Beyond Temptation

Templar Knights #1

by Mary Reed McCall

Sir Richard de Cantor, a highly–skilled warrior, is hampered by guilt over the ambitious, materialistic way he'd lived before he joined the Templar Brotherhood - a lifestyle he believes led to the death of his young daughter. Lady Margaret Newcomb is a disgraced daughter of a powerful English earl and has led a quiet life of penance and atonement. Though of different backgrounds, in truth they are both lonely, battered by the world, and in desperate need of each other's love and acceptance. Their fragile relationship is soon threatened when the French Inquisition makes its way to England, and Richard is faced with charges for his position as a Templar Knight, only to have their love further tested when someone from Meg's past reappears with the power to tear the two apart.

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Historical, Medieval, British Literature, Medieval Romance

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Award-winning historical author MARY REED MCCALL also writes contemporary fiction as M. REED MCCALL . She was a finalist for Romance Writer's of America's Best First Book RITA Award and has won the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award for Best Medieval Romance. She grew up in a rural area of Upstate New York as part of a large and loving family. Before becoming a writer, she first considered a career in national security, studying for a brief time at the University of Leningrad before completing undergraduate degrees in Russian and English back in the United States, followed by a Master's degree in English Literature. The sixth of seven girls in her family, Mary now makes her permanent home in New York State, with her husband and children. When she is not writing or involved with family activities, she teaches high school and college level English.

Reviews

[Rabbit {Paint me like one of your 19th century gothic heroines!}]

DNF on page 31. This wasn't that bad of a book, I just couldn't focus on this one.

[Monique Takens · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dit boek is in het Nederlands vertaald verschenen : Als passie taboe is - Candlelight Historische roman 736 .
Dit is deel 1 van een 3 delen tellende serie maar volgt direct op De mysterieuze courtisane waar Braedan de Cantor de hoofdrol had en in dit deel staat zijn jongere broer Richard de Cantor centraal .
Het boek begint met het historische feit van de massale jacht op de Tempelridders d.d. 13 oktober 1307 oftewel Zwarte Vrijdag in Frankrijk .
Richard de Cantor is een tempelier en weet te ontsnappen aan de jacht en vlucht naar Engeland , zijn thuisland . In zijn huis ontmoet hij lady Margaret Newcomb die zijn zieke vrouw verzorgd en wat volgt is een wat ongebruikelijk liefdesverhaal .

[Daniela · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Explícito). La narración es excelente, la historia me atrapó desde la primera página y empecé a formular posibles teorías de cómo se desarrollaría la historia.
Solo que me esperaba más acción, un poco más de drama y menos romance. Muy empalagosos resultaron Meg y Richard, no los culpo, pero en cuanto tuvieron luz verde para demostrar sus sentimientos, lo hacían de una manera trágica para mi gusto. Ambos con pasados tormentosos y dolorosos, que lograron enfrentar solos.
Bonita su relación.
Con lo referente a los templarios, pues esperaba que luego del regreso de Richard a su casa, llegara alguno de sus compañeros templarios y también está el asunto con ese tal Alexander, el primer amor de Meg; siendo sincera y con base en la historia, era demasiado obvio ese desenlace.
Aburrido después de varios capítulos y predecible. Muy trágico.
No tengo nada que hablar sobre la época en la que se desarrollan los hechos, normal.
Narrado en tercera persona y ofrece los puntos de vista de los protagonistas.
No es un mal libro, está muy buena la narración, sólo que la historia no es de mi gusto.

[Natasja❤️ · Rating 1 out of 5]

Als passie taboe is

[Sophie (slovenianbookworm) · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF, I think.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the first novel I have read by Mary Reed McCall. It is your average Medieval romance involving some adventure, heroism, and sexual tension. The hero, Sir Richard de Cantor, one of the highly skilled knights of the Templar Brotherhood, returns from overseas escaping across the channel from France and the clutches of the French Inquisition and King Philip who has ordered the arrest of all Knights of the Templar Brotherhood. He arrives back at his ancestral home to discover the wife he left six years previous has not recovered from the madness that became worse after the tragic death of their young daughter, but has only worsened to the point that she has been cared for by a distant cousin for the last two years. Tragically his wife escapes in her madness one night and is found by Richard sometime later alive but injured at the bottom of a ravine. She becomes ill and tragically dies. Richard is heavy with guilt blaming himself for the death of his daughter years before, now his wife, and the uncontrollable feelings of lust he has every time he is in the presence of his wife's distant cousin, Margaret "Meg" Newcomb. These feelings of lust turn to more when their lives are interrupted by a summons from the English Monarch for both Richard and Lady Newcomb who has been banned from court for years in dishonor. While the hero and heroine's romance is at the forefront of the story, there is a great background story going on as well. I have read "hotter" romances but still greatly enjoyed the story told.

[Mateja · Rating 4 out of 5]

3/4*