Review: Saving Lady Ilsa by Crystal Kauffman

Saving Lady Ilsa by Crystal Kauffman

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Genre: Historical Romance

Heat Rating: 4

Blurb

Bradford Stratton needs a wife. It isn’t a tragic problem until one considers his disposition. He’d rather spend his days, and nights, with his young lover Frederick. But his father’s gently put request that he marry is nothing short of an order, and Bradford won’t settle for a silly bit of fluff. When he sees the beautiful Norwegian seamstress, he makes his decision on the spot. He has to have her, even as he knows claiming her could destroy his relationship with Frederick.

Ilsa Bergstrom has endured all the abuse she can take from her late sister’s cruel husband. But a thirty-year-old childless woman in London’s rough Whitechapel has few options for surviving on her own, and after a horrific night of abuse at the hands of three men, she’ll never choose whoring as one of them. Yet when handsome nobleman Bradford Stratton makes a scandalous proposition, she accepts without hesitation. Bradford proves to be a gentle and generous lover. But Ilsa knows when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.



Monica’s Review

Saving Lady Ilsa by Crystal Kauffman is a wonderful, sweet and romantic book. The book was beautifully written with such grace and passion, and the intense plot and love making in the book was remarkable. Norwegian seamstress, Ilsa Bergstorm endures so much pain due to her brother in law, Kilgard, after her sister passes away. Bradford Stratton came into the picture just in time to save her. He sees something in her that makes him want her even if he has a lover Frederick. This is such a twist because Bradford has a male lover but his dad would like have grandchildren before he dies and demands him to get married. I was just overwhelmed to see how Frederick would react to the news that his lover now needed to share him with a woman, or how about what was she going to think about him having a male lover?

Kauffman did a spectacular job in the whole plot of the book of how a woman can overcome her own fears after she what she had to endure with Kilgard. The more time Ilsa spent with Bradford, the more she became fond of him and she was falling in love. The most perfect proposition was made to her. Ilsa only needed to wed him and nothing else unless he called upon her. After the torture she endured with Kilgard, this was heaven. Then she receives the blow that Bradford has a male lover, Frederick. Will she be able to share him, not only that but be with two men at the same time. Kauffman explains in detail what Ilsa suffered in the hands of Kilgard that makes you wonder how can she give them what they want when she fears them. Can she overcome her fear of having two men to love? Will she bear Bradford's children or after her terrible experience will Ilsa back out?

Kauffman writes the unthinkable I believe on how Ilsa overcomes her tragic incident. Ilsa will be put through some tests and depending on those test will depend if she leave her new home or go to an estate by herself. Ilsa’s first test should be to learn how to pleasure her soon-to-be husband, Bradford. Ilsa’s second test shall be can Bradford share her with his lover, Frederick. Ilsa's third test—is Frederick able to share his lover, Bradford. Ilsa’s final test shall be on her wedding night—can she handle Bradford and Frederick at the same time. Can she can do it after her tragic incident?

Kauffman said it perfectly in this quote in the book “No, not for you.” She smiled. “I need to or I’ll never get over it. I realize now I cannot live with this pain.” I highly recommend this wonderful love story of erotic, steamy passion, fear of not being able to bear children to the person or persons she loves, The pain Ilsa has endured during her life, something that is not wished upon anyone, not even your worst enemy.

4 Tea Cups!