Tatika Lynch's exotic good looks first aroused the attentions of the lecherous Lord Crowley. Later, her wit and intelligence captivated him. He would possess her -- at any cost. But Tatika did not love him and would not marry him.
Desperate and alone, she fled to Scotland. There she took refuge in Castle Craig with the Dowager Duchess and her son.
The Duke was young and extraordinarily handsome. Yet there was something hidden in his past, a dreadful secret people only whispered about.
How could anyone love such a man, Tatika wondered. Yet there was a strange magnetic quality about the Duke. Tatika found herself drawn to him more and more . . .
Born in 1901, Barbara Cartland started her writing career in journalism and completed her first book, Jigsaw, when she was just 24. An immediate success, it was the start of her journey to becoming the world’s most famous and most read romantic novelist of all time. Inspiring a whole generation of readers around the globe with her exciting tales of adventure, love and intrigue, she became synonymous with the Romance genre. And she still is to this day, having written over 644 romantic fiction books. As well as romantic novels, she wrote historical biographies, 6 autobiographies, plays, music, poetry and several advice books on life, love, health and cookery – totalling an incredible 723 books in all, with over 1 billion in sales. Awarded the DBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 in honour of her literary, political and social contributions, she was President of the Hertfordshire branch of the Royal College of Midwives as well as a Dame of Grace of the Order of St John of Jerusalem and Deputy President of the St John Ambulance Brigade. Always a passionate advocate of woman’s health and beauty, she was dubbed ‘the true Queen of Romance’ by Vogue magazine in her lifetime. Her legend continues today through her wonderfully vivid romantic tales, stories that help you escape from the day to day into the dramatic adventures of strong, beautiful women who battle, often against the odds, eventually to find that love conquers all. Find out more about the incredible life and works of Dame Barbara Cartland at www.barbaracartland.com
The Castle of Fear!!!! Did not disappoint. Runaways, secret passages, Murder, Scottish castles. Tatika was such a fun MC to follow for me because a lot of what she struggled with was so relatable. After meeting a lot of eligible men but not feeling attracted to any of them (and earning an ice queen nickname woot woot), she’s nearly lost all her hope of finding a nice man to marry and escape her awful (and very violent?!) stepmother. Then she attracts the attention of Crowley, who is a super creeper with a devious mind who teams up with the stepmother to corner Tatika into an engagement.
Tatika runs away by taking a companion job in Scotland, where she meets Duke Magnus who is broody but kind and had a skeleton in his closet. Rumor has it that Magnus killed his first wife! But no one can prove his guilt or innocence so he lives in dread of someone being able to prove that he did it. Tatika believes he’s innocent and tries to help him find the secret passages that would prove he isn’t a killer.
Don’t want to spoil how it ends, but I really like Magnus. The brooding is great, yes, but he really treats Tatika well. The “only one bed” trope was touched on, and there’s a romantic moment in the rain where Tatika and Magnus must spend the night in a hut on his grounds to wait out the storm and he friggin cooks her salmon and makes mead with whiskey and honey in a pan for her to drink so she doesn’t catch a cold. I can’t remember another Cartland hero cooking, but I stan it.
Tatika Lynch's striking appearance initially caught the attention of the unsavory Lord Crowley. However, it was her intellect and charm that captivated him, driving his determination to possess her at any cost. But Tatika had no love for him and refused to marry him.
Desperate and seeking refuge, Tatika fled to Scotland, finding solace in Castle Craig under the care of the Dowager Duchess and her son, the Duke. Despite his youth and remarkable handsomeness, the Duke carried a hidden past, a dreadful secret whispered about by others.
Tatika couldn't fathom how anyone could love a man burdened with such a dark history. Yet, an enigmatic quality emanated from the Duke, drawing Tatika closer to him with each passing day. A strange and magnetic force grew between them, causing Tatika to find herself increasingly drawn to the Duke despite her initial reservations.
I absolutely love gothic romances with all of the mystery and the strong female characters. Barbara Cartland is an amazing author who incorporates an unforgettable story with amazing characters.
Ok, I know these are cheesy, but in Middle School and High School I just loved reading them! What is great is they are fun little love stories that are cleaned up with non of the smut that can be in romance novels.
Really enjoyed this surprisingly. I expected Barbara to be more of a prude than this. The story advanced pretty quickly but I liked the setting and the characters so it was good overall.
Tatika Lynch's exotic good looks first aroused the attentions of the lecherous Lord Crowley. Later, her wit and intelligence captivated him. He would possess her -- at any cost. But Tatika did not love him and would not marry him.
Desperate and alone, she fled to Scotland. There she took refuge in Castle Craig with the Dowager Duchess and her son.
The Duke was young and extraordinarily handsome. Yet there was something hidden in his past, a dreadful secret people only whispered about.
How could anyone love such a man, Tatika wondered. Yet there was a strange magnetic quality about the Duke. Tatika found herself drawn to him more and more . . .