Customer Reviews

Lie Down in Roses

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

 

 

Hey romance reader fans...don't expect to read medieval romance and not come across the occasional "forced sex". From the 10th-14th centuries, women were right down there with the ox and the sheep. Christinaity didn't do us any favors back then, as we were all viewed as "Eve" that could destroy "Adam" if a man allowed us to. It was considered great weakness for a man to follow his emotions/heart too closely. They use to refer to this as "bewitched" the modern version being "whipped."

If you took over a castle, and a desirable female was within, she was considered part of the booty you had a right to enjoy (and no one back then thought twice about hearing these stories...sadly not even the women of this time period). In fact, if you had a beautiful wife, and another man decided he wanted her for himself...he simply breeched your castle and took your wife to keep and impregnant with his own offspring.

Welcome to medieval romance ladies!

As backwards as this causes we modern women to stretch our imagination to the unthinkable, people were essentially barbaric back then. Even men who held great affection for their wives wouldn't hesitate to hit her if he felt the need arise. Believing this was for her own good! If you consider we were still burning witches at the stake not so long ago...appreciate that humans have really evolved in the intelligence of being humane by the 20th century.

Some authors like to insert an essence of non-fiction into their fiction. Give them some slack, and respect them for making an effort in keeping it real. In addition, for those of you who really find this offensive, and prefer the fluffy "predictable" romance - I suggest you lean on the side of caution (instead of hammering the author with poor undeserved book reviews) and avoid reading any romance novels that are staged between the 10th and 14th centuries! As romance and courtship back then was of a very different essence.

Drake doesn't always write using forced sex as the starting point of growing desire and affection. I personally appreciate Drake's efforts to make her stories as believable and varied as possible.

I love this story. Tristan and Genevieve sizzled in this book. The fact they were at odds made it all the more enjoyable.

Oddly enough, I don't think Tristan raped Genevieve. I mean could it have been rape if she continued to fight him...yes but at the end she relented. I don't know the whole thing is iffy but it still didn't take away from the story.

I could understand Tristan's anger...Genevieve did try to kill him and it happened when Tristan let down his guard with her. (He was falling for her then.) But what's so great about this book is that I understand's Genevieve's viewpoint also. Her father and fiance were killed and she thought he was the cause.

All in all, it's a very entertaining read (in which, I've read 4 or 5 times over)and fans of Shannon Drake shouldn't be disappointed.

This isn't your usual romance. But it shows the true side of what whould have happened. Yes there's rape, and a treat of abortion. But welcome to the real life. I recommned this book to all who want a little more reality in their romance novels.

It is always difficult to rate a book like this that grabs your attention, is difficult to put down, and is very well written--but has some disturbing elements. I have decided to give it 4 and 1/2 stars based on my issues with the story and hero figure. It's a 15th century romance that takes place in England during the time of the War of the Roses (when battle is done as a result of Richard III's and Henry Tudor's competing claims for the English throne). The historical elements are very well done and Heather Graham's (aka Shannon Drake's) writing is superb--absolutely 5 stars generally. It is the story of Lady Genevieve whose family seat is Edenby Castle, a lovely place on the English coast. But when Lord Tristan, nobleman and knight now loyal to Henry Tudor asks for her father to feed his knights and is denied based on the family's loyalty to Richard III, Henry Tudor, soon to become King of England, is angry and tells Tristan to take the castle and do whatever he wants with Genevieve. In the process, her father, many of his men and her much loved fiance are killed and she is left the "lord of the castle" to negotiate with Tristan. Following a plan conceived by others, she lures Tristan and his men into a trap that backfires on her. (I just have to say that it was difficult to believe no one checked to see if Tristan had a pulse after she hits him over the head and they just assume he's dead--that was not believable.) Anyway, Tristan is bitter with what he perceives as her treachery, but wants the lady for his pleasure so he takes her. I think whether he raped her is debatable...it reads more like a seduction with some force, but still, it was cold if not brutal and he thereafter treats her abysmally locking her away in various rooms of the Castle throughout most of the book (which is over 500 pages). Throughout this, Tristan undertakes battles for King Henry, all successful, and grows in stature and power and wealth with the English court. You really feel for Genevieve, however, the beautiful, proud and courageous young woman who is forced to become his prisoner and his whore to her great shame without much of a life except for the nights he chooses to spend with her. And, yes, they do share a passion but it's hard to see how that can make up for being treated so badly. And how can he blame her when she repeatedly tries to escape? What woman wouldn't? He has no interest in marrying her even when she becomes pregnant with his bastard child. That pretty much makes him a major cad. But at least King Henry likes her and does have a major role in a happy ending. I did find her folding to him at the end a bit difficult to believe. Not sure that would ever happen. Ah, but this is romance, right?

When I read some of the very different, conflicting reviews of this book, it made me instantly curious to find out what all the fuss was about - and I was hooked from page one. I was unable to put it down, so engrossed had I become by the fiery, passionate love affair between Genevieve and Tristan, which was utterly believable, and did not seem at all contrived. Yes, I can understand that some readers may not approve of some of the contents, ie the hero more or less raping his love interest after she tried to kill him, but, for better or worse, the book was never once boring, the historical detail well researched, and all characters credible. I haven't enjoyed a novel this much in months!

I do admit that this is very different from the other books of hers that I have read and it might not be one her best, but I still enjoyed it. Tristan did treat Genevieve like dirt, but I don't think it was as bad as what I read on the other review of this book. First of all, He did not kill her father and fiance'. They were loyal to different kings and her family died in the battle for her castle, but it was not Tristan that killed them. second, He did slap her when he found out she was pregnant, but that was because she told him that she was gong to get rid of the baby (and no, I don't condone spousal abuse). Third, He did sort of drag her to the alter, but he did not bound and gag her, he just held her with his arms and put his hand over her mouth. I think the book was worth reading, but not in the same league as "Golden Surrender".

If you love medieval romance, captive, a bit of love-hate obsession, Drake is amazing when she's on! I couldn't put this one down. Historical detail is rich and accurate. I felt close to tearing up for these two tragic characters!The plot was believable for the time period, and the characters were well developed. Sex scenes do sizzle! I highly recommend!

Usually, I am such a big Shannon Drake's fan. However, I can't really enjoy this book. If you ask me what I think of Lord Tristan, I will say he is a biggest sadist. First, he attacked Lady Genevieve's home, Edenby Castle, and caused the death of her father & Fiancé. After he took the castle, he raped her and locked her up to prevent her from escaping. The couple of times, she managed to escape, he would capture her and drag her back to her imprisonment. When he found out she was pregnant, he slapped the hell out of her. After King demanded Lord Tristan to marry the girl, he bounded and gagged her to the altar. Don't mention the fact he loved to coerce her by pulling on her hair. The worst part is Lay Genevieve fell in love with this sadist, which I think is a beginning of an abusive relationship.

Tristan and Genevieve did have theit little spats, I agree. I wasn't too high on her slap either, but she did suggest getting rid of the baby. Tristan had no choice but to take Edenby as they both served under different Kings. as with all Shannon Drake books, her two star crossed lovers were in great turmoil and it takes all of the 200 hundred and some odd pages to overcome this, but when I think about it, the only reason they were really fighting is because they loved one another! I enjoyed this book and am certainly glad to have it in my collection.

i have enjoyed all of this author's medieval books.i would also recomend reading "kinight of fire" another great book