What do you think?
Rate this book
Sanguinet Saga #2
Feather Castles
BETROTHED TO ONE MAN, IN LOVE WITH ANOTHER . . .
Rachel Strand, a beautiful young Englishwoman, discovered a wounded stranger on the battlefield of Waterloo. Despite his wounds, the valiant young soldier saved her from looters - and possibly worse.
Though engaged to a powerful and dangerous Frenchman who was secretly plotting against England, Rachel was drawn to the stranger. No one knew who he was. He had no memory of his past, his name, or his family. It was obvious, though, that he was a gentleman. It was also obvious, though, that he was a attracted to Rachel. But Rachel had promised herself to the Frenchman.
Now the Frenchman holds her prisoner in his castle. She dare not think of escape - unless the stranger shows her the way...
Rachel Strand, a beautiful young Englishwoman, discovered a wounded stranger on the battlefield of Waterloo. Despite his wounds, the valiant young soldier saved her from looters - and possibly worse.
Though engaged to a powerful and dangerous Frenchman who was secretly plotting against England, Rachel was drawn to the stranger. No one knew who he was. He had no memory of his past, his name, or his family. It was obvious, though, that he was a gentleman. It was also obvious, though, that he was a attracted to Rachel. But Rachel had promised herself to the Frenchman.
Now the Frenchman holds her prisoner in his castle. She dare not think of escape - unless the stranger shows her the way...
310 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1982
12 people are currently reading
111 people want to read
About the author
Patricia Veryan
75 books99 followersPatricia Valeria Bannister was born in London. After World War II, she married Allan Louis Berg and moved to the United States; she lived on the West Coast and was the author of many historical novels from 1978 until 2002, using the pen names Patricia Veryan and Gwyneth Moore.
At the time of her death, she was living in Bellevue, Washington, USA.
At the time of her death, she was living in Bellevue, Washington, USA.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
March 30, 2017
Wonderful fun and adventure, as always!
I have wanted to read this story for ages! The plot sounded so exciting and it is very mysterious. While I think it's not as good as others that are my personal favorites, this one has the fun of a palace in France tucked away in the woods with spies as well as starting off on the Waterloo battlefield with a mysterious soldier who can't remember who he is, whether he's french or English.
I admit to being unsure what to rate this, as while there are no holes in it, and I read it in nearly one sitting, the hero and heroine aren't as memorable as others. In fact, I'm not greatly attached to any of the characters here except Devenish and his one eyed duck.
But it was a well worked adventure with lots of excitement to keep me turning pages to the end. Just from how smoothly the book flowed I thought of giving four stars. But as good as it was its not a four star book for me. It just lacked something, I don't know what! I hope the third book has characters with more character. In fact, I know one thing that was missing, this book is not as humorous as some of Ms. Veryan's others. But, I might just be being overly picky since I've been sick this week and it doesn't generally put one in an easy to please mood.
G A few swears, some fighting. Nothing else.
I have wanted to read this story for ages! The plot sounded so exciting and it is very mysterious. While I think it's not as good as others that are my personal favorites, this one has the fun of a palace in France tucked away in the woods with spies as well as starting off on the Waterloo battlefield with a mysterious soldier who can't remember who he is, whether he's french or English.
I admit to being unsure what to rate this, as while there are no holes in it, and I read it in nearly one sitting, the hero and heroine aren't as memorable as others. In fact, I'm not greatly attached to any of the characters here except Devenish and his one eyed duck.
But it was a well worked adventure with lots of excitement to keep me turning pages to the end. Just from how smoothly the book flowed I thought of giving four stars. But as good as it was its not a four star book for me. It just lacked something, I don't know what! I hope the third book has characters with more character. In fact, I know one thing that was missing, this book is not as humorous as some of Ms. Veryan's others. But, I might just be being overly picky since I've been sick this week and it doesn't generally put one in an easy to please mood.
G A few swears, some fighting. Nothing else.
September 23, 2018
Compared to other books in the genre this is a five star book, of course. But as I already know what is to come in the series, I also know that some of the follow ups will have more of an emotional impact on me than this one. Also a big chunk of this story is the flight from the castle, and it loses a bit with each re-read, as the (many) surprises are no longer surprising ;-)
As a first read this book is phenomenal, especially if you like your romances with lots of adventure, crazy maniac bad guys and impossible odds for the heroes to overcome.
This is also the real start of the Sanguinet series, setting up the villain and the plot nicely.
The story stands very well on its own. I love that about Veryan‘s series: I never get this feeling of characters being there just as sequel bait. But the way she builds the world is so intriguing, and the characters are generally so well written, that you love to come back, for any of them.
Her side characters evolve through the books, so that when they finally get their own book, or at least their own happy ending, you not only know them, but you saw them grow into their roles.
To me Feather Castles is very important, as it introduces us to Devenish and his way with animals. He very clearly is not yet fully fledged hero material by Veryan‘s standards, but he already shows us all the character traits that make him one of my all time favorite literary characters - while not even being my type!
Tristram in contrast (and this contrast is very important, as his interactions with the hard to lead Devenish show us his strengths as a leader) is a fully developed hero from the start. We have met him in Euphemia‘s story, as the epitome of male perfection, to give even more depth to the conflict when she falls in love with the „evil“ Hawkhurst.
Veryan does a very good job with her writing of Tristram, who could have easily been too perfect to be likable. She writes him very consistently, he not once falls out of character, even at the worst of his amnesia. Also she does lots and lots of „show not tell“ with him. How many romance heroes I read were described as being good soldiers or officers, without ever proving it on the page? Tristram proves his abilities again and again, and clearly deserves to be the leader of the gang who will oppose the power mad Claude in the next couple of books.
This book has two moments that always get to me: the cruel death of Mrs O‘Crumbs and the touching reunion of father and son close to the end, which ends with the destruction of all of Tristram‘s hopes for the future.
While I truly appreciate Tris as a hero and a leader, and I did root for him and Rachel all the way, he apparently is not MY hero. Which is strange, since at least in looks he should be. I guess I am more of an Euphemia than a Rachel. Team Hawkhurst all the way.
Veryan is a very traditional author. What there is of real world diversity in her books is mostly problematic. But I do feel that she does write very interesting female characters. They are all very different from each other, even though they all come from the same part of society and are bound by the same rules.
Rachel has been ostracized by society, and she made some bad decisions while trying to take care of her invalid sister. Had she remained inside society, she would have fit perfectly, with her looks and manners. She would not have broken out of the restrictions society put on her by herself, and she stays somewhat passive throughout the story, hoping for the good men in her life to take action. This does not make her a bad or a weak heroine, just a pretty normal one: a woman thrown into a situation she was never prepared for. And the perfect match for Tristram, who is willing to be shunned by society for her sake, but would probably have a hard time with a wife who was less conventional.
As a first read this book is phenomenal, especially if you like your romances with lots of adventure, crazy maniac bad guys and impossible odds for the heroes to overcome.
This is also the real start of the Sanguinet series, setting up the villain and the plot nicely.
The story stands very well on its own. I love that about Veryan‘s series: I never get this feeling of characters being there just as sequel bait. But the way she builds the world is so intriguing, and the characters are generally so well written, that you love to come back, for any of them.
Her side characters evolve through the books, so that when they finally get their own book, or at least their own happy ending, you not only know them, but you saw them grow into their roles.
To me Feather Castles is very important, as it introduces us to Devenish and his way with animals. He very clearly is not yet fully fledged hero material by Veryan‘s standards, but he already shows us all the character traits that make him one of my all time favorite literary characters - while not even being my type!
Tristram in contrast (and this contrast is very important, as his interactions with the hard to lead Devenish show us his strengths as a leader) is a fully developed hero from the start. We have met him in Euphemia‘s story, as the epitome of male perfection, to give even more depth to the conflict when she falls in love with the „evil“ Hawkhurst.
Veryan does a very good job with her writing of Tristram, who could have easily been too perfect to be likable. She writes him very consistently, he not once falls out of character, even at the worst of his amnesia. Also she does lots and lots of „show not tell“ with him. How many romance heroes I read were described as being good soldiers or officers, without ever proving it on the page? Tristram proves his abilities again and again, and clearly deserves to be the leader of the gang who will oppose the power mad Claude in the next couple of books.
This book has two moments that always get to me: the cruel death of Mrs O‘Crumbs and the touching reunion of father and son close to the end, which ends with the destruction of all of Tristram‘s hopes for the future.
While I truly appreciate Tris as a hero and a leader, and I did root for him and Rachel all the way, he apparently is not MY hero. Which is strange, since at least in looks he should be. I guess I am more of an Euphemia than a Rachel. Team Hawkhurst all the way.
Veryan is a very traditional author. What there is of real world diversity in her books is mostly problematic. But I do feel that she does write very interesting female characters. They are all very different from each other, even though they all come from the same part of society and are bound by the same rules.
Rachel has been ostracized by society, and she made some bad decisions while trying to take care of her invalid sister. Had she remained inside society, she would have fit perfectly, with her looks and manners. She would not have broken out of the restrictions society put on her by herself, and she stays somewhat passive throughout the story, hoping for the good men in her life to take action. This does not make her a bad or a weak heroine, just a pretty normal one: a woman thrown into a situation she was never prepared for. And the perfect match for Tristram, who is willing to be shunned by society for her sake, but would probably have a hard time with a wife who was less conventional.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2020
Patricia Veryan wrote some thirty-five historical romances between 1978 and 2002, many of which were out of print for a long time but are now available digitally. (Only in the US it seems - in the UK they're only available in used paperback :( ) Two of her best-known series are set in the eighteenth century and the other – which is also the longest one – in the nineteenth. I reviewed Some Brief Folly, book one in the
Sanguinet
series for a TBR prompt last year, and decided to pick up the next book, Feather Castles, for this year’s “Old School” round. It’s more of a romantic adventure yarn than pure romance, and is actually the first book in which the character who gives his name to the series – the villainous Claude Sanguinet – appears. The story took a little while to get going, and flagged a bit in the middle, but I enjoyed it on the whole, and there’s a neat twist near the end that I hadn’t expected but which lays some groundwork for the rest of the series.
The book opens immediately following the Battle of Waterloo, and we find our heroine, Rachel Strand, accompanying her friend and mentor, Sister Maria Evangeline, to the battlefield to search for someone among the dead and wounded. When the ladies are accosted by a group of looters, they are saved by a wounded officer Rachel takes to be French (given that’s the language he speaks before collapsing) who comes to their aid just before Sister Maria Evangeline’s friend, Diccon, finds them and runs the ruffians off. Diccon and Sister Maria Evangeline want to get away as quickly as possible, but Rachel refuses to just leave their rescuer to die, so they bundle him into their carriage and later aboard ship, bound for England.
Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, Captain Sir Simon Buchanan (brother of Mia, heroine of Some Brief Folly) is dismayed to learn of the death of his friend, Tristram Leith, from an exploding shell. It’s with a heavy heart he carries the news of the death of Lord Leith’s only son and heir back to England.
Of course, the reader is able to put two and two together straight away, and work out that the courageous ‘French’ officer is Tristram Leith, but he is unaware of his identity for most of the book, his memory returning in fits and spurts, but not giving him a complete picture, or providing him with any clue as to his name or place of origin. He does work out that he’s English rather than French, and discovers he was a high-ranking officer (a Colonel) but his memory is like a jigsaw puzzle with lots of pieces missing. The first part of the story focuses on his recovery from his injuries, and the burgeoning romance between him and the lovely Rachel, but she is betrothed to the suave and powerful Claude Sangiunet, and when Tristram is sufficiently recovered, they part, he to journey to London, to Horse Guards to find out what he can about himself, she to her fiancé and wedding preparations.
Feather Castles gets off to a bit of a slow start and it took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I was pulled into the world the author has created. We’ve got an evil mastermind – who is scarily plausible and good at hiding in plain sight - plenty of adventure and long odds to be overcome, together with attractive leads and a group of secondary characters who are present as more than just sequel-bait; they have important parts to play within the story, and will, I suspect, crop up throughout the series. Tristram is a terrific hero, a military man whom the author actually shows being the sort of commanding, cool-under-fire presence his rank would suggest. Even when he doesn’t know who he is, his sterling qualities are obvious; he’s clearly a leader of men and Ms. Veryan shows those skills over and over again. We’re also introduced to the impulsive, brash Alan Devenish, a rather insubordinate young man who has obviously yet to come into his own, and whose impetuousness serves as a good contrast to Tristram’s calmer but no less determined approach.
Rachel is the sort of heroine who has perhaps gone out of fashion in recent years. She’s fairly passive in the first part of the story and doesn’t really start to question her actions or try to seek a way out until fairly late on in the book. Her family’s disgrace (her father had cheated at cards, which was a huge no-no at this time) means she and her siblings have been ostracised from society, and she saw an engagement to the wealthy, charming Claude as a way to make sure that her invalid sister Charity would be taken care of. She accepted Claude out of gratitude, and even though Sister Maria Evangeline makes it clear she believes Rachel is doing the wrong thing by agreeing to the match, Rachel refuses to consider an alternative; her focus is on Charity and Rachel is, to start with at least, wilfully blind to the signs that Claude isn’t the kindly altruist she believes him to be. But in this, she’s a woman of her time; so much of a woman’s ‘worth’ was bound up in family and reputation, and with no other way of keeping a roof over her head and paying for her sister’s treatment, Rachel took the only option open to her. Her situation certainly evokes sympathy, and I liked that she gradually came to admit to her mistake and to want to do something about it. On the downside however, the romance lacks a real spark; the absence of bedroom scenes isn’t an issue, but while I liked Tristram a lot, it wasn’t until near the very end that I started to believe Rachel was the woman for him.
Still, I think fans of traditional romances, or those looking for a Regency-era story full of intrigue, adventure and derring-do will enjoy Feather Castles. Patricia Veryan deserves to be more widely read; she’s frequently likened to Georgette Heyer, although I’m never sure that’s a completely apt comparison given Veryan wrote mostly romantic adventures as opposed to comedies of manners, but chances are if you like Heyer, you’ll like Veryan – and even if you don’t like Heyer, I suspect you could read it and be pleasantly surprised.
The book opens immediately following the Battle of Waterloo, and we find our heroine, Rachel Strand, accompanying her friend and mentor, Sister Maria Evangeline, to the battlefield to search for someone among the dead and wounded. When the ladies are accosted by a group of looters, they are saved by a wounded officer Rachel takes to be French (given that’s the language he speaks before collapsing) who comes to their aid just before Sister Maria Evangeline’s friend, Diccon, finds them and runs the ruffians off. Diccon and Sister Maria Evangeline want to get away as quickly as possible, but Rachel refuses to just leave their rescuer to die, so they bundle him into their carriage and later aboard ship, bound for England.
Meanwhile, on another part of the battlefield, Captain Sir Simon Buchanan (brother of Mia, heroine of Some Brief Folly) is dismayed to learn of the death of his friend, Tristram Leith, from an exploding shell. It’s with a heavy heart he carries the news of the death of Lord Leith’s only son and heir back to England.
Of course, the reader is able to put two and two together straight away, and work out that the courageous ‘French’ officer is Tristram Leith, but he is unaware of his identity for most of the book, his memory returning in fits and spurts, but not giving him a complete picture, or providing him with any clue as to his name or place of origin. He does work out that he’s English rather than French, and discovers he was a high-ranking officer (a Colonel) but his memory is like a jigsaw puzzle with lots of pieces missing. The first part of the story focuses on his recovery from his injuries, and the burgeoning romance between him and the lovely Rachel, but she is betrothed to the suave and powerful Claude Sangiunet, and when Tristram is sufficiently recovered, they part, he to journey to London, to Horse Guards to find out what he can about himself, she to her fiancé and wedding preparations.
Feather Castles gets off to a bit of a slow start and it took me a while to get into it, but once I did, I was pulled into the world the author has created. We’ve got an evil mastermind – who is scarily plausible and good at hiding in plain sight - plenty of adventure and long odds to be overcome, together with attractive leads and a group of secondary characters who are present as more than just sequel-bait; they have important parts to play within the story, and will, I suspect, crop up throughout the series. Tristram is a terrific hero, a military man whom the author actually shows being the sort of commanding, cool-under-fire presence his rank would suggest. Even when he doesn’t know who he is, his sterling qualities are obvious; he’s clearly a leader of men and Ms. Veryan shows those skills over and over again. We’re also introduced to the impulsive, brash Alan Devenish, a rather insubordinate young man who has obviously yet to come into his own, and whose impetuousness serves as a good contrast to Tristram’s calmer but no less determined approach.
Rachel is the sort of heroine who has perhaps gone out of fashion in recent years. She’s fairly passive in the first part of the story and doesn’t really start to question her actions or try to seek a way out until fairly late on in the book. Her family’s disgrace (her father had cheated at cards, which was a huge no-no at this time) means she and her siblings have been ostracised from society, and she saw an engagement to the wealthy, charming Claude as a way to make sure that her invalid sister Charity would be taken care of. She accepted Claude out of gratitude, and even though Sister Maria Evangeline makes it clear she believes Rachel is doing the wrong thing by agreeing to the match, Rachel refuses to consider an alternative; her focus is on Charity and Rachel is, to start with at least, wilfully blind to the signs that Claude isn’t the kindly altruist she believes him to be. But in this, she’s a woman of her time; so much of a woman’s ‘worth’ was bound up in family and reputation, and with no other way of keeping a roof over her head and paying for her sister’s treatment, Rachel took the only option open to her. Her situation certainly evokes sympathy, and I liked that she gradually came to admit to her mistake and to want to do something about it. On the downside however, the romance lacks a real spark; the absence of bedroom scenes isn’t an issue, but while I liked Tristram a lot, it wasn’t until near the very end that I started to believe Rachel was the woman for him.
Still, I think fans of traditional romances, or those looking for a Regency-era story full of intrigue, adventure and derring-do will enjoy Feather Castles. Patricia Veryan deserves to be more widely read; she’s frequently likened to Georgette Heyer, although I’m never sure that’s a completely apt comparison given Veryan wrote mostly romantic adventures as opposed to comedies of manners, but chances are if you like Heyer, you’ll like Veryan – and even if you don’t like Heyer, I suspect you could read it and be pleasantly surprised.
October 7, 2018
3,5 stars. This is not one of my favourite Veryan books especially the second half. The heroine is in France during the battle of Waterloo. She is saved by the hero but he is wounded and suffers from amnesia. She takes care of him and there is attraction but she is betrothed to a Frenchman (Sanguinet Claude). .
August 26, 2022
There are many similarities between Patricia Veryan's and Stella Riley's stories. Many splendid characters (also secondary and episodic), mysteries, loyalty, honour, friendships, and subtle wit. I adore books by both authors.
I agree completely with Christa Schönmann Abbühl. And I also loved Devenish and Mrs. O'Crumbs (his duck) the most.
In other words, a novel without holes and inconsistencies. A perfectly enjoyable standalone book, and a fascinating part of the series.
[4.5 stars]
I agree completely with Christa Schönmann Abbühl. And I also loved Devenish and Mrs. O'Crumbs (his duck) the most.
In other words, a novel without holes and inconsistencies. A perfectly enjoyable standalone book, and a fascinating part of the series.
[4.5 stars]
March 22, 2010
I wanted to like this book. When I read the description I feel in love with the story line, but when I got to reading the novel there were so many subplots and supporting characters I felt that the beauty of the story got lost along the way. I enjoyed the development of the main characters but felt the ending was lacking something when compared to the explosive plot found throughout the novel. I enjoyed the authors writing style and I hope I am able to find more of her novels. Overall, I found this book to be interesting but missing something.
June 2, 2015
Sanguinet was so despicable and scarily unpredictable that I wasn't able to enjoy the romance of the story. I was biting my nails for 3/4 of the book. Tristram was a great hero, however, and Devenish was absolutely delightful! For Devenish alone, I'll give it an extra star.
April 23, 2018
WOW! If only all romantic fiction were as good as this!
This book is a real novel, a thriller, that just happens to have been labeled “Regency romance.” Before I read it, I assumed that, because it was one of the books in the “Sanguinet Saga,” the members of the Sanguinet family were going to be the heroes. Was I ever wrong! Claude Sanguinet is the type of character you’d expect to find in a modern thriller—a wealthy, powerful man who is plotting large-scale nefarious deeds. I can’t wait to read the other novels in the series to see what he and his brother(s) get up to next.
Why isn’t Patricia Veryan better known?
P.S.: I see by reading the other reviews below that some people were disappointed in the book for the same reasons that I liked it. What I would say to them and others like them is: if you want an insipid, formulaic, execrably written romance, avoid this book. You have thousands of others to choose from.
This book is a real novel, a thriller, that just happens to have been labeled “Regency romance.” Before I read it, I assumed that, because it was one of the books in the “Sanguinet Saga,” the members of the Sanguinet family were going to be the heroes. Was I ever wrong! Claude Sanguinet is the type of character you’d expect to find in a modern thriller—a wealthy, powerful man who is plotting large-scale nefarious deeds. I can’t wait to read the other novels in the series to see what he and his brother(s) get up to next.
Why isn’t Patricia Veryan better known?
P.S.: I see by reading the other reviews below that some people were disappointed in the book for the same reasons that I liked it. What I would say to them and others like them is: if you want an insipid, formulaic, execrably written romance, avoid this book. You have thousands of others to choose from.
March 6, 2019
A captivating story that grabbed me right from the first pages describing the bloody carnage of a post-Waterloo battlefield, up until its conclusion.
There are still some unresolved questions in this story, which is perhaps because Veryan does use related characters in her book series and maybe comes back to deal with the villain in a later story, however as it is not easy to get hold of copies of these (even secondhand) I worry I will miss some of these resolutions.
Again the historical accuracy is excellent, in that unobtrusive, well-researched way that leaves you free to enjoy the story and immersed in the universe she creates.
And of course the romance is lovely. *Happy Sigh*
There are still some unresolved questions in this story, which is perhaps because Veryan does use related characters in her book series and maybe comes back to deal with the villain in a later story, however as it is not easy to get hold of copies of these (even secondhand) I worry I will miss some of these resolutions.
Again the historical accuracy is excellent, in that unobtrusive, well-researched way that leaves you free to enjoy the story and immersed in the universe she creates.
And of course the romance is lovely. *Happy Sigh*
September 8, 2020
4.5 Stars
June 8, 2022
This was one my mom had searched for, over the years. Found a copy by sheer happenstance, took forever to read it tho. High dramarama. The pet duck was best part.
August 9, 2015
Another re-read. I'm almost sorry to have read it again, better to have kept the thought about how much I liked the book. Either it is not holding up well over time, or I'm losing the enjoyment I had for these Victorian romances. And Patricia Veryan is a good writer. It's quite clear that she did a lot of research before writing these, and the romance is actually secondary to the political plots of this series. I guess it's me that has lost the magic.
July 1, 2012
The thing that stand out in this one is hopw awful the villain is and how good he is at hiding it.
It's an engrossing story all around. I admit I find Tristam a little too perfect, but his friendship with Dev is wonderful. In fact Dev is such a terrific and unusual secondary hero he almost steals the show.
It's an engrossing story all around. I admit I find Tristam a little too perfect, but his friendship with Dev is wonderful. In fact Dev is such a terrific and unusual secondary hero he almost steals the show.
May 25, 2012
A very good book. The characters are great. Tris is sweet, Rachel is kind, and Dev is hilarious!!! The plot is filled with excitement and danger (as well as romance)and the setting is a palace run by a crazy (yet sane?)French man who wants power. If you like the sound of that, you'll love this book. Plus, it's clean! (Disclaimer: There are some curse words in it.) One of my faves.
June 5, 2008
Fun book, but similar to the League of Jewelled Men series.
September 20, 2017
Re-reading a favorite series from my teens. It's quite a bit more... melodramatic than I recalled, but I guess that's what being a teenager is about. :)
June 23, 2024
I have owned a copy of this book for almost four decades. I've re-read it several times. I just read it again, in series order with Some Brief Folly first, and I like it even more now!
February 22, 2011
Patricia Veryan is a master at her craft. Another well-told Regency romance.
Read
September 15, 2009The first Veryan I ever read, soon after it first came out
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews