The Holding: Amazon.ca: Books

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Sensual + Spiritual = INCREDIBLE!!, Sep 23 2002

By

steigenhoffer (Seattle) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Holding (Mass Market Paperback)

The Holding is the first book by Claudia Dain I've read. I read it in one day - it was incredible! It's a refreshingly different kind of romance. It has all the elements of a sensual love story, yet this novel is a very unique mix of spirituality and sensuality. I'm happy to find an author that realizes the two are not mutually exclusive.

William, the hero has been given Greneforde Castle (including resident lady of Greneforde, the orphaned Cathryn) by the king to reward him for his loyal service. Both William and Cathryn have scars of their past to overcome. The story is completely absorbing as the author gradually reveals the tragedies that haunt them. William's character grows into a warm, tender and sexy husband. Cathryn has put up a strong front for so long that she finds it hard to let her defenses down to her new husband, but when she does, she finds ecstasy.

The secondary characters are some of the most well developed and interesting I've read in a long time. Among them is a priest who provides wise spiritual guidance and two servants who are falling in love themselves.

This book is well worth your time and money. It's truly an intelligent, thoughtful romance.

I totally agree with the reviewer that said the cover is bad. Ms. Dain, if you're reading this...don't let the publishers do that to you again! This book deserves better!!

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1.0 out of 5 stars wooden-let it go!, April 5 2004

By

J. Mullally "booklover4ever00" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Holding (Mass Market Paperback)

I am sorry, but I have truly given up on Ms. Dain as an author. Nearly all of her supposed love scenes are nonconsensual. Please, can get get away from the bodice rippers of the 70s already. Intelligent modern readers want so much more. The deflowering of women is just not an entertaining topic, and especially not when done with such graphic and down right crass mishandling.
William finds out she is not a virgin and immediately blames her without ever once stoping to look around him at the ruined mansion he has got thanks to marrying a total stranger. she is just a possession to him like everything else. He just can't bear the thought of anyone sharing fun with her except him. He doesn't understand that every time he calls her CAt and falls upon her like a starving man on his dinner, that this is what her attacker used to do to her. He hardly even bothers to try to understand her point of view until it is forcibly shoved under his nose.
William is not quite as Neanderthal as her other heroes but he comes pretty close. Then we have her rapist Lambert going about scot free and trying to reclaim her. He tries to kill her, and at last she fights back for about a minute. Graphic violence ensues, and that includes William being stabbed in both sides with swords and still surviving to kill the villain. PUH-LEEESE.
We never see any commitment warmth or fondness in any of these books, just unremitting doom and gloom, and miserable lives for all her female characters. This is not quite as depressing as some of Ms. Dain's other books, but the characters are flat and insipid and not people I ever care about even though we are supposed to admire her as a victim. and him for 'forgivng' her.
I would rather admire my characters for being brave, noble, loving and committed to one another. As most intelligent readers of romance would. Let this one go for sure.

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3.0 out of 5 stars It improves once get past the cover and the first chapter, Jan 20 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Holding (Mass Market Paperback)

England, Winter 1155. "Nineteen years of war had taken its toll on William's holding ... field were broken wastelands of scorched earth ... there would be no corn this winter" (pg.1). Of course not! Corn is a New World crop that never existed in 12th-century England! I have to say, I put the book down after reading the 1st page and it was months before boredom forced me to pick it up again. I'm glad that I did. The plot is driven and, once started, I couldn't put it down. Tsk to Ms. Dain for poor research, but give her 10 pages and she will entertain you.

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Most recent customer reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Delicious
This is the first book I have read by Ms. Dain and I wasn't disappointed. She uses a surprising mix of true 'soul-connecting' spirituality and delicious sensuality to create a... Read more

Published on Jan 1 2003 by lisa simone

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous!
I was so pleasantly surprised by this book, that I just had to share my delight.

After getting past the horrible cover...the story itself is delightful. Read more