Book: Captive Of Sin by Anna Campbell

Published October 2009 by Avon|356 pages

Where I Got: I borrowed the paperback from the library

Series: none

Genre: Adult Romance/Historical Romance

He pledged his honor to keep her safe.

Returning home to Cornwall after an unspeakable tragedy, Sir Gideon Trevithick comes upon a defiant beauty in danger and vows to protect her whatever the cost. He’s dismayed to discover that she’s none other than Lady Charis Weston, England’s wealthiest heiress—and that the only way to save her from the violent stepbrothers determined to steal her fortune is to wed her himself! Now Gideon must hide the dark secrets of his life from the bride he desires more with every heartbeat.

She promised to show him how to love—and desire—again.

Charis has heard all about Gideon, the dangerously handsome hero with the mysterious past. She’s grateful for his help but utterly unwilling to endure a marriage of convenience—especially to a man whose touch leaves her breathless. Desperate to drive him mad with passion, she would do anything to make Gideon lose control—and fall captive to irresistible, undeniable sin.

I don’t read romance novels very often, but every single time I do, I always tell myself that I’m going to read more of them (but never manage to follow through with that).  I did like Captive Of Sin, though, and I’m pretty sure I have one of her other books, so I’ll definitely have to read it sooner, rather than later.

Like, I don’t know how I feel about the romance!  I liked them together (at times), but I didn’t really root for them as a couple- there were times were it felt a little forced, and while they have a happily ever after, I couldn’t fully believe in the relationship. And that is really important in a romance (for me), and had I believed in the romance a little more, it may have received a higher rating.

I know their relationship comes about because of everything going on with Charis (who was okay as a character, but really, she could have been anyone) and I did like that Gideon wanted to help…while keeping her at bay because of everything he went through.  He’s definitely a tormented hero, and there were a few times where I wondered if he was maybe suffering from PTSD.  It didn’t feel like the PTSD that’s usually portrayed in movies and books, but I am curious if what he was going through was that, or just something else entirely.

And for some reason, I was slightly irritated at the fact that Charis was to the one to magically make him better, but at least it was a nice change from the opposite story line that could have happened (which seems much more common in adult romance).  I definitely felt for Gideon, but at the same time, I didn’t fall for him the way I would have thought.

3 stars.  I can talk up why I didn’t like Captive Of Sin, and yet, I am having a hard time explaining why I like it! In this case, I just do.