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Heron #2
The Chains of Fate
The blood red tide of civil war ran deep over the land, and Thomazine became the wife of a man she would learn to hate for his perfidy.
She married Dominic whom she could never love, believing her Francis to be dead. When she learned the truth ... that Francis lived, Thomazine rode north on a mission hung with the chains of fate.
Those chains weight down her journey, moving through land occupied by enemy soldiers, finding the man she loved at the price of deserting her own child, and losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose's cause in Scotland.
Time and again, the chains of fate would tear Thomazine and Francis apart, through siege and battle, through the evil designs of men, yet one day, some day, the chains of love must prove stronger ...
She married Dominic whom she could never love, believing her Francis to be dead. When she learned the truth ... that Francis lived, Thomazine rode north on a mission hung with the chains of fate.
Those chains weight down her journey, moving through land occupied by enemy soldiers, finding the man she loved at the price of deserting her own child, and losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose's cause in Scotland.
Time and again, the chains of fate would tear Thomazine and Francis apart, through siege and battle, through the evil designs of men, yet one day, some day, the chains of love must prove stronger ...
511 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
138 people are currently reading
206 people want to read
About the author
Pamela Belle
19 books80 followersBelle, who also writes contemporary fiction as Alice Marlow, always wanted to be an author. As a child the books she read were adventure stories like "Treasure Island," "Swallows and Amazons," and the novels of John Buchan and CS Forester. She wrote her first book at the age of twelve and having visited the site of a lovely Elizabethan manor house called Rushbrooke and observing the bare, moated island which was all that was left, she wanted to bring Rushbrooke back and chose to do so in print.
Over the next few years 'The Epic', as it became known, grew and grew. Belle drew up a huge family tree and a plan of the house very like Rushbrooke.
Married and a teacher of a class of six-year-olds, she wrote in longhand and, while publishers made encouraging noises, no one was prepared to risk publishing a large book by an unknown author. Eventually the agent Vivienne Schuster was wonderfully enthusiastic about it and found a publisher.
"The Moon in the Water" and its two sequels were published in the UK and the USA with considerable success. Belle gave up teaching in 1985 to spend more time researching and writing. She plans to write a book about Alfred the Great if she can fit it in between looking after the children, dogs, cats and husband.
Over the next few years 'The Epic', as it became known, grew and grew. Belle drew up a huge family tree and a plan of the house very like Rushbrooke.
Married and a teacher of a class of six-year-olds, she wrote in longhand and, while publishers made encouraging noises, no one was prepared to risk publishing a large book by an unknown author. Eventually the agent Vivienne Schuster was wonderfully enthusiastic about it and found a publisher.
"The Moon in the Water" and its two sequels were published in the UK and the USA with considerable success. Belle gave up teaching in 1985 to spend more time researching and writing. She plans to write a book about Alfred the Great if she can fit it in between looking after the children, dogs, cats and husband.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 29, 2009
“the chains of fate will not bind us forever, and the chains of love are stronger.”
**To avoid spoiling the story for those who have not yet read the first book, some characters shall remain nameless in this review.**
Chains of Fate picks up Thomazine's story where The Moon in the Water left off. Desperate with grief over the death of her beloved, Thomazine is manipulated into marrying Sir Dominic Drakelon and she bears him his son and heir. When she discovers her husband deceived her over her beloved’s fate, she leaves her husband and newborn child behind and begins the long trek to her great-aunt's home along the Scottish border. She expects the journey to last several weeks, but a country torn by the Civil War between Charles I and the Parliamentarians leads to danger and numerous delays and she arrives many months later - and not everyone welcomes her with open arms. Thomazine will not give up faith that she will convince her beloved she was not faithless, but when she finally appears to have succeeded a country and people at war with themselves takes its toll, and threatens time and again to separate the two lovers forever.
That's really all I'm going to tell you. This was a very absorbing novel and one that was very difficult to put down. A nice treat seeing this type of story set among the countryside and the gentry instead of the King and his Court and it’s intrigues. While told in the first person narrative (one I don't normally care for), the author did a fine job putting Thomazine into the thick of things, and when she couldn't she was able to deftly recount what was happening "off-scene" without dragging things on to the point of boredom, as I've seen a lot of recently with some of our current historical fiction authors.
All in all a very engaging read packed with plentiful history, deceit and betrayal and a pair of star crossed lovers that you will keep you on the edge of your seat rooting for until the very very end. Will they live happily ever after or will the scheming, despicable, evil witch Meraud win in the end? Can you tell I hated Meraud with a passion? Will Thomazine be able to build a relationship with her young son raised by his father to hate the mother who abandoned him? You know what I say, read it for yourself, and I’m now off to start the last book in the trilogy, Alathea. This one tells the story of the next generation of the Heron family and is set during the rein of Charles II and Restoration England.
**To avoid spoiling the story for those who have not yet read the first book, some characters shall remain nameless in this review.**
Chains of Fate picks up Thomazine's story where The Moon in the Water left off. Desperate with grief over the death of her beloved, Thomazine is manipulated into marrying Sir Dominic Drakelon and she bears him his son and heir. When she discovers her husband deceived her over her beloved’s fate, she leaves her husband and newborn child behind and begins the long trek to her great-aunt's home along the Scottish border. She expects the journey to last several weeks, but a country torn by the Civil War between Charles I and the Parliamentarians leads to danger and numerous delays and she arrives many months later - and not everyone welcomes her with open arms. Thomazine will not give up faith that she will convince her beloved she was not faithless, but when she finally appears to have succeeded a country and people at war with themselves takes its toll, and threatens time and again to separate the two lovers forever.
That's really all I'm going to tell you. This was a very absorbing novel and one that was very difficult to put down. A nice treat seeing this type of story set among the countryside and the gentry instead of the King and his Court and it’s intrigues. While told in the first person narrative (one I don't normally care for), the author did a fine job putting Thomazine into the thick of things, and when she couldn't she was able to deftly recount what was happening "off-scene" without dragging things on to the point of boredom, as I've seen a lot of recently with some of our current historical fiction authors.
All in all a very engaging read packed with plentiful history, deceit and betrayal and a pair of star crossed lovers that you will keep you on the edge of your seat rooting for until the very very end. Will they live happily ever after or will the scheming, despicable, evil witch Meraud win in the end? Can you tell I hated Meraud with a passion? Will Thomazine be able to build a relationship with her young son raised by his father to hate the mother who abandoned him? You know what I say, read it for yourself, and I’m now off to start the last book in the trilogy, Alathea. This one tells the story of the next generation of the Heron family and is set during the rein of Charles II and Restoration England.
May 18, 2014
This is the second book in Pamela Belle’s Heron series, set in the 17th century and following the adventures of Thomazine Heron and her family in an England torn apart by civil war. I loved this one almost as much as The Moon in the Water, which I read last month, and would highly recommend these books to anyone who enjoys family saga-style historical fiction. The only problem is that they are now out of print, but I definitely think it’s worth trying to find copies.
*Spoiler warning – As this is a sequel and as the previous book ended on such a big cliffhanger, it would be almost impossible for me to discuss this novel without making references to the first one. If you’re interested in this series, you might want to read The Moon in the Water before continuing to read this review!*
The Chains of Fate begins where The Moon in the Water ended, with Thomazine embarking on a journey north to Scotland in search of her cousin and lover, Francis Heron. Believing Francis to have drowned, Thomazine had married Dominic Drakelon before discovering that she had been misled and he was not dead after all. Leaving her husband and baby son behind, she sets off to find Francis with only her friend Grainne, servant Holly and Grainne’s two young children for company. The road north through a country at war is not without its dangers but Thomazine eventually arrives at the Borders home of her Graham cousins – only to discover that convincing Francis of her innocence will not be as easy as she’d hoped.
Will Francis and Thomazine find happiness together in the end or will they be separated forever by war or by the evil scheming of cousin Meraud? I’m not going to say any more because the story that unfolds throughout The Chains of Fate is a wonderful, epic tale of love, war and betrayal and I wouldn’t want to spoil a single page of it for you.
Much as I enjoyed reading this book, however, it’s not without a few flaws that prevented me from loving it quite as much as the first book. While I love Thomazine as a narrator, the fact that she is telling her story in the first person means that she is usually far removed from the centre of the Civil War action. The outcomes of various battles and the movements of the armies are described to Thomazine through letters or gossip picked up in taverns and I thought this became a bit tedious at times. Having said that, I am not a big fan of battle scenes, so I did appreciate the focus on ordinary families and the people who were forced to stay behind, worrying about their loved ones in the thick of the fighting.
I was also slightly disappointed that Thomazine and Francis are kept apart for such long stretches of the book. The other storylines the author brings into the novel – the relationship between Thomazine and her little boy, Kit; the love affairs of Grainne, Lucy and Jamie; and the question of who will inherit Goldhayes – were compelling too and did interest me, but I still found myself getting impatient wondering when Francis was going to make another appearance!
Anyway, this was another great book and I’m now looking forward to reading the third one, Alethea – but apprehensive too because I’m aware that it’s about the next generation of Herons and in my experience sometimes a series is not as good once we leave the original characters behind. I’m hoping this won’t be the case with Alethea and it shouldn’t be too long before I have the chance to find out.
*Spoiler warning – As this is a sequel and as the previous book ended on such a big cliffhanger, it would be almost impossible for me to discuss this novel without making references to the first one. If you’re interested in this series, you might want to read The Moon in the Water before continuing to read this review!*
The Chains of Fate begins where The Moon in the Water ended, with Thomazine embarking on a journey north to Scotland in search of her cousin and lover, Francis Heron. Believing Francis to have drowned, Thomazine had married Dominic Drakelon before discovering that she had been misled and he was not dead after all. Leaving her husband and baby son behind, she sets off to find Francis with only her friend Grainne, servant Holly and Grainne’s two young children for company. The road north through a country at war is not without its dangers but Thomazine eventually arrives at the Borders home of her Graham cousins – only to discover that convincing Francis of her innocence will not be as easy as she’d hoped.
Will Francis and Thomazine find happiness together in the end or will they be separated forever by war or by the evil scheming of cousin Meraud? I’m not going to say any more because the story that unfolds throughout The Chains of Fate is a wonderful, epic tale of love, war and betrayal and I wouldn’t want to spoil a single page of it for you.
Much as I enjoyed reading this book, however, it’s not without a few flaws that prevented me from loving it quite as much as the first book. While I love Thomazine as a narrator, the fact that she is telling her story in the first person means that she is usually far removed from the centre of the Civil War action. The outcomes of various battles and the movements of the armies are described to Thomazine through letters or gossip picked up in taverns and I thought this became a bit tedious at times. Having said that, I am not a big fan of battle scenes, so I did appreciate the focus on ordinary families and the people who were forced to stay behind, worrying about their loved ones in the thick of the fighting.
I was also slightly disappointed that Thomazine and Francis are kept apart for such long stretches of the book. The other storylines the author brings into the novel – the relationship between Thomazine and her little boy, Kit; the love affairs of Grainne, Lucy and Jamie; and the question of who will inherit Goldhayes – were compelling too and did interest me, but I still found myself getting impatient wondering when Francis was going to make another appearance!
Anyway, this was another great book and I’m now looking forward to reading the third one, Alethea – but apprehensive too because I’m aware that it’s about the next generation of Herons and in my experience sometimes a series is not as good once we leave the original characters behind. I’m hoping this won’t be the case with Alethea and it shouldn’t be too long before I have the chance to find out.
May 15, 2011
The Moon in the Water and The Chains of Fate tell a single story of romance and adventure - a story that has lived in Pamela Belle's heart since she was twelve, when she was taken to see a great ruined Elizabethan house in England's West Suffolk.
"I can remember standing in the middle of the overgrown ruin that had once been a very beautiful house, and thinking I would like to write about the family that had lived in it."
"I did not want to write a serious book, of the sort loved by the reviewers but unread by the general public, including me: rather I wanted to share my own love of history and romance and the utterly different, yet strangely similar world-tuned-upside-down of the Seventeenth Century."
"I can remember standing in the middle of the overgrown ruin that had once been a very beautiful house, and thinking I would like to write about the family that had lived in it."
"I did not want to write a serious book, of the sort loved by the reviewers but unread by the general public, including me: rather I wanted to share my own love of history and romance and the utterly different, yet strangely similar world-tuned-upside-down of the Seventeenth Century."
June 26, 2014
One of the best books of all time. It's the middle of a trilogy and has everything: Civil War, Forbidden Love, Endless Death, Evil Cousins, Lousy Travel, Bad Children, Terrible Choices.
This is why one of my favorite names is Francis
This is why one of my favorite names is Francis
January 8, 2017
Historical with bit of romance
Very historical with beautiful love story running through
Loved the main characters and the history but in places just wanted the story to get on with it
Very historical with beautiful love story running through
Loved the main characters and the history but in places just wanted the story to get on with it
July 14, 2020
Sent to live with Sir Simon Heron, she fell in love with his son, Francis.
Years later, after learning of Francis’s death, Thomazin is married to her cousin Sir Dominic Drakelon, a union that was already decided when she was a small child.
Thomazin knows she could never love her husband, but what other choice does she have with Francis dead?
But soon fate intervenes and the truth reaches her…that Francis is alive.
Leaving her newborn baby and her husband to find the man she loves, Thomazin sets out to find Francis, certain of their enduring love.
With her best friend, Grainne Sewell, in tow, along with Grainne’s children, Thomazin sets off on her journey, a journey fraught with danger and natural setbacks.
A journey that would take weeks before they reached their destination.
With injuries sustained along the way, their arrival in Catholm, Scotland is severely delayed, but soon Thomazin finds the man she loves, at the price of deserting her own child.
Before long, she finds herself losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose’s cause in Scotland.
Time and again, the chains of fate try to tear Thomazine and Francis apart, through siege and battle, through the evil designs of men, yet one day, some day, the chains of love must prove stronger…
The Chains of Fate is a heart wrenching tale of enduring love, loyalty and betrayal.
Years later, after learning of Francis’s death, Thomazin is married to her cousin Sir Dominic Drakelon, a union that was already decided when she was a small child.
Thomazin knows she could never love her husband, but what other choice does she have with Francis dead?
But soon fate intervenes and the truth reaches her…that Francis is alive.
Leaving her newborn baby and her husband to find the man she loves, Thomazin sets out to find Francis, certain of their enduring love.
With her best friend, Grainne Sewell, in tow, along with Grainne’s children, Thomazin sets off on her journey, a journey fraught with danger and natural setbacks.
A journey that would take weeks before they reached their destination.
With injuries sustained along the way, their arrival in Catholm, Scotland is severely delayed, but soon Thomazin finds the man she loves, at the price of deserting her own child.
Before long, she finds herself losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose’s cause in Scotland.
Time and again, the chains of fate try to tear Thomazine and Francis apart, through siege and battle, through the evil designs of men, yet one day, some day, the chains of love must prove stronger…
The Chains of Fate is a heart wrenching tale of enduring love, loyalty and betrayal.
May 14, 2019
A good ending
I really enjoy Pamela Belle's books and adore the Herons. However at times in this book I had to sigh, because the reasons and logic for keeping the main couple apart felt tedious towards the end.
However I was happy with it's ending. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this did deliver just what I wanted! I highly recommend it to follow up on the first book!
I really enjoy Pamela Belle's books and adore the Herons. However at times in this book I had to sigh, because the reasons and logic for keeping the main couple apart felt tedious towards the end.
However I was happy with it's ending. I'm a sucker for a happy ending and this did deliver just what I wanted! I highly recommend it to follow up on the first book!
April 13, 2025
I love this story. The characters are real people with all the flaws and delights of life and the tale of the star crossed lovers keeps you reading to the end.
I alsways wondered about widow gooch’s backstory… bet it would be interesting
I alsways wondered about widow gooch’s backstory… bet it would be interesting
October 27, 2017
This is the second book in a brilliant trilogy set around the English Civil War. It could easily be read as a stand-alone story though.
February 16, 2021
Another great book!
I guess I am selfish , but I want the story to go on ,it is to good to stop!!
I guess I am selfish , but I want the story to go on ,it is to good to stop!!
May 5, 2025
War
The characters are developed perfectly. A bit too much political description and redundant war situations for my taste. Would liked to have more story on Simon and Nan.
The characters are developed perfectly. A bit too much political description and redundant war situations for my taste. Would liked to have more story on Simon and Nan.
September 23, 2016
Thomazin was sent to live with Sir Simon Heron, she fell in love with his son, Francis.
Then the Civil War broke out & after learning of Francis’s death, Thomazin married her cousin Sir Dominic Drakelon, a man she’d been betrothd to as a small child.
Thomazin knows she could never love her husband, but what other choice did she have now that Francis has been killed, then she learns that Francis is alive.
Leaving her newborn baby, Kit and her husband to find the man she loves, Thomazin sets out to find Francis with her best friend, Grainne Sewell, in tow, along with Grainne’s children, Thomazin sets off on her journey to Catholm. A journey that should take weeks but with injuries sustained along the way, their arrival in Catholm, Scotland is severely delayed.
However she finds herself losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose’s cause in Scotland.
This is a well written emotional roller coaster & anyone who likes the Stuart period then it ticks all the boxes, whilst it could stand alone I’d certainly read the first novel in the series before this one
I received an ARC copy
Then the Civil War broke out & after learning of Francis’s death, Thomazin married her cousin Sir Dominic Drakelon, a man she’d been betrothd to as a small child.
Thomazin knows she could never love her husband, but what other choice did she have now that Francis has been killed, then she learns that Francis is alive.
Leaving her newborn baby, Kit and her husband to find the man she loves, Thomazin sets out to find Francis with her best friend, Grainne Sewell, in tow, along with Grainne’s children, Thomazin sets off on her journey to Catholm. A journey that should take weeks but with injuries sustained along the way, their arrival in Catholm, Scotland is severely delayed.
However she finds herself losing Francis again to the urgent demands of Montrose’s cause in Scotland.
This is a well written emotional roller coaster & anyone who likes the Stuart period then it ticks all the boxes, whilst it could stand alone I’d certainly read the first novel in the series before this one
I received an ARC copy
February 1, 2012
This is the sequel to Moon in the Water. I literally looked for this book for years before I finally got my hands on it. The history and the plot were just as captivating for me as the first book, and, of course, there's the same cast of wonderful characters -- plus a few new ones. At times I missed the appearance of Frances Heron, but the book kept my attention anyway. I stayed up all night reading this one, and that's not something I do with any book.
August 30, 2012
The sequel to The Moon in the Water, loved it as much as the first. Was left looking for a third book when this was finished. Unfortunately the books are out of print and can be tough to find, wish they would put them into an eBook.
July 22, 2010
Oh Edward... my love!
March 7, 2021
The second book about the Herron Family set during the English Civil War. I liked the first book better, but this one was ok.
February 7, 2014
Loved this book as much as the first!!
August 18, 2014
The author lost me on this one. Way too many repetitive descriptions that rolled over from book #1. Found myself totally bored and couldn't wait for the finish.
Read
September 13, 2013It took me many years to find this sequel to The Moon in the Water. Really good. All time favorite!
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews