Customer Reviews

So Speaks the Heart (G K Hall Large Print Book Series)

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

Lady Brigette's brother Quinton has been killed in war. Her aunt Druoda is now plotting to take over Brigette's home and wants to be rid of her. In the meantime, she treats her as a servant and attempts to break her thru hard labor and abuse. But Brigette's brother is very much alive. Rowland of Montville suffered thru an abusive childhood and has grown into a hardened warrior. When Quinton is wounded saving his life, Rowland agrees to pay the debt by going to Quinton's home to inform his family that he is alive and soon will be coming home. But Druoda lies to him, convincing him that the lovely Brigette is a lowly servant and will be killed unless Rowland takes her as his own. At first, Rowland is angry for being put into such a position. When Brigette tries to tell him the truth, he refuses to believe her and takes her home with him to make her his servant. Soon doubt begins to creep into Rowland's mind. What if Brigette is speaking the truth? He would have to let her go and he can't for Brigette is the one person who could heal his pain.

This book is a serious story of pain, betrayal, and healing. As an earlier book of Lindsey's it doesn't have the humor that we have come to know her for. Instead we find a dark, brooding hero and a tormented heroine. Each carrying tremendous baggage, but eventually working beyond that to accept love from each other. One of my favorites!

I love controversial plots, it makes my reading more intriguing. The more unconventional it appears, the more I am drawn to it. It is indeed a challenge reading this one!

Read Amazon Editorial Review for book synopsis and in addition to that:

This is one of those books that won't agree with everyone because of the hero's callousness and his fierce treatment towards the heroine. Ugh. I actually got teary-eyed many times while reading this book. I am at lost from time to time that I had to paused and breathe to digest the situations. I mean, sure... Our hero did reformed and there was proof of that changes in the end but what Brigitte went through in his hands was not an easy read for me. I would like to emphasize that I also didn't think Rowland's treatment to Brigitte can be described as brutal because it wasn't that extreme but I still ache for her. Rowland's more of an overbearing, insensitive and a VERY demanding lout. I understand Brigitte's frustration to prove her identity. In truth though, she was actually in better hand with Rowland compared to her previous faith in her stepaunt hands. However, I still can't help but feel she deserves better than a lowly servant. I can also see her confusions when it comes to Rowland. How can you understand and love someone who treats you so lowly? How can you love someone who doesn't believe nor trust you? I feel so sorry and sad for her, my heart was in spastic mode all through out this book. Meanwhile, Rowlands grew up without love, without emotions but hate. He fend and fight for himself all throughout his life. I believe his frigid upbringing contributed to this compressed emotions towards Brigitte. I know a lot of reader would not or could not comprehend this idea. Not a lot would accept excuses such as difficult childhood for harsh treatments towards anyone. However, as painful and unbelievable as it may seem, this is also a reality. How can a person who have never received kindness and love give such affection to another? We need to receive affection to know how to give it. I too feel sorry and sad for our hero, Rowland. Perhaps that is why I love this book. It encouraged me to FEEL and THINK. Yes, I don't like what Rowland does to Brigitte but I cannot judge him harshly either. I couldn't hate him because I can understand his emotional turmoil. All of his life, he never felt important and loved but now, here is Brigitte caring for him, rising new emotions he has never known nor felt before... The part that was heart rendering was the fact that Rowland, a tough warrior as he may be, was actually afraid and insecure. He was so scared of losing Brigette that he decided that denial was the only antidote. He left matters as they were, refusing to look further, refusing to believe Brigette's words to prevent unwanted changes in his life. Selfish perhaps but a sad state, all the same. The way Johanna Lindsey wrote Rowlands character, his past and his emotional confusions simply overwhelmed me. Brigitte's character was also just as polished. I admired her courage, I enjoyed her spunkness. She's been through a lot yet her bearing remained intact. Her faith, her pride & her heart remained whole! Nothing can break her spirit and I find that inspiring. There was so much love, patience, understanding & forgiveness between Rowland and Brigitte that I just couldn't help warming towards them. Aside from the romance and relationship development of Rowland and Brigitte, there is one too many twist in this book that was utterly UNEXPECTED. I was caught unprepared and I enjoyed my reactions towards it. As always the ending was a grand relief though I wish there was an EPILOGUE added to it. Perhaps there is a sequel for this book? A story of Quintin?

Overall, this book is mind and heart baffling. I suggest you read this book with open mind and understanding heart. Don't judge our hero too quickly and harshly. In fact, try to see through him. Once you do, you will appreciate their story all the more...

I thought this book enjoyable, not the best I've ever read but definitely good. The story was a little lacking in the relationship development(the characters begin to care for each other in one chapter, when previously they disliked each other intensely)but overall, Brigitte and Rowland were strong characters. For those readers that think beating women in books is a disgrace: I completely agree with you, but the story takes place in the 900's, women weren't exactly treated well back then. I would even go so far to say that Brigitte was probably beaten a whole lot less than the women who actually lived in this time period. The story flows, and there is a plot, and a rather clever one too. All in all, a book worth reading.

I have been a tremendous fan of Johanna Lindsey's for the past decade, and I loved this story instantaneously because it seemed to differ from her other novels--although they are wonderful, too! I do believe that Rowland and Brigitte's relationship could have had more development, but there were so many interesting plot twists that it kept the book entertaining. I do want to address the review claiming that Rowland was an abusive barbarian. I think what Lindsey was trying to convey was the fact that Rowland spent his entire life enduring violence from everyone around him, and he was taught to deal with it by lashing back physically. He doesn't hit Brigitte profusely--just once. And she reforms him, I guess you could say. Please don't be discouraged of reading So Speaks the Heart, regardless of your views on the subject...it's too great to pass up!

Even though I first read "So Speaks the Heart" over seven years ago...this is one of the few Lindsey books that still is etched in my mind till this very day. I must've read it over 20 times. It is truly one of her very best works so far and is a real page turner. The characters are very well developed and some scenes are so touching it feels like your actually in the story. If you claim to love a Lindsey and have never read "So Speaks The Heart"....for goodness sake....What are you waiting for?

I've read several Johanna Lindsey books. I've only been able to finish a couple of them. Usually, I get tired of her books and stop. I finished this book (by skimming it) probably because I hated the "hero" so much and wanted to see what would happen when he found out the heroine- who he had been raping and abusing throughout the entire book because she was a servant and he felt that he could- was actually a Lady. Not surprisingly, I was disappointed. This was one of the few books where I did not want the heroine to end up with the "hero". So if you want to read a book where the hero has no respect for the heroine and treats her like dirt then read this one.

"So Speaks the Heart" is satisfying as a romance, though it's not one of Lindsey's best efforts. Set in medieval France, "So Speaks the Heart" is the story of Brigette, a lady who is left in the scheming hands of her greedy aunt after Brigette's brother dies. The aunt conveniently gets rid of Brigitte by duping Rowland, a knight returning to Normandy to protect his father's lands, into taking her. From that point on, the lady is mistakenly treated as a serf and wench, but she and the knight eventually find true love despite it all.

Some people might take offense to Rowland's initial roughness with Brigette, but I didn't think it a big deal. If anything, this story mirrors Lindsey's later novel, "Prisoner of My Desire," which was also set in the medieval times, had blond lovers, had a pregnancy, and had a lady treated as a serf by the knight who owns her because of a problem involving her brother. Considering that Rowena and Warrick of "Prisoner of My Desire" actually do rape each other repeatedly and fight like cats and dogs, the problems between Brigette and Rowland of "So Speaks the Heart" pale in comparison. And since I read "Prisoner of My Desire" first and rather enjoyed it, I thought "So Speaks the Heart" was a lot less engaging.

Still, the plot of "So Speaks the Heart" was steady and the twist with Rowland's family pretty good. I also enjoyed Brigette's dog Wolff, who was a particularly worthy canine hero. Don't get me wrong: "So Speaks the Heart" has a good story with likable characters, and I'd highly recommend reading it, though it's not favorite material.

My advice is, if you are at all offended by "So Speaks the Heart," do NOT go near "Prisoner of My Desire," for you will hate it immensely. Read "Defy Not the Heart" or "When Love Awaits" two other medieval romances by Lindsey, instead. If you do like "So Speaks the Heart," then definitely read "Prisoner of My Desire." You'll see the similarities, and I think you'll agree "Prisoner" is the better story.

This smack of one of those confusing situations where a girl is being abused by her overbearing jealous boyfriend and yet she cant seem to leave him. i am fully aware of medieval times and circumstances.... and in spite of that i thought of a hundred different ways she could escape that dolt knight, and her thieving aunt! heck i even thought of a dozen ways to "accidentally" kill one or the other!! and at the very least I thought of ways she could have explained her situation to use the knight as her champion! in short the girl is about as stupid as the man!

and about the abusive relationship thing... YEAH! she hates him and says so frequently and yet....... she cant explain these unknown feelings she has for him! how she is drawn to him in spite of his raping and beating her!!
and that stupid dog of hers! I'm a dog lover to the bone, but THAT one i would have happily sold to the nearest tanner for being a useless turn coat! he protects her except for when it matters most! my own dogs wouldnt even have acted that way! come to think of it... neither would any woman in her right mind!

yeah this book is highly frustrating and disappointing because i love most of JL's work! sure she has a few i'll never read again because the men are just plain vile and the women beyond dumb.... but the majority i proudly display on my book shelf. THIS book.... well lets just say i'm glad it will be going back to the library soon.

if you have issues with rape/abuse/unhealthy relationships then DO NOT read this! i kept waiting for the romance to show up. for the girl to actually have a GOOD reason to like this guy but each time they came into contact i cringed, flinched, and winced. also this style is very similar to someones first novel. the details are in the wrong places.
if this was my first time reading JL i wouldnt go back for more. thankfully i have read some of her best so i'm not too terribly disappointed.

This was one of the first romance novels I read and it greatly influenced my reading choices. See, it was one of those books that made me understand romance writing could be really interesting and fun. I had read hundreds of books since I first read So Speaks the Heart and could still remember most of the story line. There are not many books that can stand that test of time.

Rowland Of Montville is the bastard son of rather mean warlord. He is called home after six years in France because there is a threat to his father's fortress and Rowland is one very talented warrior. He is surprised at his father's request for him to return home because he thought it understood by both his father and himself that he would never return to Montville. But after listening to a convincing argument of the friend sent to retrieve him, Rowland begins the journey back home.

Bridgette de Louroux is the daughter of French nobleman who has died and left her in her brother's care. Her brother is now reported dead and since Bridgette is only seventeen, a really evil aunt steps in and takes over the estate in the unauthorized role of Bridgette's guardian. The trials she suffers under this awful aunt are too many to swallow with any measure of belief - but hey - it's a great story otherwise. The aunt has forced Bridgette into the servants' quarters, taken away anything of value, and Bridgette works alongside the other servants. She is being kept for an advantageous marriage that the wicked aunt will arrange and benefit from financially. And sure enough - the chosen future groom is all a woman could abhor in a man.

During all of this, Rowland is traveling through France, on his way home, blissfully unaware of what awaits him when he stops at Bridgette's home. He is there to deliver a message that her brother is alive and will come home when he recovers from a wound suffered in a fight. He is to deliver this message to the fallen man's sister and as Rowland introduces himself and the purpose of his visit, the aunt assumes Bridgette's identity. Through many more convoluted actions of the aunt, Bridgette ends up in Rowland's room that night accidentally and it is assumed by all that he has taken her virginity during the night. In the furor of Bridgette's supposed loss, the wicked, evil aunt gives her to Rowland - insists he take her as his servant - and polishes up some really big lies to convince him to finally carry Bridgette away from her homeland forever. Since the aunt fears her nephew's reaction to his sister's horrible treatment upon his ultimate return, she forces Rowland to promise that Bridgette will never come back to this part of France again. Rowland, embarrassed by apparently taking an innocent (he doesn't remember doing so), promises that he will keep her with him, as his servant, far away as requested. Of course, Rowland has no idea Bridgette is a nobleman's daughter. The tales he has been told about her repulse him and he unwillingly continues home to Montville - now with Bridgette in tow as his servant.

Now I know this all sounds a little overdramatic. Actually it is much, much more dramatic than I have described. But it finally makes an excellent platform from which a great romance adventure springs. It doesn't take long for Rowland to see beyond Bridgette's dirty and disheveled appearance and discover a real beauty. It also becomes increasingly difficult to believe EVERYTHING the wicked aunt has said about her but he believes it nonetheless. He ignores Bridgette's claims to her nobility and her continued denial that she is a servant. Bridgette is pretty feisty as she attempts to get Rowland to understand who she really is. She finally gives up and begins to discover the man who she now finds she is attracted to as well.

This is one of those juicy romance novels that is about romance! That is the main purpose of the entire book and Rowland and Bridgette have a lot of quality time to develop a relationship. That relationship is often on shaky ground and has a lot of highs and lows. The sensual scenes are few and rate about a 3.5 out of 5.0 (see More About Me for rating guidelines). However, that doesn't indicate a lack of sexual chemistry at all. Lindsey, in her earlier books, had the ability to create this chemistry that lasts the entire book without having to get too descriptive.

I have reread several of Lindsey's novels lately and have enjoyed each of them as much or more the second time around. If you have not read some of Lindsey's earlier books from the 1980s (beware - her books are often published later without reference to their original publication dates), I suggest that you try one. This book was originally published in 1983. They are easy to find on the Internet and are worth your while. Since she has also written a few during this timeframe that are probably not her best - I recommend - in addition to this book - the following Lindsey books for your consideration: Fires of Winter, Prisoner of My Desire, Hearts Aflame, and You Belong to Me.

I wish someone would explain how this is romance. The first sex scene is rape. Then ,later, he beats her and tells her she made him do it. She says very clearly "NO" on more than one occasion. She says "I hate you" just before he rapes her on the next occasion. She says "If you ever touch me again I will kill myself." The hero is crude and rude and stupid...not to mention a rapist. And to top it all off this book is poorly written. Rape does not equal Love.