Romance Genre Annotation

Synopsis of Ravished by Amanda Quick
Harriet Pomeroy is, by all accounts, an “old maid”.  At the age of 25, she is still unmarried, without any real prospects for a husband. But that’s just fine with her, as she would rather be free to pursue her un-womanly interest of fossil-hunting, and does not wish to be tamed into submission by marriage. Upon finding a cache of stolen treasure in her favorite fossil cave, she summons Gideon Westbrook, Viscount St. Justin, to remedy the situation.

Gideon, a misfit in his own right, has been estranged from both the town and his parents since a tragedy involving his fiancé 6 years ago. Between the rumors swirling around his role in the death of his fiancé, along with a hideous facial scar he received in a rapier duel, he has earned the nickname “The Beast of Blackthorn Hall”, and is shunned and feared throughout the community.

After a night spent trapped in the cave together, Gideon feels honor-bound to marry Harriet, and it sends the whole town into an uproar. Most of the townspeople believe that Gideon has ravished yet another innocent woman, and that Harriet could face the same fate as Gideon’s first fiancé. But rumors do not always prove to be true, and as Harriet finds herself falling deeply in love with Gideon, she is determined to clear his name once and for all, using her wit and intelligence to uncover the true story.

Can the love of Harriet tame The Beast of Blackthorn Hall? Can Gideon find it in his heart to truly love again, after so many years of exile and shame? Gideon and Harriet have both found met match in this steamy love story, set against a backdrop of fashionable London society and the misty shores of rural England.

Featured Elements of Romance

Tone/Mood- This book fits into the sub-category of “spicy romance”; plenty of sexual tension and explicit situations. The mood is primarily dark, brooding, and emotional, but is peppered with humorous exchanges, as well as suspenseful and/or dangerous situations that keep the interest of the reader, and the plot moving forward, in the midst of all the drama.

Characters- Tall, dark, leading man; dainty but intelligent heroine who, while strong, independent, and defying some stereotypes, ultimately needs to be saved a time or two by our leading man; a villain who not only seeks to destroy the hero, but makes a great effort to drive the lovers apart and to steal the lady away; a group of comic foils (in this case, a boozy group of fossil-hunters) who befriend the leading lady; and a host of concerned family members. The main characters grow and change, but so do other, minor characters surrounding the lovers.

Story Line- Within all of the twists and turns of events and characters, the driving force of the narrative is the romantic relationship between the two leading characters. All roads lead back to love, and, of course, to happily-ever-after.

Setting- This is a story where the setting is as almost as important as the characters. The caves, the windswept beaches, the fancy London ballrooms, are all essential elements of a smashing historical romance. It has a true “take-me-away” effect that lovers of the romance genre find particularly appealing.

Pace-  Romance readers who love to fly through a good, juicy story will not be disappointed. While scenes are descriptive and feature a fair amount of dialog, there is no lingering too long in one particular scene too long, there are no conversations that drone on and on. The author is aware that the reader simply must know what happens next, and the narrative is always racing toward the (hopefully) inevitable moment when the Viscount is exonerated, his honor restored, and he and Miss Pomeroy are finally able to really begin their life together and (hopefully) provide and heir to the Westbrook name.

Style/Language- Much like the setting, the language and style is effusive, romantic, even flowery at times. and very descriptive. We are indulged with acute descriptions of the primary characters’ physical attributes (think broad shoulders, powerful jawlines, ample bosoms...you get the picture). We are treated, in almost every chapter, to a description of Gideon’s “tawny” eyes. Harriet Pomeroy calls Gideon Westbrook “my lord”, even after they are married.

Read-Alikes

The Duke and I  (first book of The Bridgerton Series)  by Julia Quinn 

Love is Blind by Lynsay Sands

The Duke of Shadows by Meredith Duran