The Captive Heart (Harlequin Historical, No. 512) [Paperback]

Cheryl Reavis (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

When her British officer husband's murderous deeds and his affronted dignity result in Hannah Elway's capture by the Cherokee as retribution, her only hope of staying alive is Five Killer (Robert McLarn), a half-Scot Cherokee brave, a man who was once rejected as a suitor by Hannah's father and who has, in turn, rejected his white heritage. But now, with an agenda of his own, Five Killer is forced to walk a dangerous line between love and betrayal as he works both to honor his word and save the people he loves. A study in cultural contrasts, this well-written, vividly descriptive tale skillfully juxtaposes the "savage" with the "civilized" and allows the reader to draw some occasionally unexpected conclusions. Realistic historical and cultural detail, a sensitively handled romantic relationship, a heroine who strengthens with the story, and a hero who comes to terms with his two cultures combine in a sensual, emotionally involving romance that is both brutal and tenderDand satisfying. Reavis (The Long Way Home) is a multi-RITA Award-winning author and lives in North Carolina.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harlequin (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373291124
• ISBN-13: 978-0373291120
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,431,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

An award-winning published author, Cheryl Reavis's literary short stories have appeared in a number of "little magazines" such as The Crescent Review, Sanskrit, The Bad Apple, The Emrys Journal, and the Greensboro Group's statewide competition anthology, WRITER'S CHOICE. Her contemporary romance novel, A CRIME OF THE HEART, reached millions of readers in Good Housekeeping magazine. She has won the Romance Writers of America's coveted RITA award four times and she is a three-time finalist. Publishers Weekly described her contemporary novel, PROMISE ME A RAINBOW, as "...an example of delicately crafted, eminently satisfying romantic fiction..."

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Compelling portrait of colonial America, May 16, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Captive Heart (Harlequin Historical, No. 512) (Paperback)

Author Cheryl Reavis shines in this compelling tale of life at the edge of the America frontier. Hannah Albrecht thinks her circuit-riding preacher father has won her a prize when he gives her in marriage to handsome British soldier Major Morgan Elway. But the Major soon disdains his American bride, thinking her of little use until he finds himself needing a sacrifice to escape the vengeance of a Cherokee warrior whose family he massacred. When Hannah is "abducted" by Indians on her way to the fort, her father and respected settler Colm McLarn bargain with Morgan to send one of Morgan's Cherokee slave captives to find her.

But the man they choose, Five Killer, (who also happens to be Colm's half-Cherokee son, Robert McLarn) has made a bargain of his own. He will look for Hannah and deliver her as a blood-price to the Cherokee, in return for the release of his son whom Morgan also holds captive.

Between the man desperate to save his son and the woman desperate to live develops a complex and compelling bond that forces on Five Killer an impossible choice. How can he sacrifice the woman he has come to love? But how can he save her at the cost of his son's life?

A vivid depiction of the harsh beauty of frontier life and a fascinating description of Indian lore and customs enhance this richly-textured story, while the award-winning author's elegant prose will assuage any guilt readers of "literary" fiction might feel for laying down their highbrow tomes to enjoy a great story. Bravo, Ms. Reavis!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ACTUALLY BELIEVABLE -- MOST EXCELLENT - 5 Plus, January 14, 2004

By 

M. Hartmann "abayyan" (Milan, Michigan United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Captive Heart (Harlequin Historical, No. 512) (Paperback)

Too bad the rating stops at 5. This is definitely a 5 plus star.
Five years previously Hannah was courted by an unknown party. Now in 1760 she is married to the British Major Morgan Elway. Yuck!
As any good God fearing mistress [as in wife]she looks after any company that shows up - her uninvited in-laws -- the slaves of her husband and his one hundred acre farm.

This is a story of survival in a god-forsaken country where the English are determined to beat the French - use the Indians and are arrogantly sure that they are in the right.

Men are the ultimately dominating rulers with power -- women have no say in what happens to them and woe be to them if they do not have a protector.

The Indians who helped the French were being captured and made slaves or killed, their scalps sold for a bounty. They were mistreated, tortured and starved. Five Killer and his son suffered these attrocities at the hands of Major Elway and his bondman. Hatcher - who of course, wanted Hannah.

Maw, the Cherokee war warrior, lost credibility [with me] in going after Hannah instead of following through in killing Major Elway for the lose of his family.

I did love the part where Wa-le-li told Hannah that Five Killer did not remember the love spell she worked for him many years ago, after his wife had been brutally killed.
"The love spells take their own time. ---- But work they do."

The story was so excellent that I wanted to deliver the Major up to Maw myself. I was as disconcerted as Hannah when Willoughby showed up -- Was he to be trusted or feared?

What a story. So much closer to the reality of life lived in those times than a lot of Historicals written. Absolutely fascinating - hard to put down - hated to see it end.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED + - definitely a keeper!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't Put It Down!, May 17, 2000

By 

VANESSA S LAMBERT (COLUMBUS, GA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Captive Heart (Harlequin Historical, No. 512) (Paperback)

I DON'T KNOW WHERE THE PRIOR REVIEW CAME FROM. SHE OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T READ THE SAME BOOK I DID. THIS BOOK WAS FABULOUS AND I COULDN'T STOP READING. I HAVE READ ALL OF THIS AUTHOR'S BOOKS AND I FEEL THAT EACH ONE JUST GETS BETTER! THE STORYLINES ALWAYS KEEP YOU MESMERIZED--THIS ONE WAS NO EXCEPTION. THE MAIN CHARACTER FIVE KILLER WAS VERY HEROIC. HE WAS ABLE TO SHOW THAT SOMETIMES LOVE IS NOT ALL THAT MATTERS. HIS LOVE FOR HER WAS SO STRONG THAT IN THE END HE WAS GLAD TO BE CAPTURED SO THAT HE DIDN'T HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HANNAH AND HIS SON. HE WITHSTOOD A LOT OF TORTURE SO THAT SHE COULD BE FREE. PLEASE READ THIS AND ALL OF MS. REAVIS' BOOKS. YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY. SHE IS A GREAT AUTHOR AND I KNOW THE NEXT BOOK WILL BE EVEN BETTER.