Customer Reviews

BOLD CONQUEST MM

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This book took a sharp turn that I just don't understand. It began as a romance (hence the 2 stars)and then swerved off course big-time! If your idea of a romance includes a hero who is a bigamist and a heroine who attempts to self-abort her baby (a task which her mother happily completes)and then sleeps with another man (and lies about it to her husband), then this book is for you.

But if not, then avoid it like the plague...I wish I had.

The story starts out interesting enough with some background history where the Normans invaded England. I always love it when there are bits of history.

Lillyth had her home invaded, her father & her boorish new husband killed (or so she thought). The exchange of conversation was interesting until Guy, the Norman invader, exclaimed that all women are bitches because she wouldn't sleep with him (not once, but twice in the novel). I find that quite annoying. What did he expect?? A welcome party with trumpets and willing females??

Guy turned out to be a selfish, inconsiderate man and a bigamist. He already had a wife and 2 kids in France but he married Lillyth anyway. His reasoning was to save her face (yeah, right). When she found out, lost their baby, got angry and refused him (good for her), he has the gall to be angrier than she is.

Until then Lillyth had been a great heroine, but in the last few chapters V Henley pictured her as a trollop who jumped into Guy's friend's (Robert) bed and lied to Robert that the baby she's carrying is his.

I won't spoil the ending although by now I'm already sick of the hero and heroine. The good thing is there are secondary characters whom love stories are quite interesting.

I didn't think this book was one of Henley's best, but it was very enjoyable. I couldn't put it down because I kept wondering want would happen next. It was a very intricate story, however the ending was flat. It should have been better considering the complexity of the story. Lillyth is a Saxon and Guy is a Norman conqueror. Of course, he invades her home and he takes Lillyth as "his." Apparantly, everyone wanted her, but since he was the leader, he got her. She is a widow of only one day, but her evil husband shows up "not-dead" and all kinds of horrible things happen (I won't give it away, but the bedroom scene should have been longer, but I'm proud that she defended herself. Guy and Lillyth fall in love and she wants to get married, but unfortunately, he is already married. He then proceeds to lie to her and "marry" her in a fake ceremony. And this is only the first half of the book! There is alot of action and I really enjoyed it.

Although most of her books I found were satisfactory, this book and another book of hers left me disappointed. The heroine in this book does not have much character for wanting and the hero was thinking of his selfish need. Even in the ending was not good because it was incomplete. There was a lot that needed to be covered.

This book really keeps you on your toes. You can't skip a page or you will miss something. I read Bold Conquest while in high school and have remembered it ever since. There was an earlier 80's edition of this book. If you love old time romance, mixed with new adventures you'll love Bold Conquest.

i am an ardent fan of ms. henley but "bold conqest" is a dissapointment from the begining. the hero & the heroine are both weak, selfish and stubborn, there wasn't much romance in the storyline. in simple words this book is boring...

Great story line with characters that come to life! This book is a must read!