Since I’m trying to be a little more present, I thought I would try something a little different today, something that I haven’t done in a while. Ladies and gentleman, it’s time for a book review!
It’s been some time since the
reading bug has hit me. I’ve recently finished Jonathan Van Ness’
autobiography, Over the Top, and it was a beautiful piece that I will recommend
to anyone. But, I am a romance author and this is a blog centered around
romance books, so my review is not for dear Jonathan’s book.
This review is for The Fall by Claudia Dain.
What an astounding piece of work! Here’s the blurb…
England, 1165. Juliane: they call
her Lady of Frost. Though she is beautiful beyond description, she turns men
cold and they wither under her gaze. She was once married, but her husband
could not rise to do his manly deed, and so the marriage was annulled. She has
remained unmoved and untouched since that day.
Ulrich of Caen, a knight loose
upon the Earth, searching for a place upon it, searching for a home and a wife
with nothing but a name for seduction to bring to the marriage bond. It is not
enough to win him a wife. Unless that wife be a woman who can turn aside all
seductions and render a man empty of passion.
It is upon this ground they meet,
one legend against another. Romance was a game to them, a subject of wagers and
taunts, and nothing could come of it. He had no land to give a woman. She had
no warmth to give a man.
But in their games of seduction
and mockery, Juliane fears she is close to falling in love, and falling in love
is the most dangerous thing a woman can do.
My thoughts.
It was such a unique read! Set in
a medieval time period, Claudia Dane has written it so that every sentence,
every description, every word sems ripped from history. One word to describe
it? Immersive. Another word? Erotic. Throughout. Sometimes, a little overly so.
I mean, it is a book about erections.
In all seriousness, it was such a
good read, one that I finished in two days. Ulrich could be a little
overbearing, but he was a true honorable knight at heart. Juliane was a new
type of heroine, one who was protected by her legend and had no reason to fear
any man in a time when that was what most women did. On that note…
Trigger warning: It might be a
little spoiler-y and I do apologize, but I wish there had been some sort of
warning for me. Yes, I would have still read the book, but it would have been
nice to know beforehand. There is a rape scene. It is a little disturbing, not
overly descriptive, but there it was. And, before anyone says anything, it did
contribute to the plot and wasn’t just there for shock value. And, remember,
this is a romance so there’s a happy ending!
Would I recommend it?
If you like erotic romance, the slower
burn and then super steamy, melting kind, then yes!
