Slave to Love
“Prisoner of My Desire” by Johanna Lindsey
La Lola isn’t the biggest Johanna Lindsey fan. What can I say, I’ve never been one to hop on the Mallory train, and I’m not about to start now, given some of the things I’ve heard about her recent books. But I do think “Prisoner of My Desire,” one of her most controversial books ever, is a very engaging read. Don’t read it if you’re faint of heart. After all, it was written during a time when Fabio reigned supreme and being dragged around by your hair constituted foreplay.
Rowena is an aristocrat forced to marry a much older man by her odious stepbrother. Fortunately for her, her husband expires on their wedding night before they can consummate their marriage. In desperation to ensure that their family can lay claim to Rowena’s husband’s fortune, stepbrother dearest decides to have Rowena impregnated by another man, and pass off the child as the heir of her late husband. Who should stumble by but Warrick deChaville, warlord and Lord of Fulkhurst, and unfortunate choice as stud puppy. Rowena and her stepbrother don’t realise who it is who’s fallen into their net, and when her stepbrother threatens Rowena with her mother’s death, she gives in and has sex with Warrick against his will (mostly).
When Warrick escapes, he returns with his army and takes Rowena as his prisoner. She’s pregnant by this time, but he’s not interested in her explanations of why she had to do what she did. He strips her of her title, and throws her into his dungeon. Warrick is consumed by rage and contempt for Rowena. Fortunately for her, this is tempered by a healthy amount of lust. He has Rowena taken from the dungeons, and brought to his castle as his own personal slave. He takes away all her finery and gives it to his spoilt daughters (egad, the horror!) and makes her work in the kitchens. Later he makes her serve him at the banquet table and he refers to her as his slave (mucho creepy). And yet, he can’t bring himself to truly hurt her, and will have his kitchen opened in the middle of the night for her to eat, because he thinks that she isn’t eating enough for herself and the baby. And he’ll carry her in his arms as well, because he doesn’t want her to catch a chill. So in spite of the captor-captive relationship, Rowena goes all Patsy Hearst on him.
Although if it were me, I wouldn’t be quite so quick to forgive Warrick the Warthog for seizing my clothes and giving them away. He may be stronger and bigger than me and have thighs like Christmas ham, but the dude has to sleep sometime and when he does, fair warning that La Lola has very sharp teeth which can be bloodthirstily sunk into tender flesh. Or so I’ve been told.
Of course, loads of misunderstandings abound because Warrick continues to believe that Rowena has no honour and will betray him. But when Warrick finally comes to his senses, Rowena is in no mood to pander to his oversized and bruised ego, although she still reluctantly accepts his advances. I mean, wouldn’t you, if you had a hunky warlord who can’t resist you? And when Warrick finally finds out how he had wronged Rowena, it is remarkably fun watching him roar with pain when he discovers the truth and thrash around like a wounded bear trying to get her to forgive him and take him back. Rather like Winnie the Pooh in search of hunny. So I can safely say that Johanna Lindsey’s medievals are my favourite books by her, and “Prisoner of My Desire” is probably the best she’s ever written. But until I hear something to the contrary, I’m still not going to give her latest Mallory books a try. The Mallory train has left the platform and La Lola ain’t looking back.
Wendy said,
August 19, 2007 @ 4:35 am
Damnit, you huys keep making me want to read books by authors I can’t stand.
La Lola said,
August 19, 2007 @ 11:53 am
Check out this one Wendy, and let us know what you think. Jerky Jailor or Caliente Captor? Your call!
lyndsey said,
August 19, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
Darn you have good taste! This is one of my favorite novels. And where it’s not Johanna Lindsey’s best …it’s darn close to it. Forget about those pesty Mallory novels…back in the 80’s Ms. Lindsey wrote some great books…if you like alpha men who play rough and a bit of forceful seduction. Than she changed…probably the publishers doing and I heard somewhere that her husband died and it took her awhile to get over the death.
La Lola said,
August 20, 2007 @ 9:20 am
Hi lyndsey, welcome to ripmybodice.
*wave from the ripmybodice girls* I’ve read some other of her medievals, and definitely concur that the medievals were her golden age. But I have since moved on, given that there are so many new scrumptious heroes floating around.
Wendy said,
August 21, 2007 @ 4:08 am
While I was waiting for this to get to the library, I started The Warrior by Nicole Jordan, which seemed to be along similar lines. Not. Even. Close. The worse thing that happens in that is that the hero makes the heroine wear rough clothes and she gets a rash. Oh the humanity.
I will report back when I finish PoMD, if I can manage to read while still fanning myself from L Lola’s last entry.
La Lola said,
August 21, 2007 @ 9:07 am
“I will report back when I finish PoMD, if I can manage to read while still fanning myself from L Lola’s last entry”
Your dedication to the cause is much appreciated Wendy.
Wendy said,
August 22, 2007 @ 2:09 pm
Okay, first it must be said: “manroot” = worst. euphemism. EVER. Just seeing that word in print is almost enough to make me give up heterosexual sex.
Other than that, pretty good story. I can see reading another Lindsey medieval, though stylistically she irks me a little in the same way Garwood and (forgive me!) McNaught irk me.
Now I have to finish The Warrior.
Wendy said,
August 22, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
P.S. I went to read some online reviews of PoMD and am laughing because they remind me so much of the reaction to Laura Kinsale’s _Shadowheart_. The same readers who lap up stories about a woman being abused just go crazy when the situation is reversed. “Wha…. wha.. that’s just not right!”
La Lola said,
August 22, 2007 @ 3:31 pm
We here at ripmybodice are equal opportunists.
Lady L said,
June 1, 2008 @ 7:51 am
I’m a big Mallory fan, they can do no wrong in my eyes, but I haven’t read this one, will give it a try. OMG If someone took away my clothes or any other of my things, castration would be in order. I just wonder is he a jerk through all the book or does he see the light soon enough?
Rebecca said,
February 19, 2009 @ 12:06 am
A little late, but I must comment! For some reason, I read the Mallory books. Not a fan. I have this thing where if I start reading a series, I must finish it, even if I feel like I had a lobotomy afterwards. After reading them I thought, “Hey, I’ll give the girl another chance…she can’t be that bad…” So I read this. Wow. Now it’s one of my favorites. After reading it, I mistakenly picked up the first Warrior book (thankfully I didn’t purchase it), and returned it. Immediately. Sad, really. Anyways, I really would like a piece of that Fulkhurst pie…especially if he ties me up.
Lola said,
February 19, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
Hey Rebecca! I couldn’t get into the Mallory books at all. I read “Prisoner of My Desire” first and in between wanting to stab the hero and thinking it was one of the best books I’d read, I decided to check out the rest of the Lindseys. Sadly, nothing ever caught my fancy!
Linzi said,
November 3, 2009 @ 8:22 am
I’ve read most of Johanna Lindseys books and i believe that shes like marmite. You either love her or hate her. I prefer her medieval romances to her regency’s books there alot more grity and have more of an interesting plot. I remember reading this in the car when i was around 14 and my mother in the seat next to me saying….”What??Whats wrong?? why have you gone red?”
Sabina said,
February 8, 2010 @ 2:41 pm
Oh, ladies, ladies! At the risk of being considered trite and unoriginal, I was LMAO, LOL, and ROFL, etc. when reading this review. In fact I haven’t read a review YET that didn’t have me in in hysterics and braying like a donkey. I love, love, LOVE your reviews. However, I have to disagree with your opinion of Lindsey’s work. The only one I didn’t like was her latest…”No Choice But Seduction”. Such an AWFUL book that I seriously doubt she wrote. Just sounded like she handed it off to an intern, “Here you do it and sign my name.”
And thanks again for making my life a little shinier.
Anyway, I just wanted to point you to a couple of her better works with super Alpha Males and hard bodies.
Exhibit A: “Once a Princess” and “You Belong to Me”, 2 books about the Prince of Cardinia (has a scarred face that repells all women but the herione sees only his haunting sherry-colored eyes) and his best friend/cousin, Vasili (too hot for words confirmed bachelor who’s trying to get the gorgeous hoyden who breeds prize-winning horses to jilt him–and guess what, she’s trying to also! It’s like “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” but hotter.).
Exchibit B: “Warrior’s Woman” and “Keeper of the Heart”, 2 books set somewhere in some galaxy far, far away that actually find a way to meld futuristic/sci-fi and medieval/warrior characters. Warrior’s Woman even has a wise-cracking female computer/sidekick, Martha.
Best things about these 4 books is that all the women are TOUGH cookies the equal to their Alpha Males. Oh, and the bedroom scenes are hooooooooooooot.
Anyway, just my opinion