Unconquered

by Hannah Howell

Against the splendor and savagery of medieval times, Hannah Howell spins breathtaking stories of impassioned lovers caught up in a world of intrigue and desperate desire. Now, she brings us a tale of conquest and lover as a beautiful Englishwoman loses her heart to a man who is her enemy—and her destiny...

UNCONQUERED

Left a bequest by a woman with rare psychic powers, Eada of Pevensey suddenly finds herself in possession of a box containing a mysterious document....and something even more extraordinary: the gift of second sight. Nowshe can actually "see" her chilling fate: a Norman invader with sea-dark eyes riding across the fields to claim her lands....and her love.

A reluctant soldier for William the Conqueror, Drogo de Toulan seizes the Pevensey lands as a right of conquest....and meets a woman who defies him at every turn—and arouses uncontrollable desire. Yet now, as war rages across a divided England, the two lovers must find the bond that joins body and soul....as they chart a course through battle and betrayal that could breaktheir hearts—or seal their passion for all time....

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Medieval, Historical Fiction, Fiction, M F Romance

384 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Hannah Dustin Howell is a best-selling American author of over 40 historical romance novels. Many of her novels are set in medieval Scotland. She also writes under the names Sarah Dustin, Sandra Dustin, and Anna Jennet (see below).

She has also used the following pseudonyms:
Anna Jennet, Sarah Dustin and Sandra Dustin

Reviews

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this surprisingly tender romance between a Norman knight and a Saxon woman.
Unconquered is a 1996 Zebra publication. It suffers from the cheesiness typical of 90s romances. Apart from this minor fault, I thought the book struck a good balance between romantic fiction and historical plausibility.

[Lauren]

9/21/23
DNF
For some reason, I'm just not in the mood for this book. I kept trying and made it halfway. This is not an exciting read

[Romancing the Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted on Romancing the Book's blog
Reviewed by Robin
Review Copy Provided by the Publisher

In 1066 William the Conqueror lead a Norman invasion on the Saxons. During this time villages were plundered, women and children were raped and left for dead while the men were off fighting.

However, in this medieval love story Eada of Pevensey is somehow left unharmed. Eada knowing that the invasion is upon them visit with Old Edith a very dear friend who has the sight. Edith proceeds to tell Eada that her future lies with a Norman. Unheard of in those days Eada who is a widow still has her maidenhead in tack. Edith dies and Eada finds out that not only does she have the sight to see the future she also is able to hear things.

Into Eada’s life comes a big boisterous Norman just as Edith had predicted. He I think at first finds himself intrigued by how feisty and gusty Eada is. He doesn’t rape her but instead falls for her gentle strength, along with the courage that she holds within herself as she faces the Norman’s and what is inevitable. As Eada stands her ground with Drogo De Toulan we are able to see the beginning of a very heartwarming story of love that conquers all even when war is all around.

Ms. Howell has such a way of weaving the main characters in the story that you can’t help but fall in love with their plight. Just as you fall for Eada and Drogo’s tale you find yourself falling also for two lesser character’s…Ivo and Mary. Even though they don’t speak the same language they find a way to communicate as they turn the Norman’s camp into an orphanage as they bring in the children left from the invasion.

While the Norman Invasion is going on all around it is nice to see romance, friendship and the helpfulness coming from people you normally wouldn’t think to look for it.

I found this to be another delightful story from Ms. Howell, which takes us from the rough side of war and shows us a kinder gentler side.

I know I loved this as I am sure you will also. I wish sometimes though that just once the heroine can be of normal size and not some small fry that fights off the huge hero that tends to tower over her tiny frame. Maybe that makes for better reading? More of a head to head battle of will and strength!

[Monique Takens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik heb de Nederlands talige uitgave gelezen : Grillig lot - Candlelight Historische roman 232 .
Dit is zonder enige twijfel één van de beste , zo niet het beste boek wat ik tot nu toe van Hannah Howell gelezen heb . Het verhaal heeft een zeer goede balans tussen een mooi liefdes verhaal en enkele echte historische gebeurtenissen .
Het verhaal opent met de aankomst van Willem de Veroveraar en zijn leger aan de kust van Engeland in september 1066 . Hier ontmoeten Drogo de Toulon - aanvoerder van een groepje strijders van W. de V. - en Eada van Pevensey elkaar . Zodra hij haar ziet claimt hij haar als de zijne en plaatst haar onder zijn bescherming en behoedt haar zo voor het lot wat een hoop minder fortuinlijke vrouwen wacht .
Hannah Howell schuwt het niet om de gruwelijke kanten van oorlog te belichten maar daardoor wordt het liefdes verhaal juist versterkt .
Kortom : een goed geschreven liefdes verhaal met de juiste historische details .

[Catherine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started out really interested in the time period and the concept, H.H. is one of my favorite historical romance writers.

I could not get past the insipid heroine. A little realism in how she acted and was treated would have kept me from wanting to through this book across the room.

[Ash]

DNF 35%

I wasn't invested in the romance or the plot and the writing isn't for me - when I'm reading it, sad things are happening and I'm feeling absolutely no emotion. I can tell this would be a 2 star read for me, and I just don't want to spend more time on it.

[Ana Espinoza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente historia, combina bien la trama principal con las secundarias.

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading a bunch of Howell's Highlander stories, I stumbled onto this one, which is a departure, but hits one of my favorite periods in history--the Norman conquest.

When the Normans came, Eada of Pevensey was away from home, visiting a dear old lady whose visions of the future made her an outcast. Eada's mother made the hard choice to save her two younger children by fleeing, leaving Eada to fend for herself. Eada's old friend is killed and leaves her with the unwanted legacy of those strange predictive visions. And her last words tell Eada that the hated Norman conqueror responsible for her death is to be Eada's mate.

Eada naturally resists--for about as long as it takes Drogo, said Norman, to blow in her ear. I kinda wanted to see more fireworks before she caved--it seemed a little too easy to me.

But anyway, Drogo has a dangerous enemy and Eada's visions are a threat as well, among people who are superstitious about such things. There are some shocking discoveries, intrigues, and a bit of history sprinkled in, though Howell's William is nothing like I imagined him.

If you like Howell and Norman-era England, you'll like this.

[Janyne Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.7 Very Hannah Howell familiar plot lines- revelation of wealth and lands tied in with the love tangle and a female character with psychic powers. Loved Eada as a character. That stupid description of the Norman haircut and garb is period correct but hard to take seriously in the mind’s eye. There is a scene earlier on that I could re read over and over and probably will. Her running away all the time due to her visions happened 2 too many times. I see another review where someone commented the same- after the first two times she runs away when do her captors start …like guarding her? The end seemed to lose a little of the pace and steam of the first half but really enjoyed it otherwise. The historical detail is surprisingly well researched- inspired a spiral of reading about the Bayeaux Tapestry and the saxon people. There is a brutality and unpolished quality in this book that kind of captures the Norman takeover of 1066 and the roughness of war and life at the time. But some of the harsh realities were 1990s romanced over to make this readable. It’s a good balance I thought.

[Teri-K · Rating 1 out of 5]

In desperate need of six books whose titles begin with "u", I checked this book out on OverDrive. I like historical fiction and reading a book set in England in 1066 would be something different from the usual, I thought. I liked the heroine, a smart young woman who can keep her head and apparently will fight for herself. But the hero and his friends were so kind and patient and caring the story just felt ridiculous to me.

The very day the Normans invade England they find two young women and immediately do everything they can to not only protect them but bend over backwards to be gentlemen. The dialogue was stiff and there's no way I could believe these were rough fighting men who'd just invaded a foreign country - where's the adrenaline/testosterone/jostling back and forth? They were more like exceedingly chivalrous Knights of the Round Table gone courting. It really didn't work for me.

[Trudy Miner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eada of Pevensey received a gift of second sight from a box left to her by her childhood friend. Drogo de Toulon is a reluctant soldier of William the Conqueror following his liege lord in the conquest of England and receives Pevensey lands as a reward. Edea upon meeting Drogo, takes an instant dislike to the man who now controls her but her sight said that they were soul mates. As they battle the warring factions now in England, they become closer and closer. Will they be able to forge a life together in this tumultous time?

I have read numerous books by this author because her writing takes you back to the time of the story and are rich with detail. Very few have left me wanting; this book wasn't one of them!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an okay read. Well written and the story flowed pretty well. Fair warning it does take a while to get into the story, but once you are finally into it it starts getting enjoyable. I can appreciate that our author did not shy away from the savagery and cruelty of war; though it was by no means graphic it was honest. Definitely not a re-read or a keeper for me, but it wasn't a bad story and it was entertaining enough : )

[❤️Court - Villains Do It Better❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

An okay book. I started out really liking it, but the heroines nonchalant personality over all the horrors of her people, especially at her age was a little unrealistic and a bit cold. I also got tired of their talk, which was pretty repetitive about Sir Guy and fighting. I made it to about 3 quarters in when I finally just decided to give up I was so bored.

[Pilar Descalza · Rating 1 out of 5]

Traducción deficiente que hace que el libro no te enganche.

[Shellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF

[Brenda Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great Book

[Adriana Herrera · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Amanda Sweden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really didn't care for this book too much. I thought it would be a book about war and battle and action only to find that it was mostly love making with a little drama throughout a war. The actual battle that it seemed the story was leading up to was all written on a page out of the whole book. It took me months to get through this because it bored me so much that I could only read two pages at a time for most of the book. I finally pushed through the rest of it.

[Paranormal Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's foretold by her friend the seer, that the heroine will be mated to the Norman invader. She instantly doubts this prediction but seeing the man in the flesh, eliminates any doubt. She gives a halfhearted defiance but only as to not appear too eager. The hero instantly craves her from the jump but he's not possessive and defiantly not a he-man. Though he holds all the power he makes it clear to her that she'll be safe with him and he'll protect her even from herself. He's strong, powerful and kind. He's understanding of her gift and of her conflict between her feelings for him and for her people.

This was such a romantic story and it's made even more likeable because it's real. The heroine, though well born, is poor and a being a woman in the middle of a war is not the safest thing to be. She's guilt-ridden and embarrassed at the beginning for becomes his lover, but that melts away eventually and she's at peace with her position. The one thing that plagues her is that, though she loves him, he's made no promises to marry her when the war is over. He's come to gain lands and wealth and, as she knows no differently until the end, that's not something she can offer him. Along the way, they collect children orphans by the war, and although it will cause whispers among his people, the hero doesn't hesitant to take them in. Both the hero and heroine were such great people that you root for them all the way. The one complaint I do have is that the villain is pretty weak. He's in there as a courtesy and isn't very threating. It became almost comical how the protagonists defeated his schemes. But beside that, this is a very well developed historical paranormal romance about very real people.

[Kathy Jund · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Romance story you cannot help but love!

Hannah Howell delivers a definitely classic romance story even though it is coming to us for the second time! The re-release of Unconquered keeps you turning the pages with a smile on your face in this historical romance set in 1066 England during the time of William the (Bastard) Conqueror. Eada, the daughter of Lord Waltheof and Lady Vedette of Pevensey has no idea that life, as she knows it will soon come to an abrupt halt. Eada, running with her dogs makes her way to visit Old Edith, the friend she treasures most of all, who lives in the secluded hills outside of Pevensey far away from the danger that has just arrived on their shores. Old Edith, a woman now of advanced years, banished to the hills above Pevensey long ago by the very townspeople who feared the “sendings” she would receive and the truth that always came of them. Old Edith had much to say to Eada this day, of most importance, was the promise she evoked from Eada to heed all they had spoke of, for not only her future but the future of Saxon Pevensey itself, would soon become fatedly entwined with the Norman man who rode with William the Conqueror, their enemy.

[My Book Addiction and More MBA · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNCONQUERED by Hannah Howell is another exciting Medieval historical romance set in 1066 England. A battle between England’s Saxons and Normandy/France’s Normans. A complex and compelling story of the struggle between the Saxons of England and the Normans.It is the story of secrets,the lost of innocence,love,treachery,jealousy,the fight for a way of life for England,and who would rule England,Harold or William the Conqueror.A compelling cast of characters with a touch of paranormal. A Saxon women,Eada of Pevensey,a woman with a gift of sight and Drogo de Toulon,a soldier for William the Conquerer will find they have more than passion in common.Ms. Howell certainly pulls the reader into another era and is a wonderful storyteller that will have the reader spellbound. A captivating story with twists and turns. Received for an honest review. Details can be found at Zebra Books,published by Kensington Publishing Corp.,the author’s website,and My Book Addiction and More.

RATING: 4.5

HEAT RATING:

Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy,mild violence or profanity.
REVIEWED BY: AprilR,My Book Addiction and More

[Zen · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is always interesting to me to see how not only characterizations, but writing styles change through time. I think one unexpected place to see this change is in historical novels written. This book was written back in the 1990s, and I am happy to say that I applaud this author as she doesn't have one helpless female that needs to be saved as the heroine in sight. The storytelling voice, or style feels a little dated, but I get the same thing from some of the authors that are still writing today such as JD Robb and JR Ward. It worked in this book for me, though. This is a strong heroine that is committed to keeping herself and her people safe. She doesn't have ridiculous skills like being able to take out trained soldiers and knights, so we don't veer off into the completely unrealistic with her abilities, but she has spirit and fire. She does get the best of them a couple of times, but that is more due to surprise and her ability to take advantage of that. Is this book realistic? Not really, but it skirts the line enough that you can read and enjoy the story.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read pretty much all of Hannah Howell's books now. Unconquered is set in a much earlier period than I normally have read in the past. Set in 1066 when William has invaded England from Normandy, ready to claim his place on the throne. I've always been interested in the tale of the Normans taking reign from the Saxons and I believe this is the first novel I've read based around the invasion of the Normans so I was really looking forward to it.
Whilst I really enjoyed the characters in the novel, and not just the main characters of Drago and Eada, I found the story a bit lacking and quite slow at times. A nice easy ready but nothing terribly exciting.

[Jody · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite HH. Norman's come into and attack Saxon territory over a fight for the crown, of course. Eada's family leaves her in an attempt to safe themselves, considering she is no where to be found. She "finds" Drogo and after he has just taken the one thing she loves most in the world. But she does not blame him or his men. Along the long road to the battle, Eada ends up collecting people and enemies. Things get much complicated with her new gift. Must accept Old Edith's gift and secrets.

[Kathrynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drogo captures Eada and then hawls her around for many battles. This one dragged for me. This author has her own writing style that I find I have to be in the mood for. After reading so many of her books, I found they all follow a similar plot line: the men are particually low on the evolutionary scale, there's a Cruella De Vil character and strong lead females who pull everything together because the men are too in-ept to think on their own. This was no different.

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise I hated so much that the main character was a warrior who raided her village, and decided this girl Eada was going to be his personal whore. He was going to sleep with her the first night, and she went along with it. She was supposed to be innocent & left behind by her family. He wasn't some charming guy who was coming to sweep her off her feet. She was his prisoner.

Just me. Otherwise, the story was great. The base element was terrible.

[Antoinette · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wooden writing. Repetitive (same thoughts or plans 3-5 times). No suspense. 2-dimensional, non-threatening "villain" who only appears during the middle third of the book and is easily dispensed with. The heroine keeps back her vital piece of information for no reason except that the author needed a "reveal". I made myself finish the book, thinking I might pick up some information about the Norman invasion, but there was nothing you couldn't pick up in a Wikipedia entry.

[Pheonix Skye · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband bought this book for me while wandering a book store looking for a sci-fi book. he loving thought to buy me a book too. I was a little unsure I would enjoy it as I have never read this author before and he thought he was getting me a book in the series I was reading (which it wasn't) However I was pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed this book. It is a pretty easy read good weekend read.

[Danette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good story, but I didn't like all the violence that comes with war. Not only war, but this had an evil villain making trouble for our hero as well. Too much death. It was just to angst for me to enjoy the romance mixed in the plot.