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Rating: 
Summary: Don't be Fooled by the Title!
Review: Don't be fooled with the title! It is not satanic or has anything to so with the occult! I didn't read it because I thought it was bad, but my cousin told me it wasn't. It is actually an expression for someone who is attracted to a bad person. The book is about Kate, a young lady that comes from a long line of miniature painters. As her father looses his eyesight, she secretly paints his miniatures for him. As she slowly breaks the gender barrier of Victorian Europe, she meets the Baron de Centeville. He uses her to take revenge on his cousin, and the result changes her life completely. She leaves and thinks the Baron is out of her life, but they meet again in war-torn Paris. Will she ever forgive him? I really liked this book, and I'm glad my cousin let me know it was all right to read. Holt also makes a profound statement about euthanasia.
Rating: 
Summary: Most Horrific "Romance" I've Ever Read
Review: I don't know about the rest of you, but this book reminded me of the movie/book "Rosemary's Baby." You have the naive, young girl; a creepy, old house; a drugged-out rape, a gentle child that turns almost demonic as the story progresses; and various instances of murder/suicide.
The so-called "hero" of the novel isn't a cad, and could definitely not be categorized as a rake. He's just out and out evil. There's no redeeming quality to him. The heroine had it right when she called him an arrogant, self-centered, megalomaniac. For a while I sympathized with the plight of the heroine, Kate, but when she began to rationalize all the terrible things the hero, Rollo, did to her that was the end of that pity party. Yuck! What kind of a name for a hero is that, anyway? Isn't a Rollo a chocolate covered caramel? After, and during, the rape Kate is so adamant in her hatred for the man. However, as the years go by, she begins to justify the torment he inflicted on her, and even begins to love him. Clearly, Kate is suffering from Stockholm syndrome -- a psychological illness in which the victim bonds to their abusers (sort of like Patty Hearst in the 70s). The worst thing about it is that Rollo can't seem to empathize with Kate. He never realizes that what he did to Kate was WRONG! He just keeps insisting that Kate loved every minute of it, and that he did it out of love. What utter nonsense! Even when she confides to her friends and family about the rape, they all plot to have her remain within the evil man's grasp. Even her own beloved son turns against her! Where's the loyalty? Rollo continually manipulates Kate over and over again. He's just awful.
The only thing good thing about this book is the attention paid to European architecture and the creation of miniatures. I found Holt's descriptions of Rollo's castle and Notre Dame rather interesting.
This was my first Victoria Holt novel, and I have to say it's my last. This book completely turned me off from this writer. The publishers shouldn't have labelled this as a romance, but a horror novel. The situations in this book are the sort of things you see on tv shows like Dateline, 20/20, America's Most Wanted, or a made-for-tv movie on the Lifetime network.
Rating: 
Summary: The title says it all -- Rollo is a "demon lover"
Review: I just re-read this book for the first time since I was 11 and I still find it entertaining. Other reviewers complained that Kate falls in love with her rapist. Well ... Rollo's not a very nice man, but Holt makes it clear that Kate is enjoying herself at least some of the time. It's one of those love-hate relationships. Kate's attracted to a strong, domineering man who finds her irresistable, even though she knows he's a barbarian. And that IS one of the archetypal fantasies that women have deep, deep down even though no normal person actually wants a Rollo to kidnap her, drug her and force himself on her. It's a fantasy, so it's safe. This book was written in 1982, about the time the "Luke and Laura" phenomenon was going on. They were popular and so was this book. People liked the idea.
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