil ex-Army lieutenant who somehow survived the attack on Fort Pierre.
As time goes on, Jeffery blackmails Alisha, threatening great harm to her and Powchutu if she doesn’t marry him. Alisha hedges, and Powchutu is killed by Jeffery’s henchmen. Powchutu’s death pushes Alisha into marrying Jeffery, who makes her life hell on many levels. What neither knows is that Gray Eagle survived his shooting by Powchutu. Gray Eagle comes to kill Jeffery, finds Alisha and takes her back to the Oglala camp, subjecting her to more emotional, mental, physical and sexual abuse along the way. Despite all of this, by the end of the book, Gray Eagle and Alisha reconcile, as they discover that the bad things they thought about the other were not true. They decide to continue the ruse that Alisha is Shalee, make up with each other and are happy. For now, anyway…
Upside: When Janelle Taylor is at her best, she ranks with Rosanne Bittner as one of my go-to authors. Mrs. Taylor’s style is lyrical, evocative and she brings me and her readers into her characters lives. I felt as though I were watching the lives of the characters, instead of just reading about them. Only the best authors can make me feel like that.
Downside: While I understand Gray Eagle’s feelings about what he feels is Alisha’s betrayal of him, that doesn’t defend/excuse/justify the abuse he inflicts on her. This kind of derails the Gray Eagle Redemption Tour Mrs. Taylor was on in “Defiant Ecstasy”. Much of the rancor between Alisha and Gray Eagle was due to a lack of trust and communication, which they haven’t had since the beginning.
Sex: Very little and not terribly exciting. Mrs. Taylor does have a few books which have some spice to them. The first three books in the “Ecstasy/Gray Eagle” series are not among them.
Violence: There is, however, a lot of violence. Assault, battery, attempted murder, murder and rape. None of the violence is super graphic, but it’s there.
Bottom Line: The fact that Gray Eagle is still an unrepentant bastard and the “Stockholm Syndrome” “romance” between Gray Eagle and Alisha keeps me from giving “Bittersweet Ecstasy” a five-star rating.
The Story: The heroine of the first four books, Alisha Williams, and her husband, Gray Eagle, the “hero”, have been married for four days. They have only spent two days together, however, as Gray Eagle has left Alisha to obtain supplies. When Gray Eagle doesn’t return to her, Alisha wonders what happened.
What she doesn’t know is that Gray Eagle was shot and left for dead by her friend, Powchutu. There are two reasons he did this: 1). To punish Gray Eagle for his abhorrent behavior toward Alisha; and 2)., Powchutu is in love/lust with Alisha. Alisha believes Powchutu’s lies about why Gray Eagle hasn’t returned, and they set off together. On their trip, which culminates in St. Louis, Alisha and Powchutu will meet, or meet again, four people who will play a major role in their lives. They are: Joe Kenny, a white trapper, Mary O’Hara, a mute young woman and niece to Jamie O’Hara, a lodgings owner, and, sadly, Jeffery Gordon, the evil ex-Army lieutenant who somehow survived the attack on Fort Pierre.
As time goes on, Jeffery blackmails Alisha, threatening great harm to her and Powchutu if she doesn’t marry him. Alisha hedges, and Powchutu is killed by Jeffery’s henchmen. Powchutu’s death pushes Alisha into marrying Jeffery, who makes her life hell on many levels. What neither knows is that Gray Eagle survived his shooting by Powchutu. Gray Eagle comes to kill Jeffery, finds Alisha and takes her back to the Oglala camp, subjecting her to more emotional, mental, physical and sexual abuse along the way. Despite all of this, by the end of the book, Gray Eagle and Alisha reconcile, as they discover that the bad things they thought about the other were not true. They decide to continue the ruse that Alisha is Shalee, make up with each other and are happy. For now, anyway…
Upside: When Janelle Taylor is at her best, she ranks with Rosanne Bittner as one of my go-to authors. Mrs. Taylor’s style is lyrical, evocative and she brings me and her readers into her characters lives. I felt as though I were watching the lives of the characters, instead of just reading about them. Only the best authors can make me feel like that.
Downside: While I understand Gray Eagle’s feelings about what he feels is Alisha’s betrayal of him, that doesn’t defend/excuse/justify the abuse he inflicts on her. This kind of derails the Gray Eagle Redemption Tour Mrs. Taylor was on in “Defiant Ecstasy”. Much of the rancor between Alisha and Gray Eagle was due to a lack of trust and communication, which they haven’t had since the beginning.
Sex: Very little and not terribly exciting. Mrs. Taylor does have a few books which have some spice to them. The first three books in the “Ecstasy/Gray Eagle” series are not among them.
Violence: There is, however, a lot of violence. Assault, battery, attempted murder, murder and rape. None of the violence is super graphic, but it’s there.
Bottom Line: The fact that Gray Eagle is still an unrepentant bastard and the “Stockholm Syndrome” “romance” between Gray Eagle and Alisha keeps me from giving “Bittersweet Ecstasy” a five-star rating.
July 9, 2012
This book starts off where the second one ends on the honeymoon of Gray Eagle and Alisha. Gray Eagle has left Alisha after two wonderful days to get food and water saying he will return in a couple of hours. Unfourntantely he does not because Alisha's best friend is waiting for his opportunity to blind side Gray Eagle and tell Alisha lies so she will leave with him. And like an idiot she does. The entire book is set on the lies that Powchutu tells Gray Eagle and Alisha. It makes for a treachureous scam. One that Alisha will pay for dearly.
Gray Eagle is shot by Powchutu and he believes he is dead but this warrior is hard to kill. Although Gray Eagle does not make an appearance again until the end of the book. When he does he is once again the mighty evil warrior to Alisha. They both believe the other has betrayed one another. And there stubborness is not resolved until an early character from the book comes to the rescue.
Gray Eagle is shot by Powchutu and he believes he is dead but this warrior is hard to kill. Although Gray Eagle does not make an appearance again until the end of the book. When he does he is once again the mighty evil warrior to Alisha. They both believe the other has betrayed one another. And there stubborness is not resolved until an early character from the book comes to the rescue.
January 3, 2018
Stupid, stupid, stupid waste of time. The same melodrama from the first 2 books repeated but on crack. The heroine is apparently more beautiful than Helen of Troy and even corpses fall in love with her. She's innocent, guileless, artless, beautiful and sweet (which we're told approx. 389,054 times). Literally every male within a 1000 mile radius is drawn to her and MUST HAVE HER. But she doesn't realize this, b/c she's also dumber than a fence post. Here's a summary of this book: Grey Eagle will believe anything anyone tells him about Alisha and Alisha will believe anything anyone tells her about Grey Eagle. She'll run away (AGAIN) and he'll track her down, kill people to recapture her and then beat and rape her (though she is STILL turned on by him b/c she's a nympho who can't get enough of his magic peen) until their umpteenth misunderstanding is uncovered and then they'll make up. AGAIN. Skip this one.
November 20, 2014
Book 3 is the best book in the series! Parts of it were almost Gothic. Powchutu is a shady character in this one, but he means well and truly loved Alisha/Shalee. Loved the main villian in this one, he's unpredictable and pure evil. Gray Eagle is still kinda a dumb asshole, but underneath all the selfishness, I'll grudgingly admit that he has an obsessive love for her.
July 26, 2021
This is another very emotional continued tale of Gray Eagle and Alisha Williams! I have to admit I was mad at all the men in Alisha's life. All were horses butts to her. It seems she is cursed by her beauty because they all fell in love with her but Alisha, true to her word, only loved one man.... Gray Eagle... and he treated her badly! All she wants is to be free, loved, and protected. The men here are the fickle ones. In this part of the tale Gray Eagle and Alisha are torn apart by lies of others. They believed those lies and it put Alisha always in danger and peril.... from one cruel world to another. Alisha is a very strong woman and a true survivor as most women in those days had to be. Her strength endured her. This book does have a happy ending. Thank Goodness! I didn't know how much more I could take. The author, Janelle Taylor, brings her words to life and I envision in my mind’s eye the whole tale! Again, this series so far is not the mushy weak romance.... it is like what real life must have been during those times. I loved it and will continue on with her 4th book, Brazen Ecstasy, in this series.
May 11, 2020
Forbidden Ecstasy
Dear sweet baby Great Spirit! This book got on my nerves! To not even have Gray Eagle in it but in the beginning and the end drove me insane!!!!! I swear I will burn the next book if they find yet another reason to hate each other! I grew up to my mother telling me of the greatest love story of a indian and a white women. And finally had to read the books. They so far have been absolutely tormenting. Please for the love of my sanity give me a book filled with lots of love and little indianas!!!
Dear sweet baby Great Spirit! This book got on my nerves! To not even have Gray Eagle in it but in the beginning and the end drove me insane!!!!! I swear I will burn the next book if they find yet another reason to hate each other! I grew up to my mother telling me of the greatest love story of a indian and a white women. And finally had to read the books. They so far have been absolutely tormenting. Please for the love of my sanity give me a book filled with lots of love and little indianas!!!
January 9, 2021
Well, all of a sudden Pawchuto have dark eye colours and not gray? Book number 2 do not follow book number 1.
October 26, 2015
The storyline in this book was really good. I did like the story but I wanted more Grey Eagle and more of life between them. What turned me off was the "Misunderstandings" again....and again...and again. I don't get it, they share so much together but still don't talk to each other before assuming things.
Grey Eagle just poured his heart out to her...and that quick she thinks he wants to kill her again....that quick she believes someone other then Grey Eagle....and the same for him. He is suppose to be the Smart, Strong, Warrior but he is easily tricked so many times by others. He can track or hear an animal 1000 miles away..but can't see a liar right in front of him.... thats what turned me off with this book.
Grey Eagle just poured his heart out to her...and that quick she thinks he wants to kill her again....that quick she believes someone other then Grey Eagle....and the same for him. He is suppose to be the Smart, Strong, Warrior but he is easily tricked so many times by others. He can track or hear an animal 1000 miles away..but can't see a liar right in front of him.... thats what turned me off with this book.
July 11, 2012
This series was the best love story ever. I dont usually read romance, but this series has a way of pulling you in. There is so much more than just romance to this series but will touch the soft part of your heart.
December 17, 2024
Talent
Janelle Taylor’s books helped pull a lost girl from despair. I started reading her books in my teens and it changed my life forever. This series and the intense relationship between Gray Eagle and Alisha always captivated me. This is still true all of these years later.
Janelle Taylor’s books helped pull a lost girl from despair. I started reading her books in my teens and it changed my life forever. This series and the intense relationship between Gray Eagle and Alisha always captivated me. This is still true all of these years later.
June 30, 2022
Loving these books.
Reading again after many years. Still a great love story. Oh, the twists and turns and misunderstandings. A great read.
Reading again after many years. Still a great love story. Oh, the twists and turns and misunderstandings. A great read.
July 7, 2012
I don't know, I am a little disappointed after reading the first couple of chapters. I hope it gets better!
September 27, 2012
If you like a love story, you will like this book...Gray Eagle defies all for his love of this white women.
February 12, 2013
LOVED IT!
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews