Awaken, My Love

I don't usually read Robin Schone books. Well, actually, I have read all of her books, but have decided they are too dark and explicit for my tastes. But after getting rid of Gabriel's Woman and The Lover (yes - I had to keep The Lady's Tutor), I had let Awaken My Love, Schone's first novel, sit unread for well over a year. Now, after reading it, I think this is the best of Schone's books. As are all of her books, it is far from the norm as far as romance writing goes. It is very entertaining reading although it has a most unusual time travel twist. I usually don't care much for time travel stories but this is a definite exception. Charles Mortimer, Lord Arlcotte, is the extremely appealing hero. He has a very strong personality, alpha extreme, but is just so downright cool that you want to melt as you read about him. He has a great problem on his hands. His young bride has never let him even touch her since their marriage a year ago. No matter - he is determined to have a heir. He decides she will come to his bed and learn to like his touch. He WILL warm his cold frigid wife. After their joining however, he is quite discouraged. She apparently despises him. Imagine his surprise when he finds his wife emerging from her bath. Charles knows something is awry - Morrigan has not taken a full bath since their marriage. She is different somehow and although he is still angry over her distaste of him, he cannot seem to resist tormenting and teasing her. He is continually drawn to this oddly different Morrigan and is encouraged to proceed with her education despite her protestations. He can see the difference in her eyes - he senses she will now accept his advances.Elaine Metcliffe is a twentieth century gal, thirty-nine years of age, who is a computer analyst married to a really boring guy. They have been married for years and he has never been too interested in their love life and has no desire for children. One morning she awakens to find herself in another time and another body. Her body is no longer the slightly chubby body close to forty - it is a very young and slender body of a woman named Morrigan. An old hateful nag is apparently her maid - one who acts like a mad, religious zealot, constantly shouting about Morrigan's sins and her need for cleansing and forgiveness. Attempting to adjust to this highly distressing change of events, Elaine (Morrigan) asks to take a bath and all hell breaks loose. Insisting on a bath and then dressing in one of Morrigan's many beautiful gowns, gains the attention of everyone in the household. Morrigan has only worn one ill-fitting gray dress for the past year. She has never desired to wear any of the beautiful clothes her husband gifted her with as her trousseau upon their marriage. And certainly she has never taken a bath! Elaine is startled when she sees an extremely handsome and obviously very virile man standing in her room as she is finishing with her bath. Soon she discovers

I only wish I had the talent to have written this absorbing story. The author did indeed leave a number of questions hanging in the air, so to speak--including how the transmigration of souls happened, what happened ultimately to Morrigan, Charles' lack of interest in exploring how Elaine came to be his wife or why he tolerated the Boleighs and the disgusting Hattie in his house--but these details aside, Robin Schone spins a narrative that is gripping with mystery, fantasy, romance, and more explicit sex than seems to be the norm among this genre of writers. It is by no means pornographic but is not designed for those who don't want to peep behind the bedroom door. Don't blast Ms. Schone for those who do enjoy details, just don't read her books! This is an unforgettable book by a highly creative writer.

In AWAKEN, MY LOVE, Robin Schone mixes fantasy and reality to create that erotic perfection of which most people only dream.Elaine Metcliff, a sexually unfulfilled modern-day woman, wakes up one morning in the 19th century and in the home and body of the very frigid Morrigan, Lady Arlcotte. To say that Elaine wakes up in a situation akin to a nightmare would be the ultimate understatement. Aunt Hattie, her main caretaker, is obnoxious in more ways than one. Her new "husband," Charles, appears to be displeased, though fascinated, with her. And her body now has a small deformity which is causing mobility problems.Meanwhile, Charles has been very dissatisfied with Morrigan's lack of sexual appetite. When he sees Elaine, she's in Morrigan's body, so he has no way of knowing she's a different person. Yet he detects something has changed and he begins an earnest pursuit.As Elaine keeps up the pretense because no one will believe the truth, she tries desparately to return to her "time." Then as the undeniable romantic persuasions of Charles continue, she feels to submit to him would be adulterous to both her real husband and to Charles' missing wife. Finally, as she accepts her situation and experiences Charles' expert lovemaking, she finds total fulfillment.In addition to the fantasy of "body swapping," AWAKEN, MY LOVE is made more complicated and interesting with issues of child abuse, demonic possession, insanity and overly zealous relatives. The conclusion alone is worth the 5-star rating. Ms. Schone mixes real romance with beautifully written eroticism. The book is well worth reading.

This book has everything you could want under one cover. It has love, romance, adventure, time travel, paranormal and eroticism in a historical setting! Elaine is wonderful, Charles is fantastic and Morrigan is a hoot! Is it sensual? You bet! Does it push the envelope? Absolutely! If you want to read sweet romances DO NOT read this book but if you would like to experience a love story that will make you laugh, cry and involve you in the story find and buy this book... its worth it!

Robin Schone writes the best erotic love scenes I've ever read in any romance book (or fem porn, for that matter)! I couldn't believe the opening to this book (I'll just say that according to surveys most people do it but few people admit it)! What a way to time-travel!Ms. Schone sure captured my fantasy! Elaine wakes up in another century, in another woman's body, in another man's bed (wasn't there a song like that?). I sure wouldn't mind waking up seventeen years younger in a body that doesn't have to fight celulite. Especially if I woke up to a man who is skilled in Tantric love making, like Charles is. The PILLOW BOOK scene is awesome!The action just keeps getting hotter and hotter and tenser and tenser. What happened to Elaine's real body? Where is the woman who rightfully belongs to the one Elaine was transmigrated into? Was the young woman really insane--like her crazy relatives claim--or is she as much a victim as Elaine?The only thing more surprising than the opening to AWAKEN, MY LOVE is the ending.I agree with the woman in South Africa, this book is a refreshing change from traditional historical romances. It is not a book for the faint of heart! I'm just sad that Ms. Schone doesn't have any other books out. I heard on a list that she has one coming out soon, though. If it's just half as original and erotic as AWAKEN, MY LOVE, I will be in readers' heaven!