The Duke of Mercia (Christian) has finally been released by the French after being held prisoner and tortured for several months. He finds that in his absence, his wife and infant son have died. All that keeps him going now is his desire for revenge on his former captors. Almost immediately upon his release, he is visited by Gilly, who is his late wife's cousin. She has helped take care of his surviving daughter, Lucy, who is now not speaking and desperately needs her father. Gilly convinces Christian to return to his country home where his daughter is staying, and he convinces her to return there as well, to help him.

Christian is drastically changed from the proud man he used to be. He is scarred, both mentally and physically, and he barely is able to eat enough to stay alive. He suffers fears and nightmares, and tries to hide it by speaking in a calm voice, not showing emotion, and maintaining control. Gilly instinctively seems to know just what to do and say. She encourages him without pushing him too hard. Christian is almost immediately drawn to her, and soon they are sharing small touches. Their burgeoning affection soon turns passionate and they begin a love affair.

It's remarkable to see how Gilly brings Christian back. The torture he endured was brutal, the kind that many wouldn't be able to recover from. But now, though he loves Gilly, he can't give up the thought of finding and killing his former captor. He knows this may cost him Gilly, but he can't seem to help himself.

I found that I could not put down THE CAPTIVE. The romance was poignant and touching, and the threads of the events happening were woven together by Grace Burrowes to form an emotional, well paced book, one of my very favorites by her. I am most anxious to see what magic she will weave in book two of this series. Can she possibly make me accept the captor as a hero? I can't wait to find out.