By rights I shouldn't like this book at all. Any story which has plot points involving "husband's rights" and mentions "taming" where one's wife is involved usually gets short shrift from me. I also find the virginal older woman scared by sex trope to be annoying as all get out.Yet I like this book.Taharka is a sweetheart, there's a ton of interesting cultural negotiation going on, and I could have read a whole book based on the horse-related stuff alone. And I love strong, stoic women learning how to trust.