The Bartered Bride

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Setting: The East Indies and London, 1834

Sensuality: 7

Lovely widow Alexandra Warren and her young daughter are sailing from Australia to the haven of her family in London when pirates attack their ship and they are captured, separated, and Alex is sold into slavery. Six months later, Captain Gavin Elliott drops anchor at the island of Maduri and is shocked to find a European woman being auctioned in the slave market. Alex clings to hope when the handsome sea captain offers to buy her, but the ruling Sultan of Maduri has plans for Gavin and shrewdly views Alex's plight as a means to control him. Through strength, courage, and wisdom, Gavin thwarts the Sultan's plans, but after surviving the dangers of the South Seas, Alex and Gavin are faced with a more lethal threat when they arrive in London. This time, whether either of them will survive the evil that threatens their lives is anyone's guess.

The exotic locale of the East Indies contrasts vividly with polite London society in this third tale in Ms. Putney's trilogy (The Wild Child and The China Bride). The plot has enough twists and turns to satisfy the most devoted of mystery fans while the relationship between hero and heroine is complicated and the secondary characters well drawn. The author's exploration of British politics, slavery in the 1830s, and London society adds depth and texture to the novel. --Lois Faye Dyer

Book Description

After building a fortune in the exotic East, American adventurer and merchant prince Gavin Elliott sets his sails for London to begin a new life. Then fate intervenes on an infamous island in the East Indies where a European woman faces degradation and peril. Though saving her may cost Gavin his life, he cannot refuse to help the fierce beauty who touches his heart and soul with her indomitable spirit.

Alexandra Warren is returning home from Australia as a widow and mother when a pirate attack condemns her to a life of servitude. A miracle arrives in the form of a steely-eyed Yankee captain, whose reckless courage wins them freedom and a safe passage home to London. Intimate strangers joined by too many secrets, they slowly begin to heal the past with attraction and tenderness—until an old enemy reaches out to threaten the passionate love Gavin has found with his irresistible bartered bride.

Customer Reviews:

Some good parts, but overall, it needs some work........2007-03-01

I like books that start off with a bit of a bang. This one certainly does.

In the Tower of London, an adventurer is awaiting trial for the murder of his wife, whom he loves quite dearly. For Gavin Elliot life on the seas and dry land has been a long series of hairbreadth escapes, and winning the love of not one, but two women. Now he's lost everything.

We get the heroine, the blond and beautiful Alexandra Warren in the middle of a pirate attack in the East Indies. Recently widowed, and with her young daughter, Katie, in tow, she's seeking to return to England and her family. But captured by pirates from a close by island, not only is she separated from her beloved daughter, she is subjected to a life of horrors.

Noted romance author Mary Jo Putney gives us another entry in her "Bride" series, with the title in this one coming from the events surrounding Alex's captivity by the decadent Sultan Kasan. The Sultan offers Elliot a choice -- to rescue Alex he must win at the challenges of the Lion's Game, or help the sultan build a merchanting empire. The fact that the sultan uses piracy to terrorize local shipping is a little matter here as well -- and Elliot has pressing business in England over a touch of revenge. How he manages to outwit the Sultan and rescue Alex and her daughter makes for one of the more entertaining sections of the novel.

Returning to England, our two main characters have managed to make a marriage of convenience, but further troubles await in persistant would-be lovers, a pack of in-laws (mostly characters from previous Putney novels that I found to be distracting), and that murder charge that the novel opened with. While I don't mind flashbacks as a plot device, sometimes it gets annoying. To the author's credit, her handling of the old tried-and-true "captured by pirates" storyline is here told in an inventive style, and kept my interest until the end of the novel. Both of the characters have emotional baggage that they cart along with them, and Putney handles the sensitive issue of rape and abuse in a dignified manner, much different than the usual "forcible seduction" that's a stock in trade of bodice rippers.

The bad part of the novel is that the villains are pretty much stock characters here, with only the Sultan being at all interesting (enough to make me wonder if Putney was setting him up as a future hero in a forthcoming book), but the others are pretty much one-notes. The really bad part is that the novel could have been more interesting if the extra characters had been cut out -- I kept getting distracted and bogged down with the little tidbits that Putney kept tossing here and there. Still, it's an interesting read for those of you who like their romance novels with plenty of adventure, and Putney has a deft touch in her writing style. Even the erotic bits are tasteful, and that's rare thing to find these days.

Interesting.......2006-08-24

This is my first book by this auothor. I found it to be exteremely different from the conventional historical romances which I'm used to reading. I do have to admit, that Gavin was described as the epitome of male perfection - which obviously is very unrealistic. I found many facets of the story quite realistic, for instance how the characters dont immediately fall - like how its usually portrayed in other novels...it took them a good 6 - 8 months to fall in love.... i found this idea quite close to reality. The initial attraction is present of course, and it wasnt overstated.
All in all...i enjoyed this book and the writing style of Mary Jo.

Dragged 2.5 stars.......2006-06-08

This was my first book by this author. I was quite excited because of all the good reviews for her writing. I could not connect with these characters. I didn't find that there was any chemistry between the two. I found it quite annoying that Gavin always said and did the perfect thing. He had no passion whatsoever. Very boring book.

One of her best.......2006-05-10

Mary Jo Putney has added another book onto the list of must reads. No disappointment here. From Australia to the East Indies, pirate ships, slave trade and of course, the happy ending. The story is fast paced and I couldn't put it down; a book to grab off the shelf and add to the shopping basket.

A Pleasant Surprise.......2005-06-29

I was prepared to not like this book. In fact, I'll go so far as to say that I picked it up, read the first page and put it down in favor of something else.

A few months later it was still sitting in my book bin, and I suppose I must have felt sorry for it, being neglected as it was, so I chanced it and cracked it open.

I'm so glad to be wrong! I really, honestly and truly, enjoyed this book from start to finish. I found the hero refreshing, engaging, and a man I could really cheer for in the end.

In reading many of the other reviews, I will agree that the way the book begins was the reason I didn't wish to read it at first. I just simply wasn't in the mood to deal with the possible let-down of the heroine dying before the book's end. Having finished it, however, I think the beginning was a rather brilliant stroke on Ms. Putney's part, as I spent most of the book in fevered anticipation of when "the bomb" would drop.

It was a well-crafted bit of work, and I would recommend this author to anyone.

The Sheikh's Bartered Bride (Harlequin Presents)

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Very quick
From Back Cover
For Love or Country?
Passion and Surrender.....that's what it's all about!
Another awesome read

The Sheikh's Bartered Bride (Harlequin Presents)
Lucy Monroe
Manufacturer: Harlequin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0373124473

Customer Reviews:

Very quick.......2007-04-05

This book was a quick read. It flowed very well. Our hereo, Hakim courts our heroine, Catherine and finally proposes within a month. She soon finds out that her father and his uncle had an agreement that his nephew and Catherine would marry. She finds out almost half way in the book and tries to leave him. The end for me wasnt that great. That's why its not a 5. It needed some more drama between Hakim and the dissidents to make the book seem more interesting. Oveall a good, esay, quick read.

From Back Cover.......2006-08-14

After a whirlwind courtship Sheikh Hakim bin Omar al Kadar proposes marriage. There are no declarations of love, but shy, innocent Catherine Benning has already fallen head-over-heels in love and she accepts... After their wedding day - and night, when the sheikh claims his virgin wife - Catherine and Hakim travel to his desert kingdom. Catherine discovers that this is no love match for Hakim - he's bought her!

[From the Surrender to the Sheikh series]

For Love or Country?.......2005-02-25

Lucy Monroe pens a lovely story about an innocent young woman who falls in love, only to find out her husband may not be the romantic sheikh or her dreams...or is he?

Catherine Benning grew up shy and self-conscious, never feeling good enough for her family or for love, instead feeling like a burden and an embarrassment. Yet when she reaches adulthood, things change, and she slowly comes out of her shell, enjoying a career and a hobby that she believes she shares with the man of her dreams.

Sheikh Hakim bin Omar al Kadar knows his obligations. To fulfill an agreement to bring an advanteous opportunity to his country, that obligation may be to marry the daughter of an American businessman.

Once they meet, the two become involved in a whirlwind courtship, one that does them both good. Catherine blossoms even more as she falls in love with her sheikh, and Hakim begins to see that marriage is more than an obligation but a partnership filled with respect, companionship and affection. However when Catherine realizes the truth behind their meeting, will Hakim be able to convince her that she's the one he really wants?

Lucy takes two very popular personality types of the Harlequin Presents line and breathes new life into both. While shy and innocent, Catherine is not afraid to speak her mind and refuses to cower when arguing with her alpha husband. Hakim may be a powerful sheikh, but he respects his wife and treats her as a woman, not as as property. You will fall in love right along with them, maybe even wanting a sheikh of your own.

Passion and Surrender.....that's what it's all about!.......2005-02-03

Lucy Monore has done it again! This is an incredible love story, one which begins as an arranged marriage, and evolves into a passionate love affair. Secrets create and put up road blocks in the relationship with an incredible resolution. I highly recommend this East meets West love story.

Another awesome read.......2005-01-31

Lucy Monroe has penned another gem of a story in The Sheikh's Bartered Bride.

Catherine Benning has been daydreaming about her fantasy man, a mysterious sheikh. Next thing she knows a handsome sheikh walks into the library where she works.

Sheikh Hakim bin Omar al Kadar has come to claim his bride. But he has to woe her first since she has no clue that his intentions are part of a business deal. Hakim didn't expect to be so attracted to his soon to be bride.

Catherine is swept off her feet by Hakim. He makes her feel special and she has fallen in love with her fantasy man. But will this love survive once she finds out the truth.

Catherine and Hakim are a couple whose passion leaps off the page. They bring out the best in each other and help each other to grow.

I just adored this book. Lucy Monroe's heroes are such strong alpha males and Hakim is no exception. But they also have a tender side that tugs at your heart. Catherine is the perfect heroine for Hakim, she has had problems growing up but is strong for it.

This book is a must read.

Average customer rating:

DEFINITELY A FIVE PLUS -- AND A KEEPER AS ALL OF HER BOOKS
The title absolutely does not reflect the story!!!!!!
Where is the romance?
He didn't deserve her !

The Bartered Bride
Elizabeth Mansfield
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515115215

Customer Reviews:

DEFINITELY A FIVE PLUS -- AND A KEEPER AS ALL OF HER BOOKS.......2004-02-16

May I add one comment? review of 2000 is of a different book -- not this one.

Well 2 comments -- other two reviewers have definitely no knowledge of the German reticience of showing any emotion although they do feel deeply. And Romance is NOT all about sex.

Ah, Bartered? Frederich bartered his freedom for the love of his daughters even at the expense of his need for revenge.
Caroline Holt bartered her freedom and excepted her humiliation for the sake of her unborn child.

Her misplaced love for a refined, educated man caused her surrender to his seduction. The Blackguard!
Frederich was not going to allow his brother, Eli to step in when he wanted to revoke his offer of marriage to Caroline's brother, Avery. Another arrogant man in Caroline's life.
And in the German Church in front of the whole congregation. [Just a note: Caroline did not understand the German language]
Loved her brother, William's comment that even though he could not speak German, he could catch the drift of what was being said.

Caroline felt she had to endure most anything for her dead sisters' sake and for her nieces, Lise and Mary Louise that she loved very much.

She had a hard time understanding why her brother-in-law was not at his wife, Ann's side when she died. Comes of not knowing the truth.

She was taken aback when she saw the tender, loving way Frederich had with his daughters. His mistake was in believing his sister, Beata would get along with his wives. Beata shows what jealosy and discontent will do to warp a person's character.

Frederich had a man's view in assuming Caroline would know what he expected of her. Such lack of communication. And because of his lack of trust and sense of betrayal he could not express his feelings as they grew stronger for Caroline. Until the war started leveling everyone's concept of life.

Frederich would no allow Caroline to die and he helped her to grieve, she in turn would not allow him to die of his wounds.

What a wonderful story of how the human spirit keeps on striving against all odds and sometimes finds it place in the scheme of things.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED -- will definitely be keeping all of her books. There is much depth to her historical stories.

The title absolutely does not reflect the story!!!!!!.......2004-01-07

Whatever you expect this story to be about, you'll be wrong. However, having said that, I am glad I read it. It is not a keeper for me but it was so totally different from anything I have ever read, I almost gave it a 4 *.........The book mostly takes place in a north carolina farming community of german immigrants during the american civil war. They are a people who do not express or communicate their feelings well causing all kinds of missteps. However their loyalty to family and pledge is everything. The best part of the book are Lise and Mary Louise the 2 and 4 yr old daughters of our main character, Frederich. They are precious, precocious and delightful.Their mother, Ann, died giving birth to her 3rd child and her husband shows no compassion at her passing to her sister carolines distress. (We later find out that the baby was not his). Caroline is a blunt, un-biddable woman who loves her nieces dearly bit isn't overly fond of her "german" neighbors. Fredrick "offers' for Caroline for his motherless children and marries her although sheis pregnant by someone else who she will not name.Of course Frederick thinks she is a "ho" like her sister Ann. Enter Frederick's sister Beata. The original witch on a broom. She makes life so hard for Caroline and for everyone with her gossip and lies. As Caroline and Fredrick are trying to cope with this loveless, sexless marriage, they become bonded through several events. But the civil war intervenes and more hardships effect them all. Frederick finally admits, to himself, that he cares for Caroline and goes home to tell her..(and they have their wedding night)...but he is captured as a "deserter" and leaves after more angry words and sarcasm. Fredrick's biggest problem throughout the story is that he didn't shoot his sister Beata!!!! Caroline goes to Richmond to find her injured/dead husband and vows to bring him home in any condition...The fault of the book lies in its lack of expressed "emotion" but although I missed that too, it actually was in keeping with the story of this culture. The emotion was there but it was for the reader to discern between the lines. It also taught me so much about the traditions of the german culture for courting, death, etc......Very interesting actually. And while I had heard of "conscription"....the draft of men for the war, I never knew it could be, as it was here, at gunpoint. That gives new meaning to the word draft. The war references were tasteful and poignant. I have such mixed emotions about this book. I am not a cheryl reavis fan but she did a good job with these characters.

Where is the romance?.......2001-07-13

I must have found this book in the wrong section. It says it is a romance but I have rarely read such an unromantic book with so little chemistry between our hero and heroine. The story takes place in North Carolina at the beginning of the Civil War in sort of farming community that has lots of Germans. Our heroine, Caroline, finds out in the beginning of the story she is to marry her former brother-in-law, a dour German, Frederich. Her sister died in childbirth with her third child, who also died, leaving behind two girls. She refuses to marry Frederich and is beaten really badly by her brother, Avery, because of her refusal. She is rescued and ends up married in name only to Frederich. There is not a single moment of sexual heat, chemistry, love, interst in this story. They sleep together one time (when he is on leave from the war) and it is a hurried affair and as a reader, you are left thinking why bother? Romance this is not...

He didn't deserve her !.......2000-10-17

The heroine Cassie was not appealing at the beginning of the book. She was too shy to speak up for herself when being accursed of stealing at a shop. Then came her 'knight in shining armour' who defended her. It was love at first sight - on her part only. He married her for money and kept remembering his lost love. As the story progressed, Cassie revealed her strength underneath her 'mousy little wife' exterior. She winned over his best friend and his sister. The most touching part was the love letters she wrote impersonating his lost love, in order to give him something to hold on when he had lost all his dreams. When they finally understood each other and found their love, I wondered how much of his love was out of gratitude ?

The Bartered Bride - A Comic Opera in Three Acts (Vocal Score)

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The Bartered Bride - A Comic Opera in Three Acts (Vocal Score)
Bedrich Smetana
Manufacturer: Gamble Hinged Music Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Sheet music
ASIN: B000JWFU8G

The Bartered Bride: Vocal Score (G. Schirmer Opera Score Editions)

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The Bartered Bride: Vocal Score (G. Schirmer Opera Score Editions)
Marian Farguhar
Manufacturer: G. Schirmer, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0793511755

Book Description

English Only. Translated by Farguhart.

Longarm Giant #23: Longarm and the Bartered Brides (Longarm Giant)

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Longarm Giant #23: Longarm and the Bartered Brides (Longarm Giant)
Tabor Evans
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

ASIN: 0515138347
Release Date: 2004-09-28

Book Description

Some men, aching for female companionship, have sent away for brides. But when the womenfolk never show, these hombres hire on gunslinger Custis Long to do what he does second-best: skirt-chasing.

El Precio De La Novia / The Bartered Bride (Cisne)

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El Precio De La Novia / The Bartered Bride (Cisne)
Mary Jo Putney
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 849793394X

Bartered Brides: Politics, Gender and Marriage in an Afghan Tribal Society (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)

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Bartered Brides: Politics, Gender and Marriage in an Afghan Tribal Society (Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)
Nancy Tapper
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521024676

Book Description

Bartered Brides is a detailed study of marriage among the Maduzai, a tribal society in Afghan Turkistan. It is the first study of the area which looks in depth at both the domestic aspects of marriage and its relation to the productive and reproductive activities of women, as well as marriage as a means of managing political and economic conflict and competition. The fieldwork was carried out in the early 1970s before the 1978 coup and Soviet invasion. In this respect the book offers a unique account of a world that has disappeared. Nancy Tapper presents both male and female perspectives, detailed case studies and historical and statistical material. As an ethnographic and historical record, Bartered Brides breaks new ground in the study of Islam, the Middle East and South-west Asia. As the most detailed and extensive discussion of a Middle Eastern marriage system to date, it contributes to wider anthropological studies of marriage, politics and gender.

Bartered Bride: The Story of a Russian Contract Bride

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Bartered Bride: The Story of a Russian Contract Bride
Timothy R Lazaro
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595397514

Book Description

Beautiful and blonde, twenty-seven-year-old Katerina Valensky lives a comfortable life in modern-day Russia as the "kept woman" of a Mafioso. But she longs for the freedom to raise her son and live life on her own terms. After escaping to America as a contract bride, she discovers that marriage to her brutal new husband, a retired professional wrestler named Henry Chanler, is more intolerable than life in Russia.

Simon Owens lives in the same apartment complex as Katerina. Many times in his childhood, he sat trembling under the kitchen table as his father beat his mother. Simon can't help but see what is happening to the pretty young girl that Henry-dubbed the Ogre-has in his power, but he doesn't know how to help.

Yet Simon has his own secrets. When he witnesses the brutal murder of someone Katerina loves, he must remain silent to protect his own life. He can only offer her financial security and the chance to start her life in America again. Will Katerina triumph over adversity and escape the men who pursue her? Can Simon resolve his own problems and forge a relationship with Katerina?

Average customer rating:

Liked these characters, and yet...
Great as historical fiction, problematic as romance..
Authentic setting -- but characters don't connect
VERY ROMANTIC!
Slow and Disappointing

Bartered Bride
Anne Avery
Manufacturer: Fanfare
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 0553579339
Release Date: 1999-03-02

Customer Reviews:

Liked these characters, and yet..........2007-02-09

This is just a "good" romance novel, with likeable characters, and an interesting-enough plot which thankfully avoided many medieval-novel stereotypical plot points (thank you, Anne Avery, for not making the heroine a healer; for making her lusty, and for giving her a temper).

Yet, there was something predictable about it. It always seemed a foregone conclusion that the couple would fall in love, and that the conflicts they experienced (inner & outer) would work out. I guess what I mean is, there was no sustained tension. (Even if, intellectually, I know a romance novel always has a happy ending, I like the author to make me feel while I'm reading that there's a chance there won't be.) The love story was somewhat bland, although it had several nice moments, such as the hero's secret admiration of the heroine's hair, and the heroine being as eager as the hero to initiate lovemaking. I notice the author didn't describe the encounters, after the first one. This is just a comment, it's not a criticism. (The hero & heroine made love, but there weren't descriptive "scenes" after their first, if that matters to the reader.)

I almost stopped reading the book about half-way through, because it just wasn't sustaining my interest. I stuck with it, and while I liked the characters and the story line for the most part, BARTERED BRIDE didn't have that carry-me-away, memorable, can't-put-it-down, special romantic X-factor, that the best romance novels have. I know I'm going to forget about this book once I stop writing this review. And that's a shame, because there are good elements in it. They just didn't all add up to 100% -- I'd have to say 75.

Great as historical fiction, problematic as romance.........2001-12-17

First, I read this book through in a few hours, having waited several weeks to obtain a copy. That satisfies my minimum criteria for a three-star read.
Second, I had mixed feelings about this book, as much as I did for Isolde Martyn's THE MAIDEN AND THE UNICORN (not yet reviewed by me). As (romantic) historical fiction, it worked beautifully. This genre is not very popular in the States, but far more popular in the UK. The depth of historical research and the gritty realism really comes through, and the characters behave very much in the way that real men and women might behave in the medieval period. The heroine does not defy her father's wishes to marry her to a commoner (a debasement in status for her), nor questions the fact that he is selling her off to fund his political intrigues. The hero, likewise, is marrying the heroine not for her beauty but for her political assets. He is caught in a dangerous civil war between the barons and the future Edward I -what a wonderful period to pick!. Having said all this in praise of the book, I have to admit to some questions.

Firstly, this book could have benefitted from a foreword or afterword, briefly explaining what was going on in England, and why a merchant might find it wise to hedge his bets. For persons with limited historical knowledge, this book can be very frustrating. Even for readers with greater knowledge of 13th century England, it can be a bit hard to follow the events. I felt as if I should have consulted a history of England before reading this book, even though I knew the background of the baronial revolt against Henry III.

Secondly, as a romance, this book is definitely not ideal. It earns at least 3 stars as a romance (possibly more), because there *is* a romance, although it is slow to develop. The characters marry for very practical reasons, but they do not communicate very well for much of the novel. The heroine refuses to sleep with her husband (the hero), and she is not told about his disastrous first marriage which might have explained much to her. Nor does the hero talk that much to the heroine (even if this is keeping with medieval practice) - about his trade, his history, let alone his political intrigues. And of course, they spend part of the book apart although for good reasons.

Actually, as a romance, this was not as frustrating to me as I would have expected. After reading a spate of historical romances by very good writers, where the hero and/or heroine behave irrationally at times and the villain has no clear motivation to act as he/she does, this book was a very pleasant change. Neither hero nor heroine act irrationally; they simply fail to communicate at times (like real people).

For the record, the secondary characters really came alive for the most part. The heroine's problems in taking over her husband's household is well-done, as is her limited control over her father's household. There are several household servants with their own problems and worries, there is the possibly traitorous aide to the husband with his own family tragedy to bear. (I have to say though that his actions *before* the death of a relative are not that clearly fleshed out]. There is the mean-spirited and thieving villain with a definite motive.

In short, this is a really good read, although it will appeal far more to those readers who really want their history to come alive (and realistically alive at that). It is a story of a cross-class romance where the heroine, a noblewoman, largely loses touch with her fellow aristocrats and must learn to live life as a merchant's wife. While I picked this book out because of its resemblance (in the theme) to Madeline Hunter's BY ARRANGEMENT, I have to admit that it was nothing like that book. This is more of a slice of life as it might have been in the Middle Ages; Hunter's book, while far more compelling and disturbing, is also less realistic in some aspects. You might want to read the two books side by side, as well as parts of Edward Rutherford's LONDON.

I rate this book 4.5, with points taken off for the failure to completely flesh out one of the major secondary characters (the aide/secretary to the hero) and some minor problems with the development of the story. Also, the book is in an odd position, a romantic historical fiction rather than a historical romance. I don't take points off for the different genre, but rather for the hero's failure (or the failure of the heroine) to discuss his first marriage, and a dropped plot line here and there, as well as the lack of a foreword or afterword to explain the context of the story. While not as sweeping as some of Elizabeth Chadwick's historical fiction works (notably THE WILD HUNT set in the last years of the reign of the ill-fated William Rufus, and THE LOVE KNOT set in the time of the civil war between Stephen and Matilda), this work could stand up to some of her lesser works. I would be interested in comparing this to Hunter's BY ARRANGEMENT (a historical romance with a politcal twist), and to certain works by Roberta Gellis that focus on the merchant and peasant classes (for example, THE ROPE DANCER). Fans of these authors might be interested in trying Anne Avery's THE BARTERED BRIDE.

Rating = 4.5

Authentic setting -- but characters don't connect.......2000-04-29

It was a relief to see read a Medieval romance that didn't read as if it could have been set in the Excalibur hotel in Las Vegas. I also liked reading about a hero who was an intelligent merchant instead of yet another bloodthirsty knight.

However, the hero and heroine spent too much time embroiled in communication problems. This kept me at a distance from the story. Robert never even told Alyce about this failed first marriage!

I gave this book a B- at All About Romance.

VERY ROMANTIC!.......1999-12-18

This book was very good. I've never read a book by Anne Avery. This was my first and I enjoyed it thoroughly!

Slow and Disappointing.......1999-05-18

I did manage to read the entire book but it was difficult. The heroine was not gorgeous and that was a great start but the book dragged. They don't really get together until the last few pages. Most of the book is spent with a nice history lesson. This is fine but it would have been nice to also have a good story line.

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