The Black Rose [Hardcover]

Christina Skye (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1991

It is 1810 and the talk of the Channel Coast is the notorious smuggle, the Romney Fox. TIme and again the Fox has eluded the authorities, leaning behind his calling card, a single black rose.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 422 pages
• Publisher: Dell; Book Club Edition edition (1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0511041209
• ISBN-13: 978-0511041204
• ASIN: B000BYT0HE
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,764,948 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Love Story, October 15, 2002

By 

M. Rondeau (West Springfield, MA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Black Rose (Mass Market Paperback)

I just finished this book - quite long at close to 500 pages but the story was so fast paced that I found myself staying up quite late (for me) to finish it! The story is rich in historical detail set during the time of the Napoleonic wars between England and France.

It is the story of Tess Leighton - the "Ice Queen" beautiful, inn-keeper at the "Angel" who harbors secrets and nightmares she shares with no one. Tess, who gave her heart and soul to a Dane St. Pierre, the Viscount of Ravenhurst who deserted her five years before. She, now plays the inn keeper by day, and a smuggler by night.

Dane, only knows that she betrayed him and now he is out to catch the `Romney Fox' leader of the smugglers. He knows that Tess is involved and is out to unmask the `Fox' and scourge her from his soul at the same time. The last five years have been torture for Dane - war could not erase the longing for, nor the pain of her treachery from his soul. Even though they both still `burn' for one another their stubbornness and willful pride, lets neither know the entire story of what happened to one another on that fateful night.

This story is filled with adventure and intrigue and very descriptive and sensual love/lust scenes. While the first part of the book, seemed somewhat choppy rather than flowing along nicely and left me scratching my head a few times - the second half took off like a rocket! The fainthearted reader may be upset by a very explicit rape scene but don't let that deter you. After all, these were brutal times. I was quite amazed at the turn-around and also the way the story went. Up until then I thought I had this story all figured out. I was so torn, at one point over the direction our heroine was going that I was pleasantly surprised to find that it was not what I thought - can't tell you anymore or it ruins the story! I will only say that this story had me biting nails (again) and it is a marvelous love story!

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Full of promise, but disappoints and finally disgusts., December 17, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Rose (Mass Market Paperback)

This book was written by a very talented wordsmith and starts out as a great read, but quickly begins to disgust as the true nature of main characters becomes apparent. Any man who calls the woman he claims to love vile names as he attempts to rape her every fifth page (between saving her from being raped by every other male who lays eyes on her) is hardly hero material. And the justification he uses for his actions, that SHE REALLY WANTS IT regardless of how hard she fights and how much she begs him to stop, is disgusting. I found myself hoping he was actually the villian and a hero (or perhaps just a good therapist) would appear to set her straight - abuse is not love. I quit after about 250 pages and went to look for a ROMANCE to read. I'd had enough S and M.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not one of her best works...., November 15, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: Black Rose (Mass Market Paperback)

I don't know what to say... except that it is a silly story. I don't want to be a wet blanket but in short, how can a girl not know the VOICE a man whom she's slept with? The hero, Viscount Ravenhurst slept with her for one night... and then she hates him like hell... but surprisingly she can easily fall into the arms of a ship captain (when she was made temporarily blind) just like that! And the ship captain turns out to be - guess who - in disguise! Funny story... Can we have more credible romance stories??