Captive Eden by Brenda Williamson
Historical Romance Novella
June 5, 2014
Ellora’s Cave
Reviewed by Sheena
Blurb: On the western prairies of Nebraska, Eden befriends the handsome Pawnee half-breed Indian, Brant. Over the years, he treats her with unrelenting respect and they fall madly in love, vowing to be together forever. But when Eden’s father discovers she’s with child, he sends her away.
When Eden returns home with her son to settle her dead father’s affairs, it challenges everything she left behind. Brant shows up to lay claim to his son, his feelings for her lost in his anger toward Eden’s betrayal and abandonment.
Despite the tensions between them, Eden and Brant share an undeniable attraction. Their tentative bond could be shattered when a tragic injury befalls their son.
Sooo…historical romance…check. Hot Native American Hero – check….beautiful heroine- check…child born under seemingly impossible circumstances- check…smexy times a plenty…check-check. I LIVE for this literary cotton candy historical romancy- smancy stuff….only….but…but…only….this didn’t ring my bells…and I had em out front and center waiting to be clanged upon!
I think it started with the beginning, it was a bit of a clumsy and awkward start and I had trouble connecting to the heroine (always a sign o- trouble for me). It didn’t take me long to be #TeamBrant and not much care if he kicked her off his horse and trotted off with his son into the sunset. I know…ouch right?
Eden’s back story begs for you to sympathize with her and you do for the most part. But there is a nagging part of you that wants her to stop whimpering about, pull up her boot straps and well take ownership and stop waiting for things to friggin happen to her or for her.
Why Brant lost touch with her is revealed slowly and when you find out why you are even more endeared to him. The author wrote her hero quite well. All of his actions and reactions believable and sparks emotion…I would not have minded more on his life on the reservation one bit.
Though there was much wrong .. I found no fault when Brant and Eden got down to business:
“Brant let out a low rumble of a groan.
She took him into her mouth, enjoying his pleased sounds. Then Brant leaned toward her and pushed her back to the ground.
“You can practice fondling me another time,” he said hoarsely positioning himself between her legs.
He eased down and nudged her dampened opening with his stiff maleness. She clutched his sides and stared into his love-filled eyes. He didn’t say anything more, prodding her sex and then penetrating her swiftly…his thrusts gained speed and she bucked with the eager thrill of finally feeling like his woman again.”
I will say that maybe midway through, the author hit a stride of sorts and I began to enjoy her voice as opposed to just trying to get through the story. I sometimes make allowances for novellas…but even turning a blind eye to some of the awkward editing and scene transitions, there was a certain umph missing. Captive Eden had less than 80 pages to intrigue me, and too many of those pages were squandered with a too late in the game big reveal that threw the story in a weird direction…let’s just say I like a good plot twist- but it really just needs to be a twist…not a completely different, off the wall convolution that had me making frowny faces as I read the rest of the story.
I also need novellas to wrap up nice and neatly. This ended and welp, just that- there were no more words and pages. I didn’t really feel like I got the end of the tale. Just a ‘The End‘ smacked at the end of the last scene. I mean I suspect there was an HEA… *shrugs*
Grade: C
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