His Forbidden Touch

Stolen Brides #3

by Shelly Thacker

She may never reach her royal wedding if she can't resist the rugged mercenary assigned to protect her.

Disgraced ex-knight Royce Saint-Michel was banished from his homeland because of an impulsive act that cost him all he held dear. Now, he has the chance to reclaim his birthright--if he agrees to protect a princess on a journey that may prove deadly to them both.

Royce must escort the lovely Princess Ciara across a war-torn land to her royal wedding... and ensure that she arrives untouched. The two set off alone on a treacherous journey through snowy mountain passes, but forbidden desire soon proves even more dangerous than the assassins on their trail. With the fate of two kingdoms hanging in the balance, will Royce and Ciara do as honor and duty demand...or surrender to the longing in their hearts?

Genres: Historical Romance, Romance, Historical, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Medieval Romance, Fiction

339 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1997

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Shelly Thacker has earned lavish praise from Publishers Weekly, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Detroit Free Press and The Oakland Press, who have called her historical romance novels “innovative,” “addictive,” “steamy” and “powerful.”

A two-time RWA RITA Award finalist, Shelly has won numerous other honors for her novels, including a National Readers' Choice Award, several Romantic Times Certificates of Excellence, and five straight KISS Awards for her outstanding heroes. The Detroit Free Press has twice placed her romances on their annual list of the year's best.

When she’s not at the computer, you’ll find Shelly reading with her kids, knitting in local cafes, or kickboxing at the gym. She lives in Minnesota with her husband and two daughters. For the latest news and sneak previews of upcoming books, visit her at http://www.facebook.com/AuthorShellyT... or http://www.shellythacker.com

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shelly Thacker has easily become one of my new favorite historical romance authors and now I need to read everything she's written. This is a bodyguard romance where the hero has to escort the heroine to her betrothed, who is responsible for a war against her people that also killed her brother. She ends up falling for her bodyguard, though, and the tension is EVERYTHINGGGG. The longing!? But he had betrayed her father four years ago, so he feels like he has to see his duty through and deliver her to her betrothed. I loved the action and adventure in here and loved the twists at the end. I couldn't put this down and devoured almost the entire thing in one day. I need to go back and read the beginning of this series! Highly recommend checking Shelly Thacker out!!

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ahhhh I am such a sucker for such stories!!! Impossible unrequited love, it doesn't matter how cheesy it is, I am just such a hopeless sucker for such a thing.

The review will have to wait until the vacation is over. Typing a review on my iPhone or iPad sucks. For now let's just say that it got a little cheesy in the end but who cares, I had my heart up in my throat and I felt for Royce and Ciara. 4 I-believe-in-love stars!

OK now vacation is over, here is the real review.

I would classify this as a medieval kind of story, a exiled knight Royce and his princess Ciara. The story took place somewhere in a time in history where there were small kingdoms scattered all over Europe. Ciara was the princess of one of the kingdoms and was forced to marry a prince from another kingdom for peace. She must be escorted to her wedding but dangers awaited her. There were people who did not want to surrender to said prince because he was a cruel bastard.

The political unrest serves as the background and gives the story its major conflict. Royce lost his honor and was exiled by his king 5 years ago for reasons unknown. But when Ciara's father, the king lost the war and his son, he was forced to agree to let his daughter, Ciara, marry the evil prince for peace. Royce was called back to his country by his king, Ciara's father, to serve as Ciara's escort.

But that is not why I liked this story so much.

I LOVE an impossible love story, where the main characters had no choice but to turn their backs to love. Some people like fairy tales. I like an impossible love. I cannot explain it. Royce came to like Ciara after he got to know her. And Ciara came to understand Royce as they spent more time together. But their mutual attraction was just inconvenient because everyone was depending on Ciara marrying the evil prince, including Royce. The people needed Ciara to marry the prince for peace. Royce needed Ciara to marry because that is the king's condition of restoring Royce's title and honor. But Royce was in a bind. Either he kept his princess and ran away with her, sacrificing his honor yet again, peace for the people and betraying his king, or he kept his promise to the king and deliver Ciara safely to her betrothed, sacrificing his and her happiness and a chance at love for peace.

Honestly the story line is nothing special. But Shelly Thacker wrote a love story. The story is very readable. Royce and Ciara are likable characters. The pull between them is palpable. It is everything I love in a harmless entertaining read: damsel in distress, knight in the shining armor, impossible love and heroic I-saved-the-princess big ending. The end is kind of cheesy because Royce and Ciara both wanted to be together and admitted their feelings soon enough. The last 20% was more about how they could get Ciara out of the betrothal and remove the evil prince from power than the relationship. So a lot of I love you and I cannot live without you and wait for me I will return for you. But like I said, who cares? I have my princess and her noble knight. I dreamed of happily ever after after I finished the book. That is more than enough.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my very first romance novel. I've always avoided them like the plague, believing they were trashy with ridiculous heroines and even more ridiculous heroes. But I've been curious ever since discovering Felicia Day's Vaginal Fantasies series and seeing that romance novels are obviously not just for silly unimaginative twits. So when I saw an anthology for free download on the Kindle Store, I figured hey, why not. The tub scene from chapter 12 of His Forbidden Touch was the first story included, and I LOVED it. I downloaded the sample from the Kindle Store - b/c I still wasn't quite sure I wanted to spend money on a *romance* novel - and by the end of that was hooked. I promptly purchased it and immediately devoured the whole thing in one sitting. The heroine has some serious moxie, no simpering damsel in distress here, and the hero is written as a real man, as opposed to the caricature of lusty machismo that seems so prevalent in the genre. The author's descriptions of the steamy parts are very realistic and not at all "heaving bosom"-y - also a major plus - and they weren't the whole point of the novel, which I liked. This very much struck me as being just another fantasy novel (which are more my usual speed) that depicted the sex scenes instead of glossing or skipping over them. And the fact that she's an indie publisher is an added bonus, of course. As soon as I finished this one, I immediately purchased the other two books in the series. The only thing that I wasn't overly fond of was the strength of their initial attraction to each other, despite the fact that they didn't like each other at first. I thought that was a little unrealistic, but given that this *is* a romance novel, and that the rest of it was so fantastic, I figured that was easily overlooked.

[Missy · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 but rounding up to 3 because the rest of the series (except book 2) mostly suck.

[Bex (Beckie Bookworm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This wasn’t my favourite from the series so far but it was well-written and still has plenty to recommend it. It’s a historical romance and involves Royce a previous side-character returning from exile to his homeland to complete the task of escorting a princess to her betrothed.

Ciara has already lived through one assassination attempt the intended aim to thwart her looming marriage to a neighbouring king. Their realms have been locked in a devastating war for the past seven years and Ciara is now the key to peace. Her own wishes are irrelevant her duty to her people is the only thing she can now concentrate on.

Royce is to be her protector and guide travelling together in disguise whilst a decoy takes her place in the wedding procession. If he completes his task all that was once stripped from him will be restored there’s only one issue the attraction and overwhelming feelings he’s developing for the Princess. When he thought she was vain selfish and spoilt he could hold firm to all of his honourable ideas but soon he realises there’s much more to Ciara than he’d originally thought and now spending so much time together and in such close proximity it starts to affect every bit of his shredded control.

I found this an easy light romantic read it’s filled with plenty of intrigue and romance but unfortunately, it just didn’t manage to particularly excite me. There was nothing really wrong with it and it was not actually a bad book just mostly nice and also predictable I found it a tad bland. I do usually rate this author highly so will continue reading her and I will still read the next book in the series I’ve loved previous ones this particular one just wasn’t a good fit overall.

In conclusion, I found this mostly just ok though I did enjoy certain bits more than others if you like romantic historicals with some action scenes this will probably be a fit for me though it just all just felt a little too easy and nice.



Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

[Donna Porter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book really surprised me. I was a set to not like it because it was about knights and lords and princesses I just didn't think it would hold my interest but I was so wrong. I thought I just read a little and see what it was like, but it held my interest right from the beginning all throughout the whole book. It was a romance story about Royce the baron and his fight to protect the princess Ciara from harm during a raging war in their kingdoms. Royce is sworn to protect her at all cost and deliver her to the king in another kingdom as part of the peace agreement As they travel they face so many problems including being attracted to each other. This is a fantastic read and you won't be sorry you took the time to read it. Well done Shelly Thacker

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first book I tried by Shelly Thacker, and it will certainly not be my last. This book was absolutely wonderful. It's one of the best medieval romances I've ever read, and I've been reading romance since I was 11!

Thacker created wonderful, loveable characters. Both of them. Royce, the brooding hero, was not bitter or too dark of a character. He was a wonderful, honorable man (more honorable than most romance heros), and I would dare any reader not to be just the tiniest bit in love with him by the end of the book. Ciara, the heroine, was a wonderful, strong woman. While she was a little sheltered because of her pampered and protected life, she grew up quickly, and was never shrewish or unlikeable. This is very rare in romance today, to find to such lovely characters in the same book. Both characters did some growing up by the end of the book, yet you loved them the whole way through it.

The romance between them was also beautifully paced. And it wasn't all based on lust, either. Yes, there was physical attraction between them, but it wasn't the only influence that brought them together. This was a book where you could clearly see why they should love one another. You didn't feel like they fell in love just because they were thrown together, or because their libidos were doing all the talking. It's very rare in the lust-soaked world of romance writing for an author to create a romance where the love between the characters is first, and the sexual attraction is an added bonus. Not that this wasn't a sensual book--it was, but it was in its proper place. It wasn't paramount in this book; the love story was. That's just as it should be.

There was none of the "I love you but I'm going to act like I hate you" or "I hate you but I just can't keep my hands off you" garbage in this book. When Ciara and Royce did fall in love (and it never felt rushed), they freely admitted it to each other. It was so refreshing to read a book where the hero and heroine didn't play mind games with each other. Also, the hero was an honorable and gentle man. There was none of that domineering male garbage you find so often in romance.

The history was also lush and vivid without overpowering the plot. It was woven into the background of the story, never distracting from it. The plot was fast-paced and exciting, yet I never felt that the romance was sacrificed for the sake of the adventure. And it sure kept you turning the pages. I couldn't see how the author would believably create a happy ending out of the impossible situation, but she did.

This was a book the engaged the reader's emotions. There were laugh-out-loud moments, hanging-off-the-edge-of-your-seat moments, make-you-cry moments (lots of them!) and make-you-smile moments. The sign of good writing is work that can move the reader to every emotion on the spectrum. This book did it. I applaud Thacker on creating such a wonderful story.

I don't hand out my praise lightly. I am a very hard sell. There are few books that I like, and even fewer of which I love. I don't give out many five-star ratings, but this book earned it. I highly recommend it, even if you're not a big fan of medieval romance. You won't regret it.

[Diayll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally Reviewed At: Mother/Gamer/Writer
Rating: 5 Controllers
Review Source: Author
Reviewer: Ariel

His Forbidden Touch, the second novel in the Stolen Brides Series by Shelly Thacker took me back to the days where romance novels had a plot and character development and adventure! Not to say that they don’t know, but they are a little more difficult to come by. His Forbidden Touch can be read as a standalone (or listened to, as I had the audiobook), so no worries if you haven’t read the first one.

Ciara is the princess of a kingdom under war. When her father finally negotiates a peace treaty with the invading prince, Damon, part of the bargain is that Ciara must become Damon’s bride. When someone makes an attempt on the princess’s life, however, she must venture to Damon’s country with a special guard.

Ex-knight Royce was banished from the castle by Ciara’s father four years ago, and he’s still a little testy about it. But when he receives a mysterious note telling him that his country needs him, he knows exactly who it must be from. He is not happy in the slightest about having to deliver a pampered princess to her new home, but with the promise of having his title restored, he decides to do the honorable thing.

I loved Ciara. I loved watching her character grow from someone who had never been outside of her own castle, someone who thought she could ride horseback across the country with bags full of unnecessary items, into someone who was feisty, and learned how to defend herself. I also really enjoyed Royce’s reactions as she continued to surprise him and defy his expectations. As much as she doesn’t wish to marry Damon, as much as she’s heard of his violent temper, she’s still willing to marry him, because she wants her country to finally have peace and recover from the war. Her sense of duty was admirable, and slightly annoying.

Royce was a pretty interesting leading man. He’s angry because of everything that he’s lost, angry that Ciara’s father doesn’t seem to care that he’s lost everything in the slightest, and angry that he is now required to escort a spoiled princess who doesn’t even know about what’s going on in her kingdom at the moment. I found myself really sympathizing with him, even when you find out why he was exiled. I loved how sarcastic he is. Sarcasm gets me every time. And the bickering between him and Ciara towards the beginning was priceless. But their fondness for each other grew throughout the novel in a really natural way, and I didn’t find myself rolling my eyes at it, which was nice.

The audiobook was pretty nice, it was narrated by Julia Motyka who did a good job keeping me entertained. She paused for emphasis in all the right places, quickened the pace in all the right places, and she didn’t put me to sleep.

Overall, I’m giving His Forbidden Touch 5 out of 5 controllers. It was really well written, the characters were developed really well, their relationship was developed really well, and I loved the plot.

[Paige · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this amazing, multi-layered love story.

***Details***
HIS FORBIDDEN TOUCH was another hit by Shelly Thacker. Although the second book in the Stolen Brides series does not have much of a connection with book one, FOREVER HIS, I fell for this one just as much.

After seven years of fighting and losing her brother, Princess Ciara’s father is forced to surrender to the rival clan and promise Ciara’s hand in marriage.

Unfortunately, there are some, rebels, who are not ready to suddenly have piece with the brutal prince and make attempts to stop Ciara’s wedding.

Exiled ex-knight Royce Saint-Michel is summoned back to his former home to make sure Ciara reaches her betrothed’s land safely and if successful, he’s reclaim his name and land.

These two are like fire and ice when they first set off alone together, both having preconceived notions about the other and neither giving the other a chance.

Royce can’t believe the attraction he feels toward the forbidden princess and Ciara is quickly learning about the world she’s never been able to fully live as a princess.

As their travel become more difficult, so does avoiding the burning attraction. The choice between ending the war or saving Ciara from the Prince’s hands is eating them both alive.

It isn’t until after they arrive at the castle that the rebels are finally able to explain they aren’t the enemy. Now, Ciara and Royce are joining the rebels to find the Prince’s missing brother who is the rightful heir to the throne.

Arriving just after the wedding, Royce and the rebels are able to save the keep and bring true peace between the clans.

Things fall together as Ciara is allowed to marry Royce who has earned back his privileges and more for his duty. Not only are they future rulers, but now they have a child to love.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised how much I liked this book. The hero and heroine didn't have any great big misunderstanding or secrets that kept them apart. They didn't lie to each other or keep their feelings hidden through the whole book or hurt each other by denying those feelings. It was all such a relief! Yes, there were obstacles, and I was pretty confused for most of the book about exactly how this could all end happily, but the solution does not come out of the blue.

I'm actually debating now whether I want to add another star. And I think the only thing stopping me is that there really weren't any light moments in amongst the tenseness of their situation. That certainly is not a bad thing, given the plot of the book, but it is something that would have improved it a bit more for me, so I'm leaving it a 4 star read.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enchanted, Enthralled, and Entranced! His Forbidden Touch pulled me in from the very beginning and never let me go. I love historical romances and this one delivered with a love fated to fail, beautiful vistas, heart-wrenching danger and thrilling suspense. If you loved The Princess Bride, you will love this story as it is of a similar ilk. I felt that I could hear Wesley's "As you wish..." as I listened to this fractured re-framing of that famous classic.

My full review has been published at Reading Between the Wines Book Club. Check it out here: http://www.readingbetweenthewinesbook...

[Meg Mims · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of Shelly's best romance books, and any true romance reader will love love love it. A vulnerable heroine who has no choice but to wed against her will, plus a mercenary who is charged with getting Ciara to the wedding and her groom, makes for conflict to the max for a fabulous romance read.

[Larissa Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brave heroine, darling hero, fun book

Quite well done. The book flows well and the author makes it seem so easy to tell this story. The timeframe is quick but somehow she makes it seem real even though the romance happens so fast. I appreciate that the heroine is three dimensional and brave but not the typical "fiesty." And goodness, Royce is a sweetheart.

[Kimberlie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable story in the Stolen Brides series. Royce is the great protector, and Ciara is a princess, but not totally helpless on her own. Well written, fun read with the guaranteed Happily Ever After ending.

[Gilgamesha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ohhhh the moment they succumb to passion makes the entire book worthwhile. I really lived every moment with the characters. When the wedding happened I wanted scream but Thank God for Knights in shinning armors (pun intended; ))

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember LOVING this book. I read it in 2003. I plan to acquire it again and reread it I can only hope it is as good as I remember.

[K · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really sweet and well - written. Loved it!

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This made me smile. Part adventure, part romance, happy ending, what's not to like? I can't and don't read books like this all the time, but this was a fun story.

[Shawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the characters and the story was great. You just had to love the hero and the princess was wonderful. Very good read.

[Linda Kinsella · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the most erotic and steamy romances I've ever read. Yet, at the same time very true to history. An extremely stimulating read.

[Dewi Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

ending nya romantis.... kereen

[Amber Escalera · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was funny and sad glad I read it

[Cristina Butler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed the book. Glad it wasn't just a love story…it actually had a plot.

[Monika · Rating 4 out of 5]

His Forbidden Touch is a bodyguard, traveling, forbidden romance. Royce was banished for taking revenge for the murder of his family. When Princess Ciara needs a bodyguard to accompany her the way to meet her betrothed after a threat was made upon her life. The King summoned Royce to travel with the Princess. As they make their journey, there are rebels they think are attempting to kill them, there is an avalanche, and Princess Ciara’s betrothed who is an evil warlord, Prince Damon, to contend with. As they travel, they fall in love. Conveniently, Prince Damon’s older brother and the rebels help aid Royce and Ciara to defeat the big bad evil warlord and to convince her father to give the couple their HEA.

This book equal parts melodramatic and boring. There romance is good, the plot is good, and I like the characters. I like the adventure aspect to the book. It was predictable and some of the word choices made me giggle. There was a lot of “nay” in place of the word no. The plot unfolded conveniently, but the story was well written and engaging. Despite the flaws, I did have a good time and glad that I experienced the adventure, the swashbuckling hero with the heart of gold, and the setting of the novel. I would recommend this book to historical romance readers.

[Claire Enders · Rating 3 out of 5]

Was I given this book as a joke? Yes.
Did I read the whole thing anyways? Yes.
Was it good? Not really.
Is it cheesy as hell? Absolutely.
Did I enjoy it? Sure did.

[Viper Spaulding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely swept away by this story!

What a fantastic story! I loved the epic feel to this tale, and the characters and setting were exquisitely detailed. These are people you'll come to know and love. The adventure never let up making this a book I just couldn't put down.

The slow burn was the slowest, until it exploded in fiery passion! Such a delicious reading experience, and I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

[Janett · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.0 stars

I accidentally stumbled on this book because it was a free download for my Nook and decided to give it a shot. It wasn't until I got into this book that I realized early on it was a Medieval romance period piece. I have never read a romance set outside the 1800's because I don't find them fascinating but what a gem this turned out to be!

This was my first exposure to Shelly Thacker's writing and I have to admit, she is one of the best in the period romances that I've read. Her style is easy to read and flows so nicely it feels like you're sitting there listening to someone tell you a story instead of actually reading it! She doesn't fill the pages of her story with spurious wordiness or over dramatic and extended prose but each scene is relevant and moves the story along so well that you find you can't put the book down!

Her characters are very well developed as well. The dialogue between her characters is on point and sucks you right in and I loved that! You get invested in these characters so quickly you can't wait to see what they do or say next.

This story is what is called a "Protector/Guardian" story line where the hero is assigned and whose duty it is to protect the heroine.

Our hero in "His Forbidden Touch" is Royce Saint-Michel. I loved him right away. He is full of bad boy sass, not afraid to speak his mind and of course hot as molten lava but yet still very broken after being banished from the kingdom he had served loyally all of his life. Although feeling wronged he hasn't lost his love for his country and seeks redemption when he is offered the opportunity to escort the King's daughter to her soon-to-be tyrannical husband in order to secure a peace agreement between their warring countries in exchange to regain his title, his lands and reputation. Royce is of course up to the task and is determined to see it through until things become a bit trickier for him to navigate once his "package" starts to have an affect on his heart.

Said "package" is named Ciara, princess of Chalons who has been betrothed to the evil prince Daemon. She has resigned to carry out the marriage contract in order to secure peace for her people and save them from total annihilation at Daemon's hands.

Ciara is a fiery young woman who wishes to be more involved with what's really happening outside the palace during the darkest time for her nation but she is not allowed to be. She is to play the submissive, quiet princess and do as she is expected to do without question. Ciara's character was written beautifully because although she wished to make a change for her people, she still had much to learn. When faced with the realities of life outside the palace she begins to understand more fully that her people need her help more than ever. What I loved about her growth is what she had to learn and endure in order to survive. With Royce's example at her side and his tenacity Ciara's own confidence in herself grew and through her journey became a more well-rounded person.

This book is a journey full of adventure and scintillating romantic moments that were not only sexy but tastefully written and full of emotion. I hated for this book to end! And I can't wait to read the next book!

The only thing I wished for would've been a little more dialogue in certain spots of the story to elevate the intensity of the moment. Overall though, this was an enjoyable read!

RECOMMENDED

[Edwina " I LoveBooks" "Deb" · Rating 5 out of 5]

A VERY INTERESTING LOVE STORY!!!

Shelly Thacker is fast becoming one of my favorite Paranormal Romance authors. I read the Stolen Bride series a bit out of order. I have given all 3 bks 5stars. ST writes a very romantic tale with plots that make you think. She does love her twist and turns. Her H/H character in His Forbidden Touch are well written and developed.

The story begins after a 7 year war between King Aldric of Chalon and the villain evil King Daemon of Thuringia. King Daemon and his army have won the war. To keep peace in his Kingdom King Aldric has betroth his daughter the 19yr old Princess Ciara to him.

Sir Royce was once the best friend of Christophe, King Aldric's son and he was a favorite of the Kings, but becasue of something he did 4yrs prior his lands have been confiscated along with his wealth and title. Also, he was banished from Chalon. I won't spoil it for you. Royce is summoned back to Chalon by King Aldric to escort Princess Ciara to Thuringia after an attempt on her life from the rebels in their kingdom.Royce is the only one the King can trust. Hummm!! Royce is promised his title, all his lands and wealth in return for getting Ciara to King Daemon unharmed and untouched. At first Royce thinks Ciara is a spoiled pampered Princess. As they travel through very difficult lands and constant treats Royce grows to respect and eventually falls in love with her. Ciara thinks he is mean and rude, but comes to find out the reason for his bad attitude toward her. They resolve their wrong opinions of each other very well. The way they come together is very intelligent and smart. Neither of them are stupid people that do stupid things. I love this about both of them. Their love builds and builds until you can feel it burst off the pages as you read. The story is fast paced and will cause you to think about the plot line. Mildly sensual but not erotic. If you are looking for erotica this isn't it. But if you are looking for a well written real love story that is engrossing and keeps your attention This Is It! I highly Recommend You read His Forbidden Touch and the other 2 books in the series bk1. Forever His and bk3 His Captive Bride. I would also like to say that the PR element isn't that strong in this one but a very good story non the less!!

[Ashley York · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was very well crafted story. The hero (Royce) was great, loyal, honorable, passionate - all the things I personally love in a hero. The heroine (Ciara) was a princess raised to be queen who learns to be "real" with the help of the hero.

The setting was such an important part of the story. Tall, rock faced mountains with enough snow for avalanches to be expected. The hero, naturally, is able to make his way through mountain passes others could never survive. He even devices a "tool" to aid in one climb he must make. It's very well done.

The ending is very satisfying...as are all the twists and turns along the way. I thought the review which called it a "fun and erotic 14th century romp" was strange. It's a romance. It's a love story. Don't expect to be putting it down once you're started it.

Favorite line: "You took me on a journey," she whispered, "into my own heart."

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Great second book in the series"
Would you try another book from Shelly Thacker and/or Julia Motyka?
Yes, it was a winning combination!! Julia Motyka is a delightful compliment to Ms Thacker's lovely prose. It as a very wise pairing!

Did Julia Motyka do a good job differentiating all the characters? How?
She has a wonderful tone and really kept the characters distinct. I loved her pace and energy throughout the read. Her smooth voice worked very well for the leads.

Any additional comments?
Sometimes I am touch and go with these sort of historical reads. I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the supporting cast. It drew you in and managed to keep me engaged in a story that wasn't always dynamic. I am interested in seeing where the third book will take us in this series!