Willy W. reviewed on 1/23/2012 + 503 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 2

If you read the other reviews you know the hero kidnaps the heroine and there's a lot of non-consensual sex. Wherever you land on the subject of rape in a romance novel, what troubles me about Claiming the Courtesan is more Anna Campbell's approach to the subject. She is one of those authors who has a woman being raped by a handsome guy and her "body betrays her": she can't help but responding to the sex even though her mind isn't with it. MAYBE this is possible, but strikes me as just a bunch of made up crap to somehow rationalize rape. I don't know, it is easier for me to get past him raping her and feeling bad about it than her somehow "enjoying" her rape. Just makes me mad at the author. I very nearly put the book down. Not because of the rape, but because we're supposed to believe she enjoyed it.

With all that said this book was full of fairly hot love scenes. There wasn't much else going on in the book. They aren't talking or connecting. Somehow lots of sex helps them realize they're in love. The story is about a guy who thinks he owns his mistress and wants revenge on her when she quits her job. He's a total jackass and never really redeems himself in my eyes, but sometimes those "heroes" are pretty memorable. Reminds me a bit of No Gentle Love, another book with repeated rapes that somehow sticks with you, no matter how much you dislike the hero.

I have had mixed feelings about the two Anna Campbell books I've read. Perhaps more negative than positive. She's a good writer, no doubt, but I am not sure I can really say I Enjoy reading her books.

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