Tempted

by Virginia Henley

Book Overview

All men lusted for the firebrand they called Flaming Tina, famed for the molten fire in her hair and for the hot temper running fierce through the noble Scots blood of Lady Valentina Kennedy. Forced into marriage with the fearsome warrior of an enemy clan, Tina vowed to use her wild beauty to gain mastery over Lord Ramsey Douglas."

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0440206251
• ISBN13: 9780440206255
• Release Date: January 1993
• Publisher: Dell
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 4.2" x 6.7"

Customer Reviews

One Of My All-Time Favorites

I am a HUGE Virginia Henley fan, and it all started with this book. The story was well written with numerous plots and subplots that helped to accentuate the developing love between the unbeknownst heroine and hero. There is a lot of strong language and intensely erotic love scenes, but it is acceptable when entwined with the setting at hand. Henley was very adept in adding a subtle role reversal between Tina and Ram. Black Ram Douglas is the quintessential ALL MAN hero. He has the usual hero traits of intelligence, strength, ambition and unmatched sexual appeal(captured brilliantly by the model used in the picture), but Henley delves further by adding more layers to this larger than life character. His hard sometimes vulgar machismo personality was tempered by his love of children, respect for family and land, charm and humor as well as being an undercover romantic. Ram's gentleness towards Tina, and concern for her every comfort and well being are a delightful transition from his rugged high-handedness. We are allowed to see Tina fall in love with Ram and understand WHY she loves him, from antagonistic hatred to the revelation of a man so suited to her, the word soulmate seems lacking and inadequate. Valentina was no innocent. She had the normal heroine trait of being intelligently chaste with heartstopping beauty that left men breathless and women envious. Tina was more than that. From the beginning she was shown as a brave hoyden with a loyalty to surpass most men. She was clever with a shockingly humorous charisma that was engagingly seductive. A true tomboy, Flaming Tina was fearless in all things, with an intense devotion to those she loved as well as any endeavor she approached. The descriptiveness of the violence and war, was a perfect accompaniment to the intrigue of court and familial entanglements. This novel has it all. After fifteen years of owning this book, I can honestly say I read it at least once a year. With mediocre writers publishing disappointingly lackluster novels, the tried and true always lures me back for the desired enjoyment of a brilliant romantic read.

A tempestuous love/hate romance...

"TEMPTED" will whisk you away to Scotland where you will experience the tempestuous love/hate relationship of Ramsey and Valentina. Ram is bold, sexy, and challenging, while Tina is intelligent, strong-willed, and beautiful. In this rollercoaster adventure you will definitely remain caught up in their ups and downs, and you will be exposed to Scottish history, as well. The supporting characters are well thought out and complement both Ram and Tina. The lovemaking scenes were just enough to whet my appetite, but I found that I wanted more of the detail that I've found in a Susan Johnson ("BRAZEN") or Linda Howard ("AFTER THE NIGHT"). I enjoy tales of big men and Ram is a big man!

Not your mother's romance novel

This is a great alternative for romance fans who have become bored with the traditional, time-honored formula of the genre. While it's possible to get a chuckle or two out of most romance novels, this book is packed full of laughs. The situations are so outrageous, the characters are so over-the-top, that reading it is a wicked, guilty pleasure.The heroine, Tina Kennedy, is well aware of her effect on men, as well as their effect on her. The hero, Ramsay Douglas (cleverly nicknamed Ram), is an uncouth Highland clan leader who expects to get what he wants. Both characters are powerfully attractive, and powerfully attracted to each other.I appreciate Henley's frank, blantant approach to romance. A rough, brutish warrior would never refer to his body parts with euphamisms, nor would he refer to every sexual encounter as love-making. A well-born, innocent lass would of course be appauled by such language at first, but later might be inclined to use it herself should the situation warrant it. Henley's strength is in knowing exactly when her characters should use the softer, more mysterious language, and when they should just call it like it is.The story is a familiar one of Scottish clan feuding, but it is given the breath of life by two supporting characters who happen to be dead. The marvelously inventive and romantic subplot between two ghosts is what elevates the storyline above those of much of the genre.What I love about most of Henley's work is that she sets her characters loose to run rampant. She seems aware that this genre can take itself too seriously, and she seems willing to embrace the absurd. That makes her books, particularly this one, a joy to read.

Splendid!

At first I really didn't want to read it because I had made the mistake of opening the book and reading from the middle right where Douglas and Tina are fighting big time. So I figured that I it was a total waste of time. But then one day when I really didn't have anything else to do I picked up the book and it is needless to say I didn't put it down until I finished reading it. This book is one of those in which you just can't stop reading! Tina is hell bent on vengance against The Douglas but what she doesn't know is that she will fall into her own game of seduction. The Douglas is so blind that he only sees what he wants to see until he falls in love and finds that love is the total opposite of what he expected. I loved the way Henley mixed the supernatural characters with the real characters. You will find everything you want in this book. Murder mysteries, betrayal, passion, love, GREAT LOVE SCENES, it is full of surprises. It is beautifully written and wonderful to read. I highly recomend it.

Tempted truly does tempt me!!!

I truly loves books that are written like this!!! If you take the sex scenes out, the book would still be wonderful. Let's face it though, Virginia really knows how to write those steamy sex scenes. There are not too many books that are similar in design to this one! Valentina and Ram are hot! Flaming Tina learns very quickly how to use sex to her advantage! Wish that we were all the brave! Tempted also slid in a brief history lesson in the process! It may not ALL be completely accurate, but the reader gets the idea of the behavior and events of that time. I love steamy books such as this and I know if I could make a list of all the steamy, erotic historical romance fictions authors -- Virginia would be at the top of the list! Rebellion, Intrigue, Battles, Warriors, Sexual Pleasures...REAL MEN and REAL WOMEN. A MUST READ!