A notorious bodice-ripper from 1974, and alas, still in print. Let's see. Set during the Norman Conquest it starts with Wulfgar's men invading Aislinn's home, killing her father, beating her mother and making her into a slave who is raped before being chained to the floor at night. Wulfgar then claims her as spoils and says she should have no objection to his bedding her since she's no longer a virgin--what's one more man? He addresses her as "slave." I lasted only to the first rape by Wulfgar around page 123 or so, but turning to the end, yup, this is the one she falls in love with. I also hated the style, especially the pseudo-medieval stylings like "damsel" and "tis" and "nay"--which was said by the heroine a lot only to be ignored. And this according to what I've read is a much loved and reread book that turned many on to the romance genre and one of its first epic blockbuster bestsellers. Go figure.
