You did it! We figured this one out! It is a truth universally acknowledged (by me for certain) that the Bitchery pretty much knows everything, and really, it's true. Scroll down to see the solution for this HaBO - and many thanks!
Bitchery reader Le asks for help:
I’ve realized that you and your readers are better at IDing books than I am at eating dark chocolate. I became a romance convert when I was 11 years old and my first romance was a historical romance, something medieval, I think. The only things I remember about the book are: 1) The heroine was wrapped up in some kind of rug/carpet/blanket and unrolled for a king or ruler or duke or something of the sort and her love interest was there (maybe he WAS the one she was being presented to – I can’t remember!) and of course, utterly overcome with a need to jump her bones. 2) I believe his name was Miles. 3) There was some sort of a lover’s picnic they had by themselves and for some reason, I remember them eating grapes out of golden plates (I was probably hungry at the time I read this part of the book). 4) I think there was something special about her hair – it was really long and pale.
I know it sounds vague and weird, but I’m hoping it’s just weird enough for someone to help me find out the title. I’ve looked online for it, but you’d be amazed at how unsuccessful googling “miles naked carpet romance book” is.
I read it 9 years ago and I would love to know what book it was because even though it sounds rather bizarre to me now, well, it was my first and you know how they say everyone’s first time is special!
I love the “she was unrolled in the carpet” part. Reminds me of a mob hit. Hey! Now that’s an idea for a romance novel: mob hit man goes back to medieval England! Off to ruminate!
(wow. I know this one. wow)
It’s one of the Montgomery books by Jude Deveraux, I’m betting…. but not sure which one. I do know her name is Elizabeth, though. The third book in the series, perhaps? Velvet something?
Off to check…
[I think it’s the Velvet Promise… and if I’m right, then it’s the second in the series.]
[but really, don’t take my word for it…]
Velvet Angel?
OMG! I immediately had Jude Deveraux on the brain with this too. I could even see one of her covers in my mind. Don’t know which one…but the name Miles is distinctive for some reason.
It reminds me of a Virginia Henley book for some reason.The title escapes me though. IIRC the hero’s sidekick (or prossibly his brother/cousin/relative of some sort) played a prank on him and delivered the heroine, unconscious and naked, wrapped in a carpet at the hero’s feet at the beginning of the book. Or maybe my memory is playing tricks on me.
It’s Velvet Angel…here’s Amazon’s book description’s first sentence:
“She came to him as a precious gift, a naked angel rolled in a rug. Once he gazed into her green eyes, saw her tangle of honey blonde hair, he was undone with passion.”
You guys amaze me! You know that right?
It’s like Name That Book and I think some people here should get BIG prizes.
Hello Publishers? We need product sponsorship here!
Remember this one. It’s Velvet Angel by Jude Deveraux. The last (4th) of Velvet series. Also enjoyed it as a teenager although I’m not so sure I’d feel the same way as an adult since Miles had an offspring in every village he passed and loved every one of his children as I recall. No woman could resist him. Have I become such a prude? LOL I do remember that series though except for the first. Can’t say I remember much about Velvet Promise compared to the others. Actually I don’t remember much about this one except for the naked carpet bit and that the women collaborate to save the day.
I think Highland Velvet was my favorite although Stephen was an ass and Browyn put herself into some pretty stupid situations. I loved that knee thing though.
Book Description:
“She came to him as a precious gift, a naked angel rolled in a rug. Once he gazed into her green eyes, saw her tangle of honey blonde hair, he was undone with passion. Elizabeth would never surrender. He was a hated Montgomery—she was a Chatworth—and the blood war between their families raged on, a wildfire of rape, murder, and betrayal. Elizabeth vowed to fight the handsome lord, to resist the burning desire in his eyes—no matter how great the temptation. “
aw dude… one I knew, too! yup, it’s definitely Velvet Angel. I really miss her old middle ages ones. Gotta love those Montgomeries and Taggerts!
Crap. I knew this one!!!!
How come the answer to the question is always Jude Deveraux? Has she written a book on every freaky subject?
Oh, I’ve read this one, too. One of these days I intend to go back and see if I could stomach those Montgomery books again now that I’m not a hormonal teenager.
Oh, the Velvet series. How I loved you.
They were all keepers for a while, but then I realized that Stephen’s (Hightland Velvet) ended in a little too much tragedy for me, and Raine’s…well, Raine (Velvet Song) was an ass.
Miles’ was good. He was an ass, but he got over himself in enough time for me not to hate him, and Gavin. Well, Gavin just thought he had found the magic hoo-ha, but he was wrong.
Gavin’s was the best for me. (Velvet Promise.)
I think Teddy Pig is right. You all are amazing. Totally deserving of some swag.
Damn! You guys are good!
Holy blast from the past, Batman! I read Jude Deveroux’s Velvet book in high school. I remember sneaking Highland Velvet into school assemblies so I would have something to do while they droned on and on about drug prevention and blah di blah. I think I knew then that romance novels were already my personal CRACK. 🙂
I can’t remember from the comments who thought of Virginia Henley, too, but that was my first thought before JDev. There was some novel with a feisty little heroine with silvery-blonde hair, and some big, beastly dark man with an enormous *ahem*. I can’t remember if there was a carpet-rolling incident, though … at least of the literal kind. *wink*
Cleopatra?
Hot damn, ladies!!! YOU GOT IT! That’s IT! I am so excited – I have to go out and get it right this minute and it may suck since I read it 9 years ago but yours truly just does not care.
A big THANK YOU to all the posters!
I thought Gavin was being a total @$$hole to Judith for much of the book aside from when her flaming hair didn’t enflame is hosed loins.
He got his crap together though by the end and boy was that Alice Valence guano insane. Totally.
And the whole I time I keep waiting for Alan Rickman as Sheriff of Nottingham showing up.
Sigh.
AND IRONY- safe word is miles25.
What is how many illegitimate children he has, Alex?
the rolled carpet thing is supposed to be how Cleopatra had herself presented to Caesar, isn’t it?
This is a bit off the subject, but while we are talking about dear Jude there is a Black Lace book, Dangerous Consequences by Pamela Rochford, in which Jude Deveraux was an actual character in the book. Weirdest thing ever. To me it was as if JR Ward wrote Laurell K. Hamilton into one of her books. Just odd.
Hey, I knew this one too!
I always figured the rolled carpet thing would jsut mean you had one rug-burned, dizzy girl with mussed hair. but then I’m not Caesar, maybe he liked that sort of thing.
And yes, I read that PR book, where not only is Jude Deveraux an author, but an erotica author too. I was like—wtf? You really don’t know>?
I thought it was Deveraux when I saw the name Miles! I loved those Velvet books, though I think now they would never pass the eye-roll test. Pack rat that I am, I think I actually still have them all in a box somewhere.
Yep, supposedly Cleopatra presented herself to Mark Antony clad only in chains and wrapped in a carpet. When revealed in all her naked splendor, she said that Egypt was Rome’s prisoner..of LOVE. Or something like that.
Wasn’t that strange Cat? I seem to recall a scene where the heroine is telling the hero about her friend Jude and says, “Yes, she’s that Jude Deveraux.”
Ha, this is the first “Help a bitch out” that I knew the answer to. Man, I love the Velvet series.