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Ritual Sins
Intent on destroying the man who had wrung millions of dollars from her dying mother, Rachel Connery sets out to turn the tables on the notoriously manipulative, charismatic Luke Bardell, a man who relishes a challenge. Original.
396 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1997
34 people are currently reading
981 people want to read
About the author
Anne Stuart
205 books2,062 followersAnne Stuart is a grandmaster of the genre, winner of Romance Writers of America's prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, survivor of more than thirty-five years in the romance business, and still just keeps getting better.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
Her first novel was Barrett's Hill, a gothic romance published by Ballantine in 1974 when Anne had just turned 25. Since then she's written more gothics, regencies, romantic suspense, romantic adventure, series romance, suspense, historical romance, paranormal and mainstream contemporary romance for publishers such as Doubleday, Harlequin, Silhouette, Avon, Zebra, St. Martins Press, Berkley, Dell, Pocket Books and Fawcett.
She’s won numerous awards, appeared on most bestseller lists, and speaks all over the country. Her general outrageousness has gotten her on Entertainment Tonight, as well as in Vogue, People, USA Today, Women’s Day and countless other national newspapers and magazines.
When she’s not traveling, she’s at home in Northern Vermont with her luscious husband of thirty-six years, an empty nest, three cats, four sewing machines, and one Springer Spaniel, and when she’s not working she’s watching movies, listening to rock and roll (preferably Japanese) and spending far too much time quilting.
Anne Stuart also writes as Kristina Douglas.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 107 reviews
September 21, 2017
4.25/5
This book contains strong elements of mystery, suspense, drama, and eroticism, with plenty of unpredictable twists and turns. Anne Stuart did a great job building up suspense and tension, which set my curiosity and of course, my nerves on edge, throughout the story. My state of doubt and uncertainty increased as I delved further into the story. The more I read, the less sure I was of things the heroine, Rachel, was told or what she believed was nothing but the truth. Honestly, I didn’t even know whom she could really trust.
On the one hand, I just wanted to shut the book and find something else to do because I was tremendously afraid of the outcome of events, but on the other hand, I was eerily intrigued by the whole story and I awfully wanted to know who exactly Luke Bardell was.
And I can say that after finishing reading this, I was, to some extent, satisfied with the conclusion of it. It wasn’t exactly what I hoped for nor was it as mind-blowing as I thought it was going to be, even so, it was an enjoyable and unputdownable read.
If you like dark romantic-suspense stories with an anti-hero whom you don’t know whether to love or hate, then pick up this book. It will probably be right up your alley.
This book contains strong elements of mystery, suspense, drama, and eroticism, with plenty of unpredictable twists and turns. Anne Stuart did a great job building up suspense and tension, which set my curiosity and of course, my nerves on edge, throughout the story. My state of doubt and uncertainty increased as I delved further into the story. The more I read, the less sure I was of things the heroine, Rachel, was told or what she believed was nothing but the truth. Honestly, I didn’t even know whom she could really trust.
On the one hand, I just wanted to shut the book and find something else to do because I was tremendously afraid of the outcome of events, but on the other hand, I was eerily intrigued by the whole story and I awfully wanted to know who exactly Luke Bardell was.
And I can say that after finishing reading this, I was, to some extent, satisfied with the conclusion of it. It wasn’t exactly what I hoped for nor was it as mind-blowing as I thought it was going to be, even so, it was an enjoyable and unputdownable read.
If you like dark romantic-suspense stories with an anti-hero whom you don’t know whether to love or hate, then pick up this book. It will probably be right up your alley.
December 19, 2014
I can see that I'm alone in this, but I absolutely hated this book. I think that mainly, it was the heroine that ruined it for me. At first she appears to be strong and determined, a real fighter out to get revenge on the man who stole her inheritance from her. Unfortunately, as pages go by, it becomes obvious that her tough, strong facade is only that: a facade, ready to crumple at the slightest sign of trouble. And Luke Bardell's definitely more than slight trouble: He's Trouble with a capital T while the heroine is in fact a fruitcake, a psychologist's wet dream.
Rachel has suffered sexual abuse and emotional neglect from her mother during her childhood. As a result she's become a frigid, neurotic woman filled with phobias: she's afraid of men, touch, sex, relationships (doesn't even have friends and can't connect with other people), darkness and storms to name a few. When someone, anyone, gets close to touch her she shrinks and when they actually touch her, she starts trembling. But, she wants to appear tough and untouchable to others and is determined to get revenge on Luke. Even though it's obvious from the moment they meet that Luke can get beneath her defenses in under one minute, she's stubborn enough to go back in order to find another way to bring him down. Again. And again. I'm sorry, but there's stubborness and then there's stupidity. And through all this ordeal, she kept surprising Luke with her strength, only to have him think how weak and afraid she is 2 pages later. I so felt like screaming "Make up your mind at last!".
************Mild Spoiler**************
Do I really need to say how she's cured of her phobias and neuroses? Well, I'll say it for the few readers who haven't read too many romances: by making hot sex (not gentle mind you) with the hero for an afternoon. A man she hates, doesn't trust and who hasn't shown her any tenderness at all I should add. I'm sorry if I'm sceptical whether such a thing could actually work.
**************************************
Though I generally love Anne Stuart's books, I just couldn't take this. The romance was simply ridiculous to me. And yet, I haven't found a single bad review in the internet. So, I can't in good consience say that you should skip this book. If you are an Anne Stuart fan, you should probably read it and decide for yourself.
Rachel has suffered sexual abuse and emotional neglect from her mother during her childhood. As a result she's become a frigid, neurotic woman filled with phobias: she's afraid of men, touch, sex, relationships (doesn't even have friends and can't connect with other people), darkness and storms to name a few. When someone, anyone, gets close to touch her she shrinks and when they actually touch her, she starts trembling. But, she wants to appear tough and untouchable to others and is determined to get revenge on Luke. Even though it's obvious from the moment they meet that Luke can get beneath her defenses in under one minute, she's stubborn enough to go back in order to find another way to bring him down. Again. And again. I'm sorry, but there's stubborness and then there's stupidity. And through all this ordeal, she kept surprising Luke with her strength, only to have him think how weak and afraid she is 2 pages later. I so felt like screaming "Make up your mind at last!".
************Mild Spoiler**************
Do I really need to say how she's cured of her phobias and neuroses? Well, I'll say it for the few readers who haven't read too many romances: by making hot sex (not gentle mind you) with the hero for an afternoon. A man she hates, doesn't trust and who hasn't shown her any tenderness at all I should add. I'm sorry if I'm sceptical whether such a thing could actually work.
**************************************
Though I generally love Anne Stuart's books, I just couldn't take this. The romance was simply ridiculous to me. And yet, I haven't found a single bad review in the internet. So, I can't in good consience say that you should skip this book. If you are an Anne Stuart fan, you should probably read it and decide for yourself.
October 24, 2022
Rachel Connery wants revenge. Her dying mother joined a cult not long before her death. Her will left all of her millions to the Foundation of Being and their leader, Lule Bardell. Rachel believes that her mother was murdered for her money, and she wants Luke to pay. Luke is an ex-con who is very good at finding gullible people to follow him and give him everything he wants. Now that he has met Rachel, he finds her fascinating and wants her to surrender to him.
Anne Stuart is one of my favorite authors because she doesn't write the same book over and over. I've always been a fan of this author and have liked most of her books, even when she features a "dark hero". But I thought this book was just awful. There was nothing romantic about it. Luke is an uber-creepy hero who is obsessed with Rachel. At one point he molests the heroine while she is unconscious. Rachel talks a big game, but she's weak and gives in to his demands over and over. I know many people gave this book good ratings, but I feel like I need a shower after reading this one. My rating: 1 Star.
Anne Stuart is one of my favorite authors because she doesn't write the same book over and over. I've always been a fan of this author and have liked most of her books, even when she features a "dark hero". But I thought this book was just awful. There was nothing romantic about it. Luke is an uber-creepy hero who is obsessed with Rachel. At one point he molests the heroine while she is unconscious. Rachel talks a big game, but she's weak and gives in to his demands over and over. I know many people gave this book good ratings, but I feel like I need a shower after reading this one. My rating: 1 Star.
August 25, 2025
When I know a romance will never fit the mold of what I was programmed to believe romance should be, I get even more drawn to it. It disturbs me in the best way possible because I try to twist the unredeemable into that neat perception of love I hold, only to be faced with the cold hard truth. That tension hooks me every. single. time.
Luke is a cult leader, a master manipulator, and a full blown sociopath. He doesn’t feel love the way we do, only lust, longing, and obsession. He calls it love, but we know better.
Rachel, the FMC, is left shaken after her mother's death. Her mother donated twelve million dollars to Luke's “religion” and left Rachel nothing. When Rachel tries to sue, she learns you can't indeed sue a religion, catching Luke's attention in the process.
Rachel is desperate to uncover the truth behind her mother's death, clinging to a cryptic note that suggested she was murdered. But beneath that, what Rachel really wants is proof her mother loved her, despite abandoning her financially. Luke sees all of this and uses it. He plays on her need for maternal love, her history of abuse by her stepfather and her vulnerability. Every move she makes, every emotion she shows, becomes another thread for him to pull and pull.
At first, Rachel is just a challenge to him, a test of whether his manipulative charm works on everyone. But soon, breaking her becomes his personal mission. And Anne Stuart doesn’t flinch for A SECOND in showing just how dark Luke is. He cons sick people out of their money, he rapes the FMC, he kills people and the book never softens these truths or try to make Luke out to be this misunderstood man. Luke doesn’t love Rachel. He owns her.
That's why I love Anne Stuart. She just does not give a fuck what anyone thinks. Anyone can write a dark plot, but not everyone can craft characters dark enough to truly match it. Luke isn't a lame bad boy with a hidden heart of gold, he's a villain through and through, and somehow, he still becomes the pulling force of this story. I loved every second of it.
The mind games, the dialogue, the raw psychological push and pull between Luke and Rachel was all so damn addictive. Luke is fascinating, monstrous, unapologetic, and unforgettable. And you know me, I will always choose a hero with questionable morals over a safe choice.
Oh, and I read this while drinking ice cold beer🤤, so honestly, five stars feels more than deserved.
Luke is a cult leader, a master manipulator, and a full blown sociopath. He doesn’t feel love the way we do, only lust, longing, and obsession. He calls it love, but we know better.
Rachel, the FMC, is left shaken after her mother's death. Her mother donated twelve million dollars to Luke's “religion” and left Rachel nothing. When Rachel tries to sue, she learns you can't indeed sue a religion, catching Luke's attention in the process.
Rachel is desperate to uncover the truth behind her mother's death, clinging to a cryptic note that suggested she was murdered. But beneath that, what Rachel really wants is proof her mother loved her, despite abandoning her financially. Luke sees all of this and uses it. He plays on her need for maternal love, her history of abuse by her stepfather and her vulnerability. Every move she makes, every emotion she shows, becomes another thread for him to pull and pull.
Would he have as easy a time with her? He wondered if she would be likely to see him as a maternal figure. It was an entertaining notion. He usually managed to be all things to all the people in his flock— father, mother, child, and lover— all the while keeping his emotional distance. He might make a bet with Calvin, the one person here who really knew him, to see how long it would take him to subvert one angry young woman. He’d taken her mother, and he’d taken her money, all with the angelic innocence of a saint. He’d take Rachel as well.
She fought against it, but it was very strong, and sooner or later it would conquer her. That fear was entirely sexual, and he briefly wondered what had happened in her life to make her so frightened. And then he dismissed it. He didn’t care why she was frightened of sex, and of him. It only mattered that she was, and how he could use it to his best advantage.
At first, Rachel is just a challenge to him, a test of whether his manipulative charm works on everyone. But soon, breaking her becomes his personal mission. And Anne Stuart doesn’t flinch for A SECOND in showing just how dark Luke is. He cons sick people out of their money, he rapes the FMC, he kills people and the book never softens these truths or try to make Luke out to be this misunderstood man. Luke doesn’t love Rachel. He owns her.
He was usually kind and gentle with frail women. Nurturing with those who were suffering from emptiness and loss, filling them with serene, asexual comfort that soothed and healed. With Rachel Connery all he wanted to do was prod the wound and make her bleed.
That's why I love Anne Stuart. She just does not give a fuck what anyone thinks. Anyone can write a dark plot, but not everyone can craft characters dark enough to truly match it. Luke isn't a lame bad boy with a hidden heart of gold, he's a villain through and through, and somehow, he still becomes the pulling force of this story. I loved every second of it.
The mind games, the dialogue, the raw psychological push and pull between Luke and Rachel was all so damn addictive. Luke is fascinating, monstrous, unapologetic, and unforgettable. And you know me, I will always choose a hero with questionable morals over a safe choice.
Oh, and I read this while drinking ice cold beer🤤, so honestly, five stars feels more than deserved.
The lights had been turned way down, as they were every night, and she had no idea he was watching her surreptitious approach. Odd, he would have thought she’d start to develop a sixth sense about him. As he had about her. He knew when she was nearby, he sensed her. Apparently she was better at fighting the obsession. Obsession. An ugly word, but curiously apt, and Luke wasn’t one to shy away from ugliness. Yes, he was obsessed by her. Too damned bad he couldn’t have chosen someone a little easier to fall in love with.
June 2, 2022
OK, if you are a fan of Anne Stuart's books, you surely know what you are getting into and if not, Ritual Sins is probably that one book that would steer you away from the author. Well, there are many authors who write about dark and brooding villains as love interests but they have more or fewer shades of grey which would help in liking the guy but Anne Stuart always, always manages to take it a notch higher where her hero is a villain rolled into one without any grey. I do like my dark romances and I am honestly a huge fan of Anne Stuart but Ritual Sins, even knowing the type of heroes she creates, was a deal breaker for me. Having the hero kind of force the heroine for sex, especially when the heroine has been sexually abused at a young age, and also touching her when she is in a drug-induced sleep, OK, totally not my cup of tea, I can manage just about anything villainous in the name of romance but not that.
Luke Bardell is of course a romance lover’s dream guy, hot, handsome, and charismatic, capable of manipulation and intimidation to get what he wants, and as a CULT leader the perfect anti-hero... Rachel is all strong female on the outside but clearly, a damaged soul on the inside craving for emotional connection which did work well for the push and pull between them. The chemistry between Luke and Rachel was sizzling, the suspense of the workings of the cult was fantastic and I absolutely loved the climax.
Have to give to Anne Stuart though, love the way she crafts these anti-heroes into heroes and still gets the readers to fall hook, line, and sinker into the story. On a lighter note, I did succeed in listening to the audiobook of this one, not as fast as I would like to, but still the narrator Susan Ericksen has definitely done an excellent job with Luke’s voice, changing the inflections inside his cult and the drawling sarcasm exhibited whilst he is outside it.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
Luke Bardell is of course a romance lover’s dream guy, hot, handsome, and charismatic, capable of manipulation and intimidation to get what he wants, and as a CULT leader the perfect anti-hero... Rachel is all strong female on the outside but clearly, a damaged soul on the inside craving for emotional connection which did work well for the push and pull between them. The chemistry between Luke and Rachel was sizzling, the suspense of the workings of the cult was fantastic and I absolutely loved the climax.
Have to give to Anne Stuart though, love the way she crafts these anti-heroes into heroes and still gets the readers to fall hook, line, and sinker into the story. On a lighter note, I did succeed in listening to the audiobook of this one, not as fast as I would like to, but still the narrator Susan Ericksen has definitely done an excellent job with Luke’s voice, changing the inflections inside his cult and the drawling sarcasm exhibited whilst he is outside it.
This review is published in my blog Rain'n'Books, ##Goodreads, ##Amazon India, ##Facebook, ##Twitter.
May 19, 2010
I am a fan of Anne Stuart's for life. After reading Nightfall and now Ritual Sins she has pushed her way to the top of my favorite authors list. There is simply NO ONE else out there quite like her. She can create the most unlikely characters that one can imagine. In Nightfall, the hero was a convicted serial killer and in Ritual Sins the hero is a cult leader and ex-con.....interested? You should be!
Read other reviews for the plot synopsis. I will spend this review commenting on the book instead.
Luke is multi-dimensional and not clearly good or clearly bad. Rather, he is an exciting blend of both good and bad. He has lived through hell and is, no doubt, a criminal who has had to "look out for himself" above all others. Usually this type of character would repulse me, but as we get to know this dark and dangerous man, all is explained, and I was able to get behind this man and cheer for him.
Rachel is also tough. I went between love for her and hate for her until I got to know her story. After I realized what she came from and what she had experienced in her life, it all made sense. Rachel's character is EXACTLY as she should be with the life she was dealt.
These are two MESSED UP people! What I loved about this book, is that Anne Stuart allows these two "disasters" to collide, and unknowingly heal each other. Through Rachel, Luke is able to "burn" his past, and through Luke, Rachel is able to "come alive" again. I guess that kind of healing from love is the type of story I like best! Add in some remarkable secondary characters and some evil plots, and I think you've got in your hands one of the best books out there!
DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!
Read other reviews for the plot synopsis. I will spend this review commenting on the book instead.
Luke is multi-dimensional and not clearly good or clearly bad. Rather, he is an exciting blend of both good and bad. He has lived through hell and is, no doubt, a criminal who has had to "look out for himself" above all others. Usually this type of character would repulse me, but as we get to know this dark and dangerous man, all is explained, and I was able to get behind this man and cheer for him.
Rachel is also tough. I went between love for her and hate for her until I got to know her story. After I realized what she came from and what she had experienced in her life, it all made sense. Rachel's character is EXACTLY as she should be with the life she was dealt.
These are two MESSED UP people! What I loved about this book, is that Anne Stuart allows these two "disasters" to collide, and unknowingly heal each other. Through Rachel, Luke is able to "burn" his past, and through Luke, Rachel is able to "come alive" again. I guess that kind of healing from love is the type of story I like best! Add in some remarkable secondary characters and some evil plots, and I think you've got in your hands one of the best books out there!
DO NOT MISS THIS ONE!
February 28, 2016
I've been reading a lot of Anne Stuart lately, and I haven't had much success. The books have either been silly or way too offensive for me to enjoy.
Before I started Ritual Sins, I had some doubts I'd be able to like a love interest who's a cult leader. (Unless we're talking about Alexander Skarsgard in Cut Copy's "Free Your Mind" video, in which case ... duh.)
I was like, BRING IT, Anne Stuart. Bring it.
Well, she brought it.
Luke Bardell is a con man.
Well, not quite. He's a little, hmm, smoother.
Hahaha, I'm totally kidding. Luke has long hair. Let's just go with this:
This guy looks a little young for the character, but let's roll with it. (I can't tell you how pleasurable it was doing a search for long-haired men. Holy god.)
Anyway, I loved Luke Bardell. I'd join that cult (okay, not really). He's so calm and [falsely] spiritual and makes people willingly give him their money. He spent time in prison. He doesn't care about consent (more on that below). I shouldn't have loved him, but I totally did.
I also loved Rachel, the main character. I loved that she was angry, and I loved how long she held on to her anger. Luke and Rachel weren't exactly likeable, but their back stories were enough to make me sympathize with and understand them. A lot of times in romance novels I find the hero's narration annoying and maybe not believably male, but in this case it was perfect.
Admittedly, consent isn't exactly high among Luke's priorities when it comes to Rachel. When she passes out, she wakes up dressed in new clothes. Presumably Luke changed her. Why does this always happen to female characters who pass out? WHY? Nobody ever says anything about it. Unless pneumonia is a concern, a person who passes out should just be left in their clothes, wet or dry. And anyway, it has to be pretty hard to change a grown, unconscious person. I mean, it's hard enough putting clothes on a baby.
Moving on. Luke also TAKES SEXUAL ADVANTAGE of Rachel while she's unconscious (touching and kissing her breasts, and I think a little below the belt). Obviously, this is wildly inappropriate. Their inevitable sex scene later in the book is also completely inappropriate. And somehow Anne Stuart made me okay with all this stuff that would NEVER be okay in real life.
I found the villains just as compelling as the main characters. That hasn't happened in so long.
There were a couple of WTF moments. One, Luke apparently has an actual ability to heal people with his mind or whatever. This wasn't really expanded on, so I decided to chalk it up to natural charisma and people's willingness to follow him. Two, Luke allegedly has the ability to seduce lesbians and octogenarians. Three, at the end, it's suddenly:
Well, all righty, then.
I wish I'd learned where Rachel's mom got her money. Twelve and a half million dollars isn't just pocket change, and normal people will never see anywhere close to that amount of money. Did she inherit it? Was she a member of Congress or something? It may have been mentioned, but if so, I missed it.
This isn't high literature, obviously. At times it was ridiculous. At times it was even offensive. The ending wrapped up pretty fast. But I'm not gonna lie, I ate this shit up with a spoon. I LOVED THIS BOOK.
Before I started Ritual Sins, I had some doubts I'd be able to like a love interest who's a cult leader. (Unless we're talking about Alexander Skarsgard in Cut Copy's "Free Your Mind" video, in which case ... duh.)
I was like, BRING IT, Anne Stuart. Bring it.
Well, she brought it.
Luke Bardell is a con man.
Well, not quite. He's a little, hmm, smoother.
Hahaha, I'm totally kidding. Luke has long hair. Let's just go with this:
This guy looks a little young for the character, but let's roll with it. (I can't tell you how pleasurable it was doing a search for long-haired men. Holy god.)
Anyway, I loved Luke Bardell. I'd join that cult (okay, not really). He's so calm and [falsely] spiritual and makes people willingly give him their money. He spent time in prison. He doesn't care about consent (more on that below). I shouldn't have loved him, but I totally did.
I also loved Rachel, the main character. I loved that she was angry, and I loved how long she held on to her anger. Luke and Rachel weren't exactly likeable, but their back stories were enough to make me sympathize with and understand them. A lot of times in romance novels I find the hero's narration annoying and maybe not believably male, but in this case it was perfect.
Things were in a sad state when a woman's fond fantasies of his decapitation made him horny, but Rachel did that to him.
Admittedly, consent isn't exactly high among Luke's priorities when it comes to Rachel. When she passes out, she wakes up dressed in new clothes. Presumably Luke changed her. Why does this always happen to female characters who pass out? WHY? Nobody ever says anything about it. Unless pneumonia is a concern, a person who passes out should just be left in their clothes, wet or dry. And anyway, it has to be pretty hard to change a grown, unconscious person. I mean, it's hard enough putting clothes on a baby.
Moving on. Luke also TAKES SEXUAL ADVANTAGE of Rachel while she's unconscious (touching and kissing her breasts, and I think a little below the belt). Obviously, this is wildly inappropriate. Their inevitable sex scene later in the book is also completely inappropriate. And somehow Anne Stuart made me okay with all this stuff that would NEVER be okay in real life.
I found the villains just as compelling as the main characters. That hasn't happened in so long.
There were a couple of WTF moments. One, Luke apparently has an actual ability to heal people with his mind or whatever. This wasn't really expanded on, so I decided to chalk it up to natural charisma and people's willingness to follow him. Two, Luke allegedly has the ability to seduce lesbians and octogenarians. Three, at the end, it's suddenly:
Well, all righty, then.
I wish I'd learned where Rachel's mom got her money. Twelve and a half million dollars isn't just pocket change, and normal people will never see anywhere close to that amount of money. Did she inherit it? Was she a member of Congress or something? It may have been mentioned, but if so, I missed it.
This isn't high literature, obviously. At times it was ridiculous. At times it was even offensive. The ending wrapped up pretty fast. But I'm not gonna lie, I ate this shit up with a spoon. I LOVED THIS BOOK.
September 20, 2019
A friend mentioned this in a thread on one of my favorite books. I was warned. It clearly featured a gamma hero and questionable consent. Sometimes I like to challenge myself a little, I have a pile of old school romance waiting to do just that.
It was an engaging book but I could not connect to either character. Rachel was a bit...silly... And Luke could've worked for me if he wasn't constantly as I read on, it felt like any relationships or redemption would get thinner and thinner, and I just couldn't endure.
I'm a sensitive one, and I know this, but also I'm curious. Well, mystery solved... It's not for me.
It was an engaging book but I could not connect to either character. Rachel was a bit...silly... And Luke could've worked for me if he wasn't constantly as I read on, it felt like any relationships or redemption would get thinner and thinner, and I just couldn't endure.
I'm a sensitive one, and I know this, but also I'm curious. Well, mystery solved... It's not for me.
March 23, 2012
4.5 stars. As I read Ritual Sins, I mentally shuddered thinking about the times I've heard women say thing like, "It's easy for men to find out what women want -- just read a romance novel!" God forbid any man should read this particular romance novel in search of dating tips.
Rachel Connery visits the spiritual retreat of "The Foundation of Being" after receiving a letter claiming her mother was murdered there. Rachel can't help wanting to believe the letter -- if her mother was seduced and deceived, then cutting Rachel entirely out of her will in favor of the Foundation isn't the final maternal "eff you" it seems. She's determined to expose the group's leader, Luke Bardell, as the charlatan -- perhaps murderer -- he is. What she doesn't expect is that Luke's powers of seduction will work equally well on her.
Although similar in basic pattern to many of Stuart's darker books, Ritual Sins stands out for its creepy plot, and for Luke, who could be considered the predecessor of the fascinating anti-hero Bastien of Black Ice. An almost supernaturally charismatic man, he has no trouble emotionally overpowering the vulnerable Rachel, and he does some pretty messed up things to her: first touching her while she's drugged and sleeping, and then essentially raping her, romance-novel fashion. (That is, it's really hot and exciting, as long as you aren't easily triggered and don't think about it too hard.) And unlike some other Stuart heroes, Luke has actually done many of the crimes he's accused of.
What makes Luke interesting, even somewhat sympathetic, is that despite his conscienceless facade, he's struggling not to become becoming more of a monster than he already is:
"'Don't you have any fears?'
She was surprisingly disingenuous when she asked that question, and he almost gave her a truthful answer. That his fears were all inside him. That he'd killed, and he was terrified he's learned the taste for it. That he'd find a reason to kill again. And again. And again. Till he couldn't stop."
Luke irked me a bit, because after deliberately presenting himself in the worst possible light, he got annoyed at Rachel for thinking badly of him. And there's the magic of Anne Stuart right there: I got a little exasperated with the hero's quirks, while being completely okay with the serious lack of consent.
Rachel Connery visits the spiritual retreat of "The Foundation of Being" after receiving a letter claiming her mother was murdered there. Rachel can't help wanting to believe the letter -- if her mother was seduced and deceived, then cutting Rachel entirely out of her will in favor of the Foundation isn't the final maternal "eff you" it seems. She's determined to expose the group's leader, Luke Bardell, as the charlatan -- perhaps murderer -- he is. What she doesn't expect is that Luke's powers of seduction will work equally well on her.
Although similar in basic pattern to many of Stuart's darker books, Ritual Sins stands out for its creepy plot, and for Luke, who could be considered the predecessor of the fascinating anti-hero Bastien of Black Ice. An almost supernaturally charismatic man, he has no trouble emotionally overpowering the vulnerable Rachel, and he does some pretty messed up things to her: first touching her while she's drugged and sleeping, and then essentially raping her, romance-novel fashion. (That is, it's really hot and exciting, as long as you aren't easily triggered and don't think about it too hard.) And unlike some other Stuart heroes, Luke has actually done many of the crimes he's accused of.
What makes Luke interesting, even somewhat sympathetic, is that despite his conscienceless facade, he's struggling not to become becoming more of a monster than he already is:
"'Don't you have any fears?'
She was surprisingly disingenuous when she asked that question, and he almost gave her a truthful answer. That his fears were all inside him. That he'd killed, and he was terrified he's learned the taste for it. That he'd find a reason to kill again. And again. And again. Till he couldn't stop."
Luke irked me a bit, because after deliberately presenting himself in the worst possible light, he got annoyed at Rachel for thinking badly of him. And there's the magic of Anne Stuart right there: I got a little exasperated with the hero's quirks, while being completely okay with the serious lack of consent.
January 18, 2013
First of all pay attention to the title. It's "Ritual Sins". Don't want to read anything sinful? Then skip it. I have read reviews I think are very unfair on here. I never really liked a too perfect heroine or hero. Flaws make for interesting characters. The heroine has good reason to hate the hero. He's very seductive, devious and almost rotten to the core. However, there is an attraction. Have you ever been attracted to someone you knew was bad for you? You usually avoid them in real life but hey this is a fiction book. Read this for what it is. Not every story has perfect characters or characters you think will totally be reformed. Was Luke redeemable or reformed? Was there a happy ending? You'll have to read that to find out. He did disgusting things that I would not stand for in real-life but somehow it was fun to read. Reading a synopsis of the book you had to have enough of a warning. The synopsis made me want to read the book. To each her own though. I liked it better than Black Ice. I don't mind being in the minority on that. I read books for excitement. I thought this book was exciting and well-written. If you don't like reading about very bad boys, then skip it. If you expect your heroine to be perfect and never give into weakness or attraction, skip it. I liked the tension in the book between the characters and the mystery. I don't like to post spoilers and give away too much in my reviews, but I do like to give you enough so you know what you are getting into. It irritates me how politically correct a story has to be now. No,this book is not politically correct. However, as a feminist who enjoys lots of sexual tension in my books, the author could easily switch the roles of the heroine and hero and I would enjoy the excitement of the story just as much. Thanks Anne Stuart, give me some more like this. I have no idea how someone could rate Fifty Shades 5 stars and give this well-written book 1 star.
December 27, 2011
I love Anne Stuart’s books and have been reading them for years and Dark Rituals is one of my most favorites…I have read it over and over again…I always go back to my bookshelf and pick it up at least once a year. So being on my Anne Stuart mode, I began with this book.
It’s such a great book – so well written. I couldn’t put it down once I began page 1. Her heroes are always dark, sexy, powerful and totally on their own mission…nothing and no one will stand in their way…..but she always find some way for them to redeem themselves at the end. Luke Bardell is one such alpha male. He’s a man with loads of baggage who is the leader of a kind of Jones cult, of which Rachel Connery’s mother is a follower of and has suddenly died of cancer whilst in the cult’s camp.
Rachel believes that her mother has been murdered by the cult for her money and she is determined to find the truth and destroy the cult.
There are so many twists and turns and you are kept in suspense with each page you read.
Luke thinks Rachel is not is type of woman but he’s prepared to seduce her and get her away from him and the camp before she ruins his master plan. But as grow closer together, both are unable to deny their feelings for each other.
The end leaves you stunned. Absolutely unexpected.
I was so happy that both of them realized that the love for each other could overcome all their past pain and suffering and finally find happiness together.
I will definitely read this book again…loved it…unforgettable….thought provoking…Anne Stuart is a fantastic story teller.
It’s such a great book – so well written. I couldn’t put it down once I began page 1. Her heroes are always dark, sexy, powerful and totally on their own mission…nothing and no one will stand in their way…..but she always find some way for them to redeem themselves at the end. Luke Bardell is one such alpha male. He’s a man with loads of baggage who is the leader of a kind of Jones cult, of which Rachel Connery’s mother is a follower of and has suddenly died of cancer whilst in the cult’s camp.
Rachel believes that her mother has been murdered by the cult for her money and she is determined to find the truth and destroy the cult.
There are so many twists and turns and you are kept in suspense with each page you read.
Luke thinks Rachel is not is type of woman but he’s prepared to seduce her and get her away from him and the camp before she ruins his master plan. But as grow closer together, both are unable to deny their feelings for each other.
The end leaves you stunned. Absolutely unexpected.
I was so happy that both of them realized that the love for each other could overcome all their past pain and suffering and finally find happiness together.
I will definitely read this book again…loved it…unforgettable….thought provoking…Anne Stuart is a fantastic story teller.
December 22, 2009
I have yet to read a story by Anne Stuart that hasn't left me feeling (happily) dazed and raw at the end of it, and Ritual Sins is certainly no exception.
Sakes alive I wanted to hate Luke. I wanted to despise him, to categorize him unquestionably as a detestable villain with no chance of redemption in my eyes.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for me, Anne Stuart is the ever luvin' queen of presenting you with a man that you abhor (with good reason!), all the while seducing you right along with her heroines until somewhere down the line you realize that in spite of everything (and completely against your will), you've somehow fallen in love with him as well. And there's no point in trying to analyze just when it happened, because it's such a slow and methodological seduction that you were a lost cause as soon as you started reading the first page, helpless against it from the start.
Make no mistake about it -- Luke is not a good guy. He's not some poor lost soul who is simply misunderstood. He's not one of those tortured heroes who despite being alldeliciously hot and angsty intimidating and scary is actually a sweetheart full of protective instincts of the heroine, just waiting for a chance to prove himself as something other than the villain others view him as.
No, Luke is, in fact, a complete and utter (insert expletive here) -- a completely despicable con man who purposely sets out to destroy our heroine by any means possible and plans to thoroughly enjoy the process along the way.
Some of the things he does actually crossed the line for me (which is one of the reasons I'm waffling on the final star-count here). Many of Anne Stuart's heroes sexually exploit the heroine with no compunction at all (Black Ice and Ice Storm are the ones that immediately come to mind), but Luke went further than simple exploitation. He actually sexually molested (and possibly raped? It's not really clear on that) the heroine while she was in a drug-induced sleep, and then again while she's in a deep sleep at a hotel. Not cool. Not cool at all.
I'm not sure why I am able to more freely forgive some of her other heroes who really were just as nasty to their heroines as Luke was, while holding a bit of a grudge against him for those particular incidences. Maybe it was knowing that Rachel had previously been raped by her stepfather at a young age that made it even more despicable for him to take advantage of her without her knowledge.
However, by the time they actually do have a consensual sexual encounter, I was just as emotionally raw as Rachel was -- torn between some sick sense of adoration, despair, loathing, and acceptance.
Delicious, just as I knew it would be :D
Their time in the van was simply scorching -- the chemistry between these two characters combined with all sorts of UST leads to a completely explosive encounter (or two lol)
This is my favorite quote from the whole book:
She just looked at him. She really had extraordinary eyes, he thought, keeping his own face expressionless, slightly bored. It was those eyes of hers that were his downfall. He could resist her anger, he could resist her body and her sarcastic tongue. But those deep brown eyes, so full of pain and fury, need and defiance, did him in.
*angsty swoon*
Luke, like most other Anne Stuart heroes, is not the secretly squishy, overbearing-yet-adoring, overprotective alpha male that one might come to expect from typical romance novels. Even though the book's ending distinctly hints at a HEA, I still feel like he'll always be the charismatic con-man with the incredibly tough core (*snickers* I totally can't write "core" without giggling after reading hundreds of romance novels. My inner 14 year old boy is having a field day).
He definitely has a sympathetic back-story that twisted at your gut and helped you to understand why he was the way he was, but even that doesn't change the uncomfortable feelings of disgust and repulsion that arise from his treatment of both the heroine and of himself.
Another point scored by Anne Stuart is the fact that her heroine wasn't a total Mary Sue either. She's had a heck of a messed up life -- unwanted and unloved by her trampy mother, molested and raped by one of her step-fathers, and at a point in her life where the possibility of real happiness slipped through her fingers with her estranged mother's death (and subsequent will leaving all of her inheritance and trust fund monies to Luke's "Foundation of Being"), so she's a very sympathetic character. Written by another author, she had the real potential to be completely one-dimensional, wishy-washy, and pathetic. In AS's skillful hands, however, she was transformed into a strong and determined woman who is struggling to survive amidst a storm of fear, anger, lust, newly awakened passion, self-pity, and determination.
On top of all that is the mystery of what is really going on at the Foundation? Was Rachel's mother murdered or did she truly die of cancer? Is the Foundation really a spiritual retreat that helps lost souls find their way, or is it a cult that preys on the innocent? At the root of the mystery, of course, is the question of Luke's true character, and whether he's a knowing part of any nefarious plots (should they exist) or if he's merely a tool being used in turn by those he himself is using. I admit that I was actually surprised by some of the developments in the story as far as those things went. There were times where I truly couldn't see a HEA in store for these two either, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. While there were certainly some predictable elements (because let's face it, if you're an Anne Stuart fan, you somewhat know what to expect of her heroes), there were several nice subplots and twisty elements that kept things interesting.
Anne Stuart never fails to amaze me with her skill in writing characters who have many layers to their psyches as well as the ability to have the external story elements able to stand alone. I was not disappointed with this story.
Overall, I'm going to go with four stars. It would have been five had it not been for the whole messing-with-her-in-her-sleep thing, which is JNMK :)
Sakes alive I wanted to hate Luke. I wanted to despise him, to categorize him unquestionably as a detestable villain with no chance of redemption in my eyes.
Unfortunately (or fortunately?) for me, Anne Stuart is the ever luvin' queen of presenting you with a man that you abhor (with good reason!), all the while seducing you right along with her heroines until somewhere down the line you realize that in spite of everything (and completely against your will), you've somehow fallen in love with him as well. And there's no point in trying to analyze just when it happened, because it's such a slow and methodological seduction that you were a lost cause as soon as you started reading the first page, helpless against it from the start.
Make no mistake about it -- Luke is not a good guy. He's not some poor lost soul who is simply misunderstood. He's not one of those tortured heroes who despite being all
No, Luke is, in fact, a complete and utter (insert expletive here) -- a completely despicable con man who purposely sets out to destroy our heroine by any means possible and plans to thoroughly enjoy the process along the way.
Some of the things he does actually crossed the line for me (which is one of the reasons I'm waffling on the final star-count here). Many of Anne Stuart's heroes sexually exploit the heroine with no compunction at all (Black Ice and Ice Storm are the ones that immediately come to mind), but Luke went further than simple exploitation. He actually sexually molested (and possibly raped? It's not really clear on that) the heroine while she was in a drug-induced sleep, and then again while she's in a deep sleep at a hotel. Not cool. Not cool at all.
I'm not sure why I am able to more freely forgive some of her other heroes who really were just as nasty to their heroines as Luke was, while holding a bit of a grudge against him for those particular incidences. Maybe it was knowing that Rachel had previously been raped by her stepfather at a young age that made it even more despicable for him to take advantage of her without her knowledge.
However, by the time they actually do have a consensual sexual encounter, I was just as emotionally raw as Rachel was -- torn between some sick sense of adoration, despair, loathing, and acceptance.
Delicious, just as I knew it would be :D
Their time in the van was simply scorching -- the chemistry between these two characters combined with all sorts of UST leads to a completely explosive encounter (or two lol)
This is my favorite quote from the whole book:
She just looked at him. She really had extraordinary eyes, he thought, keeping his own face expressionless, slightly bored. It was those eyes of hers that were his downfall. He could resist her anger, he could resist her body and her sarcastic tongue. But those deep brown eyes, so full of pain and fury, need and defiance, did him in.
*angsty swoon*
Luke, like most other Anne Stuart heroes, is not the secretly squishy, overbearing-yet-adoring, overprotective alpha male that one might come to expect from typical romance novels. Even though the book's ending distinctly hints at a HEA, I still feel like he'll always be the charismatic con-man with the incredibly tough core (*snickers* I totally can't write "core" without giggling after reading hundreds of romance novels. My inner 14 year old boy is having a field day).
He definitely has a sympathetic back-story that twisted at your gut and helped you to understand why he was the way he was, but even that doesn't change the uncomfortable feelings of disgust and repulsion that arise from his treatment of both the heroine and of himself.
Another point scored by Anne Stuart is the fact that her heroine wasn't a total Mary Sue either. She's had a heck of a messed up life -- unwanted and unloved by her trampy mother, molested and raped by one of her step-fathers, and at a point in her life where the possibility of real happiness slipped through her fingers with her estranged mother's death (and subsequent will leaving all of her inheritance and trust fund monies to Luke's "Foundation of Being"), so she's a very sympathetic character. Written by another author, she had the real potential to be completely one-dimensional, wishy-washy, and pathetic. In AS's skillful hands, however, she was transformed into a strong and determined woman who is struggling to survive amidst a storm of fear, anger, lust, newly awakened passion, self-pity, and determination.
On top of all that is the mystery of what is really going on at the Foundation? Was Rachel's mother murdered or did she truly die of cancer? Is the Foundation really a spiritual retreat that helps lost souls find their way, or is it a cult that preys on the innocent? At the root of the mystery, of course, is the question of Luke's true character, and whether he's a knowing part of any nefarious plots (should they exist) or if he's merely a tool being used in turn by those he himself is using. I admit that I was actually surprised by some of the developments in the story as far as those things went. There were times where I truly couldn't see a HEA in store for these two either, which made it all the more enjoyable to read. While there were certainly some predictable elements (because let's face it, if you're an Anne Stuart fan, you somewhat know what to expect of her heroes), there were several nice subplots and twisty elements that kept things interesting.
Anne Stuart never fails to amaze me with her skill in writing characters who have many layers to their psyches as well as the ability to have the external story elements able to stand alone. I was not disappointed with this story.
Overall, I'm going to go with four stars. It would have been five had it not been for the whole messing-with-her-in-her-sleep thing, which is JNMK :)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Want to read
August 16, 2024Nenia rec("It's like Moonshine Savage crossed with the Nexium guy")
April 29, 2019
Ritual Sins is a true hidden gem dark romance/psychological thriller. Anne Stuart is known for writing romantic suspense and historical romances that while not being very pc, almost always stay on the sunny side of morality.
So to be honest I didn't expect this book to be so dark (or so psychologically interesting), but I was pleasantly surprised that it was. There's no trigger warning in the beginning of Ritual Sins, probably due to the time period it was written, so I'm warning you now that if you have any triggers whatsoever you should probably skip this book and move on to one of her nicer romances, like Black Ice.
Lots of romance authors from the nineties had at least one dark book. With Judith Mcnaught it was the brutal yet emotional Bodice Ripper Whitney, My Love. Susan Elizabeth Phillips wrote The Copeland Bride.
So it kind of makes sense that Anne Stuart would follow this trend, because you could get away with writing dark even if you were mainstream back then.
I respect Anne Stuart a little more than I do those other two authors though, if only because she owns what she wrote and won't take it off the market or revise the hell out of it because she originally wrote it as a dark romance. I appreciate authors who don't change their work because of what's currently popular or acceptable (*cough cough Colleen Hoover).
Ritual Sins focuses on a girl who's mother has just died of cancer, but before she did she gave her daughter's entire inheritance to a cult run by a charismatic, otherworldly man named Luke. The heroine wants to get revenge on him for taking the money that was rightfully hers, but also to try to find out if her murdered her mother and if the cancer assertion was just a bunch of hogwash.
So she goes down to New Mexico to confront them, angry and alone, sexually repressed from childhood trauma, and bitter towards her mother for not loving her enough. And she meets Luke, who is charming and slippery tongued and makes her more terrified than anyone ever has, because while she's there to get revenge, he's working on mentally and physically.
He basically never lets up on trying to seduce her, and she's more interesting to him because while he knows she's fascinated with him, she fights him and herself with a strength he's never before seen in a human being.
Luke is obviously a dangerous sociopath who has no problem stealing people's money or raping or killing if the situation calls for it, though in his words "he'd rather not."
Rachel, the heroine, sees his true personality clearly, just as he sees her and her fear and her yearning for him clearly. So you've got these two severely messed up people, both wrecked by trauma in different ways, that somehow, incredibly, find a way to connect with one another.
I think Anne Stuart did a great job of making Luke the love interest but not sacrificing staying true to his sociopathic mental state. I definitely fell in love with him in all his badness, just like Rachel, and that's no mean feat because sometimes he truly was terrifying.
Ritual Sins also doubles as a thriller as well as a romance, though I thought the thriller aspect took a back seat to the slow progression of Rachel and Luke's emotional battle. It's interesting to watch Rachel seduce Crazy Luke just by being her wary yet vulnerable self. Their dialogue and chemistry was off the charts for this whole entire novel. I'll probably read it again sometime just to watch them interact and mentally spar with one another.
This book also deals with a lot of different mental disorders such as NPD and psychopathy as well as sociopathy. Anne Stuart must of done her research because I found all these characters to be exceptionally well drawn (and not over dramatized for shock value). This book talks about moving past what's scarred you, how to get over having a narcissistic parent, and how to believe in love again when the world has never shown you it.
I found it very emotionally emotionally resonant and beautiful... while also being incredibly chilling. Cults are pretty terrifying to me, so that being one of the main focuses of this book definitely kept me scared all the way through.
Yet Ritual Sins, for all its darkness, ended up being a really beautiful love story. Luke and Rachel were perfect together. I wish Anne Stuart still wrote books like this, because I think it's one of the best in the genre, despite being so unknown.
It was easy to give this book five stars. The atmosphere, the tension, the romance, the plot line... all of it is brilliant.
I highly recommend this.
TW: Non con, murder, and childhood abuse.
So to be honest I didn't expect this book to be so dark (or so psychologically interesting), but I was pleasantly surprised that it was. There's no trigger warning in the beginning of Ritual Sins, probably due to the time period it was written, so I'm warning you now that if you have any triggers whatsoever you should probably skip this book and move on to one of her nicer romances, like Black Ice.
Lots of romance authors from the nineties had at least one dark book. With Judith Mcnaught it was the brutal yet emotional Bodice Ripper Whitney, My Love. Susan Elizabeth Phillips wrote The Copeland Bride.
So it kind of makes sense that Anne Stuart would follow this trend, because you could get away with writing dark even if you were mainstream back then.
I respect Anne Stuart a little more than I do those other two authors though, if only because she owns what she wrote and won't take it off the market or revise the hell out of it because she originally wrote it as a dark romance. I appreciate authors who don't change their work because of what's currently popular or acceptable (*cough cough Colleen Hoover).
Ritual Sins focuses on a girl who's mother has just died of cancer, but before she did she gave her daughter's entire inheritance to a cult run by a charismatic, otherworldly man named Luke. The heroine wants to get revenge on him for taking the money that was rightfully hers, but also to try to find out if her murdered her mother and if the cancer assertion was just a bunch of hogwash.
So she goes down to New Mexico to confront them, angry and alone, sexually repressed from childhood trauma, and bitter towards her mother for not loving her enough. And she meets Luke, who is charming and slippery tongued and makes her more terrified than anyone ever has, because while she's there to get revenge, he's working on mentally and physically.
He basically never lets up on trying to seduce her, and she's more interesting to him because while he knows she's fascinated with him, she fights him and herself with a strength he's never before seen in a human being.
Luke is obviously a dangerous sociopath who has no problem stealing people's money or raping or killing if the situation calls for it, though in his words "he'd rather not."
Rachel, the heroine, sees his true personality clearly, just as he sees her and her fear and her yearning for him clearly. So you've got these two severely messed up people, both wrecked by trauma in different ways, that somehow, incredibly, find a way to connect with one another.
I think Anne Stuart did a great job of making Luke the love interest but not sacrificing staying true to his sociopathic mental state. I definitely fell in love with him in all his badness, just like Rachel, and that's no mean feat because sometimes he truly was terrifying.
Ritual Sins also doubles as a thriller as well as a romance, though I thought the thriller aspect took a back seat to the slow progression of Rachel and Luke's emotional battle. It's interesting to watch Rachel seduce Crazy Luke just by being her wary yet vulnerable self. Their dialogue and chemistry was off the charts for this whole entire novel. I'll probably read it again sometime just to watch them interact and mentally spar with one another.
This book also deals with a lot of different mental disorders such as NPD and psychopathy as well as sociopathy. Anne Stuart must of done her research because I found all these characters to be exceptionally well drawn (and not over dramatized for shock value). This book talks about moving past what's scarred you, how to get over having a narcissistic parent, and how to believe in love again when the world has never shown you it.
I found it very emotionally emotionally resonant and beautiful... while also being incredibly chilling. Cults are pretty terrifying to me, so that being one of the main focuses of this book definitely kept me scared all the way through.
Yet Ritual Sins, for all its darkness, ended up being a really beautiful love story. Luke and Rachel were perfect together. I wish Anne Stuart still wrote books like this, because I think it's one of the best in the genre, despite being so unknown.
It was easy to give this book five stars. The atmosphere, the tension, the romance, the plot line... all of it is brilliant.
I highly recommend this.
TW: Non con, murder, and childhood abuse.
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July 14, 2024
This one's what I'd call Anne Stuart lite. No physical violence by the hero, we almost get declarations of love... by her standards, this is a fairytale.
The premise is FABULOUS. 29-year-old Rachel Connery has just learnt that her flighty, emotionally detached mother Stella has passed away, leaving her immense fortune not to Rachel but to ex-con Luke Bardell - the founder and leader of the Foundation of Being, a new American religion. Or, if you prefer, cult. Adherents pay lots of money to come out and spend two months in New Mexico, living off vegan food and forgoing drug and drink while they revitalise their bodies and minds. To them, he's a prophet. To Rachel, he's a charlatan. She's going to get her money out of him and have her revenge while she's at it.
When she actually shows up in New Mexico, though, she's disconcerted at what she finds. The Foundation of Being is a large, well-oiled machine, and at its centre is Luke, calm and magnetic. These people really believe he can do things with his mind. But it's all a lie - right?
The hero being a lying cult leader is an AWESOME idea, and Stuart executed that beautifully. Luke is charming, amoral, and self-interested - perfect dark hero material. Oh, and he's slowly developing an obsession with the heroine.
Rachel unfortunately I didn't get on with so well. While her personality was sketched out well, and it was easy to understand her detached anger, she lacked a brain too often for my liking. I can forgive pretty much any sin in a character except stupidity. The other reason this book didn't score higher is because I really wanted it to be more atmospheric; the Southern Gothic scenes in Alabama should have been more intense, for example. There were also too many POV characters.
But overall, a decent Anne Stuart read.
The premise is FABULOUS. 29-year-old Rachel Connery has just learnt that her flighty, emotionally detached mother Stella has passed away, leaving her immense fortune not to Rachel but to ex-con Luke Bardell - the founder and leader of the Foundation of Being, a new American religion. Or, if you prefer, cult. Adherents pay lots of money to come out and spend two months in New Mexico, living off vegan food and forgoing drug and drink while they revitalise their bodies and minds. To them, he's a prophet. To Rachel, he's a charlatan. She's going to get her money out of him and have her revenge while she's at it.
When she actually shows up in New Mexico, though, she's disconcerted at what she finds. The Foundation of Being is a large, well-oiled machine, and at its centre is Luke, calm and magnetic. These people really believe he can do things with his mind. But it's all a lie - right?
The hero being a lying cult leader is an AWESOME idea, and Stuart executed that beautifully. Luke is charming, amoral, and self-interested - perfect dark hero material. Oh, and he's slowly developing an obsession with the heroine.
Rachel unfortunately I didn't get on with so well. While her personality was sketched out well, and it was easy to understand her detached anger, she lacked a brain too often for my liking. I can forgive pretty much any sin in a character except stupidity. The other reason this book didn't score higher is because I really wanted it to be more atmospheric; the Southern Gothic scenes in Alabama should have been more intense, for example. There were also too many POV characters.
But overall, a decent Anne Stuart read.
December 16, 2011
As with the last book by her I had read, I found myself wishing that I wasn't so busy or had so many other distractions while reading this book. Some day, when things calm down, I'll have to do a re read.
Luke (H) was an abused child, with an alcoholic stepfather, a loving but weak mother who killed herself wich left him with no one to love or protect him. When a bar fight that he's in leads to the death of a man he ends up in jail were he meets Calvin,some one small and weak but willing to follow him anywhere. He soon comes up with the ideal of becoming the leader of a religious group.
When Rachel gets word that not only did her mother die but she left all of her money to the cult that she had been living with, she new she had only one choice.....to go there, meat this Luke person and bring him down.
When Luke first sees her he knows that she intrigued him, well many things about her did...her anger,nervousness, fear and innocence. He's not exactly sure what it is that she's afraid of...him or something else...or maybe a combination of things. What he does know is that he's going to do what it takes to break her and send her on her way.
I truly loved everything that happened in this book though I know there are some who wouldnt, like when Luke basicly molests her after first meeting her,while she's drugged, some would have that listed under "creeper status" but for fantasy it worked for me. :-)
Luke (H) was an abused child, with an alcoholic stepfather, a loving but weak mother who killed herself wich left him with no one to love or protect him. When a bar fight that he's in leads to the death of a man he ends up in jail were he meets Calvin,some one small and weak but willing to follow him anywhere. He soon comes up with the ideal of becoming the leader of a religious group.
When Rachel gets word that not only did her mother die but she left all of her money to the cult that she had been living with, she new she had only one choice.....to go there, meat this Luke person and bring him down.
When Luke first sees her he knows that she intrigued him, well many things about her did...her anger,nervousness, fear and innocence. He's not exactly sure what it is that she's afraid of...him or something else...or maybe a combination of things. What he does know is that he's going to do what it takes to break her and send her on her way.
I truly loved everything that happened in this book though I know there are some who wouldnt, like when Luke basicly molests her after first meeting her,while she's drugged, some would have that listed under "creeper status" but for fantasy it worked for me. :-)
December 29, 2011
I did not like it! I started without a priori because I could not remember the synopsis, and from the beginning I thought "it's not possible, he is not the hero". But he was.
Luke is a perfect anti-hero. He is a self-centered, cynical liar (everything you imagine for sect guru). I hated that he absolutely wants to "break" Rachel, just because it pleases him. Besides he is quite blind to what is happening around him (no suspicion for the deaths?)
Rachel is annoying and totally neurotic. It reminded me of those hairless micro dogs: she barks and shows her teeth, but when we come nearer she trembles like a leaf. She spends her time saying she feels things in the atmosphere, but it will not lead to anything.
I do not believe at all in their relationship. The first intimate scene put me ill at ease (no sensuality in it, only a twisted feeling). I did not feel their love, even at the end.
The story of the sect and his followers would have been fine in a kind of thriller. Except that it's too superficial. The ending is rushed, but it's not so bad because I could not wait to finish. And the best point of the book is its shortness!
Luke is a perfect anti-hero. He is a self-centered, cynical liar (everything you imagine for sect guru). I hated that he absolutely wants to "break" Rachel, just because it pleases him. Besides he is quite blind to what is happening around him (no suspicion for the deaths?)
Rachel is annoying and totally neurotic. It reminded me of those hairless micro dogs: she barks and shows her teeth, but when we come nearer she trembles like a leaf. She spends her time saying she feels things in the atmosphere, but it will not lead to anything.
I do not believe at all in their relationship. The first intimate scene put me ill at ease (no sensuality in it, only a twisted feeling). I did not feel their love, even at the end.
The story of the sect and his followers would have been fine in a kind of thriller. Except that it's too superficial. The ending is rushed, but it's not so bad because I could not wait to finish. And the best point of the book is its shortness!
September 22, 2019
This was an experiment. Heather mentioned this book because it has a scene where and I was wondering whether I was ok with it. An act without doubt unacceptable in real life but sometimes, fantasy is different. Now I know. It creeps me out.
However, the writing is fantastic. And the hero incredibly interesting. Luke is a ex-prisoner, con-man and jaded cult leader. He has great charisma and is utterly bored by his wide-eyed followers. It would have been a good book if he had a worthy opponent. Sadly, Rachel has half-baked ideas, plays the victim, and runs when things get hard.
It could have been much more but this is a story of a hero knowing how to cure all ills with the force of his will and sex of course.
However, the writing is fantastic. And the hero incredibly interesting. Luke is a ex-prisoner, con-man and jaded cult leader. He has great charisma and is utterly bored by his wide-eyed followers. It would have been a good book if he had a worthy opponent. Sadly, Rachel has half-baked ideas, plays the victim, and runs when things get hard.
It could have been much more but this is a story of a hero knowing how to cure all ills with the force of his will and sex of course.
January 18, 2012
I've never read a romance like this. Don't know how this author could turn a unscrupulous, con man, ex-murderer, into a hero. Or a frigid, broken woman into a heroine. And then make me root for them!! Found only 2 flaws - the heroine's too quick willingness to explore hero's body and the encounter of one of the villains with heroine at the end which seemed silly. The author wrote this 10 years ago, I wished I had discovered her earlier.
HERO is a Rogue, with a dark damaging past, numb feelings, conciensceless, who unexpectedly finds himself falling in love for the first time with a lonely woman with a damaging past too.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/suspense
LENGHT: 390 pages
HERO is a Rogue, with a dark damaging past, numb feelings, conciensceless, who unexpectedly finds himself falling in love for the first time with a lonely woman with a damaging past too.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/suspense
LENGHT: 390 pages
December 4, 2010
Rating: 3.5 stars. (Darn Goodreads for not having 1/2 star rating)
I liked:
1- The unique story that unfolded as I swept through the pages. As I said at the beginning of my review, none can blame Ms. Stuart for spinning your average romantic suspense. This story is by not any means an easy read. Luke is a manipulator of the highest degree, who doesn’t feel any qualms about using people for his own needs regardless of the consequences. Learning about Luke and Rachel’s disturbing childhoods wasn’t easy, but it makes for a compelling read, one you can’t help but go on reading with a twisted kind of fascination. Even with all his faults, Luke still makes for a hero worthy of a sigh or two, even as he goes out of his way to charm and seduce Rachel to give up her heart, body and soul to him for nothing in return.
2- Rachel Connery. She is a tortured heroine if there ever was one. She has so much pain, anguish and fear locked up inside of her that she is one simmering ball of misery waiting to explode. Ms. Stuart certainly paints a realistic picture of how someone who has been raped by her own stepfather countless times can be frozen into state of abject misery throughout the years, not knowing how to reach out to anyone and never letting yourself become vulnerable enough to be hurt like that ever again. It was painful seeing Rachel being “forced” to give in, to embrace her sensual nature and when she did let go, it was a mighty fine feeling that overcame me as I rooted for her freedom from the very shackles of fear that keeps her in a prison of hell till that very moment.
3- The complex multifaceted characters that liven up this read. There is not one character that I would have wished to do away with in this story. Each one of them lends something essential to the story making it one compelling story to sink into.
I did not like: Umm.. there’s nothing that I can say outright that I disliked in this novel. But Luke’s character was a bit tough to like during the first couple of chapters though the guy oozes charm like nothing else. But in the end, knowing where he came from, learning about the wealth of pain and suffering that had shaped him up made it all worth in the end. I still can’t say that I flat-out loved Luke, but I can definitely say that I wouldn’t shut the door in his face if he were to turn up at my house. *grin*
Memorable scenes/quotes from the story:
She didn’t know he was watching her. She stood in the rain, naked, her face tipped back, letting the water stream over her cheekbones, her eyes, her mouth. She lifted her arms to the stormy skies, and as if answering her supplication, the clouds opened up and drenched her, drenched him as he watched her.
She turned then, and stared at him through the curtain of rain.. There was knowledge and acceptance in her face. And need.
He crossed the clearing, caught her in his arms, and pushed her up against the side of van, kissing her with such rough abandon that he didn’t know if he hated her or loved her. She put her arms around his neck, and when he unfastened his jeans to free himself she was ready, wrapping her long legs around him as he pushed into her, impaling her on his rigid flesh, holding her against the cold wet sliding of the van as the rain fell around them.
Full, in-depth review: http://bit.ly/hjvKfR
I liked:
1- The unique story that unfolded as I swept through the pages. As I said at the beginning of my review, none can blame Ms. Stuart for spinning your average romantic suspense. This story is by not any means an easy read. Luke is a manipulator of the highest degree, who doesn’t feel any qualms about using people for his own needs regardless of the consequences. Learning about Luke and Rachel’s disturbing childhoods wasn’t easy, but it makes for a compelling read, one you can’t help but go on reading with a twisted kind of fascination. Even with all his faults, Luke still makes for a hero worthy of a sigh or two, even as he goes out of his way to charm and seduce Rachel to give up her heart, body and soul to him for nothing in return.
2- Rachel Connery. She is a tortured heroine if there ever was one. She has so much pain, anguish and fear locked up inside of her that she is one simmering ball of misery waiting to explode. Ms. Stuart certainly paints a realistic picture of how someone who has been raped by her own stepfather countless times can be frozen into state of abject misery throughout the years, not knowing how to reach out to anyone and never letting yourself become vulnerable enough to be hurt like that ever again. It was painful seeing Rachel being “forced” to give in, to embrace her sensual nature and when she did let go, it was a mighty fine feeling that overcame me as I rooted for her freedom from the very shackles of fear that keeps her in a prison of hell till that very moment.
3- The complex multifaceted characters that liven up this read. There is not one character that I would have wished to do away with in this story. Each one of them lends something essential to the story making it one compelling story to sink into.
I did not like: Umm.. there’s nothing that I can say outright that I disliked in this novel. But Luke’s character was a bit tough to like during the first couple of chapters though the guy oozes charm like nothing else. But in the end, knowing where he came from, learning about the wealth of pain and suffering that had shaped him up made it all worth in the end. I still can’t say that I flat-out loved Luke, but I can definitely say that I wouldn’t shut the door in his face if he were to turn up at my house. *grin*
Memorable scenes/quotes from the story:
She didn’t know he was watching her. She stood in the rain, naked, her face tipped back, letting the water stream over her cheekbones, her eyes, her mouth. She lifted her arms to the stormy skies, and as if answering her supplication, the clouds opened up and drenched her, drenched him as he watched her.
She turned then, and stared at him through the curtain of rain.. There was knowledge and acceptance in her face. And need.
He crossed the clearing, caught her in his arms, and pushed her up against the side of van, kissing her with such rough abandon that he didn’t know if he hated her or loved her. She put her arms around his neck, and when he unfastened his jeans to free himself she was ready, wrapping her long legs around him as he pushed into her, impaling her on his rigid flesh, holding her against the cold wet sliding of the van as the rain fell around them.
Full, in-depth review: http://bit.ly/hjvKfR
February 5, 2009
OMG I loved -- I MEAN LOVED -- me some Luke Bardel! I love me some Anne Stuart.
March 21, 2017
second go at this author - but not for me
October 18, 2024
Anne sure can write some Anti-heroes...but wow the manipulation....:O. Audiobook was great!
June 3, 2010
I am an Anne Stuart fan; I became one after starting her fantastic "Ice" series. Since then I have been scrambling to find older books by her and so far have been thrilled and chilled by all of them. This one is no different in that respect, but Ritual Sins is a weird book.
RS is the tale of a daughter looking for answers after her mother's death at The Foundation of Being, a New Age place in the New Mexico dessert run by a charasmatic con artist who earlier spent 4 years in prison for murder.
The characters in this book left me uneasy. The mother was a loose and selfish bitch who should never have had children, and the current-day neurotic, frigid and emotionally stunted daughter is the result. Rachel has come to the Foundation because her mother disinherited her and instead left over $12 million to the Foundation; her court fights won her nothing so she is now in search of proof that Luke Bardell conned her mother on her deathbed. Rachel is a very tortured young lady and truly she would love to find out that her mother asked for her as she lay dying. She also has no drive to do anything with her life, I guess because of feelings of worthlessness supported by her former model of a mother. I was conflicted in believing that this plain, mousy, uninspired daughter would suddenly change into a woman brave enough to enter the lion's den to regain her trust fund and inheritance money.
I also had trouble with her eventual hero, Luke. Poor Southern boy Luke is a mess, unsurprising as he found his suicided mother at age 8 and maybe killed his extremely abusive stepfather at 15. He did get manslaughter for killing a man in a bar fight and learned how to be a perfect criminal while in prison. He is a tall, lean specimen of a man who can make anybody follow him almost in thrall, so becoming a cult-like leader to build his financial empire is a perfect con for him. Ms. Stuart writes this self-aware narcissistic character to perfection, so much that when he becomes interested in Rachel just because she doesn't succumb to him, I was on pins and needles not know which way his character would go. It is strange, knowing the hero is the bad guy. Not just a sexy, tormented guy but really not a good man. Who would believe a con man who said he's changed?
Other personalities in the book are equally weird. There are strange folk in Luke's hometown and after meeting some of them, Rachael ALMOST feels sorry for Luke - until she remembers that he has killed and conned and maybe even helped to kill her mother of cancer. But Luke secretly fasinates Rachel and her body feels things when she is around him. You can guess the rest, but unless you read the book, you'll never believe the outcome. Can a con man change?
RS is the tale of a daughter looking for answers after her mother's death at The Foundation of Being, a New Age place in the New Mexico dessert run by a charasmatic con artist who earlier spent 4 years in prison for murder.
The characters in this book left me uneasy. The mother was a loose and selfish bitch who should never have had children, and the current-day neurotic, frigid and emotionally stunted daughter is the result. Rachel has come to the Foundation because her mother disinherited her and instead left over $12 million to the Foundation; her court fights won her nothing so she is now in search of proof that Luke Bardell conned her mother on her deathbed. Rachel is a very tortured young lady and truly she would love to find out that her mother asked for her as she lay dying. She also has no drive to do anything with her life, I guess because of feelings of worthlessness supported by her former model of a mother. I was conflicted in believing that this plain, mousy, uninspired daughter would suddenly change into a woman brave enough to enter the lion's den to regain her trust fund and inheritance money.
I also had trouble with her eventual hero, Luke. Poor Southern boy Luke is a mess, unsurprising as he found his suicided mother at age 8 and maybe killed his extremely abusive stepfather at 15. He did get manslaughter for killing a man in a bar fight and learned how to be a perfect criminal while in prison. He is a tall, lean specimen of a man who can make anybody follow him almost in thrall, so becoming a cult-like leader to build his financial empire is a perfect con for him. Ms. Stuart writes this self-aware narcissistic character to perfection, so much that when he becomes interested in Rachel just because she doesn't succumb to him, I was on pins and needles not know which way his character would go. It is strange, knowing the hero is the bad guy. Not just a sexy, tormented guy but really not a good man. Who would believe a con man who said he's changed?
Other personalities in the book are equally weird. There are strange folk in Luke's hometown and after meeting some of them, Rachael ALMOST feels sorry for Luke - until she remembers that he has killed and conned and maybe even helped to kill her mother of cancer. But Luke secretly fasinates Rachel and her body feels things when she is around him. You can guess the rest, but unless you read the book, you'll never believe the outcome. Can a con man change?
January 18, 2021
I have a list of romance novels that are The Worst. Not because of writing (all of the authors who have books on the list have also written books that I love) but because of how incredibly yikes the story is. Number one is Linda Howard’s All That Glitters and two is Howard’s An Independent Wife. And coming in at number three, displacing Victoria Holt’s Demon Lover, is this thing. It’s possible that were I willing to reread An Independent Wife I would decide that this is in fact worse. But I’m not, so the list stands.
It’s hard to say which of the many bad thinks about this book pushed it over the edge. It is, after all, an Anne Stuart book and my tolerance for yikes is high. Is it that the main dude (I hesitate to refer to him as the hero) is the leader of the cult that the heroine’s mother left all of her money (including money she stole from the heroine) to? Or that it is strongly implied that the main dude had an affaire with her mother when the mother was dying of cancer and believed he could save her? Or that the money the mother stole was the contents of a trust fund set up by the heroine’s stepfather, who molested her? Or the the main dude never offers to return the money he stole from her and is just like ‘we’re going to live on my money, which I stole’? Or when the main dude molests the heroine twice while she’s unconscious or asleep? Or all the times he aggressively tries to ‘seduce’ her after she says no multiple times? Or all of the times he physically threatens her or puts her in a situation where she is completely dependent on him? Or Calvin, who was basically a big old mess of ableist, racist, and vaguely homophobic tropes?
I don’t know, maybe it was one of those things?
It’s hard to say which of the many bad thinks about this book pushed it over the edge. It is, after all, an Anne Stuart book and my tolerance for yikes is high. Is it that the main dude (I hesitate to refer to him as the hero) is the leader of the cult that the heroine’s mother left all of her money (including money she stole from the heroine) to? Or that it is strongly implied that the main dude had an affaire with her mother when the mother was dying of cancer and believed he could save her? Or that the money the mother stole was the contents of a trust fund set up by the heroine’s stepfather, who molested her? Or the the main dude never offers to return the money he stole from her and is just like ‘we’re going to live on my money, which I stole’? Or when the main dude molests the heroine twice while she’s unconscious or asleep? Or all the times he aggressively tries to ‘seduce’ her after she says no multiple times? Or all of the times he physically threatens her or puts her in a situation where she is completely dependent on him? Or Calvin, who was basically a big old mess of ableist, racist, and vaguely homophobic tropes?
I don’t know, maybe it was one of those things?
December 13, 2013
Anne Stuart's works are like crack. You cannot get enough.
I admittedly mostly read her stuff because of her male leads. She writes this wonderful anti-heroes that kind of just amaze you.
She doesn't write your usual tortured bad boys. Hell some of these guys do things that are definitely not right but the thing about her is that she doesn't try to romanticize their actions. They are wrong and should stay that way. Her male leads may not have the best moral compasses but then again their actions aren't supposed to make you swoon. They just add to their anti heroness and that's what makes her male leads wonderful. You aren't meant to swoon over them but somehow, despite everything they do, every alarm they set off, you kind of just end up falling in love.
Even her female leads know that their actions are not right. They don't fall under the too stupid to live category. They are pretty damn smart.
When you have two strong characters who meet, well you get a good romance and never mind all the awesome mystery going on in the background.
I admittedly mostly read her stuff because of her male leads. She writes this wonderful anti-heroes that kind of just amaze you.
She doesn't write your usual tortured bad boys. Hell some of these guys do things that are definitely not right but the thing about her is that she doesn't try to romanticize their actions. They are wrong and should stay that way. Her male leads may not have the best moral compasses but then again their actions aren't supposed to make you swoon. They just add to their anti heroness and that's what makes her male leads wonderful. You aren't meant to swoon over them but somehow, despite everything they do, every alarm they set off, you kind of just end up falling in love.
Even her female leads know that their actions are not right. They don't fall under the too stupid to live category. They are pretty damn smart.
When you have two strong characters who meet, well you get a good romance and never mind all the awesome mystery going on in the background.
October 26, 2012
3.5*
B/B+
I've only read a few of Anne Stuart's Ice series and none of her historicals. This book is an early contemporary with a bad boy hero and some of the angst of the later novels. I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to Stuart fans, but it isn't her best work. Luke is an interesting hero, but nowhere near as cold as, say, Bastien (Black Ice). Rachel is similar to many Stuart heroines, a young lady definitely not equal to the charismatic and cold-hearted hero. One commonality between this book and Stuart's later books is the inexplicable appeal the heroine seems to have over the hero. Why is Rachel so irresistible to Luke?
I did find Ritual Sins a compelling read even though the first part had too much repetitive ponderings by Luke and Rachel. The mystery was good and it takes pretty much the entire book to figure out what's going on.
B/B+
I've only read a few of Anne Stuart's Ice series and none of her historicals. This book is an early contemporary with a bad boy hero and some of the angst of the later novels. I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend it to Stuart fans, but it isn't her best work. Luke is an interesting hero, but nowhere near as cold as, say, Bastien (Black Ice). Rachel is similar to many Stuart heroines, a young lady definitely not equal to the charismatic and cold-hearted hero. One commonality between this book and Stuart's later books is the inexplicable appeal the heroine seems to have over the hero. Why is Rachel so irresistible to Luke?
I did find Ritual Sins a compelling read even though the first part had too much repetitive ponderings by Luke and Rachel. The mystery was good and it takes pretty much the entire book to figure out what's going on.
October 21, 2012
I feel like I just been used and abused after this book. And seriously confused... The "hero" of the book is this crazy con dude that's killed some one in a bar fight (that we know of) and the "heroine" is this suicidal broken wisp of a girl. All the "love" scenes we uncomfortable and rape-like and unfortunately it's like she ends up with a bad case of Stockholm's syndrome. Luckily thus book was free other wise it'd be a waste of money. It certainly was a waste of time.
The one redeeming quality was in was drawn to Luke just as much as Rachel was. What does that say about me?
The one redeeming quality was in was drawn to Luke just as much as Rachel was. What does that say about me?
February 29, 2012
Just couldn't get into this book. The hero was uber-creepy.
October 29, 2014
DNF at 69% Who thinks rape is sexy? I've read other books by Anne Stuart but I'm done. Never again.
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