Customer Reviews

Love's Tender Fury.

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is one of the most enticing romance novels I've ever read. The plot moves quickly, the story is exciting and the characters almost jump out of the pages because Wilde makes them seem so real.

Aside from the amazing plot, which other reviewers have done a fabulous job covering, I'd like to comment on the characters, especially Marietta and Derek. I love the fact that they're flawed and Wilde still makes us accept them and we want to see them succeed, in spite of the numerous mistakes they make along the way. So many times, especially in romance novels, you read about characters that are so simplistic, with love being the only driving force.

Wilde doesn't fall into that trap, and created characters so rich and complex, you're drawn in from the very beginning. I love how Derek is a dark, brooding work in progress who must come to terms with his own personal demons before he can become the man Marietta already loves. I admire Marietta for her intelligence and practicality, coupled with her enormous survival instinct and ability to love in spite of many hardships. These characters have such a wonderful, raw chemistry that really drives the plot.

The book does have a few faults, though, namely some of the dialogue, which seems a bit contrived at times. Also, the ending isn't 100% satisfying; it leaves you hanging, with only a few paragraphs devoted to the conclusion readers will have longed for since the first third of the novel.

I was thrilled to find out there are two other books to the series and can't wait to read them, although another Amazon reviewer gave away a key storyline for the second book in its review section. What a shame! But I'm still looking forward to reading more about Marietta's adventures, and grateful to have been exposed to this fantastic piece of literature.

I have read several of Jennifer Wilde's books, and have now started tackling the Marietta trilogy, which only in these days of the Internet, have I been able to track down used copies.

Love's Tender Fury is an entertaining read. Reading it in the political correct times of the post-90s, Derek is extremely racist and not a very nice guy. I loved Marietta, but didn't really understand what she saw in Derek. I loved her husband, Rawlins, who in my opinion was the real romantic hero of the story. He had a sense of humor, a dark side and wasn't boring.

Jennifer Wilde tends to write about characters who have been around the block a time or two, a refreshing change from the run-of-the-mill recent romances these days with simpering virgins from the ton. Valerie Sherwood is another out-of-print author who writes heroines similar to Jennifer Wilde's characters.

This book was the first romance that I ever read. It is still,twenty years later,one of my favorite books. Recently I took it to work and so far four of my friends have read it and were also very impressed. I plan to read the book again in the near future if I can ever get it back from my friends!

This book was the first romance novel I ever read and it ruined me for insipid Harlequin-type books. One interesting fact: I had a professor for English at a college in Fort Worth who was a friend of Jennifer Wilde and he informed me that Jennifer is a MAN! What an imagination HE has! Marietta is a terrific heroine and this one is the best of the three Marietta books by Wilde that I have read!

This book is different from other historical romances in that Marietta has more than one lover. She's a real woman and Derek Hawke is such a man!I was lucky to find a used copy on the streets of New York city. I wish I could find some more of Jennifer Wilde's stuff (Jennifer Wilde is actually a man! That's so weird!)

This is one of my all-time favorite romance novels. It's hard to believe that the author, Jennifer Wilde, is really a man named Tom Huff! In retrospect, there are a few clues that give away his gender, but overall, he did a fine job of telling the story from a woman's point of view. I was lukewarm about Derek Hawke; after his unforgivable reaction to Marietta helping the slaves escape, I began to seriously root for his rival, Jeff Rawlins. I agree that the end of the story was a bit unsatisfying; the readers would have liked a little more detail (although there are two sequels). Marietta is one of the few romance heroines I've actually liked; she's level-headed and always has an eye to protecting herself, although she is compassionate. She is totally unlike Kathleen Woodiwiss's wimpy girls who don't know chalk from cheese. (No offense to Ms. Woodiwiss; "The Flame and the Flower" and "Elusive Flame" rank among my favorites in spite of the heroines.) In short, this is a thoroughly enjoyable read and will have you hungering for the sequels.

Like another reviewer this was my first romance novel. I will always thank my aunt to have a great library. Anyway. Once you start you cannot put it down. I was fourteen when I read it and I still remember Marietta and Derek, although my favourite character is Adam. I found out in Amazon that there is a sequel Love me Marietta. It seems dificult to get but now I am looking for it.It is absolutely a keeper.

I love the way Wilde makes the characters and the environment come alive. I walked and camped along the Natchez Trace with the characters every time I read this book! Great story line, with such vivid characters, weaving in a flavor of the times against which this story is set. Kept me enchanted and enthralled, through at least 5 readings over the years.

This is the first of three books about the life of a woman who was framed and sentenced to slavery. It's a brilliant read. This was the book that put Jennifer Wilde right up the top in the New York times best-seller list.

From the back cover:

The turbulent story of an English beauty -- sold at auction like a slave -- who scandalized the New World by enslaving her masters.

Marietta was a woman wronged--raped by her employer, charged with theft by her jealous mistress, and shipped to the Colonies to serve fourteen years as bound servant
to the man who bid highest.

But Marietta was beautiful, educated and resilient, with a provocative body meant for love, and she was determined to prevail.

Over the handsome, silent planter who bought her to be his housekeeper. Over the dashing entrepreneur who supplied girls to the New Orleans red light district. Over the wealthy sadist who used her in his madness.

She would conquer them all--if she could subdue the hot, unruly passions of her heart.

--I read this book after reading Love Me Marietta, book #2 of the trilogy. I was disappointed, mainly because I can't stand Derek! He's such a jerk to Marietta from the very moment they meet. How a strong, confident heroine would fall for him I have no idea! But, he's only in story for brief snippets. There's a lot of other things going on that make this an enjoyable read--even if Marietta has abysmal taste in men!