TENDER FURY by Connie Mason

PUBLISHER: Leisure, 1984
GENRE: Fiction/Historical Romance
SETTING: Martinique & USA, 1814-1817
AUTHOR SITE: link

BODICE RIPPER? Yes
MY GRADE: B

SYNOPSIS: Lovely young Gabrielle LaFarge had resigned herself to the life of a nun in a French convent. But the future that awaits her is far different, for she is informed that she is to marry Philippe St. Cyr, a wealthy plantation owner from the island of Martinique. Gabby resents and fears this handsome, moody man, whose icy surface conceals depths of passion and violence. Though he awakens her to the sensual delights of lovemaking, Gabby’s heart remains untouched – or so she believes. As for Philippe, she is certain that he is incapable of love. Constantly at cross purposes, separated by war and the conniving of Philippe’s jealous mistress, each tries to forget the other but a bond has been forged between them that will serve at last to unite them in love’s sweet, strange … Tender Fury.

MY THOUGHTS: This was a typical bodice ripper and I enjoyed it. It takes place on the island of Martinique, New Orleans, Louisiana (USA), Norfolk, Virginia (USA) and spans three years. It features multiple rapes, drugged heroine, cheating, masturbation, a love triangle, an evil mistress (I love those!), politics, you name it. 

The heroine, 17/18 year old Gabby has pale blonde hair and violet eyes. She goes through so much, most of which is at the hands of her husband. It was overkill with how many men wanted her-  her husband, a man at the brothel where she was staying temporarily, an American named Robert, and Marcel, a man her husband hates. They own neighboring plantations in Martinique. I can't remember why Philippe hates him so much. Marcel's a good 15 years older than Gabby. He loves her and tries to help her escape Philippe. He's a real good friend to her right until the end.

The hero's age isn't given. He's widowed and feels responsible for his wife's death. He also feels responsible for his mother's death when he was only ten years old though he's not truly to blame for either. He's violent and possessive. He whores around but so does Gabby. He's working with Andrew Jackson to deliver documents about an upcoming British invasion and that's why they're in New Orleans for a time.

Amalie is Philippe's slave and mistress. She's nuts and jealous of Gabby. She tries to kill her and sets her up to be raped during a strange ceremony. Nature punishes her in the end. Really the only thing I dislike about her is she refers to herself in third person a lot, which is annoying.

Though the synopsis says Gabby and Philippe are together, I was hoping he'd get killed in the end, and there's a scene that made me think he would die, so she could be with Marcel but that wasn't in the cards for her, sadly.

This is the author's first novel. She passed away in 2020. She was featured in a short segment on 48 Hours called Foreign Affair on an episode called Isn't It Romantic? I can't find the air date of the episode but according to her website, it's from 1995 and she's reading an excerpt from her book Wind Raider, which came out December 1994.