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Red Adam's Lady
The fair Lady Julitta has a problem. She is not wealthy. She prizes her virginity. And her liege, whom she despises, is intent on rape. Red Adam is the lord of Brentborough castle鈥攜oung, impetuous, scandalous, a twelfth-century hell raiser. On one of his nights of drunken revelry he abducts Julitta. Though she fends him off, keeping her virginity, he has sullied her honor. Then, to the astonishment of all, he marries her. Red Adam鈥檚 Lady is a boisterous, bawdy tale of wild adventure, set against the constant dangers of medieval England. It is a story of civil war and border raids, scheming aristorcrats and brawling villagers, daring escapes across the moors and thundering descents down steep cliffs to the ocean. Its vivid details give the reader a fascinating and realistic view of life in a medieval castle and village. And the love story in it is an unusual one, since Julitta won鈥檛 let Adam get closer than the length of her stiletto. Long out of print though highly acclaimed, Red Adam鈥檚 Lady is a true classic of historical fiction along the lines of Anya Seton鈥檚 Katherine and Sharon Kay Penman鈥檚 Here Be Dragons .
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 75 reviews
July 21, 2019
A fast paced bawdy romp through 12C England. Lady Julitta is mistaken for a peasant and is accosted by a drunken "Red" Adam de Lorismond, the new lord of Brentborough. Adam takes Julitta back to his keep bent on rape, but the ever resourceful Julitta knocks him out with a stool and when he's sober Adam marries her to assuage her damaged honor. Julitta is none too thrilled with the match, but sparks soon fly between the two as Julitta's uncle Lord William and his cronies conspire to support young Henry in his plan to oust his father Henry II and rule England instead. Julitta also soon finds her hands full with a castle and mutinous servants allowed to run to ruin by the previous lord of Brentborough (Adam's uncle), a thieving seneschal, invading armies of Scots, a perilous climb down ocean cliffs, a mysterious death or two and more as "Red" Adam and his lady banter their way through it all to find true love in the end.
While I very much enjoyed this book, at times it was a bit too busy and fast paced for my tastes. At times I lost track of who was who when characters from the first part of the book returned back to the story and the author didn't provide enough background to refresh my memory, and I got lost more than once until I fell back into the groove. A cast of characters and their various names and titles would have helped quite a bit and enhanced my appreciation of the story. That said, it was a highly enjoyable romp through the 12th century and a very entertaining read. I see from the current selling price the book is quite rare, but if you are lucky as I was to find it at your library it's worth taking the time to check this one out.
While I very much enjoyed this book, at times it was a bit too busy and fast paced for my tastes. At times I lost track of who was who when characters from the first part of the book returned back to the story and the author didn't provide enough background to refresh my memory, and I got lost more than once until I fell back into the groove. A cast of characters and their various names and titles would have helped quite a bit and enhanced my appreciation of the story. That said, it was a highly enjoyable romp through the 12th century and a very entertaining read. I see from the current selling price the book is quite rare, but if you are lucky as I was to find it at your library it's worth taking the time to check this one out.
July 24, 2023
Read: 7/11/23
Soo disappointing 馃槥
I tried so hard to like this book, but it was impossible. I couldn't stand the h!!!! She was a total bitch. Adam gets extremely drunk and grabs a tavern wench and brings her back to his home . Before he can bed her, she hits him over the head with a stool. The moment he sober ups, he is truly likable. He offers marriage and defends her against her cruel relatives. He does everything to prove he is a wonderful guy. He doesn't even consummate the marriage.
The h can't even offer a nice word or smile. The book is through her POV and I still didn't understand why she had to be cruel all the time. Suddenly, at the very end, she decides she loves him. Apparently, love means you need to be as mean as possible to your SO.
Red Adam should have sent her to convent! He was too good for her! I expected a better book endorsed EC
Sidenote: I didn't know young Henry rebelled against his dad, problem cause he died and Richard took over. I wish more history was added to the story.
Soo disappointing 馃槥
I tried so hard to like this book, but it was impossible. I couldn't stand the h!!!! She was a total bitch. Adam gets extremely drunk and grabs a tavern wench and brings her back to his home . Before he can bed her, she hits him over the head with a stool. The moment he sober ups, he is truly likable. He offers marriage and defends her against her cruel relatives. He does everything to prove he is a wonderful guy. He doesn't even consummate the marriage.
The h can't even offer a nice word or smile. The book is through her POV and I still didn't understand why she had to be cruel all the time. Suddenly, at the very end, she decides she loves him. Apparently, love means you need to be as mean as possible to your SO.
Red Adam should have sent her to convent! He was too good for her! I expected a better book endorsed EC
Sidenote: I didn't know young Henry rebelled against his dad, problem cause he died and Richard took over. I wish more history was added to the story.
December 22, 2022
This little gem is in my Top 10 of books read this year and will have a special place on my "of all time list"! A much treasured foreword by Elizabeth Chadwick kicks it off. Then the reader is pulled right into the Medieval time period and the story with just the right amount of detail told in an evocative way. Not usually a big fan of the 'hate to love' trope, but at no time did it drag and by the end I was smitten with both Julitta and Adam. It felt like being taken on a fun and unexpected adventure with so many twists and turns. Though I read it a long time ago, I found it was SLIGHTLY reminiscent of the first book in the Outlander series. At least this book rekindled similar feelings about the love story and escapades that ultimately brought Jamie and Claire together.
**Audible note ... the narration is pretty appalling!! Mispronunciations of places, names essential to the time period can be somewhat overlooked (i.e., Angevin or Poitou); however, when basic words like "grisly" and "popinjay" are a struggle ... grrrr! But still, even that couldn't spoil this classic HF book for me.
**Audible note ... the narration is pretty appalling!! Mispronunciations of places, names essential to the time period can be somewhat overlooked (i.e., Angevin or Poitou); however, when basic words like "grisly" and "popinjay" are a struggle ... grrrr! But still, even that couldn't spoil this classic HF book for me.
June 23, 2019
Great, swashbuckling medieval romance with charismatic protagonists and believable world building. However, the ending deflated me. A villain who is as evil and destructive as Cersei Lannister gets a lackluster comeuppance. That marred both the realism of the story and my need for some epic vengeance :(
June 13, 2017
Lady Julitta de Montrigod was mistaken for a vixen while on her way home to her uncle's house when her horse was shod. The ravisher is none other than Red Adam, drunk as a skunk with his loutish friends and also on his way home. Here you have two people who start out as enemies.
Red Adam is everything she abhors in men: loud with the manners of a caveman and morals that are as low as a rock on the ground. Mistaken, he thinks she is bashful until she bites him. The description of these two going at it is so good you will think you are a fly on the wall in the room. And then she knocks him out with a stool.
Unable to leave the room because his friends want their turn with her, she waits until Adam wakes up. And then they verbally go at it again, tit for tat. Until he tells her to bar the door after he leaves and he will marry her the next day.
And so begins the unusual courting-after-marriage to earn Julitta's love. Ever so slowly, he earns her respect. Gritty and raw at times, RED ADAM'S LADY is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better.
More adventure than romance, Ms. Ingram did a good job of setting up the scenes and giving the reader a good sense of both place and time. Read this period piece for the rich history and the author excelling at bringing the medieval period to life.
Red Adam is everything she abhors in men: loud with the manners of a caveman and morals that are as low as a rock on the ground. Mistaken, he thinks she is bashful until she bites him. The description of these two going at it is so good you will think you are a fly on the wall in the room. And then she knocks him out with a stool.
Unable to leave the room because his friends want their turn with her, she waits until Adam wakes up. And then they verbally go at it again, tit for tat. Until he tells her to bar the door after he leaves and he will marry her the next day.
And so begins the unusual courting-after-marriage to earn Julitta's love. Ever so slowly, he earns her respect. Gritty and raw at times, RED ADAM'S LADY is one of those books where the less you know about the story the better.
More adventure than romance, Ms. Ingram did a good job of setting up the scenes and giving the reader a good sense of both place and time. Read this period piece for the rich history and the author excelling at bringing the medieval period to life.
March 1, 2018
I had not heard of this book before receiving an email asking if I'd be interested in reviewing the reissued edition, but when I saw that Elizabeth Chadwick had written the foreword and that it was being compared to SKP and Anya Seton, I had to give it a shot.
While waiting out a storm in a village tavern, Lady Julitta is mistaken for a strumpet by the new young lord of the manor, Red Adam, whose reputation for drinking and whoring is legendary. I think the book blurb does him a disservice by claiming he's intent on rape, though he does think she's a whore and can't understand why she doesn't want to have a little fun with him. Julitta knocks him out cold and ties him to the bedpost, and when Adam awakes in the morning, it's love at first sight for him. Ashamed of his behavior, and seeing Julitta subjected to her uncle's wrath, Adam vows to make it right by marrying her. Prideful Julitta refuses to see a man shackled to her as punishment, but she soon realizes marriage to Adam is the only real option she has. But she determines this will be a marriage in name only, no matter how sweet her handsome new husband is.
Jealous of their new mistress and not happy at having to work again after years of neglecting their duties, most of the servants in the household conspire against her, making her uphill battle to transform the dilapidated keep into a nobleman's home even steeper. Add to her problems the discovery that someone in the household has been stealing from Adam, the mystery of what happened to the old lord's pregnant wife resurfaces, rumors of another heir seeking to oust Red Adam abound, and there's a rebellion going on in the kingdom, of which Adam is smack in the middle. Taking place during the time when Henry II's heir, Young King Henry, rises up against him and nobles in England have to decide with which king their loyalty lies, Adam holds for Henry II, but his neighbors support the young king and consider Adam a traitor. And then the Scots invade...
This book started off a bit rough for me, being thrown right into the action with lots of period dialect and archaic language, but I was soon swept up in the story and could not put it down. Red Adam is totally swoon-worthy, or as we say in the South, he's a big ole sweet potato. And Julitta is a clever vixen (as Adam calls her) indeed. Her stubborn pride, her previous mistreatment at the hands of other men, and her low self-esteem all serve in convincing her to hold Adam at arm's length, to never let him see the effect he has on her. But Adam, bless him, wise beyond his years, completely at odds with the initial picture we are given of him, recognizes all of these things, realizes what a catch she is, and determines to win her love against those odds. The scene where she finally confesses her love for him and they consummate their marriage is the kind of scene that lends itself to being read over and over again--it's that sweet and honest and romantic.
While this technically has all the hallmarks of a romance, it's also gritty, bloody, and tragic--these were dangerous times they were living in, even without the rebellion. Characters start dropping like a George R.R. Martin novel, and the climactic scenes in which Adam and Julitta are fleeing for their lives from his enemies, along the way trying to save as many innocents as they can from the invading Scots, are nail-biters. This is a story that stands the test of time and is sure to please readers who like their romance with hearty doses of history and adventure.
While waiting out a storm in a village tavern, Lady Julitta is mistaken for a strumpet by the new young lord of the manor, Red Adam, whose reputation for drinking and whoring is legendary. I think the book blurb does him a disservice by claiming he's intent on rape, though he does think she's a whore and can't understand why she doesn't want to have a little fun with him. Julitta knocks him out cold and ties him to the bedpost, and when Adam awakes in the morning, it's love at first sight for him. Ashamed of his behavior, and seeing Julitta subjected to her uncle's wrath, Adam vows to make it right by marrying her. Prideful Julitta refuses to see a man shackled to her as punishment, but she soon realizes marriage to Adam is the only real option she has. But she determines this will be a marriage in name only, no matter how sweet her handsome new husband is.
Jealous of their new mistress and not happy at having to work again after years of neglecting their duties, most of the servants in the household conspire against her, making her uphill battle to transform the dilapidated keep into a nobleman's home even steeper. Add to her problems the discovery that someone in the household has been stealing from Adam, the mystery of what happened to the old lord's pregnant wife resurfaces, rumors of another heir seeking to oust Red Adam abound, and there's a rebellion going on in the kingdom, of which Adam is smack in the middle. Taking place during the time when Henry II's heir, Young King Henry, rises up against him and nobles in England have to decide with which king their loyalty lies, Adam holds for Henry II, but his neighbors support the young king and consider Adam a traitor. And then the Scots invade...
This book started off a bit rough for me, being thrown right into the action with lots of period dialect and archaic language, but I was soon swept up in the story and could not put it down. Red Adam is totally swoon-worthy, or as we say in the South, he's a big ole sweet potato. And Julitta is a clever vixen (as Adam calls her) indeed. Her stubborn pride, her previous mistreatment at the hands of other men, and her low self-esteem all serve in convincing her to hold Adam at arm's length, to never let him see the effect he has on her. But Adam, bless him, wise beyond his years, completely at odds with the initial picture we are given of him, recognizes all of these things, realizes what a catch she is, and determines to win her love against those odds. The scene where she finally confesses her love for him and they consummate their marriage is the kind of scene that lends itself to being read over and over again--it's that sweet and honest and romantic.
While this technically has all the hallmarks of a romance, it's also gritty, bloody, and tragic--these were dangerous times they were living in, even without the rebellion. Characters start dropping like a George R.R. Martin novel, and the climactic scenes in which Adam and Julitta are fleeing for their lives from his enemies, along the way trying to save as many innocents as they can from the invading Scots, are nail-biters. This is a story that stands the test of time and is sure to please readers who like their romance with hearty doses of history and adventure.
November 19, 2009
I have a new book to add to my medieval keeper's shelf. Red Adam's Lady is a fun tale, it has a perfect medieval atmosphere and it has engaging characters telling an interesting story, what more can you ask for?
Julitta is an orphan young lady who leaves with her uncle. She likes to go about simply dress and one day is mistaken for a servant maid and almost attacked (seduced?) by an inebriated Red Adam. She manages to hit him in the head and avoid the worst but she spends the night in his chambers and the day after everyone believes she was ill used by him.
Red Adam, who is actually a nice man when he is not drunk and being a nuisance and a rake, decides to reform and make amends and that is how Julitta ends up married to her abuser. What follows is Julitta and Red Adam getting to know each other, dealing with some villains in the form of Julitta's uncle and his friends and the wife of their steward while at the same time trying to discover what really happened to the wife of Red Adam's uncle from whom he inherited his estate.
The books gives us a good feel of the medieval period and the hardships involved in daily wife and also presents an interesting picture of the divided loyalties of the time, between Young Henry and Henry II, and the horrors of the Scottish invasion.
Now, if only I could find her other books I would be really happy!
Grade: 4.5/5
Julitta is an orphan young lady who leaves with her uncle. She likes to go about simply dress and one day is mistaken for a servant maid and almost attacked (seduced?) by an inebriated Red Adam. She manages to hit him in the head and avoid the worst but she spends the night in his chambers and the day after everyone believes she was ill used by him.
Red Adam, who is actually a nice man when he is not drunk and being a nuisance and a rake, decides to reform and make amends and that is how Julitta ends up married to her abuser. What follows is Julitta and Red Adam getting to know each other, dealing with some villains in the form of Julitta's uncle and his friends and the wife of their steward while at the same time trying to discover what really happened to the wife of Red Adam's uncle from whom he inherited his estate.
The books gives us a good feel of the medieval period and the hardships involved in daily wife and also presents an interesting picture of the divided loyalties of the time, between Young Henry and Henry II, and the horrors of the Scottish invasion.
Now, if only I could find her other books I would be really happy!
Grade: 4.5/5
August 3, 2018
First-rate medieval HR - entertaining and well researched.
Currently available on Amazon for 拢1.09 (9th May 2018)
I treasure my orginal PB copy of (so I'm delighted to see it out on Kindle) - one of the best HRs I've read.
RAL is a great combination of a MoC romance between two strong characters, a good period-appropriate plot, all supported by excellent detail. The stand-out scene is the Cleaning the Castle chapter (so so satisfying), and the HEA is just lovely. Strongly recommended (and a steal at the price).
Currently available on Amazon for 拢1.09 (9th May 2018)
I treasure my orginal PB copy of (so I'm delighted to see it out on Kindle) - one of the best HRs I've read.
RAL is a great combination of a MoC romance between two strong characters, a good period-appropriate plot, all supported by excellent detail. The stand-out scene is the Cleaning the Castle chapter (so so satisfying), and the HEA is just lovely. Strongly recommended (and a steal at the price).
July 11, 2018
4.5
I saw this book on Amazon years ago, with great reviews and an interesting summary, and I've been waiting for them to rerelease it ever since.
I'm so glad they did! This was worth the wait. It wasn't perfect but I can see why so many people have loved this story over the years.
It is has elements of an old school bodice ripper, but a chaste, smart, historically realistic, and grounded version of a bodice ripper.
Red Adam makes the worst first impression imaginable when he drunkenly mistakes Julitta for a strumpet and drags her to his home to essentially rape her. He thinks Julitta is being fake modest when she fights back, until she knocks him unconscious and ties him up.
At this point, I loved Julitta, but I was like wtf is up with Adam?? Will this be another rape apologizing romance?
But Adam redeemed himself beautifully. He is honestly better than most romance heros written even today. Julitta was lovable but not perfect or unrealistic. After she is forced to marry him, she held her grudge against Adam in a poised way that did not make her seem unreasonable despite Adam's apologies and her comparatively fortunate situation (all the other women were worse off than her). They both acted realistically for their time period.
Julitta and Adam are both young, at 17 and 22, and they are both intelligent so there was a lot of personal growth for them as the story progressed. I really enjoyed that. There wasn't any stupid drama in their relationship and their love for each other was believable and pure. They were very well written characters and held up the story.
The one thing I did not like was the overdone drama in other aspects of the story. But this was probably a symptom of when the book was written. Things that seem a little cliche and obvious now were probably new back then. And the targeted audience back then might've wanted that kind of drama, who knows. Fortunately, it did not take over the book.
Overall this is definitely worth a read if you are into historical romance.
I saw this book on Amazon years ago, with great reviews and an interesting summary, and I've been waiting for them to rerelease it ever since.
I'm so glad they did! This was worth the wait. It wasn't perfect but I can see why so many people have loved this story over the years.
It is has elements of an old school bodice ripper, but a chaste, smart, historically realistic, and grounded version of a bodice ripper.
Red Adam makes the worst first impression imaginable when he drunkenly mistakes Julitta for a strumpet and drags her to his home to essentially rape her. He thinks Julitta is being fake modest when she fights back, until she knocks him unconscious and ties him up.
At this point, I loved Julitta, but I was like wtf is up with Adam?? Will this be another rape apologizing romance?
But Adam redeemed himself beautifully. He is honestly better than most romance heros written even today. Julitta was lovable but not perfect or unrealistic. After she is forced to marry him, she held her grudge against Adam in a poised way that did not make her seem unreasonable despite Adam's apologies and her comparatively fortunate situation (all the other women were worse off than her). They both acted realistically for their time period.
Julitta and Adam are both young, at 17 and 22, and they are both intelligent so there was a lot of personal growth for them as the story progressed. I really enjoyed that. There wasn't any stupid drama in their relationship and their love for each other was believable and pure. They were very well written characters and held up the story.
The one thing I did not like was the overdone drama in other aspects of the story. But this was probably a symptom of when the book was written. Things that seem a little cliche and obvious now were probably new back then. And the targeted audience back then might've wanted that kind of drama, who knows. Fortunately, it did not take over the book.
Overall this is definitely worth a read if you are into historical romance.
May 14, 2018
This is for the first 34% of the book because that's where I'm abandoning ship. Could I finish it? Sure. But I don't want to.
First off I will agree with other reviews, in that the synopsis is horrible. And somewhat misleading.
Let's start with the obvious. Red Adam abducts Julitta because he thinks she's a peasant/serving girl and tries to have sex with her. Forcefully. The excuses used to justify that whole scene afterward were disgusting. She's fighting him off, but he's sure she'll like it (because apparently lower born women were also automatically whores) so he keeps going. That's what a rapist does. Justifying it by saying he thought she was a serving girl (that's married! - yes, he's knocked out who he thinks is her husband and ridden away with her anyway as well) does not make it okay. And just because he feels bad afterward and starts treating her with respect, does not make up for it. And basically, I can't view a rapist (attempted or not) as the hero of a story. Sorry not sorry. And trying to tell me it was a different time and acceptable male behavior back then, won't do shit to convince me. Also, after this initial encounter, Adam becomes a completely different person overnight practically (except for the fact that he continues to maintain the idea that forcing yourself on a serving girl is okay).
Beyond that "little" issue, I was also struggling with the writing style at times. The writing could be convoluted so that I would have to reread paragraphs to figure out what the author was trying to say. After so many times of doing that, I was getting frustrated. Also, other plotlines were clearly being set up that I could see a mile away. It all seemed rather predictable.
The only bright light in any of this was that several weeks(?) had passed and Julitta still refused to soften toward Red Adam. With most romances, I feel like the MC always gives in waaaay too early to forgive the hero's bad behavior, but Julitta still sees him as the man that tried to rape her. As she should.
First off I will agree with other reviews, in that the synopsis is horrible. And somewhat misleading.
Let's start with the obvious. Red Adam abducts Julitta because he thinks she's a peasant/serving girl and tries to have sex with her. Forcefully. The excuses used to justify that whole scene afterward were disgusting. She's fighting him off, but he's sure she'll like it (because apparently lower born women were also automatically whores) so he keeps going. That's what a rapist does. Justifying it by saying he thought she was a serving girl (that's married! - yes, he's knocked out who he thinks is her husband and ridden away with her anyway as well) does not make it okay. And just because he feels bad afterward and starts treating her with respect, does not make up for it. And basically, I can't view a rapist (attempted or not) as the hero of a story. Sorry not sorry. And trying to tell me it was a different time and acceptable male behavior back then, won't do shit to convince me. Also, after this initial encounter, Adam becomes a completely different person overnight practically (except for the fact that he continues to maintain the idea that forcing yourself on a serving girl is okay).
Beyond that "little" issue, I was also struggling with the writing style at times. The writing could be convoluted so that I would have to reread paragraphs to figure out what the author was trying to say. After so many times of doing that, I was getting frustrated. Also, other plotlines were clearly being set up that I could see a mile away. It all seemed rather predictable.
The only bright light in any of this was that several weeks(?) had passed and Julitta still refused to soften toward Red Adam. With most romances, I feel like the MC always gives in waaaay too early to forgive the hero's bad behavior, but Julitta still sees him as the man that tried to rape her. As she should.
May 31, 2011
One of my favourite medieval HF books, that reminds me a lot of some of Elizabeth Chadwick's books. My copy is so old and battered that it is held together with a rubber band... And it's one that needs to be reprinted! Good mystery, young innocent bride, a red-headed hero (yeah!) and lots of little details. Definitely five stars!
June 20, 2012
This is one of the best historical romances I've ever read. Maybe THE best. The book has a strong--but believable--heroine and there is no gratuitous anything. It's a very well plotted novel with good period details and sound dialog. I wish it were not out of print. I wish even more that I wrote it!
April 11, 2013
I loved this book, and I assume I would love it again. I've lost three copies over the years by lending it. If I find another, I'll chain it to the shelf!
It came out at about the same time as Woodiwiss's Flame and the Flower, so I've always resented a little that it's ignored as one of the beginnings of the historical romance genre, especially as it's so much better, IMO. Though it's a captive story, it's not a rape story, and that makes all the difference to me.
It came out at about the same time as Woodiwiss's Flame and the Flower, so I've always resented a little that it's ignored as one of the beginnings of the historical romance genre, especially as it's so much better, IMO. Though it's a captive story, it's not a rape story, and that makes all the difference to me.
April 19, 2018
Following reviews from friends in GR I discovered this great book. It is medieval, a time era I usually don鈥檛 prefer. It takes place on 12th century and I had to look up the history because I couldn鈥檛 understand the facts. King Henry the second is undermined by his son Henry junior who uses the Scottish army for his uprising. Scots are described as savages.
In between, the hero, Adam, abducts the heroine Jullitta, while being very drunk. She hates him, they marry contrary to her wish. After marriage he is a different man.
It is great fun although at times there is some violence and unfair things happen to our couple. I liked very much the way Jullitta, as the lady of the castle, put everything in order.
In between, the hero, Adam, abducts the heroine Jullitta, while being very drunk. She hates him, they marry contrary to her wish. After marriage he is a different man.
It is great fun although at times there is some violence and unfair things happen to our couple. I liked very much the way Jullitta, as the lady of the castle, put everything in order.
March 3, 2018
4,5 stars
October 10, 2024
I first read this book when I was about 14 and completely fell in love with it. It's a historical romance, but a very well written and researched one and it's one of my all-time favourite books.
May 15, 2020
Loved it! So much..I bought it for the kindle as well :) Keeper Shelf!
December 30, 2021
With all the four and five star reviews here on 欧宝娱乐 and a glowing forward by Elizabeth Chadwick, I settled myself in for an enjoyable read. I wasn't too far in, however, before I began to wonder if we were all reading the same book.
The book starts with the Lady Julitta narrowly escaping rape by a drunken Red Adam. Once he sobers, he decides to make amends by marrying her. Predictably, this would-be rapist then becomes the romantic hero of our tale and they live happily ever after. This really is not a spoiler. It was painfully obvious very early on that this would be the outcome.
I think the main problem is that this book was written in 1973 (with a 2018 reprint earning the Chadwick forward) and it really did not age well. It is full of antiquated, and distasteful to my 2021 self, portrayals of women and of female-male relationships. Case in point: falling in love with one's rapist who is really a swell but misunderstood guy.
Adam and Julitta's story is set against the backdrop of Henry II's fight for his throne with the standard invasion by the Scots thrown in for good measure. These, however, were watered down historical accounts and add little to the story other than to provide some drama and to highlight how brave Red Adam is and how plucky Julitta is. This is definitely more of a bodice ripper than serious historical fiction.
I received this book from 欧宝娱乐 Giveaways.
The book starts with the Lady Julitta narrowly escaping rape by a drunken Red Adam. Once he sobers, he decides to make amends by marrying her. Predictably, this would-be rapist then becomes the romantic hero of our tale and they live happily ever after. This really is not a spoiler. It was painfully obvious very early on that this would be the outcome.
I think the main problem is that this book was written in 1973 (with a 2018 reprint earning the Chadwick forward) and it really did not age well. It is full of antiquated, and distasteful to my 2021 self, portrayals of women and of female-male relationships. Case in point: falling in love with one's rapist who is really a swell but misunderstood guy.
Adam and Julitta's story is set against the backdrop of Henry II's fight for his throne with the standard invasion by the Scots thrown in for good measure. These, however, were watered down historical accounts and add little to the story other than to provide some drama and to highlight how brave Red Adam is and how plucky Julitta is. This is definitely more of a bodice ripper than serious historical fiction.
I received this book from 欧宝娱乐 Giveaways.
May 8, 2021
"Red Adam's Lady" - written by Grace Ingram and published in 1973, this edition by Chicago Review Press Incorporated in cooperation with the author's estate. Historical fiction in 1200s England with a bit of romance - what could be better? I've always been fascinated by medieval life and this book was full of all sorts of details - how the kitchens were kept, foodstuffs and beverages, the intricacies of social life - it was all there. A Foreword by Elizabeth Chadwick, whose historical fiction I really enjoy, was the perfect welcome to this entertaining story. In addition to books under the Ingram name, she wrote several others using her real name, Doris Sutcliffe Adams - I'm sure I would enjoy all of them. Most are out-of-print, so I appreciate Cleveland Public Library owning this copy. And I won't forget Red Adam's favorite oath - "Hell's Teeth!"
May 29, 2023
Obviously well written and interesting for the time period its set in, but hard to enjoy fully. How many times can a woman be almost raped in one, what, month? And i get that values change and its a long past time period etc but its hard to appreciate a hero who largely thinks rape is a.o.k. and only refrains when his wife asks him to.
Similarly the treatment of the maid Avice is nuts to me. "Ugh she's so traumatized by constant threats and rape attempts, she never stops crying and is hysterical it is so SELFISH and ANNOYING!" I would 100% be Avice. Sign me up for the convent.
Similarly the treatment of the maid Avice is nuts to me. "Ugh she's so traumatized by constant threats and rape attempts, she never stops crying and is hysterical it is so SELFISH and ANNOYING!" I would 100% be Avice. Sign me up for the convent.
July 17, 2020
The plot is amazing, the pace is fast and the characters are interesting. It was only 3 three stars for me because the language is used to carry the medieval story, so the language is medieval 'can't and didn't like reading it at all. The story is good, doubt I will read it again.
June 11, 2022
i鈥檓 a slut for historical romance atm. this was good - writing was confusing at times and the medieval language took a bit of getting used to.
July 9, 2019
This was okay. Very realistic for the time period it鈥檚 set in. I was distracted by thoughts of how smelly and filthy they must have been.
And the ending fell flat as no comeuppance for the main OW villain.
And the ending fell flat as no comeuppance for the main OW villain.
September 12, 2018
This is a long term favourite of mine. A historical romance with the emphasis on 'historical' rather than on 'romance'.
Though it is a very old book it has aged remarkably well with the titular Lady, Julitta, being feisty, self assured, likeable and contemporary.
Her efforts to restore the keep of Brentwood from the neglect it suffered at the hands of its last chatelaine are as fascinating as ever.
Though it is a very old book it has aged remarkably well with the titular Lady, Julitta, being feisty, self assured, likeable and contemporary.
Her efforts to restore the keep of Brentwood from the neglect it suffered at the hands of its last chatelaine are as fascinating as ever.
March 31, 2013
Although Red Adam's initial kidnapping of the Lady is terrifying to the poor thing, he acquits himself beautifully. The drunken lout that he is in the beginning who won't take her obvious refusals seriously because she's a serving wench turns into a gallant man in a way that was believable to me.
She knocks him out, ties him up, to save herself from rape. The following sober morning, he wakes up and she fills him in on what he did. He's not angry, he's regretful and he cajoles her into letting him loose. In keeping with his word he doesn't hurt her at all - instead telling her to bar her door (against his drunk soldiers) and kicks of marriage proceedings.
She wants nothing to do with him, but her other options are awful, so in the end, she agrees, and in her terrified marital bed she finds her husband unwilling to take what isn't freely offered. He grows into his role as Lord Adam and he treats her kindly. Once he kisses her and seems to be interested in more, and then he remembers she didn't want it and backs of in a panic.
He isn't alpha or all knowing, he's trying to find his way just as she is, and when they do come together, it is tender and sweet (and non graphic).
Fell in love with the dude myself!
She knocks him out, ties him up, to save herself from rape. The following sober morning, he wakes up and she fills him in on what he did. He's not angry, he's regretful and he cajoles her into letting him loose. In keeping with his word he doesn't hurt her at all - instead telling her to bar her door (against his drunk soldiers) and kicks of marriage proceedings.
She wants nothing to do with him, but her other options are awful, so in the end, she agrees, and in her terrified marital bed she finds her husband unwilling to take what isn't freely offered. He grows into his role as Lord Adam and he treats her kindly. Once he kisses her and seems to be interested in more, and then he remembers she didn't want it and backs of in a panic.
He isn't alpha or all knowing, he's trying to find his way just as she is, and when they do come together, it is tender and sweet (and non graphic).
Fell in love with the dude myself!
March 28, 2020
The last book I gave four stars to was a romance novel that was actually very historical. This is a historical novel that was actually very romantic! I really liked this. One of the things I love about romances, is the dynamics of two people trying to figure out of to communicate. But they generally stop there, and there doesn鈥檛 tend to be a lot of information for the reader about what else sustains their life. What do they like to do? Do either of them have vocations they are passionate about? How will they incorporate it into their life together? How do they navigate irritating or toxic family members? Is there a solid friendship beyond any chemistry? All of that is in the subtext of a very realistic look at day to day life in Medieval England. Truly enjoyable, and about two people who know themselves, or at least think they do, until they meet each other and have to navigate the social dictates of the day.
August 30, 2009
I was so impressed with the author's detailed look at daily life in the period that I used this book when an assignment for a college class on Costume History required us to read and critique a work of historical fiction with an eye to the depictions of dress and textile arts. Think I got a good grade, too! And besides, it was one of the best and most realistic romances I ever read. A slow development of trust and love and not the typical "bodice -ripper progression of 'I hate you, I hate you, I love you!' Out of print but find a copy if you can!
August 26, 2018
Surprisingly short on bodice-ripping and long on gripping historical detail about food storage.
August 14, 2023
I cannot recommend this, which is a shame, as I was looking forward to it. There were far too many insults to women, mentions of (bad language hidden here) , for this book to be entertaining. It seemed that every other page had some kind of insult to women, and it got irritating and repetitive quickly. The women do much of this insulting. One admonishes a young woman after a man nearly forces her. Even during an attack by an enemy force, a woman stops to insult another woman and her dead mother. That constant barrage of negativity and misogyny dragged the book down. It wasn't fun or entertaining, and on a writing level, got repetitive and dull, like the author didn't know what other type of interaction the characters could have. I've read many books set in medieval times, and few have this level of degradation. Also, every man seems to think he has the right to r@pe a woman simply because she is lower class. Besides being insulting to men, it is also repetitive and boring.
In my eyes, the book had nothing to redeem it: no interesting angle on the time period, no unusual story or unique take on an old story, and I didn't like any of the characters. Also, this is a romance centered around whether two characters fall in love. This means that Skip this book.
As a personal pet peeve, there were multiple instances of lip biting. I despise this action in fiction. I've only seen one person do this in real life, and it looks really disturbing. I can't look at her if she does it. Yet it's endemic in books, and is done for so many different reasons (anger, fear, joy, agitation, nervousness, pleading, sadness, flirting, "thoughtfully", whatever that means, or for no reason) that it is pointless as an action. If it can be used to underscore anything, it's meaningless. As with blinking, it could be cut and nothing would be lost. It merely clutters the page.
In my eyes, the book had nothing to redeem it: no interesting angle on the time period, no unusual story or unique take on an old story, and I didn't like any of the characters. Also, this is a romance centered around whether two characters fall in love. This means that Skip this book.
As a personal pet peeve, there were multiple instances of lip biting. I despise this action in fiction. I've only seen one person do this in real life, and it looks really disturbing. I can't look at her if she does it. Yet it's endemic in books, and is done for so many different reasons (anger, fear, joy, agitation, nervousness, pleading, sadness, flirting, "thoughtfully", whatever that means, or for no reason) that it is pointless as an action. If it can be used to underscore anything, it's meaningless. As with blinking, it could be cut and nothing would be lost. It merely clutters the page.
September 29, 2021
4 and 1/2 Stars - Medieval Romance with a Likeable Hero and a Strong Heroine
Set in the 12th century, during the reign of Henry II when 鈥渢he young king鈥� was aspiring to usurp his father鈥檚 throne, this is the story of Lady Julitta, a young lady without dower and seemingly without prospects until she encounters Red Adam, lord of Brentborough. Red Adam, so called for his red hair, in a drunken state, takes her for a tavern wench and decides to take her back to his bed chamber and show her a good time. He doesn鈥檛 seem to understand she is a virtuous lady who will not be trifled with. So she bangs him over the head with a wooden stool, keeping her virginity. But since he has 鈥渞uined鈥� her in the eyes of all, he does the right thing and marries her.
Red Adam, a likeable guy, is loyal to the king and won鈥檛 hear of plots to take him down, thus drawing the ire and vengeance of his enemies. And once he weds the smart and savvy Julietta, he becomes the perfect gentleman.
The introduction by Elizabeth Chadwick might suggest this is historical fiction. It鈥檚 not, nor is it comparable to Chadwick鈥檚 work. This is romance, albeit good historical romance. It鈥檚 a story of civil war in England, of border raids by villainous Scots, scheming plans of aristocrats and daring escapes across the moors. There is lots of blood and guts; it鈥檚 not for the squeamish. And sometimes I had to read a sentence twice to get what she was trying to convey. Still, it鈥檚 a fast paced tale based on considerable research for historical details. I really enjoyed it.
Set in the 12th century, during the reign of Henry II when 鈥渢he young king鈥� was aspiring to usurp his father鈥檚 throne, this is the story of Lady Julitta, a young lady without dower and seemingly without prospects until she encounters Red Adam, lord of Brentborough. Red Adam, so called for his red hair, in a drunken state, takes her for a tavern wench and decides to take her back to his bed chamber and show her a good time. He doesn鈥檛 seem to understand she is a virtuous lady who will not be trifled with. So she bangs him over the head with a wooden stool, keeping her virginity. But since he has 鈥渞uined鈥� her in the eyes of all, he does the right thing and marries her.
Red Adam, a likeable guy, is loyal to the king and won鈥檛 hear of plots to take him down, thus drawing the ire and vengeance of his enemies. And once he weds the smart and savvy Julietta, he becomes the perfect gentleman.
The introduction by Elizabeth Chadwick might suggest this is historical fiction. It鈥檚 not, nor is it comparable to Chadwick鈥檚 work. This is romance, albeit good historical romance. It鈥檚 a story of civil war in England, of border raids by villainous Scots, scheming plans of aristocrats and daring escapes across the moors. There is lots of blood and guts; it鈥檚 not for the squeamish. And sometimes I had to read a sentence twice to get what she was trying to convey. Still, it鈥檚 a fast paced tale based on considerable research for historical details. I really enjoyed it.
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