Broken Wing

Handsome, talented, intelligent Gabriel is one of the most unusual damaged heroes I have ever read about in a romance. Abandoned on the streets of Paris as a babe (he takes his last name, St. Croix, from the street where he was found) and sold to a brothel, he has been used and abused, whether attempting to escape or by the clientele, all his life. Before he could make another attempt to escape, a young boy was brought to the brothel and Gabriel, unable to see an innocent harmed, spent five years bargaining away his income and skills in order to protect him.

Sarah, Lady Munroe, and her half-brother, Ross, Lord Huntington, had been searching for their young brother for the five years since he was kidnapped and have finally tracked him show more down successfully, traveling to Paris to get him. They are prepared for the worst, but are astounded to find a seemingly healthy young boy--who demands that he will go nowhere without his friend Gabriel. Ross and Sarah are not your typical English aristocrats, and Sarah has a penchant for picking up strays, but the cynical and dangerous Gabriel is another question. Still, they realize they owe young Jamie's safety for five years to this man, so they make him a proposition...

The handling of the slow building of the relationship between Gabriel and Sarah does not short-cut the huge difficulties and improbabilities of love between such a pair. Nor does it ignore the social ramifications. We are in for an epic romance of beauty and complexity and healing and revelation that makes most other tales pale in comparison. There are also many scenes of action and grim adventure that would do any classic historical fiction tale proud, with pirates and smugglers and mercenaries and narrow escapes and horrific battles.

All the characters here are complex and fascinating, so much that I longed for a book of their own for each of them so that they may have their own fantastic story told. Historical detail was not the focus, but the setting seemed solid, with a few historical characters showing up in the briefest of cameos. It is the tale of Gabriel that is the focus, and the description and detail and pacing and plotting all conspire wonderfully to create an unforgettable story.

I immediately re-read this book upon finishing. And I searched for other books by this writer. I rarely re-read a book all the way through back-to-back, but this one was just that compelling and wonderful. The themes and subject-matter of this book are not for everyone, but for those who may be even a little interested, I would highly recommend it. If there were more stars to give, I would do so! show less

From the publisher:
Abandoned as a child and raised in a brothel, Gabriel St. Croix has never known tenderness, friendship, or affection. Although fluent in sex, he knows nothing of love. Lost and alone inside a nightmare world, all he's ever wanted was companionship and a place to belong. Hiding physical and emotional scars behind an icy façade, his only relationship is with a young boy he has spent the last five years protecting from the brutal reality of their environment. But all that is about to change. The boy's family has found him, and they are coming to take him home.
My review:
How wounded does a soul have to be before it is too late to turn it around? The character Gabriel, abused as a child and broken in spirit, takes the show more reader on a journey of the possibility of love and redemption. But is his psyche too badly bruised to heal? Sarah, strong willed and independent, can see beyond his gruff and emotionally detached manner. When his past comes back to haunt him, she may be the only one who can reach in and grab him back as he slips into an emotional nothingness. The author captures very well the traumatic aftermath of child sexual abuse.

While romance is not normally my chosen genre, the premise of this book appealed to me, and it did not disappoint. Broken Wing is much more than an historical romance, but also bursts into an action and adventure drama. Needing money, Gabriel takes off for the high seas engaging in dangerous but lucrative privateering. He then gets caught up in the horrors of war which only causes him to slide back emotionally.

This is a very well written book, stunning in its tragedy, and emotionally grabbing. The locations and situations are exciting and well described. The story moves quickly and smoothly, and each character is well developed. This book is very deserving of the 2009 IPPY Award (Gold) for Romance. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. show less

As a child he was left on the doorstep of a Parisian brothel. Taken in and taught to pleasure both men and women, Gabriel is a creature of sensuous beauty and literally a product of his surroundings. He knows many ways of how to give pleasure but finds little of it for himself. He chooses rather to numb himself with alcohol and keep his emotions locked deep inside.

Gabriel has lost interest in life and his feelings are buried so deep physical pain is the only way he is reminded that he is still alive. When Gabriel is nearly without hope a young boy is brought to the brothel. With Jamie, Gabriel has a renewed sense of purpose ~ to keep what happened to him from happening to Jamie. Five years pass, Gabriel and Jamie have formed a show more relationship of sorts. Both needing each other in different ways to stay alive. Then Jamie's brother and sister, Ross, the Earl of Huntington and Lady Sarah Munroe, find him and come to take him home. When Gabriel is asked to accompany them back to England he agrees to spend a year helping Jamie adjust to being home again. Thus his new life begins but it ends in a place he could never have imagined.

Judith James takes the reader on a journey with Gabriel from Paris to England to the Mediterranean Sea and the Barbary Coast. The story starts in the late 1800's, ten years after the French Revolution. Napoleon Bonaparte is coming to power, pirates and privateering are as common on the seas as war on the land. France is recovering from the Terror and England is well, England. The description of the land, the buildings and the people of the time give the book a genuine historic feel. Add to that some historic figures and the setting is complete.

Gabriel St. Croix, the hero of our story, is anything but a typical hero. Yes, he is gorgeous with an innate sensuality. While his age is never stated he is often referred to as "lad" or "young man". I got the impression he was in his early 20's. His sexual experiences are many and varied but his life experience is very limited outside the brothel environment. So when he journeys to England with Sarah, Ross and Jamie he is treated to a host of new experiences. One such is on board the ship that takes them from France to England. He is a natural sailor and shows a keen interest in all things nautical.

Once arriving in England Gabriel must deal with being treated differently than he was in the brothel. No longer treated as an object he is now treated as a person. Someone with feelings, opinions, likes and dislikes. This may seem like a wonderful thing but for Gabriel it is something that causes him difficulty. It's not in his scope of experience. Trust is also a big issue for him. The ability to trust is completely foreign to him. He is always waiting for something bad to happen, for the good to come to an end. He must learn how it feels to be treated with kindness and respect. That is where Sarah comes in.

Lady Sarah Munroe, the heroine, is neither a typical heroine nor a typical woman of the time period. When she was sixteen she was forced to wed an old man and was fortunately widowed shortly after. This happened around the same time her parents were killed in an accident and Jamie disappeared. It was an extremely difficult time for her.

Sarah enjoys dressing in britches, voicing her opinion and is known as the Gypsy Countess because of her gypsy ancestors. She lives an unconventional sort of life ~ traveling and being friends with privateers and not caring what society thinks of her. She has some experience with the world and enjoys developing friendships with a variety of people. She much prefers interesting people to the snobs of the ton. When she meets Gabriel she decides that in return for his keeping Jamie safe she must help him get out of the life he's been living. There is an attraction but she treats him as a person, a friend. She refuses to use him in the way he had been used and abused by others.

"I'm just so confused, Gabriel. I'm trying to do the right thing and I don't know what that is anymore. It's not that I don't want you. I do! I dream about you. I imagine... Look, you call yourself a whore, as if that's who you are. How can I show you how wrong you are? How can I truly be your friend if I use you as everyone else has? Damn it, Gabe, you're such an innocent!"

"Innocent!" He was so shocked his mouth hung slack and open. page 189-190

At first Gabriel keeps himself distant from Sarah and Ross. Choosing only to spend time with Jamie. Slowly Gabriel spends more time with Sarah and they gradually develop a relationship. They find they enjoy spending time in each others company and feel at ease with one another. Eventually they fall in love.

Gabriel thinking of how Sarah sees him...

"She saw him clearly, if in a different light than he saw himself." page 213

This says so much as to how Sarah not only sees him but treats him.

Gabriel also meets Gypsy Davey, privateer and captain of a ship. Cousin to Sarah, Ross and Jamie, Davey agrees to teach Gabriel about seamanship and takes him under his wing. Gabriel feels he needs to go to sea and make his fortune so he can support Sarah. He refuses to live off of Sarah's money and so he leaves with Davey, promising to come back to Sarah. She, in turn, promises to wait for him for however long it takes.

Gabriel's journey back to Sarah is not a smooth one in any way. His past comes back to torment him and leaves him broken and in despair. He becomes a mercenary and gambler, living like the ice cold emotionless man he was before meeting Sarah.

This story is really more Gabriel's than Sarah's. She is a critical piece but she is the constant where Gabriel is the evolving, changing character. One thing I really liked was that they didn't jump into bed right away. Given Gabriel's background and that fact that they were attracted to each other it was a pleasant surprise. What Gabriel needed more than anything was a friend. That's why it was so wonderful that Gabriel and Sarah became friends first, then lovers. Gabriel needed someone to talk to, feel comfortable with. Someone in whose presence he could simply be.

Sarah was the catalyst that helped Gabriel release his old self and become his new self. Jamie was Gabriel's first real friend. He said that he protected Jamie because it gave him a purpose. The friendship with Jamie pulled Gabriel from the edge ~ Jamie is the one that cracked the ice and Sarah is the one that broke it completely.

The secondary characters of Ross, the Earl of Huntington and Davey are well developed and given enough page time to leave an impact yet not detract from the main story. They are interesting enough to possibly warrant their own stories. There is also a character that Gabriel meets later in the book that certainly left an impact on me. I won't say much but I have a feeling he would make a wonderful hero. I wouldn't be surprised if he got his own book too.

Overall this was a beautiful story of love and trust. I'm looking forward to reading more by Judith James. show less

I was asked to join the Broken Wing Challenge at Orannia's playground and decided to accept. The challenge was easy, read "Broken Wing" and then write a review. At least, it was supposed to be easy... I find I don't know how to review this book. I will begin with:

Gabriel St. Croix is a broken and tragic character. The degradations he'd faced were horrific and painful to read. The fact that he must cut himself to feel alive is very telling and very sad. He is also a noble character. His need to protect Sara's brother is what keeps him going and what ultimately brings him to a safe environment. The story of his redemption and saving are ultimately why I like this book.

Sarah Munroe was a less interesting character for me. I didn't feel show more very connected to her. Although, she is the reason for his saving, she didn't grip me or make me feel the love she felt for Gabriel. This will sound silly, but in the face of Gabriel, she wasn't tragic enough or dramatic enough.

This book felt epic. I don't know if that's good or bad. Gabriel went through so much, it felt heavy and big. I found I read it quickly just because I wanted to be done. I was happy Gabriel got a happy ending, but it felt both too long and not long enough. The ending felt rushed to me, as if he could recover from all his horrible journeys so quickly.

Gabriel is a character that I think about still. His story was compelling and disturbing. That he found his love and was ultimately able to keep her made me incredibly happy for him. That he was able to get his revenge made me ecstatic. show less

James' debut novel certainly doesn't fit the mold! A cross between a romance novel and adventure and historical fiction, James brings each character vividly to life. The reader is swept up in their romance and I found that I could not put this book down! It was light, entertaining, and heartwarming. I will certainly read more of this author.

Gabriel is a young man living in complete despair. Since he was given as a very young boy to a French brothel, he has been used – terribly so. Hauntingly so. Heartbreakingly so. The only thing that keeps him going, that keeps him there, is the protection he is giving to a young boy, Jamie. He is terrified that the same thing will be done to the Jamie that was done to him. When he finds out the family, a brother and sister, of Jamie have discovered his whereabouts after years of searching for him, Gabriel knows it’s his time to escape – except he has no where to go. The brothel is all he has known. So when young Jamie refuses to go with this family he barely remembers unless his friend Gabriel accompanies him back to England, his show more older brother and sister agree, and Gabriel has a place to go. But he’s not happy. Gabriel doesn’t feel worthy. He sees himself a whore and is just waiting for either Ross or Sarah, Jamie’s brother or sister to make a move on him. But Sarah senses there is something worthwhile underneath his hard shell. And slowly, and angrily Gabriel begins telling her about some of his past, expecting her to be horrified and send him away. But instead Sarah is compassionate and understanding. They slowly, over time, fall in love. And it’s beautiful to read. I was close to tears many times.
Sarah is an unconventional heroine. Married against her will at a young age to an old rue, she does the unthinkable and leaves him. He later dies but she is ostracized from polite society. But rather than mourn, she is now liberated to live life the way she wants to. Her brother Ross, supports her, rather than trying to get her to conform. He is very leery of the growing closeness he sees between Sarah and Gabriel since he knows what Gabriel was but he is convinced by a family friend Davey to look beyond the surface of what Gabriel once was and try and see what Sarah sees.
Now in most romances this would signal the end of the book, but not so in this case. Instead in Broken Wing, Gabriel leaves with Davey, a privateer, to try and make his fortune so he can support Sarah. What follows is all Gabriel’s story and his descent back into his personal hell but always with Sarah in his heart. My heart ached, and I mean really and truly ACHED during this part for all that Gabriel suffers and all that he goes through.
As I said, I wish I could give this more than 5 stars as it is a book that deeply moved me with it's story of an all conquering love. show less

Synopsis:

The book opens to Paris at the time of the French Revolution. Sarah, Lady Monroe, and her half-brother Ross, have come to find and rescue their younger brother Jamie who had disappeared five years past. Jamie had been in Maison de Joie, one of the better Parisian brothels. Gabriel, who had been surprised at his impulse, had protected little Jamie for years and was happy to hear of his friend's good fortune and desolate at losing his only friend. But Jamie refused to leave without his friend and protector Gabriel. So, Gabriel finds himself on an estate in England, companion and friend to Jamie and trying his best to keep from falling in love with the unconventional Sarah.

Sarah had been drawn to Gabriel from the moment that show more they'd met. Not only was he beautiful but he had tried to protect her brother at no small cost to himself. While he presents a cold and polished front, she sees his pain and draws out his love of life, music, and learning.

When Sarah and Gabriel finally come together, Gabriel leaves to prove himself and make his fortune to be able to provide for Sarah. He undertakes to join Davey as a privateer and finds himself in great danger. Though he escapes drowning, Gabriel must escape from slavers, mercenaries, and pirates along the Barbary Coast. Will he be able to find his way back to Sarah?

Review:

I suspected that I'd enjoy this book, just based on its blurb. But I hadn't expected it to be such a good read! I was unable to stop reading. I found both lead characters very sympathetic. It was unusual to have the male lead constantly objectified. While Lady Sarah is beautiful, she wasn't the focus of the descriptions of beauty. I enjoyed this twist - it was one of many unexpected aspects of the book.

The plot was chockfull of action from the first page. Pirates, Napoleon, privateers, slavers, possible duels - they all fit into the plot naturally and make for a fun and heartwrenching read.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical romances, pirate stories, and action filled love stories.

Format and cover: Eye catching while it reflects the tone and content of the book.
Rating 4.75 out of 5
Publisher: Medallion Press (November 1, 2008), 440 pages.
Courtesy of Bostick Communications. show less