"Anne Jewell is a teacher at Miss Martins' School for Girls in Bath. Anne has a nine year old illegitimate son, David, the result of a violent rape that Anne endured in her past. When Anne receives an invitation from David's father's relatives to spend some time at their family estate in Wales, Anne reluctantly agrees to the vacation. Anne views the trip as an opportunity for her son to bond with his Bewcastle cousins and male relatives, in the absence of a father figure. Sydnam Butler is the steward of Glandwr House, the Duke of Bewcastle's estate in Wales. When the large party of Bewcastle relatives descends upon the estate Sydnam finds himself moving out of the estate and onto a smaller cottage on the property. Sydnam is a bit of a recluse, one whose angelic face and body have been grotesquely disfigured on the right side of his face and body, along with missing his right eye and his right arm. Sydman courageously suffered these injuries as a prison of war during the Peninsula Wars. Shortly after arriving at the estate and while walking on the cliffs, Anne catches sight of Sydnam and is at first awestruck by his beauty, then repulsed by his disfigurement. Much to her shame, Anne finds herself fleeing Sydnam and his disfigurement. The next day, Anne discovers that Sydnam is a Bewcastle relative and a wealthy Earl, despite the fact that he is the Duke of Bewcastle's steward. As Anne and Sydman develop a friendship, each discovers that in each other they have found a kindred spirit. While Anne is tormented by her rape, Sydnam is haunted by his disfigurement and by his belief that no woman will want him. As Anne and Sydman find themselves falling in love, they must look within themselves and each other in order to believe in the healing power of love."
Sandra Calhoune, Resident Scholar
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Review Analysis of Simply Love
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Time/era of story
- 18th century
Difficult/unusual lover?
Yes
How difficult?
- disabled/ugly
Inner struggle subplot
Yes
Struggle with...
- angst over rape/molest
If one lover chases another...
- they alternate
Main Male Character
Profession/status:
- wealthy
Age/status:
- 20's-30's
How sexual is this person?
- very picky
How romantic is this person?
- very romantic
Sex makes him
- confused
Sex has good effect on him
Yes
Sex makes him
- confident
- blissful
- a better lover
Sex has bad effect on him
Yes
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- missing body parts/abilities
Main Female Character
Age/status:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- teacher
How sexual is this person?
- frigid
How romantic is this person?
- somewhat romantic
effect of sexing
- confused
- unhappy for sexing the guy
- scared
Sex has bad effect on her
Yes
Sex has good effect on her
Yes
Effect of sexing
- a better lover
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Smarter than most other characters
Physique
- average physique
Setting
Europe
Yes
European country:
- England/UK
Misc setting
- Fancy Mansion
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- very explicit references to deaths and torture
What % of story is romance related?
- 90%
Sex in book?
Yes
What kind of sex:
- vague references
- descript of kissing
- touching of anatomy
- actual description of sex
- descript. of female anatomy (the big B's)
- descript. of female anatomy (the big V)
- descript. of male nudity (the big P)
- rape/molest (yeech!)
Part of a series?
Yes
Focus of story
- equally on him and her
Consequences of sex
- pregnancy
How much dialog
- roughly even amounts of descript and dialog
How much sexing?
- 3-4 sex acts
