Jennefer’s Comments (group member since Mar 12, 2010)

Jennefer’s comments from the Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous group.

The votes are in! Our official first group read is ….. drum roll please….

The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce 1990 (tada!)


Average GoodReads rating: 3.88

Synopsis: Like a pagan god, Rolfe the relentless rode into Castle Aelfgar to claim it as his prize- and Lady Alice as his bride. Lauded for his bravery in France, in England he was the hated enemy. Once ensconced in his new domain, Rolfe became determined to tame the Saxon beauty Ceidre, Alice's illegitimate sister, whose spirit and sensuality made him risk treason to have her- not Lady Alice- in his bed...

Mysterious and seductive, she was no lady but a spy for the rebel cause of her noble half brothers. Refusing to bow to this arrogant warrior who ignited her forbidden passion, Ceidre was swept into a dangerous liaison tied to the fate of England and kings. Yet with his kisses on her lips, his skillful hands on her body, she would have to struggle not to surrender to...

Availability: Fortunately this book is available for new from Amazon in paperback and Kindle format (yay for us Kindle owners! I downloaded my copy last night!) and of course at your local bookstore/used bookstore.

Discussions: How would you rate this book on a BR scale of 1-10? Did you find the characters likable? Do the characters become more/less likable as the book progresses? What was your favorite scene? What do you think was the most “bodice ripper” scene in the book?

We will more than likely all be reading this at different times during the month so just jump in whenever you are ready! :) Feel free to post as you read every 100 pages or so or just once when you are done, whatever works for you! I hope we will have a fun and lively discussion!!!

Please be considerate of others and use 'spoiler spaces' when revealing key plot elements. (I hope you will feel free to provide spoilers with a warning! I love them!)

Sharon wrote: "how about the theme - Lust Gone Mad Soap Opera? "

I like that idea. I added a "lust gone mad" shelf. :)


Our shelves are looking good everybody! Keep them coming!!!

Jeanine wrote: "Well just a wee bit OCD - I'm always afraid I'll be missing something or on the other hand ruining a future book by reading them out of order! :) "

I can see that I guess... I don’t know... I rarely give much thought to reading a series out of order. If I start in the middle and enjoy it I might go back and catch up or maybe not. No biggie. Never really had any issue with it.

I am one of those weird readers who enjoy spoilers tho, so I really don't mind if I get glimpses of or references to an earlier book in the series that I have not read yet. It's fine with me :) Knowing what happens does not ruin the experience of watching it unfold! In some ways I think it makes it better! (I know, I am weird)

I have heard you two bring up the series issue several times.... I think you guys are too OCD about your series! Get over it!!! LOL :)

A Rose in Winter by Kathleen Woodiwiss


It seems to me that I should have enjoyed this more than I did. All the elements were there for me to really love it.... but I just didn't. Maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it. I like the beauty and the beast/phantom of the opera element to it and enjoyed Kathleen Woodiwiss's writing as always but..... ??? just can't put my finger on it. Oh well.

Karla wrote: "Jeanine wrote: "Which I like! I know, I'm a sick-o. :)"

That makes 2 of us. I'm unshockable. Except, you know, naked Hasselhoff molesting innocent puppies."

LOL You are too funny Karla :)

I think I am unshockable too (well I might be shocked but I can get over it pretty quick and enjoy some pretty messed up stuff in my fiction)! I like the slavery theme :)

Karla wrote: "OK, am I dense? (Don't answer that.) I followed the link, but can't find out how to add books. In the upper left corner, it says only moderators can add books?"

LOL No I think I am the one that is dense! I think I fixed it now... hopefully :) Let me know.

Welcome to the group Shawna! Hope you find some old-school goodies that you will enjoy :)

KimKirt wrote: "You know another reason I like Bodice Ripper books? The hero isn't always stopping to put on a dang condom! I don't know about you guys, but I just have to laugh reading some of these contemporarie..."

LOL! You know, that "putting on the condom" scene in contemporaries lets me know that the hero is not selfish or stupid so I think it is appropriate in those... but I agree, I would rather read a historical and avoid it! LOL

Ok! This is a good start! So far for shelves I have:
kidnapping/abduction
main character dies
marriage of convenience
medieval
no cheating
no forced seduction
5 stars
pirate
regency
revenge
no multiple partners
elizabethan
victorian
antebellum
gregorian
hero violent to heroine

I added the books that have been mentioned here (I think I got them all) and some from our other threads. I have set the group bookshelf so that any of our group members can add books so I invite all of you to add some of your favorites here!

Any other ideas for shelves that should be added??? Have a favorite theme you would like to see listed? Other ideas of how to use the group bookshelf?

Karla wrote: "Yes. I'd give examples, but then they'd be spoilers. :D"

Gottcha. Ok I will add that as a shelf.

Karla wrote: "A theme/characteristic I can think of that might influence what someone wants to read is "Character Death."

For that shelf, I would suggest Skye O'Malley and [book:All the Sweet Tom..."

By "Character Death" do you mean that in those books one of the main characters die? Am I understanding that right?

I would like to start working on adding some great BR's to our group bookshelf. My thought is to have shelves for common BR themes so that when you are in the mood for a certain type of BR you can "shop" on our shelves! For example we could have a shelf for no cheating, no forced seduction, medieval, harem, marriage of convenience etc... but I need some help to get this started!!! What "theme" would you like to have listed on our bookshelves and what are a few examples of that theme (need a book to put on the shelf in order to create that shelf). We will also have a shelf for our past monthly group reads obviously.

Any other ideas on how to use our group bookshelf???

Glad to have you here Wendy!

Misfit wrote: "These are a lot of fun. Keep them coming."

I agree!!! I love, Love, LOVE these old romance covers!!! I think my favorite so far is This Other Eden makes me want to find this book just for that cover! They should make prints out of some of these! I would hang that in my house!!!

Thanks for getting this started Karla! Sounds like we might have several people interested in reading this with you and Jeanine. If I come across a copy maybe I will join you too.... we will see. (love the cover by the way!)

Hi Sharon and Shel! Glad to have you here!

Oooo... I like your avatar Jennyg. Very sexy :)

Welcome to the group Tara, Jennyg and Judy! Glad to have you here!!!

Yz the Whyz wrote: "...LOL...maybe its because they have no idea that their fave vampire or were is just a rip-off from the seductive rake, aggresive pirate or barbaric Viking of the earlier romance novels. : ) ..."

Again I think you are right on the money there Yz!