Book Review-The Conquerer

The Conquerer
de Warren Series
Brenda Joyce
Dell
432 Pages
Published Oct 1996
Medieval Romance

Like a pagan god, Rolfe the relentless rode into Castle Aelfgar to claim it as his prize- and Lady Alice as his bride. Lauded for his bravery in France, in England he was the hated enemy. Once ensconced in his new domain, Rolfe became determined to tame the Saxon beauty Ceidre, Alice's illegitimate sister, whose spirit and sensuality made him risk treason to have her- not Lady Alice- in his bed...

Mysterious and seductive, she was no lady but a spy for the rebel cause of her noble half brothers. Refusing to bow to this arrogant warrior who ignited her forbidden passion, Ceidre was swept into a dangerous liaison tied to the fate of England and kings. Yet with his kisses on her lips, his skillful hands on her body, she would have to struggle not to surrender to...

MY REVIEW

Summary
Rolfe, a conquerer and a barbarian is ordered to take the Lady Alice as his wife and be the ruler over Castle Aelfgar, by his king. But when he first comes to the Castle Aelfgar he is stunned by Ceirdre, Alice's step sisters. With her beauty alone, is temptation enough for him, and refuses to give this beauty that he has found, up just because he knows he needs to marry her sister. But as time draws even nearer to the wedding, he starts to realize how much he is beginning to care for her, and how much he loves her and that he would risk betraying his own king to have her in his life and keep her for all time...

My Thoughts
The Conquerer is the first in the de Warenne series that is written by Brenda Joyce. At first the story starts out with the bonding between the two, Rolfe and Ceirdre is purely of a sexual nature, but as passion inflames them, there is a tender and powerful love that slowly builds throughout the whole story. The characters are deeply portrayed and teh story plot is engaging. I truly enjoyed reading this book, it was filled with so many aspects that I enjoy when reading Medieval romances, and seemed very vivid in detail. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the books in this series, as I have truly enjoyed reading each and everyone of Brenda Joyce's novels, may they only get better!!! A truly remarkable read!!!

My Grade On This Book
4 Blossoms

Other Books In The Series
Scandalous Love
Promise of the Rose
The Game
The Prize
The Masquerade
The Stolen Bride
A Lady at Last
The Perfect Bride
A Dangerous Love
The Promise
An Impossible Attraction
House of Dreams

Book Review-A Year And A Day

A Year And A Day 
de Warren Trilogy
Virginia Henley
Dell, 483 Pages
Published Nov 1998
Medieval/Scottish Highlands
ISBN:0-440-22207-9

Synopsis
Set in Scotland during the time of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, A Year and Day features Englishman Lynx de Warenne and Celtic heroine Jane Leslie. Lynx is a powerful yet cynical knight who is delighted to lay claim to Scotland's Dumfries Castle as commanded by the king. In Dumfries, Lynx enjoys his steward, Jock Leslie, and Leslie's enormous family of 10 children and 31 grandchildren. Lynx, at age 30, is desperate for an heir and proposes that he marry the youngest Leslie daughter, despite that she is a commoner and has no interest in marriage. Lynx believes that the Leslies are so fertile that he is willing to marry beneath himself just for the sake of a child. Jane Leslie, a proud Celtic healer, is a sensitive creature who communes with wild animals and paints lodestones. Although Jane has strong wishes to the contrary, the two engage in a handfast: they will be together as husband and wife for a year and day; after that time, they will be able to choose whether to stay together. The love affair that ensues is tempestuous and passionate and pure Virginia Henley!

MY REVIEW
 
Summary:
Lynx DeWarren after losing his wife of five years, wonders if he will ever be able to have any children. Not having children from his mistress either, he wonders if its all on him. But he is determined to have a child, as his heir. Then he comes to the Dundries Castle, where he meets the steward, who is father to ten children. And when he finds out about handfasting, where you can handfast with a woman for a year and a day, and if you have a child, that child is legitimate, and at the end of the allotted time you can decide whether to wed or not. So he decides to handfast with Jane Dunfrie, the youngest daughter who has yet to wed. Jane Dunfrie, is afraid of men ever since she was attacked in the woods. Jane has inherited special celtic gifts from her grandmother, as well as her younger brother. Jane is a healer and that is what she wants to do for the rest of her life, however her father has different ideas. So with not much choice, she handfasts with Lynx, but never expected to find...and a tender love in her lynx's arms.
The Hero 
Lynx DeWarren is Edward Plantagenet's most prized warrior, and loyal to those he serves. But even though he is a great and talented warrior for England, he knows that there is something missing in his life. He knows he must marry again, and have a heir, but he wonders if he is lacking in being able to produce a child. But when he handfast's with Jane, he knows that he has a very good chance of bearing children. What he never expected in this handfasting with Jane, was to fall in love, which he never believed in until he met her. 

The Heroine 
Jane Leslie, has unique gifts from her celtic heritage. Inheriting these gifts from her grandmother, she can connect with any animal she is near. She is also a great healer, and knows that is what she would do rather than get married. Although she loves all of her nieces and nephews, but ever since she was attacked by a man in the woods, she has stayed far from men apart from her own family. But then she meets Lynx, with stunning eyes, she knows that she will never be the same, and that he is a sign, of what she doesn't know yet. But then she ends up handfasting with him, and knows if she isn't careful she will fall in love with him.

My Thoughts
 This is the first from Virginia Henley that I have read and I read this pretty quickly and I am eager to read more of her books if they are anything like A Year and a Day. I truly enjoyed this story, and I am so glad that I decided to start reading from this author. A Year and a Day is a true classic romance story, It takes place around the time with Robert Bruce, and one of the most romantic times of history, especially since I love anything that involved Scotland, which this story definitely does. I very much loved the plot of this story, and all the characters that were involved, definitely more of a emotionally involved romance. It was definitely fast paced with passion, mystery, adventure and a sparkling love story that will bring tug at your heartstrings. So fasten your seatbelts for one hell of a ride.

My Grade On This Book 
4 Blossoms

Other Books In The Series 
Infamous
Notorious