Captor of My Heart [Paperback]

Donna Valentino (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 1 and up

While administering to the sick in the English countryside, a young woman and her father are kidnapped by a daring rapscallion loyal to a deposed monarch. The woman's fear of the man turns to fiery resentment. But slowly, she realizes this fallen nobleman is out to restore his family's honors and his brazen courage is turning her resentment into desire.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 1 and up
  
• Paperback: 320 pages
• Publisher: Topaz (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0451408802
• ISBN-13: 978-0451408808
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 4.2 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,524,110 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good on historical detail, a little low on actual romance, July 5, 2007

By 

Gemma "bookworm" (Alberta, Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captor of My Heart (Paperback)

From the back cover:

Their devotion to freedom was rivaled only by their passion for each other.

For young Jillian Bowen, life is already rife with danger. As she helps her father minister to the sick in a countryside full of highwaymen and hooligans--with Lord Cromwell's sinister agents hiding in the shadows--fear is her constant companion.

Then a daring rapscallion loyal to the desposed Stewart monarch insinuates himself into her life, and her timidity is quickly replaced by fiery resentment. But the handsome Cameron Smith is no common rabble-rouser. He's a fallen nobleman, out to restore his family's honor--and on a mission to secure an escape route for the king.

Slowly, as the roguish nobleman reveals his brazen courage and iron will, Jillian finds her anger turning to something closer to desire. And when Cameron falls into Cromwell's clutches, she finds herself facing her fears, and fighting for her king...her country...and her love...

And my review:

If you're looking for a really good historical fiction novel, you'll probably really enjoy this. This historical detail in this book was excellent. The author obviously did her homework. However, a lot of parts do read a bit like a history textbook.

If you're looking for a "sweep you away" romance, you're going to be disappointed. The romance part of this book was not very well developed, and felt a bit rushed. The first seeds of attraction were just sprouting between the hero and heroine when the author decides, "oh, I'm on page 150, I guess I'd better make them in love now". Just because the author claims that the characters are in love does not make it believable to the reader. Like I said, I felt like the relationship was just getting started, yet the author tries to convince me that the leap to being in love has been made. It didn't work.

Also, the hero overtakes the heroine's life, and even puts her and her father in danger. At first, the author was really good at showing the conflict, but it fizzled out far too quickly. Yes, we've all heard about stockholm syndrome, but this was too quick to be believeable. It's a shame, because at first, it started off well.

If you have a problem with weak heroines, you might have a hard time getting through this. Jillian was a strong woman by the end, but for a long time, she was all bark and no bite. I loved her wit, but I hated the way she was afraid of everything.

I might give this author another try, but only if I find her books at a bargain price. It was a real effort to finish this one. A good book should keep you up all night reading. This one came dangerously close to putting me to sleep. Recommended only as a library read, or if you're already a fan of this author.

4.0 out of 5 stars A good read, July 31, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Captor of My Heart (Paperback)

This is the first book I have read by Donna Valentino and I can honestly say that I was not dissapointed. I felt sorry for the heroine because her father refused to acknowledge her skills as a doctor because she is a girl, when he has no problem with the hero, who is not a real doctor. I loved the tension between the two characters and how the heroine just wants to be loved and acknowledged. She is hungry for attention.