Instagram || Twitter || Facebook || || PinterestI read this book for the Unapologetic Romance Readers' New Years 2017 Reading Challenge. For more info about what this is, click here.You know what I like best about Bertrice Small? Her work is like glorious, trashy fanfiction of historical characters, set in an AU of special specialness, where all "good people" are beautiful, unless they're female and not the heroine in which case they are "evil, conniving you-know-whats," and all ugly/fat people [...]

I've read most of Small's early romances, but never The Kadin. Can't explain that one. I'm glad I finally did, and I greatly enjoyed it, despite its flaws.First, the good stuff. For a debut novel, Small seemed determined to never let the reader go without description of setting and decor. It is costume porn, and while it got a bit tedious after awhile, I can't fault her for creating a vivid image of the harem world. It's a setting that she obviously liked back in the 70s and 80s (since nearly ev [...]

A Classic Saga: Love with a Turkish SultanFirst published in 1978, this was Small’s debut novel and by her own words, she spent five years researching it. I love that her stories reflect deep historical research. It shows in the many details and the vivid descriptions. The saga begins in the late 15th century and covers more than fifty years. It’s divided into 5 parts, named for the heroine’s roles: the Ambassador’s Daughter, Cyra, The Kadin, Hafise and Janet. And the beginning and end, [...]

The Muslim in me is offended and disgusted by the horrible lies told about my religion -_- Muslim men aren't allowed to sell and buy women and treat them like whores * i won't bore you with all the details about the mistakes the writer made * but please dear writers , READ A BOOK! but even if i weren't a Muslim ,, where is the point of this novel ?? how can a woman take it easy that her husband has 5 other lovers and in what hell is to okay for a 13 year-old to be a mistress even if it's the 15 [...]

The Kadin is Bertrice Small's debut novel, published in 1978. It is the harem novel of all harem novels, taking the reader on a wild journey from the Scottish Court of James IV in the late 1400s through the Ottoman Empire, inside the Sultan's harem, before concluding back in Europe in the mid 1500s.What Small has created in this book is astounding, particularly because she wrote this decades before George R R Martin's beloved Game of Thrones novels that are, like Small, partly based on historica [...]

IF YOU FIND ANY COPIES OF THE KADIN JUST BURN IT. THE WORLD AND THE COUNTLESS GENERATIONS THAT COME AFTER US WILL BE SO BLOODY GRATEFUL. God how was this was rape-fuelled, atrociously written and bizarrely plotted book with laughable and unbelievable characters and nonsensical situations actually published?Yeah, yeah I know this is an (early) 80s Bodice Ripper. Onto the review!The Kadin is the story of the super special snowflake Lady Janet Leslie and her uncanny ability to be fucking perfect an [...]

Leave it to ole Bertrice to shake things up, delivering a most chaste harem saga. I mean, wow, she kind of makes it seem like the most sensible thing ever. The endless descriptions of both dress, hierarchy, and the chessboard game of thrones was a bit dulling, and that's after you swallowed the plot of a special snowflake tween who quickly and rationally hops into harem politics and diplomacy without batting an eye. Yeesh. And I must stress - the typos were horrendous in the e-book version. Very [...]

A steamy, kidnap-y premise devolves from bodice ripper into a snoozer. I liked her descriptions of harem life, but was unable to give a hoot about the central "love" story or the female friendships. I wanted more Hot Harem Sex and less Gal Pals. I'm shallow that way.

Loved it! It is because of THIS book that I am now in love with Turkish style, history, culture, and of course Kadin (harem) . Read ALOT of single romance books of B.Small's ! Loved them all

Rating 3.5 Blossoms I had high hopes for this one, and there were some things that were brilliant about this story. The history, the detail and the friendships that are developed. But quite frankly, I was disappointed in the romance and the ending was not what I expected. I would not term this as a romance, more around historical fiction with some romantic elements. I also didn't understand the heroine that well. She seemed way more mature than she should have been at being so young for what she [...]

I started reading this book to find out if it was a book I'd read years ago. I'd bought a romance book (along with bath oil, candles, etc) for a friend going through a hard time. I read it myself and loved it, then sent it on to her. I've been trying to find it to read again but can't remember the name. It was about a young English girl who's ship is captured by pirates in the Mediterraian. After being bought and prepared for a harem, she has a love affair with the Arab Shiek she's given to. Ver [...]

I found that the summary of this book was very misleading. It makes it sound similar to one of Johanna Lindsey's older bodice rippers, but this book is really, really, not that. I wouldn't even call this a romance novel. There's no "emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending", and the main focus isn't even on the relationship between the primary couple. I would instead call this a historic novel, which is fine if that's what you're looking for.The story follows the life of Janet, a girl from S [...]

Tova, breathe. Everything is going to be alright. *takes a deep breath* How many times do I have to say this: Kadin is an Ottoman Turkish title which is often used for ladies residing in a harem. It was used after the reign of Murad III. Before that time the proper term would be Khatun (or Hatun).I actually wish my library had this book in its system, because I kind of want to read it, and then roast it - because I already know that I'm going to hate it.

I have fond memories of what was probably a fairly ridiculous Victoria Holt novel The Captive, read in my early teen years, so when this was posted as on sale it sounded similar enough to be worth a look. I was pleasantly surprised by the length and depth of the novel, it's not just the story of a young girl stolen away into a far-away harem, but rather the story of a remarkable fictional woman's life.I personally have not researched the Ottoman empire or culture, let alone to the specificity of [...]

I finished the book an hour ago and thought about what I was going to say on the review. The bottom line is I really have no idea what I just read. This book was touted as a romance and there was no romance to it that I could see. It was more of a history of the Ottoman Empire. Guess what? I don't care about the Ottoman Empire. I didn't care about any of the characters in this book. There was so much detail about how opulent things were. I get it. Let's get down to some action here, you know. No [...]

I love the way this book was written. I think Cyra was a smart woman but she fell short of Hadgi Bey's wisdom when she chose to interfere in her son's love life by selecting that clawing witch of a girl Roxelana.I like that she got to see her son Prince Karim again. But, Lord, you see so much of her life that you see the death of her sons, husband, friends, brother. It's a fact of life but chucked as it is in this book it seems overwhelming.I love the travel throuh history; makes me want to take [...]

I don't quite know what to say about this book. It raised such conflicting emotions in me. I initially had real problems with the polygamous relationship of a sultan. Janet/Cyra loved Selim in spite of having been kidnapped to join his harem. And he loved her. Yet he never hesitated to take other women to his bed. That surprisingly bothered me. I guess because it didn't seem to bother her and I was relating to her throughout the book. I was also saddened by all the tragedies in her life. I was n [...]

I read this years ago and just reread it. Janet Leslie the 13 year old daughter of a Scots Lard, Ambassador to a small Spanish country on the Mediterrean is kidnapped and sold to a representative of the future sultan of Turkey. As his BasKadin Janet, or Cyra as she becomes known, is to become the mother of a future sultan and live a life of luxury and intrigue. The book is filled with fiction and history and Cyra's story is one that probably never happened but it sure is fun to imagine. Beatrice [...]

This is still one of my favorite historical romances after reading it again ten years later. I was totally engrossed from beginning to end with all the fast paced exciting action packed with intrigue. Both times after finishing I looked up more on the Ottoman Empire and characters from the story. Scottish Lady Janet is kidnapped and sold into slavery to the harem of Sultan Selim.

Salah satu cerita terburuk yang pernah gue baca!!! Mereka bertiga waras gak sih! Maunya berbagi satu pria! Menurut gue bukan cinta sejati namanya kalau harus berbagi cinta! Dipertengahan ampe loncat terakhir udah bikin mual bacanya. Semuanya ditidurin dan melahirkan anak buat Selim? Oh my God! Kalau ada cewek cakep lagi nongol bakalan nambah lagi dong koleksinya????

This was not a romance novel. Instead, it was a badly written, historically incorrect regular novel. Though I love Ms. S,all, this is not close to her best. If you want a really good classic romance, try the Love Slave.

I was so irritated by this book that I did not finish it.

My favorite guilty pleasure romance. There's something about a harem fantasy

The characters really came to life for me. I enjoyed learning about different cultures and the book hooked me from the beginning. Great Read!

Lusciously detailed. I'll have more later! I really enjoyed this one.

Oh, my God, this book dragged on and on and on with so much nonsense and so many inaccuracies.Small knows she's talking about a Muslim country right? She should have done a little research before she jumped into a world she didn't know anything about.I mean at some point somebody swears by Fatima's tits! Does Small know that Muslims would never ever say things like that about the daughter of a prophet they practically worship?I guess my expectations were too high, I wanted a little bit of origin [...]

Just a tad too longThis was a very good book until the end which felt rushed and too much info in too little space. The last several chapters were crammed with people that I knew little about and could not have cared less. The author should know the reader has no desire to every detail told; that's what an imagination of for. A good ending is as important as a good beginning.

I have read The Kadin over and over for years. I have it in paperback (fallen apart) and Kindle (needs an editor). It's a great story, well written, full of history and pulls you in. I was so intrigued, I'd research characters and events - so it became educational. It's a tale of families who loose, work together and survive. I love this book.

Ms. Small, ties many of her stories within some of her books, which makes reading her all the more intriguing. ++Ms. Small, ties many of her stories within some of her books, which makes reading her all the more intriguing. ++

Ugh. My mother gave me this book, and I'm gonna give it back.