Customer Reviews

Rebellious Desire

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Caroline Richmond has been living in Boston with her uncle and his family since she was a small child. Suddenly, her father sends word that she must return to him in England. When Jered Marcus Benton, the Duke of Bradford, meets Caroline for the first time, she threatens to shoot his horse. Soon he discovers that she is protecting a friend of his from bandits. He is immediately drawn to the fiesty American. Caroline doesn't realize that her father sent her to Boston to keep her safe. Her father doesn't realize that the danger isn't over. Caroline is still a target. Jered discovers this and is determined to protect her for though he doesn't trust her, he does feel something for her and will kill whoever dares to keep her from him.

Caroline is intelligent, witty, and strong. She determines to make the best of any situation and is a very likable character. Jered is dark, sullen, and handsome. The kind of man you want to peel back the exterior and find what has him brooding beneath. Together they are an interesting couple. Both determined in their own way. A good book overall.

"Rebellious Desire" is one of Julie Garwood's earlier works. Therefore it is not quite as polished as her more recent novels, as seen through a significant use of exclamation marks and various wording. However, that does not make this novel any less appealing. It follows the typical romantic storyline of where it's obvious that the couple love each other, but for some reason they are trying to deny it, as well as some hidden agenda that is slowly revealed & that they have to work together in order to figure it all out.

The prologue throws us into a dark chilly night where a young damsel (circa 1700s) is defending her daddy via a pistol. Then we jump to 14 years later where she returns to England & is reunited with her father. She has no recollection of the night mentioned in the prologue, only that she had an extreme phobia of pistols when she was younger & worked to overcome it to the point where she could "shoot a speck of dust."

We get to be a part of the beauty, Caroline, and her cousin, Chasity, being introduced to the socially elite ton of England & the intriguing Earls, Duke, Marquis, etc. Some are accepting and others love to walk around with their noses in the air.

The night that she can't remember comes back to haunt Caroline although she doesn't realize it. Her love interest, Jered/Bradford, is the one who gets answers and figures out what's going on. Together with her friends, family, and love interest she battles against someone who has taken quite a dislike to her.

In short, Rebellious Desire is typical early Julie Garwood (circa 1986), but just as desirable as any of her more recent novels. As always, a definite must read from a brilliant & accurate authour.

I absolutely loved this book! It is such a good love story.

Caroline has lived in Boston since she was 4 but her father has demanded her to return home to England right away. Her cousin Charity joins her to be with Caroline and to find her lost love. After hearing shots while on the way to meet her father, she goes to help a man who has been shot. While tending to his wound she hears a horse coming up and it is the Duke of Bradford. They have a little bit of an argument about who will put their gun away and when she takes a different approach to get him to put his gun away; he is impressed and a little upset. She is really like no other woman he has ever met. Bradford is not one to go to balls but he attends one in hopes of finding Caroline. She did attend that ball and he is attracted to her and will have her! They end up marrying and that is when the fun begins!

Ok, Caroline rocks! She is so funny and such a strong character. If she is scared of something she thinks it is a weakness and will work on it until it did not bother her any longer. She stood up for herself quite a bit. She is a bit stubborn but that made me laugh. It was good because she was not a woman Bradford could walk all over.

So, now Bradford. He has been hurt and does not trust women. He is strong but did not like to see Caroline upset AND he even teared up at the end of the book! I am sorry, but I love when men cry or tear up in books!! He is very smart but stubborn also and you may get upset with him at times but he makes up for it big time.

I found myself re-reading a lot of the things they said to each other because either it was funny or it was so sweet. This is a very good book! It has a little bit of a mystery but the romance is great! Read this book, you will not be disappointed because it is so freakin good!

While the novel starts out good, it soon disappoints. The initial meeting of the hero and the heroine is funny and entertaining. And there are a few more interesting chapters after the first. I felt that at many times Bradford could be a jerk. Caroline cried too much and gave in too easily. She gave new meaning to standing around waiting for a man. The ending is good. I'd borrow it from someone first before purchasing it. It is not typical of Garwood's work. It's one of her earlier ones before her talents truly blossomed.

I love this author- up til now I've never been disappointed, but what a disappointment this was! Interesting plot elements are introduced and go nowhere (She's introduced as a good shot and never fires again after the first chapture). The characters' manners are totally shocking to their times, and would cause frowns in our times too! (He cuddles a barely known woman at a musical concert with her family around? Please!) This MUST have been an early book; promise peeps through, but do yourself AND her a favor and pretend she never wrote it! Go for The Secret, The Prize, any of her others but this one.

This was the last book for me to read of Julia Garwood's, I never wanted to put the book down once they met. I love all Ms. Garwoods books but I would have to say it is a must read if you are a fan of hers. Enjoy, also don't pass up anyother of her novels they are defentally a must read also.

This was my very first Julie Garwood book, and I was hooked!! Caroline and Bradford are a wonderful couple. If you haven't read this book you don't know what you are missing. I have all of Ms. Garwoods books and have read them many times and I enjoy them everytime I read them. They just get better each time. I am never dissapointed!!!!!!

This book was interesting in the beginning, but towards the end where Bradford's jealousy blames Caroline at times was over doing it. I just cannot believe he really thought she would go cheat on him if he really loved her. There was the problem of trust in the book beacause of Bradford's past, but she was wealthy,too. What made him think he could buy her affections is beyond me.It was fun to read at times, I'll give it that.

I really loved this book and didn't want it to end. The dialogs between Bradford and Caroline had me chuckling out loud. I also really liked Bradford's best friend Milford. This is only my second Julie Garwood book but I'm anxious to read her others. Her book, The Bride, was also very good, but I really enjoyed the humor that was written in the dialog of Rebellious Desire. Now I need to go buy it for my collection because I had checked it out at the library! You won't be disappointed...read it!

I read the book in one sitting. I have read most of Ms. Garwood and found them all very entertaining. Although most of the romance novels depict two people with opposit personally, it is refreshing to read a novel that the two characters can chanllenge each other in most ways. Caroline and Jered had more in common than other heros and heroines. I would have love more of a plot twist from the event Caroline witness when she was young. The prologue was very dramatic and the story did not seem to explain the subsequent events sufficiently. Caroline's relationships wither her cousins are endearing and full of personalities. Although Jered is somewhat egotistical, who can blame him for his status during that period of history?