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Tapestry
For Lady Laura Blake, there is only one man in the world: Alex, the Earl of Cardiff. Yet ever since he was wounded in battle, Alex has locked himself away in his great stone castle at Heddon Hall. Believing himself to be less than a man, he conceals his ravaged face behind a leather mask...and hides his scarred soul beneath an icy aloofness.
A mere child when he went off to war, Laura has blossomed into a beautiful young woman Alex scarcely recognizes. The compassion and desire he sees shining out of her eyes tempts him to ease his pain in her sweet, sensual embrace. But as need flames into uncontrollable passion, an evil fate conspires against them both, weaving a web of treachery and betrayal that could bring heartbreak or happiness to those who dare to love.
A mere child when he went off to war, Laura has blossomed into a beautiful young woman Alex scarcely recognizes. The compassion and desire he sees shining out of her eyes tempts him to ease his pain in her sweet, sensual embrace. But as need flames into uncontrollable passion, an evil fate conspires against them both, weaving a web of treachery and betrayal that could bring heartbreak or happiness to those who dare to love.
380 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 1, 1995
44 people are currently reading
1337 people want to read
About the author
Karen Ranney
99 books944 followersI’m a writer who’s been privileged to have attained the New York Times and USA Today Bestseller Lists.
Although I've primarily written historical romance, I've also written contemporary romantic suspense, a murder mystery, and I'm having a wonderful time writing about a vampire who is being challenged by her new state of being. (The Montgomery Chronicles: The Fertile Vampire and The Reluctant Goddess coming March 12, 2015.)
I believe in the power of the individual, the magnificence of the human spirit, and always looking for the positive in any situation. I write about people who have been challenged by life itself but who win in the end.
Newsletter: http://karenranney.com/subscribe-warm...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterKarenRa...
Website: http://karenranney.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Karen_Ranney
Although I've primarily written historical romance, I've also written contemporary romantic suspense, a murder mystery, and I'm having a wonderful time writing about a vampire who is being challenged by her new state of being. (The Montgomery Chronicles: The Fertile Vampire and The Reluctant Goddess coming March 12, 2015.)
I believe in the power of the individual, the magnificence of the human spirit, and always looking for the positive in any situation. I write about people who have been challenged by life itself but who win in the end.
Newsletter: http://karenranney.com/subscribe-warm...
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/WriterKarenRa...
Website: http://karenranney.com
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @Karen_Ranney
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Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
May 19, 2010
This is without question...(and I'm not exaggerating) the most emotionally charged book I have EVER read. It even buries some of the greatest tear-jerkers ever..."Cry No More", "To the Ends of the Earth", and "Perfect". If you are a reader who likes to "stay dry" please do not read this book. If you are a reader who enjoys three dimensional, deep, unforgettable characters and a good cry...this is THE book for you.
Here is the premise. Girl falls in love with boy at young age. Boy goes off to war and girl is devastated and never stops loving him. Boy gets horribly disfigured during the war. Boy comes back and totally isolates himself. Girl quite literally "goes and gets him" from the brink of suicide. They fall in love..blah,blah,blah.
But oh, how much deeper this story is. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS STORY IS ONLY 380 PAGES. The amount of depth and time this novel take you through makes you feel like it should be twice the length that it is. Karen Ranney takes you through an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you exhausted, but completely satisfied. I really don't know what else to say. It is very important that you beware of reviews of this novel. Reading spoilers could be catastophic to the impact that this novel has on the unsuspecting audience. It is a page turner and took very little time to finish. Pay the price, whatever it is, and get your hands on this book. You may only be able to read it once, but it is an experience you will soon not forget!
Here is the premise. Girl falls in love with boy at young age. Boy goes off to war and girl is devastated and never stops loving him. Boy gets horribly disfigured during the war. Boy comes back and totally isolates himself. Girl quite literally "goes and gets him" from the brink of suicide. They fall in love..blah,blah,blah.
But oh, how much deeper this story is. I CAN NOT BELIEVE THIS STORY IS ONLY 380 PAGES. The amount of depth and time this novel take you through makes you feel like it should be twice the length that it is. Karen Ranney takes you through an emotional rollercoaster that will leave you exhausted, but completely satisfied. I really don't know what else to say. It is very important that you beware of reviews of this novel. Reading spoilers could be catastophic to the impact that this novel has on the unsuspecting audience. It is a page turner and took very little time to finish. Pay the price, whatever it is, and get your hands on this book. You may only be able to read it once, but it is an experience you will soon not forget!
April 4, 2016
Lo cierto es que me ha decepcionado un poquitín. Me lo habían recomendado tanto!!!
Quizás hace unos años la hubiera disfrutado más, pero ahora ya son tantos los que he leído con ese argumento que no me ha emocionado.
Hay cosas que no me he creído, partes que se me han hecho eternas y, al final, creo que quedaba pendiente una conversación muy importante que la autora no aporta y que me parece primordial que se resolviera. Eso le ha bajado muchos puntos
Quizás hace unos años la hubiera disfrutado más, pero ahora ya son tantos los que he leído con ese argumento que no me ha emocionado.
Hay cosas que no me he creído, partes que se me han hecho eternas y, al final, creo que quedaba pendiente una conversación muy importante que la autora no aporta y que me parece primordial que se resolviera. Eso le ha bajado muchos puntos
May 26, 2015
"You have given me faith, when my faith was broken. You have given me hope, and I have lived without it for so long. You have given me peace, and I have not known peace for a very long time."
This started out as a very good beauty and beast twist in the first part of the story, only to get bogged down with endless sex in way too much detail, plus credulity stretching plot twists. >>>Real spoiler .
All that plus way too much telling instead of showing and over analyzing every nuance and emotion. Oh, and don't get me started on the typos in the Kindle edition. Scratch that, let's do discuss the typos, since they are littered throughout the book and very, very distracting.
"...an eager tongue darted out and licked them :lean."
"He lowered his head until ids mouth was close..."
"...sense Df the words..."
And once a character was lames (lower case l) instead of James.
I obtained a copy when it was $.99, and even at that low price I'm tempted to ask for a refund.
This started out as a very good beauty and beast twist in the first part of the story, only to get bogged down with endless sex in way too much detail, plus credulity stretching plot twists. >>>Real spoiler .
All that plus way too much telling instead of showing and over analyzing every nuance and emotion. Oh, and don't get me started on the typos in the Kindle edition. Scratch that, let's do discuss the typos, since they are littered throughout the book and very, very distracting.
"...an eager tongue darted out and licked them :lean."
"He lowered his head until ids mouth was close..."
"...sense Df the words..."
And once a character was lames (lower case l) instead of James.
I obtained a copy when it was $.99, and even at that low price I'm tempted to ask for a refund.
June 8, 2015
Good Beauty and The Beast historical. However, this one was like reading two books about the same characters. Part 1 is a good book on its own and I wish the author ended it with a small epilogue. Part 2 is basically a sequel that provides more angst, drama and grief for the 2 main characters. Part 2 made me sad. Part 1 is a 4 star for me. Part 2 - 2-3 stars. There are some typos in the Kindle edition - other reviewers have mentioned them in detail.
On a side note, I felt that Laura loved Alex more than he loved her. If he had not been disfigured , I'm not sure he would have married her. This is a re-read for me. It had been many years and I needed something different so, I thought I would see if this one stood the test of time:) Reading this one many years later: I can see why my younger self rated this 5 stars, but my comments above lead me to rate this one 3-stars now.
On a side note, I felt that Laura loved Alex more than he loved her. If he had not been disfigured , I'm not sure he would have married her. This is a re-read for me. It had been many years and I needed something different so, I thought I would see if this one stood the test of time:) Reading this one many years later: I can see why my younger self rated this 5 stars, but my comments above lead me to rate this one 3-stars now.
January 18, 2014
Well..this is one of those books which I cannot completely express my opinions on, its just too good. Too good. It is one of those rare times, a once in a few months thing when you find a thoroughly written book which impacts you so much. Now how am I supposed to read something else?
January 8, 2022
Reread: still sobbed like crazy 😭🥺😭🥺 so good I can’t handle it
ALL THE EMOTIONS! this book is so so so angsty but the payoff is insane.
Beauty and the beast retelling, pining pining pining
ALL THE EMOTIONS! this book is so so so angsty but the payoff is insane.
Beauty and the beast retelling, pining pining pining
April 24, 2024
3.75 stars
Exquisite telling of an ordinary narrative, going into this, I was expecting an enjoyable, but rather standard retelling of a 'Beauty and the beast' scenario, but Tapestry immediately blew me away with its emotive, melancholic writing. It was also one of a few version of this particular setup I've read, where the 'beast' hero was truly quite disfigured (rather than a gash on the face or some non-visual disability), and generated one of many very touching little details (the glasses!). I particularly enjoyed its melodramatic, fatalistic tone—giving it a gothic, literary edge not usually present in a historical romance.
In comparison, the narrative beyond its romance was a bit subpar comparing to the lush writing: the antagonist was cartoonishly evil (and subdued before any real impact was made), and the subplot regarding the politic, while immersive, was verging into historical fiction territory with its details, which was not a genre I gravitate towards. The writing was also a double-edged sword, as much I enjoyed its lyricism, Karen Ranney had a tendency to constantly repeat the same information in different wording, resulting in more skimming than I would've liked.
Overall, Tapestry is definitely memorable: I like the way the romance is structured (its beginning took me by surprise), plentiful of endearing romantic moments (such as quoting literature as a way of banter), and the impressive writing. So even with its shortcoming in other aspects, I still think this is an iteration well worth reading.
***Historical Hellions Book Club | April 2024 Selection***
Exquisite telling of an ordinary narrative, going into this, I was expecting an enjoyable, but rather standard retelling of a 'Beauty and the beast' scenario, but Tapestry immediately blew me away with its emotive, melancholic writing. It was also one of a few version of this particular setup I've read, where the 'beast' hero was truly quite disfigured (rather than a gash on the face or some non-visual disability), and generated one of many very touching little details (the glasses!). I particularly enjoyed its melodramatic, fatalistic tone—giving it a gothic, literary edge not usually present in a historical romance.
In comparison, the narrative beyond its romance was a bit subpar comparing to the lush writing: the antagonist was cartoonishly evil (and subdued before any real impact was made), and the subplot regarding the politic, while immersive, was verging into historical fiction territory with its details, which was not a genre I gravitate towards. The writing was also a double-edged sword, as much I enjoyed its lyricism, Karen Ranney had a tendency to constantly repeat the same information in different wording, resulting in more skimming than I would've liked.
Overall, Tapestry is definitely memorable: I like the way the romance is structured (its beginning took me by surprise), plentiful of endearing romantic moments (such as quoting literature as a way of banter), and the impressive writing. So even with its shortcoming in other aspects, I still think this is an iteration well worth reading.
***Historical Hellions Book Club | April 2024 Selection***
April 30, 2017
A Beauty and the Beast story only that the beast was the iron man but his mask was leather.
I have never liked Karen Ranney's books. Tapestry, as melodramatic as it is, is the only book from her that has gotten a rating of more than 2 stars from me . All others I have read from here were extremely boring. The book has 2 parts: the first part is about how the innocent Laura approached the injured recluse Alex. It was quite over the top but was readable. I at least did not mind Laura and Alex as characters.
At the end of book 1, Laura and Alex married and were happy. This is about 50% of the story. In book 2, Alex and Laura were separately and the book took a turn into how Alex was summoned back to war and left a pregnant Laura facing life on her own. They were not together a lot in book 2. Instead we read about how Laura tried to go on with life, gave birth to a son and the baby boy died. Laura had some kind of a social life in London and established orphanages and filled them with kids that resembled Alex (What did I tell you? Melodramatic). Alex returned from death like a phoenix and Laura would not accept him (I ask why?? Melodramatic.) More melodrama, they lived happily ever, the end.
I have never liked Karen Ranney's books. Tapestry, as melodramatic as it is, is the only book from her that has gotten a rating of more than 2 stars from me . All others I have read from here were extremely boring. The book has 2 parts: the first part is about how the innocent Laura approached the injured recluse Alex. It was quite over the top but was readable. I at least did not mind Laura and Alex as characters.
At the end of book 1, Laura and Alex married and were happy. This is about 50% of the story. In book 2, Alex and Laura were separately and the book took a turn into how Alex was summoned back to war and left a pregnant Laura facing life on her own. They were not together a lot in book 2. Instead we read about how Laura tried to go on with life, gave birth to a son and the baby boy died. Laura had some kind of a social life in London and established orphanages and filled them with kids that resembled Alex (What did I tell you? Melodramatic). Alex returned from death like a phoenix and Laura would not accept him (I ask why?? Melodramatic.) More melodrama, they lived happily ever, the end.
February 6, 2012
This book is TOO SAD-TOO TIRESOME-AND-TOO DEPRESSING for the likes of HR! Well, I have to give some credit for the first half of the book which was pretty good. But after that.. sigh!! Also this book has too many POVs which is kind of confusing.
September 6, 2011
Teetering between a 3 and a 4 rating on this book. I found this book through an Amazon Discussion for Books that make you cry like a baby. It was a tough story that did have some emotional moments, but the deep love between Alex and Laura was so pure that it made me believe that their love will go on until the end of time. Lots of times I really like a book, feel good about the HEA, but forget about it very quickly. This ending was so fulfilling and the H&h were so deserving that it will just stick with me, but the book could have been shortened 100 pages and been just as good.
Alex was Laura's and she knew it from when she was a child. I loved the flashbacks and stories both Alex and Laura had from when she was a demanding little girl and he would give her attention and affection. Then Alex leaves for war when she is 14 yrs old and returns 4 years later to become Earl of Cardiff (after both his brother and father are killed). He is a completely different man, severely disfigure, not just a scar, but he has lost one eye and use of his hand and is so scarred he has to wear a mask like The Phantom. He hides away and refuses any communication with Laura or the rest of the world. Laura disguises herself as a maid in his home to be close to him and he doesn't recognize her because he has also lost some vision in his other eye. He is amazed that she makes eye contact with him and doesn't feel the pity or disgust most people show when they look at him. Laura doesn't see anything, but the love of her life and I just loved her for it. She finally broke down his walls and I felt the book could have ended there and I would have been happy, but it would have only been 100 pages long (that is how good the love story was) and there was so much more to the story to come.
The book was up and down for me, the story line was so promising. At times it was fabulous, basically when they were together and their love was blossoming, as well as the finale was just beautiful (once again when they were together). Unfortunately they were not together for 150 pages. I can see where historical romance readers rate this book very highly, great story line, such lovable characters, and lots of angst, but unfortunately for me the flowery descriptions, although beautiful, had me skimming to get to dialog and the H&h were apart for too long, but it was a very memorable ending and worth the read just for the HEA.
April 14, 2024
3.5 stars. Tapestry is a beauty and the beast, Georgian era, historical romance with a scarred/masked hero and the woman who has loved him for years.
“Life is like a tapestry, don’t you think, Alex?”
Alex, Earl of Cardiff, was injured during the war and now has burns and scars all over, he lost an eye, has an injured hand, and even wears a leather mask. After returning from the war he found out he inherited the Earldom after his father and older brother passed away in a carriage accident. Alex has holed himself up in his estate, Heddon Hall, and while most of his staff seem to be afraid of him, there is one new worker who isn’t afraid to look him in the eye and spend time with him.
Laura fell in love with Alex when she was young, he was 10 years older, but she spent time with him off and on when she was growing up, he even consoled her and spent time with her after her parents died. Now it’s been 4 years since she last saw him and since all of her letters she wrote to him have been returned, she decides to don a maid’s outfit and apply for work at his estate under the name “Jane”. I really liked seeing how she goes for Alex immediately and wants to show him love and appreciation and how she isn’t afraid of how he looks.
Alex and Laura are very sweet and perfect as a couple, I enjoyed seeing them together when we did. I do feel like some of their moments together are glazed over and time flies before they spend time apart and trauma and heartaches ensue. This book is ripe in the melodrama and how much the characters go through. I had heard from so many people ahead of time how emotional this read was, and while it never had me in my feels, I can see how it would pull on some heartstrings. This couple goes through a lot and I just wanted a little bit more time spent in each moment instead of moving on to the next so quickly, and seeing them happier together for longer would have been nice too. The villainous character was super frustrating and their POV would get kind of old. I did really like seeing Laura’s relationship with her Uncles!
CW: grief, loss of a child
“Life is like a tapestry, don’t you think, Alex?”
Alex, Earl of Cardiff, was injured during the war and now has burns and scars all over, he lost an eye, has an injured hand, and even wears a leather mask. After returning from the war he found out he inherited the Earldom after his father and older brother passed away in a carriage accident. Alex has holed himself up in his estate, Heddon Hall, and while most of his staff seem to be afraid of him, there is one new worker who isn’t afraid to look him in the eye and spend time with him.
Laura fell in love with Alex when she was young, he was 10 years older, but she spent time with him off and on when she was growing up, he even consoled her and spent time with her after her parents died. Now it’s been 4 years since she last saw him and since all of her letters she wrote to him have been returned, she decides to don a maid’s outfit and apply for work at his estate under the name “Jane”. I really liked seeing how she goes for Alex immediately and wants to show him love and appreciation and how she isn’t afraid of how he looks.
Alex and Laura are very sweet and perfect as a couple, I enjoyed seeing them together when we did. I do feel like some of their moments together are glazed over and time flies before they spend time apart and trauma and heartaches ensue. This book is ripe in the melodrama and how much the characters go through. I had heard from so many people ahead of time how emotional this read was, and while it never had me in my feels, I can see how it would pull on some heartstrings. This couple goes through a lot and I just wanted a little bit more time spent in each moment instead of moving on to the next so quickly, and seeing them happier together for longer would have been nice too. The villainous character was super frustrating and their POV would get kind of old. I did really like seeing Laura’s relationship with her Uncles!
CW: grief, loss of a child
January 5, 2010
3.5
I first read this book several years back, and was blown away by it. It reminded me very much of a Judith McNaught book, in the wide-eyed innocence of the heroine and the jaded hero just waiting for the one who can "see" him as he really is. First published in 1995, it was Ranney's first published book.
I love Laura's optimistic view, and once Alex lets down his defenses, he's just wonderful. I love them together. There was sort of an innocent, awakening type of love they shared.
I hated that he didn't have the nerve to say goodbye to her in person when he left for the war. And that Laura didn't want to let him know she was pregnant before he left, trying to lessen his burdens. In typical romance "big misunderstanding" fashion, when Alex returns, he takes the evil stepmother's word for Laura's infidelity and betrayal, never stopping to think about who was giving him the information.
For Laura's part, I thought her journey into and out of her deep grief was very well done, and fairly realistic, especially for the time. I can't imagine losing my husband and child all in one day. Some of the scenes written about Laura's grief made my heart hurt.
The extra touches, like using William Pitt himself as Alex's superior, makes it more plausible that he would go off again to a war that left him disfigured and miserable.
This book is definitely written in an early-mid 90's fashion, with descriptive prose and a grand, sweeping, epic-type feel. I adore Ranney's early works - this and the Highland Lords series are absolutely fantastic.
I will say that I enjoyed it just a little less this time, simply because my tastes have evolved slightly. I likely won't reread this again for a long time for the same reason I'm afraid to reread McNaught. I don't want my changing tastes to overshadow the memories of how much I love the book.
If you're a Ranney and a McNaught (historical) fan, you'll likely really enjoy this book. If you're more jaded, maybe not so much.
I first read this book several years back, and was blown away by it. It reminded me very much of a Judith McNaught book, in the wide-eyed innocence of the heroine and the jaded hero just waiting for the one who can "see" him as he really is. First published in 1995, it was Ranney's first published book.
I love Laura's optimistic view, and once Alex lets down his defenses, he's just wonderful. I love them together. There was sort of an innocent, awakening type of love they shared.
I hated that he didn't have the nerve to say goodbye to her in person when he left for the war. And that Laura didn't want to let him know she was pregnant before he left, trying to lessen his burdens. In typical romance "big misunderstanding" fashion, when Alex returns, he takes the evil stepmother's word for Laura's infidelity and betrayal, never stopping to think about who was giving him the information.
For Laura's part, I thought her journey into and out of her deep grief was very well done, and fairly realistic, especially for the time. I can't imagine losing my husband and child all in one day. Some of the scenes written about Laura's grief made my heart hurt.
The extra touches, like using William Pitt himself as Alex's superior, makes it more plausible that he would go off again to a war that left him disfigured and miserable.
This book is definitely written in an early-mid 90's fashion, with descriptive prose and a grand, sweeping, epic-type feel. I adore Ranney's early works - this and the Highland Lords series are absolutely fantastic.
I will say that I enjoyed it just a little less this time, simply because my tastes have evolved slightly. I likely won't reread this again for a long time for the same reason I'm afraid to reread McNaught. I don't want my changing tastes to overshadow the memories of how much I love the book.
If you're a Ranney and a McNaught (historical) fan, you'll likely really enjoy this book. If you're more jaded, maybe not so much.
April 18, 2022
Reread 2022
February 12, 2016
THIS BOOK HURT ME
September 30, 2022
Good lord. This book is so emotionally devastating and after having a particularly devastating day, was not in a place to read the last 30% of this book.
May 17, 2016
This is an awesome book! My first book that I have read by Ms. Ranney. I have to say this is a near-perfect historical romance for me! It's a cross between Beauty and the Beast and the Phantom of the Opera! A must read for any romance fan of the dark and brooding hero who does not think he deserves happiness.
dnf
July 13, 2022Another dnf in a long string of dnfs.
Unfortunately the writing style is not working for me. I prefer dialogues over descriptions. However, in this book, the no-dialogues parts can go on for chapters at a time.
The Alex parts that I read really broke my heart!
Sincerely sorry for dnf'ing this one.
Unfortunately the writing style is not working for me. I prefer dialogues over descriptions. However, in this book, the no-dialogues parts can go on for chapters at a time.
The Alex parts that I read really broke my heart!
Sincerely sorry for dnf'ing this one.
September 19, 2011
The story gets a full five stars but the Kindle version only gets 3* because the typos were sooo bad that it kept pulling me out of the story. For example it's was suppose to say " At day's end she would be married" instead it read " At clay's end ...." there was also many times that there would be : instead of a letter.
Laura (h) was lived next door to Alex (H) her whole life and has always know that he was hers. She spent her childhood chasing after him and when he went to war, she feared for his life. When he comes home years later, scarred and shutting himself off from the world, she knew that she had to do something drastic to get back into his life and to bring him back into the world.
Alex, scarred beyond belief, shuts himself away in his house. He only walks around in the nighttime so that the servents don't have to see him, they're scared of him and think that he's evil. He does have a leather mask that he wears if he has to go out in the daylight.
When her letters to Alex go unanswered Laura has to come up with some way to get through to him. So she decides to go and apply for a job as a kitchen maid. When Alex sees his new maid, he doesn't recognised her as his young nextdoor nieghboor, it's been years after all. However she does intrique him. This new maid isn't afraid of him and at first he thinks her simple. As he starts to fall for the new maid, he can't find a way to tell her that he's arrainged a marriage contract to his neighboor Laura.
*************SPOILERS**************
One thing after another happens to these two, and their HEA is hard won in the end. One thing that I really liked was how Laura started to work at the foundling hospital and then turned her own home into an orphanage and devoted her life to the helpless children of London.
Laura (h) was lived next door to Alex (H) her whole life and has always know that he was hers. She spent her childhood chasing after him and when he went to war, she feared for his life. When he comes home years later, scarred and shutting himself off from the world, she knew that she had to do something drastic to get back into his life and to bring him back into the world.
Alex, scarred beyond belief, shuts himself away in his house. He only walks around in the nighttime so that the servents don't have to see him, they're scared of him and think that he's evil. He does have a leather mask that he wears if he has to go out in the daylight.
When her letters to Alex go unanswered Laura has to come up with some way to get through to him. So she decides to go and apply for a job as a kitchen maid. When Alex sees his new maid, he doesn't recognised her as his young nextdoor nieghboor, it's been years after all. However she does intrique him. This new maid isn't afraid of him and at first he thinks her simple. As he starts to fall for the new maid, he can't find a way to tell her that he's arrainged a marriage contract to his neighboor Laura.
*************SPOILERS**************
One thing after another happens to these two, and their HEA is hard won in the end. One thing that I really liked was how Laura started to work at the foundling hospital and then turned her own home into an orphanage and devoted her life to the helpless children of London.
January 13, 2022
Sometime you come across a book that elevates the genre, pushing boundaries with an other level of writing. Tapestry definitely is one of them. Karen Ranney managed to write a crafted, detailed heartbreaking story that is impossible to give justice enough in a review.
This book will join the ranks of Tempted by the Night by Elizabeth Boyle, Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long and the two first books of the Sinful Wallflowers Series by Stacy Reid which into my heart.
All those books and authors went further, asking a complete attention of their readers with their stories and detailed writing, full of vivid depictions of nature/society/feelings/grief.
This book will join the ranks of Tempted by the Night by Elizabeth Boyle, Like No Other Lover by Julie Anne Long and the two first books of the Sinful Wallflowers Series by Stacy Reid which into my heart.
All those books and authors went further, asking a complete attention of their readers with their stories and detailed writing, full of vivid depictions of nature/society/feelings/grief.
December 8, 2020
Its almost “The Beauty and the Beast” but with more chapters, like epilogue and second epilogue.
First i didnt like the heroine, she was a pursuer, but...
Then later i understand her.
I advice you to have some Kleenex nearby.
First i didnt like the heroine, she was a pursuer, but...
Then later i understand her.
I advice you to have some Kleenex nearby.
August 29, 2022
I finished 1st part (Book One) and I think I'm good. My rating is based only on this first part as I heard the plot goes downhill in the second part.
Nice beauty and the beast story, with the heroine being both cool and TSTL.
Nice beauty and the beast story, with the heroine being both cool and TSTL.
August 12, 2023
Book one was 4 stars, book two was 2 stars
Read
January 15, 2023I'm now a strung out mess but damn that was worth it.
October 1, 2018
Laura sudah mencintai Alex sejak dia masih kecil. Kecacatan fisik Alex tidak mengubah cintanya pada Alex. Laura nekad menyamar menjadi pelayan bahkan menyodorkan keperawanannya pada Earl of Cardiff yang menakutkan dan penyendiri ini. Hingga saat pernikahan mereka, terungkaplah bhw Laura sudah menyamar sebelumnya. Alex ingin menyingkirkan Laura, namun wanita ini dgn gigih mengabaikan penolakan Alex. Akhirnya Alex menyerah dan mulai mencintai wanita ini yang membuat hatinya bersinar-sinar.
Hingga datanglah penugasan dari William Pitt, sang Perdana Menteri, yang menugaskan Alex utk memimpin armada kapal laut melawan koalisi Perancis dan Spanyol. Malang tak dapat ditolak, Alex dinyatakan tewas, dan Laura mengalami keguguran, bayinya mati.
2 tahun Laura hidup enggan matipun tak mau, dibayangi kesedihan kehilangan suami yang sangat dicintainya dan bayinya, hingga dia bertemu seorang duchess, yg mengajaknya utk mengasuh anak-anak yatim piatu. Tetapi Sang Dengki dlm wujud Elaine, Dowager Earl of Cardiff (istri almarhum ayah Alex) masih membayangi Laura dan bertekad meruntuhkan dan mengambil kekayaan warisan Cardiff dgn segala cara. Saat Elaine mengetahui anak tirinya masih hidup, dia tak akan membiarkan kebahagiaan menghampiri Alex dan Laura.
Ini pertama kali saya membaca karya author, dan sangat disayangkan SUPER ANGSTY SEKALI. Repetitif-nya luar biasa banyaknya. Padahal setting cerita sudah bagus, mendekati sejarah yang sebenarnya, yaitu George III yg terkenal sebagai raja yang gila, baru saja menduduki takhtanya. Juga William Pitt yg kembali menjadi PM mengumumkan perang melawan koalisi Perancis - Spanyol. Dramatisasi novel ini melelahkan saya yg membacanya. Mungkin kalau diedit, hanya tinggal berjumlah 400an hlm terjemahan.
Saya akui kebesaran hati dan loyalitas Laura sangat mengagumkan, dia tidak bisa diprovokasi oleh Elaine yg jahat dan mesum. Laura tidak pernah tergoda oleh glamornya kota London selama menjanda. Tetapi karakter Alex yg buruk rupa tidak bisa menggugah rasa iba pada diri saya. Alex tampaknya mengalami keberuntungan luar biasa, Dewi Fortuna menaunginya selalu. Sulit bagi saya utk kagum pada Alex tetapi saya juga tidak sampai hati utk membencinya. itu saja pendapat saya.
Hingga datanglah penugasan dari William Pitt, sang Perdana Menteri, yang menugaskan Alex utk memimpin armada kapal laut melawan koalisi Perancis dan Spanyol. Malang tak dapat ditolak, Alex dinyatakan tewas, dan Laura mengalami keguguran, bayinya mati.
2 tahun Laura hidup enggan matipun tak mau, dibayangi kesedihan kehilangan suami yang sangat dicintainya dan bayinya, hingga dia bertemu seorang duchess, yg mengajaknya utk mengasuh anak-anak yatim piatu. Tetapi Sang Dengki dlm wujud Elaine, Dowager Earl of Cardiff (istri almarhum ayah Alex) masih membayangi Laura dan bertekad meruntuhkan dan mengambil kekayaan warisan Cardiff dgn segala cara. Saat Elaine mengetahui anak tirinya masih hidup, dia tak akan membiarkan kebahagiaan menghampiri Alex dan Laura.
Ini pertama kali saya membaca karya author, dan sangat disayangkan SUPER ANGSTY SEKALI. Repetitif-nya luar biasa banyaknya. Padahal setting cerita sudah bagus, mendekati sejarah yang sebenarnya, yaitu George III yg terkenal sebagai raja yang gila, baru saja menduduki takhtanya. Juga William Pitt yg kembali menjadi PM mengumumkan perang melawan koalisi Perancis - Spanyol. Dramatisasi novel ini melelahkan saya yg membacanya. Mungkin kalau diedit, hanya tinggal berjumlah 400an hlm terjemahan.
Saya akui kebesaran hati dan loyalitas Laura sangat mengagumkan, dia tidak bisa diprovokasi oleh Elaine yg jahat dan mesum. Laura tidak pernah tergoda oleh glamornya kota London selama menjanda. Tetapi karakter Alex yg buruk rupa tidak bisa menggugah rasa iba pada diri saya. Alex tampaknya mengalami keberuntungan luar biasa, Dewi Fortuna menaunginya selalu. Sulit bagi saya utk kagum pada Alex tetapi saya juga tidak sampai hati utk membencinya. itu saja pendapat saya.
June 24, 2009
I think the story idea for Tapestry had great potential, however this is one of Ranney's earlier books - it was her first to be published but the second one she wrote - and it shows. In my opinion, she just wasn't as good a writer or storyteller as she has now become, because I have absolutely adored the more recent books of hers that I have read.
MAIN CHARACTERS, Alex and Laura:
*SPOILER STARTS* The hero was heartbreakingly wonderful and the heroine's despair when she thinks Alex is dead and then miscarries was poignantly written and extremely tragic. Pre-tragedy Laura was a little too sugar-sweet for me; at the beginning of the book when she undertakes the charade to get into his household, she seems to have real backbone and be very courageous, but once they marry, I found her somewhat boring. *SPOILER ENDS*
OTHER CHARACTERS:
The added character of the evil stepmother was unnecessary in my opinion - Alex suffered SO much before the story takes place and then Laura suffers even more during it, so I felt that there were enough obstacles and tragedies without adding in a cruel, promiscuous, unfeeling backstabbing ... witch. I loved Laura's uncles; Dolly, who is a late addition to the cast of characters, was a treat.
CRITICISM:
I actually (GASP - seriously, this is extremely rare/unheard of for me) found myself skimming through portions of the book in the middle; I can't really explain why, except for I was somewhat bored by the story and didn't really find it compelling anymore - there was nothing to really grab you and make you *need* to read what happens. *Extremely annoying* was Ranney's POV shifts - they were not at all done smoothly and went back and forth so much that I found myself very confused, feeling like I was watching a doubles tennis match with three balls in play.
BOTTOM LINE:
Unfortunately, although it did have some great parts - the beginning and the ending were very strong, compelling, and emotional - it just isn't really worth plodding through. Instead, read some of her more recent books that truly show her talent: Till Next We Meet is fantastic and An Unlikely Governess is highly enjoyable.
MAIN CHARACTERS, Alex and Laura:
*SPOILER STARTS* The hero was heartbreakingly wonderful and the heroine's despair when she thinks Alex is dead and then miscarries was poignantly written and extremely tragic. Pre-tragedy Laura was a little too sugar-sweet for me; at the beginning of the book when she undertakes the charade to get into his household, she seems to have real backbone and be very courageous, but once they marry, I found her somewhat boring. *SPOILER ENDS*
OTHER CHARACTERS:
The added character of the evil stepmother was unnecessary in my opinion - Alex suffered SO much before the story takes place and then Laura suffers even more during it, so I felt that there were enough obstacles and tragedies without adding in a cruel, promiscuous, unfeeling backstabbing ... witch. I loved Laura's uncles; Dolly, who is a late addition to the cast of characters, was a treat.
CRITICISM:
I actually (GASP - seriously, this is extremely rare/unheard of for me) found myself skimming through portions of the book in the middle; I can't really explain why, except for I was somewhat bored by the story and didn't really find it compelling anymore - there was nothing to really grab you and make you *need* to read what happens. *Extremely annoying* was Ranney's POV shifts - they were not at all done smoothly and went back and forth so much that I found myself very confused, feeling like I was watching a doubles tennis match with three balls in play.
BOTTOM LINE:
Unfortunately, although it did have some great parts - the beginning and the ending were very strong, compelling, and emotional - it just isn't really worth plodding through. Instead, read some of her more recent books that truly show her talent: Till Next We Meet is fantastic and An Unlikely Governess is highly enjoyable.
August 13, 2011
I'm not sure why I bought this, I know it was one of my earliest Smashwords purchases and today I finally got around to reading this little gem. According to my ebook reader it's about 265 pages at my preferred fontsize of 14pt - and it uses these pages ably.
The first nice thing is that this is one of the rarities, a Georgian romance, fairly well researched (I do not believe that Laura could have inherited Heddon Hall unencumbered at that time, with a house that is from the 12th century there would certainly have been an entail on that, if not on the money).
But the meat is not in a winsome, and lovely courtship of adoring childhood beauty and badly hurt in body and spirit former soldier - it is in the aspect of dealing with grief, and how much grief and loss of hope one person can bear and what to do when there is no hope left and you still have to live - which is why the contrast of Alex's original condition and the things that Laura had to live through was so striking.
I'm not sure why the scheming mercenary of a stepmother or her lover were even necessary to the story, their roles could have been easily filled by someone else (although that James Atkins guy was certainly intriguing and I thought he might have been sequel bait, if I could find any sign of a follow-up to this first novel of the author on her site).
Lovely were the little portrayals of Laura's uncles (each very much his own person and indispensable to the story), of Dolly and Maggie the housemaid and of William Pitt. I have never lived through such a loss as Laura had yet, so I can't comment on how much this came close to the truth of such a tragedy, but the author made me feel it intensely, as well as the numbness and the eventual reorientation to cope with the loss.
Really what this book is about a young girl growing to be an adult woman and learning to weigh how much she is willing to risk to find joy again. The ending was a bit saccharine with the reversal of the original roles and a bit too rushed (another 50 pages would have been more in line with the previous development, I thought).
If you want to read an emotional satisfying tearjerker in Georgian times, which - while heaving a HEA - does not miraculously cure all ills of the participating couple at the end, this is money well spent.
The first nice thing is that this is one of the rarities, a Georgian romance, fairly well researched (I do not believe that Laura could have inherited Heddon Hall unencumbered at that time, with a house that is from the 12th century there would certainly have been an entail on that, if not on the money).
But the meat is not in a winsome, and lovely courtship of adoring childhood beauty and badly hurt in body and spirit former soldier - it is in the aspect of dealing with grief, and how much grief and loss of hope one person can bear and what to do when there is no hope left and you still have to live - which is why the contrast of Alex's original condition and the things that Laura had to live through was so striking.
I'm not sure why the scheming mercenary of a stepmother or her lover were even necessary to the story, their roles could have been easily filled by someone else (although that James Atkins guy was certainly intriguing and I thought he might have been sequel bait, if I could find any sign of a follow-up to this first novel of the author on her site).
Lovely were the little portrayals of Laura's uncles (each very much his own person and indispensable to the story), of Dolly and Maggie the housemaid and of William Pitt. I have never lived through such a loss as Laura had yet, so I can't comment on how much this came close to the truth of such a tragedy, but the author made me feel it intensely, as well as the numbness and the eventual reorientation to cope with the loss.
Really what this book is about a young girl growing to be an adult woman and learning to weigh how much she is willing to risk to find joy again. The ending was a bit saccharine with the reversal of the original roles and a bit too rushed (another 50 pages would have been more in line with the previous development, I thought).
If you want to read an emotional satisfying tearjerker in Georgian times, which - while heaving a HEA - does not miraculously cure all ills of the participating couple at the end, this is money well spent.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2014
5 stars for book 1 + 3 stars for book 2 = 4 stars total
So I'm a reader who loves dialogue and character heavy stories so the fist part (or "book") of this story was fun and exciting with the banter and the in-your-face heroine. She's that heroine who fell in love with her older neighbor and went around saying she'll marry him someday as a child, but then her childhood crush turned into a woman's love as she got older. I had a little hard time with this in the beginning because I thought she would be one of those starry-eyed girls who saw nothing but her "love" for the hero even though he hasn't been around as she grew older. But Ranney did a great job of showing me that this heroine went into it with open eyes and was ready to fight for her love- like a mature woman. The hero was lovely, even to the bitter end.. oh just swoon-worthy. We get to fall in love with the heroine's crush-turned-love right along with her.
The second part of this story was super emotional and a very interesting read, but had more inner dialogue then I normally like. . However emotional the roller coaster was though I did feel like it was dragged out a little too long. It's a double-edge sword: spend time conveying the extreme emotions of the character versus losing your audience when it comes a little to long. Ah whatever I'm being picky because book 2 meant less romance, but I guess the ending truly did make up for it:)
So I'm a reader who loves dialogue and character heavy stories so the fist part (or "book") of this story was fun and exciting with the banter and the in-your-face heroine. She's that heroine who fell in love with her older neighbor and went around saying she'll marry him someday as a child, but then her childhood crush turned into a woman's love as she got older. I had a little hard time with this in the beginning because I thought she would be one of those starry-eyed girls who saw nothing but her "love" for the hero even though he hasn't been around as she grew older. But Ranney did a great job of showing me that this heroine went into it with open eyes and was ready to fight for her love- like a mature woman. The hero was lovely, even to the bitter end.. oh just swoon-worthy. We get to fall in love with the heroine's crush-turned-love right along with her.
The second part of this story was super emotional and a very interesting read, but had more inner dialogue then I normally like. . However emotional the roller coaster was though I did feel like it was dragged out a little too long. It's a double-edge sword: spend time conveying the extreme emotions of the character versus losing your audience when it comes a little to long. Ah whatever I'm being picky because book 2 meant less romance, but I guess the ending truly did make up for it:)
June 15, 2013
I was not interested in reading “Tapestry” but after reading many of the reviews I did, which was a mistake. I did not like this book at all. I hated the fact that after they got together the hero went off on some dumb mission and she thought he was dead and she lost their baby. I like happier ending, this was just too sad for me.
abandonados-para-no-volver
January 15, 2015DFI 32%
No me gustó lo que leí hasta ahora. No me creo el amor que siente Laura por Alex. Y siento que la mala malísima será más mala aún. Según leo en las reseñas, es drama, tras drama, tras drama. Hasta aquí llegué.
No me gustó lo que leí hasta ahora. No me creo el amor que siente Laura por Alex. Y siento que la mala malísima será más mala aún. Según leo en las reseñas, es drama, tras drama, tras drama. Hasta aquí llegué.
July 12, 2016
There is nothing really wrong with the book, it's all good but it just isn't that fun to read. Ranney tells you the story instead of letting you experience it.
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