Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

What's a good medieval bodice ripper? I think Connie Mason has a book I really like, I can't remember what it's called, but remember it was pretty accurate of the times.

I prefer medieval books to be realistic, un-pc as possible and of course I gotta have the asshole hero.

Eliza wrote: "What's a good medieval bodice ripper? I think Connie Mason has a book I really like, I can't remember what it's called, but remember it was pretty accurate of the times.

I prefer medieval books t..."

I am hunting for them too :) so I'll be watching this thread.
I'll just warn you that BR and romances in general set in middle ages are never historically accurate. I can forgive inaccuracy in a romance as long as the characters aren't acting like freedom fighting feminists, and yes I don't want any of the PC crap sprinkled across the past.
If you want to read historically accurate book set in MA read Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset. This is, however, a literary masterpiece. The sex is fade-to-black and the story is tragic, but the antihero, Erlend, had lots of assholish moments, and I was smitten with him just like the heroine.

E. Chadwick gets the clothing right and the feudal system, but her female characters are the irritating, feisty tropes, and most of her heroes are proper, wet noodles that put me to sleep.

I can deal with a smidgen of inaccuracies, as I am no expert and probably wouldn't notice anyway :) But when you start getting way off course, then I just can't follow.

I'll check out your recommendations, they sound intriguing!

The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce. Very much not pc.

The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Not pc either, but the Conqueror hero is the biggest ass.

The Conqueror is one of my favorites

My recco is Bond of Blood by Roberta Gellis it was written in 1965 and the sex is fade to black.

It’s oop in hard copy, but the eBook is sold here for $5:
https://www.baen.com/bond-of-blood.html

Roberta Gellis goes for full accuracy and makes 0 concessions to make this medieval palatable to the modern reader. There’s cheating and beating and marital rape and the truest depiction of how women were viewed in the time Period—brainless breeders of heirs. And when I say brainless, I mean no more brain than a pet dog.

Also, it’s leans very heavily into HF fiction territory. There is heavy national politics of the period inter woven into the story.

It’s an an old favorite of mine, and I didn’t think I’d ever mention it on GR to anyone bec it has so many HR taboos (cheating, beating, marital rape), but I’m familiar with you, so I’ll recco it. Otherwise, I didn’t ever intend to talk about this book to anyone on GR or in RL.

Thank you! Looking her up right now and checking it out now!

Keeper of the Dream by Penelope Williamson

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "There’s cheating and beating and marital rape and the truest depiction of how women were viewed in the time Period—brainless breeders of heirs. And when I say brainless, I mean no more brain than a pet dog.

See this is one of those false generalizations about MA, at least for 12th and 13th century that just isn't true. Women were raped just as they are raped today, the only difference is that if the man was caught he was punished. In Hungary his nose would be cut off, in Denmark he would be hanged etc. Women in general were not seen as brainless breeders. I am always astonished who is coming up with these claims without any backing. Read medieval fabliaux and you'll see that women were seen as cunning, in many cases outsmarting men.

Sorry I don't mean to turn this into a history debate, just clearing up some things. I will check out the Conqueror. :)

I just finished reading Blackheart by Tamara Leigh. It started promising. The hero called his dead mother a whore, the clothing was accurate, the lifestyle to a point, the mindset so-so, but after the heroine lifted her chin for 50th time and the plot holes started mounting, it went down hill. Also, it wasn't a BR.

Agreed- but I think that while some women had power back then, the majority had no control over their own lives. And men can be assholes when they have too much power. Can you imagine being a peasant back then? Yikes. It would have been scary. However, they had to be capable and smart to stay safe. Some of these stories where the women are feisty and outspoken just don't seem accurate to me...

What I am after is accurate descriptions about their clothing and lifestyle. I find that so interesting! And since I'm not an expert, I count of the author to do the research for me!

Morena, I think I like you.

Eliza wrote: "Agreed- but I think that while some women had power back then, the majority had no control over their own lives. And men can be assholes when they have too much power. Can you imagine being a peasa..."

Eliza, I can imagine not having to work hard for 5 months a year and party big time during all major feast days. Of course life was also hard, but not the way movies or some of the hist. fiction would have you believe.

I am working on something big right now, but when I ever have time I will write a BR featuring this medieval rogue

Awesome!! Let me know when you’re done- id love to read that!

No one does br like Bertrice Small. Mostly 15-17th century settings but she did a few medieval ones : The Hellion, The Innocent and To Love Again come to mind. Roberta Gellis has many books set in the medieval time period that are very realistic, but not much in the way of br. Anita Mills has a BR medieval series written back in the 1980's that starts with "Lady of Fire," that have a realistic feel, but lots of BR elements.

I am going to rant if that's OK. I think most of you have read The Wolf and the Dove. I'm a few pages in, and already want to take a whip to this author. I picked up this book to read about rough men and damsel in distress abused by the said men, and I am getting a tiny bit of that. Unfortunately, once again, the execution is half-assed and twisted to improbable angles which adds bucket-load of shit on my reading banquet.

We get haughty noblewoman Aisslin who sees her home destroyed by the Normans, her father and servants killed and mother beaten and harassed. Aisslin is kept on a leash by her conqueror, hottie #2 - so far, I like :) She has right to hate the Normans. After (view spoiler)[she is gently raped by the hottie #2 (hide spoiler)], she sets out to bury her father. Also good.

Only that's when the hottie #1, Wulfgar, appears. After assessing the bleak situation, he puts "magical fear" into his Norman countrymen, and gives Aisslin a shovel. Aisslin of course refuses any aid from the stinking Normans, but Wulf is practical and aspiring Goody Two-Shoes (leaving this reader disappointed).

Given the horrid circumstances, I expected Aisslin to cry for her father and pour her grief and anger into digging the grave. Nope. Instead of ignoring the nasty Normans, she ignores the shovel, and banters with this hot blond Wulfgar, checking him out and listening how he's going to seduce her while all this time her father lies rotting at her feet, completely ignored. She also forgot about her mother who is hiding in the rushes. How am I supposed to believe in her grief and hatred?

Why couldn't the writer take her time with these characters? Why did she brush over her grief at this crucial moment? Why couldn't Wuflgar ignore Aisslin longer, especially when he is a known "woman hater?" Give me a break, this Wulfgar doesn't hate anyone. I even doubt he's ever killed or pillaged.

To stay relevant to the thread, I am also reading For My Lady's Heart by Laura Kinsale. I was shocked how well this author captured 14th century court and the 12th century ideals of courtly love. The first quarter of the book is drawn out nonsense, but after that it gets good. I was surprised because a while back I quit reading "Shadowheart" which is the second book in this medieval package. I found Shadowheart convoluted nonsense set in fantasy world rather than 14th century.

THIS @ Morena!

When there is an obvious lack of emotion at such crucial moments it's a boner killer. It's fake, inadequate and disappointing.

I think, for me, I want my BR's to be dramatic but also lined with some practicality. Your example, Morena is a perfect case of the author glossing over what should be a real and raw moment for the character.....IRL you know that person would be a mess. Almost ruins the whole book.

You might want to try this medieval series . The anti-hero in the first book becomes the "hero" in the second book. They have been revised though, so you might want to look for the originals.

Yeah, CC did “revise” her old books.

Stay away from CC eBooks and buy used dead tree editions.

KatieV wrote: "The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce. Very much not pc.

The Wolf and the Dove by Kathleen Woodiwiss. Not pc either, but the Conqueror hero is the biggest ass."

I absolutely loved the conqueror, and I am not the biggest fan of medieval ... although I think I may be coming round to it since I'm currently reading Mary Jo Putney's Uncommon Vows, which by the way could definitely be a lot more un-PC but there are some funny over-the-top lines.

Roberta Gellis's Fire Song is a great medieval book - true to the age with realistic moments. Fire Song The sex scenes are not glossed over in this one. Give it a try - I'm a big fan of this author. Classic medieval romances are usually great. There's another author I love who writes great, true to the age, medieval romances. Her books are not necessarily bodice rippers, but they make absolutely no use of unnecessary pc moments - Julie Tetel - my favourite of hers is Simon's Lady (it's written in the 1990s) and it takes place during King Stephen's reign. Trust me, in this one, the hero is positively medieval Simon's Lady

I was going to recommend Lady Of Fire up until I reached the last quarter of the book and gave up. Such a shame, especially, when the characters were practically begging the author to take the plot down the dark path.
You have a standard, run of the mill hero, Roger, half-brother of our heroine, Eleanor, who was surprisingly reasonable and capable of self-reflection even when she was cranky (which is rare among the strong+feisty heroines). My interest was piqued as sparks flew between Roger and his sister!!! Eleanor. When the delicious antihero, Count Robert, entered the scene I was hooked completely, willing to forgive wonky pacing, and repetitive phrasing like “Jesu, she is beautiful, Jesu, she is small,” and all the unnecessary nays, arts, and ayes…
I was ready to follow the terrified heroine to the pits of hell or wherever the depraved Robert might take her, but alas... (view spoiler)[Instead, I was forced to follow the perfect, gentle Gary Stew who conveniently turned out not to be Eleanor’s brother. Reading about Roger was like following around a boring golden retriever while the depraved, tortured, scary antihero, Robert, was denigrate to a role of a stupid villain. (hide spoiler)]
Why are the writers afraid of antiheroes? Just set the book under the dark romance tag and go with it. Antiheroes are interesting, scary, exciting. Isn’t that enough to give them the lead stage? I am sick of all these boring golden retrievers. Give me the wolf:)
If there is a book where the lead is a depraved, tortured, scary antihero like Robert I am all ears.

The Innocent by Posie Graeme-Evans

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... via @goodreads

I loved this book.

Betas have their time and place and medieval books are not them. Give me the asshole any day of the week.

Andrea (Catsos Person) is a Compulsive eBook Hoarder wrote: "Yeah, CC did “revise” her old books.

Stay away from CC eBooks and buy used dead tree editions."

I'm reading her Devil's Embrace and if it's been redone, I'm quite satisfied with its hero's alphaness.