Conquest

This is a very entertaining book that a Jude fan will enjoy.

I absolutly love this book. I started reading one night and stayed up till 2 in the morning reading and finished the next day. it usually takes me a couple of days to read a book this long. Usually it takes awhile for me to get into a book, but i got into this book after the first chapter. I agree, Zared was a little annoying how it took her so long to trust Tearle, but i also liked how they didn't immediatly fall in love it made you want to keep reading. By the middle of the book you will wonder if these two will ever get together because Zared still hates him so much. Anyway its a great romance book to lose yourself in.

To be honest, I didn't like this book at first. I felt that Zared and her brothers were unbearably harsh and unlikable and Tearle was a wishy-washy idiot. I am so glad that I continued to read it because this is one of my favorite romances of all time. Jude Deveraux is such a talented writer. She weaves beautiful stories together with memorable characters and recreates times I wish I could be transported to. Because I am probably the world's pickiest reader, I don't like all of her books, but The Conquest is one that is near to my heart.Zared can be a difficult character to relate to at the beginning of the tale because she seems so hateful and narrow minded. However as the story unfolds, her brattiness becomes entertaining and a wonderful sense of humor shines through. She is the classic 'diamond in the rough' character that grows and proves herself to be one of the best romance heroines of any novel.Tearle is wonderfully unstereotypical as far as romance heros go. I don't know about anyone else, but I am truly sick of the overbearing, arrogant rapists prevalent in so many historical romances. Yes, he did seem like an idiot at the beginning, but his patience and romantic personality melted my heart. He is truly the perfect fantasy man, in my opinion.The plot itself is fun and exciting, and unlike many other romances doesn't get boring or seem to drag on forever. I especially love how humor is blended in at the most unexpected moments, I literally laughed out loud at some of the characters' antics. I found Lady Anne to be especially amusing, she was such a great character I think she should have had her own book.Okay, this book wasn't perfect. There are places in the story where Ms. Deveraux has a tendency to tell instead of show, and I wish there had been a few more love scenes. But in spite of the problems, which are forgivable, this is truly a five star novel and a keeper!

Finally, a heroine that's not all soft and useless. Zared is a refreshing heroine, with muscle and backbone. I loved this book, especially Tearle's insistence on getting together with Zared. We finally meet a hero that has not been embittered by the death of his family, or the death of his wife and children. We finally meet a man who is not a womanizer. A man with a sense of humor and immediately knows Zared is right for him, and goes after her. What a lovely book. Keep up the good work, Ms. Deveraux!

After reading "A Knight in Shining Armor" and "The Duchess", I was ready to to give up on Jude Deveraux because I thought the above-mentioned books were bad and did not enjoy them one bit. Then, I got my hands on "The Conquest" and became Ms. Deveraux's fan forever.From previous reviews, I noticed that readers loved the character of Tearle but were less enthralled with Zared. I feel just the opposite. I loved Zared. Sure, she was a brat but she is unlike any other romantic heroine. She was instantly refreshing and even touching when she was vulnerable. Tearle, on the other hand, seemed a bit boring at first. I don't dispute that he is right for Zared, but he is not the typical dashing romantic hero. Even so, I grew to like him an couldn't wait until he and Zared got together for good.My second favorite character, after Zared, is Anne. She also got spunk and I wish that she could have been given more to do or even a whole book devoted to her story.I adore this book, but it still can't compare to the book that I consider to be the most breathtaking romance: "Wishes".