New Review: Maureen Kurr’s NORTHWARD THE HEART – Entertaining Read But Not The Usual Viking Romance

This novel won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart award in 1984, and was published the year after. It is one of the classics from the time when historical romance was exploding and many new, wonderful authors entered the genre.

Set in the early 10th century when the Norwegians, Danes and Saxons were all enemies, and all vying for a piece of England, one Dane chieftain wants an alliance with Saxon King Edward of Wessex so they might join forces against the Norwegians. To gain leverage, Raff Olafsson kidnaps Edward’s sister AElfwyn, former Queen of Mercia, with a marriage of convenience in mind. Only it isn’t AElfwyn he has kidnapped—it’s Ambyre of Athelney, her handmaiden, and beloved ward of King Edward.

Ambyre lies to Raff to spare her mistress but wonders what she’ll tell him to escape the marriage. Then Ambyre’s tutor, a skinny Saxon who is in love with her, shows up and claims to be her husband thereby thwarting Raff’s marriage plans. All is quite the jumble until Ambyre falls in love with Raff and gives herself to him. Aware he has bedded a virgin, Raff is livid he’s been deceived.

It’s not your typical Viking romance in that there is no raid where the heroine is taken captive. Still, she is taken by the Danes (what the Saxons called the Vikings) and not returned for most of the story. Then, too, she is fully accepted by the Danes and becomes attached to her enemies. The marriage of convenience Raff has in mind will, for Ambyre, be one of love.

The story is well written, with some excellent twists and turns as Ambyre’s lies are slowly discovered. It held my interest though some will find it a bit slower than many of today’s stories (and it’s 472 pages!). The author took her time developing the relationships between the characters and the people groups populating England (incorrectly referred to as “races”) and obviously did a good amount of research to get the setting and the cultures right. For that I give her full marks.

One of the "Best of the Best" and Favorite Author: Nadine Crenshaw

I discovered Nadine Crenshaw when I was doing research (and reading) for my Best Viking Romances list. I was so taken with her novel VIKING GOLD, the first of hers I read, I ordered her whole backlist. They were all different and all wonderful—all worthy of 5 stars in my opinion. I simply devoured them.

Her first novel, MOUNTAIN MISTRESS, won the Golden Heart in 1987. I could not put it down and it would still sell well today. She wrote historicals from many time periods (see the list below). Her novel DESTINY AND DESIRE about three young women seeking their heart’s desires in San Francisco in 1915 profoundly affected me. She is one of those rare authors who consistently delivers keepers. I only wish she was writing today as I consider her one of the “best of the best.”

This week I’ll be featuring my reviews of some of her books I have loved.

MOUNTAIN MISTRESS (Golden Heart Winner, 1987) – the American West
CAPTIVE MELODY (1988) – 19th century American West
EDIN’S EMBRACE (1989) - Viking
SPELLBOUND (1990) – 12th century England
DESTINY AND DESIRE (1992) – San Francisco 1915
THE HIGHWAYMAN (1993) – 18th century England
VIKING GOLD (1995) - Viking
FIELDS OF THE SUN (1997) – 17th century England, Morocco and Brazil

For some reason, Crenshaw has not brought her backlist to eBooks so you’ll have to get them used. Trust me, it’s worth it.

My Latest Project: To Read the Golden Heart Historical Winners

Are you curious to see what kind of first books by romance authors are deemed worthy of a great prize by the Romance Writers of America? Well, I was. I decided to take a look at the work of the authors who won the prestigious Golden Heart Award in the historical romance category (at least since they have had the category). These are romance novels written by as yet unpublished authors. Many went on to write more romances, some had successful careers.

What is interesting to note is that many of the “big names” are missing from the list, names such as historical authors Heather Graham, Linda Lael Miller, Kathleen Woodiwiss and Elizabeth Lowell, though they won RWA’s Lifetime Achievement Award. And others, who won the Romantic Times best historical romance author awards are missing, like Marsha Canham, Bertrice Small, Connie Brockway, Maggie Osborne, Theresa Medeiros, Lisa Kleypas, and others. Many of the Golden Heart historical winners did not have long careers as romance authors, some none at all. So, not every writer of great historical romance is launched this way. And, of course, there are many other categories of the award. Still, the historical romance authors who garnered this coveted prize are worthy of our attention.

I decided it was a worthy project to try and read at least one by each author (if I could find them). They are listed below. Note that the early awards didn’t name the book titles, and some Golden Heart winners don’t provide that information on their websites. I will be posting reviews as I read them, beginning with Nadine Crenshaw’s Mountain Mistress today.

Golden Heart Historical Romance Winners:

2010: Between Heaven and Hell by Jacqui Nelson

2009: Butterfly Swords Jeannie Lin

2008: Wanting Finian by Kris Kennedy

2007: Sager’s Passion by Elaine Levine (published as Rachel and the Hired Gun)

2006: The Education of Mrs. Brimley by Donna MacMeans

2005: Ruined by Victoria Grondahl

2004: Once A Thief by Kimberly Snoke

2003: Unmasked by Diane Perkins

2002: Rules of Engagement by Kathryn Caskle

2001: Black Stone Keep by Gay Thornton

2000: Shades of Honor by Wendy Bores

1999: Tarleton’s Wife by Grace Ann Kone

1998: Star-Crossed by Tracy Cozzens

1997: The Path of The Wind by Deborah Hale

1998: White Roses by Janet Lee Nickoles

Before 1988, RWA didn’t identify the book title; in some cases I have identified them or the earliest book published by the author.

1995: Linda Needham (For My Lady’s Kiss)

1994: Stephanie Diane Maynard (Lord of Misrule)

1993: Donna Royer

1992: Kathleen Gerberick

1991: Susan Sizemore (Wings of the Storm)

1990: Christina Dodd (Candle in the Window)

1989: Anita Gordon (The Valiant Heart)

1988: Patricia Gaffney (Sweet Treason)

1987: Nadine Crenshaw (Mountain Mistress, reviewed in today’s blog)

1986: Jill Marie Landis (Sunflower)

1985: Linda Bartell (Alyssa)

1984: Maureen Kurr (Northward the Heart)

1983: Betina Lindsey (Waltz with the Lady)

Nadine Crenshaw’s MOUNTAIN MISTRESS – Captivating Western Historical!

This was Nadine Crenshaw’s first book and it won the Golden Heart Award in 1987. I can see why. Oh, I can hear you saying it’s just an old 80s romance. Well, not so. Crenshaw’s first novel would compete well with ANYTHING out there in romance today. Her writing is superb. Her story captivates—it’s a real page-turner, a keeper.

It is an all consuming, passionate story of the relationship between a Scottish born mountain man the Indians call “Waiting Cougar,” who takes an unwilling “winter squaw”—one he bought with beaver pelts from the Blackfeet Indians who captured her in a raid. Innocent, young Victorine Wellesley, with pale blonde hair and blue eyes, was raised in Philadelphia in the parlor rooms of elegant homes only to be forced to leave when her father died and her foolish brother took her west. Almost raped by the Blackfeet Indians who killed her brother and his wife, she is “rescued” by Cougar and forced to travel with him high into the Bitterroot Mountains—and to warm his bed of furs for the winter. He calls her “wife,” but she knows better. She is not a real wife, she’s only a “mountain mistress.”

Victorine, who Cougar names “Flame,” feels her identity slipping away as she begins to dress like a squaw, her beautiful fair skin turns brown from the sun and she falls victim to the passion he seems to draw from her at his will. You will be inspired as her courage rises to every challenge (and there are many in the wild mountains). As she has with all her subsequent romances, Crenshaw draws you into her story and into Victorine’s mind from the beginning. You can literally feel the anger and frustration rise in you as your sympathy for Victorine (“Flame”) grows with each day of the long journey into the mountains. She wants her freedom but she cannot resist the man who has led her into this life. Since she knows nothing of surviving in a wilderness, she is well and truly trapped.

Crenshaw presents accurately the essence of the era (19^th century American frontier), even the nuances in speech. She has the place names, history and Indian culture (Blackfeet and Salish) just right. In face, she has it ALL just right. It is such a good story!! I highly recommend it.