Anne Hampson (1928–2014)

When I was younger I read many harlequin novels, most of which seemed to follow a standard pattern. There was always the strong powerful disturbing man and the young inexperienced confused woman and usually a second man who was kind friendly companiable. This second man was usually blond with blue eyes while the first one usually had dark hair and piercing grey eyes. Whereas the woman liked the company of blue-eyes she would eventually always end up with piercing-grey-eyes in a HEA. In show more between there would be a couple of obstacles. Sometimes this would be a second woman (blond bitchy older) who thought she should be the one to get together with piercing-grey-eyes. But of course grey-eyes likes the innocent young woman better and she can't help noticing that his kisses are much better than those of blue-eyes, so all is well that ends well. Harlequin heroines usually never stood a chance against the more experienced sensual sexual heroes and found themselves succumbing to the hero's kisses, powerless and helpless against the ensuing whirlwind of emotions. They usually fight the domineering ass until the bitter end when the heroine finally understands and has come to love the finer qualities of the hero. Or to make 150 page story short: the novels follow a standard pattern.

This harlequin stood out from the usual, that is, it's an over-the-top harlequin.

Leon is even more overbearing than the standard harlequin male hero. He is one scary character without any of the redeeming qualities that harlequin heroes also used to have (principles, morals).
Tara is basically harrassed, kidnapped, abused, sexually assaulted by Leon.
Tara finds herself unable to even fight Leon. He snaps his fingers and she complies. She is helplessness and powerlessness to the extreme. The few fits of petulance that she manages are pathetic (cutting up a lovely dress with nail scissors to spite him?).
He claims to be her master, forcing her to act like his submitting slave.
Isn't it obvious that they belong together?

Harlequin novels never described sexual acts other than kisses, and in this case it's a lucky thing for the author, for the wedding night (somewhere halfway through the book) would have probably been impossible to write.

And yes, I loved this book for its over the top qualities.
There is an atmosphere of threatening tension between hero and heroine throughout the book. This tension is released either in physical punishment/abuse or in sexuality. Even in the latter case it has the feel of punishment.
The story pushed buttons I probably didn't even know I had way back when I was a young girl.

Edit 2012-dec-12: If you're thinking of reading this one as an introductrion to bdsm, please don't, it will give you the wrong idea, please find a novel by author Cherise Sinclair first. show less

One of two gypsy themed books that I am rereading. I really enjoyed this one better than [b:The Bartered Bride|13481412|The Bartered Bride|Margaret Rome|https://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1329016540s/13481412.jpg|14112435]. That one had a lot of dated political stuff in it. This one concentrated firmly on the main couple.

Fair Warning: This one is totally non PC. There is kidnapping, rape, spanking and probably some Stockholm syndrome. The heroine spouts stereotypical racial slurs show more over and over. She did have some slight justification the first time but should have followed the 'if you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all' rule early and often. But we are looking back on things from 30 years on and PCness does change and grow and that's usually a good thing. Still I think this might have been the author's views a bit since the hero never let her out to mingle with the gypsies and seemed to be ashamed of them himself.

So I'm giving this one 4 stars for the OTT old skool crazy of it all. This guy really kidnapped her and raped her although he did marry her first. The rape scenes, and there are more than one, are all pretty much closed door. He was one of those who was all 'why do you say things that you know will force me to lose my temper and assault you?' I think in reality Anne Hampson was writing about a guy who was probably into BDSM in a world where that sort of thing was not accepted in main stream fiction.

So super crazy for all you lovers of vintage WTFery. show less

3 stars for the crazy of it all. I'm giving him the No. 1 Asshat of all time award. Not only was he going to knock up a woman innocent of all wrong doing but then he planned to go off and leave her to raise his baby without any help. It's really no wonder she fell in love with him. ;-) He didn't do nearly enough repenting and groveling at the end.

And then his line about not wanting any reward for saving her from rape but that he only did what any decent man would do. That was a WTF moment show more for me. 'Cuz wasn't the whole book an illustration of just how indecent he was?

Still best blackmail threat EVER. If you don't get on your hands and knees and beg me to f*** you and knock you up, I will make sure to beat your 19 year old brother severely enough that he will never father another child if he even manages to walk away.

What a prince. Sigh... show less

I've always loved this book. The heroine discovers she has an brain tumor and is going to die. She goes on a cruise and has an affair with a man who she assumes is just interested in sex and won't be hurt when she dies. It is a very poignant story if you like tear jerkers which I do. An oldy but a goody.