L'Heritiere de Sainte-Colombe

Knights of Champagne #4

by Carol Townend

Chevaliers des terres de Champagne TOME 4Pour la sauver d'un terrible mariage, il n'a qu'un recours: la mener lui-meme devant l'autel.Champagne, XIIe siecle Sortez ma fille de ce couvent, seduisez-la et arrangez-vous pour qu'elle vous epouse. Lorsque le comte Faramus lui donne cet ordre scandaleux, Eric est stupefait. Le vieil homme a-t-il perdu l'esprit ? Epouser la douce Roxane, a qui on lui defendait autrefois de parler, serait pour lui un honneur, mais pas sans son consentement ! Bien sur, Eric sait qu'il a une dette immense envers le comte, qui l'a recueilli enfant et a fait de lui un chevalier. Il sait aussi que s'il n'epouse pas Roxane Faramus sera contraint, pour garder son titre et ses terres, de la marier a l'intendant du chateau, un homme detestable qui la rendra tres malheureuse. Et ca, Eric ne le permettra jamais.A propos de l'auteur: Des sa scolarite dans un pensionnat religieux du Yorkshire, Carol Townend developpe une passion pour l'histoire medievale, qui la menera au Royal Holloway College de Londres. Primee a la parution de son premier roman, elle poursuit l'ecriture en prenant un plaisir tout particulier a voyager dans les lieux romantiques qu'elle choisit pour ses histoires."

Genres: Romance, Historical Romance, Harlequin, Historical Fiction, Historical

320 pages, ebook

First published December 1, 2015

About the author

Carol Townend writes atmospheric Historical Romances and Sagas set in England and Europe. Born in Yorkshire, she went to a convent school high on the Whitby cliffs. Later, she studied history at Royal Holloway College, London. She lives in London with her husband and daughter.

Carol's first novel, Sapphire in the Snow, won the RNA New Writers' Award. Two other novels were shortlisted for the RoNA Rose award - Betrothed to the Barbarian in 2013 and Unveiling Lady Clare in 2015.

Carol loves research, and spends too much time hunting for excuses to go on research trips. She can often be seen teetering on the battlements of various stately homes or castles.

Reviews

[Lynn Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

B- read, so 3.5 stars I'm always in the mood for a good medieval and unlike most on the market, this novel is set in France instead of England. The plot involves Lady Rowena, only child of the Count of Sainte-Columbe. She has professed a religious vocation and while normally the only child of a landed nobleman would be expected to marry to secure the succession, her godfather, the very pious King Louis IX, approved her entry into a convent.

This does not please Rowena's parents and so they have enlisted the aid of a knight, Eric of Monfort, who was one of the Count's most trusted men until he earned his own small manor holding. They ask Eric to essentially kidnap Rowena from her convent and force her to marry him. While the idea of marrying Rowena, whom he always liked, and becoming heir to the Sainte-Columbe lands holds plenty of appeal, Eric is not inclined to force a woman into marriage - or anything else.

This is to his credit. While Eric does go through and kidnap Rowena, he's got to be one of the most honorable kidnappers I've encountered in historical romance. He's not perfect, but he does treat Rowena decently and in the scenes where he takes her back to his manor at Monfort, we see him determined to deal fairly with those who serve under him at his holding as well. And then there's the romance of course. The courtship between Eric and Rowena is actually romantic, for all that it started off in a contrived fashion.

I wasn't sure what I would get with this book, but I ended up enjoying it quite a bit. There is all manner of adventure as it becomes obvious that someone does not want to see Rowena wed, and then there is the court intrigue that ensues as Rowena leaves her holy vocation and marries without royal permission.

I only had two major quibbles with the book and both are really spoilers, so I've hidden the text for those who don't want their read spoiled. First of all, the initial sex scene follows the "I thought you had been sleeping around but it turns out you're really a virgin - hooray!" plotline. I know this is a time-honored staple in historical romance, but it's a plot point I've never liked. And then with regard to the ultimate unmasking of the villain, the villain has plenty of logical reasons for doing what he's doing. However, the author makes sure to add in that he's also a religious fanatic. That fanaticism didn't really play a crucial role in the plot given the villain's other and more obvious motives, so the religion angle just seemed like a swipe at the faithful.

[Marzena · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eeek...

I'm so glad you abducted me!

This book is what happens when a twenty first's century mind writes a twelveth century love story. There is medieval wifey psychotherapy people!

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

quite enjoyable, closer to a 3.5 but not quite a 4 star book, entertaining read with interesting characters who sometimes ring too modern for medieval characters.

Entertaining, look forward to more in this series.

[Tina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.

Loved it! A well written and well rounded storyline that will keep your interest until the last page!

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: Knights of Champagne

[Harlequin Historical]

Miniseries: Knights of Champagne

[Susannah Carleton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting premise, but a lot of plot threads were unresolved at the end, which seemed abrupt.

[Karine Darnessy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un dernier tome qui m'a beaucoup plu. mon avis complet via le lien.
https://songedunenuitdete.com/2016/06...