Customer Reviews

Kissed by Shadows (Get Connected Romances)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

This book sickened me. How on earth Jane Feather can expect us to accept the relationship between Phillippa and Lionel, even after Phillippa realizes that Lionel was the one taking her (drugged and helpless) to and from the king each and every time she was raped, I just can't comprehend. If there had been some kind of satisfactory repentance on Lionel's part, some kind of show of self-loathing at what he had done, maybe I could have accepted the "love" story. But as it is, no way. Phillippa deserved better than that, and the author threw her away. A disgusting story by an author whom I expected better from.

While I generally enjoy Jane Feather's books, I was deeply disturbed by the premise of the novel. The "hero" facilitates the sexual assault of the heroine, and while it is supposedly distasteful to him, his discomfort did not stop him from repeatedly aiding rape. That is NOT romantic. The heroine forgives him fairly easily, and after two other books featuring this character I had truly wanted better for her. NOT well done, Ms. Feather. Not well done at all.

Jane Feather is a talented author who likes to tackle new and challenging ideas in her books. Sadly, this one just doesn't work for me. The hero is the biggest problem. Not only did he facilitate the heroine's rape, he also chose to keep her in the dark when the two of them were already engaged in an affair. Character development was insufficient, I just can't indentify with the hero's so called tormented past and his reasons for taking part in that hideous plot. The heroine doesn't fare any better either. I don't find myself sympathise with her despite the fact that she was a victim and can't understand why she chose to forgive him. The complete lack of chemistry and the big "ick" factor totally put me off.

i can understand while readers would be disturbed by the main deception in this novel. i too was disturbed and was wondering whether i would myself could forgive this man for what he had allowed if i were Pippa myself. i think Ms. Feather did an excellent job with this novel. it is gritty, dark and genuine to the time in history that was Queen Mary I regime. Horrible, unthinkable things were committed at her orders and at Spain's orders also. If you had to live through what Lionel Ashton experienced, i think perhaps you could judge what he did. But who of us, in his shoes would not want to crush the man that instigated such crime upon people who were merely thinking freely, and at whatever costs possible? it happens time and time again.

anyways, off my soapbox, this book manages to capture in a light sense the essence of the deceit, the fear, the hope and the living that went on in the mid 1500's and Pippa and Lionel's story, along with Robin & Luisa, make it interesting and brings that time in history to life. i notice that Lisa Kleypas also manages to include in her novels a certain genuineness that seems to be missing in most of this genre. it was a dark time and that shouldn't be glossed over and i feel that Jane Feather is able to successfully pen a truly happy and enjoyable story in a very dark setting. My hat's off to her!

What an awful book. I was hoping there might be some other explanation for what was going on, like that Lionel had some sort of guilt about making love to her etc. but how this passes for a romance is beyond me. No hero would ever allow his wife to be treated so. Rape is rape.

How she could then fall in love with him is ridiculous. What happened to the lovely little intelligent girl in love with Robin her step-brother in the first book in the series?

Grim and plodding, lots of slow bits. Tries to be sensational but the love scenes are all so flat and she frequently repeats herself. I want a book about the magic of falling in love, even with obstacles, not the bitter cynicism of the 'heroes' she has been producing in her last few books.

I could not finish this book. The premise that a heroine would fall in love with someone who arranged for her rape is more that I can bear. I love to read romance novels but the couple in this book turn my stomach. I quit after 5 chapters.

... While Ms. Feather is a good writer, I DID NOT like the premise of this story. The book begins with a vile act being committed on the heroine, and the "romance" is built on that. What was done to Pippa was disgusting. I didn't like the fact that Pippa and Lionel (who was involved in the rapes) were not even attracted to each other until this happened. I call that perverted. The secondary story about Robin and Luisa that was thrown in, I suppose for comic relief, did not work for me. I didn't even like the ending. It was totally unbelievable that Pippa and Lionel could live happily ever after with the consequences of this plot.

This was the third book in the `Kiss' trilogy and it was an amazingly powerful historical romance. Set during the Tudor reign, atrocities that had always been committed in the guise of religion, politics etc overcame any and all thoughts of humanity. In this story our heroine, Pippa, unfortunately and unconscious of the deed, was the recipient of just such an atrocity. From the very first pages, I was hooked!

In the 16th century when Lady Philippa Nielson meets Lionel Ashton, a close confidant of Queen Mary and King Philip II, she knows that she's met the mysterious English lord before but cannot remember where or how. Lionel denies any prior connections as even though, as a married woman, her feelings and attraction become stronger . Ultimately as Pippa's friendship with Lionel grows, her relationship with her husband, Stuart, deteriorates. She suspects Stuart, doesn't love her and is having an affair. Soon she learns she's pregnant and discovers the truth of Stuart's love affair. Later, through Lionel she learns an even more shocking discovery finding both herself and Stuart as pawns in a plot to secure Queen Mary's place on the throne. But the most shocking and devastating blow comes when she discovers Lionel's part in the same plot - the man whom Pippa had trusted and even loved, was part of the plot and now he wanted her to trust him to save her!

This was an absolutely mesmerizing story as Ms.Feather skillfully draws out the intrigue, dangers, and inhumanity of this period. I was swept away into the time period with her historical knowledge of and colorful descriptions of court costumes, protocols, and customs. The love story between Pippa and Lionel was so touchingly powerful and as a side bonus there is a delightful secondary romance between Lionel's ward Luisa and Pippa's brother Robin. This was an awesome read!

If I could've I wouldn't given it a minus 5 stars. I DIDNT GET PAST FIRST CHAPTER. FORGET THAT B.S. IT WAS SO DAMN SICKENING. SHE GETS RAPED BY A KING WITH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HER HUSBAND. N FALLS IN LOVE WITH A WITNESS WHO HELPS THE KING RAPE HER REPEATEDLY UNTIL SHE GETS PREGO. HOW THE HELL WAS THIS EVEN ALLOWED TO BE PRINTED OUT N LABELED AS A ROMANCE NOVEL??? UGH. J.F IS TOTALLY BANNED FROM MY BOOK LIST.

While not as good as Kissed by a Spy, it's not bad. It presents the intrigue and danger of 16th century England in an absorbing way. Pen is a great character, but I'll agree that Lionel is a mixed bag as a hero. He never becomes quite heroic enough. Most people have a problem with Lionel's part in Pen's repeated, drugged rape; it is a terrible offense, but like most fallible humans, he thought at the time that his restraint was for a a good cause. In the end, had he not stood by, he would not have been around to rescue her. Not pleasant, granted.

This book is not as complete, as fulfilling, as its predecessor. The secondary romance is brushed over (Robin did deserve his own book), and many details are not fleshed out enough.