Customer Reviews

The Holding

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am sorry, but I have truly given up on Ms. Dain as an author. Nearly all of her supposed love scenes are nonconsensual. Please, can get get away from the bodice rippers of the 70s already. Intelligent modern readers want so much more. The deflowering of women is just not an entertaining topic, and especially not when done with such graphic and down right crass mishandling.
William finds out she is not a virgin and immediately blames her without ever once stoping to look around him at the ruined mansion he has got thanks to marrying a total stranger. she is just a possession to him like everything else. He just can't bear the thought of anyone sharing fun with her except him. He doesn't understand that every time he calls her CAt and falls upon her like a starving man on his dinner, that this is what her attacker used to do to her. He hardly even bothers to try to understand her point of view until it is forcibly shoved under his nose.
William is not quite as Neanderthal as her other heroes but he comes pretty close. Then we have her rapist Lambert going about scot free and trying to reclaim her. He tries to kill her, and at last she fights back for about a minute. Graphic violence ensues, and that includes William being stabbed in both sides with swords and still surviving to kill the villain. PUH-LEEESE.
We never see any commitment warmth or fondness in any of these books, just unremitting doom and gloom, and miserable lives for all her female characters. This is not quite as depressing as some of Ms. Dain's other books, but the characters are flat and insipid and not people I ever care about even though we are supposed to admire her as a victim. and him for 'forgivng' her.
I would rather admire my characters for being brave, noble, loving and committed to one another. As most intelligent readers of romance would. Let this one go for sure.

The Holding is the first book by Claudia Dain I've read. I read it in one day - it was incredible! It's a refreshingly different kind of romance. It has all the elements of a sensual love story, yet this novel is a very unique mix of spirituality and sensuality. I'm happy to find an author that realizes the two are not mutually exclusive.

William, the hero has been given Greneforde Castle (including resident lady of Greneforde, the orphaned Cathryn) by the king to reward him for his loyal service. Both William and Cathryn have scars of their past to overcome. The story is completely absorbing as the author gradually reveals the tragedies that haunt them. William's character grows into a warm, tender and sexy husband. Cathryn has put up a strong front for so long that she finds it hard to let her defenses down to her new husband, but when she does, she finds ecstasy.

The secondary characters are some of the most well developed and interesting I've read in a long time. Among them is a priest who provides wise spiritual guidance and two servants who are falling in love themselves.

This book is well worth your time and money. It's truly an intelligent, thoughtful romance.

I totally agree with the reviewer that said the cover is bad. Ms. Dain, if you're reading this...don't let the publishers do that to you again! This book deserves better!!

I read this book over a week ago and I still can't stop thinking about how great this book was. I've had this book in my TBR pile for months and now I regret not having read it sooner. I never started on it because I usually prefer the Regency/Georgian era and contemporary books compared to this earlier time period. I now realize how wrong I was to have pre-judged the book.

William is our hero and a favored knight of King Henry. He has never really had a home to call his own and thus has fought for the King for years to finally be rewarded with his own holding, Greneforde's Castle. Cathryn is lady Greneforde and our orphaned heroine. William meets Cathryn for the first time when he arrives at Greneforde. His first impression of Cathryn is worst than his first impression of her castle. Of course, he falls in love with both way before the book ends.

But the journey to that love is what really endeared me to this wonderful story telling. It's been a while since I've met a hero as wonderfully well-rounded as William. He brings to Greneforde the seeds that he's collected and kept safe all during his crusades. He knew that when he finally got a home, he'd want to plant the best of every crop. This is a man that is feared by the fiercest of all men! He is big, strong, and can kill a man before the victim even knows William is near. Thus all those that know him call him "The fog". He doesn't yell, he doesn't need to. He commands attention just with his presence. Yet he is the same man that pays special attention to the caring and handling of his seeds to make sure they arrive safely at his final destination. It's the small attentions to detail like this that distinguishes this book as three-dimensional as opposed to the run-of-the-mill romances which dish out two-dimensional characters.

His treatment of Cathryn is what warms me to him most of all. He may seem to some to be more like a 20th century man who is warm, sensitive and caring. Think Russell Crowe crossed with Tom Hanks but that's only to grasp for comparison as William defies anything to really compare with. He is sensitive because he is observant of everything around him. That is what makes him a great knight and ultimately an ideal husband. Ideal being that he puts the needs of his wife first because he can sense her when she's distressed or in need. Sigh, this is why I love romance novels. What girl doesn't dream of this stuff!

The Biblical references about honor and love are wonderful and appropriate for a romance novel. I'd have said a mainstream romance novel but to put this delicious love story in that same category would be doing this keeper of a book a big injustice. The references are not overbearing and would not be for even those that have never held a Bible. To my delight, Cathryn and William are well versed (William's priest has been a part of his crusade for years) and to be a voyeur in their back and forth dueling (more like flirting and taunting-teasing) with biblical quotes and passages warmed my heart.

I've barely cracked the surface of why I love this book. The back cover hints at the erotic content. That word does not do this book justice. Erotica leaves me cold but THE HOLDING left me hot and feverish and panting for more William. I believe William had the same affect on Cathryn.

I'm a voracious reader of romances, with a 5 - 10 book a week habit, so sometimes they tend to run together. Not THE HOLDING! This is a book that will stay with me for a long time. It just worked for me on so many levels. It is historically accurate, but the history doesn't hit you over the head. The characters are memorable, with real flaws and foibles, and the plot is ingenious without being contrived. What struck me the most about the book, though, was the strong religious element. William has travelled for many years with his priest, and was made to commit large parts of Scripture to memory. Hardly a page turns without a verse from the Bible or a reference to God's plans or will. William's views on marriage are inspiring and spiritual. This is a book which manages to be both sensual and inspirational, and captures the central importance that religion played in medieval life. Don't miss this one!

Cathryn is one of the strongest heroines you will ever find in a medieval romance. Greneforde is her home, her holding, but she is forced to give it over to William. She is also forced to marry this stranger and favorite of the king, but she manages to maintain at least temporary control of her body and her new husband's access to it. Claudia Dain uses medieval beliefs about intercourse, menstruation and women's rights (or lack thereof) to stellar effect in 'The Holding'. Cathryn has no choice about who will own her lands and her body, but she is determined to start her forced marriage on terms she can at least live with. William finds her strength of character and her insistence on observing proprieties most inconvenient, but he knows that things will go well for him only if he manages to manage his new wife. Watching these two strong and very determined characters find their way through this awkward beginning and firmly onto solid ground makes for a compelling read. I highly recommend this book for those who love medieval romance, strong heroes and heroines, and exceptional writing.

What a great escape into the past - I loved it! Cathryn and William were made for each other! The characters are so real and the author made you feel like you are with them, standing by the fire in their bedroom, sitting in the great hall, feeling the tension and the desire between them. Ms. Dain also keeps you guessing. What happened in Cathryn's past? Will William truly accept her? If you want to experience romance and TRUE love then enjoy an evening with this book.

I picked this book up one afternoon and planned to only read for an hour and ended up finishing the whole book. I understand this is the first in a trilogy and I can't wait to get back to 12th century England. This is an author that I will look for on the shelves! Don't miss it!

I remarked on the unusual "Tell Me Lies" by Claudia Dain, and a significant style is emerging that sets her apart from so many of the clichéd romance writers. Her heroines are real women, not vixens or witches, silly, bad-tempered infants or ridiculous sword-swinging Xena's. Dain creates a woman in her own historical time with its particular social context and problems; the lack of anachronism and 21st-century political correctness and stridency is refreshing.

Her prose is both lyrical and hypnotic--you *float* into one of Dain's stories, and the story won't let you go until Dain wants.

The hero is quite masculine, with his own flaws and stuggles and eventual generosity. The hero of "The Holding" is more fully realized, more alive, than the hero of "Tell Me Lies."

All in all, a keeper. I also keep Mary Balogh...if you want to know the style of romance writer I really go for!

Highly recommended.

I wish the publishers would lose the lurid covers, though.

I'm not going to go over the plot in the story as other reviewers have already done that. Instead I'll attempt to explain why I did not like this book.

I am a Christian and there is some Christian literature that I've enjoyed reading however, generally speaking, when I want to reinforce my faith, I'll go to the word of God (Bible) or I'll speak with my pastor or the ladies aglow group. Honestly, I really don't want a lot of strong religious sentiments in the romances I read. At least one of the other reviews alludes to that but it wasn't overt enough for me to understand just what the book entailed.


**POSSIBLE SPOILERS**

I found it jarring to read about what God wants for his people and then a few paragraphs later to read what I would term as graphic sex and a very heavy handed "seduction" where the heroine is not really willing and is TERRIFIED but the hero thinks that the only way he'll ever truly be lord is to master his wife and that includes bedding her whether she wants to or not.

Please don't misunderstand me. I'm not a prude. I have books on my keeper shelves that include graphic sex and at times, I have read and enjoyed books that included heavy handed seductions/non-consent (example: The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen E. Woodiwiss was a favorite of mine when I was growing up)

I think I'm like many readers in that lots of times the reading choices I make are mood-oriented. i.e. I pick what I'm in the mood for. If I want to read a romance, I want a ROMANCE not a Christian book. It's disappointing to read the blurb on the back of the book and think you're getting a certain kind of book but once you read it, you realize it's something else. That along with the unsettling "seduction" just made me not enjoy this book.

I think those who want an R-rated romance novel will be disappointed in this book and those who want a more wholesome Christian romance will also be disappointed.

I gave this book 3 stars because I do think the author has talent and I felt, overall, it was well written and had a somewhat good storyline.

If you enjoy a mix of Christianity and R-rated sex then you'll probably enjoy this book. I guess I'm just more taste specific in that I don't like mixing the two.

I liked this book. This is the 1st book I've read by Claudia Dain and It won't be the last. I enjoyed the story of William, the hero who has been given Greneforde Castle as a gift for being a loyal knight by his king. His traveling companions Rowland, Kendall and his squire Ulrich are the best of friends and thier loyalty to each other is plain to see. William takes as his bride the orphaned Cathryn. She is a quiet and beautiful young woman who has protected her people during the long war as best she could. William must overcome many barriers to prove his love for Cathryn. He is tender with her but determined to win her love. This story was warm and touching and I would enjoy reading about the secondary characters in future books.

BEWARE!! DON'T START READING THIS LATE AT NIGHT OR YOU'LL BE VERY TIRED THE NEXT DAY!!! This is a captivating story set in mid 12th century England. This author has penned a very real hero and heroine who each must overcome wounds in their past as well as their present circumstances to fully accept one another. Claudia Dain is obviously very knowledgeable about the time period in which she has placed her characters. The reader feels very comfortable in this era because Ms. Dain so eloquently meshes her characters with the setting -- You are there!! This author keeps the reader GLUED by gradually revealing "secrets" to both the heroes and the reader throughout the book. The tension between her heroes is very believable and logical. Claudia Dain adeptly keeps her reader wanting "more" though every love scene and every conflict--and she delivers!!