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The Graistan Chronicles #5
A Love for all Seasons
The award-winning author of Winter's Heat presents the conclusion of the five-part Graistan Chronicles, a historical romance between a medieval apprentice and a young woman promised to another man.
Johanna of Stanrudde, wife to Katel the Spice Merchant, hates the man her father forced her to marry almost as much as she hates Robert of Blacklea, the man who stole her heart and her virginity then abandoned her. But as famine walks the land this winter, Johanna discovers her husband's plot to destroy Rob who is newly returned to Stanrudde. After Rob saves her from a mob of the starving can she stand aside and let Katel kill him or find the faith to trust Rob when he vows that he still loves her?
Johanna of Stanrudde, wife to Katel the Spice Merchant, hates the man her father forced her to marry almost as much as she hates Robert of Blacklea, the man who stole her heart and her virginity then abandoned her. But as famine walks the land this winter, Johanna discovers her husband's plot to destroy Rob who is newly returned to Stanrudde. After Rob saves her from a mob of the starving can she stand aside and let Katel kill him or find the faith to trust Rob when he vows that he still loves her?
372 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 1996
242 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Denise Domning
49 books268 followersWhat can I say? I’m single and over sixty, I write and I farm on eight acres of slowly improving red earth (it originally looked like Mars had exploded!) on Oak Creek in northern Arizona. I started with chickens, then there were turkeys and Jersey milk cows. But with livestock came the predators: coyotes, bald eagles, black hawks, mountain lions, and, worst of all, raccoons. Dang those nasty creatures! They kill just because they can; think dogs with opposable thumbs. (Five chickens in one night–they reached in through the chain link and killed the birds with no expectation of being able to eat them.) They are the reason I keep livestock guardian dogs. There's the massive Polar Bear, a 135 pound Hungarian Kuvasz, Radha, the svelte and sleek 90 pound Anatolian Shepherd and her new chew toy, Rupert who is some sort of terrier mix and small enough to walk under her belly.
As for what my dogs guard, it's my growing herd of Dorper Sheep, a South African breed that (supposedly) doesn’t need to be sheared and gains all their weight on grass alone. I've also fallen in love with pigs, which are just dogs with snouts. Oh, how those rapscallions make me laugh!
If you're interested in keeping up with my farm antics, you can visit my blog at denisedomning.com or thefarmonoakcreek.com
As for what my dogs guard, it's my growing herd of Dorper Sheep, a South African breed that (supposedly) doesn’t need to be sheared and gains all their weight on grass alone. I've also fallen in love with pigs, which are just dogs with snouts. Oh, how those rapscallions make me laugh!
If you're interested in keeping up with my farm antics, you can visit my blog at denisedomning.com or thefarmonoakcreek.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 19, 2014
2.5 stars
Yup, this was the worst book in the series. I pretty much skimmed read it.
Yup, this was the worst book in the series. I pretty much skimmed read it.
November 9, 2025
With the Graistan family of brothers all accounted for, I was curious who would be the main characters of this final book in the series. Denise Domning’s Graistan Chronicles 12th Century world has been a fascinating and exciting place and people to visit, but A Love for All Seasons was the final entry in the Seasons (or sometimes called, Graistan Chronicles) series.
One other book in the series took the story from the castle and manors of rural England of the 12th century into a medieval town (Summer’s Storm) and now, I read with familiarity the return to said town only with a different set of merchant class characters as the focus.
Told in two timelines of the earlier years and then the present of the story, A Love For All Seasons follows the bittersweet star-crossed romance of Johanna of Stanrudde who falls in love with her father, Walter’s orphaned young apprentice, Robert, but was already promised by her father to his older unlikeable apprentice, Katel. Circumstances develop that force Robert to leave and with her father’s dying actions, Johanna is forced into marriage to Katel. Ambitious Katel becomes the Spice Merchant and respected among the merchants. No one gets a hint of the life Johanna has to lead with the cunning and malicious Katel so that she goes into a nunnery and leaves him to her son and family holdings, sorrowful that Rob never came back for her and thus denied their love.
In the present day, events are put in motion to bring Rob back. He is now Robert of Lynne and a prosperous grain merchant. Someone has stolen his wheat that was meant for the town of Stanrudde where everyone is starving and that someone intends for Rob to take the fall for it. Johanna is brought out of the nunnery and returns to a charge that she is an adulterous wife which though most of the town believes, she swats aside as a mere bother until she realizes that her revenge-minded husband isn’t going to wait for her to send for proof of where she’s been.
She encounters Robert after all those years apart and all her emotions rise from feelings of betrayal that he never came back, secret love that still burns for him, fear for what Katel is up to now, and a need to help save Robert from the trap that has been laid for him.
A Love for All Seasons was written in a different style from the earlier books with the back and forth timeline and there is also dual point of views telling this one. Johanna was a spoiled woman at first and made things harder than necessary not unlike previous heroines in this series, but she eventually gets wise to her part in all this and makes changes if a little late. Katel, well, he was never right and his need for revenge creates a twisted plot that was actually working. Rob is solid and has always loved steadily and holds strong through all that gets thrown at him, but struggles knowing the man he thought of as his father through him out repudiating him as son.
For the longest time, I felt that there was going to be a connection with the Fitzhenrys of Graistan because of the series and there was the town and the knowledge that Temric’s mother was married to a merchant here, but I never saw the tie-in until I quit looking for it. Then boom!
There is it was in the end as a shocker. Loved when it came. And, right in the nick of time.
So yes, A Love for All Seasons belongs in the series though, I think it would have been better tucked in ahead of the previous book which had a wonderful ending and reunion scene to end the series. A strong series from start to finish and I can highly recommend it to medieval romance fans. There is a follow up duology, Children of Graistan, and I’m pressing onward for them soon.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 11.2.25.
#SeriesOnSunday
One other book in the series took the story from the castle and manors of rural England of the 12th century into a medieval town (Summer’s Storm) and now, I read with familiarity the return to said town only with a different set of merchant class characters as the focus.
Told in two timelines of the earlier years and then the present of the story, A Love For All Seasons follows the bittersweet star-crossed romance of Johanna of Stanrudde who falls in love with her father, Walter’s orphaned young apprentice, Robert, but was already promised by her father to his older unlikeable apprentice, Katel. Circumstances develop that force Robert to leave and with her father’s dying actions, Johanna is forced into marriage to Katel. Ambitious Katel becomes the Spice Merchant and respected among the merchants. No one gets a hint of the life Johanna has to lead with the cunning and malicious Katel so that she goes into a nunnery and leaves him to her son and family holdings, sorrowful that Rob never came back for her and thus denied their love.
In the present day, events are put in motion to bring Rob back. He is now Robert of Lynne and a prosperous grain merchant. Someone has stolen his wheat that was meant for the town of Stanrudde where everyone is starving and that someone intends for Rob to take the fall for it. Johanna is brought out of the nunnery and returns to a charge that she is an adulterous wife which though most of the town believes, she swats aside as a mere bother until she realizes that her revenge-minded husband isn’t going to wait for her to send for proof of where she’s been.
She encounters Robert after all those years apart and all her emotions rise from feelings of betrayal that he never came back, secret love that still burns for him, fear for what Katel is up to now, and a need to help save Robert from the trap that has been laid for him.
A Love for All Seasons was written in a different style from the earlier books with the back and forth timeline and there is also dual point of views telling this one. Johanna was a spoiled woman at first and made things harder than necessary not unlike previous heroines in this series, but she eventually gets wise to her part in all this and makes changes if a little late. Katel, well, he was never right and his need for revenge creates a twisted plot that was actually working. Rob is solid and has always loved steadily and holds strong through all that gets thrown at him, but struggles knowing the man he thought of as his father through him out repudiating him as son.
For the longest time, I felt that there was going to be a connection with the Fitzhenrys of Graistan because of the series and there was the town and the knowledge that Temric’s mother was married to a merchant here, but I never saw the tie-in until I quit looking for it. Then boom!
There is it was in the end as a shocker. Loved when it came. And, right in the nick of time.
So yes, A Love for All Seasons belongs in the series though, I think it would have been better tucked in ahead of the previous book which had a wonderful ending and reunion scene to end the series. A strong series from start to finish and I can highly recommend it to medieval romance fans. There is a follow up duology, Children of Graistan, and I’m pressing onward for them soon.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 11.2.25.
#SeriesOnSunday
May 3, 2013
Johanna of Stanrudde is the daughter of the spice merchant. She was promised to Katel in marriage since she was very young. When her father, Walter, brings young Robert of Blacklea home to work for him, Johanna and Robert become friends and Katel gets jealous. Eventually, Johanna and Robert develop a love between them but for reasons I won't reveal, Robert leaves and Johanna marries Katel. Fast forward sixteen years, Johanna is called from the convent where she has been living to her husband's side. Unknown to her is that Robert (now of Lynn) has returned to Stanrudde and Katel has vengeance on his mind.
The story is told from a "then and now" style of writing. Going back and forth from the past and to the present. This is not my favorite type of writing style. In fact, I quite despise it. So much that I was tempted to lower my star rating to 3 stars. But it wouldn't be fair to the story itself. The setting of the story was well-researched and had such an authentic feel to it. The characters felt real too. I would definitely recommend to Medieval Romance lovers.
The story is told from a "then and now" style of writing. Going back and forth from the past and to the present. This is not my favorite type of writing style. In fact, I quite despise it. So much that I was tempted to lower my star rating to 3 stars. But it wouldn't be fair to the story itself. The setting of the story was well-researched and had such an authentic feel to it. The characters felt real too. I would definitely recommend to Medieval Romance lovers.
March 28, 2017
Johanna is the daughter of a wealthy spice merchant. Robert (Rob) is a servant, later to be an apprentice of the spice merchant. Johanna is betrothed to Katel, another apprentice. She and Rob say secret marry vows and consummate their vows. Because the betrothal is under contract, Johanna is forced to marry Katel and Rob is sent away to apprenticeship under a merchant in Lynn. Sixteen years later Rob comes to confront Katel about the theft of grain Katel has stolen. Katel has manipulated events to assuage his hatred of Johanna and Rob. They figure out Katel's plot against them. Will Katel succeed in hanging Rob and Johanna? Can they be together as husband and wife?
I have only touched the surface of this medieval novel. There is so much more to the plot and subplots, each tightly tied together. The main characters feel like family. The chapters flip between present and past. The reader gets the full history of the characters. The research is superb. I definitely want to read the four novels before this one.
I have only touched the surface of this medieval novel. There is so much more to the plot and subplots, each tightly tied together. The main characters feel like family. The chapters flip between present and past. The reader gets the full history of the characters. The research is superb. I definitely want to read the four novels before this one.
June 30, 2017
Well written but rather depressing ending to the series
The method of having one chapter in the past and the next in "current" time is an overused cliche that just makes a rather depressing depiction of life in the Middle Ages even less inviting. The past is what drew the drama in the story. How the plot maneuvered to the Happily Ever After is a facinating glimpse of politics in the 1100's. Unlike the other books in the series this was a chore to read and I constantly set the story down to regroup my emotions in order to finish the series. I would market the book as an addendum to the series rather than the end of the series.
The method of having one chapter in the past and the next in "current" time is an overused cliche that just makes a rather depressing depiction of life in the Middle Ages even less inviting. The past is what drew the drama in the story. How the plot maneuvered to the Happily Ever After is a facinating glimpse of politics in the 1100's. Unlike the other books in the series this was a chore to read and I constantly set the story down to regroup my emotions in order to finish the series. I would market the book as an addendum to the series rather than the end of the series.
March 13, 2014
This time, Domning lets us explore the lives and livelihoods of Medieval merchants.
Note to reader: Pay attention to the dates at the head of each chapter. There’s quite a bit of flashing back and forth—the backstory for these people is doled out as you need it to explain the current goings-on.
Johanna, wife to Katel l’Espicer, has been dragged from the convent where she’d hoped to retire, and returned to her spouse. By way of greeting, her husband accuses her publicly of having been off engaging in an adulterous affair. At first she isn’t too worried—the nuns at the convent will testify that she was with them the whole time. But slowly she realizes that her husband plans for things to progress much too quickly to get help from the nuns.
Rob of Blacklea, former apprentice to Johanna’s father, was once Katel’s whipping boy. Johanna’s father took Rob in after Rob's mum died and the man Rob had known as his father kicked him out, calling him a bastard. Katel, Jo's father's chief apprentice and intended heir, was and is a vindictive putz who took personal offense at every kindness shown Rob and sought vengeance in increasingly vicious ways.
Now Rob is a Grossier (grain merchant) in another town. Someone has been stealing his grain during this time of famine, and investigation told him it was Katel—he’s come to Stanrudde to confront the man, only to realize that he’s walked into a trap.
The complexity of Katel’s plan is rather awe-inspiring. It takes a truly devious mind to come up with such a thing, so congrats to the author. Parts of the solution are equally inspired, though I was left with a couple questions at the end. All that said, I could be wrong. Domning salts the story generously with details about life in the late 12th Century, from the various trades held by merchants to the layout of cities and the way people told time. Clearly she’s read a heck of a lot about the era, so it seems reasonable that she’d know things I don’t about the issues mentioned in the spoiler. I wish she’d take a page from Monica McCarty and write detailed notes at the end, so I know where some of these things come from!
Not a Regency, rich with historical detail, and about more than the relationship angst. Plus it sent me off on a research trail. I'll give this one four and a half.
Note to reader: Pay attention to the dates at the head of each chapter. There’s quite a bit of flashing back and forth—the backstory for these people is doled out as you need it to explain the current goings-on.
Johanna, wife to Katel l’Espicer, has been dragged from the convent where she’d hoped to retire, and returned to her spouse. By way of greeting, her husband accuses her publicly of having been off engaging in an adulterous affair. At first she isn’t too worried—the nuns at the convent will testify that she was with them the whole time. But slowly she realizes that her husband plans for things to progress much too quickly to get help from the nuns.
Rob of Blacklea, former apprentice to Johanna’s father, was once Katel’s whipping boy. Johanna’s father took Rob in after Rob's mum died and the man Rob had known as his father kicked him out, calling him a bastard. Katel, Jo's father's chief apprentice and intended heir, was and is a vindictive putz who took personal offense at every kindness shown Rob and sought vengeance in increasingly vicious ways.
Now Rob is a Grossier (grain merchant) in another town. Someone has been stealing his grain during this time of famine, and investigation told him it was Katel—he’s come to Stanrudde to confront the man, only to realize that he’s walked into a trap.
The complexity of Katel’s plan is rather awe-inspiring. It takes a truly devious mind to come up with such a thing, so congrats to the author. Parts of the solution are equally inspired, though I was left with a couple questions at the end. All that said, I could be wrong. Domning salts the story generously with details about life in the late 12th Century, from the various trades held by merchants to the layout of cities and the way people told time. Clearly she’s read a heck of a lot about the era, so it seems reasonable that she’d know things I don’t about the issues mentioned in the spoiler. I wish she’d take a page from Monica McCarty and write detailed notes at the end, so I know where some of these things come from!
Not a Regency, rich with historical detail, and about more than the relationship angst. Plus it sent me off on a research trail. I'll give this one four and a half.
November 28, 2008
Johanna of Stanrudde despises her husband, a man her dying father pressured her to wed. Robert of Blacklea is the man of her heart, a man who cruelly abandoned her yet still haunts her dreams. When he finally returns, it is too late. Johanna is a wife and mother--any hope of love she might harbor for him is not only foolish, it's dangerous. But there is too much passion behind her pain--a passion that matches his own. Defying those who would forbid their love, Robert and Johanna will choose death rather than give up the dream that heaven is within their reach .…
I loved all 4 books that I previously read by Domning and I was looking forward to this one to finsh the series. I found that this one was very different in tone from the others. First because it deals mostly with the merchant class, there is no keep and solar here (we had been to Stanrudde before in Richard and Philippa's story but they were both of noble upbringing, then because half the story is told in flashbacks and finally because this is the reunion of young lovers.
I must confess to have been a bit disoriented with so many flashbacks especially in the beginning. I wasn't familiarized with the characters yet when we were already jumping to their past. Once I became more immersed in the story it was easier to deal with all that jumping in time.
I did like how Domning dealt with the subject and how she developed the mystery plot and brought to our attention how important those vows were. Another thing that I liked was to get another glimpse into the merchant way of life, how they were organized and how important it was that there were trustworthy agents to but and sell the product.
Unfortunately I didn't like Robert or Johanna very much, I missed the emotional connection between them and didn't find them particularly likeable.
A 3/5 for this one makes it my least favourite of the series but I definitely want to read more by this author.
I loved all 4 books that I previously read by Domning and I was looking forward to this one to finsh the series. I found that this one was very different in tone from the others. First because it deals mostly with the merchant class, there is no keep and solar here (we had been to Stanrudde before in Richard and Philippa's story but they were both of noble upbringing, then because half the story is told in flashbacks and finally because this is the reunion of young lovers.
I must confess to have been a bit disoriented with so many flashbacks especially in the beginning. I wasn't familiarized with the characters yet when we were already jumping to their past. Once I became more immersed in the story it was easier to deal with all that jumping in time.
I did like how Domning dealt with the subject and how she developed the mystery plot and brought to our attention how important those vows were. Another thing that I liked was to get another glimpse into the merchant way of life, how they were organized and how important it was that there were trustworthy agents to but and sell the product.
Unfortunately I didn't like Robert or Johanna very much, I missed the emotional connection between them and didn't find them particularly likeable.
A 3/5 for this one makes it my least favourite of the series but I definitely want to read more by this author.
October 10, 2018
The last in the series of the books relating to the FitzHenry brothers, this novel follows a character we've never seen before who has an unexpected connection to the family.
It's a pleasant enough read, but - for my money at least - not as strong as the other books in the series. The author's usual attention to historical detail is there.
Our hero, Rob, is an honourable man if a little dull, while his beloved Johanna isn't a doormat, but she isn't as vivid as most of the other women in this series. The plot seemed a little nonsensical to me with the villain of the piece relying on people believing his story because he's taken care to show himself only as a reasonable man. That seems a little weak to me and unbelievable that he maintained a public mask for years while everyone in his household knows him to be a harsh, lying, petty and vindictive man.
Overall, I enjoyed it and one of the pleasures was anticipating which familiar characters would pop up. We do get to see some of the back story of Brother Colin from the Servant of the Crown series, plus a few figures from the earlier books in this series.
It's a pleasant enough read, but - for my money at least - not as strong as the other books in the series. The author's usual attention to historical detail is there.
Our hero, Rob, is an honourable man if a little dull, while his beloved Johanna isn't a doormat, but she isn't as vivid as most of the other women in this series. The plot seemed a little nonsensical to me with the villain of the piece relying on people believing his story because he's taken care to show himself only as a reasonable man. That seems a little weak to me and unbelievable that he maintained a public mask for years while everyone in his household knows him to be a harsh, lying, petty and vindictive man.
Overall, I enjoyed it and one of the pleasures was anticipating which familiar characters would pop up. We do get to see some of the back story of Brother Colin from the Servant of the Crown series, plus a few figures from the earlier books in this series.
June 7, 2017
A love that was neverending!
A boy who has his world turned upside down upon the death of his mother. The man he called father denounce him as his. Claiming to all the world he is a bastard. A spice merchant with a huge heart sends him to his home to heal and be tended by his daughter.
She is the only child of a wealthy spice merchant. Her life is all planned, betrothed to her fathers apprentice at the age of seven her destiny is set. That is until her father sends home a beaten boy that she is to attend to as a test. Childhood friendship turns to something more. As they make vows to one another her father has a plan of his own.
A boy who has his world turned upside down upon the death of his mother. The man he called father denounce him as his. Claiming to all the world he is a bastard. A spice merchant with a huge heart sends him to his home to heal and be tended by his daughter.
She is the only child of a wealthy spice merchant. Her life is all planned, betrothed to her fathers apprentice at the age of seven her destiny is set. That is until her father sends home a beaten boy that she is to attend to as a test. Childhood friendship turns to something more. As they make vows to one another her father has a plan of his own.
March 6, 2018
Okay
This book is the last in the series and not as good as the previous four. The story is set, again, in the 12th century England.
The flashing back and forth over an almost 20 year span took away from the main story. I believe the author attempted a new style here, breaking away from her previous storytelling. It felt uneven to me and I lost interest a few times while reading.
It is a good story basically. So I would recommend it as part of the series to those readers of the previous four. Just feel it was one book too many here.
This book is the last in the series and not as good as the previous four. The story is set, again, in the 12th century England.
The flashing back and forth over an almost 20 year span took away from the main story. I believe the author attempted a new style here, breaking away from her previous storytelling. It felt uneven to me and I lost interest a few times while reading.
It is a good story basically. So I would recommend it as part of the series to those readers of the previous four. Just feel it was one book too many here.
March 21, 2017
Love and deception
Johanna was the daughter of the town's richest man and Katel and Rob were apprentices in medieval times. A great tale of the times. Katel was a lying young man and a jealous one. He spent his life lying to everyone. Rob and Johanna fell in love as young people with a love that did not change, Katel did his best to marry Johanna for her father's wealth. Denise Domning writes a wonderful depiction of life in medieval times. Fascinating and gripping, I could not put the novel down. I could almost smell the town her descriptions were so intense. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Johanna was the daughter of the town's richest man and Katel and Rob were apprentices in medieval times. A great tale of the times. Katel was a lying young man and a jealous one. He spent his life lying to everyone. Rob and Johanna fell in love as young people with a love that did not change, Katel did his best to marry Johanna for her father's wealth. Denise Domning writes a wonderful depiction of life in medieval times. Fascinating and gripping, I could not put the novel down. I could almost smell the town her descriptions were so intense. I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 13, 2017
Lots of intrigue
What a hero you love to love and a bad guy you hate to hate . Joanna was a very complex character, which I really enjoyed. The famine at the heart of the action was a serious trial among a people who were only one bad harvest away from death. The story had lots of action and intrigue, and held my interest until the end.
What a hero you love to love and a bad guy you hate to hate . Joanna was a very complex character, which I really enjoyed. The famine at the heart of the action was a serious trial among a people who were only one bad harvest away from death. The story had lots of action and intrigue, and held my interest until the end.
May 18, 2017
A few twists that made it interesting. I enjoyed it.
November 28, 2017
Great ending to a series.
I liked this book. I liked the drama and the romance. I liked the location. And most of all, I liked the history.
I liked this book. I liked the drama and the romance. I liked the location. And most of all, I liked the history.
March 24, 2017
Good
February 15, 2011
Overall Rating: 3.75 // Action: 3.5 / Emotion: 4.75 / Romance: 4 / Sensuous: 2 / Intrigue: 4 / Medieval Flavor: 5 / Humor: 3 / Tears: 6
A Love For All Seasons is the fifth and final book of Denise Domning's The Graistan Chronicles. It took the author a while to tie Robert of Blacklea, now known as Robert, the Grossier of Lynn, to the other brothers in this series, but she managed to do so with flair and suspenseful interest. The book could easily be read as a stand-alone book, but the reader would miss the nuances that pass between the supporting characters Alwyna (mother to the wool merchant, Jehan) and Richard, Lord Meynell (Alwyna's other son).
Although Rob was a merchant, he epitomized the attributes of honor and integrity that were espoused to be characteristics of a medieval knight. It was easy to feel such compassion and sympathy towards Rob as his story was revealed using visits to his past as an intriguing story took place in the present. So easy was it to identify with the pain and angst Rob suffered as a child, that his story drew many tears of compassion.
It was more difficult to feel the same compassion towards the heroine, Johanna. Mostly because she has spent the past sixteen years fighting bitterly with the husband she hated, Katel le Espicer. Johanna was the spoiled child of Walter the spice merchant, yet her father forced her to marry a man he despised over a boy he loved. Johanna's character was redeemed because she finally admitted to herself that she had made matters much the worse between herself and Katel because of her selfishness.
Domning wove a deeply intriguing tale of how Rob and Johanna overcome the evil machinations of Katel to extract revenge upon the two people he hated most in the world. And it was readily apparent that Katel hated everyone.
Would recommend A Love For All Seasons to any reader who loves a medieval that is full of romance and stays true to the era. Domning's entire series is a worthwhile, intriguing, engaging read.
A more detailed, spoiler-ridden synopsis/review of A Love For All Seasons appears at Wolf Bear Does Books
A Love For All Seasons is the fifth and final book of Denise Domning's The Graistan Chronicles. It took the author a while to tie Robert of Blacklea, now known as Robert, the Grossier of Lynn, to the other brothers in this series, but she managed to do so with flair and suspenseful interest. The book could easily be read as a stand-alone book, but the reader would miss the nuances that pass between the supporting characters Alwyna (mother to the wool merchant, Jehan) and Richard, Lord Meynell (Alwyna's other son).
Although Rob was a merchant, he epitomized the attributes of honor and integrity that were espoused to be characteristics of a medieval knight. It was easy to feel such compassion and sympathy towards Rob as his story was revealed using visits to his past as an intriguing story took place in the present. So easy was it to identify with the pain and angst Rob suffered as a child, that his story drew many tears of compassion.
It was more difficult to feel the same compassion towards the heroine, Johanna. Mostly because she has spent the past sixteen years fighting bitterly with the husband she hated, Katel le Espicer. Johanna was the spoiled child of Walter the spice merchant, yet her father forced her to marry a man he despised over a boy he loved. Johanna's character was redeemed because she finally admitted to herself that she had made matters much the worse between herself and Katel because of her selfishness.
Domning wove a deeply intriguing tale of how Rob and Johanna overcome the evil machinations of Katel to extract revenge upon the two people he hated most in the world. And it was readily apparent that Katel hated everyone.
Would recommend A Love For All Seasons to any reader who loves a medieval that is full of romance and stays true to the era. Domning's entire series is a worthwhile, intriguing, engaging read.
A more detailed, spoiler-ridden synopsis/review of A Love For All Seasons appears at Wolf Bear Does Books
June 20, 2017
I loved this book! The historical terms and language are always fascinating to me (though I'm not going to look up the "key" to the times for every chapter and the saint's days were pretty meaningless to me). I started on the fifth book in the series, so I am pretty intrigued. I imagine I'll meander back to the beginning and see where it takes me. Even if parts were a little predictable, and some of the imagery/description a little overdone, I still enjoyed the journey a great deal, and I look forward to reading more from this author!
** Just read it again after reading all four of the previous books in the series. Because of re-reading, I did a lot of skimming. It wasn't my favorite of the series, and I still think adding the actual times and some approximate days for us non-experts would have been helpful, but I enjoyed the story. It was even better knowing who the noble characters were this time!
** Just read it again after reading all four of the previous books in the series. Because of re-reading, I did a lot of skimming. It wasn't my favorite of the series, and I still think adding the actual times and some approximate days for us non-experts would have been helpful, but I enjoyed the story. It was even better knowing who the noble characters were this time!
November 14, 2012
I loved this series!!! It is set in the late 1100's. There are steamy love scenes, but not vulgar. It is also full of wonderful historical facts that are written in an entertaining way, so they don't bore you like a history lesson. The Author even shares her motivation/inspiration for the stories at the end of each book and I just loved that! I highly recommend all 5 books as stand-alone, or as a series!
A love for all Seasons: Johanna and Robert meet as children and fall in love in their teens. But Johanna must marry another...Robert's worst enemy. 16 years later, he returns to the city and is accused of illegal trading of goods, and starting a riot. He must face his enemy, and she will be there as well. Can he see his true love again after all these years?
A love for all Seasons: Johanna and Robert meet as children and fall in love in their teens. But Johanna must marry another...Robert's worst enemy. 16 years later, he returns to the city and is accused of illegal trading of goods, and starting a riot. He must face his enemy, and she will be there as well. Can he see his true love again after all these years?
January 16, 2008
A Love for All Seasons - NR
Doming, Denise
Summoned home from her convent refuge by her greedy, vindictive husband, Johanna of Stanrudde is stunned to find her town starving, herself accused of adultery, and her husband plotting the destruction of the only man she's ever loved.
This just didn't work for me.
Doming, Denise
Summoned home from her convent refuge by her greedy, vindictive husband, Johanna of Stanrudde is stunned to find her town starving, herself accused of adultery, and her husband plotting the destruction of the only man she's ever loved.
This just didn't work for me.
February 3, 2013
The first 18 chapters were not enough to make me want to keep reading, but I persevered through the jumping back and forth between time frames to read from Chapter 19 onward with my previous joy of the first 4 books in this series. The ending chapters saved the book from being a 3 star, but couldn't redeem the entire book to make it worth 5 stars.
Read
February 15, 2013Well I'm sorry to say I didn't finish this. Very disappointed with it. There was much to much time spent on the time when the characters are children. That slowed the story down far too much for me. After enjoying the first four in the series so much I felt really let down. This one doesn't belong at all.
July 28, 2013
Joanna is summoned from the convent by her vindictive husband. He accuses her of having an affair with her old love interest, who is now a wealthy merchant. Cue lots of discord, misunderstandings, a plot and a race against time to save a life. Good historical research of the lives of many during the 1100s, good story line.
August 29, 2015
I really liked the unusual structure of this book, and I loved getting a glimpse of the world of a Medieval merchant's house. Rob was a character with real depth. Johanna is less well-rounded, I think, because we get less of her life and point-of-view. I was very sympathetic to her though. This was the book out of the whole Graistan Chronicles bundle I got that I wanted to be longer.
September 20, 2018
I liked the book and the story. I found some of the story telling devices disconcerting during the reading of the story. The characters were appropriate for the times and Domning research is solid. I loved the twist that ties this book to the other seasons books. Recommended.
October 17, 2015
Good read
I have completely enjoyed this series. The characters and storyline are strong and brings you right in to the story. Will be watching this author for more to read and enjoy.
I have completely enjoyed this series. The characters and storyline are strong and brings you right in to the story. Will be watching this author for more to read and enjoy.
July 3, 2016
Wonderful series
This book brought all 5 books to a good end. At first it was hard to see how it belonged with the other 4 books but end the end it was an amazing story of love, family, and acceptance. The characters are well deserved and easy to relate to. A great read
This book brought all 5 books to a good end. At first it was hard to see how it belonged with the other 4 books but end the end it was an amazing story of love, family, and acceptance. The characters are well deserved and easy to relate to. A great read
October 6, 2016
Rich in Cutoms of the period
I've read all the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them.
The author does keep a common thread running through the series but each can be read as a stand alone book.
I've read all the books in this series and thoroughly enjoyed them.
The author does keep a common thread running through the series but each can be read as a stand alone book.
Want to read
February 24, 2012Free on Kindle today
June 11, 2014
Denise always has such great books and this is great!
December 2, 2012
The only reason I finished this book in one day was due to the fact that I skipped a lot of the story. I can only take so much intrigue. It got redundant.
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