The Wolf and the Dove

Known as a "classic romance" & the "best medieval romance ever written", Kathleen Woodwiss's The Wolf and the Dove is a tale of overcoming hardships, strength in the face of adversity, and being raped every night by the man you love. Lost you at that last part? yeah, me too. So having read Woodwiss's The Flame and the Flower I knew what I was getting into with this book - Hero rapes heroine, cheats on her, is emotionally, mentally, and verbally abusive for awhile, but eventually they fall in love. Dont get me wrong, this book had all of that, though it also had the hero raping the heroine for the first 400 pages or so. Now, I will give Wulfgar the benefit of the doubt in that after the first few times she did start to enjoy it even before she knew she loved him, but she never willing selpt with him, and afterwards she would cry herself to sleep. Aislinn was a bit into mind games herself though - after she was able to admit her passions to herself she would do everything with Wulfgar except willingly spread her legs, and again in Wulfgars defense he was only rough with her a bit the first time. Oh boy.

I had to take some breaks while reading this as the actions and thoughts of both the H & h were starting to drive me nuts. I dont know what it is about these "old classics" that required both abuse and the ability to not communicate be front and center, but apparently it was. So, if you like well written tales of Normans and Saxons, war, lusty wenches, betrayal, bastards, rape of innocents, head games, and a HEA that requires alot of pain to to achieve, then this is your book!

From Amazon: When the Normans invade and sweep across Saxon England in 1066, lovely Aislinn of Darkenwald watches her father murdered outside her home. Wulfgar, the Iron Wolf of Normandy, arrives to rule Darkenwald, and one look at Aislinn leads him to claim her as his own. She hates the Norman conquering forces, but Wulfgar awakens a consuming passion in her that she can't deny. As she struggles with her growing love for Wulfgar, she does what she can to aid her conquered people and her bereaved mother. But a jealous lord conspires with Wulfgar's spoiled half-sister and Aislinn's very life is threatened before Wulfgar can admit that the woman he conquered has in truth, conquered his heart.