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Montgomery/Taggert (Publication order) #4
Velvet Song
They were both outcasts by a harsh decree -- and on the brink of a shared destiny of passion!
With her father murdered, her home burned, lovely Alyx Blackett fled to the woods -- and sanctuary in the camp of Raine Montgomery, a nobleman outlawed by the king's edict. There she hid her beauty in the guise of a boy, and her sorrow in her work as Montgomery's squire.
But how long could such loveliness as hers be hidden? How long could such a gallant man's desires be blind? And how soon -- even as a blood feud raged between the Montgomerys and the Chatworths, as angry swords clattered in the name of family honor -- one woman's love would make all the difference... one woman's love would inflame a hero's passion, touch a king's pity, and raise a song of praise in every English heart.
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published February 1, 1983
About the author
Jude Deveraux
244 books6,395 followersJude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
September 11, 2016
2 stars!
Nothing infuriates me more when the author destroys my favorite character in a book, much less in a series. Champion of the underdog, Raine Montgomery is the main reason why I love the Velvet saga – his sense of honor and his unwavering loyalty and love for his family is what makes him my favorite Montgomery brother. With this book, however, Jude Deveraux has obliterated Raine’s character and I’m not sure I’ll be able to recover.
As we know from book 2, Raine has been banished by the king after using his men to settle a family feud. He’s been living in the forest for the past few months, waiting for a chance to petition the King. Meanwhile, the heroine and beloved singer Alyx is on the run after her local lord kills her father. Disguising herself as a boy, she flees into the same forest Raine inhabits and becomes his serving boy.
For the most part, I really liked the premise of the story – it’s very different from the first two books, and I was interested to see how the author would develop a relationship between the two main characters. While I enjoyed most of their relationship development in the beginning, I got weary reading how judgmental Alyx was or how stubborn Raine got. Miscommunication caused the couple to separate for almost the entire second half of the book, thus I didn’t really buy into the romance nor was I convinced of their love for each other. The thing that really angered me the most was how the author took Raine’s most admirable qualities – honor and pride – and used it as his excuses for shunning Alyx and everything she did for him.
Just like the first two books, book 3’s ending was also disappointing – the author delivers a rushed conclusion to Raine and Alyx’s story and that also cheapened the romance. I give low ratings out of anger or frustration but very rarely out of sadness. For this book, however, it greatly saddened me to give 2 stars to my favorite Montgomery brother’s book. I will always feel like the author didn’t do Raine justice.
Thanks Camaro for re-reading with me! Onto the last one!
Nothing infuriates me more when the author destroys my favorite character in a book, much less in a series. Champion of the underdog, Raine Montgomery is the main reason why I love the Velvet saga – his sense of honor and his unwavering loyalty and love for his family is what makes him my favorite Montgomery brother. With this book, however, Jude Deveraux has obliterated Raine’s character and I’m not sure I’ll be able to recover.
As we know from book 2, Raine has been banished by the king after using his men to settle a family feud. He’s been living in the forest for the past few months, waiting for a chance to petition the King. Meanwhile, the heroine and beloved singer Alyx is on the run after her local lord kills her father. Disguising herself as a boy, she flees into the same forest Raine inhabits and becomes his serving boy.
For the most part, I really liked the premise of the story – it’s very different from the first two books, and I was interested to see how the author would develop a relationship between the two main characters. While I enjoyed most of their relationship development in the beginning, I got weary reading how judgmental Alyx was or how stubborn Raine got. Miscommunication caused the couple to separate for almost the entire second half of the book, thus I didn’t really buy into the romance nor was I convinced of their love for each other. The thing that really angered me the most was how the author took Raine’s most admirable qualities – honor and pride – and used it as his excuses for shunning Alyx and everything she did for him.
Just like the first two books, book 3’s ending was also disappointing – the author delivers a rushed conclusion to Raine and Alyx’s story and that also cheapened the romance. I give low ratings out of anger or frustration but very rarely out of sadness. For this book, however, it greatly saddened me to give 2 stars to my favorite Montgomery brother’s book. I will always feel like the author didn’t do Raine justice.
Thanks Camaro for re-reading with me! Onto the last one!
December 29, 2017
This is my least favorite in the Velvet series. I didn’t care for Raine, he was too much of a “hard-head”. In one scene Raine spanks Alyx for disobeying him and then she follows him to their tent to make sweet-sweet love??!! What. The. Deuce??!! No!! Just no!!
June 26, 2021
Overall: ⭐️⭐️
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖
Feels: 🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑 sometimes 🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 (While there are 4 scenes, they are definitely not descriptive and not fit for the spirit of Upturned Petticoats group)
Humor: Not really?
Hero Jerk Scale: 😠 😠 😠 😠 😠
Heroine Jerk Scale: 😠 😠 😠 😠 😠
Content Warnings in review below cover murder and sexual assault. Full content warnings found in goodreads review under spoiler heading.
(These are all personal opinions about the book except the steam which follows our Steam Scale chart in The Ton and the Tartans facebook group)
This is the third book in the Velvet series – which has been about 3 brothers. The Velvet Promise (Gavin’s story), Highland Velvet (Stephen’s story) are previous to this one. The brothers do make appearances in the book and events do cross over – but Deveraux does do recap of the events in the books so if you pick this up as a stand alone you will be okay. Some of this story (like Part I) is happening during the second half the book 2 of the series. (If you prefer to read in order, the Velvet series has 4 books, but you can also find the chronological reading order of the entire Montgomery/Taggert series on her website)
The first part begins in January of 1502. Alyx faces a sexual assault at the hands of nobleman but is able to escape. That night her father is brutally murdered by the same men and she must hide to protect herself for the bounty on her head. She is assisted by a kind man and told to disguise herself as a boy and is taken to Raine’s camp of outlaws in the woods where she poses as his squire. Here they spend weeks together until Raine is willing to risk his life by taking her to safety and exposing himself to the king (he is an outlaw) and Alyx works on a scheme to earn his dislike enough to leave her to keep him safe. Part 2 takes place in August and is about their eventual reunion.
Give this a try if you are in the mood for:
- Tudor time period – 1502
- Heroine disguised as a man trope
- A heroine that performs, writes, and adores music
- A bit of class differences – Raine is a nobleman and Alyx is a lawyer’s daughter.
- You must be okay with content warnings (see end of review for full content warnings including rape)
- A touch of secret baby trope (hero is unaware of heroine’s pregnancy for a number of months)
- Heroine nurses hero back to health trope (hero suffers an injury and is sick with fever for a number of days)
- A bit of forced proximity – Alyx and Raine are together in the wilderness for the first half the of the book
- Classic old school feel with lots of content warnings and drama
Sadly this book wasn’t for me. I can usually like one character more than the other at least. And while I thought I could like Raine after the first half – the heroine took the cake for me for being utterly obnoxious, the second half reversed with Raine being awful.
I generally liked Part I better, probably because Raine and Alyx were actually together and it was a lot of forced proximity. They were together in an outlaw camp in the woods, so that was a small plus for me. Part II I didn’t love because they were separated for most of it and Raine acted despicably.
I wanted more character depth. I still feel like I barely know Raine. I wanted to like him, but his actions towards the end just put him in the same camp as his brother Gavin. Alyx was so utterly unlikable in the beginning to me, I had a hard time forgiving her in the second half, though she does relax a lot and come to care about others.
Other specifics that bothered me
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes
Plot/Storyline: 📖📖
Feels: 🦋
Emotional Depth: 💔💔
Sexual Tension: ⚡⚡
Romance: 💞
Sensuality: 💋💋
Sex Scene Length: 🍑 sometimes 🍑🍑
Steam Scale (Number of Sex Scenes): 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥 (While there are 4 scenes, they are definitely not descriptive and not fit for the spirit of Upturned Petticoats group)
Humor: Not really?
Hero Jerk Scale: 😠 😠 😠 😠 😠
Heroine Jerk Scale: 😠 😠 😠 😠 😠
Content Warnings in review below cover murder and sexual assault. Full content warnings found in goodreads review under spoiler heading.
(These are all personal opinions about the book except the steam which follows our Steam Scale chart in The Ton and the Tartans facebook group)
This is the third book in the Velvet series – which has been about 3 brothers. The Velvet Promise (Gavin’s story), Highland Velvet (Stephen’s story) are previous to this one. The brothers do make appearances in the book and events do cross over – but Deveraux does do recap of the events in the books so if you pick this up as a stand alone you will be okay. Some of this story (like Part I) is happening during the second half the book 2 of the series. (If you prefer to read in order, the Velvet series has 4 books, but you can also find the chronological reading order of the entire Montgomery/Taggert series on her website)
The first part begins in January of 1502. Alyx faces a sexual assault at the hands of nobleman but is able to escape. That night her father is brutally murdered by the same men and she must hide to protect herself for the bounty on her head. She is assisted by a kind man and told to disguise herself as a boy and is taken to Raine’s camp of outlaws in the woods where she poses as his squire. Here they spend weeks together until Raine is willing to risk his life by taking her to safety and exposing himself to the king (he is an outlaw) and Alyx works on a scheme to earn his dislike enough to leave her to keep him safe. Part 2 takes place in August and is about their eventual reunion.
Give this a try if you are in the mood for:
- Tudor time period – 1502
- Heroine disguised as a man trope
- A heroine that performs, writes, and adores music
- A bit of class differences – Raine is a nobleman and Alyx is a lawyer’s daughter.
- You must be okay with content warnings (see end of review for full content warnings including rape)
- A touch of secret baby trope (hero is unaware of heroine’s pregnancy for a number of months)
- Heroine nurses hero back to health trope (hero suffers an injury and is sick with fever for a number of days)
- A bit of forced proximity – Alyx and Raine are together in the wilderness for the first half the of the book
- Classic old school feel with lots of content warnings and drama
Sadly this book wasn’t for me. I can usually like one character more than the other at least. And while I thought I could like Raine after the first half – the heroine took the cake for me for being utterly obnoxious, the second half reversed with Raine being awful.
I generally liked Part I better, probably because Raine and Alyx were actually together and it was a lot of forced proximity. They were together in an outlaw camp in the woods, so that was a small plus for me. Part II I didn’t love because they were separated for most of it and Raine acted despicably.
I wanted more character depth. I still feel like I barely know Raine. I wanted to like him, but his actions towards the end just put him in the same camp as his brother Gavin. Alyx was so utterly unlikable in the beginning to me, I had a hard time forgiving her in the second half, though she does relax a lot and come to care about others.
Other specifics that bothered me
Content warnings:
Locations of kisses/intimate scenes
November 25, 2021
3.5
This was good tbf, but so many lose ends and the way their emotions are written makes me wonder if they are programmed robots. One minute they are fighting and hating on each other and then the next minute they are in love and making love and then the next minute they are fighting and hating each other again and then all of a sudden they are apart for 2 to 3 months at Long lengths, during that. She is pregnant with his child, and it makes me wonder if they actually use their emotions and their brain to realize that they are actually in love and all these petty scheming and arguments is just thier way to protect each other instead of them actually feeling any animosity towards each other.
For example the scene where the heroine pretends to have bedded one of the heroes man in order to save the hero from leaving the safety of the camp and to not risk him being captured by the kings men and killed. why did the hero not realize that was a scheeme between the heroine and his friend but instead he believed That she actually did it and instead banishing both of them which is exactly what the heroine wanted. why are they so dense that they cannot figure out that they are in love and everything that they do is to protect each other instead of the hero just pushes her away and for prolonged periods of time stays away from her and he is brooding and miserable and it was annoying.
And when the heroine goes to the king for the pardoning of the hero so he would not be an outlaw anymore, the hero did not appreciate that talking about his honor and all that junk and he ended up ignoring the heroine for more months on end and by this time the daughter was already one years old he still at this point has not met his daughter so the heroine decides to send the daughter over to the hero and then they both come back to the heroine and they talk and things are resolved….
The book was so jumpy in certain areas however the overall story and the plot was easy to follow and I enjoyed it. some areas would have needed more information however I feel like we will get that in the other books however this one was good
This was good tbf, but so many lose ends and the way their emotions are written makes me wonder if they are programmed robots. One minute they are fighting and hating on each other and then the next minute they are in love and making love and then the next minute they are fighting and hating each other again and then all of a sudden they are apart for 2 to 3 months at Long lengths, during that. She is pregnant with his child, and it makes me wonder if they actually use their emotions and their brain to realize that they are actually in love and all these petty scheming and arguments is just thier way to protect each other instead of them actually feeling any animosity towards each other.
For example the scene where the heroine pretends to have bedded one of the heroes man in order to save the hero from leaving the safety of the camp and to not risk him being captured by the kings men and killed. why did the hero not realize that was a scheeme between the heroine and his friend but instead he believed That she actually did it and instead banishing both of them which is exactly what the heroine wanted. why are they so dense that they cannot figure out that they are in love and everything that they do is to protect each other instead of the hero just pushes her away and for prolonged periods of time stays away from her and he is brooding and miserable and it was annoying.
And when the heroine goes to the king for the pardoning of the hero so he would not be an outlaw anymore, the hero did not appreciate that talking about his honor and all that junk and he ended up ignoring the heroine for more months on end and by this time the daughter was already one years old he still at this point has not met his daughter so the heroine decides to send the daughter over to the hero and then they both come back to the heroine and they talk and things are resolved….
The book was so jumpy in certain areas however the overall story and the plot was easy to follow and I enjoyed it. some areas would have needed more information however I feel like we will get that in the other books however this one was good
June 9, 2014
The story moved along and it was great to see characters from the other novels. As far as the saga goes, this is a must read. However, so far, this is my least favorite of the series in a romantic sense. I was disappointed about that, since I really liked Raine in the first two novels and was looking forward to his story.
I'm not a fan of the plain Jane heroine. And I'm not sure if that's even an accurate label here, but Deveraux seemed constantly confused with how to describe Alyx. You get the sense at times that she is very pretty, just not curvaceous. That's fine, some men are into the small, petite type. There are different kinds of beauty and not all men want the exact same thing. Why not make Raine one of those men? I wanted him to see Alyx as the most beautiful woman in the world, but he even tells his brother he's had "prettier women". He finds her attractive, sure, and she seems to be considered "cute" by people in general. That's fine as far as other people go. But, I'm shallow. I admit it. In fantasy romance land, I want the H to find the h to be the most beautiful woman in the world, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Instead, I think he still holds Judith on that pedestal.
Anyway, there was far too much 'you hurt my pride, I hate you' going on with Raine. Back and forth and back and forth. It got old after the zillionth time. And Alyx needed to chill out. She was always yelling at Raine and supposedly incapable of understanding male pride and learning to deal with him in a subtler way. This was explained by her being of a different class. I call BS. I'd imagine that most all men of all classes were very sensitive about having their masculinity insulted/questioned. This was a time when might made right and men ruled the world. Being a 'man' was everything. Yet, she didn't get it AT ALL. Her head couldn't have been that far up her ass with her music. I suppose I just didn't like her. I realize she changed and became more aware of the world around her over the course of the book and was a decent person, still I never really grew to like her. I didn't hate her, she just left me indifferent. I never understood why Raine fell for her.
I'm not a fan of the plain Jane heroine. And I'm not sure if that's even an accurate label here, but Deveraux seemed constantly confused with how to describe Alyx. You get the sense at times that she is very pretty, just not curvaceous. That's fine, some men are into the small, petite type. There are different kinds of beauty and not all men want the exact same thing. Why not make Raine one of those men? I wanted him to see Alyx as the most beautiful woman in the world, but he even tells his brother he's had "prettier women". He finds her attractive, sure, and she seems to be considered "cute" by people in general. That's fine as far as other people go. But, I'm shallow. I admit it. In fantasy romance land, I want the H to find the h to be the most beautiful woman in the world, regardless of what anyone else thinks. Instead, I think he still holds Judith on that pedestal.
Anyway, there was far too much 'you hurt my pride, I hate you' going on with Raine. Back and forth and back and forth. It got old after the zillionth time. And Alyx needed to chill out. She was always yelling at Raine and supposedly incapable of understanding male pride and learning to deal with him in a subtler way. This was explained by her being of a different class. I call BS. I'd imagine that most all men of all classes were very sensitive about having their masculinity insulted/questioned. This was a time when might made right and men ruled the world. Being a 'man' was everything. Yet, she didn't get it AT ALL. Her head couldn't have been that far up her ass with her music. I suppose I just didn't like her. I realize she changed and became more aware of the world around her over the course of the book and was a decent person, still I never really grew to like her. I didn't hate her, she just left me indifferent. I never understood why Raine fell for her.
February 20, 2019
*Reread Review*
In the past this was one of my favorites in this series because I loved Raine! I find that during my reread of this series that though, I still liked Raine through most of the book, he was quite exasperating! The arrogance and the pride.. OMG eye roll worthy! Yet another thing about Jude Deveraux's books that I like is that the males are far from perfect. Even if they seem that way for a bit.. just wait they are going to do something ridiculous soon lol. This book continues the love to hate, hate to love, give up and love momentum lol. The biggest adversaries really in these books are the characters and their flaws! That is just so real to me because in life it is also true!
Raine Montgomery has been declared a traitor to the crown after becoming enraged finding out that Roger had taken Stephens bride Bronwyn, and taking the kings soldiers down to wage war on Chatworth! Raine finding nowhere to go and refusing to own up to his mistakes is now living in the wood with a group of other cast outs! Alyx raised in a small village has spent her whole life on a pedestal due to her uncanny vocal and musical talent. Treated like a saint because of her "gift from god." That is until slimy Lord Pagnell happens by one day during her voice practice and decides to take her for himself.. Little does he know Alyx doesn't put up with no crap, and after putting him in his place her world turns upside down as she battles the system serf vs lord for the first time and realizes she can never win. Her only choice is to run away into the forest to Raine and his camp. Posing as a boy her and Raine immediately begin their relationship of constant bickering as each character is incredibly stubborn and neither will bend an inch.. That is until Raine discovers there is more to this "boy" in his tent! Sparks fly, as a battle of wills ensue which may actually pull them apart...
This book is happening simultaneously with the 4th book so its kind of odd but there are some tiny spoilers there if you can catch them! I also love that there are multiple references to The Black Lyon in this one. Including Alyx's Lion belt which was a big part of that story! On to book 4!
In the past this was one of my favorites in this series because I loved Raine! I find that during my reread of this series that though, I still liked Raine through most of the book, he was quite exasperating! The arrogance and the pride.. OMG eye roll worthy! Yet another thing about Jude Deveraux's books that I like is that the males are far from perfect. Even if they seem that way for a bit.. just wait they are going to do something ridiculous soon lol. This book continues the love to hate, hate to love, give up and love momentum lol. The biggest adversaries really in these books are the characters and their flaws! That is just so real to me because in life it is also true!
Raine Montgomery has been declared a traitor to the crown after becoming enraged finding out that Roger had taken Stephens bride Bronwyn, and taking the kings soldiers down to wage war on Chatworth! Raine finding nowhere to go and refusing to own up to his mistakes is now living in the wood with a group of other cast outs! Alyx raised in a small village has spent her whole life on a pedestal due to her uncanny vocal and musical talent. Treated like a saint because of her "gift from god." That is until slimy Lord Pagnell happens by one day during her voice practice and decides to take her for himself.. Little does he know Alyx doesn't put up with no crap, and after putting him in his place her world turns upside down as she battles the system serf vs lord for the first time and realizes she can never win. Her only choice is to run away into the forest to Raine and his camp. Posing as a boy her and Raine immediately begin their relationship of constant bickering as each character is incredibly stubborn and neither will bend an inch.. That is until Raine discovers there is more to this "boy" in his tent! Sparks fly, as a battle of wills ensue which may actually pull them apart...
This book is happening simultaneously with the 4th book so its kind of odd but there are some tiny spoilers there if you can catch them! I also love that there are multiple references to The Black Lyon in this one. Including Alyx's Lion belt which was a big part of that story! On to book 4!
February 19, 2011
Perhaps it's not that bad to have read this after Velvet Angel because there were a lot of overlapping events. Raine and Miles's story were happening simultaneously that I didn't mind not knowing what it's all about.
The beginning was slow and I had to force myself to read it and finish it but I just wasn't in the mood so I read a contemporary story, then I just set my mind to it and I couldn't stop reading when Alyx first stepped into Raine's camp dressed as a boy. There were a lot of recurring characters, Joceline and Blanche are with the outlaws, we remember them from “The Velvet Promise”, and Joss is likeable as ever, and Blance is a classic semi-villain.
It was difficult for Alyx to adapt the life of Raine's squire and though she whined a lot at first, she learned to deal with it. I could just imagine the hardships because she has a petite physique and I always wondered how they'll get to the part of making love. I thought Raine was imagining someone else in the height of his fever but there was a little lucidity there so I wasn't that convinced.
Again, Jude Deveraux's hero and heroine argued constantly here, and the only time they don't is in between the sheets. I didn't like it that much that the author stretched the opposites attract formula, it's annoying sometimes because one is always unreasonable. I understand Alyx's side in whatever she did, and I also saw the point in Raine's feeling betrayed but with a little compromise and a think-before-you-act attitude, they wouldn't have suffered like that.
So that's 3.5 stars for this.
The beginning was slow and I had to force myself to read it and finish it but I just wasn't in the mood so I read a contemporary story, then I just set my mind to it and I couldn't stop reading when Alyx first stepped into Raine's camp dressed as a boy. There were a lot of recurring characters, Joceline and Blanche are with the outlaws, we remember them from “The Velvet Promise”, and Joss is likeable as ever, and Blance is a classic semi-villain.
It was difficult for Alyx to adapt the life of Raine's squire and though she whined a lot at first, she learned to deal with it. I could just imagine the hardships because she has a petite physique and I always wondered how they'll get to the part of making love. I thought Raine was imagining someone else in the height of his fever but there was a little lucidity there so I wasn't that convinced.
Again, Jude Deveraux's hero and heroine argued constantly here, and the only time they don't is in between the sheets. I didn't like it that much that the author stretched the opposites attract formula, it's annoying sometimes because one is always unreasonable. I understand Alyx's side in whatever she did, and I also saw the point in Raine's feeling betrayed but with a little compromise and a think-before-you-act attitude, they wouldn't have suffered like that.
So that's 3.5 stars for this.
November 22, 2020
You can really tell that Deveraux worked hard to have all 4 books published in the span of 2 years. Some things just don't make sense at all. They fall in love randomly and unconvincingly. Joss and Alyx talk about Alyx being a woman in love with Raine, but only after some 30 pages does Alyx acknowledge that Joss knows she is a woman...? Alyx's connection to the Black Lyon is dropped and never mentioned again. Alyx's father was murdered in the first 20 pages and then she was sad and then she never thought about such a gruesome event again. The character who incited the plot was killed "off-screen".
The portrayal of the dynamic between the hero and the heroine continues to be infuriating and sometimes just repulsive. I can't tell if this is due to the plot being set in 1502, due to the fact that this was written in 1983, or due to the intersection of both time-periods.
Thoroughly disappointed, because the premise was interesting. Raine was fun in other books, but the spotlight does him no good at all. All of Miles' story was revealed, as well, so there's really no point in picking up the final book.
The portrayal of the dynamic between the hero and the heroine continues to be infuriating and sometimes just repulsive. I can't tell if this is due to the plot being set in 1502, due to the fact that this was written in 1983, or due to the intersection of both time-periods.
Thoroughly disappointed, because the premise was interesting. Raine was fun in other books, but the spotlight does him no good at all. All of Miles' story was revealed, as well, so there's really no point in picking up the final book.
July 2, 2020
Slatka i opuštajuća knjiga, klasični zapleti historijske romanse, ali lijepo napisano.
February 3, 2013
I guess it's not fair to give it 2 stars; but i know id be lying to myself if id give it i-liked-it 3 stars.
WHat really did not work for me about this book is the heroine's total bluntness that made me cringe and how she gets really really self-concious around our hero; how she degrades herself and goes all im-ugly blah blah blah.
I was looking forward to this but the heroine ruined my impression. Most of the time she was judgemental, abrasive, calling woman 'slut', she lacks manner and class. She is tackful and ok, ok, im acting like a freaking teacher here but her character did not work well with me.
Another things is the progression of the romance; i hated some of the scenes. Especially the first time they made love. THe hero has a fever, he was a bit dilusional but it felt like the heroine took advantage of that and they had sex.
Her passion and strenght dueled the hero's so i guess they fit each other well. But the heroines bad attitude and horrible manners are a total turn-off.
Authours should know the difference between stubborness or feistiness between rudeness and diabolical attitudes.
WHat really did not work for me about this book is the heroine's total bluntness that made me cringe and how she gets really really self-concious around our hero; how she degrades herself and goes all im-ugly blah blah blah.
I was looking forward to this but the heroine ruined my impression. Most of the time she was judgemental, abrasive, calling woman 'slut', she lacks manner and class. She is tackful and ok, ok, im acting like a freaking teacher here but her character did not work well with me.
Another things is the progression of the romance; i hated some of the scenes. Especially the first time they made love. THe hero has a fever, he was a bit dilusional but it felt like the heroine took advantage of that and they had sex.
Her passion and strenght dueled the hero's so i guess they fit each other well. But the heroines bad attitude and horrible manners are a total turn-off.
Authours should know the difference between stubborness or feistiness between rudeness and diabolical attitudes.
June 19, 2020
Although I rated the previous book in the series 4 stars I can’t remember it at all but must have really liked it. The first was such a revelation for me and one I don’t think I’ll ever forget. This one I’m afraid may also end up as unforgettable. Regardless when I give a book three stars it means I found it relatively entertaining but wouldn’t bother to re read. There were some obvious plot twists and predictable and repetitive parts. I didn’t particularly like any of the characters. I’m more interested in the next in the series which has a higher rating but I’m a stickler for not skipping books of a series if it can be helped.
December 15, 2009
So I am being nice w/my stars. I should only go with 2 3/4 but it's Deveraux and I couldn't bring myself to do it. I just really wasn't feeling this book. I liked Raine before I read this book. He was a wonderful brother-in-law to Judith in her other book. In this book he was an ill tempered jerk and I didn't get him at all. Then the whole singing thing and to have such a voice for the kind to beg you to come as his audience. Maybe that was the way of it then but it seemed really unlikely and kind of desperate to me. I really enjoyed the other books in the series though.
April 18, 2017
Still a great read after all these years. Had me laughing, sighing and at times crying. If you love historical romances I suggest you start with book 1, and yes it will probably make you mad but still it's a great read as well. Then read the whole series and end with VELVET ANGEL. This is book 3 so keep in mind it is part of a series and they do need to be read in order. The characters are great, the plot is wonderful, the writing awesome and the overall appeal of the story outstanding. LOVED it!
November 1, 2016
I liked this book however was getting a little fed up at Reigns code of honor attitude. I liked that the h was not the standard body type but beautiful still. I LOVED how all the characters came together here. It's like a continued story from the last so you are weaned off each of the past characters.
June 19, 2009
a re-read and still love this one.
May 26, 2016
After reading Stephen's story in Highland Velvet(my favorite in this series), I think I set my expectations too high. Of the Montgomery brothers, after Stephen, Raine is my favorite. I loved him in Velvet Promise... he was so honorable and protective of Judith. I really like his character, but something about him was lost in this book. He kept taking pride and honor way too seriously in his treatment of Alyx.
Also, the whole love story between Raine and Alyx seemed rushed. The book could have been longer with more development between the hero and heroine. I did not believe in their desire for each other or really get to feel any sort of commitment in seeing them work things out. I did not feel any kind of connection to Alyx; she actually annoyed me quite a bit. She was too focused on hating all noblemen and thought people should automatically like her because of her musical gift.
I did enjoy seeing Gavin, Judith, Joan and Stephen make appearences. It was like welcoming back old friends and I found I enjoyed scenes with them more so.
I just didn't like how Raine and Alyx seemed to go back and forth, loving and them storming off into the forest. He didn't even see his daughter for a whole year! That just didn't seem like the Raine from the previous books.
I still enjoyed the book, but it would not be one I would reread. But it was needed to continue the series.
Also, the whole love story between Raine and Alyx seemed rushed. The book could have been longer with more development between the hero and heroine. I did not believe in their desire for each other or really get to feel any sort of commitment in seeing them work things out. I did not feel any kind of connection to Alyx; she actually annoyed me quite a bit. She was too focused on hating all noblemen and thought people should automatically like her because of her musical gift.
I did enjoy seeing Gavin, Judith, Joan and Stephen make appearences. It was like welcoming back old friends and I found I enjoyed scenes with them more so.
I just didn't like how Raine and Alyx seemed to go back and forth, loving and them storming off into the forest. He didn't even see his daughter for a whole year! That just didn't seem like the Raine from the previous books.
I still enjoyed the book, but it would not be one I would reread. But it was needed to continue the series.
Read
October 17, 2022The heroine disguised as a boy plot line has been much better used in other novels (Shakespeare not the least of which), and romance novels can treat the trope very well (Johanna Lindsey's Gentle Rogue, for example) but Jude Deveraux falls down on the job. As a whole, Velvet Song is an underdeveloped novel. Concepts are thrown in and used so negligently that they defeat the purpose of inclusion. Alyx as a boy, for example. Deveraux doesn't follow through on all of the fun that could have been had with Raine's growing attraction to what he thinks is a boy or with the potential fall-out with the villains in the woods. Blanche is even more of a plot device than she was in Velvet Promise and Alyx's affinity for music is largely reduced to a parlor trick.
Deveraux is a better writer than this book demonstrates and she added a few interesting moments that could have really benefited from extensive treatment: Brian Chatsworth, Jocelin and Rosamund, Alyx's pregnancy, for example. I can only hope that Deveraux finishes the series as strongly as she began it.
Deveraux is a better writer than this book demonstrates and she added a few interesting moments that could have really benefited from extensive treatment: Brian Chatsworth, Jocelin and Rosamund, Alyx's pregnancy, for example. I can only hope that Deveraux finishes the series as strongly as she began it.
January 22, 2009
*currently-reading* comment:
am bored... first i thought the book is quite entertaining... fast faced (coz i just read "almost heaven" by judith mcnaught) so something refreshing to have this fast faced set up, but then i got... whatthe--- the two just fell in love!? did i miss a page? huh? really... i find all the set-up shallow (sigh) am not used to saying this stuff, coz me myself cant even write a book so who am i!? however i find it really disappointing, like am stuck here have to endure and finish it... (sigh) i know, i know, i may be not biased... by judging it without even finishing it--- so yeah, i wouldnt talk much--- maybe along the road i'll be able to enjoy and appreciate it like how "almost heaven" was... i thought am not gonna make it, but yeah i did, somehow enjoy the epilogue, very touche when the hero said "almost heaven" hahaha :P
*read*
okay, i didnt like it.
am bored... first i thought the book is quite entertaining... fast faced (coz i just read "almost heaven" by judith mcnaught) so something refreshing to have this fast faced set up, but then i got... whatthe--- the two just fell in love!? did i miss a page? huh? really... i find all the set-up shallow (sigh) am not used to saying this stuff, coz me myself cant even write a book so who am i!? however i find it really disappointing, like am stuck here have to endure and finish it... (sigh) i know, i know, i may be not biased... by judging it without even finishing it--- so yeah, i wouldnt talk much--- maybe along the road i'll be able to enjoy and appreciate it like how "almost heaven" was... i thought am not gonna make it, but yeah i did, somehow enjoy the epilogue, very touche when the hero said "almost heaven" hahaha :P
*read*
okay, i didnt like it.
June 28, 2009
Alyx Blackelt is not having an easy time. She had always been told her musical gifts were a blessing from God. She is off composing when the local nobleman sees her alone in an orchard and tries to rape her. She manages to get away but in revenge the nobleman breaks into her house, kills her father, burns the house to cover his crime, and then has her proscribed as a witch. The priest puts Alyx in male clothing and sends her off into the woods to a camp of freemen ruled by Raine Montgomery, a nobleman that King Henry VII listed as a traitor after Raine took the king's army to save his sister who was being held hostage. Raine hires Alyx as his squire. Since Alyx has a dim opinion of all noblemen after her experience and since Raine is fairly autocratic, they have a rocky relationship.
Although a someone typical historical romance, I really liked the book. It has strong characters and a good plot.
Although a someone typical historical romance, I really liked the book. It has strong characters and a good plot.
March 13, 2009
I was disappointed with Raine's story. He had potential to be my favorite brother. Alyx, though, is a disappointment. There is nothing particularly interesting about her. Other than her ability to sing, she has no compelling qualities. I like her story, how she came to meet Raine, but I didn't think she was right for him. He's loves Judith, who is so strong, capable, and logical but falls for Alyx, who is none of these things. If Deveraux wanted to rewrite this story with a better heroine, I'll happily forget this one ever existed. LOL The book was good, easy to read, I just would have chosen something different for Raine. He is too special for Alyx.
May 26, 2019
The third in the "Velvet" series and the fourth in the Montgomery series by Jude Deveraux. A wonderful series set in Renaissance England. Raine Montgomery is declared a traitor by his king and hides in the woods. (Robin Hood? LOL) Alyx Blackelt is a young woman with the voice of an angel and on the run from a murdering nobleman. She is disguised as a boy and ends up with Raine and his group in the woods.
April 27, 2010
Just as good as the 2 before, although I enjoyed the slight change in the story. Instead of taking place with Nobles and the constant feud between the main characters; the story takes place in a forest with Thieves, Murderers and Outcasts. Of course there was till a constant battle between the main characters, it was a nice bit of change. Enjoyed just as much as the others in the series.
May 1, 2008
Forgot how much I hated this character. In the other books in the series, he's the character you like. In the book that focuses on him though, he's horrible. To abandon his wife and child is unacceptable.
September 10, 2010
The only thing I didn't like was the background story. Mile's story was practically announced. I'm afraid there wont be much surprise in this next book. Raine really shouldn't have kept ignoring her but that seems to be the trend with these stories.
June 30, 2011
Another awesome book is finished ! :D I love this book but not quite alike second book in the series :D And can't wait to read fifth ;) If you have passion for Alpha Male characters and good story :D you should read this series :)
October 26, 2007
Total heaving bosoms trash but surprisingly well-done and entertaining, the characters are decently developed and funny. Perfect for long car rides or transatlantic flights.
March 24, 2011
If you love a story in which the heroine pretends to be a boy then you should read this. Highly recommended.
September 8, 2012
All of Jude's work deserve 4 stars to say the very least. Sorry but her books are amazing!
August 20, 2020
One of my favorite
January 20, 2021
It's so funny to reread a series I love so much and rate it more accurately. I adore Raine Montgomery so much. But Alex's whiny and uppity disposition grated on me more this time than I remember. I very much enjoy reading about this family and their journeys through out this saga but I feel better giving it the new rating of 3 stars. Onto the finale!
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