The Bride Price

by June Francis

She was Welsh, he was English. They had been brought up as enemies and taught to hate each other, but Cadfael needed a guide into the wild mountains of Snowdonia. Sioned seized the opportunity to escape from the marriage about to be forced on her by her treacherous brother. She also had her own quest in the mountains and had no intention of falling in love with a man she suspected of being a spy for the English, but once in his hands she had no choice but to follow wherever he led.

Genres: Historical Fiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

Although, June was born in the seaside resort of Blackpool, she has lived all her life in the port of Liverpool, home of the Beatles. One of four children, her love of stories began when her father told her 'The Little Match Girl', which left her in floods of tears, but also with a desire to make up stories, herself. As soon as she could read she was doing a three mile walk to the local library. She passed the scholarship to Liverpool Girls' College where her English teacher told her that she had a great imagination. Despite this, June did not believe she could ever be an author, so on leaving school, she became a cash clerk. She married at twenty-two, has three sons, ran a church playgroup for ten years and it wasn't until her youngest started school that she joined a Writers' Club and turned her hand to writing articles about What She Knew for a woman's magazine. But her first love had always been books and eventually she wrote her first two medieval romances for Mills & Boon. After doing another two, she had an urge to write a family story set in Liverpool during WWII. This was bought by another publisher. Since then she has had thirty-three books published.

Reviews

[BEATRICE VEGAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yet another historical romance by June Francis, the bride price is set in the late Medieval period. A dangerous time as rumours abound that Edward I aka Edward Longshanks is gearing up to invade Wales to bring their Prince to heel as he has not paid homage to him. The beleaguered Welsh are none too pleased as they love their own Prince Llewellyn ap Gruffudd

Into this cauldron of turmoil, Francis throws her two protagonists Cadfael an Englishman and Sioned ap Rowan a spirited Welsh lass. Sioned meets Cadfael in rather daringly daunting circumstances. As the blurb suggests she is not willing to marry her betrothed Govan chosen by her brother and without consulting her. Sioned’s feelings are valid as Govan is a despicable man. As she gets to know him better her loathing for him increases. She certainly can’t countenance being his wife. But these are Medieval times when women were bartered for power and gain for their families. Is the spirited Sioned willing to accept her circumstances placidly. Cadfael on the other hand is searching for his brother Rhys in enemy country and needs someone who knows the territory well if he is to return home safely.

Francis spins an enthralling tale around these circumstances which are ripe for adventure. It’s a steep learning curve for the chivalrous Cadfael and the spirited Sioned. Francis combines the frailties of her characters in a richly embroidered human tapestry bringing to breathtaking life the Medieval era. She deftly braids the near-perfect blend of historical detail, atmosphere, the plot of a Medieval romance and vivid characters to the real premise of this novel namely to question Medieval norms and beliefs. As can be expected plans go awry and the reader is lured into a web of Medieval intrigue, deceit and treachery where Sioned’s mettle and Cadfael’s ingenuity are sorely tested.

All in all, Francis gifts us with a remarkable tale that progresses seamlessly touching the heart. Readers will be engrossed in this captivating read that holds them spellbound from start to finish with an HEA and no cliffhanger.

[Christie Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was this wildly different from any other B&M book that I've read? No.
Did I enjoy reading this? Definitely.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such lovely story and a happy ending

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book from net galley for an honest review. Thank you!!

This was an enjoyable read. I felt the characters were developed and did grow throughout the novel, Sioned is given to man by her brother whom she does not want to marry. Her brother used her bride price since he is constantly wanting to buy riches. Sioned sees her chance to escape by helping Cadfael through the mountains to locate his brother at his mother's dying request. Sioned slowly falls in love with Cadfael but has to overcome her infatuation with another man. Cadfael still feels the betrayal from his first wife and vows never to fall in love but he breaks that vow with Sioned. They travel together and their journey brings them closer together and helps Cadfael's sister Kate overcome her own sufferings. The author did a good job with flow of the story and moved it along at a steady pace. If you enjoy reading about romance, trust, betrayal, and overcoming one's fears, you will like this book.

[Shaddow Wolf · Rating 5 out of 5]

These types of books are one of my favourites. I am not sure if I have ever read any of Jane Frances but she is a good writer. I do hope get to read other works from her. Sooner is being forced in to an arranged marriage by her younger brother Hywel and her sister in law Angharad. Sooner is Kent to marry Given because he is prepared to pay for her but she wants to marry Dafydd and he would have paid but the sister in law would not let her cousin marry Sioned. Angharad has other plans. Sooner and Hywel have an older brother Owain he has been missing for six years, since he sailed from Deganwy. In this book the author has used old words that you might have to look up but as you read you get the meaning as you read on. I think the old words are old Scottish but unsure. I would recommend this book it is an interesting read and you do wonder who Sioned will marry but a lass you will have to read the book to find out.

[Ira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading this book but - and it is a big "but" - in the end I felt as if there hadn't been any real action at all. Or rather there had been action but on the whole it felt as if it was all a bit forced and just meant to prolong the story instead of a real development. They meet, they ride around, problems arise of course every now and then but then it just goes on and on and on until all is settled and fine.

Don't misunderstand me, the story is entertaining and I really liked the characters and of course I was happy to see Sioned flee from her betrothed who is indeed horrible and not at all desirable and I hoped for a better future for her. Cadfael is also an interesting character but some of his actions, well, I didn't always agree with him but well, all is well that ends well, isn't it?

All in all "The Bride Price" is a nice and entertaining story but it didn't keep me glued to the reader and it won't become one of my favorites.

[Susan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I can't even finish this book. The name of the heroine keeps changing, as if autocorrect did it and the author didn't notice. There were words you had to think on, not that they were not understandable, but that they were made up. There were, also, some very "$2 words" as my mama called them - words you would have to use the dictionary for if you only have the average vocabulary.

I understand this took place in another country and time, but the names are hard to pronounce and every time you read one you have to think of the pronunciation in your head, which gave me a headache.

[shirlene brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

The price

June Francis has done a excellent job on this story about a man who goes and pay the bride price and fill in love with this Welsh woman.