Fierce Eden

From One

The gathering was sparse. At the board of Commandant Chepart, with its cloth of Flemish linen scattered with bread crumbs and ringed with spilled wine, there were a number of conspicuously empty chairs. It was not to be wondered at, of course, not when every day brought fresh rumors of unrest among the Indians. The village of the Natchez tribe was so close and tempers so uncertain that few cared to risk being caught on the road at dawn, should the evening be prolonged.
Elise Laffont had felt a qualm or two herself. She did not usually attend such affairs as the commandant’s soiree, nor would she have this evening if it had not been most important. She had kept to herself during the past three years since her husband had died. Some considered it, she knew, a becoming show of grief and modesty in such a young widow. The truth was that she preferred her own company and had far too much to do managing the estate left to her for frivolous amusement to be an attraction.

From the head of the table came a roar of laughter. Chepart, chuckling at his own joke, signaled the servant behind his chair to refill the glasses of his guests with the excellent Madeira that was to accompany the dessert course. The light of the candles in the crystal chandelier, hanging from the rough rafters overhead, gleamed among the waves of Elise’s honey-brown hair, bright despite their dusting of white powder, as she turned her head to glance at her host.

The warm amber of her eyes turned cool with the disdain that rose to her finely molded features.

Two places farther along the board, Madame Marie Doucet leaned across her husband to catch Elise’s eye. Her plump face was alight with good-natured amusement and pleasure. “Commandant Chepart is quite the bon vivant tonight, is he not?”

“Certainly he thinks so,” Elise said under her breath.

“What was that, chère? I didn’t quite catch it.”

The older woman had been quite pretty once, in a doll-like fashion. She had kept the quick coquettish mannerisms and light tone of voice despite the gray in her fading blonde hair. She had been a good friend to Elise, however, in the past few years and a good neighbor who lived less than a third of a league away. Elise had learned to overlook much of the silli­ness for the sake of the kind heart underneath.

Elise shook her head in quick dismissal. “Nothing.”

The commandant of Fort Rosalie, the representative of His Royal Majesty King Louis XV here in the wilderness known as Louisiana, was indeed given to good living. Elise, with a slight curl of her mouth, which was smooth and a trifle wide, thought that he was more of a debauchee than a bon vivant. Chepart had been a tankard friend of her husband. He and Vincent Laffont had spent many an evening drinking each other under the table and guffawing at crude stories. When her husband had had the consideration to drown himself while fishing on the Mississippi, the commandant had come to her. He had been all concern, most solicitous of her comfort and well-being; so solicitous, in fact, that he had pressed her down upon a settle and thrust his hand into her bodice to fondle her breasts. She had snatched a wooden knitting needle from the basket in the corner of the settle and done her best to skewer him with it, then had taken down Vincent’s musket from over the fireplace and ordered the commandant from her property. When he had gone, she had cried for the first time since Vincent’s death, tears of rage and disgust, and of gladness that she need never again submit to any man.

It was distressing, then, that she must now ask a favor of Commandant Chepart. She did not like to accept his hospi­tality, much less endure his company; still, she would do it until she had what she wanted from the fat fool.

She allowed her gaze to wander around the room, noting the jewel-colored Turkish rug underfoot, the silk hangings at the shuttered, glassless windows, the Watteau pastoral scene that hung above the enormous fireplace, where red coals pulsed with fire and a black log smoldered. How out of place these things seemed in the simplicity of the house provided for the fort’s commander. With the elaborate table setting and the ridiculous grandeur of the crystal chandelier that shed its light upon them, the furnishings were an indication of both the commandant’s pretentious arrogance and his ambition. Chepart intended to use his office as a stepping-stone to greater things, perhaps an appointment at court, but in the meantime it pleased him to live in comfortable splendor, regardless of how his underhanded dealings with the commis­sion merchants might affect supplies for the fort and the men who manned it.

What means could she use to persuade someone like Chepart to listen to her? She did not have the funds to offer him monetary inducement, and she refused to consider bartering that commodity she felt might interest him most: herself. But perhaps she was wrong in thinking that he would want something in return for what she would ask. It was not so great a request, not so unusual after all, however much it might mean to her. It would be no loss to the commandant to allow the prisoners now in the guardhouse at the fort to build a storage barn and poultry yard for her.

The men were not dangerous, being charged officially with nothing more serious than insubordination, for all Chepart’s railing about sedition and a blatant attempt to undermine his authority. The crime committed had been the spirited representation by these men, all of them officers of the fort, of the wisdom of preparing a defense against the coming Indian rising. That there was going to be one, they were positive. Their information had come straight from the Indian village of White Apple, from women who had heard it direct from Tattooed Arm, mother of the Great Sun, who was the ruler of the Natchez.

Chepart had not been impressed by their source. He had declared that French soldiers should know better than to be swayed by their Indian whores and that his officers would learn better if he had to whip the skin from their backs to bring home the lesson. No puny Indian tribe would dare to chal­lenge the might of France. Hadn’t the diplomacy of the French governors of Louisiana always ensured amicable relations with their Indian allies? They were as children in the hands of men of intelligence and guile. Besides, no Indian chieftain would dare to order an attack knowing that the armed force of France would be turned against his people for such treachery.

In Elise’s opinion, it was just such blatant disdain for the Natchez, just such lack of judgment in dealing with them, that was the reason for her pressing need for a barn and fenced yard. It was Chepart’s bungling that had caused the recent unrest of the Indians, had turned them into marauders who took delight in carrying off her chickens and ducks, hogs and calves. Not that the Natchez had any great appreciation for property rights at the best of times, but everyone knew that their depredations in the last months were made from a sense of ill-usage and spite. And every day they became bolder.

Unconsciously Elise turned her amber gaze upon the corpulent figure of her host. Chepart, catching her eye, raised his glass to her. His expression held a hint of barely concealed lust as he surveyed her high-piled hair, the proud tilt of her chin, and the determined self-possession of her features in the oval of her face. He lifted his hand to twist a curl of his long, full wig where it fell over his shoulder as he permitted his overwarm gaze to drop to the low bodice of her gold brocade gown, which cupped the gentle swells of her breasts. His thick tongue came to lick his lips, leaving them wet.

I have to admit that I’ve really enjoyed reading Sourcebooks Casablanca Classics. I’m not usually one for romance books but ’My Love, My Enemy’ and now ’Fierce Eden’ have been great reads for me this month. Just goes to show you that covers can sometimes be misleading in regards to content. I thought this story was a great blend of romance, adventure, sexual tension, and historical information. I will own up to having fantasies (when I was younger and more naive) of wanting to be swept away by an Indian Chief who crackled with virility and smoldering hotness. Every time I watched ’Last of the Mohicans,’ I would often catch myself sighing and dreaming of Unca (Daniel Day Lewis’s Indian brother) coming to my rescue and saving me from the brutal British. But I digress....so anyway.....I found myself at many, many times with a huge grin on my face as I read the passionate love scenes between Elise and her half-breed Reynaurd. But the story isn’t just about their romance, it’s also about the history of Louisiana, the French, and the Indian tribes that lived there during the early 1700’s. Jennifer Blake took a few historic occurrences and then wrote a story that firmly plants the reader into the past.

Recommend? Yes..I would recommend this one especially for those readers that enjoy some great historical fiction with a tastefully written love story intertwined within the pages. There honestly isn’t one cheesy thing going on here, it’s not a Harlequin romance, or a book with just sex. Actually, the sex is fairly minimal and like I wrote above it’s very well done. Not a bad way to spend an afternoon...not at all.


Gullible widow Elise Laffont draws the attention of Reynaud Chevalier, a frontiersman caught between two worlds, in this tale of romance in 1730s Louisiana. When the Natchez attack Fort Rosalie, part-Natchez Reynaud leads Elise and a few survivors to safety in exchange for her bedtime companionship, not realizing that her abusive husband had left her terrified of men.

Reynaud attempts to cure Elise’s fear by holding her to their bargain while insisting that she be the one to approach him. They are drawn further into the Natchez-French conflict when Reynaud reluctantly agrees to become the new Natchez war leader. Blake’s historical research is impeccable, but it’s hard to believe that smart, brave Reynaud could be so attracted to naïve, insecure Elise. Detailed descriptions of colonial and native life add depth to this otherwise old-fashioned tale, but can’t make up for the lack of chemistry.

My Review

This was a very fun book to read and I enjoyed not only the story but the writing as well. Elise is a little different from many of the women romance characters I have read about. She’s strong, but at the same time she’s still very unsure of herself.

The story is one that takes you from one place to another, one culture to one vastly different and shows not only the blossoming romance between the two main characters but how it effects the world around them. A really great read and one you may not be able to put down.



Jennifer Blake is the epitome of author’s in the historical romance genre. With dozens of books in print, Blake offers the reader a step back in time to places where history and culture hold great significance and love was passionate and daring. Fierce Eden is a re-issue, originally published in 1985. Readers will be enthralled with this early eighteenth century look at Louisiana and Mississippi, with strong characters and sizzling love scenes.

Elise Laffont is a widow with a mission. After the death of her abusive husband she is determined to make it on her own and run the farm she loves. But, when the Natchez Indian Uprising throws her plans into turmoil she is left without much hope and in the hands of a handsome stranger. Half French and half Natchez Indian, Reynaud Chevalier looks like her only hope, but he has more on his mind than just getting her and a few others to safety. He wants Elise more than anything he has ever wanted before, but is it more than just desire? Will Elise be able to leave the scars from her past behind and find love with another man?

Jennifer Blake has an excellent sense of history. Her research into the characters and the setting for this book is impeccable. It is obvious that she took the time to really delve into what was going on in this time period and she was able to really capture the spirit of people and the culture. I felt that she stayed true to Natchez people with her portrayal and brought a lot of exposure to the Natchez Uprising and why it happened.

Blake’s character development was very well done. Elise is a great heroine for many reasons. She shows perseverance in the face of huge odds and a great reliance after her traumatic experience with an abusive husband. I believe readers will identify with her and her struggle to open herself up to being hurt again both physically and emotionally. Reynaud is also a very well written character. He is a good man, but he does have his flaws. He certainly lets his body doing his thinking for him in some instances. He shows the best qualities from both his French and Natchez backgrounds and is just a great character to read. He’s sexy and handsome and the romance between him and Elise is very hot. This one definitely pacts some steam.

There are a lot of underlying themes in this book besides the romance, including abuse, betrayal and slavery. I really enjoyed the book and felt that the author did a wonderful job of incorporating some heavy subjects while still providing a very entertaining novel. I recommend this one to readers of historical fiction and historical romance. It is a very sensual and romantic book, with history woven into it.

Fierce Eden is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I’m giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!



Jennifer Blake is one of my new favorite authors. I don’t know I managed to miss her all this time but luckily for me Sourcebooks is reintroducing several of her novels. Blake’s Fierce Eden is just the kind of American (French?) historical romance that I just love to devour.

Elise Laffont, a widow at age 25, is perfectly happy on the French Louisiana frontier. She loves her land on the edge of Natchez Indian territory and has worked hard to build it into a self-sufficient home despite the naysayers in Fort Rosalie who would like to see her remarried. When the Natchez strike back at the settlers, razing the fort to the ground, as a matter of blood vengeance, she and a handful of others know they can’t escape Natchez lands without being captured or killed.

Reynaud Chevalier, a half-breed (part French, part Natchez), desires Elise above all else. When his generosity in leading the survivors of the Indian uprising to Fort Natchitoches is questioned he switches tactics and offers his help for a price, not knowing that his price demands far more than he could have expected. He demands that Elise must share his bed furs and be his companion along the way (something considered a Natchez mark of hospitality) or he will leave them behind to manage on their own.

What he doesn’t know is that Elise’s dead husband sexually and physically abused her leaving her terrified of the male species. When it’s made aware to him on the first night, Reynaud knows above all else that he wants to shelter her and love her and cure her fear of men… so he draws on his Indian background where the men await on the pleasure of the women and commands her to touch and explore him while he remains wholly passive. A feat that nearly undoes him and this is only the beginning. There is so much more to this story.

Blake is a master of research and description. Her settings are lush, her details into the lives of colonials and natives rich and as accurate as humanly possible with conflicting sources of information, the supporting cast of characters are fully realized, and the romance between Reynaud and Elise is tantalizingly delicious. They must face a lot to be together on both sides of the equation and the results are explosive. This is definitely going on my favorites shelf!

Rating: 5 Stars



Elise Laffont and Reynaud Chavalier’s trek through the forest to escape mayhem brings to mind the beginning of the Longfellow poem “Evangeline”:

“This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,
Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight…”

Fierce Eden is a vicarious trip back in history with strong, resourceful, and, of course, flawed characters that are memorable. Their will to live, their determination to hold on to the culture they know, and their resilience is mindboggling—awesome reading.

The Natchez Indian Uprising, after so many years of ill treatment by the French, sets in motion events that start gigantic changes in the social structure of Louisiana Territory in the early eighteenth century. Fierce Eden is spellbinding.

Elise Laffont is a widow who has managed her property well since the death of her abusive husband, but her independent ways go against the grain of the many men who want her and her property. She’s been able to meet and beat their challenges until the Natchez Indians attack, killing and burning. Hiding in the forest, with nothing but the clothes on her back, she makes necessary decisions to stay alive. Her back-story gives the reader revealing insight into her survival instincts, her intelligence, and her skill with people.

The French-educated Reynaud Chavalier, half Natchez and half French, drives a hard bargain before he agrees to take Elise and other “on-the-run” French to a safe post. His own agenda puts him in danger, but he knows what he wants and is willing to take the risk. He seems to embody the best of both cultures in which he was reared. He is unquestionably a hero-though a somewhat flawed one. Even flawed, he is a lover that makes the heart race. To Elise who has suffered at the hands of every man she’s ever known, Reynaud is unbelievable. The freedom of choice he gives her becomes an aphrodisiac to Elise—the love scenes sizzle.

Elise and Reynaud’s love story reaches far past the physical. It shows a love that is loyal, faithful, giving, and felt to the core. However, Fierce Eden is much more than just a love story. It plumbs the depth of the human condition, reveals every one of the Cardinal Sins, yet, shows the compassion and caring that some of the characters never lose even when all hope seems gone. It also showcases how history is made and cultures changed.

Jennifer Blake, a master story teller, transports the reader to another time and place as she weaves together incredible descriptions of the environment, historical information, cultural differences, and a fantastic love story to create a tale that will be remembered long after the last page is read. Marvelous reading!



At first, I felt that this book was a little slow and I could not quite get into it. Although by page 50, I found myself unable to put it down and ended up reading the rest of it in two sittings. Highly descriptive Jennifer Blake has the ability to transport the reader to the location she is writing about. In fact, I could almost hear the buzz of the mosquitoes as they swarmed by as I immersed myself into the heart of Louisiana. I also enjoyed the way she threw together the hero and the heroine, it was out of necessity rather than need and that makes for intriguing dynamics. Chocked full of action, adventure, passion, and survival, Fierce Eden was a great read and one that I highly recommend.



Fierce Eden by Jennifer Blake is a sweeping, vibrant historical tale of love, honor, betrayal and adventure.

In 1729 Louisiana, long-simmering tension erupts into violence as the beleaguered Natchez Indians attack the French Fort Rosalie, destroying the fort and the surrounding farms and slaughtering the settlers.

Widowed French landowner Elise, after suffering marriage with an abusive husband, has no wish to submit to any man. But in the chaos after the massacre, she must accept the attentions of the half-French Natchez prince, Reynaud, as the price for his protection of her and her little band of survivors.

And so begins a far-ranging tale of culture clash and divided loyalties. Rich in in-depth historical detail and fast-paced action, Ms. Blake’s superb novel sweeps you away into a vastly different time and place. Never dull, she draws you into the story of Elise’s and Reynaud’s increasing love for each other against the background of a world in violent transition.

Fierce Eden immerses you in cultures far different from our own, but where human nature remains the same. Elise, while a woman of her time, is no passive victim. She fights against her fate, and fails and succeeds in turn. Reynaud, as both French and Natchez, is torn between two worlds and must make the wrenching decision of where to place his loyalties.

I love Jennifer Blake. Her novels are exactly the kind of meaty read I adore. Ms. Blake wrote Fierce Eden in 1985 and the good news is—she’s still writing. Even better, she still writes the same wonderful type of story. May she write for a long time to come, so we fans can enjoy her new novels along with her treasures of the past.



Elise Laffont is a beautiful, yet cold young woman. Only twenty-five, she is a widow running her small farm. The farm gives her happiness, even though the men at Fort Rosalie ensure Elise she can’t run it properly or successfully without a man by her side. But Elise has hardened her heart toward men. After her husband treated her badly, abusive and mocking, she has no wish for another to touch her or her them.

Reynaud Chevalier is half Natchez and half French, so he pretty much gets a bad rap, even though he is a fierce warrior and easy on the eyes. The moment his eyes alight on Elise he is curious and also instantly wants her. She raises her chin defiantly toward him and that is that.

But when Fort Rosalie and the surrounding areas are attacked by the Natchez, Elise manages to escape to the forest with a few other survivors. Reynaud offers to help the small party to a safe destination if Elise agrees to become his bed companion. Talk about caught between a rock and a hard place!!

Reynaud takes things slow as he realizes that Elise is skittish and afraid, but she eventually cannot contain the passion and desire she has for him. But the Reynaud is named the new war chief for the Natchez, he takes Elise with him to the camp and she tries valiently to fit in. But with the French attacking the tribe, what sort of future can the two of them from two different lifes foresee?

Filled with passion, wonderful character development against a rich tapestry of history and a war, Fierce Eden is a delectable way to spend an afternoon. Well paced, compelling, and delightfully satisfying, romance lovers are sure to enjoy this one!



Bestselling author Jennifer Blake’s Fierce Eden, is steamy, full of historical accuracy, and just the right book for any historical romance fan.

Originally released in 1985 by Fawcett, Fierce Eden is a superbly written historical romance fiction novel that has the power to captivate and enthrall readers. Sourcebooks Inc. launched Casablanca Classics in late 2010; a line of trade paperback re-releases of out-of-print novels, and Fierce Eden is one of them. Having read it, I can see why it was chosen for the Casablanca Classics line. Sourcebooks Senior Editor Leah Hultenschmidt said, “These books represent the Golden Age of romance. They’re epic, meaty stories that have had a huge influence on today’s readers.”

Romance Read; Fierce Eden by Jennifer Blake
Fierce Eden holds a lot of action and adventure amidst it’s pages. Telling the story of widowed Elise Laffont who believes every man is a savage thanks to her abusive husband, and Reynaud Chevalier who is a half-breed with no people, torn between his father’s french side and his mother’s Native American people.

The two characters are thrown together in disaster after the historical massacre of the French by the Natchez Indians at Fort Rosalie on November 28, 1729. Being unaware of this enchanting woman’s past, Reynaud dominates and threatens Elise, making her all the more wary of a man’s touch. The plot is reminiscent of what readers could imagine happening in that day and age. The treatment of women from different backgrounds, slavery, Indian wars, torture, death, destruction, sacrifice and love, are integral parts of this story.

The dialogue is adequately spaced out through the novel and written well enough to envision the character speaking right in front of you. Something I loved about this book was how much it drew me in. When characters were angry at each other, expressing emotions in their dialogue, or happy with each other and laughing at one another, it made me smile or tear up accordingly.

Bestselling Author Jennifer Blake Creates a Romance Classic in Fierce Eden
One of the most intriguing parts of this romance novel is the characters. They are so vibrant and full of life, that it is impossible for readers not to become emotionally invested in their outcomes. They become real people readers get to know, love and sympathize with. These characters may not be so lively if it were not for the intricate storyline Jennifer Blake weaved for them.

There is so much raw emotion in this novel that readers will automatically become enthralled by it and find it impossible to put down. I say this, because I read the book right through without the ability to stop. There is anger, hate, passion, jealousy, and so much feeling that the literary prose simply draws you in. I almost wanted to skip ahead, needing to know what was going to happen, wanting to know the outcome of the events immediately.

The historical accuracy of the novel was marvelous and created a setting for the story perfectly. The author increased her knowledge of everything needed to make this story great, researching the people involved, the places mentioned and the time period in order to present the book with authenticity and effortless grace as a fiction novel.

Something else worth mentioning, is how Fierce Eden pertains to this day and age. Though it is a historical fiction novel, Fierce Eden digs into some concepts we struggle with today. The treatment of women, for one, and how it effects the leadership and business world. Also the differences made apparent and the prejudices developed between peoples of a different race or color, and the half-breeds that stand in the middle.

Needless to say, this novel comes highly recommended to all historical romance fans, especially those who like tales of America’s wild west and the people that fought and bled for it.


Elise Laffont lives in fear of all men following the death of her physically and sexually abusive husband. Her scars leave her unable to ever submit to the touch of a man again... she thinks! While running her own farm with pride, tragic strikes as the Natchez attack Fort Rosalie in Louisiana killing French men, women and children and others in the area surrounding the fort, including Elise’s property.

Since 13, Reynaud Chevalier, a half-Indian/half-French man of noble birth, has lived in France to be nurtured by his father, while his twin brother remained with the Natchez as the Great Sun and leader of the tribe. Infatuated with Elise, he bargains to lead the small surviving group to safety in New Orleans with the condition that Elise warm his bed and tend to his meals during travel. Many hazards confront the group as they fight their way in escaping, only to be separated. Elise finds herself caught in the war when Reynaud is called to duty to serve the Natchez as their war leader — and she as a prisoner. Both recognize the feelings developing for each other and the sexual appetite they hold for one another as the atrocities of war again separate them. When Elise is rescued by the French, Reynaud is a prisoner being sold as a slave, and she is desperate to find a way to save her only love.

This story carries a great deal of history of the 1729 massacre of the French at Fort Rosalie and the incidents of torture, death and love surrounding both the French and the Natchez. The amazing transformation of Elise from a terrified woman to an imposing character of dedication, love and strength is portrayed with great skill on the part of Jennifer Blake. She writes a most intriguing and passionate novel.



Score: 4.25 / 5

Review:

Elise Laffont has created a new life for herself after the death of her abusive husband, who left her with a distaste of sex and men in general. Reynaud Chavalier, brother to the Natchez chief, stirs anger and passion in Elise’s heart, but she has plans for expanding her farm only. But when an attack by the Natchez leaves Elise and four survivors dependent on Reynaud to lead them to safety, Elise must buy their passage with her body. But Reynaud’s gentle touch and seductive ways quickly melt the icy walls surrounding her heart. When Elise ends up in the Natchez village, facing a siege by the French army, she must decide if a future with Reynaud is worth fighting for.

Jennifer Blake is one of the undisputed queens of romance and Fierce Eden is a prime example of what makes her great. With captivating characters, intriguing and exciting times from history, and tons of steamy sex and tender romance, every book is a delicious treat to be savored.

Format: Paperback

Dimensions
Length: 8 in
Width: 5 in
Weight: 10.00 oz
Page Count: 416 pages