Helpful Score: 16
I didn't think any book could have a more emotional ending than the Lover or Outlander. Was i ever wrong! Gabriel's Woman was so gut-wrenching that I had to stop reading several times. But it's even better than the Lover. It's about Michael's friend Gabriel and it also continues Michael's and Anne's story and tells you what happened to them. It had some really horrifying parts, though. I'd call it an erotic thriller rather than a romance. The sex is very graphic and hot, wet, grunting sweating sex, not the romanticized kind you often find in romance novels. You'll find no polite euphamisms here. If you are highly sensitive or easily offended you probably won't like it. But it really plays on the emotions and if you liked the Lover I think you'll love Gabriel's Woman. What I found particularly touching was the friendship between the two men Michael and Gabriel and how they are willing to lay down their lives for each other. Since this is the story of Gabriel trying to track down and kill his rapist, there are also some disturbing descriptions of male rape as well as some rather grisly violence.
Helpful Score: 9
A little more graphic and violent than everyday romance novels, but very well written and great character exploration. I would reccomend trying this author at least once, but she might not be for everyone.
Helpful Score: 9
I LOVED this one. You can't help but feel for Gabriel. I found it very emotional...I even cried.
Helpful Score: 5
Excellent book but challenging. Because of a horribly abusive past Gabriel cannot stand to be touched. Victoria has nothing left to her but her virtue. When driven by hunger she puts it up for auction. Gabriel purchases it, but for what purpose if he will not touch her? This book is a sequel and is best read after reading The Lover.
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book!
An intriguing storyline, well sculpted characters, triumph, tragedy, REALLY hot sex, and a heartwarming ending. What more could I ask for. Be warned, this book is not for the faint of heart.
An intriguing storyline, well sculpted characters, triumph, tragedy, REALLY hot sex, and a heartwarming ending. What more could I ask for. Be warned, this book is not for the faint of heart.
Helpful Score: 3
Story: 5
Romance: 4.5
Overall rating: 4.75
I write this review having just moments ago finished this book. I am surprised to find myself choked with emotion. I was not enjoying this book as much as The Lover until about midway through the book. It is hard to read about Gabriel's pain yet I felt compelled to know what he had been through and if he could put his demons behind him. (By the way, I was very glad I had just finished The Lover last month so the references to the villains and the devastating history of the two men made sense. I strongly recommend reading them in order.)
Halfway through the book, I thought I preferred The Lover, but by its conclusion, I knew I preferred this story. Both are haunting, riveting, disturbing, passionate and erotic. Perhaps it is the intensity of Gabriel's rage and heartbreak that make his journey so gripping.
This style of writing is very raw--not at all like a sweet Regency romance novel. The graphic portrayals of desire, sex, revenge and catharsis may make some readers uncomfortable. Her writing is so gut-wrenching that I admit I could not read Ms. Schone every day--it would be too draining.
If a great writer is one who can grab the imagination of the reader and take her to places she never even knew she wanted to go, Ms. Schone is a great writer. I am already placing my order for the next Schone book on my list...
Romance: 4.5
Overall rating: 4.75
I write this review having just moments ago finished this book. I am surprised to find myself choked with emotion. I was not enjoying this book as much as The Lover until about midway through the book. It is hard to read about Gabriel's pain yet I felt compelled to know what he had been through and if he could put his demons behind him. (By the way, I was very glad I had just finished The Lover last month so the references to the villains and the devastating history of the two men made sense. I strongly recommend reading them in order.)
Halfway through the book, I thought I preferred The Lover, but by its conclusion, I knew I preferred this story. Both are haunting, riveting, disturbing, passionate and erotic. Perhaps it is the intensity of Gabriel's rage and heartbreak that make his journey so gripping.
This style of writing is very raw--not at all like a sweet Regency romance novel. The graphic portrayals of desire, sex, revenge and catharsis may make some readers uncomfortable. Her writing is so gut-wrenching that I admit I could not read Ms. Schone every day--it would be too draining.
If a great writer is one who can grab the imagination of the reader and take her to places she never even knew she wanted to go, Ms. Schone is a great writer. I am already placing my order for the next Schone book on my list...
Helpful Score: 2
Have to say this book took a chapter or two to get used to the writing style. After that it was game on. It was great. Lots of mini mysteries and hot passion. Highly recommend reading The Lover first.
Helpful Score: 2
Truly excellant historical romance. Hypnotic, Erotic, Romance, Mystery/Thriller all rolled into one.
Helpful Score: 1
Far superior to any of Schone's other Victorian stories! How many of us know people afraid to touch or be touched? While not for the faint of heart--Schone doesn't mince words on either gory or erotic matters--sex & money are among to driving forces for many, if not most of the protagonists.
Helpful Score: 1
Excellent writing - a different approach and cadence - revealing the mystery in a seductive way. Hang in there and you will be rewarded with incredibly hot and imaginative sex scenes. Wonderful.
Helpful Score: 1
Another steamy book from Ms. Schone! This one winds up explaining a lot more than the first book, The Lover. I loved these books but they are not for everyone. The author delves into the more earthy and physical side of love and desire. Her sex scenes are not necessarily vulgar (she doesn't use words that I would rather not read), as I have said before, but she does explore the physical bonds more deeply than other smut books. Also, many people may find her writing style, in general, hard to read. Many of her sentences are cryptic and you feel as though there are too many hidden meanings in every sentence, most of which you don't get. It's like coming in at the second act and you have no idea what the people are talking about. The plot was very twisty and it wasn't until the end of this second book that several things made sense and came together for me. However, if you can stick with it, I believe these books are pretty good. I like unusual stories and the bond between the heroes in these two books is definately and unusual one (no, don't go there...quite). Enjoy!
Helpful Score: 1
I've liked all of Robin Schones stories and this is a good one. Really should read The Lover first, it sets up the scene for Gabriel's Woman and explains a lot. I ached for Gabriel - and the very last love scene was beautiful and absolutely touching. I loved the ending, how romantic!
Helpful Score: 1
Not the usual story line. Dark, dark, tempting and erotic. Worth the read.
Helpful Score: 1
I found this book to be quite confusing. It takes a while to figure out what's going on and with whom. This is not a typical romance book. There's nothing romantic between the hero and heroine. This is also not a happy book. There's a gloom that hangs over much of the book even to the end. This is a story about male prostitution and its effects on one man in particular. Expect to read a book with a lot of mental trauma and angst.
The author write like this.
She writes one simple passive sentence paragraph.
Then she leaves a big space and writes another sentence.
Her style of writing requires you to read a sentence over again to figure out what's going on, and the last sentence has to be much longer than the sentences that preceded it.
The hero in this book had every right to be troubled, but his characterization was so lacking that I didn't understand him well. There's also no heat or chemistry between the two main characters. While there are some explicit sex scenes, I didn't find most of them to be particularly erotic at all. The one really erotic scene involved two people other than the main characters. I'm all for smutty scenes, but it was very difficult to believe that a well-bred Victorian woman who was a virgin at the beginning of the novel would indulge in, a matters of days after losing her virginity, some of the more kinky sex acts described in the book. The author's style turned me off from reading any of her other books.
The author write like this.
She writes one simple passive sentence paragraph.
Then she leaves a big space and writes another sentence.
Her style of writing requires you to read a sentence over again to figure out what's going on, and the last sentence has to be much longer than the sentences that preceded it.
The hero in this book had every right to be troubled, but his characterization was so lacking that I didn't understand him well. There's also no heat or chemistry between the two main characters. While there are some explicit sex scenes, I didn't find most of them to be particularly erotic at all. The one really erotic scene involved two people other than the main characters. I'm all for smutty scenes, but it was very difficult to believe that a well-bred Victorian woman who was a virgin at the beginning of the novel would indulge in, a matters of days after losing her virginity, some of the more kinky sex acts described in the book. The author's style turned me off from reading any of her other books.
Helpful Score: 1
Borderline erotica, but good story line.
Helpful Score: 1
MUST READ THE LOVER FIRST. GABRIEL'S WOMAN IS SECOND. FOR EROTICA THESE ARE VERY GOOD.
This is the first time that I have read this author. I am not sure that I liked the book. It was very sexy you could say. It also had stuff that I am not sure how to put it. I did not understand plot in the very beginning of the book. It talked about the same person, but with different names.
Excellent writing - a different approach and cadence - revealing the mystery in a seductive way. Hang in there and you will be rewarded with incredibly hot and imaginative sex scenes. Wonderful.
Very dark (would actually be great if the hero was a vampire or an immortal), but once you get past all that, it really is a very captivating, well told story. Characters and story very well developed. A highly erotic and sensual story of a man who battles his own inner demons and finds redemption through friendship, love and self forgiveness.
I love Gabriel. After I finished the first one, I was excited to see the story continued with another book. I think of all the MANY books I've read with hero/heroine baggage, Michael and Gabriel's was the worst. However, I never found it tedious, as it can be sometimes. Maybe it's just me, but the way Schone writes these stories gives the impression that something supernatural is going on. But it's not... just a sick reality... and the men who survived it to find love.
If you read the erotic tour de force THE LOVER, where readers met Michel des Anges, his lifelong friend Gabriel now has his story about the blackest secrets of a man's soul.
I like Robin Schone but this book was confusing. I'm not sure I understand Michael's and Gabriel's relationship and adding Victoria to the mix makes it more confusing. I guess I should read The Lover first like the reviewer before me suggested. It is a good and different book I just need to read them in order.
I liked this book. A bit on the dark side but if you like Robin Schone books, you will enjoy this.
Good book!
Not nearly as good at The Lover. Very shallow story. Gabriel's character deserved a better book.
I liked this book, part of a series with The Lover, which you should probably read first.
