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Enter one handsome blond and muscular Warrick de Chaville, Lord Faulkhurst who is kidnapped by Gilbert's men thinking that he is a lowly serf. He is sent back to Gilbert's castle and chained to a bed. Rowena must now seduce him and lie with him until she conceives a child. If she does not do as she is told Gilbert will kill her mother. So Rowena sets out to seduce the handsome Lord who is at all times chained to the bed. In fact she she literally rapes him for three nights in a row until she she finds an opportunity to set him free on the third night. Warrick has never been so humiliated in his life and tries to resist Rowena's charms but his body betrays him.

On his release Warrick returns to capture Rowena and now the tables are turned. He treats her like for like and ties her to his bed and seduces her until her body betrays her and she gives in to his sensous touches.

However, as the days passes, Warrick finds himself being attracted to the wench and can no longer find it in himself to do her harm. Rowena learns of Warrick's hurtful past and also finds herself being attracted to the arrogant but handsome Lord. Will they find it in each other to forgive the other for their unforgiveable deeds?

Be warned this book is not written to be politically correct as the hero and the heroine both rape each other. However, the "rape" scenes are written in such a way that they can hardly be considered rape scenes as both parties seem to enjoy being seduced by the other. I myself found the scenes quite sexy but this is purely fantasy and in a real life situation I would be completely appalled. Still this was an enjoyable read as long as you considered it just as fiction and not get too emotionally involved with the rape scenes.

Lealing


Be Warned: Provocative Medieval Romance   July 1, 2004
"Prisoner of My Desire" was pretty shocking to me the first time I read it about 10 years ago. I was a teenager then, and a HUGE fan of Johanna Lindsey, so I couldn't understand why she would write a romance about a man and woman raping each other. Needless to say, this book went on my list of "never to read again" obscurity. Luckily, I threw away that list!!!

I just reread "Prisoner" and, to my absolute surprise, enjoyed it immensely. It is a provocative book, but the rape scenes weren't as outrageous as I remembered (actually, they're pretty hot). The heroine Rowena is the one who starts raping Warrick, after all. Not because she wants to, of course, but because she is the victim of her scheming brother's greed and either has to straddle manly Warrick or watch her mother die. What would you do?

To say the least, Prisoner is one of JL's more steamy romances. I think half the book takes place in bed somewhere. Rowena and Warrick are fun characters, too, both with strong, likable personalities. It's hard not to like everyone in this book. Even Gilbert, the bad guy, has redeemable traits.

My biggest criticism of "Prisoner" is how closely related plot- and character-wise it is to JL's earlier work, "So Speaks the Heart." Both are medieval romances, both have blond lovers, both revolve around the knight treating the lady like a slave because of something bad involving the lady's brother, and both deal with pregnancies. However, "Prisoner" is the better book of the two, with stronger characters and a more intriguing storyline.

I personally would recommend "Prisoner" any day as a great medieval romance. However, if it sounds like too violent a book for you, read "So Speaks the Heart" or Lindsey's other medieval novels "When Love Awaits," "Defy Not the Heart," or "Joining." If you're in the mood for time travel to the medieval period, read JL's "Until Forever," about a gorgeous Viking with a cursed sword.


~ Was Not Disappointed ~   May 19, 2004
This is my second book that I have read by Johanna Lindsey, this is also my first time reading this book, I have notice that so many have reread this book a couple of times, I have heard so many good things about this book, just now I had to see what all the fuss was about and now that I read it for myself, and I know why this book has capture readers. A very enjoyable book, from the start I fell in love with Warrick, you could feel the love he had for Rowena, I wouldn't mind being Warrick prisoner of Desire LOL :)
I am looking forward to reading more of Johanna Lindsey's books.

Happy Reading
Lisa


I have re-read this so many times!   March 10, 2004
I can't believe it has taken me so long to get around to reviewing this great book, as it has been on my keeper shelf for years. I read through some of the negative reviews here, and really have to wonder if some of these folks bothered to read the back of the book before they read it, because they act like they had no idea what was going to happen to Warrick in the beginning. There was no way JL could have sugar-coated it, people, it was rape, period. Was it fun to read? Of course not, but what is gripping about this book is their relationship once he is free and has Rowena under his control. He could have treated her so much worse, and it is difficult going for a while, but they couldn't just fall in love right away. That wouldn't have made sense given their situation. I think Lindsey does an incredible job with the pacing of the progression of their feelings, so to me it was very believable when they finally do realize how much they care for one another. This is a dark romance with disturbing subject matter, but as long as you understand that going in you may well be as pleased as I was with the outcome.


One of my favorites   August 23, 2003
This is one of my all-time favorite JL books, and is near to falling apart on my keeper shelf. I have read all of the reviews that rant about how awful the forced sex is in this book, but I believe JL *wants* us to be horrified. We should be shocked that a woman could be so desperate that she would tie a man up and take advantage of his natural responses. And we should be upset that he exacts a similar (but not hurtful) revenge on her - because we live in a time when women have equality and are not driven to such measures. But this novel is set in the very distant past, where people could find themselves in such a situation. If you insist on applying 21st century morals to a 12th century plot, you are setting yourself up for disappointment. That these two can end up in love despite all they put each other through is a wonderful romantic story and a testament to JL's talent.