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A Difficult Truce
Taken captive by her ancestral enemies, the hated British, beautiful Irish aristocrat Christina MacCarthy had only one route of marriage to one of England's most powerful, dangerously handsome lords, the Duke of Dacre. In his embrace, Christina would have to fight a threat more perilous than a stone cell and chains . . . the prison walls of love. Regency Romance reissue.
224 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1981
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80 people want to read
About the author
Joan Wolf
104 books368 followersJoan Wolf is a USA TODAY bestselling American writer, whose acclaimed Regency romances have earned her national recognition as a master of the genre. Her many historical and contemporary romances, some of which have been chosen as Literary Guild selections, have been highly praised by reviewers and authors alike.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
Joan was born in 1951 and she grew up in the Bronx, New York. A former English teacher, she obtained a Bachelor's degree in Mercy College and Master in English and Comparative Literature at Hunter College. An avid rider and horse owner, Joan lives in Connecticut with her husband Joe and two grown children, Jay and Pam.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 4, 2026
Heavy on the politics and history, rather light on the romance.
A Difficult Truce centers on Ireland's Catholic Emancipation in the 1800s, which sought to end all the laws that Britain had imposed on Irish Catholics to basically disenfranchise them. The heroine is the last living symbol of the Irish Catholic rebels. After a failed rebellion, she is taken prisoner by the hero, a British aristocrat who is an influential member of the British government. They fall in love and eventually join forces towards the goal of achieving Irish Catholic Emancipation while avoiding anymore bloodshed. The heroine campaigns in the ballrooms and drawing rooms of the Ton rather than on battlefields. Equipped with a fashionable wardrobe, she moves through the glittering circles of the English aristocracy, dazzling them as she dazzled the hero. There are some very minor OW/OM drama but the real discord between the hero and heroine stems from political principles rather than romantic entanglements or misunderstandings. All in all, a well written Joan Wolf book that her fans will undoubtedly enjoy but not a typical frothy historical romance that some readers might expect.
A Difficult Truce centers on Ireland's Catholic Emancipation in the 1800s, which sought to end all the laws that Britain had imposed on Irish Catholics to basically disenfranchise them. The heroine is the last living symbol of the Irish Catholic rebels. After a failed rebellion, she is taken prisoner by the hero, a British aristocrat who is an influential member of the British government. They fall in love and eventually join forces towards the goal of achieving Irish Catholic Emancipation while avoiding anymore bloodshed. The heroine campaigns in the ballrooms and drawing rooms of the Ton rather than on battlefields. Equipped with a fashionable wardrobe, she moves through the glittering circles of the English aristocracy, dazzling them as she dazzled the hero. There are some very minor OW/OM drama but the real discord between the hero and heroine stems from political principles rather than romantic entanglements or misunderstandings. All in all, a well written Joan Wolf book that her fans will undoubtedly enjoy but not a typical frothy historical romance that some readers might expect.
January 28, 2022
Wowza! Joan Wolf never ceases to amaze me. When I think of her, there is one characteristic that comes to my mind “talent”. She is nowhere near a cookie cutter author. I’ve lost count how many Joan Wolf books I’ve read but each one feels different to me. I can’t explain it. I love each one in their unique way. A Difficult Truce blew me away. I should have known when I read the Author’s Note in the beginning of the book. In fact, I have a suggestion for future readers; If the synopsis sparks your interest, then read the Author’s note before you begin. If you are still intrigued, then go for it. This is a true historical romance! Personally, I don’t come anywhere close to being a history buff. Why I like historical romance books is incomprehensible to me. Regardless, I love them and before this book I couldn’t tell you anything about Irish history and their battle for the Catholic Emancipation. I now know more about the struggle then I’d ever want to know thanks to Joan Wolf who magically spun a romance in that history lesson. Now that I think about it, if history class was taught like this in school, then I’d might have liked the class. That thought just made me giggle.
Joan Wolf states in her note that her purpose was “solely to create what I hope is a good story”. I for one can testify that A Difficult Truce was an excellent story. I was torn apart for the hero, Dacre, and the heroine, Christina. I should have known after reading the synopsis that I was going to be emotionally distressed. The synopsis says in capital letters, “How could she vow to love the man she was sworn to hate?”.
The answer to that question is easy, because the Duke of Dacre was dream worthy. Dacre was open minded and possessed a heart of gold. It didn’t matter how “fiercely independent born-and-bred rebel” Christina was because Dacre was irresistible. I fell in love with both of them. Their romance was very slow, but they had major outside obstacles in their way. I became a “prisoner of their love”. I’m not going to lie; I was anxious for them. I wasn’t sure if they were going to reach their happily ever after.
To say I was entertained is putting it mildly. There was a large cast of characters, but the focal point was Dacre and Christina which kept the pace of the story consistently moving forward.
I was speechless when I finished this book because I felt bad for the Irish. Joan Wolf wrote in her Author’s note that she “took the liberty of compressing a whole century of Irish history into a few years’ time.” I couldn’t help but feel horrible for the way the Irish were treated back then.
I definitely feel this was one of Joan Wolf’s better books and worthy of putting on my “keeper’s shelf”. I’d encourage anyone who enjoys a true historical romance to start reading this book as soon as possible. It was an educational and entertaining read for me.
Joan Wolf states in her note that her purpose was “solely to create what I hope is a good story”. I for one can testify that A Difficult Truce was an excellent story. I was torn apart for the hero, Dacre, and the heroine, Christina. I should have known after reading the synopsis that I was going to be emotionally distressed. The synopsis says in capital letters, “How could she vow to love the man she was sworn to hate?”.
The answer to that question is easy, because the Duke of Dacre was dream worthy. Dacre was open minded and possessed a heart of gold. It didn’t matter how “fiercely independent born-and-bred rebel” Christina was because Dacre was irresistible. I fell in love with both of them. Their romance was very slow, but they had major outside obstacles in their way. I became a “prisoner of their love”. I’m not going to lie; I was anxious for them. I wasn’t sure if they were going to reach their happily ever after.
To say I was entertained is putting it mildly. There was a large cast of characters, but the focal point was Dacre and Christina which kept the pace of the story consistently moving forward.
I was speechless when I finished this book because I felt bad for the Irish. Joan Wolf wrote in her Author’s note that she “took the liberty of compressing a whole century of Irish history into a few years’ time.” I couldn’t help but feel horrible for the way the Irish were treated back then.
I definitely feel this was one of Joan Wolf’s better books and worthy of putting on my “keeper’s shelf”. I’d encourage anyone who enjoys a true historical romance to start reading this book as soon as possible. It was an educational and entertaining read for me.
July 30, 2008
"Taken captive by her ancestral enemies, the hated British, beautiful Irish aristocrat Christina MacCarthy had only one route of escape: marriage to one of England's most powerful, dangerously handsome lords, the Duke of Dacre. In his embrace, Christina would have to fight a threat more perilous than a stone cell and chains . . . the prison walls of love. "
Wolf starts the story by explaining how she changed some historical details to suit her story and explains which they were. I quite liked that. Given that i'm not really familiar with this part of Irish history it was something I would not have noticed but I appreciated the fact that she explained it.
The book deals with the fight of the Irish catholics to have their rights recognised and to have to own the land, that was in the hands of the british or the few protestant Irish nobility. Christina Maccarthy is, after her father is killed, the symbol of that fight till she is forced to surrender to the british.
Her captor is the earl of Dacre and as he gets to know Christina better he starts to feel the injustice being done to Ireland and to understand her fight. Imprisioned and trying to maintain her position Christina stops eating and it's Dacre who eventually convinces her to stop and that marrying him she will have an ally in fighting for Ireland. It is clear that by then they are both in love with each other.
I did like both Christina and Dacre who were sensible and level headed even when they had different opinions about how to deal with the political situation and I was a bit surprised that this book almost felt like historical fiction. It was a poleasant surprise to me that so much space was given to explaining the political situation in both England and Ireland and if it hadn't been for the mentioned author's note in the beginning I would believe I was reading about the intervenients in such an important period for Ireland. In fact Christina and Dacre's relationship evolves in accordance to the political changes and not due to their behaviour toward one another.
Grade: B
Wolf starts the story by explaining how she changed some historical details to suit her story and explains which they were. I quite liked that. Given that i'm not really familiar with this part of Irish history it was something I would not have noticed but I appreciated the fact that she explained it.
The book deals with the fight of the Irish catholics to have their rights recognised and to have to own the land, that was in the hands of the british or the few protestant Irish nobility. Christina Maccarthy is, after her father is killed, the symbol of that fight till she is forced to surrender to the british.
Her captor is the earl of Dacre and as he gets to know Christina better he starts to feel the injustice being done to Ireland and to understand her fight. Imprisioned and trying to maintain her position Christina stops eating and it's Dacre who eventually convinces her to stop and that marrying him she will have an ally in fighting for Ireland. It is clear that by then they are both in love with each other.
I did like both Christina and Dacre who were sensible and level headed even when they had different opinions about how to deal with the political situation and I was a bit surprised that this book almost felt like historical fiction. It was a poleasant surprise to me that so much space was given to explaining the political situation in both England and Ireland and if it hadn't been for the mentioned author's note in the beginning I would believe I was reading about the intervenients in such an important period for Ireland. In fact Christina and Dacre's relationship evolves in accordance to the political changes and not due to their behaviour toward one another.
Grade: B
July 11, 2009
I learned that someone as gifted as Joan Wolf could simplify a critical period of over one hundred years, into a book that could at best be called historical. This book is only for those who skim history with no background to make it unacceptable.
June 14, 2012
Tedious with a martyrlike heroine.
August 9, 2025
4.5 stars. Not as romantic as some but an extremely well told story!
June 20, 2016
25% romance
75% politics
The romance was interspersed with politics until it wound up at around 40%. After that, it was unrelentingly political with brief snippets of the couple's affectionate moments slipped in occasionally.
The politics--Ireland's land reform and the downtrodden peasantry and the fuss over Catholicism and election to Parliament--was actually pretty interesting. I'd have rated it a 4 if it were marketed as a historical rewriting rather than a romance.
75% politics
The romance was interspersed with politics until it wound up at around 40%. After that, it was unrelentingly political with brief snippets of the couple's affectionate moments slipped in occasionally.
The politics--Ireland's land reform and the downtrodden peasantry and the fuss over Catholicism and election to Parliament--was actually pretty interesting. I'd have rated it a 4 if it were marketed as a historical rewriting rather than a romance.
March 14, 2024
Non do mai cinque stelle a un 'romanzo di intrattenimento'; ma questo non lo è. Stavolta, nonostante le confessate imprecisioni cronologiche, questo libro di JW ha per me raggiunto il livello di un vero 'romanzo storico'. L'intenso, coinvolgente 'romance' che ne costituisce la trama diventa lo spunto per mettere in campo un problema che per diversi secoli (e in qualche misura ancora) ha tormentato il 'Regno Unito', i rapporti tra la cattolica Irlanda e l'Inghilterra protestante.
Ho apprezzato molto la capacità dell'autrice di evocare situazioni e sentimenti senza smancerie o banalizzazioni. Ad esempio, a p. 153, quando, nel bel mezzo di una scena tumultuosa, la giovane moglie irlandese del duca perde i sensi, l'autrice decide di assumere il punto di vista dell'ospite presente alla scena, in parte responsabile dell'accaduto: «Dacre spoke to her in a voice that Lord Henry had never heard from him before and Christina murmured something in reply. The Duke gathered his wife in his arms and lifted her gently». Non oso immaginare quante decine di righe avrebbe speso, per raccontare un episodio del genere, un autore meno abile o meno raffinato.
Ah, e che delizia quelle citazioni da Yeats, che sembravano tutte tagliate su misura per ogni capitolo!
Ho apprezzato molto la capacità dell'autrice di evocare situazioni e sentimenti senza smancerie o banalizzazioni. Ad esempio, a p. 153, quando, nel bel mezzo di una scena tumultuosa, la giovane moglie irlandese del duca perde i sensi, l'autrice decide di assumere il punto di vista dell'ospite presente alla scena, in parte responsabile dell'accaduto: «Dacre spoke to her in a voice that Lord Henry had never heard from him before and Christina murmured something in reply. The Duke gathered his wife in his arms and lifted her gently». Non oso immaginare quante decine di righe avrebbe speso, per raccontare un episodio del genere, un autore meno abile o meno raffinato.
Ah, e che delizia quelle citazioni da Yeats, che sembravano tutte tagliate su misura per ogni capitolo!
January 4, 2026
Very heavy on politics, and light on the romance.
I appreciate the way Joan Wolf brings history and tensions of allegiance and duty to higher causes into the story.
Christina and Charles are both a bit too perfect. Their insta-love wasnt really moving to me, and there wasnt much shown in the story to justify either of their unwavering love to eachother. The arc of this story is entirely about the political changes in Ireland and not about the individual characters.
Despite my love of Irish history, this may be one of my least favorite Joan Wolf books from the Signet Series. It isn't bad, but I lacked a connection to the MC and wasnt pulled in enough to their individual characters and story.
I appreciate the way Joan Wolf brings history and tensions of allegiance and duty to higher causes into the story.
Christina and Charles are both a bit too perfect. Their insta-love wasnt really moving to me, and there wasnt much shown in the story to justify either of their unwavering love to eachother. The arc of this story is entirely about the political changes in Ireland and not about the individual characters.
Despite my love of Irish history, this may be one of my least favorite Joan Wolf books from the Signet Series. It isn't bad, but I lacked a connection to the MC and wasnt pulled in enough to their individual characters and story.
October 25, 2023
This had a romance underneath the Irish/English politics, but I was skimming most of the book to find it.
May 13, 2014
Love comes in it's own time. Glorious backdrop of Irish independence or at least the best they could get.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews