Vanquished (The Roxbury Trilogy #1) by Hope Tarr

This story took me by surprise, and for that alone, it gets a few extra points. I'm tired of reading the same done over and over again story lines and I like to be surprised.

The plot alone is unique. You have the leader of suffragettes, a woman who hasn't known the touch of a man in a very long time...you could say she's a man-hater. You have a photographer being blackmailed into somehow obtaining a naughty photograph of her. How in the world can he get under skirts?

This leads to romance, to falling in love with the forbidden. For Hadrian, there is no way out. He must get that photo or lose his life. The two engage in a love affair that's scorching-hot as he opens her eyes to plight of the London people. Callie realizes it's not just women being untreated unfairly, but the less fortunate, period.

Hadrian must face up to a torrid past and come to terms with who he is and was. Callie learns to come out of her shell, to be a woman for a change, and learns there is more to life than the right to vote. Though the cause doesn't diminish in her eyes, she realizes there's a lot more she needs to see and do as well.

But how in the world can they find happiness once he helps see her vanquished? What woman is going to forgive a man who sullies her reputation with a scandalous photo? How can he get out of this mess?

There was a rape sidestory that somewhat rattled me. While I appreciate being reminded rape is not necessarily confined to women, it jarred me with its brutality. The erotic scenes though well done, I didn't necessarily need them. I don't pick up historical fiction for the butt sex.

I appreciated the match factory and women on strike side story, however brief. The author explains the real facts in her author notes as well. I found this interesting. I also liked both the hero and heroine and this surprised me as the hero is technically a jerk and a man-whore and he's out to ruin her, but I was able to connect with him on some level and see more to him.

Major LOL moment: "She came then, little pulses that sent her woman's flesh fluttering against his mouth like the beating of butterfly wings.

That's quite a vagina!!!!!

Four bikes. I bought this on Amazon a while back.