Really wanted to like it, but early on the clumsy writing style kept throwing me out of the story. Run-on sentences, excessive adjectives, and a text littered with spelling and grammar errors made it very difficult to follow. Liked the heroine enough to be interested, but the hero's behavior was unforgivable in a very rapey sex scene. Some things are just not redeemable in a hero. I read a lot of NA romance and prefer a well researched story that is at least remotely historically accurate. Unfortunately this one is not. Overall disappointing and would not recommend it for those who are looking for NA historical romance. Jessica Leigh I tried to get into this book since the plot sounds pretty interesting, however, it was hard to stay immersed and I only got to 7%. The author was fairly good at scene building providing the sights, smells, sounds, ect. There a parts that seemed...odd or rushed though.
Pros:
- Unique meeting that brought the leads together within the first chapter.
- There is a healthy combination of feelings per actual plot/scene progression in the writing.
Cons:
- The journey to the tribal village is very short with no chance of character building or really any interaction between the leads (or the trade party) aside from him watching her and her being tired.
- I have no knowledge with Native American culture but it seems odd to me that the chief's wife is a doormat for everyone. In most of the books I've read, the tribes have a system where the men make the decisions and the women take care of the house, food, children, making clothes/pelts, ect. In these books the women have a sort of hierarchy as well, however, in this book the chief's wife is snapped at and she just takes it.
Neutral:
I'm not a fan of back and forth POV unless it's per chapter and makes sense. For me, giving the point of view repeatedly to minor/supporting characters didn't really capture my attention. So far we have Male Lead, Female Lead, Chief, and Chief's Wife. Just because I'm not a fan of this doesn't mean that it's a con, I'm sure there are other people who enjoy multiple POVs. Jessica Leigh
Things i did not know before i read Savage Forest
-If a man rapes you, it's totally ok as long as it was done with zero control and lot's of love
-There are some books that never ever ever end, no matter how bad you want them to.
-Dirty looks are the best way to fall in love
-Big boobed women are winners.
- White people suck
Jessica Leigh Savage Forest - Jessica Leigh
Jenna is a Swedish immigrant who was living with her father in the Dutch colony in New Amstel in what is now New York. An incident happened that lead to bloodshed due to the language barrier of the Lenni Lenape Indians and Jenna and her father.
Jenna is taken captive by the Lenni Lenape Indians of the Minisi tribe. Running Wolf takes her back to his people and she stays with his parents in their lodge until the council decides on her fate. In the meantime, Jenna is taught the ways of the Minsi Tribe by Willow Plume who is Running Wolf's mother. Jenna learns quickly and it was decided by Soaring Eagle that Jenna was to be given to Running Wolf as a gift. As Jenna stays with Running Wolf they both start to have feelings for each other, but yet they don't actually know how to show it to the other. They both are stubborn and will not realize they both need to grieve for the ones that they have lost before they can move on with their lives.
The storyline is great! However, I felt the romance between Running Wolf and Jenna was long winded. The story should have ended once both Yellow Woman and Stands with a fist have been banished by the tribe.
I'm rather surprised that Jenna was able to keep her white name. Once captives whether they are slaves or have been adopted by the natives would have been given an Indian name. This could have been reflected when Jenna went on that hunting party when they were tracking that cougar or when she was inducted as becoming a Medicine Woman. Jessica Leigh I think that this was a very good first novel. I felt drawn into the story from the first page.
The author is very descriptive and I could easily picture each character and where they were at. The story changes perspective often, but I had no trouble figuring out which character was doing the thinking at any given moment.
I really enjoyed Jenna's character. She struck me as brave, smart and caring. I did find that at time she acted in a childish and naive manner, but those instances made sense based on her age and experience. Her relationships with the various characters within the book, especially Wise Moon and Willow Plume, were fun. I loved seeing the way Jenna and so many other characters were able to overcome their own racism.
There are two things that caused me to give this four stars instead of five. First, I felt that the story was a little too long. I was ready for Jenna and Running Wolf to end up together when Yellow Moon was banished. I wanted Jenna to have some peace. The second reason is the first sex scene with Jenna and Running Wolf. I felt that even a little tipsy he should have behaved a lot better. Jessica Leigh
read Savage Forest (Savage Romance, #1)
Alternate Cover Edition: B00CDG7CO6
Jenna Ulfsson is faced with one consuming quest: survival. Her darkest nightmares are realized when the young Swedish immigrant is taken by the Lenni Lenape Indians after a grave misunderstanding turns to bloodshed. Looking into the piercing black eyes of her bronze-skinned captor, Jenna prepares to endure a ghastly revenge for her father’s mortal mistake.
Running Wolf is a striking and virile Minsi brave who first discovers the golden-haired female hunting as a man deep within the forest. He is enthralled with the slender, green-eyed creature, so different from any white woman he has ever before encountered. Yet when his brother is needlessly murdered by the girl’s father, the course of his life is changed forever.
Running Wolf rashly takes the young woman captive, bearing her deep within the savagely beautiful mountain regions of the New World’s interior, his homeland known as the Dark Forest, steeped with mysticism and lore of a people little known by the Whites. Jenna slowly adapts to the native way of life, discovering her own talent as a natural healer among the native people.
Sexual tensions and clashes of will escalate as Jenna is thrown into the care and lodge of Running Wolf by decree of the chief. In close quarters, their mutual attraction can no longer be denied. Temper and passion entwine the couple until Running Wolf is stretched to the breaking point. Can he tame the young Swede's indomitable spirit? Savage Forest (Savage Romance, #1)
This story was very difficult to get through as it was written. It was tough due to the length of the story. If the storyline about Jenna and Running Wolf had been broken into two books with the first book being about her being taken captive and her life in his world and then the second book about her going back to her previous “white” world and being taken captive by another Indian group and her struggle to return to Running Wolf, I could have easily read them and appreciated them for how they were split up.
I don’t have problems with the heroine of the story jumping into the world that she has been forced to live in but in this case Jenna adapted a little too easily to her captive world which I was surprised by considering the era and her life in the “white” world. I liked Jenna and Running Wolf but the entire storyline got bogged down with too many other characters being introduced and leaving the scene and then returning. The antagonists of this couple were introduced in the beginning and then slightly forgotten about. Then thrust back into the readers world and, from my point of view, they lingered too long in the storyline.
I am not saying that descriptive storyline is a bad thing, but this book seemed to languish and stutter. There was heat and immediate attraction between Jenna and Running Wolf but it seemed to disappear within the monotony of the storyline.
-Reviewed by Khriste Jessica Leigh This was a great book. Characters were really good and the settings were great too. Very exciting and romantic between very different cultures. Jessica Leigh I thought Savage Forest was a very descriptive and entertaining historical romance. The main story line is one of romance between two characters of different races and cultures, who must overcome a lot of challenges to be together. The lead and sub characters come to life in Savage Forest, and there is also much unexpected humor throughout. We are given a rare glimpse of early Native American culture and how the first colonists along the eastern coast perceived them as people. It's a really unique book and well worth the read!
Jessica Leigh Wow very seldom does a story give so much vivid detail. There's romance, passion, adventure... just about anything a person could want in a book! The author done a great job with everything - the storyline, the setting, building the characters into believable people that you care deeply for and you find yourself completely wrapped up in the plot and where it's all going. This is my first time reading a book by this author and I was totally impressed. I enjoyed the excitement of this novel. It really kept one on their toes. Another book I read and couldn't put down. Highly recommended! Jessica Leigh I received this book from the author in exchange for a honest review.
This book reminded me of the old-fashioned Indian romances of the 80's and early 90's. This is not meant as a criticism. It is meant as a complement.
The story: The heroine Jenna lives with her father in the New World Dutch settlement of New Amstel along the Delaware River. One day, Jenna is hunting and encounters some Indians and they surround her. Running Wolf, his brother Crow Beaver, and a couple of other warriors are traveling to the settlement for trade purposes. Up until this time, the Indians and Dutch have coexisted peacefully. Jenna's father (an Indian hater) enters the picture and promptly assumes the worst. He shoots Crow Beaver and then the Indians shoot him with an arrow. As a consequence, Running Wolf kidnaps Jenna and they then make the long journey to his village that lies deep in the dark forest. During the journey, Jenna is tied to Running Wolf, but otherwise is not harmed or abused.
Eventually, they arrive at his village. Running Wolf's tribe is the Minsi(Clan of the Wolves). Jenna is attacked when they arrive, but Running Wolf shields her from it. Jenna is put into the care of the Chief Soaring Eagle and his mate Willow Plume. Jenna is wary at first, but slowly realizes that Willow Plume is not going to hurt her. Willow Plume and Jenna begin a friendship. Willow Plume starts teaching her their ways so she can adjust to her new life. Soaring Eagle and Willow Plume do not blame her for their son's death and are very kind to her.
As time passes, Soaring Eagle realizes he must make a decision about Jenna's future. She cannot stay with them forever. He decides to give her as a gift to his son Running Wolf. He wants to test his ability to be a leader. As a gift, she cannot be abused in any way. Needless to say, both are not happy with the decision, but must abide by it. Jenna moves into his lodge and it is not a smooth transition.
Meanwhile, Running Wolf has been sleeping with Yellow Woman. Yellow Woman is a manipulate, conniving, mean, spiteful, jealous woman who hates Jenna with a passion. Jenna and Yellow Woman have many fights.
The rest of the book deals with Running Wolf and Jenna's eventual HEA. Along the way, there are many obstacles that they have to contend with.
Yellow Woman and the village's Medicine Man Strikes with Two Fists(who is a creep and wants Jenna for himself) give Running Wolf and Jenna many problems. .
Secondary Characters:
Brown Eagle - was a kind friend to Jenna when she most needed it.
Elk Walker - was hilarious. He loved to tease Running Wolf about his feelings for Jenna.
Wise Moon - Medicine woman for the tribe. She was an excellent mentor and friend to Jenna. She helped her find a purpose in her new life.
Overall, an original and engaging historical Indian romance.
Jessica Leigh