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The Herevi Sagas
The Stone Rose
'Life at Sir Jean St Clair’s Breton manor is peaceful enough until he finally marries his concubine, Yolande Herevi, and a legal heir is born. Count François de Roncier cannot stomach this final insult from his mother’s relatives, the Herevis – it seems he has not succeeded in removing the threat to his estate and lands by merely exiling them – and he determines that this time St Clair and his family will be shown no mercy.Young, beautiful and no longer as naïve as she once was, Gwenn Herevi escapes from a bloody massacre to find herself beholden to the two soldiers of fortune she once thought her worst enemies… And set on a course that will reveal the secret of the Stone Rose – her grandmother’s mysterious madonna.'
600 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
31 people want to read
About the author
Carol Townend
69 books92 followersCarol Townend writes atmospheric Historical Romances and Sagas set in England and Europe. Born in Yorkshire, she went to a convent school high on the Whitby cliffs. Later, she studied history at Royal Holloway College, London. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.
Carol's first novel, Sapphire in the Snow, won the RNA New Writers' Award. Two other novels were shortlisted for the RoNA Rose award - Betrothed to the Barbarian in 2013 and Unveiling Lady Clare in 2015.
Carol loves research, and spends too much time hunting for excuses to go on research trips. She can often be seen teetering on the battlements of various stately homes or castles.
Carol's first novel, Sapphire in the Snow, won the RNA New Writers' Award. Two other novels were shortlisted for the RoNA Rose award - Betrothed to the Barbarian in 2013 and Unveiling Lady Clare in 2015.
Carol loves research, and spends too much time hunting for excuses to go on research trips. She can often be seen teetering on the battlements of various stately homes or castles.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 6, 2024
Carol Townend writes atmospheric, relatively accurate medieval historical romances that are also extremely tropey. It is known. The Stone Rose leans heavily into the love triangle trope.
Anyway, the strongest part of the book for me was the atmosphere of 12th century Brittany, the lush, evocative descriptions, and the action-- there's a lot of action, since the story revolves around a violent family feud over lands and jewels. At its best, the story reminds me of Roberta Gellis's Rope Dancer, but with a more deftly handled omniscient POV-- and the heroine and both the love interests are commoners! In some ways this book is a breath of fresh air...
In other ways, I wanted to hit my head against the wall. In the year of our lord 2024, I am so tired of love triangles. This was probably heady and exciting stuff in 1992 (when this was originally published). But now it's not only old hat, I visibly winced during some passages.
One hero is an adorable blond golden retriever of a man, with bright blue eyes, who wouldn't harm a fly. The other hero is dark with cold grey eyes, and a dangerous bad boy. And our heroine is spunky, bold, outdoorsy and is devoted to her family, with brown hair and brown eyes. The whole thing feels so much like Peeta, Gale and Katniss from The Hunger Games, that I wonder if Suzanne Collins read this in her younger days. ExceptKatniss-- sorry, I mean Gwenn-- realizes her "platonic" affection for the blond Peeta-- sorry, I mean Ned-- doesn't measure up to the fact that she wants to tear off Gale's-- I mean Alan's-- clothes off. Or, as the character put it, "he never made her toes tingle." I'm sorry, are we talking about a medieval woman expressing an adulterous lust for her husband's cousin, or are we talking about a teen girl who thinks Harry Styles is really cute?
The feud and the chase from the villainous count was really exciting stuff, but once Gwenn has rescued her brother and sister, the story loses its steam. And then we go into full love triangle mode, and man, you NEVER want to go full love triangle. It makes your MFC look like an idiot, like she's dithering over ice cream flavors instead of men. And then she jumps into Alan's arms while her husband is barely cold in the grave, which makes her look even worse. The first half of the book was so strong and so entertaining that it infuriated me to see it go so wrong in the final act. The heroine makes decisions so divorced from her previously established character-- and indeed from reality-- that it's baffling.
I read the original edition from Headline Books from 1992. It's been edited since then, and released as an ebook. Unfortunately, it has not been edited quite enough, because-- cheek by jowl with authentic medieval descriptions and reasonably period dialogue-- you have some cringe-inducing modernisms like "pain in the neck" or "Beat it!"
But for all that, it was an enjoyable read-- well paced and engaging-- and I read it quickly. I will read the sequel, because I want to see Gwenn's brother seek revenge. I have to know what happens next! And, to be honest, that sounds much more interesting than a tedious love triangle plot that's been recycled a thousand times in various early 2000s YA novels.
Anyway, the strongest part of the book for me was the atmosphere of 12th century Brittany, the lush, evocative descriptions, and the action-- there's a lot of action, since the story revolves around a violent family feud over lands and jewels. At its best, the story reminds me of Roberta Gellis's Rope Dancer, but with a more deftly handled omniscient POV-- and the heroine and both the love interests are commoners! In some ways this book is a breath of fresh air...
In other ways, I wanted to hit my head against the wall. In the year of our lord 2024, I am so tired of love triangles. This was probably heady and exciting stuff in 1992 (when this was originally published). But now it's not only old hat, I visibly winced during some passages.
One hero is an adorable blond golden retriever of a man, with bright blue eyes, who wouldn't harm a fly. The other hero is dark with cold grey eyes, and a dangerous bad boy. And our heroine is spunky, bold, outdoorsy and is devoted to her family, with brown hair and brown eyes. The whole thing feels so much like Peeta, Gale and Katniss from The Hunger Games, that I wonder if Suzanne Collins read this in her younger days. Except
The feud and the chase from the villainous count was really exciting stuff, but once Gwenn has rescued her brother and sister, the story loses its steam. And then we go into full love triangle mode, and man, you NEVER want to go full love triangle. It makes your MFC look like an idiot, like she's dithering over ice cream flavors instead of men. And then she jumps into Alan's arms while her husband is barely cold in the grave, which makes her look even worse. The first half of the book was so strong and so entertaining that it infuriated me to see it go so wrong in the final act. The heroine makes decisions so divorced from her previously established character-- and indeed from reality-- that it's baffling.
I read the original edition from Headline Books from 1992. It's been edited since then, and released as an ebook. Unfortunately, it has not been edited quite enough, because-- cheek by jowl with authentic medieval descriptions and reasonably period dialogue-- you have some cringe-inducing modernisms like "pain in the neck" or "Beat it!"
But for all that, it was an enjoyable read-- well paced and engaging-- and I read it quickly. I will read the sequel, because I want to see Gwenn's brother seek revenge. I have to know what happens next! And, to be honest, that sounds much more interesting than a tedious love triangle plot that's been recycled a thousand times in various early 2000s YA novels.
November 14, 2010
Really enjoyable and absorbing saga/romance where the reader is plunged into the world of medieval Brittany.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews