The Protector begins during a chaotic time in Brittany, when the country was trying to maintain its independence in the midst of a civil war. Two factions warred for control. One faction was led by Jean Comte de Montfort, half brother of the Duke who controlled the country. The other contender was Jeanne de Penthievre,…
The Secret Swan by Shana Abé contains several elements frequently found in those old-fashioned bodice-ripper-style romances: an innocent child bride, a tormented alpha hero who wrongs her, an adversarial relationship, a couple of Big Secrets. Abé magically weaves these not-so-promising threads together to create a story that’s both original and lovely. We first meet Lady…
One day I was in the bookstore staring at the shelf containing the JD Robb books. It’s almost as though, if I stood there long enough and stared hard enough, an Eve and Roarke adventure I hadn’t read would magically appear. No such luck. Fortunately, there was a series of books next to them with…
In By Design, the sequel to By Possession, Madeline Hunter tells the story of the freemason, Rhys and an indentured servant, Joan. Their story is set amidst the turmoil of Medieval England’s political wars, where the sides can change quickly. Rhys and Joan are quickly caught in webs spun by others. Rhys takes Joan into…
“Richness” is the word that comes to mind when I think of By Design. This is what happens when an author comes along and takes something familiar – the medieval setting – and brings it to the next level. A proud young woman stands selling her crafted pottery and statues, her poise setting her apart…
NOTE: This book has been republished as Phantom Bride Of Midnight Born is an intimate, cozy paranormal, and I found it quite delightful. Solid characterization and well-integrated humor rest securely on the crumbling foundation of a haunted castle. In 1350, Serena Clerenbold and her brother are the only members of their family to survive the Black…
this review originally ran on August 5, 2000 I know an author is really talented when she makes me enjoy a book with a premise that I basically dislike. By Possession is a medieval romance about a knight and a woman who was born a serf, bound to his lands. Though her status as a…
I have been glomming Ruth Wind/Barbara Samuel for a while. The results have been quite successful, but locating her full-length historicals as written under her real name has been difficult. I searched longest for A Bed of Spices, the book I had been most eager to lay my hands on, since it is one of…
The Maiden Bride takes place during a sad and frightening period in history. During the fourteenth century, the Black Death ravaged the countryside, decimating the populations of villages, estates and monasteries. Thousands upon thousands of peasants, tradesmen, and crafts people died. Labor was short and in many places there simply were not enough people to…
Are you looking for a historical romance novel with an unusual and original plot? Shelly Thacker’s Timeless is the book for you. This is a most enjoyable and intriguing tale about 22 year old Avril de Varennes and her 300-year-old Viking warrior, Hauk Valbrand. That’s right, three hundred years old! (No, this is not a…
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