The Heart and the Rose

I have some mixed feelings about the Heart and the Rose. It is well written with good dialogue and a plot that moves smoothly, the hero and heroine have some chemistry but the secondary characters take away from the novel. Lady Claricia is unlike any romance heroine in so many ways. She has been raped by one man and then her uncle forces her to become his mistress at fourteen. He treats her more like a whore and never lets her forget that she is damaged goods. On top of having an amoral relationship with Clarisia he is diabolically cruel to the Scots who he has no problem raping and killing at whim. Alexander Kirkpatrick is a Scot whose entire family has been killed by Claricia's uncle. Oh, does he want revenge and the best revenge is to steal Claricia, use her mercilessly and then ransom her back. He knows she is her uncle's leman and everyone believes she has gone to this position willingly. When she is kidnapped, Claricia almost feels like she has a chance for real happiness, if she can only escape. This does not happen and she is stuck with Alexander, a man who hates her. While in Scotland, she succumbs to Alex's lovemaking but there is no real emotion between them. She distrusts men and he distrusts the English, especially her. Alex is so cold and heartless at times I did not like him but I understood his anger, his father and mother were brutally killed along with his brother and sister. Realizing that he cannot be around Claricia anymore without having feelings for her, he sends her away to another keep to wait for the ransom. Also in this story is a secondary romance between Rourke, Alexander's friend and Vivienne, a woman who lives alone with her son. Vivienne saved Roarke's life and he is desperately in love with her but she has many secrets to hide which will affect Alexander and Claricia. Vivienne is not that likeable. I found her to be stubborn and well, almost delusional. The romance between the main characters is better developed and filled with sexual tension. Alexander and his captive learn to trust one another and then fall in love. Alexander's transformation from hardened warrior to loving protector is very nice indeed.