Fun 3.5 stars. This was a very enjoyable addition to the Drakoni series, with two characters I actually grew to like a lot. Rast was such a bloke, and Fun 3.5 stars. This was a very enjoyable addition to the Drakoni series, with two characters I actually grew to like a lot. Rast was such a bloke, and really funny with it. Amy had a hard time getting through to him, and it was sweet to read how she realised her fantasy of the devoted dragon-mate was actually not anywhere near as good as the real thing. It was also great to see Rast grow, change and adapt to living with humans, even if having to wear pants was the worst form of torture for him.
Well, and who couldn't love a book where the hero spends most of his time walking around naked, sporting a massive erection and lusting after the heroine? Almost made me forget how the post-apocalyptic earth they were on had gone to shit in a big way, and how hard it would be to feed and wash yourself, go to the toilet, have your period or even a common condition like asthma or diabetes, when civilisation (as we know it) had basically ended. The author pulls no punches here- it is a dirty, nasty world she has created.
Props to Ruby for another goody! Now if only you could tone down the C-word for female genitalia!...more
This won't be a long review but I do want to say how much I enjoyed this book. I am not into Frontier romances and was reading this for my Romance AcrThis won't be a long review but I do want to say how much I enjoyed this book. I am not into Frontier romances and was reading this for my Romance Across the Ages Challenge, but I am very glad I did read it.
The author does a fabulous job of recreating that time and place in America's history, and while the lack of education, the racism and the ruggedness of the characters often got to me, it somehow fitted in so well with the theme, I soon let it go. (I did find the character of Julian, the heroine's brother, very disturbing and sad. His redemption came at great cost, but there was really nothing else that would do it. He was so lost.) The insight into the local Native American culture was fascinating. And not sanitised, either, with a romantic sort of glow. The Native Americans came across as real individuals. Certainly much more in harmony with the earth- they were natural conservationists. I just cringed in misery at much of the behaviour of the white settlers, but I guess they just didn't know any better, and were certainly not prepared to learn from people they considered inferior.
Recommended for those who like epic tales that span generations. I don't, so I doubt I will be reading any more in the series, but I am sure there are many other readers who will devour these books. A very impressive, well-researched book that had me breathless until the end....more
A sweet story set in medieval Scotland and England. And my first Judith McNaught. I enjoyed it, although there was a bit too much back and forth betweA sweet story set in medieval Scotland and England. And my first Judith McNaught. I enjoyed it, although there was a bit too much back and forth between the MCs. Could have been a tad shorter, perhaps.
Jennifer, the heroine (is that a Scottish name?) is very young, so I forgave her for the long time it took her to see her father and brothers for who they really were. I understood her loyalty, especially as she had wanted to be the laird of her clan herself, and I totally got how she felt when (view spoiler)[ her husband kills the one brother who was actually kind to her (hide spoiler)]. Not an easy thing to forgive. And boy, she was stubborn.
Her husband, Royce, (the Duke of Claymore,) is basically a good man, but I had to kind of look past the fact that he had spent the better part of the last 10 years at war, laying siege, destroying towns and villages and killing people. Frankly, I found his patience, tenderness and kindness to Jenny (view spoiler)[(apart from their first few encounters, once when he slapped her- she was fighting him because he had kidnapped her, for God's sake- and once when he belted her bottom for some other act of defiance, which actually annoyed me: she was not a child) (hide spoiler)] a bit hard to believe. But hey, Romancelandia and all that.
Excellent descriptions of the time- the jousting Tournament was terrific. It was a very violent and at times primitive world, so after a ton of Regency and Victorian HR, it probably came as a bit of a shock.