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Wild Hearts
A New York Times Bestselling Author On Tabby Lamont's very wedding night, a daring Scottish lord known as the "Rogue" sweeps out of the night to snatch her from the clutches of the wealthy scoundrel who means to make her his wife. Frightened - and furious - she is held hostage in the splendor of the Rogue's Highland castle, where she cannot escape his charms. She swears never to submit to his bold desire but, trapped in a dangerous game of power and conquest, Tabby needs an ally. Available only in Core 7.
Hardcover
First published February 1, 1985
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428 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Henley
64 books640 followersVirginia Syddall was born on December 5, 1935 in England, where her father, Thomas Syddall, taught her to love history. She obtained a degree in History in the University. In 1956, Virginia married Arthur Henley. They moved to America, and now they live most of the year in St. Petersburg, Florida, and they spend the hot summers in Ontario, Canada, where they have their two adult children and three grandsons.
Virginia Henley is a New York Times bestselling writer of historical novels. Her work has been translated into fourteen languages. She is the recipient of more than a dozen writing awards, including a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award, a Waldenbooks' Bestselling Award, and a Maggie Award for Excellence from the Georgia Romance Writers.
Virginia Henley is a New York Times bestselling writer of historical novels. Her work has been translated into fourteen languages. She is the recipient of more than a dozen writing awards, including a Romantic Times Lifetime Achievement Award, a Waldenbooks' Bestselling Award, and a Maggie Award for Excellence from the Georgia Romance Writers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
August 7, 2022
Read: 6/19/29
An excellent VH book! The H took awhile for me to like him. He was an arrogant ass! He also wants the h but not enough to curtail his selfish plans. He waits for her to get married to a pox ridden old man before stealing her away begore the marriage can consummated, that way he can ransom her.
His spoiled/vain sisters got on my nerves! They helped with the H's plans, knowing he will never let the h go. Unfortunately, the H has been keeping a dark secret from the h.
Once she learns this secret. She leaves him and finds her family. The h has been abused and unloved her whole life. I love when she finally gains some self worth and a backbone. The H will have to try very hard to get her back!
This is definitely a reread for me!
An excellent VH book! The H took awhile for me to like him. He was an arrogant ass! He also wants the h but not enough to curtail his selfish plans. He waits for her to get married to a pox ridden old man before stealing her away begore the marriage can consummated, that way he can ransom her.
His spoiled/vain sisters got on my nerves! They helped with the H's plans, knowing he will never let the h go. Unfortunately, the H has been keeping a dark secret from the h.
Once she learns this secret. She leaves him and finds her family. The h has been abused and unloved her whole life. I love when she finally gains some self worth and a backbone. The H will have to try very hard to get her back!
This is definitely a reread for me!
April 29, 2013
I’ve probably seen more confused and confusing protagonists in these old bodice rippers, but I’m hard pressed to name them.
The guy: Paris Cockburn
Yeah, that's his name. Anyway, when his father dies, he learns that the old man has been paying an orphanage for the care of a young girl. He goes to see the chit and instantly realizes she’s a Cockburn too—and that the mistress of the orphanage is an abusive old bat who ill-treats the children. He makes promises to the girl that he’ll help her find her family, and threatens the old bat that she had better treat the girl well.
Then he walks away and forgets it all—well, until he learns the girl is betrothed. It seems some rich-as-Croesus old lord has the pox and wants “the virgin cure.” Paris has an idea—he’ll let the wedding happen, then abduct the bride for ransom before the consummation, and get a buttload of gold for her. It seems at first he’s willing to let her go back to the poxy lord once he gets his dough, but the chit makes him feel all hot and naughty, so he decides he won't let her go.
Keep in mind, there are but two likely candidates as to the identity of the girl’s father, and one of them was Paris's father. So he at least suspects the girl could be his sister, but that doesn’t stop him from deciding to shag her, because what’s a little incest between friends?
Paris’s idea of seduction is to kick a gal around like a dried-up dog turd, make fun of her when she gets upset, and then he’s outraged she isn’t thrilled by his attentions. So, of course, he rapes her (while STILL thinking she might be his sister, mind you).
The gal: Tabby (Tabrizia—evidently the Cockburns like to name their kids after cities) was abused as an orphan, so she’s thoroughly intimidated by Paris when he bullies her. And when he isn't bullying he humiliates her and deceives her (for one thing, he’s married too—guess it’s OK to try to seduce Tabby without mentioning that small fact, since even if he were single he couldn’t actually MARRY his sister anyway). What a guy. And of course she can't resist him.
Paris decides to make her love him. Which he goes about by kicking her around some more and humiliating her some more—let’s just say the guy has very little to contribute to the human gene pool. But, well, maybe Tabby’s a bit “off” as well, since after one particularly cruel remark, she’s so furious she…picks up his wet clothes and lays them out before the fire to dry.
Meanwhile, after raping a girl he suspects is his sister, Paris is enough of a hypocrite to beat the snot out of his brother based on a suspicion of incest.
OK, so the hero is a jerk. Nothing new for this genre. And there has to be something about bodice rippers that I like, since I do keep reading them. Maybe it’s just that, once in a GREAT while, a writer actually manages to create an alpha-a-hole BR hero who eventually pulls his head out of his ass, regrets the hurt he’s caused, and actually starts treating his woman like he cares for her—and when that happens, it’s usually a damned good story. Unfortunately, too often, the “hero” is a thorough pissant to the very last page. Without giving anything away, in this case, I was pretty well satisfied by the ending, tho some of the reforms were almost queasy-making in their own way.
One unfortunate thing—to be fair, this is only Henley’s third book, and it was written in the 80’s when what we think of today as “bad” writing was its own kind of fashion, but even so, my critique group would’ve made a meal of this book (and I say this with all humility because the main reason I’m so sensitive to exposition, adverb abuse, and “saidisms” is because I’ve been harangued to near madness by my crit group for doing it!). Anyway, I’ll just say I’ve read some of Henley’s more recent books and the quality of her writing today is considerably better.
The guy: Paris Cockburn
Yeah, that's his name. Anyway, when his father dies, he learns that the old man has been paying an orphanage for the care of a young girl. He goes to see the chit and instantly realizes she’s a Cockburn too—and that the mistress of the orphanage is an abusive old bat who ill-treats the children. He makes promises to the girl that he’ll help her find her family, and threatens the old bat that she had better treat the girl well.
Then he walks away and forgets it all—well, until he learns the girl is betrothed. It seems some rich-as-Croesus old lord has the pox and wants “the virgin cure.” Paris has an idea—he’ll let the wedding happen, then abduct the bride for ransom before the consummation, and get a buttload of gold for her. It seems at first he’s willing to let her go back to the poxy lord once he gets his dough, but the chit makes him feel all hot and naughty, so he decides he won't let her go.
Keep in mind, there are but two likely candidates as to the identity of the girl’s father, and one of them was Paris's father. So he at least suspects the girl could be his sister, but that doesn’t stop him from deciding to shag her, because what’s a little incest between friends?
Paris’s idea of seduction is to kick a gal around like a dried-up dog turd, make fun of her when she gets upset, and then he’s outraged she isn’t thrilled by his attentions. So, of course, he rapes her (while STILL thinking she might be his sister, mind you).
The gal: Tabby (Tabrizia—evidently the Cockburns like to name their kids after cities) was abused as an orphan, so she’s thoroughly intimidated by Paris when he bullies her. And when he isn't bullying he humiliates her and deceives her (for one thing, he’s married too—guess it’s OK to try to seduce Tabby without mentioning that small fact, since even if he were single he couldn’t actually MARRY his sister anyway). What a guy. And of course she can't resist him.
Paris decides to make her love him. Which he goes about by kicking her around some more and humiliating her some more—let’s just say the guy has very little to contribute to the human gene pool. But, well, maybe Tabby’s a bit “off” as well, since after one particularly cruel remark, she’s so furious she…picks up his wet clothes and lays them out before the fire to dry.
Meanwhile, after raping a girl he suspects is his sister, Paris is enough of a hypocrite to beat the snot out of his brother based on a suspicion of incest.
OK, so the hero is a jerk. Nothing new for this genre. And there has to be something about bodice rippers that I like, since I do keep reading them. Maybe it’s just that, once in a GREAT while, a writer actually manages to create an alpha-a-hole BR hero who eventually pulls his head out of his ass, regrets the hurt he’s caused, and actually starts treating his woman like he cares for her—and when that happens, it’s usually a damned good story. Unfortunately, too often, the “hero” is a thorough pissant to the very last page. Without giving anything away, in this case, I was pretty well satisfied by the ending, tho some of the reforms were almost queasy-making in their own way.
One unfortunate thing—to be fair, this is only Henley’s third book, and it was written in the 80’s when what we think of today as “bad” writing was its own kind of fashion, but even so, my critique group would’ve made a meal of this book (and I say this with all humility because the main reason I’m so sensitive to exposition, adverb abuse, and “saidisms” is because I’ve been harangued to near madness by my crit group for doing it!). Anyway, I’ll just say I’ve read some of Henley’s more recent books and the quality of her writing today is considerably better.
June 6, 2018
Wildly sexy book -- even better if you can find it on audio!
May 28, 2023
I have been laughing my head off the entire time while reading this, broken by short moments where I also felt incredulous about the absurdity of the things that were being described. I have to say, once one is bored with the usual run-of-the-mill love stories these days, Virginia Henley is guaranteed to be one cuckoo who knows how to weave an enchanting and original tale. I truly had a good time reading this 😝 4 out of 5 stars!
Paris Cockburn (lol, even the last name is hilarious) is a dashing Scotsman who has a body like stone and is famed to be a Rogue since he makes love a lot and conquers both the politics of men and a vast amount of women. However, one glimpse at the violet-eyed Tabby (Tabrizia) and his heart was lost. But since he is a brute with a pride as tall as Mount Everest, he pushes her away in the usual “I’m a man and I scorn everything you say and do that does not please me!”. Of course, no female would like to be treated like this and it ends up in an exasperating battle of the wills and immense self-deniability for both our MCs.
The tale is long and peppered with a lot of historical figures and colourful scenes from the King’s Court and how Scotland was ruled before. The side characters are interesting in their own right. That’s one thing I appreciate with VH, she knows how to make a story more intriguing than just a simple rogue and virgin love story.
It’s a bodice ripper but so much more. Totally worth my time. Thank you, VH!
Paris Cockburn (lol, even the last name is hilarious) is a dashing Scotsman who has a body like stone and is famed to be a Rogue since he makes love a lot and conquers both the politics of men and a vast amount of women. However, one glimpse at the violet-eyed Tabby (Tabrizia) and his heart was lost. But since he is a brute with a pride as tall as Mount Everest, he pushes her away in the usual “I’m a man and I scorn everything you say and do that does not please me!”. Of course, no female would like to be treated like this and it ends up in an exasperating battle of the wills and immense self-deniability for both our MCs.
The tale is long and peppered with a lot of historical figures and colourful scenes from the King’s Court and how Scotland was ruled before. The side characters are interesting in their own right. That’s one thing I appreciate with VH, she knows how to make a story more intriguing than just a simple rogue and virgin love story.
It’s a bodice ripper but so much more. Totally worth my time. Thank you, VH!
May 16, 2022
Wild Hearts. Where do we even start? I must say I am ashamed at how long it took me to finish this book. I got half way through, took a couple months break from it and then started over and read from start to finish finally. I am glad I gave the book a second chance and followed through with it! Was very dramatized and everything you would expect and want from a historical romance. A little old fashioned smut keeps the heart pumping! The only thing about this book that really threw me off, was the possibility and notion of Paris and his love interest tabby having the possibility of being siblings in which did not curb his interest in her. Later come to find out they are first cousin’s and that magically made everything okay. Which I found quite appalling, every time they were getting hot and bothered for each other I couldn’t help but think of the disgusting fact that they are already family. Maybe that was the norm for back in the day but I still found the fact quite disturbing, and also how he called and considered her a child but yet pretty much raped her and forced her into their marriage. They shared a very unique love and story between them both, and I must say this read was never short or lacking in entertainment! Would I recommend this? Probably, would I read again? Probably not. Farewell!
August 20, 2015
I love Virginia Henley's work, but this one disappointed. If one considers it is an early work by this Master of Historical Romance, it becomes clearer why it's a Scottish tale that isn’t believable in places.
Originally published in 1985, this was Henley’s third book. Her style and writing has improved so much since, you have to see this as an early work though the eBook was published in 2011.
As the story opens, we are in Scotland at the time King James began to rule over both England and Scotland in 1603. Scottish Border Lord Paris Cockburn’s father died in a fall, leaving him laird of clan and castle. Paris is married but his wife never leaves her room. As Paris, called “the Rogue” by his friends, is looking over the books his father kept, he finds annual payments to an Edinburgh orphanage for Tabby Lamont. He knows his father brought her to the orphanage 10 years before, but he doesn’t know why, so he goes to see the 14-year-old girl, and decides to try and help her. All he does is cause her more beatings. (One had to hate him for leaving her there, particularly since he thought she was related to him). Two years later, Tabby is given in marriage (by the horrid woman who ran the orphanage) to a wealthy moneylender (a pox ridden pedophile who favors young boys). Before the marriage is consummated, however, Paris kidnaps her, hoping to hold her for ransom. (Our “hero” was looking worse all the time…holding his kin for ransom by a lecherous old man??)
My biggest issue with this novel was not the dialog, the failure of it to seem Scottish in many places (only King Jamie has a Scottish accent), nor the clichés. It was the story. Though it captured my attention when the scene turned to London, and I liked the ending very much, the “hero” continued to be a bad apple through most of the story. He didn’t even care Tabby might love another. A selfish, demanding cad. The best guy, to my thinking, was Patrick Stewart. He was both a gentleman and a leader, and given his status, a worthy man for our heroine. And that leads me to one of those “improbable events.” I didn’t believe he could be bought off. No, he wanted her for himself. Even if money had been his goal, marrying her would have gained him far more. It should have made no sense to Tabby that Paris would want her, especially when he told her he intended to seek his pleasure with other women. He didn’t even think to wed her until he saw Alexandria’s note. Tabby had to be stupid not to wonder about his motives…and agreeing to act the loving wife in front of his family just made her look weak. Then, after he rapes her she waits on him hand and foot? Yuck! I wanted her to have some backbone…but no… And that is why, though I loved it in parts, this one only garnered 3 and ½ stars from me.
Originally published in 1985, this was Henley’s third book. Her style and writing has improved so much since, you have to see this as an early work though the eBook was published in 2011.
As the story opens, we are in Scotland at the time King James began to rule over both England and Scotland in 1603. Scottish Border Lord Paris Cockburn’s father died in a fall, leaving him laird of clan and castle. Paris is married but his wife never leaves her room. As Paris, called “the Rogue” by his friends, is looking over the books his father kept, he finds annual payments to an Edinburgh orphanage for Tabby Lamont. He knows his father brought her to the orphanage 10 years before, but he doesn’t know why, so he goes to see the 14-year-old girl, and decides to try and help her. All he does is cause her more beatings. (One had to hate him for leaving her there, particularly since he thought she was related to him). Two years later, Tabby is given in marriage (by the horrid woman who ran the orphanage) to a wealthy moneylender (a pox ridden pedophile who favors young boys). Before the marriage is consummated, however, Paris kidnaps her, hoping to hold her for ransom. (Our “hero” was looking worse all the time…holding his kin for ransom by a lecherous old man??)
My biggest issue with this novel was not the dialog, the failure of it to seem Scottish in many places (only King Jamie has a Scottish accent), nor the clichés. It was the story. Though it captured my attention when the scene turned to London, and I liked the ending very much, the “hero” continued to be a bad apple through most of the story. He didn’t even care Tabby might love another. A selfish, demanding cad. The best guy, to my thinking, was Patrick Stewart. He was both a gentleman and a leader, and given his status, a worthy man for our heroine. And that leads me to one of those “improbable events.” I didn’t believe he could be bought off. No, he wanted her for himself. Even if money had been his goal, marrying her would have gained him far more. It should have made no sense to Tabby that Paris would want her, especially when he told her he intended to seek his pleasure with other women. He didn’t even think to wed her until he saw Alexandria’s note. Tabby had to be stupid not to wonder about his motives…and agreeing to act the loving wife in front of his family just made her look weak. Then, after he rapes her she waits on him hand and foot? Yuck! I wanted her to have some backbone…but no… And that is why, though I loved it in parts, this one only garnered 3 and ½ stars from me.
October 27, 2008
Historical romance. Set in the time of James I in the Scottish Highlands. I like her books.
December 12, 2022
3 stelline e mezzo
Questo è uno romanzi più famosi della Henley, lo avevo spesso sentito menzionare, per cui sono stata contenta di recuperarlo con gli Introvabili. Si tratta di un romanzone corposo, quasi quattrocento pagine, e corale, perché, pur costruito intorno a una coppia principale, si preoccupa di raccontare le vicende di un intero clan scozzese, dal laird ai parenti.
Paris Cockburn, venticinquenne nerboruto e arrogante, guida i suoi uomini in attività più o meno losche, compresi rapimenti a scopo di riscatto e brigantaggio, pur di salvare le finanze di famiglia, e deve al contempo pensare a proteggere e sistemare i fratelli minori, che sono tanti: le sorelle Shannon, Damascus e Alexandria e i fratelli Troy e Alexander (sì, i genitori avevano una grande passione per i nomi di città).
Ci sono scontri contro gli odiati Gordon, ci sono mogli pazze nascoste nella torre, tradimenti, ricatti e viaggi nella Londra seicentesca, chiassosa, spendacciona e molto pericolosa di re Giacomo Stuart.
Soprattutto, ci sono rapimenti, corteggiamenti e un bel po' di matrimoni, proposti, rifiutati o riparatori.
Questa è senza dubbio la componente che salva il libro: succedono talmente tante cose e ci sono così tante storie, che trovano poi uno sviluppo in nozze e figli, da arrivare in fondo senza noia, benché un po' frastornati. Più che Paris e Tabby (cresciuta in un orfanatrofio a Londra, ma sempre mantenuta in segreto dal vecchio laird Angus), mi sono piaciuti i filoni di Shannon e dei gemelli, e in genere il clima affiato e simpatico del castello di Cockburnspath.
Mi è piaciuta meno la componente (tipica dei romanzi anni '80) romanticizzata della violenza nei confronti delle protagoniste femminili.
Se è credibile, per il periodo storico, che i rapporti non consensuali fossero abbastanza frequenti, la Henley si preoccupa di continuo di esaltare quanto Paris e gli altri nobili fossero impetuosi e audaci in positivo; alla fine, tuttavia, ne risulta una sconcertante serie di prepotenze, dove le ragazze, di fatto, cedono per una posizione di completa vulnerabilità (il primo assalto sessuale alla povera Tabby, con tanto di urla e lacrime, e l'eroe di turno che la rimprovera per essere troppo rigida, resta per me inaccettabile in un romance).
Si legge, come detto; non indimenticabile.
Questo è uno romanzi più famosi della Henley, lo avevo spesso sentito menzionare, per cui sono stata contenta di recuperarlo con gli Introvabili. Si tratta di un romanzone corposo, quasi quattrocento pagine, e corale, perché, pur costruito intorno a una coppia principale, si preoccupa di raccontare le vicende di un intero clan scozzese, dal laird ai parenti.
Paris Cockburn, venticinquenne nerboruto e arrogante, guida i suoi uomini in attività più o meno losche, compresi rapimenti a scopo di riscatto e brigantaggio, pur di salvare le finanze di famiglia, e deve al contempo pensare a proteggere e sistemare i fratelli minori, che sono tanti: le sorelle Shannon, Damascus e Alexandria e i fratelli Troy e Alexander (sì, i genitori avevano una grande passione per i nomi di città).
Ci sono scontri contro gli odiati Gordon, ci sono mogli pazze nascoste nella torre, tradimenti, ricatti e viaggi nella Londra seicentesca, chiassosa, spendacciona e molto pericolosa di re Giacomo Stuart.
Soprattutto, ci sono rapimenti, corteggiamenti e un bel po' di matrimoni, proposti, rifiutati o riparatori.
Questa è senza dubbio la componente che salva il libro: succedono talmente tante cose e ci sono così tante storie, che trovano poi uno sviluppo in nozze e figli, da arrivare in fondo senza noia, benché un po' frastornati. Più che Paris e Tabby (cresciuta in un orfanatrofio a Londra, ma sempre mantenuta in segreto dal vecchio laird Angus), mi sono piaciuti i filoni di Shannon e dei gemelli, e in genere il clima affiato e simpatico del castello di Cockburnspath.
Mi è piaciuta meno la componente (tipica dei romanzi anni '80) romanticizzata della violenza nei confronti delle protagoniste femminili.
Se è credibile, per il periodo storico, che i rapporti non consensuali fossero abbastanza frequenti, la Henley si preoccupa di continuo di esaltare quanto Paris e gli altri nobili fossero impetuosi e audaci in positivo; alla fine, tuttavia, ne risulta una sconcertante serie di prepotenze, dove le ragazze, di fatto, cedono per una posizione di completa vulnerabilità (il primo assalto sessuale alla povera Tabby, con tanto di urla e lacrime, e l'eroe di turno che la rimprovera per essere troppo rigida, resta per me inaccettabile in un romance).
Si legge, come detto; non indimenticabile.
September 26, 2012
Wild Hearts is about Tabby Lamont, who has grown up in an Edinburgh orphanage in the reign of King James. She is rescued from the orphanage by a wealthy older gentleman who pays for her hand in marriage. She thinks herself incredibly lucky and is looking forward to a life of luxury, until she is kidnapped on her wedding night by her benefactor in the orphanage, Paris ‘Rogue’ Cockburn. Paris has heard of her upcoming nuptials and is desperate to protect her from the man who has bought her hand in marriage purely to rid himself of a disease that he has been told can only be cured by virgin’s blood. Paris takes Tabby back to his home on the Borders and demands a ransom of £20,000 for her safe return – something which he never intends to deliver on, as he wants her for himself. The story develops into a series of misunderstandings and attempted escapes on Tabby’s part, including an impatient husband, several suitors and the knowledge that Paris is aware of Tabby’s parentage, as they both realise that they are falling for each other with neither wanting to yield.
Tabby made for a great heroine throughout, with a keen sense of duty and defiance showing through from the start of the novel. She is a vulnerable character, with naivety in spades, and is generally very gentle and meek in her approach, despite her underlying fire. As she spends more time with the Cockburn clan, we get to see her develop her courage and start to bite back when teased. That, married with the experiences that are thrust upon her throughout the novel, mean that we start to see a much more determined and selfish individual – someone who takes care of herself at any cost, to the point of being blinded by her stubbornness to let anyone in. It was great to see both extremes to Tabby throughout the book, and the happy medium she finds in the end was a very fitting end; her age of 17 (for most of the story) made her changes feel very natural, as she was clearly a young woman trying to find herself.
Paris initially came across as quite an intimidating character, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like him; I wasn’t completely behind his success in his relationship with Tabby to begin with, and found myself hoping at times that the author saw fit to have her end up with one of her other suitors. However, his loving approach to his large family, and the insight I got into his true feelings for Tabby as the book developed slowly softened my approach to him; by the middle of the book, I was willing him to find a way to succeed with Tabby. His brutish-ness remained throughout the novel, but became less intimidating and less frequent as the story wore on; in the end, I came to understand that his temper was a representation of how protective he felt over those he loved.
The coupling of these two characters was brilliant, their relationship was fascinating to read about as it developed. There were so many twists and turns in their dealings with each other, that I couldn’t be entirely sure how the author intended to reach a conclusion until near the end of the book (even with a last minute twist in the last two chapters) – something that’s rare when you’re reading a historical romance (while almost always thorougly enjoyable, they tend to be fairly predictable in overall plot). Both characters had fantastic qualities and a brilliant temper that drove the other to the point of insanity. The talent behind writing these characters is that I felt the frustrations and love that they felt for each other as I was reading; I love it when a book has that effect on me, and it made for a book that I couldn’t put down!
The surrounding characters were given a fair amount of development as well, and it made the story much more interesting than if it has just been left as a romance between Tabby and Paris. Paris’s family were the most entertaining support characters for me; 4 sisters and 2 brothers, each with their own tale of woe and romance that was explored throughout the novel. Each sibling was named after a European city, which I thought was a lovely little side note to the plot-line. Troy, the next eldest, was shown to be a cheeky, charming character with talents for raiding and chasing women; he didn’t really get as much exploration as the other siblings, but given that Paris was such a dominating character, it wouldn’t have made sense to have another so close in age to him get too much airtime. Damascus, the eldest sister, was shown to be quite vain and in desperate want of being the first of her sisters to marry; she has a suitor in mind, but is scared of getting Paris’ permission to marry. Shannon, the elder middle sister, was portrayed as a frivolous character with a good heart; she starts the novel engaged in regular dalliances with a local gypsy and ends up meeting her match (in temperament and passion) in one of Paris’ friends. Venetia, like Troy, didn’t really receive much exploration as a character, and was fairly swiftly given her happy ending – married with a child on the way to her chosen suitor. The youngest siblings, twins Alexander and Alexandria, turned out to be more important to the plot than originally thought, with both getting caught up in Tabby and Paris’ messy relationship with irrevocable consequences. They were constantly helping each other out of scrapes and taking on each other’s hobbies for appearances sake (Alexander is actually fairly effiminate and Alexandria is a tomboy). Outside of the immediate family, Henley also gave great care to the villains of the story – Tabby’s husband, Paris’ ailing wife and Uncle Magnus’ mistress were all fascinating and drew me into the story even further.
The book was initially a slow burner for me, and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get into it, but I was very mistaken; by the time I had got a third of the way through, I was hooked, desperately reading into the small hours of the morning to find out what happened to Tabby and Paris. Henley wrote very well, holding my attention and making me want to know more about ALL of the characters she was writing about. The plot was full of intriguing misunderstandings and mishaps, meaning that I never got bored – there was constantly something new for me to discover as a reader. The fact that Henley took the time to develop her world so completely actually turned out to be a blessing, as I don’t think I would have enjoyed the book nearly as much as I did had she not made the considerable effort to make things seem real and whole; I found myself engrossed in what was going on beyond all comprehension of time and surroundings. In the end, I found that I was quite sad when the book came to an end, because I had immersed myself in the world of the Cockburn clan so completely that I felt I needed to read more. I will definitely be reading more of Virginia Henley‘s work, and that book has fast become one of my favourites.
Tabby made for a great heroine throughout, with a keen sense of duty and defiance showing through from the start of the novel. She is a vulnerable character, with naivety in spades, and is generally very gentle and meek in her approach, despite her underlying fire. As she spends more time with the Cockburn clan, we get to see her develop her courage and start to bite back when teased. That, married with the experiences that are thrust upon her throughout the novel, mean that we start to see a much more determined and selfish individual – someone who takes care of herself at any cost, to the point of being blinded by her stubbornness to let anyone in. It was great to see both extremes to Tabby throughout the book, and the happy medium she finds in the end was a very fitting end; her age of 17 (for most of the story) made her changes feel very natural, as she was clearly a young woman trying to find herself.
Paris initially came across as quite an intimidating character, and I wasn’t sure if I was going to like him; I wasn’t completely behind his success in his relationship with Tabby to begin with, and found myself hoping at times that the author saw fit to have her end up with one of her other suitors. However, his loving approach to his large family, and the insight I got into his true feelings for Tabby as the book developed slowly softened my approach to him; by the middle of the book, I was willing him to find a way to succeed with Tabby. His brutish-ness remained throughout the novel, but became less intimidating and less frequent as the story wore on; in the end, I came to understand that his temper was a representation of how protective he felt over those he loved.
The coupling of these two characters was brilliant, their relationship was fascinating to read about as it developed. There were so many twists and turns in their dealings with each other, that I couldn’t be entirely sure how the author intended to reach a conclusion until near the end of the book (even with a last minute twist in the last two chapters) – something that’s rare when you’re reading a historical romance (while almost always thorougly enjoyable, they tend to be fairly predictable in overall plot). Both characters had fantastic qualities and a brilliant temper that drove the other to the point of insanity. The talent behind writing these characters is that I felt the frustrations and love that they felt for each other as I was reading; I love it when a book has that effect on me, and it made for a book that I couldn’t put down!
The surrounding characters were given a fair amount of development as well, and it made the story much more interesting than if it has just been left as a romance between Tabby and Paris. Paris’s family were the most entertaining support characters for me; 4 sisters and 2 brothers, each with their own tale of woe and romance that was explored throughout the novel. Each sibling was named after a European city, which I thought was a lovely little side note to the plot-line. Troy, the next eldest, was shown to be a cheeky, charming character with talents for raiding and chasing women; he didn’t really get as much exploration as the other siblings, but given that Paris was such a dominating character, it wouldn’t have made sense to have another so close in age to him get too much airtime. Damascus, the eldest sister, was shown to be quite vain and in desperate want of being the first of her sisters to marry; she has a suitor in mind, but is scared of getting Paris’ permission to marry. Shannon, the elder middle sister, was portrayed as a frivolous character with a good heart; she starts the novel engaged in regular dalliances with a local gypsy and ends up meeting her match (in temperament and passion) in one of Paris’ friends. Venetia, like Troy, didn’t really receive much exploration as a character, and was fairly swiftly given her happy ending – married with a child on the way to her chosen suitor. The youngest siblings, twins Alexander and Alexandria, turned out to be more important to the plot than originally thought, with both getting caught up in Tabby and Paris’ messy relationship with irrevocable consequences. They were constantly helping each other out of scrapes and taking on each other’s hobbies for appearances sake (Alexander is actually fairly effiminate and Alexandria is a tomboy). Outside of the immediate family, Henley also gave great care to the villains of the story – Tabby’s husband, Paris’ ailing wife and Uncle Magnus’ mistress were all fascinating and drew me into the story even further.
The book was initially a slow burner for me, and I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get into it, but I was very mistaken; by the time I had got a third of the way through, I was hooked, desperately reading into the small hours of the morning to find out what happened to Tabby and Paris. Henley wrote very well, holding my attention and making me want to know more about ALL of the characters she was writing about. The plot was full of intriguing misunderstandings and mishaps, meaning that I never got bored – there was constantly something new for me to discover as a reader. The fact that Henley took the time to develop her world so completely actually turned out to be a blessing, as I don’t think I would have enjoyed the book nearly as much as I did had she not made the considerable effort to make things seem real and whole; I found myself engrossed in what was going on beyond all comprehension of time and surroundings. In the end, I found that I was quite sad when the book came to an end, because I had immersed myself in the world of the Cockburn clan so completely that I felt I needed to read more. I will definitely be reading more of Virginia Henley‘s work, and that book has fast become one of my favourites.
June 28, 2024
Violence review:
Stopped at page 68. I could not finished reading. It was gross! Paris was whore and gave pleasures to his uncle's girlfriend. I don't think I can finish reading. I'm just too disgusted to even try finish it. ....
I changed my mind because I didn't like to marked dnf.
So I continue to read and finally finished it. The ending was finally good but I still don't like him and her.
He remembered her when she was 5 and he 15. He abducted an orphaned girl on her wedding night and wanted her for himself even if he thinks that she was her half sister or cousin. Again, gross! And not just that, He's married. Nah. .
Their families are lunacy
The ending is 4 stars but In all 2 stars. It a hard to read.
Stopped at page 68. I could not finished reading. It was gross! Paris was whore and gave pleasures to his uncle's girlfriend. I don't think I can finish reading. I'm just too disgusted to even try finish it. ....
I changed my mind because I didn't like to marked dnf.
So I continue to read and finally finished it. The ending was finally good but I still don't like him and her.
He remembered her when she was 5 and he 15. He abducted an orphaned girl on her wedding night and wanted her for himself even if he thinks that she was her half sister or cousin. Again, gross! And not just that, He's married. Nah. .
Their families are lunacy
The ending is 4 stars but In all 2 stars. It a hard to read.
September 1, 2018
I love Virginia Henley, but this was just too much.
The hero Paris Cockburn (yes, that's really his name) is a total dickhead. He has major pantsfeels for the heroine after kidnapping her. He's pretty sure she's just his bastard cousin, not his bastard sister. He can't figure out why she's mad at him after he date rapes her, forces her into marriage, then rapes he again. Gee I can't imagine why she'd be upset. 🤔
The hero Paris Cockburn (yes, that's really his name) is a total dickhead. He has major pantsfeels for the heroine after kidnapping her. He's pretty sure she's just his bastard cousin, not his bastard sister. He can't figure out why she's mad at him after he date rapes her, forces her into marriage, then rapes he again. Gee I can't imagine why she'd be upset. 🤔
April 16, 2022
Only read if you’re prepared for some highly problematic old school historical romance!
August 14, 2025
There is so much wrong with this book, I think I took mental damage from reading it.
August 26, 2025
This book was good but it did lag in the middle for me. The story itself was good the last part of the story was the best. Paris Cockburn and Tabrizia love story . Good sex too
February 13, 2017
An orphan with a mysterious background is sold off to a man with bad intentions, then kidnapped for ransom by another man, who is none too honorable himself. The story also includes a wife trapped in a tower, a pair of scheming women, royalty, violence, rape/attempted rape, murder, a hint of incest, and a whole pile of other drama in this 1985 novel.
April 17, 2012
I would have liked to have given a better score than that. Virginia Henley is a good writer. Unfortunately the book contains serious anachronisms and mistakes which annoyed me too much. Bloomers - in the time of James I and VI. Boxes of chocolates. Leith suddenly translating itself to the Atlantic coast. Sea otters off the coast of Scotland. This is the sort of thing that spoils an otherwise competent piece of writing.
August 31, 2016
My first ever romance novel. I first read this in my Grandmother's assisted living home library at the tender age of 13 (in complete secrecy, of course). This was the start of it all. In it I learned that I loved a strong, obsessive, possessive hero, admired a fiery heroine (albeit wishing for a little more common sense), and hated infidelity with a passion.
Mixed feelings about this one. This is definitely an old school bodice-ripper and is most definitely not for 13 year-olds :)
Mixed feelings about this one. This is definitely an old school bodice-ripper and is most definitely not for 13 year-olds :)
May 30, 2013
I have read this over ten years ago and could only remember parts of it. I finished it in a night, and love the family which is what pushes this along. She built this book to be able to write about other characters and I want Tabby and Rogue to be happy which again is why I read romance. I didn't mind the small mistakes I adore her as a writer.
could-not-finish
January 24, 2015Too many elements I don't like in a book. The Cockburns were kind of hilarious. I get that Paris' wife is an evil bitch but he is still actively trying to bang Tabby while the wife is in the upstairs tower. Biggest issue is she is 17 and he is 27, why couldn't she be a virginal 21.
January 15, 2010
I generally like her books, but this one for some reason was extremely hard to get into. It had all the elements for a good book, it just didn't read well for me.
January 18, 2010
This one was the steamy book that I read but it was a great story.
March 17, 2012
This is a fun story. Has some of my ancestors in it, that's always interesting.
Read
July 25, 2011lies, love, Scottish war lords!!
August 11, 2011
This was really cute. It was weird though, cuz they were friends and then they hated each other and then they....welll i wont give it away. It was cute....both red heads if i can remember correctly.
April 7, 2012
I read this book over 15 years ago and have been looking for it. recently i found it in ebook format so rereading it was a blast.
June 25, 2012
I love the history - wish there had been more development.
October 15, 2013
Bon livre, mais ce n'est pas le meilleur de Virginia Henley.
December 31, 2014
Terrific book!!!
Did not finish
April 7, 2016I started reading this 3 months ago, picked up something else and never came back to it. Time to give up the ghost. Oh welp, at least it was free.
Read
March 30, 2016ebook pc
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