Customer Reviews

Sea Fire

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(12)

 

 

Don't read this book expecting a typical Karen Robards book. This was one of her earliest books -- and it was written in a time when rapist heroes were accepted.

The hero (and I use that term loosely) is so insanely jealous that he could have been a guest on the Sally Jesse Raphael Show. He rapes the heroine, yells at her, abuses her... The heroine is little better, for she is stubborn and childish in the most foot-stomping of ways.

The saddest part of this book is that Cathy and Jon went through all this in their first book, Island Flame. You'd think he would've figured out by now that he could trust her -- after all, he married her at the end of the first book!

Oh, before I forget, this book also has violence, a vomit scene, misunderstandings, and even a cat fight. There is plenty of adventure, but it's lost amid the name calling, rapes, humiliation, and foot-stomping.

I gave this book an F at All About Romance.

Karen Robards has written some of my favorite historical romances, but this is *not* one of them. The characters of Cathy and Jon are too one-dimensional and their emotional growth in the story is just about nil (particularly amazing since this book is the sequel to "Island Flame"--300 plus pages of more of the same.) The two books were written in the early 1980's, so I believe that they are some of Karen Robards's earliest efforts. Near the beginning of "Island Flame", beautiful Lady Catherine is captured by a pirate ship captained by the very handsome Jonathan Hale. Despite the fact that she is half his age and a virgin, Jon rapes her repeatedly (he later denies that it was rape because he has managed to wring a little response out of ther on occasion.) Looked at objectively, his behavior is what you might expect from a pirate captain in the mid-1800's, and I might even have been able to get past it and forgive him for it if he had ever really taken responsibility for his bad behavior and *changed*! But he never changes. He is still the same violent, insanely possessive, thoughtless, serial mis-understander and rapist almost all the way through "Sea Fire". All this *after* he has declared his love to Cathy at the end of "Island Flame" and has lived as her husband for two previous years. Needless to say, Jon is a very troubling "hero". To my mind, he is unsatisfying even as an anti-hero as he lacks any underlying vulnerability and redemption. His misogynistic tendencies are explained away as a result of the trauma of discovering that his stepmother was a whore--but that seems inadequate given the depth of his pathology.
The problem with the hero is compounded by the lack of a compelling heroine. Cathy is constantly described as beautiful and desirable (even immediately post-partum! How is that for romantic fiction!) but she is also a vain, thoughtless, tantrum-throwing twit. She is also plenty verbally and physically abusive in her own right. Although she never does anything to deserve Jon's horrible treatment, she does frequently throw kerosene on the fire of his rage by her reactions and insults. Not smart, in my opinion and she *never* learns. The "I hate you/I love you" thing gets very tiresome before the book is half done.
They are also *terrible* parents (abandoning a 2 year old for a year with the nanny and leaving a one month old baby alone on a beach while they frolic all night at a distant site on the island--shudder!)
Given what has gone on in this and the previous book, the ending of "Sea Fire" is not satisfying. I was waiting for Jon to come crawling back *on his knees* and to prove that he really had changed his ways--and I am still waiting. The comments from Cathy's nanny and her father about what a great guy Jon was and how well he had treated her were *appalling*.
In summary, this book was ultimately unsatisfying and not one of Karen Robards's best efforts. I would recommend instead one of her other, much better, historical romances, such as "Dark of the Moon", "Tiger's Eye", "Loving Julia", "Desire in the Sun" or "Dark Torment". For a much more entertaining take on the "innocent kidnapped by pirates" theme read "Windflower" by Laura London--well worth it if you can get ahold of a copy.

If you are looking for some explicit sex scenes, you've come to the right place. I don't know whether I liked this book or not. For the most part I look forward to reading Karen Robards book's and this one was no exception. The writing of the story was wonderfully done, with interesting characters and different way of chronologically telling the story. Cathy and Jon's story starts AFTER they have met, been married and had a child. It is only when she is called away to her sick father's bed - an ocean away - that things go wrong.

I suppose what bother's me so much about this story is the way Ms. Robards has the hero continually using the heroine - and uses is the right word. [Don't read further in this paragraph if you do not want to know some of the plot.] Being so mad at Cathy (for a misunderstanding he won't even listen to her explain)he rapes her in one scene, and takes her repeatedly without her consent for weeks. Cathy gets angry, and goes into a type of comatose state that rape victoms often do, but then, when they are in danger, forgives him everything - even sleeping with another women in front of her. How can someone love anyone like that - even if he later regrets his actions or realizes he did it because he was SO jealous? No matter what his background is or his distrust of women, how (or why) would anyone put up with that?

I hate to sound so wishy-washy but I can't righty suggest or spurn this book. It really depends upon the reader's interest and tolerance level.

The entire premise of this book is rather offensive. Unless you're a big fan of underdeveloped characters, a weak plot, rape (I lost count of the number of times the heroine Cathy is raped or almost raped) and child abuse, then I do not suggest this book. I was particularly outraged by how our 34-year-old hero, raping a 17-year-old Cathy was justified because she "subconsciously wanted him."

I know everyone has a different opinion, but I don't understand how anyone can say this book is excellent. I needed a shower and some therapy after reading it. There is no excuse for 99% of the crap in this book. Anyone who has read romance books for a while knows that rape used to occur in them from time to time...as horrible as that was, at least romance authors used to make their heroes redeeming in some ways. There is nothing good about the hero. He nevers once feels bad about the way he treats his wife. The heroine is stupid, weak, helpless, and nearly as bad as her husband. I understand that this is a historical novel and that domestic violence and rape weren't looked down upon so much at the time, but we are modern readers, so how can we not cringe when reading this book? And first and foremost, this is a ROMANCE NOVEL! If you can read this book and feel all lovey dovey afterwards, go and see a shrink please.

I've read several of Karen Robards' more recent books, so let me start by saying that at least her storytelling and character development have greatly improved since she wrote this book and its predecessor, "Island Flame". After reading these two books, I felt like a motorist who passes a major car wreck and slows down to look at the carnage. I've read many novels: romance, mystery, mainstream fiction, etc., and I have never encountered two more stupid people than the "hero" and "heroine" in these books. I put the terms in quotation marks, because these characters are definitely not heroic in their behavior, especially the male character. I realize that in the old days of "bodice-rippers" nobody thought that there was anything wrong with the male protagonist forcing himself on the female protagonist, no matter what her age (in this case, she's half his age!!), but this book was written in the 1980s! I would think that Ms. Robards might have had her feminine consciousness raised just a little bit by then!
As for the female character, she does one stupid thing after another until the reader can no longer sympathize with everything that happens to her. Like I said, there are other books by this author that are worth reading, but this one is not one of them!

Abuse. Rape. Torture. Throwing babies. I have a very very high tolerance in the name of romance- I've been reading erotic fiction for well over 10 years and I've run into some pretty bizzare and strange stuff in the name of "romance"- Not a single book before this one made my skin crawl and made me curl up with my husband so that I could erase the sour taste left in my mouth after reading.

There wasn't a single tender moment, the words "I love you" have never read quite as hollow, stilted, or forced. This book drags the heroine through torture after torture- improbable situation to improbible situation, forcing the readers to suspend disbelief again and again- only to torture her more... and leave the feeling at the end of the book that you really- TRUELY wish that the hero just died and put ALL of us out of her misery. Normally I would donate a book I didn't care for to the library- but I simply threw this one in the trash.

Please SERIOUSLY reconsider this book before purchasing especially if you've ever been emotionally/physically abused or a rape victim. This book is NOT for you. Consider reading her more recent releases Scandalous and Irresistable- they have fiery heorines, strong heroes... and they don't include the repeated rape of a 19 year old by the man she "loves". I'm glad Robards is producing agreeable (if not a bit strange ;) ) ficton in the recent years and will be staying far away from her early works in the future. Had I read this book first though- I would never have picked up another of her books again.

This book really bothered me. I guess it was aiming for readers with different tastes than I have. I like characters who develop mutual respect and grow to love one another. This book was about a couple that became so abusive to each other that in real life, prison terms and restraining orders would have been issued. They are cruel and selfish for the whole book, making the "happy ending" absurd. I didn't find it romantic or sexy. This book really made me curse my inability to stop reading a book once I start it. It was so opposite of love that when I finished reading the book I tore it in half and threw it away in disgust.

This book and it's sequal was not to my taste. Very abusive (i.e. rape and threats of bodily harm). Whatever happened to prince charming in romance novels? This hero was more like Marquis De Sade.

One thing I really hate is when an author repeatedly has the heroine taking all manner of abuse from the "hero". When Cathy says "I hate you" An hour later she's back in bed with him. Come on Ms. Robards give her a break!!