“You aren’t going to get her? She’s your wife. Her place is beside you.”
“A man cannot own a woman, cousin. He can only…” Hunter’s words trailed off. A picture of Loretta’s face flashed in his mind. “He can only love her.”
― Catherine Anderson, Comanche Moon
When I asked for a Historical Romance to read this one was suggested to me. I have never heard of this one, my mom apparently missed this one, but I cringed when I heard a native American love story from the 90’s. The 90’s might have been famous for much but sensitivity was not one of them and romance stories has a bad reputation for being insensitive to culture and romanticizing what shouldn’t be romanticized.
So how was this one? Well, the plot follows two character. One is Loretta, a young girl who lost her family to Comanche warriors when she was around thirteen years old. In the aftermath of that horror, she has lost her voice and fears the face of the natives.
The other is Hunter of the Wolf, often just called Hunter, who is a Comanche warrior who lost his wife to the Blue Coats. Hunting the white men who raped and killed his wife and their unborn child, he is haunted by the past and a prophecy that claims that he will one day fall in love with a golden-haired woman and go west with her to create a new nation.
Two worlds collide and drama ensure when the two people who are both haunted by their pride and their prejudice try to understand each other’s culture. Now, firstly, this book has a lot of tropes such as rape. Too many of them. The so-called savage kidnapping a woman to marry. We also have the half-blood Native American because, god help us if a white woman falls in love with a full-blooded Native American. A prophecy, because every book needs one. And the one who raped and killed Loretta’s murder, well, I think you can guess in the book who it was. Just picked the choice which will get the most drama.
I personally think this book dragged on for far too long, there was many instances where I felt like these chapters aren’t really necessary such as the many chapters where Hunter drags her to his village while she tries to escape. Or the chapter where he is so angry at her and punishing her by tying her to the ground and fuck her. Yes, I would say rape but the writer makes it clear that Loretta wants it so… It is a kink I do not understand.
Secondly, I would like to make it clear that this book is more of a historical story than a romance. I was told that Catherine Anderson did extensive research into Comanche culture and language to write this book and I believe it. It depicts beautifully both the bad and the good of the two cultures of this time which is actually a first for me. Often, especially American history, seem to depict Native American’s as either victims or cruel savages. Here the line is far greyer and that is often were reality lies. The world isn’t black and white. As an educated historian, I appreciate the attempt to actually depict the history as it was.
I also liked the character fairly well, though I had a hard time with Loretta’s indecisiveness but that is more of a personal problem. I understood why she is the way she is and could accept her and see her strengths. Her narrow mind comes from a place of fear and she did slowly learn to open her mind and see the world for what it truly is. Hunter is a bit bullheaded, not unusual for a warrior, I guess. Thinking he already know the world and his place in it but still kind and loving when he doesn’t let his temper get the better of him.
The romance doesn’t happen to the very end and unlike other ones I have read, these two slowly falls in love though they are attracted to each other from the start. Which feels more natural than falling in love instantly, looking at you Disney. But for those who wanted more of a romance this one might leave them a bit wanting since the romance happen so late in the book.
I also think that some of the cruder reality might be off putting for the romance veteran as romances often tends to lean toward fantasy fulfillment. This one had it too, such as the two beautiful people falling in love and he being strong and protective of her but it is dipped into the historical realism to the point of grounding it far more than other romances.
So, would I recommend it? Yes, if you are not deterred by historical books, as this one leans more towards it, then yes. This is a romance I would suggest for those that aren’t into romances as it has far more to give both historically and in plot. It is not afraid to dip into the dark and pull out subjects such as rape, racism, the cruelty and sorrows of war. As I romance would give it a lower score as it hasn’t that much of it, but as a book, it is marvelous and I must give it a 9 out of ten. This one does pull out the extra to give you both knowledge and entertainment and will be stuck in my mind for a good while.
What do you think? Is this a romance for you?
Kind Regards
Senefer
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