Modern stuff-“get fresh with her.””nestegg.” “shady.” “gigolo.” “haphazard.” “pill pusher.” “dad.”Some of the writing just isn’t written well at all.Why exactly was ‘the thought of any other mans hands on her was sickening.’Some of the language sounds british-“rake. Dandy.”The speech is sometimes modern. It throws you out of the story.The author is trying too hard-too much sadsack stuff. Where men beat their wives. Suffragist stuff-been there, done that.The landlady started off not real nice, but she started acting nicer then tess was like, ‘she’s trying to kick me outta here.’We get it, u can shoot a bow &skin a deer. Now lets move on.“I do not have a temper, sir.” Why all of a sudden call matt ‘sir?’Theres some modern thinking in here. Things that would be much better suited in a modern novel. “she might be afraid that he’ll kill her if she has him put in jail, then he gets out.”&the crime, suicide and alcoholism on reservations seemed more suited to modern times, too. I think it was her fault that the guy in the hospital killed himself, but I guess stupid tess couldn’t be blamed. So the doctors said it wasn’t her fault.“throbbing, hot, shaky, weak.” The things ppl say out loud..The author sets stuff up a lot. Case in point-“you wont believe this, but for a few seconds, I thought u might have been outside spooning with a man. So silly. There was only mr. davis out there with you, your own cousin!” could you have made that a more blatant set up? Its completely contrived. &spooning sounds rlly modern.The teasing matt does sometimes just isn’t working. It makes him sound like a white rake. Everything is so predictable &already spelled out before we can make our own conclusions. We’re told Nan is most likely seeing someone. So when she blurts it out its completely anticlimactic. Because we already knew it. She says she wouldn’t put tess at risk for anything. Well maybe you shouldn’t get in her carriage then. Is mick the only carriage driver in town?“a big, mean cop.” How modern. &how dumb.Bad writing-she’s talking to nan’s sister and husband and all of a sudden throws out ‘they left.’Its so annoying reading a book where the girl thinks the guy doesn’t love her at all but he really does. &she’s playing the poor me card. &acting pathetic. &he could clear up the whole situation if he just opened his mouth. ‘rumor hat he didn’t care for white women, &had a yen for more exotic ladies of varied extractions.’ I was waiting for it. You take a native American, turn him into a suave, well-dressed, rich white man. Why even write about native americans if you’re gunna make him look/sound like/act like a white man?! Im so disappointed.&if you don’t want him spending money on you, then why don’t you refuse? It’s a fine time to protest after he’s bought you a dress, gloves, shoes, a comb &a purse. Way to take a stand.‘par-ticularly.’ What was up with that?‘exclusive-looking woman.’ Whaat???‘her fairness would enhance matt’s dark skin.’ Was tess saying that?You keep saying matt doesn’t love you &can never love you. &that you need to let him go. So do it. stop expecting a reaction out of him, and being hurt when he acts indifferent. You gotta be tougher than that. Toughen up&ignore him. Of course, a guy would suddenly come into the picture to make matt jealous. This story is so contrived.Matt’s random comments of jealousy just arent working. Im not really buying it either.Nan is getting on my nerves. Is nan guilty? What will happen to nan? Nan, nan, nan! Good grief, the story should be called The Nan Story. It literally revolves around nan. They’ll be talking about something else, and then go right back to nan. They bounce back from the boarding house, the hospital, matts office, a ball, and then nan’s apartment. Im getting claustrophobic. The guy nan’s been seeing is a womanizing criminal? Wth! It doesn’t make sense that a guy like him would like nan at all. In fact, its stupid.Im not sure why matt would tell a stranger he’s Sioux. 2 seconds ago, you didn’t know if you could trust him, the next you’re dumping your secrets on him.Tess alternates between sounding like a kid &an old lady. She says the most inane things-“you are…bad!” “you…bit me.”“it was too poignant a thing to have openly between us.” Huh?I hate when 2 characters arent together for some dumb reason. Like he wont admit to his feelings. &he thinks she has a problem with him being indian. Or-“I have nothing to offer you.” You’re, apparently, really rich. You can offer her a home, clothing, food, and protection. You have everything to offer her! What, exactly, cant you offer?‘his eyes narrow &adult &very intent.’ Adult eyes. Hm.His sexual superiority and him always calling her green is annoying. Would you prefer she be really experienced…like you are? “&even this is hardly a drop in the ocean of what I can give you.” Ah-ha! So you can offer her something. The page before you said you couldn’t offer her anything. And now, apparently, you’re the sexual font of experiences.She’s so scared &timid but then says “I want to lie naked in your arms, in my bed.”Why would you ask him what he does with other women! You idiot.“im not a virgin anymore, am i?” “yes you are, in the sense that I didn’t penetrate you. All the same, I had your virginity.” That’s the only way to prevent children. What idiots!She’s pathetic . have some dignity. “pipe dream” is so modern. He turns her down again &the next day asks to go on a walk and she accepts.I hate reading about a d.a. character. she should get mad &stay mad.‘he was a lowly snake with a little soul.’ What kind of insult is that?“&a low dog of a murderous bluecoat soldier has less humanity than the lowliest dog in a Sioux camp!” im missing the insult there, too.“why don’t you marry me?” why don’t you stop pestering him?“I suppose ill devote the rest of my life to the women’s movement &live on last night.” “It was a moment’s madness.” “it was delicious.”It was delicious? who talks like this?! &you knew he never wanted to marry a white woman. Are you trying to appear pathetic with your poor me suffragist life bit so he’ll take pity and marry you?“if she was patient &didn’t pester him about them…” as if you could manage that!&then after bringing up marriage to him &their feelings for each other, she has the nerve to say “remember nan? My friend? The 1 who’s in jail awaiting trial for a murder she didn’t commit?” as if he’s the one who got off topic.“but she’s loyal to a fault. It’s a wonder to me she’s not married. I suppose men are blind.” There’s another instance of the author totally setting up a situation.Tess’s idea of helping is a half-*** questioning of a couple ‘witnesses’ and getting together with her women’s group to show nan ‘support.’ Boy, in no time at all, you’ll have the case solved.I also wanted her to do what she said she’d do-move out and be on her own, away from matt. But she never did. Until the land lady kicked her out. and even then, I didn’t think it was going to happen. “my eyes fed on you.” Um..She doesn’t even seem surprised that he’s kept his long hair all these years. I thought that was supposed to be a big reveal!‘she was…against him.’‘he was…watching her.’ Why are there…these pauses?Sometimes its not clear exactly what the characters are doing. That’s the case in a lot of old romance novels.‘it was 2 late, he thought w/ resignation. She could be pregnant from the touch of him like this, when he was excited.’ I hadn’t realized they had done anything. The exclamation points are annoying!‘she clung to him w/real fear that he might want to lift away.’ This girl is PATHETIC. ‘maybe ill die right now, and we’ll never have to separate again. we can be one person forever.’ Ugh…run matt, run!“we looked at each other. We looked…right at each other!” good observation skills, tess. Maybe tomorrow you’ll be able to put names together!That’s the secret. That’s what ive been waiting to find out? that was his form of protection? How does that protect her? And from what?So you’ve been cheating on her! That’s your gift to her. She’s been secretly tied to an adulterer. Bravo, matt, bravo!U decided to secretly be with her and then never touch her. Good plan. Makes perfect sense.She says you’ve been an adulterer and you reply with humor, as if there’s any humor to be found in the situation at all. Who the beep does that?“u knew nothing of our marriage. Besides, perhaps the experience I gained insured the pleasure I just gave you.” &of course she isn’t mad anymore, because pleasure is somehow more important than what’s morally right. So what, he’s got some experience under his belt. Are you more concerned about your pleasure than the fact that you’ve been married to a cheater? Apparently so. I love fickle, shallow characters. Its annoying how matt feels sympathy for the prostitutes. Another black mark against him in a line of several. You mean to tell me collier didn’t cheat on nan? He just went to a house of ill repute to hold hands and dump his ‘problems’ on a girl? And the idiocy continues.How can matt seriously think tess has a problem with Indians? Good gracious, can he really be this dumb? What makes him think that? The fact that shes sympathetic to the Sioux’s plight, the fact that she helped them when they were wounded, or the fact that she’s worshipped him since she was a kid?Now he claims to have known that she’s loved him since she was 14. ‘“I said hat I’d had encounters with sophisticated women. And I have. I’ve held them, and kissed them, and caressed them.” he grinned. ”but ive never slept with them. I was a married man, for god’s sake!”’ So, surprise surprise, we find out that he hasn’t actually gotten with any woman for 12 yrs. But he has held, and kissed them, and caressed them. so you have gotten with them. so you’re still a cheater. why even have him not actually get with them when he’s done everything else with them? is that supposed to be a consolation prize or something? Because FYI its STILL CHEATING. Its kind of dumb that Stanley actually had too much respect for matt to ask about his heritage. I thought it was more like he was too scared to ask. It was just plain dumb to have Stanley himself say he had too much respect to ask. Its very modern to propose in the paper.I don’t see how tess really helped him confront his past. I hate epilogues that take place so long after the book. Depressing!&it’s a fine time to ask-almost 30 yrs later-if tess regrets any part of their life. Im glad its over.
I found myself re-reading this book and couldn't help but reviewing it. Finally a Palmer's book where I didn't roll my eyes once, didn't want to punch the hero into unconsciousness and where the heroine's innocence doesn't border on bloody stupidity. I can honestly say it's the author's best book, thus the five stars.Tess and Matt have known each other for many years, during which they've become very close. When Matt realizes his love for Tess isn't of the brotherly type, he leaves for the city where he hides his Indian heritage and build a successful life as a white man. When Tess reaches him, after her father's death, she isn't a child any longer, but a woman and the attraction he feels is stronger than ever.I really liked Matt and I could totally feel his pain. He fought his love for Tess tooth and nail, because he didn't want to burden her with the hurt and scorn that come with what he is. It was a very honourable and unselfish thing to do. Plus he was never cruel or acted like a jerk.Tess is something else, never clingy or whiny. I loved her humor and that she always spoke her mind and wasn't afraid to give as good as she got. She had backbone and took indipendence on another level. She fought for her beliefs and love for Matt whithout second thoughts.The ending was especially sweet.
What do You think about The Savage Heart (1998)?
Diana Palmer takes us back in time with this wonderful historical, set in Chicago in the early part of the twentieth century. You'll meet Tess Meredith the lovely suffragette and her long-time friend Matt Davis who is Sioux, but living the life of a white man in Chicago as head of a detective agency.Their relationship really comes together when Tess' friend Nan's husband is murdered and Nan is sent to prison. Together the Tess and Matt work to uncover the real killer and in doing so they unleash their passion for each other.This story really showed the hardships that women faced in early 1900's as well as the Indians, both were treated as second and third class citizens. It was impossible not to love Tess who fought strongly for what she believed in and for those she loved. You can feel Matt's frustrations when he tries to curb her enthusiasm and keep her from harms way. And you definitely will feel the suffering of Nan, the battered wife of Dennis Collier.This was a wonderful story and definitely one for my keeper shelf.
—Andrea Guy
"Era incredibilmente bella e non soltanto per l'aspetto fisico. Aveva un animo sensibile e un fiero desiderio di indipendenza. Aveva un cuore selvaggio"Non è un segreto che io adori la Palmer e afferri con le mie manine bramose qualunque sua uscita (pur preferendola nei contemporanei) *ç* Anche in questo storico l'autrice ha scelto un'ambientazione affascinante e poco sfruttata, l'America del '900, ma ciò che mi ha sorpreso di più è stata la protagonista Tess, che rispetto alle solite "eroine Palmer" ha molto più fegato, e non è disposta ad essere il tappetino del suo ero XD Inoltre non è per niente lagnosa, sa quello che vuole e combatte per ottenerlo: nonostante le malelingue continua a fare il lavoro che ama, l'infermiera, a combattere per i diritti delle donne e degli indiani, a quei tempi chiusi nelle riserve. Il tema indiani è un'altro must della Palmer ma stavolta il nostro eroe, Matt, non solo lo utilizza per allontanare l'ostinata ragazza ma si vergogna realmente delle sue origini, intrappolato tra due mondi. Tess dovrà non solo convincerlo ad accettare il suo amore, ma anche a smettere di rinnegare le sue origini, di cui lei invece va fiera! Una bella storia d'amore con un dolce epilogo! *ç*
—Sabrina (Soter) Sally
Não se engane! Apesar deste ser um livro histórico, é um tipico palmeirão. Todos os clichês que a autora gosta estão ai: mocinho carrancudo que se acha, e mocinha pura que é totalmente apaixonada pelo cavalão.Nesse caso, o mocinho é um indio sioux, e a mocinha é uma sufragete, ou seja, uma feminista que lutava pelo voto e direitos das mulheres no inicio do século XX. Ela é até bem moderninha para a época, mas nem por isso deixa de ficar correndo atrás do Matt e de se menosprezar para conseguir a aprovação dele. Se bem que nessa historia o mocinho foi bem menos cavalo do que nos outros livros, mas não deixa de ser um tipico mocinho palmeriano. Mas o conjunto da obra até que foi bom, e valeu as 4 estrelinhas.
—Cris
