So Worthy My Love

Contrariamente a quanto mi aspettavo questo romanzo si è dimostrato decisamente piacevole! Lo stile della Woodiwiss è tornato ad essere nuovamente brioso e intrigante ed i personaggi principali sono ancora una volta "sullo stesso livello", senza tracce di maschilismo nell'aria.

Maxim è un personaggio così virile, onorevole, raffinato e forse un po' accecato dal suo desiderio di vendetta che, dall'alto dei suoi 30 anni, fa sorridere vederlo messo alle strette, quasi ingabbiato, da una ragazzina tutta pepe e dalla lingua tagliente qual'è Elise!

Ed Elise, con la sua dolcezza ben nascosta dietro ad una facciata frizzante, sfrontata e sbarazzina, si capisce subito che è perfettamente in grado di badare a se stessa e, anche lei come show more Maxim, non nasconde intenti a dir poco vendicativi verso l'uomo che l'ha fatta rapire e portare via dalla casa di suo zio. La stessa ragazza che finisce per sentirsi piccata dal continuo confronto con la cugina Arabella (vero obiettivo del rapimento) e sfodera tutte le sue armi per sconvolgere Maxim... Finisce irrimediabilmente vittima del suo stesso piano.

Benché, ovviamente, l'autrice riconosca a Maxim un ruolo predominante vista l'età e le esperienze di vita trascorse, Elisa ha , nonostante tutto, una serie di armi prettamente femminili da non sottovalutare che rendono lo scontro fra i due piacevole e sempre ricco di piccoli colpi di scena.

Il romanzo ha un piacevole background molto ricco che si snoda lungo diversi scenari che permettono alla trama di non risultare mai noiosa o ripetitiva grazie alla descrizione minuziosa e chiara che crea, nella mente del lettore, idee precise e vivide delle varie ambientazioni.

I personaggi secondari sono tutti molto ben curati e caratterizzati al punto che anche la presenza, fra Elise e Maxim, del "terzo incomodo" non è frustrante o predominante, ha quel tanto di spazio che basta per stuzzicare l'attenzione del lettore e la gelosia di Maxim senza creare le solite scene tragiche-comiche dei due contendenti che si "sbranano" per la mano della fanciulla che, quasi sempre, ha le idee assolutamente chiare su "Chi" indirizzare le sue attenzione.

In definitiva uno dei migliori libri di questa autrice che non deluderà assolutamente una lettrice stanca dei soliti personaggi stereotipati e trame scontate all'insegna della mielosità più assoluta. show less

Typical Woodiwiss....lots of raunchy love scenes, but the historical fiction aspect was rather gripping. The love story is a typical miscommunication/against all odds their passion survies...but it was still a fun read.

circa mid-1500s. Lord Maxim Seymour, Marquess of Bradbury, is living in exile after being falsely accused of plotting the assassination of Queen Elizabeth I. His title, possessions, and properties have been taken from him and given to his accuser, the father of his betrothed. Wishing to seek revenge, he infiltrates his (former) home and attempts to kidnap his beloved, Lady Arabella, before she is to wed another. Two of his hirelings, who are portrayed as loyal but slightly bumbling and dimwitted, inadvertently kidnap the wrong maiden.

Lady Elise Radborne is unhappily living with her abusive and greedy uncle after her father's disappearance and supposed death. Her uncle, as well as other family members, are all pressuring her to tell them show more where her father's treasure is hidden. She is frustrated but is biding her time until she can locate and hopefully rescue her father. In the meantime, she has taken on the role of serving her uncle and cousin, Arabella. On the night of Arabella's wedding, Elise enters her cousin's bedchamber to assist her when she is surprised by her kidnappers.

After being gagged, rolled up in a rug, hidden under a pile of hay on a bouncing cart, forced to endure a sea voyage from England to Germany, and then shown the dilapidated and dirty ruins she will now be calling home, she finally meets her captor (Maxim) who is surprised and angered by the mix-up. Their initial reaction to each other is amusing. She constantly provokes him hoping he'll send her back home, i.e. putting thistles in his bed, etc., which makes him fit to be tied. He looks at her differently, however, when his best friend, a seafaring captain, merchant-trader, and member of the Hanseatic League, Nicholas, takes an interest in Elise and starts courting her.

Many adventures ensue as Maxim works to prove his innocence and gain favor once again with the Queen, and Elise has to unravel many entanglements to solve the mystery of her missing father. The bond between the two is very touching and very modern for the times, I would imagine. It was actually great to see how their small group of friends bonded and came together when there was a need. It was a nice little world created by Woodiwiss, but I think the story could have been told in much less than 658 pages. show less

This story is set in the Elizabethan Era and it involves a threat to the Queen’s life by one member of the Hansatic League. Queen Elizabeth has allowed Drake to take any of the League’s ships that he thinks are taking supplies to Spain. An agent for Elizabeth is sent to Germany to try and find who is trying to assassinate her. This person is Maxim Seymore, Marquess of Bradbury. Maxim has been accused of killing an agent of the queen and is trying to clear his name. Before he leaves on his mission he tries to kidnap the woman that he was engaged to marry. His men take the wrong woman and what follows is an intriguing story of suspense and betrayals from those that Elise Radbourne has trusted since her father was kidnapped. Yes there show more are two separate plots to this story and many an exciting scene of battle and escape.

As always Ms. Woodiwiss has done a great deal of research for this book. She uses the correct names for the garments that the men and woman wear. The description of the carriages is also accurate and very intrigue since they are very different from what is described in the Regency Era. There is also the use of barges on the rivers to get to London which is something that is never used in the later eras. I would have liked to travel that way. It seems very relaxing way to get to London.

Maxim is a warrior and alpha male that stands for what he believes in. He is loyal to his friends and the ones that he loves. He has worked for the Queen for some time and has been very good at what he does. He never expects to find the love of his life in the spitfire that his men kidnap by mistake. He is much more patient with Elsie than I think I would have been. Maxim is also very intelligent and great strategist as is evident in the battle against Karr Hilliard. Finally is a very good courtier and has been dealing with Queen Elizabeth long enough to know how to get what he wants without raising her ire.

Elsie has been fighting for her life since her father disappeared. Her relatives are after a treasure that her father has supposedly hidden. Unfortunately she doesn’t know where the treasure is and probably wouldn’t tell if she did. Elsie strong willed, stubborn to a fault and just a little spoiled. She is definitely a product of her environment. There is little that she is afraid of and few that scare after what she has endured from her aunt and nephews. All this keeps her from falling complete apart when she is kidnapped and transported to a foreign country. She probably would have been better off if she had followed orders at times but she makes it through the story with few wounds.

There are parts of this story that are impossible to stop reading so the reading goes fairly quickly. This is a short story as so many are today the book has 518 pages. There is lots of detail throughout the story as well as some wonderful actions scenes. I loved this book and I have to wonder why I haven’t read it more often. For those that like the epic historical romance you are going to love this one. show less

I had this book not a crack in its spine, for years and years, I bought it with "Come Love a Stranger" but yesterday, while I was arranging some books, I found this book right where I needed it. I was in the mood for some romance, so I opened it and read.

I have never read for Mrs. Woodiwiss before, her style is very luxuries, her choice of words is surprising, and the book is really long for a historical romance [658 pages] usually the historical romances I read don 19t go much after 350.

I can 19t wait to see what will happen with this book.

I had this book not a crack in its spine, for years and years, I bought it with "Come Love a Stranger" but yesterday, while I was arranging some books, I found this book right where I needed it. I was in the mood for some romance, so I opened it and read.

I have never read for Mrs. Woodiwiss before, her style is very luxuries, her choice of words is surprising, and the book is really long for a historical romance [658 pages] usually the historical romances I read don’t go much after 350.

I can’t wait to see what will happen with this book.

Typical Woodwiss, nothing special, will do in a pinch.