Smart Bitches, Trashy Books

I have to confess that my two favorite Lindsey titles are of the old skool rape/forced seduction variety - “A Pirate’s Love” and “Prisoner of My Desire”. I think this is a result of these two being among the first adult romances I ever read back in the day, and thus have some kind of nostalgia factor working in their favor. I haven’t read either in ages so upon a reread I might be horrified and recant this confession. I think I mostly remember “PoMD” because it involved a heroine “forcing” herself upon an unwilling hero and how awkward that all was and how mad the hero was to be violated in that way. Naturally, he got his revenge in spades before all the hating turned into love.

My very first romance novel I ever read was Silver Angel. I then when on to glom her entire back list.

I would start with the Mallory books, I have fond memories of Anthony and James Mallory, followed up by Warriors Woman. I think she also wrote two Westerns, I remember one being called Angel and there was some hot sex on a horse or it could have been the second novel with the Native American ... It’s been years.

Lynn M,

I remember reading Prisoner of My Desire when I was a young-ish teenager (13 maybe?—my mom had tons of JL books in the late 80s/early 90s) and thinking that particular plot line was all kinds of fucked up.  But I was never that perturbed by the books with the rape scenes that involved the man forcing himself on the woman.  I guess I just thought that was the way it was supposed to be.

I haven’t read an Old Skool romance in years, though, and I can’t even imagine that I’d be able to deal with that sort of thing nowadays.  The last one I read all the way through was Whitefire by Fern Michaels a few years ago and I was so angry by the time I finished it that I ended up throwing the book away.

The first one of hers I read, and the only one I’ve kept (and surprisingly I just read it again last night) was “Defy Not the Heart”. It works inside a standard medieval setting - a woman *had* to get married, she didn’t need to love the guy, there would be contracts which would define the ownership of the property - and the Lady does not step outside the bounds of what such a woman had to do. And it has one of the most sensible reasons for the hero (a mercenary saving for his own property) to marry her: his companion points out that he can’t just marry a local wench once he has a castle, because “ladies” need as much training as a fighting man to run the place.

I won’t admit to how many of the rest of hers I read. But I will say I was proud to give her name to a librarian friend as “Someone who wrote Sci fi whom you wouldn’t have expected.” (She had E.M. Forster, Mark Twain and I can’t remember who else)

Thanks a lot for this clear summary! :) Following my general impression of the comments, I tried to mooch Prisoner of My Desire and Warrior’s Woman, which I now see might not be the most designed to appeal to me (though you never know). Well, we’ll see. If I can’t get these two books, I’ll try and go for the Mallory ones.

@Samantha

If you’re interested, JL wrote many more than two westerns. The two you are thinking of are Angel (a favorite of mine) and Savage Thunder (the one that requires a no horses were harmed…disclaimer).

Other JL Westerns include, Brave the Wild Wind (comes before ST and features the half-sister of ST’s hero); Heart of Thunder (some western US, some in Mexico); A Heart So Wild (featuring the somewhat famous Chandos with the blue eyes); All I Need is You (sequel to AHSW); Tender is the Storm (which I know I’ve read but have zero recollection of); and a Man to Call My Own (which I enjoyed even though it came after her drop-off in quality).

@Gillian

I love Defy Not the Heart so much. I pretty much love everything about that book. The way the relationship between Ranulf and Reina grows, the way Ranulf tries to be a good husband because he feels indebted to her, and especially the declaration scene. At the time I first read the book it was very different than the traditional scene I was accustomed to and it felt more real to me in some ways. I think DNtH is one of JL’s few romances that subverted the popular conventions of its time. And it did so in a way that wasn’t triggering, unlike Warrior’s Woman and Prisoner of My Desire.

I confess, after the last JL post, I ducked into a USB to replace the ones I’d recommended because I’d given them away during a move years ago. I didn’t find DNtH and was very sad. I had to content myself with continuously hitting the “Surprise Me” button in Amazon’s look-inside feature to relive some of my favorite moments.

I’m glad you guys brought this up! I read “Heart of a Warrior” years and years ago and I’m not kidding, I still get mad in the middle of the night remembering it. I think the term “triggering”, as debutman said, is very accurate. (HoW is is set in the same universe as Warrior’s Woman.)

I really enjoyed the Malory books, but I was so traumatized by HoW that I avoid JL’s books now just in case I accidentily pick up one of the Old Skool ones.

Once a Princess is not only my favorite Lindsey, it’s probably one of my five favorite romance novels.

@ deputman

“Savage Thunder (the one that requires a no horses were harmed…disclaimer).”  ...*snort*  After all these years, that scene stuck with me.

You’re right about the other Westerns. I went through my library and found them all!

OH GAWD Warrior’s Woman.  I couldn’t remember it until I found a picture on amazon of the original PURPLESCENT cover. I remember reading that in high school and wanting to boot the hero in the face repeatedly. 

Silver Angel, That was the harem one wasn’t it?  I think I remember being rather shocked in my middle school innocence at the “nonny plucking” that the heroine got upon arrival at the harem.

I have never read any Johanna Lindsey and had recently vowed to stop buying historical romances until I worked my massive backlog of them down.  So I of course went out today and bought “Defy Not The Heart” based on the recommendations in the comments here and some well-written Amazon reviews.

I am loving it so far.  It is the awesomesauce. 

Much thanks, all!

“Defy Not the Heart” was my first ever romance novel (I was visiting my folks and my Mom had it).  It had Fabio on the cover so I had to pick it up.  I read the back and then I read the book and I was hooked! My first visit to a Used Book Store was to get as many of JL’s books as I could find.  15 years later and romance novels are still my favorite read!  I just read her latest a few weeks ago and while she’s no longer my favorite (that would be Jayne Ann Krentz in all her guises), she still has a very special place in my heart.

The challenge with Lindsey titles is that she was one of the biggest names in old skull romances,

- “Old Skull” romances?  Have to admit to not being aware of those!!  =)

I will admit to having been a rabid Johanna Lindsey fan in my youth and to still owning EVERY SINGLE BOOK SHE EVER WROTE.  I still compulsively purchase any new title with her name on it even though I haven’t read one of her books in years. 

My recommends tend to be the stand alones - A Gentle Feuding, When Love Awaits, Tender Is The Storm, Secret Fire - I loooooved Secret Fire back in the day.  I like the Anthony Mallory story, but was never much of a fan of James and really never got into the rest of the family - after awhile they all just kind of blended together and I lost interest. 

Not sure I want to go back and re-read any of those stories.  I spent a lot of time absorbed in the world Lindsey was building and I have such fond memories of those books.  I am somewhat afraid to read them now as an adult.  If they aren’t as wonderful as I remember it would devastate me in a way.

My all time favorites are Gentle Rogue and Tender Rebel. I have read both zillions of times. Although, now 20 years later, I tend to roll my eyes at some of the sillier scenes. Haven’t read many of her more recent books and my tastes have definitely changed since I first started reading her in the early 90’s. Not a big fan of anything with a simpering, wimpy herione - historical or not.

I am definitely late to this conversation, but Once a Princess and Silver Angel.  I have read both so many times and they are actually both in my top list of fantasy novels.

The heroines are incredibly fiesty, which is just…fun. =]