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Bittersweet Bondage
Tied to Passion
It was in Morocco, the land of sultry winds and tropical scents, where ravishing Rosette Forrest would forget the man who had broken her heart. And forget she did, when she found herself in the tantalizing embrace of mysterious, magnetic Mark Rawen. His deep green eyes promised nights of rapture as endless as the Sahara sands. Only he was a man who had many women, casting them aside once his appetite had been sated. Rosette couldn't stop herself from seeking out the pleasures he aroused but she would never again surrender her love...
Chained to Desire
The handsome rogue had lost interest in all the women who offered themselves and sought his attention. He was looking for a challenge, a special intriguing beauty--he found his match in Rosette. Her long auburn hair and dusky rose lips delighted his senses and set his blood on fire. Her dark golden eyes revealed her innocence yet could not hide her passion. He was determined to treat her like all his other possessions until the moment he claimed her silken flesh--then he knew he'd always keep her in Bittersweet Bondage
It was in Morocco, the land of sultry winds and tropical scents, where ravishing Rosette Forrest would forget the man who had broken her heart. And forget she did, when she found herself in the tantalizing embrace of mysterious, magnetic Mark Rawen. His deep green eyes promised nights of rapture as endless as the Sahara sands. Only he was a man who had many women, casting them aside once his appetite had been sated. Rosette couldn't stop herself from seeking out the pleasures he aroused but she would never again surrender her love...
Chained to Desire
The handsome rogue had lost interest in all the women who offered themselves and sought his attention. He was looking for a challenge, a special intriguing beauty--he found his match in Rosette. Her long auburn hair and dusky rose lips delighted his senses and set his blood on fire. Her dark golden eyes revealed her innocence yet could not hide her passion. He was determined to treat her like all his other possessions until the moment he claimed her silken flesh--then he knew he'd always keep her in Bittersweet Bondage
494 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1984
55 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 13, 2019
This review is of “Bittersweet Bondage” by Sonya T. Pelton.
The book begins in Morocco, 1874. It is here that sheik Hasan al-Shareef lives. There is one unique thing about the hero of the book; he is in fact not Arabic. He is in reality Mark Brandon Rawen, an Englishman who, along with his sister Rozelle Modestia, were adopted by a Moorish chieftain after their parents were killed. Rozelle disappeared earlier, and Hasan is determined to find her.
Enter Roselle Forest, the heroine of the book. Rosette has arrived in Africa after scandals involving both her and her family. Rosette is abducted by Hasan’s men, and taken to Hasan, who believes she Rozelle Modestia. Upon meeting each other, Rosete and Hasan begin to develop decidedly un-sibling like feelings for each other.
Rosette eventually realizes that she is not Rozelle, despite being drugged and hypnotized to believe that she is. She is coerced into going to Hasan, and he rapes her, thinking she’s one of his concubines.
After this, Rosette returns to London in the company of a French soldier, Pierre Maudet, which is not his real name. This is just one of many, many secrets that will be revealed, in particular when Baron Rawen, a.ka. Hasan, shows up to claim his title.
A series of events occurs, which lead to Rosette being kidnapped and returned to the Sahara desert. Mark comes and rescues her, and they have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: “Bittersweet Bondage” is my favorite Sonya T. Pelton book so far; admittedly, that’s damning with faint praise, as I’ve disliked most of her books I’ve read up to this point. The best part of the book takes place in the second half, where two plot twists change the game. The best plot twists in books, television, movies, etc; are ones I don’t see coming. I didn’t see these twists coming, and that’s why they were effective.
Downside: Having praised Ms. Pelton, I now come to bury her. “Bittersweet Bondage” contains many of the same elements I found problematic with her earlier work: almost no character development, weak and unfinished storylines. Then, there is the “is it or is it not” incest trope between Rosette and Hasan which dominates the first half of the book. I found this storyline to be incredibly sleazy, unattractive and most importantly, unnecessary.
Sex: A few love scenes, which aren’t graphic or exciting. (Ms. Pelton’s love scenes do become more so in later books).
Violence: Most of the violence in “Bittersweet Bondage” takes place “off-screen”; however, there are scenes of assault and battery, as well as a stabbing, that are on-screen. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: While “Bittersweet Bondage” is Ms. Pelton’s best book, in my view, it’s still not a great, or even good, book. More like average.
The book begins in Morocco, 1874. It is here that sheik Hasan al-Shareef lives. There is one unique thing about the hero of the book; he is in fact not Arabic. He is in reality Mark Brandon Rawen, an Englishman who, along with his sister Rozelle Modestia, were adopted by a Moorish chieftain after their parents were killed. Rozelle disappeared earlier, and Hasan is determined to find her.
Enter Roselle Forest, the heroine of the book. Rosette has arrived in Africa after scandals involving both her and her family. Rosette is abducted by Hasan’s men, and taken to Hasan, who believes she Rozelle Modestia. Upon meeting each other, Rosete and Hasan begin to develop decidedly un-sibling like feelings for each other.
Rosette eventually realizes that she is not Rozelle, despite being drugged and hypnotized to believe that she is. She is coerced into going to Hasan, and he rapes her, thinking she’s one of his concubines.
After this, Rosette returns to London in the company of a French soldier, Pierre Maudet, which is not his real name. This is just one of many, many secrets that will be revealed, in particular when Baron Rawen, a.ka. Hasan, shows up to claim his title.
A series of events occurs, which lead to Rosette being kidnapped and returned to the Sahara desert. Mark comes and rescues her, and they have their Happily Ever After.
Upside: “Bittersweet Bondage” is my favorite Sonya T. Pelton book so far; admittedly, that’s damning with faint praise, as I’ve disliked most of her books I’ve read up to this point. The best part of the book takes place in the second half, where two plot twists change the game. The best plot twists in books, television, movies, etc; are ones I don’t see coming. I didn’t see these twists coming, and that’s why they were effective.
Downside: Having praised Ms. Pelton, I now come to bury her. “Bittersweet Bondage” contains many of the same elements I found problematic with her earlier work: almost no character development, weak and unfinished storylines. Then, there is the “is it or is it not” incest trope between Rosette and Hasan which dominates the first half of the book. I found this storyline to be incredibly sleazy, unattractive and most importantly, unnecessary.
Sex: A few love scenes, which aren’t graphic or exciting. (Ms. Pelton’s love scenes do become more so in later books).
Violence: Most of the violence in “Bittersweet Bondage” takes place “off-screen”; however, there are scenes of assault and battery, as well as a stabbing, that are on-screen. The violence is not graphic.
Bottom Line: While “Bittersweet Bondage” is Ms. Pelton’s best book, in my view, it’s still not a great, or even good, book. More like average.
January 5, 2021
good..
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews