Customer Reviews

Bride of the Beast

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

.(...)but it certainly won't be my last. Wow, what a scorcher! You know when you read a romance novel and the author writes something like this: "And then he proceeded to tell her, in great detail, exactly what he planned to do to her." And you wish the reader was let in on the conversation? Well, in this book, you are. It has some of the most erotic dialogue I have ever read in a historical novel. Not gross or vulgar, just pleasantly explicit. Our hero, M. (that's what I call him, because he has the worst name I have come across in a romance novel. The heroine never screams out his name in passion, thank goodness, because it would sound ridiculous) is determined to help Caterine get over a trauma from her past so he woos her body and soul, and it is a tender, frustrating and very sexy process. I can only hope her other stories are as good.

I really enjoyed getting lost in all of Welfonder's stories in this series. Her characters are Dynamic and will definitely stay with you. Different plots drive all of the stories and there were some extremely memorable scenes. I can't wait till her next one.

A couple of things were annoying though. For one thing, these hero's thoughts don't stray far from their "Phallus." Which did make for frequent sexual situations, thus one of the reasons we all love the genre, so I'm not so sure I'm complaining. And secondly, I started to "skim" parts of the book (which I NEVER do). It's just that I found myself frequently at points where, for instance, the heroine will say something and then it's 12 paragraphs of anything the hero could possibly be thinking or feeling till he responds to her. Or five paragraphs in the middle of the conversation to describe how the shutters are rattling against the windows! And unfortunately, I'm not exaggerating.

Having said that, I will still buy and devour anything and everything by this author. And would definitely recommend this series to be enjoyed mostly if read in order. Her first book is 1) Devil in a Kilt, then read 2) Bride of the Beast, then 3) Only for a Knight. And The MacLean Trilogy order is: 1) Knight in My Bed, 2) Master of the Highlands, and then 3) Wedding for a Knight.

So you know where my tastes lie: For the absolute best in Highland romance I would recommend Julie Garwood's "The Bride," "The Wedding," "The Secret," "Ransom," and "Saving Grace." Karen Marie Moning, and Marsha Canham. For Medieval: Garwood's "The Prize," "Honor's Splendor," & "Gentle Warrior." Also Amanda Quick's "Mystique," "Desire," & anything by Kinley Macgregor a.k.a. Sherrilyn Kenyon.

Sir Marmaduke Strongbow, what endears this character of this Scottish tale
of love to us, is his scar marring his noble features. The scar runs from his eye to
the corner of his mouth. This makes his one eye appear blind, though the eye
really is gone. This gives Maramduke a grimacing, if not scary appearance, at
times. He received his scar in a rage induced sword fight with Duncan MacKenzie's
evil half brother, who poisoned Marmaduke's wife (Duncan MacKenzie's sister),
killing her. Marmaduke is now asked by Lady Linnet MacKenzie, sister to Lady
Caterine Keith to become Caterine`s champion and pretend to be her husband.

Lady Caterine Keith whose husband was murdered, and she violently raped
repeatedly by a group of English warriors. Caterine now can not stand the sound,
much less the sight, of any Englishman. Because Caterine is without a husband,
the hatefully Sir Hugh is trying to step-in and force her hand in marriage. This
is why Sir Marmaduke must become her champion. With both their troubled
pasts, they will struggle to overcome their demons and mistrust to find that love
desired, is found.

You will fall in love with the charming silver-tongued devil, in more ways than one,
*Wink*. His courage and honor is second to none.

You will find yourself routing for this scarred brute of a man, with each turn of
a page that is... BRIDE OF THE BEAST...

I believe Sue-Ellen Welfonder is THEE best historical writer of Scottish romance I've ever read. This author goes to great lengths to research her era, and travel to the places she writes about; incorporating accurate historical surroundings, traditions, beliefs, and folklore, to place her incredible characters in.
I was completely taken by the heartwarming emotions of Sir Marmaduke Strongbow, a battle torn knight scarred and maimed, living life with a face too frightening to behold; and the headstrong woman he was sent to save, Lady Caterine Keith.
With each turn of the page I escaped into the heart of this story, its emotional intensity actually making me believe I was there......and I definitely didn't want to leave. When I read the last page I was disappointed....not in the book...but that I was finished, and I'd have to say goodbye to characters I had grown to love.
I wait with anticipation to read the next, and the next, and the next Sue-Ellen Welfonder novel. This author is a champion in what she does. A better read cannot be found.

I loved this book....Sir Marmaduke Strongbow deserved to be loved ...even though it took awhile before Lady Catherine discovered that he was the soul mate for her. I like books that make me cry and make me smile...this book does it. Oh and I loved the sensual parts too. The only complaint I have is these books cannot be written fast enough for me....so I wait impatiently for the next book by Sue-Ellen Welfonder.

After reading Ms. Welfonder's Bride of the Beast I just had to write a review. I found the hero, Sir Marmaduke one of the most interesting heros I have ever read. He is not exceptionally handsome nor perfect. But how Ms. Welfonder made this wonderful love story fall into place was a work of genius. While you read this story you become so involved with wanting the two protagonists to realize how they were meant for each other and wanting to turn each page to find out how they can solve their problems. A wonderful sensual read and of course a happy ending. I can hardly wait for the next novel of this author to hit the market as I enjoy her so much.

An interesting hero, a premise which has been done to death but still has potential if carried through well.
In this case, it is not.

We are supposed to believe that he was a wonderful lover before he got his eye gouged out and all his scars. Gratuitous titillation in this case.

We have to wait until the very end of the book for even one remotely spicy love scene, and everything is so repetitive and lacking in imagination that what should be sensual ends up just silly. Them finally making love is an anti-climax (and he has already had plenty of those in the book.)

Even leaving that aside, there is never any real build-up of commitment which is convincing. I want to see the couple fall in love and convince me they will livel happily ever after.

In this instance, the supernatural elements of the book, weak as they are, only add to this impression of a lack of commitment. She acts most of the time as if she could not care less about him, making us wonder why he would even bother with such a self-centered woman.

Marmaduke (awful name even if historically accurate) deserves a lot better. Not that she does not have issues, having been raped by the English, but it defines who she is, narrow and weak. Not feisty at all, though we are supposed to believe being nasty to everyone constitutes strength.

This is the second of her books I have read. Devil in a Kilt was ok, this was a complete yawn and very repetitive.

I just finished rereading Marmaduke and Caterine's story. I fell in love with Marmaduke in Devil In A Kilt and he continues to be my favorite hero of Sue-Ellen's books. She never fails to transport me to a different time and place with her writing. I am there in every book, feeling the wind blow, smelling the peat burn, hearing the sounds and feeling the emotions of the characters as they find their hearts. In Bride Of The Beast, Sue-Ellen has taken two very scarred people (both physically and emotionally) and given them a story that grabbed my heart so profoundly that I picked it up for a second read. I urge you to read this book and be swept away to the highlands and a love story that will grasp you from beginning to end. If you are looking for an author who writes so eloquently about a place that you feel as if you can actually reach out and touch the sights, sounds and smells, and who gives you more than just dialogue but also the emotions the characters feel from deep within, so you come to KNOW the characters deeply, then Sue-Ellen is your author! Her hard work and heart felt emotions about the place and characters she writes about comes alive in the pages of her books.

This is by far my favorite Welfonder novel. I fell in love with Sir Marmaduke Strongbow in "Devil in a Kilt." Sir Marmaduke is a horribly scarred, disfigured warrior with a beautiful heart longing to love again. Lady Caterine Keith, Linnet's sister btw, is a twice-widowed lady in need of a champion. Linnet and Duncan put her plight before Sir Marmaduke, and he cannot refuse to ride to her aid. Unknown to him, Lady Caterine hates Englishmen...and he is an Englishman...a dastardly Sassenach. Though English by birth, his heart beats for Scotland, and he determines he will slay the "dragons" in his lady's heart one by one and win her for himself. This is a beautiful story for a true hero with a beautiful heart. This is one that I couldn't put down after beginning to read it.

Lady Caterine Keith is sick and tired of husbands who die on her. She vows to never wed again--tis too hard on her heart. She just wants to be left alone but her wishes are for naught when Sir Hugh de la Hogue courts her. His threats to go to the king if she refuses his suit are of no consequence to her. She will not share her bed with him or anyone else. The suggestion that she ask her sister for a champion reaches her ears; but she will not yield to the pleas to take a third husband even in name only.

Lord Marmaduke Strongbow has spent most of his warrior life fighting battles for Scotland and fighting off women. He has loved and lost but is not willing to give up on his dream of lasting love until an accident mars his face. He is disfigured but the mutilation of his flesh takes second place to the scarring of his soul. How can he ask a woman to become his wife when he has nothing to offer her? His future is a bleak hole of uncertainty until the wife of his best friend requests a favor of him to become her sister's champion.

Ms. Welfonder excels in her third medieval romance. The battle lines are set and then crossed as both Caterine and Sir Marmaduke fight enemies as well as their hearts. The addition of previous characters from Devil In A Kilt, a wee dog with a heart of a lion and secondary characters that have a story of their own, kept me entertained. As a book reviewer for two romance magazines, I am anxiously awaiting Sue-Ellen's fourth book. With three compelling reads, including Knight In My Bed, under her belt, I am holding my breath to see how she mesmerizes her readers next.