Customer Reviews

Captive of Sin

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Anna Campbell's latest offering Captive of Sin is unique and heartfelt with one incredibly brave and memorable hero. This is one of the best romance novels I have read this year.

Lady Charis Weston is the richest heiress in England but unable to access her funds for at least three more weeks until her birthday. She has two amoral, greedy and violent step brothers who have plans for her to marry so they can take her money and when she does not succumb to their wishes, they brutally beat her. Charis escapes but gets only as far as a local inn's stables before she must rest.

Gideon Trevithick has recently returned from India and is on his way to his ancestral seat when he discovers the badly bruised and injured Charis. These opening scenes are very well written as Ms. Campbell describes the tangible fear and distrust Charis has toward Gideon, even though he is nothing but kind. Charis lies to Gideon about her circumstances claiming she is on her way to visit an aunt in Portsmouth and that she was set upon by footpads. Eventually Gideon persuades her to accompany him to Portsmouth via his carriage.

In the close confines of this transport Gideon and Charis form a reluctant truce. Charis is rightfully nervous and Gideon longs to help Charis but realizes she is wary of him. In Portsmouth, Charis has no funds and makes a smart move by accepting Gideon's offer of sanctuary at his home. Gideon is incredibly noble but he is described as damaged and this becomes abundantly clear whenever Charis sees his reaction when he is physically touched. Gideon was a prisoner for a year in India and his torture has left him quite unable to withstand physical contact; he becomes violently ill, even a handshake or a caress will undo him.

This is absolutely heartbreaking for Charis as she now sees Gideon as her hero. His trauma is incredibly moving and Charis develops strong feelings of compassion and love for this tortured man. Yet she also desires him and is uncertain how she could ever have a physical relationship with Gideon.

Gideon also desires Charis. He is incredibly protective of her even though he does not know her full story (Charis has a tendency to reveal her past in small increments rather than share her entire story outright). His mission is to save her from her horrible family and in so doing the reader can see that this is in actuality Gideon's hope for redemption.

The tension in this book is marvelous. Gideon and Charis long for each other but any physical expression becomes overwhelming to Gideon and greatly discouraging for Charis. I wondered how these two would ever be able to have a normal romance. Yet the steady build up of sexual frustration and pent up desires kept me deeply engrossed in this story. When these two do touch it is powerful. But just as intense are Gideon's revelations about his past, these are haunting experiences which have wounded him in all ways, he bears physical scars but the mental ones are debilitating and keeping him from a normal life.

I truly liked both the leads. Charis is resourceful and has the courage of a long ago knight. She will battle anybody or anything for Gideon even risking her personal and emotional safety. Gideon is a hero in every sense of the word. He is just, protective and brave. He recognized the innate strength in Charis right from the start. The final third of this novel is sublime, beautifully penned. Their physical encounters are sensual and honest but also difficult for Gideon especially. These two wounded people must overcome great obstacles before they can have the relationship they both desire. This novel is riveting from the opening scenes to the heart warming ending.

At long last! Dear Anna has done it again by inventing a story which does not remind you of another, with an irresistable hero, a wonderful heroine who has self esteem, pride courage and sense for a change, and a story so tensely wrought with adventure, it keeps you hanging on every line. I had read many books prior to this which did not deserve the paper they were written on, but this story made up for the previous disappointments.

Sir Gideon Trevithic is returning to his estate in Cornwall after serving his country in India. He returns a hero but what he endured there has left him with serious physical and mental scars. He is haunted by nightmares brought on by his ordeal, suffering from insomnia and panic attacks in the proximity of people,unable to bear the company of others ,except for two trusted friends. He simply cannot tolerate any form of intimacy, not even that of a handshake. This tortured man has ample compassion however, so when he comes across a severely abused woman hiding in the stables, he insists on helping, though he realizes that her pitiable story is a fabrication.

Lady Charis Weston is running away from her two stepbrothers who threaten to rape her, after having beaten her beyond recognition in an attempt to make her accept the hand of a man of their choice, . She is England's wealthiest heiress who will come into her fortune on turning twenty one. If she marries before that time, her husband will control her money. She must therefore, remain in hiding for the next three weeks until her birthday. If her brothers find her, she'll be forced into matrimony and then conveniently disposed of once their goal is achieved. When she's offered a ride by this kind mysterious man, Charis accepts with relief and gratitude, although she must escape from him as well. She is aware that once he finds out her true identity he will have no option but to return her to her lawful guardians.

Gideon, is determined to offer sanctuary to this girl, no matter what the inconvenience to him. He takes her to his home which, despite its neglect, retains its grace and beauty, much like our broken hero, who remains noble and courageous. The heroine also acts with strength and resolve, agreeing to mary Gideon when she realizes it is the only sensible option. But she is not about to passively accept a marriage of convenience to a man who shirks at her mere touch. She has fallen in love with the strong, magnanimous man who at times seems vulnerable and fragile , his sanity hanging by a thread. Charis has fortitude, challenging this man's deep seated insecurities, patiently reawakening him to love, passion and trust.

It is an intensely emotional book, the hero and heroine remarkable in their courage yet they do posses human weaknesses which make them lifelike.Their characters are multilayered , parts of which are revealed as their love grows. The atmosphere is palpable, I felt as if I was watching a black and white movie like 'Jamaica Inn', so vivid are the descriptions of the landscape ,weather, the roads and cities. The suspense is intense as the stepbrothers are desperate and prepared to go to any lengths to get their hands on Charis' fortune. I absolutely loved it and wish that there were more writers who could write with such flair.

Nobody in recent years does damaged souls healed by the power of love quite like Anna Campbell does. Her books remind me of what Mary Jo Putney used to write (The Rake, Dearly Beloved, etc.) or Laura Kinsale (Flowers From the Storm, The Prince of Midnight). Other reviewers have summed up the plotline, so I'm just adding my 5 stars for the book. I must agree with the reviewer who thought the hero's problems were too easily resolved, considering how deep his emotional trauma was, but it's still a very good plot and it is well written. The heroine is mature beyond her almost 21 years so the story should appeal to a wide age-range readership.

Finally a GREAT book this year! I'm on my 1000th romance novel and it takes a lot for me to finish most of the crap that's on the shelves these days. I have to wait forever for Linda Howard, Elizabeth Hoyt, Mary Balogh and Carolyn Jewel to write new stuff and I was DESPERATE for something good to read. Plus, I'm not into the current trend of Vampires, Werewolves, Witches and other shape-shifter, paranormal books. So, I was so excited to see this book was coming out.

Here's what we have in "Captive of Sin:"
(1.) Handsome hero and beautiful heroine as the leads who (2.) Act like adults, (3.) are somewhat forced into marriage, (4.) Fall in love each other, (5.) are hot for each other, but still(6.) everything's not right between them.

Ladies (and gentlemen)this is definitely My Kind of Romance!

Angsty, Character-drive, conflict is between the hero and heroin, but is not the ridiculous, petty, variety. Some outside villains, Sex scenes are a nice mix of torrid and romantic. Hero drops a well-placed F-bomb on the heroine... *sigh* it doesn't get any better!

Thank you Anna Campbell. So far, you are 4 for 4!

I was always hesitant on reading historical romance books. I always thought that I would not understand the wording and that they might seem a little boring. I now know that when you have an author like Anna Campbell, there is no reason to hesitate. She made it feel like I was right there going through everything that the characters were going through. The wording was easy to comprehend even when using the old style of speaking. She captured me from page one all the way to the last page. A sweet and tender journey of two people with problems that end up facing them together so that they are no longer burden by their inner demons. A book that captures true romance and enough intrigue to keep me up all night reading. Ms. Campbell has now shown me the wonderful world of historical fiction. I am now hooked on finding more books from this author.

The last couple of books I have read, much to my surprise, have been great disappointments. This book completely changed that around. This is truely a love story. In this book, we find a rare heroine. While she's independant, strong, and tough, she doesn't go out of her way to try and prove it to everybody. It's just the way she is. She's also kind and not afriad to tell the hero how she feels. In so many books, you read about the heroine who is so desperate to show everyone how "strong" and "fiery" and "independent" she is that she completely alienates the readers. This book was a nice refreshment. She wasn't rude to the hero, and she didn't get angry over small, petty things. She was understanding and, much to my excitment, completely normal. She was realistic. I also liked the hero. While he tried to hide his love for the heroine, it was obvious that he really cared about her. Although he was an alpha, he wasn't a butthole who disrespected the heroine in any way and he didn't expect her to be his little lapdog. I also loved how the author made the story something that could happen in real life. She didn't make it so that the hero's affliction magically disappeared at the sight of his love, but she made it something that they had to overcome and work out TOGETHER. I think that may be why I loved this book so much. The author expressed that happily ever after doesn't just come, you have to reach for it and hold on with all of your might.

This book was a welcome relief from a succession of mediocre-or-worse historical romances that I had trudged through. Despite looking like any other historical romance on the outside, this book gripped from the first chapter and it held my attention the whole way through.

What was particularly noticeable in 'Captive of Sin' was that almost the entire book consisted of interactions between hero (Sir Gideon Trevithick) and heroine (Lady Charis Weston). The reader is deeply immersed into their lives as they encounter one another in a stable, travel together to Cornwall, then to Jersey, then back to Cornwall. Charis meets Gideon when she has run away from her stepbrothers after a beating and takes refuge in a stable; Gideon's sense of honour means he has to help her when it's plain she's in trouble. But the initial impression of Gideon as a hero, a strong and capable character, is soon shown to be only part of the story of this complex man.

Gideon is lauded as Hero after events in India but only his two closest companions know the truth of his time there. As Charis falls in love with Gideon she discovers some odd behaviours that he exhibits, most notably that he won't let anyone touch him. When they have to marry to protect Charis from her stepbrothers, she has to try to help Gideon come to terms with what ails him, whilst opening herself up to rejection by the man she loves.

The strong point of this story was its characterisation. Gideon and Charis are both very attractive people, in nature and behaviour as well as looks, and the reader is drawn into their world and wants the best for them. Charis initially comes across as perhaps a little weak but she learns a new strength as she begins to deal with her feelings for Gideon. The gradual unveiling of the reason for his strange behaviour is well written and I found it all convincing. There are a lot of sex scenes in this book but they are tastefully done and I felt convinced by the romance and that this hero and heroine had truly found salvation in each other. A really good read!

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book © Helen Hancox 2010

I've read all Anna Campbell's books and I suspect this is my favorite so far. It's a close run thing (and a good excuse to go back and read the others just to check), but this book has got so much going for it. There's the wonderful, evocative writing I've grown accustomed to in Anna Campbell's books and a plot that squeezes so much emotion that I was on the edge of my seat for a lot of it (when I wasn't lying back with a sigh of pleasure). A tortured hero who rises above his past to be the sort of heroic rescuer every woman dreams of. A determined, likeable heroine who makes mistakes but learns from them as she battles to stay safe in a suddenly dangerous world. A passion that builds like a thunderstorm on a summer horizon so you feel the tension build with each page. This was a riveting read. Thank you Ms Campbell. For anyone who hasn't read a historical romance for a while, try this. It's a beautiful read!

I'm so excited to have stumbled upon this author! Loved the story, everything was just right!

Charis is the wealthiest heiress in London, but her step-brothers want in on the riches...rather then throwing in a spoiler, I'll just say they're not nice men. Charis runs away only to find Gideon, who's just returned from being tortured in India. Gideon has some issues, but falls hopelessly for Charis, he wants whats best for her so attempts to turn her away, before finally caving...turning her away, then finally accepting. Charis and Gideon are both great characters, not up there with my favorites, but I'm just so happy to stumble upon a good author whose books I haven't already read that I can't help but rate it 5 stars...

Nothing pleases me more as a reader than to be captured by a story line and to become so involved with the characters that I am actually immersed in the book. With "Captive of Sin", Anna Campbell made me a captive of the wonderfully emotional and passionate love story of Gideon and Charis! A wounded hero, scarred in every sense of the word. A vulnerable, spirited heroine on the run from an abusive family. Two hearts destined to meet, and to face seemingly insurmountable odds before triumphing in life and love! I was turning the pages, leaning forward in my seat, and I think I spoke out loud in response to what I was reading! Ms. Campbell is a wonderful storyteller, combining heartfelt emotions with scorching passion, and adding in thrilling intrigue and adventure! I look forward, with great reader's relish, to getting lost in more works by the very addictive Anna Campbell : )