Bodice Ripper Readers Anonymous discussion

Ok, trying here is well. I hope I am posting it in the right folder. Sorry if that is not the case.

Book addict says: Book possibly early 80s.

Setting was in a castle type of building. The H was the king or head of the castle. The h was a servant. I remember the H did not like his brothers servant girlfriend so he pulled her into his room and checked that she was a virgin, this girl then hanged herself in the castle stairway. His brother was mad.

The h was accused of stealing jewelry. She denied it. The H said she could admit that she stole the jewelry or would receive 15 lashes of the whip. She refused. She was taken out into the whipping area and I remember the man who would administer the lashes didn't want to but she told him it was ok. The H turns away and cant watch after so many. Then I think he got to 11 and the lasher refused to give anymore.

The h is taken to the houses outside the castle and is extremely sick and almost dies. She ends up meeting the H again, I think he says he is sorry for the lashes.

I think I can't forget the book because of the 15 lashes of the whip. I would like to read it again to see if it is anything like I remember it. If you can help I would appreciate it. Thanks


Original post: http://www.amazon.com/forum/romance/r...

I hope you can help identify this book.

Thank you very much in advance.

Jenny

It sounds like This Other Eden by Marilyn Harris. There are similar scenes but occur for different reasons. If I'm wrong, it's a great book regardless.

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/10...

I second This Other Eden.

I remember the H did not like his brothers servant girlfriend so he pulled her into his room and checked that she was a virgin, this girl then hanged herself in the castle stairway. His brother was mad.

That sort of sounds like a confused recollection of the subplot with William Beckford, where (view spoiler)[the hero gives Beckford a virgin for the night and Beckford apparently does so many degrading things that she hangs herself in the morning. (hide spoiler)]

Where the heroine almost dies in the houses outside the castle...Marianne is tossed into the tannery building, I think. Lots of description of the smells. Spending a night locked in the building with the fumes nearly kills her.

And the H I think has her lashed on a trumped up charge rather than admit that the real reason she's getting whipped is because she told him to go eff himself and kicked him in the nuts.

I agree that its This Other Eden, this is the part that stuck in my head for a long time after reading it.

Thank you very much girls. I forwarded your suggestion. I'll let your know hwat the OP says.

Unfortunately that is not the book the OP is looking for. Thank you again.

Hmm, then I have no clue. Good luck to her.

Yeah..got me stumped on that one then...sure had all the drama of This Other Eden.

I'd like to know what other book has all those plot points. Then I could tell which author ripped off whom. Because they sound so identical. However, I kinda think it IS the book in question, but anyway...

More info from the OP. She thinks it might be medieval.

She says: It isn't Dream of me by Josie Litton. The H was up in the castle window. The h really was lashed til she passed out about 11 lashes. When she was strapped to the pole the guy had to tear her dress down the back and she was ashamed. The h also had long hair and after a few lashes some of it came down the whip pulled her hair so he had to stop and tuck her hair. After she passed out the guy giving the lashes looked at the window with disgust and threw the whip down and said he was through. I believe the audience was quiet after the first few lashes.

It is not:

The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce
Hearts Aflame by Johanna Lindsey

LOL! You just described the whipping scene in This Other Eden. I'm positive it's the book she's looking for. She's just probably mixed up some of the events with another book.

Here are some passages from that scene. It might trigger a memory, eh?

Ragland watched with the others as she made the long walk, knowing with them that he was witnessing something unusual. He saw her approach the whipping oak as though it were little more than a Maypole and this was the most incredible of, all—approach Jack Spade with a small white extended hand.

She spoke, her voice light as the breeze though carrying effortlessly in the enclosed courtyard. "Good morning, Jack. I hope you are well."

Under the duress of the moment, Ragland saw the large, greatly feared man turn away and throw his whip to the ground.

Then Spade must have seen something at the window of the upper bedchamber, for within the moment Ragland saw him straighten himself, retrieve his whip, and go about his business for which he was fed, clothed, and housed. ...

...Further, she knew that Jack Spade would feel badly about tearing her dress and baring her back, and she comforted him with a whispered, "It's all right. Do it quickly, a clean tear that can be mended." He obliged, as she knew he would, cursing beneath his breath, sniffing as though he were suffering a cold.

...What she then said was merely the shortest way to a quick dismissal. "I forgive you. Jack." The big man groaned as though he were the one tied to the oak, and within the instant she heard him step back, heard the whip whistle upward into the air.

Then, number one...

...On the count of eight the whip caught in her long trailing hair and jerked her head further backward, and for a moment she was forced to stare straight upward into heaven...

...Safe in his upper bedchamber, in the confinement of a hot white nightshirt, Thomas Eden stood at the window and endured number five. Then he turned quickly away in search of brandy. Damn her! Damn the girl!

...Thomas looked more closely at the pinned, white, bleeding back. His eyes grew fearful at the sight of what he had done. Perhaps he had gone too far. He might in time have confirmed her loyalty, wooed and won her, and led her skillfully to his bed.

Now she would be ruined for all time, her back scarred, her virginity worse than useless. Even men who had been publicly whipped acquired an unrecorded look, as though they were being tried by the continuous blows of an unseen adversary. If they survived, they wore an unwilling set of features, they became old without reward, generally dying young.

Then what would it do to her? In a sudden agony he again felt compelled to turn away. Remorse invaded him. His eyes scanned the scene below him as he saw that it was blessedly over. Jack Spade dragged his whip through the air for the last time, then hurled it angrily into space and ran off down the narrow wind which led to the Servants' Hall. Thomas knew he would be drunk within the hour...

Thank you Julz, I forwarded your excerpt.

LOL I can se how the OP thinks it was a medieval since Eden has a total medieval mindset even though it's 1798.

Thanks for posting that, Julz. That scene made me want to have babies with that book when I read it. You could feeeeeeel everything. :)

IKR?! I'm ready to pick it up and read it again. :D

I would too if I still had my copy (currently on loan to my sister *glares in her general direction*)

The original poster,Book addict, says:

"This passage sounds like it. I'm going to have to buy this book to see. The earlier summary of This Other Eden did not sound correct.
The only part that doesn't sound right is the comments that the H thinks. During the whipping I remember we were hearing her thoughts, how she didn't know if she could stand it, etc.
Someone did hide the jewelry but I thought it was another servant. I can't remember why. Sorry.

Book addict says:
I purchased the book will get it Thursday. Will let you know if this is the book."

I cut out a lot. I just put the highlights of stuff that was mentioned before. I'll give you some more (I don't even need and excuse to read more ;D)

Then, number one. The'leather struck her back and took her breath away, a sharp snap which left a burning sensation and drove her forward against the oak. Her eyes watered.

While she was still recovering from the first, the second came. The fingers of her bound hands clawed at the air. Reflexively her head turned into the oak, scraping her forehead. She was still in the process of catching her breath

when the third came, bringing a new wave of pain. She cried out and pressed closer to the oak as if brought to movement by the blows themselves, her knees buckling, but her body still held rigid by her bondage.

She was unprepared for number four. Her breasts, caught in the press of her own body, felt raw. What was that sound? The whip lifting again? But she wasn't ready yet. Out of the comer of her watering eyes she saw Jack Spade angling his body into the descent, a whir, a snap, then—

Again she was driven forward, as though the whip were insisting she become a part of the oak. Her back burned as though someone were holding a torch to it. Again the breath caught in her throat and she gagged on her own saliva, her helpless hands clutching at nothing, looking back at the faces staring at her, looking safely, for all were a blur.

Only five? Dear God, help, not five more. She could not endure it. As she was contemplating her ability to endure, she suffered number six. Her head shot forward in a grinding coUision with the oak. Her legs gave away. Her whole body shook. As from a great distance she heard a woman scream, "Enough!"

Then came seven, cruelly, for instead of pushing her over the edge into blessed imconsciousness, it seemed to revive her. She caught a shallow breath in her lungs and found the strength to stand on her feet, thus relieving the pressure on her arms. Her eyes cleared. She saw Jenny Top-pinger collapsed in the arms of several women. The sight of the familiar face only added to the pain. She closed her eyes while her arms tried to move upward in a gesture of defense. But she could not alter in any way her vulnerability to the whip, which was Ufting again, slicing downward through the air. Under its impact she jerked upward, her head fell backward, the small determined chin scraping bark, something cool and hquid running down her back.

Surely it was over. Why so vast a distance between seven and eight, a worldspan of time, of waiting, seeing, focusing on her left on a small boy grinning at her?

On the count of eight the whip caught in her long trailing hair and jerked her head further backward, and for a moment she was forced to stare straight upward into heaven. Her lips moved wordlessly as she struggled to digest the pain, the sensation of the skin being torn from her

back. Her hands were numb, still grasping at air, her tongue slipping backward into her throat, threatening suffocation. She was in her extremity now, dangling there, counting the ages between seconds, hearing women crying all about her.

Someone was whispering in her ear, pushing her head gently forward. Her tongue rolled helplessly about her mouth. A man's gruff experienced voice suggested that she give in. "Don't fight it, Marianne. Let the oak take it.'* Then the tortured male voice moved back from its mindless advice and the whip Hfted again, again came furiously down. The thickness of the tongue prohibited either speech or outcry. Her mind reeled under the damage being done to her back, the very bones of her spine felt exposed. A leaf of darkness had fallen across her eyes. Her fear of the whistling sound was as great as the lash itself. A high price for dignity, purchased with blood.

Her distracted mind lost count, drowned in grief that she had so hopelessly underestimated the oceanic distance between one and ten. At five, she might have endured, perhaps six. But beyond that there was only unendurance, an awful estrangement in her bowels, ribs pressing against flesh.

Tears ran openly down her face. One more. Number nine? The bright light of morning faded. The grinning child stepped closer, curious.

She was not aware of number ten. As the whip whistled upward, she felt her heart murdered, her body swung limp in its swing, and her mind swept into a still quiet place where it sat and prayed.

"Once I was. Now I can rest."

Ok Juloz4..Im ready to pull this book out again:D

The original poster, Book addict says:'

Just read This Other Eden and I hate to say but that isn't the book. I've never read this book before. It does have some strange similarities but it isn't the correct book. I so hoped it would be.

Sandi *~The Pirate Wench~* wrote: "Ok Juloz4..Im ready to pull this book out again:D"

It's soooooo gooooood!

JennyG wrote: "
The original poster, Book addict says:'

Just read This Other Eden and I hate to say but that isn't the book. I've never read this book before. It does have some strange similarities but it isn..."

I've got to know what this other book is (at least so I can read it! ;D)

interesting, I'ld be interested in this other book too. reading the posts I need to read TOE again too, loved it!

Im real curious as to what this book is too...hmmmm

Karla (Mossy Love Grotto) wrote: "LOL I can se how the OP thinks it was a medieval since Eden has a total medieval mindset even though it's 1798.

Thanks for posting that, Julz. That scene made me want to have babies with that book..."

I feel like I'm being psychologically profiled....with EVERY gesture/response/confrontation. :O My soul feels so naked. She doesn't let you build a defense!

Have you found the title yet? I have read this book. I just can't think of the title I will have to go through my list to see if It comes to mind. I will check and see if I can get the title for you.

No, it hasn't been found yet. Thank you. I hope you can figure it our.

Hi Jenny
Has the original poster tried The Conqueror by Brenda Joyce.

None of the plot seems similar to The Conqueror to me (spoilers : there was a whipping scene but it was for treason iirc)

Ab wrote: "None of the plot seems similar to The Conqueror to me (spoilers : there was a whipping scene but it was for treason iirc)"

Yes I read that. I also figured since she def remember the 15 lashes part then she could be off a little about the other part. See that's what part I remember most was the lashes part and him having them done. But the jewelry part isn't ringing a bell. I've read the book.

It could be, also in The Conqueror Rolf's brothers are only mentioned in one scene with Ceidra and they don't feature in the story but like you said, maybe the OP is thinking of two different books?

I know. I can think about the book that I read and it seems like it was on a ship and not a castle.

Im dying to know what this book is!

bump. This is still on my mind

Still hoping someone might recognize this.

Passion's Slave by Kay McMahon maybe? It wasn't a medieval, but there was a whipping scene.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Liberty Tavern by Thomas J. Fleming has a whipping scene.

The American Revolution is love and hate. It is a beautiful woman, flogged for loving a Royalist. It is a young idealist who murders in the cause of liberty.

The War of Independence is a family affair if you are Jonathan Gifford -- and the woman is your stepdaughter and the idealist your stepson. And if, at the crossroads of the revolution where leaders meet, profiteers connive and rival armies pursue each other with burning and pillaging, stands the inn you own.

this sounds quite a bit like 'this other eden' by marilyn harris...10 lashes,

This Other Eden has been suggested several times, but the OP says she NEVER read that book.

JennyG wrote: "This Other Eden has been suggested several times, but the OP says she NEVER read that book."

I thought they read it and clarified that it wasn't the book in question. Either way, I WANT to get my hands on that unknown book! >:D I'm in agreement with Karla; someone did some plagiarizing somewhere. lol XD

i'm curious to know the book , it must be really old and forgotten paperback

I kinda wonder if it's a Julie Garwood book. Not certain but is there a whipping scene in Honor's Splendor?

Thank you for your suggestion Stephanie, but it is definitely NOT a Julie Garwood book.

LOL :) No offense, Stephanie, but an h would never be whipped in a Julie Garwood book. Wasn't there a whipping scene in Whitney, My Love? I'll look it up and get back to you. :)

The h is whipped in "The Conqueror" by Brenda Joyce.

Gloria wrote: "LOL :) No offense, Stephanie, but an h would never be whipped in a Julie Garwood book. Wasn't there a whipping scene in Whitney, My Love? I'll look it up and get back to you. :)"

Over his lap, not tied to a tree.

God now that book became a challenge , hehe ,