Thursday

The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux - A-Team Project

July 17, 2014
An A-Team project failure!
 
I knew it was too good to last!  The Black Lyon by Jude Deveraux was originally released in 1980...and it shows.  I just couldn't complete this story.  I was taken aback at the amount of violence displayed toward the heroine aka victim in this story and that abuse is perpetrated by the so called hero.  Not only does he rape her (and I do mean rape), he backhands her, he has sex with a serf (actually his wife in disguise, I guess that makes it ok), and he's wayyyy out of control with the jealousy.  All the time his bride, who is 17, is trying to figure out just what she did wrong, just what she can do to make it up to him, what she can do to make him happy, what she can do to get back in his bed. Aarrgh.  I have an idea, use one of those broad swords and give him a whack.  By the way he's 30.

Even though this book is a product of 1980s, I can't believe that we even considered it any kind of romance.  While this is not Ms. Deveraux's first book (it was her second), it has all the ingredients for a Romance 101 class.  Bodice ripper is too kind of a word for this story.  Bottom line, if you like rapist-heroes this book is for you.  I cannot recommend The Black Lyon.

Time/Place: Medieval England - Edward I
Sensuality: Depends on you what you consider sensual

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