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Under Gypsy Skies
Alicia, a beautiful young Gypsy falls in love with Rafael, a Spanish noble-man, in the shadow of the Inquisition
432 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
About the author
Kathryn Kramer
53 books19 followersKathryn Kramer (real name Kathy Lynn Kramer) also writes as Kathryn Hockett and Katherine Vickery.
Kathryn is from the Rocky Mountain area of the United States--Boulder, Colorado--a city with the spectacular Flatirons Mountains as a backdrop. Boulder is often said to be "25 square miles surrounded by reality." Once a camp ground for Chief Niwot and his Arapahoe indians, it is an area rich in history and legend and the inspiration for many stories. Together with her mother, Marcia Hockett, who aids her daughter in research and editing,Kathy has written a total of 40 romance novels that mirror a love of English, Viking, and Western history.
Prior to writing, Kathy sang with a jazz band and devoted her time to music via theater, teaching and singing professionally. She attended the University of Colorado College of Music on a music scholarship. She added modeling to her itinerary when she modeled as the heroine for the cover of her novel, LADY ROGUE.
Kathryn is from the Rocky Mountain area of the United States--Boulder, Colorado--a city with the spectacular Flatirons Mountains as a backdrop. Boulder is often said to be "25 square miles surrounded by reality." Once a camp ground for Chief Niwot and his Arapahoe indians, it is an area rich in history and legend and the inspiration for many stories. Together with her mother, Marcia Hockett, who aids her daughter in research and editing,Kathy has written a total of 40 romance novels that mirror a love of English, Viking, and Western history.
Prior to writing, Kathy sang with a jazz band and devoted her time to music via theater, teaching and singing professionally. She attended the University of Colorado College of Music on a music scholarship. She added modeling to her itinerary when she modeled as the heroine for the cover of her novel, LADY ROGUE.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 20, 2022
Read: 10/20/22
1.4 stars
This book took me more than a week to finish. I regret that I didn't quit the book from the beginning. The author's Viking book was atleast a fun adventure but this book was such a snooze fest, which is shocking because it take place during the Spanish Inquisition.
I also couldn't care less about the MC . I wouldn't have shed a tear if the H had gotten caught and tortured, which was inevitable because he wasnt exactly the brightest bulb in the socket (too harsh?).
The plot wasn't that great either. It was predictable and wasn't well thought out.
Positive: it was free on KU (TG!)
1.4 stars
This book took me more than a week to finish. I regret that I didn't quit the book from the beginning. The author's Viking book was atleast a fun adventure but this book was such a snooze fest, which is shocking because it take place during the Spanish Inquisition.
I also couldn't care less about the MC . I wouldn't have shed a tear if the H had gotten caught and tortured, which was inevitable because he wasnt exactly the brightest bulb in the socket (too harsh?).
The plot wasn't that great either. It was predictable and wasn't well thought out.
Positive: it was free on KU (TG!)
October 22, 2013
Disclaimer: snark and gifs.
One of the first memorable quotes is that the heroine has a waist that the hero can hold completely in his hands. Either she tight-laces with a corset or he has BIG hands. Like ginormous big. The fact that she was raised Gypsy makes me highly doubt she wears a corset. Regardless, holy unrealistic body fantasies by us readers/writers, batman.
I wanna be a size -4 you guise. lol just kidding. Is there even a size -4?
Oh yes, the gypsy thing. Alicia was raised from very young as Gypsy though she is actually Spanish. The hero doesn't find out until he respects her gypsy-heritage. I guess it was to prove that it was twu luv. Even though it was vital to the plot that she is actually Spanish. I wish she actually Gypsy.
just a thought...
There is a Happy Ending for those of you who love that stuff.
Awe fluffy lion hugs ^_^
Why did I rate this book 3 stars? It was amusing, tad bit trashy, and purply prose love scenes. It was also mildly politically incorrect with the whole gypsy thing. If that fits your ideas for a good time well wasted then I recommend it.
When you have one of those days, you should read this. XD
One of the first memorable quotes is that the heroine has a waist that the hero can hold completely in his hands. Either she tight-laces with a corset or he has BIG hands. Like ginormous big. The fact that she was raised Gypsy makes me highly doubt she wears a corset. Regardless, holy unrealistic body fantasies by us readers/writers, batman.
I wanna be a size -4 you guise. lol just kidding. Is there even a size -4?
Oh yes, the gypsy thing. Alicia was raised from very young as Gypsy though she is actually Spanish. The hero doesn't find out until he respects her gypsy-heritage. I guess it was to prove that it was twu luv. Even though it was vital to the plot that she is actually Spanish. I wish she actually Gypsy.
just a thought...
There is a Happy Ending for those of you who love that stuff.
Awe fluffy lion hugs ^_^
Why did I rate this book 3 stars? It was amusing, tad bit trashy, and purply prose love scenes. It was also mildly politically incorrect with the whole gypsy thing. If that fits your ideas for a good time well wasted then I recommend it.
When you have one of those days, you should read this. XD
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 12, 2013
A Tale of Star-Crossed Lovers in 15th Century Spain
Set in Spain in the late 15th century, beginning in Castile in 1491, this is the story of Alicia, who was raised with the Gypsies believing she was one of them. Her Gypsy father, Rudolpho was also the tribe’s leader. He worried that he would eventually have to tell her she was not one of them but he kept postponing what he dreaded.
Walking in the woods, Alicia witnesses a crime and saves the “gorgio” (non Gypsy) victim. Rafael de Villansandro, the Spaniard whose life she saved, lives among them for a time as a prisoner. But seizing an opportunity, he flees, taking advantage of Alicia’s budding love for him. Then he abandons her to shame among her people.
Kramer’s complex story reflects great research of Spain’s history at the time, of the Spanish Inquisition, of Queen Isabella’s support for Christopher Columbus and the persecution that drove the Jews and Gypsies from Spain. Her descriptions are vivid and she writes well. The story is hampered a bit from the many typos that were not corrected in bringing this classic to eBooks but still it is a worthy read.
This is a story of star-crossed lovers who meet in a chance encounter and are forever changed—and it’s a wonderful dive into the history of Spain. I recommend it.
Set in Spain in the late 15th century, beginning in Castile in 1491, this is the story of Alicia, who was raised with the Gypsies believing she was one of them. Her Gypsy father, Rudolpho was also the tribe’s leader. He worried that he would eventually have to tell her she was not one of them but he kept postponing what he dreaded.
Walking in the woods, Alicia witnesses a crime and saves the “gorgio” (non Gypsy) victim. Rafael de Villansandro, the Spaniard whose life she saved, lives among them for a time as a prisoner. But seizing an opportunity, he flees, taking advantage of Alicia’s budding love for him. Then he abandons her to shame among her people.
Kramer’s complex story reflects great research of Spain’s history at the time, of the Spanish Inquisition, of Queen Isabella’s support for Christopher Columbus and the persecution that drove the Jews and Gypsies from Spain. Her descriptions are vivid and she writes well. The story is hampered a bit from the many typos that were not corrected in bringing this classic to eBooks but still it is a worthy read.
This is a story of star-crossed lovers who meet in a chance encounter and are forever changed—and it’s a wonderful dive into the history of Spain. I recommend it.
December 28, 2020
While I have to admit the characters are paper-thin and there's not much romance in this romance novel, I do want to give credit to the author for stepping outside the comfort zone of the historical romance world. I've read plenty of HR's and honestly can't name another one that is set in Spain. (Sure, characters can come from Spain, but they're usually running around some other part of the world.) Secondly, the hero has a Jewish heritage. Now he's not wearing a kippah and studying the Torah, but again I can't recall any other HR hero or heroine having Jewish roots.
October 28, 2020
This is definitely one of my favorite books.
Read
February 14, 2024Ever since I read The Gypsies by Jan Yoors in my late teens, I have been fascinated by the Romany people, so I was tempted to mooch this book a few years ago.
I wasn't expecting it to be set at the time of the Inquisition, and I had never really connected the fate of the Gypsies to that of the Jews during that time, so I was doubly intrigued.
Unfortunately I struggled with the hero here. Presumably meant to be an alpha hero, he had certain characteristics of a beta and it didn't work for me. I have nothing against Beta heroes, and often prefer them, but here the sensitivity of a beta hero was all for himself, it seemed. Impulsive and reckless, instead of being in control and taking care of things, his actions seem to worsen the situation repeatedly.
There was also a rather frantic pace to the whole book - one catastrophe after the other, and then careening on to the next. An exhausting read. Eventually I reconciled myself to that and did finish.
Unexpectedly, I found myself thinking about the book quite a bit after finishing it, especially the setting and the historical aspects.
My own family's history was shaped by some of those events.
I wasn't expecting it to be set at the time of the Inquisition, and I had never really connected the fate of the Gypsies to that of the Jews during that time, so I was doubly intrigued.
Unfortunately I struggled with the hero here. Presumably meant to be an alpha hero, he had certain characteristics of a beta and it didn't work for me. I have nothing against Beta heroes, and often prefer them, but here the sensitivity of a beta hero was all for himself, it seemed. Impulsive and reckless, instead of being in control and taking care of things, his actions seem to worsen the situation repeatedly.
There was also a rather frantic pace to the whole book - one catastrophe after the other, and then careening on to the next. An exhausting read. Eventually I reconciled myself to that and did finish.
Unexpectedly, I found myself thinking about the book quite a bit after finishing it, especially the setting and the historical aspects.
My own family's history was shaped by some of those events.
June 7, 2016
I have both the paperback and ebook version of this book. Love that cover!!!!! And I loved the story as well. The author obviously does a lot of research into the time period and country written about. In this case there is a lot of info on the Spanish Inquisition and Gypsies. I don't want to reveal the surprise ending or tell too much about the plot except that it is very well written and kept my interest page after page after page.
August 9, 2016
This book had been in a box in my garage for over 20 years. Although it is a "romance" novel I was looking for an easy light read for doctor's appointments. I was pleasantly surprised that the author had done her research and found this to be a well written and intriguing page turner. It has the required 3 or 4 sex scenes but they are short and do not affect the book at all. I would definitely recommend this book, especially to history buffs who like a good story of star crossed lovers as well.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews