Rating: 
Summary: My Heart Is Beating A Wild Tattoo!
Review: More so than Small's other works, this one seems like pornography strung together by a very thin plot. The characters are nothing exciting, the hero and heroine are nothing special, and as usual the nuns save the day. Some of the sexy things are downright disgusting (and I am no prude). Read it if you want. I don't think it's worth the $12.95 price tag for a copy of Masters and Johnson done as a Medieval romance.
Rating: 
Summary: not one of her better books
Review: Mrs. Small has penned better novels. the one that comes to mind as an example was The Kadin. Imaginitive and fun, but the newest book out The Innocent, has been a let down due to the fact she has run out of material. This is evident in that you see the same plot(shadowed) in The Enchantress Mine. I felt the book was decent but could have been better and was very slow. Mrs. Small go back to the wonderful books you know so well.
Rating:
Summary: a little tiresome
Review: The fact that Elf was 14 and her husband to be 30?! - a little too young and unbelievable. Also the sexual encounters between the evil pair was a bit overdone - too pornographic for my taste.Small needs to focus more on dialogue and character depth than sexual chaos. - she's done better.
Rating: 
Summary: *Not* vintage Small
Review: The Innocent is one of Bertrice Small's less descriptive stories. The story was not bad; it just did not have the attention to detail found in Bertrice Small's earlier novels. Throughout the story, I kept hoping for more insights into the characters' personalities. The story line was also similar to her other earlier novels. I believe that Bertrice Small's agenda of two novels a year (one for Kensington/Zebra and one for Ballantine/Fawcett) has her resorting to formula story lines. I have been reading Bertrice Small for many years and her more recent novels do not have the same appeal as her novels written in the 70s and 80s. Other recommended books by Bertrice Small: The Kadin, Adora, Beloved, and of course Skye O'Malley. I was much more satisfied after reading the above mentioned novels.
Rating:
Summary: Degrading and Dull
Review: This book ranks on my "worst read" list. Initally the concept seemed interesting-a story of awaking-wrong! Infact there are sooo many things wrong w/this book I'm not quite sure where to begin. 1-the hero seemed simple minded-(ok maybe this was because he was married to a 14 year old!), 2-repetitive trival fillers-how many times did she repeat-"breaking their fast" yada,yada,yada-I love him/her-oh no I can't tell him/her-ad nausea for full effect. 3-the herione went from innocent to instant sex godess (why not she is perfect right??). 4-degrading sex-the villians should haven been the primary charcters as we spent more time in their bedrooms. 5-characterizations-women are whores. Men can rape, murder and plunder and be forgiven. Finally 6-FATAL ERROR-the herione actually has feelings-including sexual urges directed toward the villian-after she is married and obviously in love-once again proving the point-women are stupid base creatures. Save your time and money-I wish I had.
Rating: 
Summary: Goodness can triumph
Review: This heroine was a bit of departure from Bertrice Small's usually fiesty women. Raised in a convent, Elf fought to see the goodness in people and influenced others with her kindness and generousity. She is a quiet woman, but commands presence nonetheless. Elf is not much of a fighter, but doesn't have to be. She stands with quiet grace and allows her enemies to do themselves in. I enjoyed this book immensely.
Rating:
Summary: Tsk, tsk... i really liked the beginning!
Review: This is my 2nd book of Bertrice Small. It was given to me by a friend. The back description sounded interesting but base on the first one I read of her works, THE LOVE SLAVE, I didn't want to put up any expectations in reading this one. I want to be open minded and to give her a shot. I know a lot of people are Bertrice Small fans, perhaps I have yet to try her best work to be hooked on her. But so far, after reading THE LOVE SLAVE & THE INNOCENT, I am still not impress. So sorry. The first few chapters of the book was sooo good. It was interesting and a page turner. But once the hero & heroine got together, it got boring all of a sudden. Detailed sex scenes was the only part that fires you up but the characters seems to be too perfect for me. Ranulf is too understanding, too considerate and too loving. Boring! Elf was an angel. A saint. I do enjoy heroines with pure heart but would u really still TEND someone who tried to rape you? I mean at that same instant? C'mon! I would run for my life and outta there! I won't even consider tending the wound of the person who tried to steal my virtue. Well, that's just me. I was not too thrilled when I found out that the heroine was only 14 years old while the hero was 30years old. However, I decided to overlook that matter. I read Julie Garwood's SAVING GRACE and the heroine was 16 yrs and the hero was 30 years old too but I liked that book so I thought I shouldn't be turned off just cuz of this small matter. Despite this small niggle, I went ahead and continue with the book hoping I'll pick up the interest once more... Sad to say, the more I read, the more i question Bertrice Small's ability. Sorry. She tend to mention something then forgets about it as if it never occured. For instance, what happend to Saer De Bude? He existed as a villain in the beginning then just like that he disappeared? I thought he would come back and finish what he started but nope, he just poofed out. B.S. also mentioned Isa, Elf's best friend in the convent, who happens to be Ranulf relative. SO? what happend? Elf doesn't even know Isa is Ranulf relative and if so, what is the purpose of this talk? I thought Isa would be involved in this book, perhaps show support or be in Ashlin for something but nope, she just poofed out too. This might be a small matters to others but i like consistency in my books. The only consolation of this book that touched me somehow is Merin Ap Owen. He was one of the villain. He was hard and evil. Yet, Elf pure goodness set him free from his evil ways. I do believe that no matter how EVIL, there is good in every one. It just needs someone else to bring it out. GOODNESS and PURITY always prevails, I guess this is why I rated this book a 3 stars instead of 1. I tell you, the first part of this book is soooooo good. If only the hero and the heroine possess a little flaw, something that could make their relationship more challenging... a little banter, a little misunderstanding and so forth, perhaps it would continue to be an interesting read. Tsk, too bad. I really really did like the beginning!
Rating:
Summary: Tsk, tsk... i really liked the beginning!
Review: This is my 2nd book of Bertrice Small. It was given to me by a friend. The back description sounded interesting but base on the first one I read of her works, THE LOVE SLAVE, I didn't want to put up any expectations in reading this one. I want to be open minded and to give her a shot. I know a lot of people are Bertrice Small fans, perhaps I have yet to try her best work to be hooked on her. But so far, after reading THE LOVE SLAVE & THE INNOCENT, I am still not impress. So sorry. The first few chapters of the book was sooo good. It was interesting and a page turner. But once the hero & heroine got together, it got boring all of a sudden. Detailed sex scenes was the only part that fires you up but the characters seems to be too perfect for me. Ranulf is too understanding, too considerate and too loving. Boring! Elf was an angel. A saint. I do enjoy heroines with pure heart but would u really still TEND someone who tried to rape you? I mean at that same instant? C'mon! I would run for my life and outta there! I won't even consider tending the wound of the person who tried to steal my virtue. Well, that's just me. I was not too thrilled when I found out that the heroine was only 14 years old while the hero was 30years old. However, I decided to overlook that matter. I read Julie Garwood's SAVING GRACE and the heroine was 16 yrs and the hero was 30 years old too but I liked that book so I thought I shouldn't be turned off just cuz of this small matter. Despite this small niggle, I went ahead and continue with the book hoping I'll pick up the interest once more... Sad to say, the more I read, the more i question Bertrice Small's ability. Sorry. She tend to mention something then forgets about it as if it never occured. For instance, what happend to Saer De Bude? He existed as a villain in the beginning then just like that he disappeared? I thought he would come back and finish what he started but nope, he just poofed out. B.S. also mentioned Isa, Elf's best friend in the convent, who happens to be Ranulf relative. SO? what happend? Elf doesn't even know Isa is Ranulf relative and if so, what is the purpose of this talk? I thought Isa would be involved in this book, perhaps show support or be in Ashlin for something but nope, she just poofed out too. This might be a small matters to others but i like consistency in my books. The only consolation of this book that touched me somehow is Merin Ap Owen. He was one of the villain. He was hard and evil. Yet, Elf pure goodness set him free from his evil ways. I do believe that no matter how EVIL, there is good in every one. It just needs someone else to bring it out. GOODNESS and PURITY always prevails, I guess this is why I rated this book a 3 stars instead of 1. I tell you, the first part of this book is soooooo good. If only the hero and the heroine possess a little flaw, something that could make their relationship more challenging... a little banter, a little misunderstanding and so forth, perhaps it would continue to be an interesting read. Tsk, too bad. I really really did like the beginning!
Rating:
Summary: An unbelievable book which I simply couldn't put down!
Review: This is the first book by Bertrice Small which I have read, having just recently picked it up at my favorite bookstore. Since I have not read books by her before, I wasn't sure how much I would like it. My views changed the minute I read the first page. Not only was the book captivating and beautifully written, but it's plot was like none that I have read in a long while. The breathtaking romance between Eleanore de Montfort, known as Elf, and Ranulf de Glandeville kept me from putting the book down, even in the early hours of the morning. The encounter with Elf's brother Richard de Montfort's evil wife, Isleen, the loving care of Reverend Mother and the nuns at the convent, and the spirit, yet innocence of Elf herself, all made me repeatedly wonder why I had never read this or any of Bertrice Small's books before. I would recommend this book to anyone who wishes to indulge in a romance like they have never read before.
Rating:
Summary: Good only if you like RAPE and STUPID, Stupid women.
Review: This is the worst. This is the VERY LAST book I will ever read by this woman (I've suffered through 3 - yes, I'm a glutton for punishment). HORRIBLE, just horrible. I don't understand women who get off on rape. It makes me shudder to even think about rape. Bertrice Small's books should not be classified as romance, but utter and complete garbage. This isn't even sensual, it's just sick. I'm glad I checked THE INNOCENT out from the library and did not waste my money on it. Unless you're one of those people who thinks rape is a perfectly wonderful and joyful experience, DO NOT EVEN BOTHER. In fact, don't even bother with any of her books as they are all the EXACTLY same.
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