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Dark Maiden
Blush sensuality This is a sensual romance (may have explicit love scenes, but not erotic in frequency or type).
The 1300s are a time of pestilence and unease, plagued not just by disease but by demons and the restless dead. Yolande wanders England and Wales, armed with her blessed bow and sacred herbs, laying the spirits to rest and driving the demons away. She’s bound to serve for a time of seven—though she knows not what that means.
Geraint the Welshman travels the countryside, juggling and tumbling to earn his keep. When he meets Yolande, he’s caught by her fierce yet sweet nature and vows to stay by her side. As they journey closer to Yolande’s final trial and face foes ever more cunning and dangerous, Geraint and Yolande have only their mutual love and trust to help them survive.
Inside Yolande and Geraint live in a medieval world dominated by Catholicism and mistrust for an interracial couple—Geraint is Welsh and Yolande is half Ethiopian.
A Blush® paranormal romance from Ellora’s Cave
The 1300s are a time of pestilence and unease, plagued not just by disease but by demons and the restless dead. Yolande wanders England and Wales, armed with her blessed bow and sacred herbs, laying the spirits to rest and driving the demons away. She’s bound to serve for a time of seven—though she knows not what that means.
Geraint the Welshman travels the countryside, juggling and tumbling to earn his keep. When he meets Yolande, he’s caught by her fierce yet sweet nature and vows to stay by her side. As they journey closer to Yolande’s final trial and face foes ever more cunning and dangerous, Geraint and Yolande have only their mutual love and trust to help them survive.
Inside Yolande and Geraint live in a medieval world dominated by Catholicism and mistrust for an interracial couple—Geraint is Welsh and Yolande is half Ethiopian.
A Blush® paranormal romance from Ellora’s Cave
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 13, 2013
4 people are currently reading
52 people want to read
About the author
Lindsay Townsend
81 books60 followersLindsay Townsend is an English novelist with a passion for writing historical romance. Her books are published by Kensington Books, Bookstrand, Prairie Rose Publications, Audible, Ulverscroft Large Print and MuseItUp. Her earlier historical romances and romantic suspense novels are reissued through Kindle Direct.
Lindsay lives in Yorkshire, in the north of England, with her husband, Alan, and also has family in Devon. She loves singing, music, walking, reading and cooking - especially trying out old recipes.
She has been writing stories since the age of six, and has been a professional novelist for many years. Her previous books are romantic thrillers.
Lindsay lives in Yorkshire, in the north of England, with her husband, Alan, and also has family in Devon. She loves singing, music, walking, reading and cooking - especially trying out old recipes.
She has been writing stories since the age of six, and has been a professional novelist for many years. Her previous books are romantic thrillers.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 25, 2013
Engrossing Historical Romance
(spoiler alert)
In North England during 1350, Yolande, a dark-skinned woman, is lethal with the bow of Saint Sebastian, dresses like a man, and roams the countryside to follow in her father’s footsteps as an exorcist.
Geraint, a Welsh jester, accepts the job of carrying a crucifix to Yolande at a convent. After meeting Yolande, he fancies her and decides to accompany her on her travels.
As one quest leads to another for this duo, a doomed romance blooms. Yolande must remain chaste or the demons she exorcises will have sway over her. Also, an abbott said Yolande must remain a maiden for a time of seven to do her duty.
With their lives on the line, Geraint and Yolande rely on each other and form a deep friendship. Their affection deepens, and they flirt with disaster as they explore each other’s bodies in all but consummation.
Meanwhile, they travel the countryside, and Yolande exorcises spirits. She questions her need for chastity as her father was married while he was an exorcist. Geraint is determined to make her his.
They decide to wed in a sacred place over Christmastime, and the spirits there approve, saying Yolande has fulfilled her destiny of freeing seven souls. They wed joyously, enthusiastically, athletically.
In April, Yolande is called to an even bigger task in New Jerusalem, where a group of misfits and outcasts follow a charismatic man. With these being touted as the final days, great evil lays on the land. The stakes have never been higher for Yolande as she is with child. The troubles are labyrinth, the evil is insidious, and yet this exorcist rises to the challenge.
An engrossing tale. Recommended.
(spoiler alert)
In North England during 1350, Yolande, a dark-skinned woman, is lethal with the bow of Saint Sebastian, dresses like a man, and roams the countryside to follow in her father’s footsteps as an exorcist.
Geraint, a Welsh jester, accepts the job of carrying a crucifix to Yolande at a convent. After meeting Yolande, he fancies her and decides to accompany her on her travels.
As one quest leads to another for this duo, a doomed romance blooms. Yolande must remain chaste or the demons she exorcises will have sway over her. Also, an abbott said Yolande must remain a maiden for a time of seven to do her duty.
With their lives on the line, Geraint and Yolande rely on each other and form a deep friendship. Their affection deepens, and they flirt with disaster as they explore each other’s bodies in all but consummation.
Meanwhile, they travel the countryside, and Yolande exorcises spirits. She questions her need for chastity as her father was married while he was an exorcist. Geraint is determined to make her his.
They decide to wed in a sacred place over Christmastime, and the spirits there approve, saying Yolande has fulfilled her destiny of freeing seven souls. They wed joyously, enthusiastically, athletically.
In April, Yolande is called to an even bigger task in New Jerusalem, where a group of misfits and outcasts follow a charismatic man. With these being touted as the final days, great evil lays on the land. The stakes have never been higher for Yolande as she is with child. The troubles are labyrinth, the evil is insidious, and yet this exorcist rises to the challenge.
An engrossing tale. Recommended.
July 21, 2017
Dark Maiden by Lindsay Townsend is set in the the plague years of the 1300s, when people were terrified by strangers who could be carrying evil spirits and death.
No knights. No damsels in distress. No castles or kings.
For the unusual hero and heroine inhabiting this world, life is always a risk. Finding food and shelter and friendly people is hard enough, but it is even harder for a woman exorcist of Ethiopian descent and her travel companion and potential lover – a bell-bespangled magician and juggler attired in ragged motley.
As the characters face challenges, accusations, and exorcise ghosts, they grow closer together until love wins out. It sounds like the typical romance.
A Unique Pair of Lovers
However, Lindsay Townsend has selected two unlikely people to become lovers. Yolande is strong, self-confident, and self-sufficient and does a man’s work dressed in men’s clothing.
Geraint, is not a burley knight, but a poor dark-skinned Welshman, small and lithe for a man. He has learned to survive on his smarts and his ability to distract and move with agility. When these two people come together, they form a powerful whole.
A Great Read
Lindsay Townsend shows in this work that not all medieval romances have to be about knights and castles and rich men’s daughters fighting to hold on to their land. These two impoverished people find joy in simple things – good food, peaceful nights, and their love for each other. It is enough. You will find joy in this book too, as the lovers find their happy ending.
No knights. No damsels in distress. No castles or kings.
For the unusual hero and heroine inhabiting this world, life is always a risk. Finding food and shelter and friendly people is hard enough, but it is even harder for a woman exorcist of Ethiopian descent and her travel companion and potential lover – a bell-bespangled magician and juggler attired in ragged motley.
As the characters face challenges, accusations, and exorcise ghosts, they grow closer together until love wins out. It sounds like the typical romance.
A Unique Pair of Lovers
However, Lindsay Townsend has selected two unlikely people to become lovers. Yolande is strong, self-confident, and self-sufficient and does a man’s work dressed in men’s clothing.
Geraint, is not a burley knight, but a poor dark-skinned Welshman, small and lithe for a man. He has learned to survive on his smarts and his ability to distract and move with agility. When these two people come together, they form a powerful whole.
A Great Read
Lindsay Townsend shows in this work that not all medieval romances have to be about knights and castles and rich men’s daughters fighting to hold on to their land. These two impoverished people find joy in simple things – good food, peaceful nights, and their love for each other. It is enough. You will find joy in this book too, as the lovers find their happy ending.
April 22, 2021
Dark Maiden
I wasn't sure of what to expect when I started reading this book. The story is wonderful. First Yolande and then Geraint. Yolanda a half black half Caucasian woman with extra powers she uses to fight evil. Geraint a man full of surprises with his entertaining leaps, dancing, tumbling and more. Two very different people yet in the end, perfectly suited for each other. Good prevails over evil and Yolande is a very good exorcist. This story is set in the middle ages in England. Great period novel and five stars.
I wasn't sure of what to expect when I started reading this book. The story is wonderful. First Yolande and then Geraint. Yolanda a half black half Caucasian woman with extra powers she uses to fight evil. Geraint a man full of surprises with his entertaining leaps, dancing, tumbling and more. Two very different people yet in the end, perfectly suited for each other. Good prevails over evil and Yolande is a very good exorcist. This story is set in the middle ages in England. Great period novel and five stars.
February 24, 2016
Reviewed by Julie
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Well, I have to say this is one of the most interesting historical paranormal romances I’ve ever read. Yolande is told she must remain a maiden, for a time of seven in order to prevent being possessed by a demon. She is determined to bide her time performing her duties as an exorcist so she can consider taking a husband. She doesn’t expect to meet Geraint, a Welshman. Geriant will test her resolve to remain a maiden.
One could argue this couple fell in love at first sight. From their first meeting onward they were virtually inseparable. Geraint became Yolande’s protector and championed her as well has holding her in the highest regard and with the utmost respect.
He doesn’t, however, hold much respect for the church and is often at odds with their view of things. Understandable since under ordinary circumstances they would not have been so lenient with Yolande and her special abilities since they were viewed as pagan.
Yolande is not the only one with special abilities. Geraint is a “sensitive” and this helps him in some circumstances, although as with any such “gift” it can be trying at times too.
The main worry for Yolande and Geraint is finding out just what the meaning is behind the “for a time of seven” because Yolande’s father was an exorcist and he had been married. Eventually, this is figured out and Yolande and Geriant will be able to start a life together. But, this doesn’t mean they are off the hook with performing their duties and they find themselves in a very odd situation.
Yolande is one sharp cookie and can see a scam a mile off. Her fear, though, is that she will someday encounter the “undead”, as in a Vampire. Due to the pestilence, the death rate in these times were alarmingly high and this led to rumors of spirits being “restless”.
Since Yolande is half Ethiopian, her skin is quite dark and she is an exotic beauty. For safety purposes she wears her mother’s wedding band and when she begins her travels with Geriant it is presumed they are married and because we are talking about the 1300’s and a time of many superstitions, the two are often met with distrust.
The dialogue is really interesting. The couple who are obviously very deeply in love, do not have the usual courtship and often trade barbs and have a really funny banter between them. Although there are moments of trial and misunderstandings, mostly this couple is very stable and strong with one another, making this a real treat. I like angst to a certain degree, but the older I get the less this appeals to me. I liked both of these characters and enjoyed watching them fall in love. The author remained true to the time period and obeys the common laws of the era as well and the dialect.
My only complaint is that the story moved along at a slow pace and there some lulls here and there. Other than that I have to applaud this author for taking on what must have been a challenge in writing about an interracial couple in Medieval times, and by adding paranormal elements in on top of that. This was a fascinating read , truly off the the beaten path and a breath of fresh air!
Book provided by the publisher for review
Originally posted at Romancing the Book
Well, I have to say this is one of the most interesting historical paranormal romances I’ve ever read. Yolande is told she must remain a maiden, for a time of seven in order to prevent being possessed by a demon. She is determined to bide her time performing her duties as an exorcist so she can consider taking a husband. She doesn’t expect to meet Geraint, a Welshman. Geriant will test her resolve to remain a maiden.
One could argue this couple fell in love at first sight. From their first meeting onward they were virtually inseparable. Geraint became Yolande’s protector and championed her as well has holding her in the highest regard and with the utmost respect.
He doesn’t, however, hold much respect for the church and is often at odds with their view of things. Understandable since under ordinary circumstances they would not have been so lenient with Yolande and her special abilities since they were viewed as pagan.
Yolande is not the only one with special abilities. Geraint is a “sensitive” and this helps him in some circumstances, although as with any such “gift” it can be trying at times too.
The main worry for Yolande and Geraint is finding out just what the meaning is behind the “for a time of seven” because Yolande’s father was an exorcist and he had been married. Eventually, this is figured out and Yolande and Geriant will be able to start a life together. But, this doesn’t mean they are off the hook with performing their duties and they find themselves in a very odd situation.
Yolande is one sharp cookie and can see a scam a mile off. Her fear, though, is that she will someday encounter the “undead”, as in a Vampire. Due to the pestilence, the death rate in these times were alarmingly high and this led to rumors of spirits being “restless”.
Since Yolande is half Ethiopian, her skin is quite dark and she is an exotic beauty. For safety purposes she wears her mother’s wedding band and when she begins her travels with Geriant it is presumed they are married and because we are talking about the 1300’s and a time of many superstitions, the two are often met with distrust.
The dialogue is really interesting. The couple who are obviously very deeply in love, do not have the usual courtship and often trade barbs and have a really funny banter between them. Although there are moments of trial and misunderstandings, mostly this couple is very stable and strong with one another, making this a real treat. I like angst to a certain degree, but the older I get the less this appeals to me. I liked both of these characters and enjoyed watching them fall in love. The author remained true to the time period and obeys the common laws of the era as well and the dialect.
My only complaint is that the story moved along at a slow pace and there some lulls here and there. Other than that I have to applaud this author for taking on what must have been a challenge in writing about an interracial couple in Medieval times, and by adding paranormal elements in on top of that. This was a fascinating read , truly off the the beaten path and a breath of fresh air!
August 15, 2013
I'm a big fan of unusual heroines and settings. The Dark Maiden by Lindsay Townsend delivers a heroine unlike many.
The British Isles in the 14th century, rife with superstition and plagued by more than rampant sickness, inspires a heroine’s quest in Lindsay Townsend’s The Dark Maiden. Yolande is duty bound for an enigmatic term, a ‘time of seven’ to rid the country of dark paranormal forces, the restless spirits who seek vengeance or pure evil that troubles clergy and villagers alike. Although uncertain about the length of her service or the destinations it will take her, Yolande commits herself to the undertaking. Early in the course of her journey, she meets Geraint the Welshman, a juggler and tumbler by trade with an innate understanding of the troubles his companion faces. Although he has little patience for the Church, which took him in as a little boy until one of its members forsook the duty, Geraint respects Yolande’s work. His admiration for her commitment almost rivals his budding feelings of intense passion. As her self-appointed protector and helpmate, he shares in her precarious adventures, which take them through medieval England and Wales.
They face more than malignant specters. Bigoted villagers mistrust Yolande based solely on her skin color. Each encounter tests of Yolande’s determination and skill. Some of her foes are not shadows lurking in the darkness, but frail and flawed people cloaked in self-righteousness and mysticism. At times, they are even more dangerous than the evils of the spirit world. With each ordeal, the attachment between Yolande and Geraint blossoms into a powerful love that binds them together against all trials. When it seems Yolande has completed her task and faces a bright future with Geraint at her side, a new torment awaits them, something stronger than Yolande and Geraint have faced before.
Lindsay Townsend has a knack for writing about the unusual heroine. Her female protagonists are often uncommon woman and Yolande is no different. As a biracial woman of Ethiopian and English descent, working as an exorcist for the medieval Church, she faces constant challenges that would subdue a weaker-willed character. I enjoyed her portrayal. While her origins aren’t commonplace, Yolande is very much a woman of her times. She is spirited and spiritual, a character who exemplifies honor and duty, but she isn’t afraid to delve into the hearts of people and examine the fears, heartaches, hopes and loves, influencing their best and worst actions. Through her viewpoint, readers enter a world, which at the outset seems different from the modern period. Still the elements of humanity are familiar, emotions that drive lust and hate. Although Geraint doesn’t share Yolande’s uncanny connection to the spirit realm, he serves the purpose of keeping her grounded in the real world around her. His love bolsters her against each threat and aids her growth. Theirs is a wonderful partnership and a great love story.
The British Isles in the 14th century, rife with superstition and plagued by more than rampant sickness, inspires a heroine’s quest in Lindsay Townsend’s The Dark Maiden. Yolande is duty bound for an enigmatic term, a ‘time of seven’ to rid the country of dark paranormal forces, the restless spirits who seek vengeance or pure evil that troubles clergy and villagers alike. Although uncertain about the length of her service or the destinations it will take her, Yolande commits herself to the undertaking. Early in the course of her journey, she meets Geraint the Welshman, a juggler and tumbler by trade with an innate understanding of the troubles his companion faces. Although he has little patience for the Church, which took him in as a little boy until one of its members forsook the duty, Geraint respects Yolande’s work. His admiration for her commitment almost rivals his budding feelings of intense passion. As her self-appointed protector and helpmate, he shares in her precarious adventures, which take them through medieval England and Wales.
They face more than malignant specters. Bigoted villagers mistrust Yolande based solely on her skin color. Each encounter tests of Yolande’s determination and skill. Some of her foes are not shadows lurking in the darkness, but frail and flawed people cloaked in self-righteousness and mysticism. At times, they are even more dangerous than the evils of the spirit world. With each ordeal, the attachment between Yolande and Geraint blossoms into a powerful love that binds them together against all trials. When it seems Yolande has completed her task and faces a bright future with Geraint at her side, a new torment awaits them, something stronger than Yolande and Geraint have faced before.
Lindsay Townsend has a knack for writing about the unusual heroine. Her female protagonists are often uncommon woman and Yolande is no different. As a biracial woman of Ethiopian and English descent, working as an exorcist for the medieval Church, she faces constant challenges that would subdue a weaker-willed character. I enjoyed her portrayal. While her origins aren’t commonplace, Yolande is very much a woman of her times. She is spirited and spiritual, a character who exemplifies honor and duty, but she isn’t afraid to delve into the hearts of people and examine the fears, heartaches, hopes and loves, influencing their best and worst actions. Through her viewpoint, readers enter a world, which at the outset seems different from the modern period. Still the elements of humanity are familiar, emotions that drive lust and hate. Although Geraint doesn’t share Yolande’s uncanny connection to the spirit realm, he serves the purpose of keeping her grounded in the real world around her. His love bolsters her against each threat and aids her growth. Theirs is a wonderful partnership and a great love story.
September 1, 2013
A high mistress of the Mediaeval Romantic Suspense, with `Dark Maiden' Lindsay Townsend brings to vivid life a tale of faith, humility and belonging among those of society largely ignored by both history and fiction. No pampered lords or damsels here, safe in their castles of stone.
Dressed in men's clothing and well able to use the sacred bow of Saint Sebastian to root out demons and Man's evil, and bring the restless dead within God's grace, Yolande walks alone tied by the Church to an enigmatic but blessed mission of Seven. It is Geraint, itinerant Fool and tumbler, who is bewitched by her sense of vision and her self-belief, and in her company learns to see in himself what he can become.
A romance? Yes, but don't look here for mere sultry looks and fluttering hearts. The air between the lovers sparks with wise-cracks as they travel afoot along the bridleways of an England beset by plague and worry. Villages and hamlets in this true land aren't quaint, but of wattle & daub and midden heaps where families try to cultivate an existence as much from the greenwood as their field-strips, and priests question themselves and their faith in the face of pestilence and death.
I found the detail fascinating, from the dual use of plants and scriptures for medicinal purposes, to the mores of the period, to the vivid descriptions of sunlit dells carpeted with heady-scented violets, and the loneliness of a hill tower from another age casting a darkness through life and soul.
It was intriguing, too, to draw from Yolande's and Geraint's thoughts and actions what, through our 21st century prism, we'd now term psychology and detective work, as well as the intrinsic Mediaeval belief in the Devil's ability to turn men from the path of a righteousness that had less to do with cerebral enlightenment and more to do with aiding their fellow man. It's a measure of the author's skills that for the reader credibility and the suspension of disbelief were maintained throughout.
As Yolande and Geraint, and the imminent arrival of their child, travel with their newly acquired cart into the greenwood, I hope not to be waving them goodbye. They and their world are too good to lose and should be the start of a series. highly recommended.
Dressed in men's clothing and well able to use the sacred bow of Saint Sebastian to root out demons and Man's evil, and bring the restless dead within God's grace, Yolande walks alone tied by the Church to an enigmatic but blessed mission of Seven. It is Geraint, itinerant Fool and tumbler, who is bewitched by her sense of vision and her self-belief, and in her company learns to see in himself what he can become.
A romance? Yes, but don't look here for mere sultry looks and fluttering hearts. The air between the lovers sparks with wise-cracks as they travel afoot along the bridleways of an England beset by plague and worry. Villages and hamlets in this true land aren't quaint, but of wattle & daub and midden heaps where families try to cultivate an existence as much from the greenwood as their field-strips, and priests question themselves and their faith in the face of pestilence and death.
I found the detail fascinating, from the dual use of plants and scriptures for medicinal purposes, to the mores of the period, to the vivid descriptions of sunlit dells carpeted with heady-scented violets, and the loneliness of a hill tower from another age casting a darkness through life and soul.
It was intriguing, too, to draw from Yolande's and Geraint's thoughts and actions what, through our 21st century prism, we'd now term psychology and detective work, as well as the intrinsic Mediaeval belief in the Devil's ability to turn men from the path of a righteousness that had less to do with cerebral enlightenment and more to do with aiding their fellow man. It's a measure of the author's skills that for the reader credibility and the suspension of disbelief were maintained throughout.
As Yolande and Geraint, and the imminent arrival of their child, travel with their newly acquired cart into the greenwood, I hope not to be waving them goodbye. They and their world are too good to lose and should be the start of a series. highly recommended.
May 15, 2025
DARK MAIDEN by Lindsay Townsend
A Book Review by AZP
May 2025
‘…filled with mysterious villages, people, ghosts, otherworldly entities & romance!’
It highlights Yolande, a lovely, gentle yet strong ghost, spirit and otherworldly creature expeller in the 1400s, England. The Church employs Yolande as she inherits her gift from her bloodline and heritage. People both admire and demean her because of her skin color. But her heart is pure, as the warrior of light.
In this book, Yolande is truly gifted by the power of the Almighty to appease and liberate the restless and suffering entities. These wandering ‘beings’ occupy or reside in the living human spaces and stay because of some issues or problems unresolved, of which some villages are plague stricken and somebody (even a member of the church or a priest) is possessed by evil spirits to commit such human transgressions. Yolande can put these ghostly evil wandering souls, spirits and creatures to their rightful places armed with her faith, incantations and herbs.
Along the way, a young gentleman, a tumbler, Geraint volunteered to be her guardian. He sensed she needed one upon witnessing her difficult ordeal of expelling a wicked spirit. Geraint would become Yolande’s life-surprising ally, companion and more!
The narratives are silky flowing. The story is filled with mysterious villages and people; horrific ghosts and otherworldly entities; the wonder of Yolande’s expelling power aided by Geraint and their romance!
The bond and love of the main characters have the tones of innocence, full-giving and an essential aspect for Yolande and Geraint to rejuvenate and for Yolande to fortify her power against bad spirit and malevolence.
The book gives us glimpses how people live during the medieval period, their beliefs and the role of the churches and faith, and the likes of Yolande to their existence.
A Book Review by AZP
May 2025
‘…filled with mysterious villages, people, ghosts, otherworldly entities & romance!’
It highlights Yolande, a lovely, gentle yet strong ghost, spirit and otherworldly creature expeller in the 1400s, England. The Church employs Yolande as she inherits her gift from her bloodline and heritage. People both admire and demean her because of her skin color. But her heart is pure, as the warrior of light.
In this book, Yolande is truly gifted by the power of the Almighty to appease and liberate the restless and suffering entities. These wandering ‘beings’ occupy or reside in the living human spaces and stay because of some issues or problems unresolved, of which some villages are plague stricken and somebody (even a member of the church or a priest) is possessed by evil spirits to commit such human transgressions. Yolande can put these ghostly evil wandering souls, spirits and creatures to their rightful places armed with her faith, incantations and herbs.
Along the way, a young gentleman, a tumbler, Geraint volunteered to be her guardian. He sensed she needed one upon witnessing her difficult ordeal of expelling a wicked spirit. Geraint would become Yolande’s life-surprising ally, companion and more!
The narratives are silky flowing. The story is filled with mysterious villages and people; horrific ghosts and otherworldly entities; the wonder of Yolande’s expelling power aided by Geraint and their romance!
The bond and love of the main characters have the tones of innocence, full-giving and an essential aspect for Yolande and Geraint to rejuvenate and for Yolande to fortify her power against bad spirit and malevolence.
The book gives us glimpses how people live during the medieval period, their beliefs and the role of the churches and faith, and the likes of Yolande to their existence.
November 5, 2017
When we first meet the Black Maiden Yolande in 1350, she is crouching behind a tub armed with bow and arrow, pretending to bathe in place of a novice who had been beleaguered by an apparition. A formidable exorcist, she apprehends a lecher mislabeled as an evil spirit. Who but Geraint, an easy-going Welshman juggler, could be a better romantic match for Yolande on her quest of tracking down and ridding evil spirits in plague-stricken England? In between facing demons, displaced souls, and an incubus, Geraint lustily woos the Black Maiden. The courtship is complicated by an abbot’s instructions that Yolande preserve her maidenhead, a barrier to a demon trying to possess her, for a time of seven, until she fulfills her duty. Not sure if the time is in days, weeks, or years, Geraint is nonetheless determined to win Yolande’s hand as they roam town from town, each of which holds dark secrets of people who live there.
Lindsay Townsend has created a masterfully written romance intermixed with the horrors of the plague and the superstitions that arise out of its chaos. The voice is heavily sprinkled with humor, making this a thoroughly entertaining story. I was hooked from the first page and could not put the book down. The dialogue is witty, the characters are well-developed, and the stories of the people whom the couple meet are heartfelt. The rituals of exorcising demons and helping displaced souls find their spiritual home base is well-researched and fascinating. Most of all, the love scenes are sensual but tastefully written.
Dark Maiden is a must-read for readers who love historical romance with unique characters and a dash of paranormal elements. Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed this book for the Historical Novel Society, and the review is also posted in the Historical Newsletter HNR Issue 82 (November 2017).
Lindsay Townsend has created a masterfully written romance intermixed with the horrors of the plague and the superstitions that arise out of its chaos. The voice is heavily sprinkled with humor, making this a thoroughly entertaining story. I was hooked from the first page and could not put the book down. The dialogue is witty, the characters are well-developed, and the stories of the people whom the couple meet are heartfelt. The rituals of exorcising demons and helping displaced souls find their spiritual home base is well-researched and fascinating. Most of all, the love scenes are sensual but tastefully written.
Dark Maiden is a must-read for readers who love historical romance with unique characters and a dash of paranormal elements. Highly recommended.
I voluntarily reviewed this book for the Historical Novel Society, and the review is also posted in the Historical Newsletter HNR Issue 82 (November 2017).
June 8, 2017
An Interesting Story
Yolanda and Geraint were interesting and unique characters, well-written. She with her gift of exorcism, he with his talents more grounded in the ways of the world offset and complemented each other. Set in a day when the plague took so many lives many in England thought it was the end of days, the conflicts with revenents, the restless dead, and other unhappy spirits left me feeling like I was reading a combination of a fantasy as well as a medieval romance. It was an interesting insight to the beliefs of that time.
Yolanda and Geraint were interesting and unique characters, well-written. She with her gift of exorcism, he with his talents more grounded in the ways of the world offset and complemented each other. Set in a day when the plague took so many lives many in England thought it was the end of days, the conflicts with revenents, the restless dead, and other unhappy spirits left me feeling like I was reading a combination of a fantasy as well as a medieval romance. It was an interesting insight to the beliefs of that time.
May 2, 2019
A tale worthy of your time
Yolanda and Geraint are a pair that will grab your heart and mind as they traverse the Medieval world to exorcise evil while finding love. Each section of the story allows the reader to experience the joys and trials of this charming pair. If you enjoy the mystic and mystery of those early times, this is a story for you.
Yolanda and Geraint are a pair that will grab your heart and mind as they traverse the Medieval world to exorcise evil while finding love. Each section of the story allows the reader to experience the joys and trials of this charming pair. If you enjoy the mystic and mystery of those early times, this is a story for you.
August 7, 2014
My review of this book will be posted on Romancing the Book blog in the near future.
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