Rosehaven (Song) [Mass Market Paperback]

This was an interesting mixture of humour, intrigue, brutality and romance. I understand that in this time period , cruelty to women was much more commonplece, so Severin's treatment of Hastings, although distastefull did not bother me too much. The use of the "marten"(a stoat-like animal) which appeared from under Severin's tunic every time he became angry,was an ingenious way of lightening the mood and introducing humour into the scene. I found the authors knowledge of herbs used during this era, fascinating.

I HAVE to say, I disagree with the reviews I am seeing here about this book. I found it engaging and fun to read. I DO agree the title is a bit irrelevant, but the story, on the whole, is well done. I feel those negative comments are written by people who want to take modern characters, actions and attitudes, and put them in a castle and call THAT a historical novel. By the way, the author never proclaims rape as "right", but she does show that the hero in the story would have considered it so, as IN THOSE DAYS she would have been considered property. Catherine Coulter makes her stories as real and believable as she can, so if reality bothers you, don't read this. Otherwise, I think you'll find it a great read!

There is a difference between harsh, un-pc heross and the hero in this novel. I have read many books where the hero would repulse many readers because of their behaviour and I generally have enjoyed those books. Un-pc hero's do not bother me. They bother me when they are written as Coulter has written the 'hero' in Rosehaven.

(Potential spoilers)

First of all, to the reviews that use the time period to justify his character; The time period has nothing to do with my acute irritation with this book. I've read historicals where men 'spank' their wives, cheat on them with paramours and in general treat them like chattel. The difference? There is some level of romance and chemistry between the hero and heroine that makes the read worth it. In Rosehaven, there is none of this. I mean at all. The hero reminded me at times of the hero in Jennifer Ashley's novel, 'The madness of Lord Ian Mackenzie.' Ian had Aspergers syndrome. I'm 100% positive that Severin, the hero in this novel, is free from such conditions. Severin, to be frank, is boring, dense and a moron. At least in other novels where the hero is unfeeling to the heroine, his coldness has an explanation. Two main examples of Severin's general dumbness; First when, after having taken her unfeelingly and without passion or any sense of...anything, the first time, he demands she submit the second time. Whilst she is bathing and he is there with her, a maid comes whom he has previoulsy said to the heroine that he wants to/intends to sleep with. He asks the maid to undress him for his bath and is sexually aroused by her and intends to touch her, whilst his wife is a few feet away, readying herself for bed. I just thought...fair enough, I see what Coutler is trying to do but she failed. It was so ridiculously cold and inanely written and portrayed.

Secondly, when, after he has forced her to submit sexually to him and lie still, he measures her hips with his hands and tell's her they are wide and then touches her breasts. 'Adequate' he tells her. Then repeats, 'they adequately fill me hands and will adequately suckle sons.' All this while his pet weasel, or whatever it is, mewls and looks on from her pillow. Sexy, right? I seem to have forgotten that I was reading a historical ROMANCE. Accuracy in historicals is fine and well so long as it's actual accuracy. Thus, we should legitimately read about how most men were probably 4 foot nothing, had yellowed, missing teeth and probably stank all the time. You know what? Historical romances are what they are because people want to escape in them. There needs to be tension, lust, intense attraction...whatever, even when they initially hate each other (as is usually the case). Rosehaven? It gives nothing. Boring, waste of time, flat characters with zero chemistry. Severin is not a hero. His character is like what you'd expect of a background vassal in a novel; idiotic, passionless and generally just there. And yet Coulter has made this moron her hero.

I really want to reiterate the fact that, what made me sick about this book was not the actions of the hero in that he went too far (though he did), but that there was nothing to counter-balance it. I'm sure readers of historicals know what I mean. Like when a hero is cold and hard but is also possessive. Or when the hero is authoritative but at the same time feels such an over-whelming desire for the heroine that he does, actually, treat her differently from his mistress or a bit on the side. After all, why would anyone read a historical romance?

Awful book, save your money.