Dorothy Dunnett’s TO LIE WITH LIONS – Freezing snow, erupting volcanoes and treachery! Masterful storytelling!

This may be my favorite in the House of Niccolo series. Dunnett has excelled in bringing Iceland to life and Nicholas’ heroic rescues from erupting volcanoes. It begins in 1471as Nicholas leaves on a new adventure, to Iceland, hoping to beat others  the fishery and catch a huge amount of cod. But that is not his only task. He must balance his loyalty to the Duke of Burgundy against the demands of the King of France. Beneath all is the game, a war he wages with his estranged wife who wronged him terribly. The “lions” of Burgundy, Cyprus, England, and Venice all play in the game.

 

Meanwhile, Nicholas faces treachery, erupting volcanos and the vengeance of his 11-year-old son, Henry, who believes he is the son of Simon of Kilmirren, Nicholas’ enemy. Henry tries to kill both Nicholas and his son Jodi.

 

Woven throughout the action is interesting history of the “lions” and the merchant business that has made Nicholas a wealthy man.

 

Gelis, Nicholas’ wife is nasty piece. One view would see her as the woman who ruined a great man, diverting his huge talents to a game that is beneath him. But Nicholas would win at all costs. His son, Jordi, is winsome and loves both his parents.

 

Wonderful characters populate every page, including Julius, Gregorio, Kathi, Robin, Clemence, the nurse, Tobi, the doctor. And then there is Nicholas’ magnificent Nativity Play, a work that astounds all.

 

I highly recommend this series but read them in order.

 

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising

Spring of the Ram

Race of Scorpions

Scales of Gold

The Unicorn Hunt

To Lie with Lions

Caprice and Rondo

Gemini (2000)

 

 

 

Dorothy Dunnett’s RACE OF SCORPIONS, House of Niccolo, book 3, Another Worthy 15th Century Adventure!

Reading this series is like watching a juggler with 20 balls in the air, hoping he doesn’t drop one. You can’t possibly remember all the characters or historical figures as you are swept along but, captivated, you don’t mind.

Set in 1462, this one finds Nicholas at 21, wealthy and looking for his next adventure. Marian, his beloved wife has died and his two stepdaughters have locked him out of the family business. So he pursues his future elsewhere. He and his private army are wanted by both factions seeking to control Cyprus. Both contenders for the throne, Queen Carlotta and her bastard brother, James, are vying Nicholas’ support.

 

As always, Nicholas must deal with adversaries and allies, from the courtesan Primaflora, who becomes his mistress and then something more, to the Mameluke commander, Tzani-Bey al Ablak, an evil man who has cruelly used Nicholas and Nicholas vows revenge.

 

Several things were unclear to me at the beginning, left over from the last book. Why does everyone always think the worst of our hero? Why does Katerina van Borselen hate him when it was she who came to his bed—twice? Why do his friends often assume his motives are bad? Well, this time we get answers to many of those questions as Nicholas and his merchant team confront dangers and treachery in Cyprus. A worthy story and I’m on to the next one.

 

The House of Niccolo Series:

 

Niccolò Rising (1986)

Spring of the Ram (1987)

Race of Scorpions (1989)

Scales of Gold (1991)

The Unicorn Hunt (1993)

To Lie with Lions (1995)

Caprice and Rondo (1997)

Gemini (2000)

 

Bertrice Small’s BIANCA – Intriguing Love Story from Florence and the Black Sea in the 15th century!

Set in Florence and the area around the Black Sea, beginning in 1474, this is the story of Bianca, oldest daughter of Giovanni Pietro d’Angelo, a Florentine silk merchant. When his son’s indiscretion threatens to ruin the family, Giovanni is blackmailed into giving Bianca in marriage to the debauched blackguard Sebastiano Rovere. Rovere treats his delicate new bride abysmally and she loathes and fears him.

Her mother, appalled at what has befallen her daughter, helps Bianca flee to a seaside villa where she meets Prince Amir, grandson of Memhet the Conqueror. Two years later, Bianca’s husband is murdered (I couldn’t have been happier), leaving her free to find love with Amir. She wants no husband and would have him for her lover, but neither Amir (who wants her for his 3^rd wife) nor her mother (who considers him an infidel) accepts that decision.

Ms. Small never holds back on the evil of others, so the beginning of the book shows in vivid terms the perversions of Rovere. But once we are at the sea cliff villa, beauty is restored. Amir is a gallant, romantic man who loves Bianca. And Bianca has changed from the docile, obedient daughter to a strong woman bent on her own destiny.

 

It’s a fascinating look at the culture of the day in both Florence and in the world of the merchants of the Black Sea. A good start to a new series for Ms. Small.

 

The Silk Merchant’s Daughters series:

Bianca

Francesca

Lucianna

Serena

 

Bertrice Small’s THE BORDER LORD AND THE LADY – Captivating and Unique!

Once I got past the realization that Bertrice Small historical romances are very different than others, the things that at first distracted (long narratives, repeated scenes told through different characters’ eyes, and “head hopping” from one character’s perspective to another in rapid succession) became a rich background for a captivating story. Then, too, one has to love the historical part of historical romance as Small gives you a lot of what was going on at the time, including the food they ate. Finally, her stories do not all have one hero and one heroine who live happily ever after. The Border Lord and the Lady is just such a book. Oh, there is a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but it won’t be what you expect. Nevertheless, it is very realistic for the time (15th century) and the place (the border between Scotland and England). And it's a wonderful story.

Lady Cicely Bowen was the much-loved daughter of her widowed father, the Earl of Leighton. But when he remarries, his new wife is so jealous that the earl has to send Cicely away to foster at court to ensure her safety. There, living in Queen Joan’s household, she becomes a lady and the best friend of the king's cousin, Lady Joan Beaufort. When her cousin marries the young James Stewart, King of Scots, Cicely follows her to Scotland. There Cicely expects to have her choice of husbands, as promised by her father and agreed to by King James. But one of the border lords, Ian Douglas, laird of Glengorm, is smitten with her and decides she is the only one for him. Tired of fighting her other suitors for access to her, he engages in a bit of bride stealing, practically a tradition in Scotland.

To say this is the love story of Cicely and Ian is only part of the story. This tale goes on for several years and much happens in the lives of all those in Scotland who are a part of Cicely's life. I won’t spoil it for you but I will say I was a bit shocked when certain events happened. But I did recognize it as reality and got over it very quickly as the story continued to intrigue me. I highly recommend this one.

Also, I recommend reading Small’s Betrayed with or before this romance. It is the story of Fiona Hay, introduced in The Border Lord and The Lady, and it’s a worthy read.

Here’s the Border Chronicles series:

A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion

Heather Graham’s LIE DOWN IN ROSES – Great Storytelling in a Wonderful Medieval Romance

This one is hard to put down and very well written, but with some disturbing elements. Set in the 15th century England during the time of the War of the Roses (when Richard III and Henry Tudor compete for the throne), this is the story of Lady Genevieve whose family seat is Edenby Castle, a lovely place on the English coast.

When Lord Tristan, nobleman and knight loyal to Henry Tudor, asks for her father to feed his knights and is denied based on the family's loyalty to Richard III, the anger of Henry Tudor rises. He tells Tristan to take the castle and do whatever he wants with Genevieve. In the process, her father, many of his men and her much loved fiancé are killed and she is left the "lord of the castle" to negotiate with Tristan.

Following a plan conceived by others, she lures Tristan and his men into a trap that backfires. Tristan is bitter with what he perceives as her treachery, but wants the lady for his pleasure so he takes her. Thereafter, he treats her abysmally, locking her away in various rooms of the castle. Throughout this, Tristan undertakes battles for King Henry, all successful, and grows in stature, power and wealth within the English court.

You really feel for Genevieve, however, the beautiful, proud and courageous young woman who is forced to become his prisoner and his whore to her great shame without much of a life except for the nights he chooses to spend with her. And, yes, they do share a passion but it's hard to see how that can make up for being treated so badly. And how can he blame her when she repeatedly tries to escape? What woman wouldn't?

He has no interest in marrying her even when she becomes pregnant with his bastard child. But at least King Henry likes her and has a major role in the happy ending. I did find her folding to him at the end a bit difficult to believe. Not sure that would ever happen. Ah, but this is romance, right?

Jennifer Horsman’s FOREVER AND A LIFETIME: Handsome Swiss Hero, Strong Heroine and a Great Story!

This is a wonderful story. This one by Horsman, a favorite author of mine, has an amazingly complex plot set in an interesting time in history with well-developed characters, sexy love scenes and a hero, who is very virile, and at times a cad. This one also features the usual cats, vegetarians and mystical aspects that seem to characterize her romances.  

Set in Switzerland in the late 15^th century when the country was a loose confederation of independent small states called cantons, it tells about the time of Charles the Bold, Lord of Lucerne, who came to power in 1467. He is seeking to grow in power, but Bern sees this as a threat. In this story, our heroine, Lady Nichole Lucretia, Charles’ sister and a great healer, is being forced by her brother to marry the Duke of Uri to gain Charles another army. Nichole judges the duke to be an unjust and cruel man, and loving her people and being a headstrong and intelligent young woman, she refuses.

Charles imprisons her in an abbey to pressure her into complying but she isn’t there long when Jonpaul the Terrible abducts her. Jonpaul is the hero of the Burgundy War, the leader of the Basel Alliance—and their enemy. The Alliance wants to thwart Charles’ plans and they know defeating Nichole’s marriage will further their goal for peace. Jonpaul takes Nichole to his castle where she tries to resist the man even as she seeks escape. Theirs is a relationship of great passion and great conflict, as two strong personalities come together.

What I like about Horsman’s stories is that they are richly detailed and give me that intense feeling that keeps me turning pages. I like her strong heroines, too (none of those whiny females!).

There is great history, great passion and great deception—deception that is believable when it comes from someone you love.  I highly recommend it.

K.C. Bateman’s THE DEVIL TO PAY – Strong Hero Tames Feisty Heroine, Italian Style

Set in Italy in 1492, this is the story of Cara di Montessori whose uncle murdered her father and seized her castle. In his dying breath, her father told her to go to the infamous mercenary, Il Diavolo. Cara has known him since she was a child and is attracted to his strong male magnetism.

Alessandro del Sarto (Il Diavolo) knows he must marry to secure the peace he desires but none of the ladies presented to him hold his interest. Enter Cara with her need for a mercenary to regain her home and dispatch her uncle.

Alessandro wants Cara in his bed (he does not need her money) so he forces her to a bargain she has no intention of keeping: to sleep with him for a fortnight. After that he plans to marry her off to a worthy noble.

Much of this well-written story is taken up with Cara and Alessandro lusting after each other but neither admitting it. Cara repeatedly tries to escape and Alessandro—always a step ahead of her—easily finds her and brings her back to his castle where she succumbs to his kisses. Add to that the banter and bickering between them that persists to the end and you have your “strong hero tames feisty heroine” story. Not much history here but there is the flavor of medieval Italy with mention of the nobles of the time. The fight scenes that come later in the story are well done and exciting.

Heather Graham’s LIE DOWN IN ROSES – Great Storytelling in a Wonderful Medieval Romance

This one is hard to put down and very well written, but with some disturbing elements. Set in the 15th century England during the time of the War of the Roses (when Richard III and Henry Tudor compete for the throne), this is the story of Lady Genevieve whose family seat is Edenby Castle, a lovely place on the English coast.

When Lord Tristan, nobleman and knight loyal to Henry Tudor, asks for her father to feed his knights and is denied based on the family's loyalty to Richard III, the anger of Henry Tudor rises. He tells Tristan to take the castle and do whatever he wants with Genevieve. In the process, her father, many of his men and her much loved fiancé are killed and she is left the "lord of the castle" to negotiate with Tristan.

Following a plan conceived by others, she lures Tristan and his men into a trap that backfires. Tristan is bitter with what he perceives as her treachery, but wants the lady for his pleasure so he takes her. Thereafter, he treats her abysmally, locking her away in various rooms of the castle. Throughout this, Tristan undertakes battles for King Henry, all successful, and grows in stature, power and wealth within the English court.

You really feel for Genevieve, however, the beautiful, proud and courageous young woman who is forced to become his prisoner and his whore to her great shame without much of a life except for the nights he chooses to spend with her. And, yes, they do share a passion but it's hard to see how that can make up for being treated so badly. And how can he blame her when she repeatedly tries to escape? What woman wouldn't?

He has no interest in marrying her even when she becomes pregnant with his bastard child. But at least King Henry likes her and has a major role in the happy ending. I did find her folding to him at the end a bit difficult to believe. Not sure that would ever happen. Ah, but this is romance, right?

Bertrice Small’s BIANCA – Intriguing Love Story from Florence and the Black Sea in the 15th century!

Set in Florence and the area around the Black Sea, beginning in 1474, this is the story of Bianca, oldest daughter of Giovanni Pietro d’Angelo, a Florentine silk merchant. When his son’s indiscretion threatens to ruin the family, Giovanni is blackmailed into giving Bianca in marriage to the debauched blackguard Sebastiano Rovere. Rovere treats his delicate new bride abysmally and she loathes and fears him.

Her mother, appalled at what has befallen her daughter, helps Bianca flee to a seaside villa where she meets Prince Amir, grandson of Memhet the Conqueror. Two years later, Bianca’s husband is murdered (I couldn’t have been happier), leaving her free to find love with Amir. She wants no husband and would have him for her lover, but neither Amir (who wants her for his 3^rd wife) nor her mother (who considers him an infidel) accepts that decision.

Ms. Small never holds back on the evil of others, so the beginning of the book shows in vivid terms the perversions of Rovere. But once we are at the sea cliff villa, beauty is restored. Amir is a gallant, romantic man who loves Bianca. And Bianca has changed from the docile, obedient daughter to a strong woman bent on her own destiny.

It’s a fascinating look at the culture of the day in both Florence and in the world of the merchants of the Black Sea. A good start to a new series for Ms. Small.

The Silk Merchant’s Daughters series:

Bianca

Francesca

Lucianna

Serena

Review: Rozsa Gaston’ SENSE OF TOUCH – Sweet Story of Love in 15th Century France

Set in France, beginning in 1497, this is the story of Nicole St. Sylvain and Philippe de Bois. Fifteen-year-old Nicole serves Anne of Brittany, Queen of France as one of her ladies. There she meets Philippe, a young horse trainer, breaking in one of the queen's stallions. The attraction between the two is immediate, but Nicole and Philippe have only a brief time to love before duty and honor separate them.

The daughter of a wealthy merchant, Nicole awaits an arranged marriage to a man of a noble family. She loves the queen and will do her duty even though she has given her heart to Philippe. She has a gift with healing herbs and a touch that heals, both horses and people. After the loss of many of her babes, the queen finally gives birth to a healthy girl. When the child falls ill, she asks Nicole to help. The queen has promised to grant one favor to any who can save her child.

The history is woven into the story and you are swept into the 15^th and early 16^th century and to the court of Queen Anne and all she endures trying to bring a child into the world. It’s as much Anne’s story as it is Nicole’s. Anne is an independent young woman who makes her own way in a rigid world. Philippe manages to rise in a society that affords little opportunity to do so.

For fans of historical romance that love the history, this will be a great choice. There are some repetitions that slow the pace a bit, and the ending comes quickly, but still, it’s a wonderful story, beautifully told.

Review: Rebecca Brandewyne’s ROSE OF RAPTURE - Superb Medieval Romance Steeped in War of the Roses History

I knew this story, set in the 15^th century, was going to make me cry when at the beginning Isabella, age 25, is saying goodbye to the ghosts that haunt her...all those who died in what would become known as the War of the Roses...all those she loved. And then we are sent back 20 years to where it began, when she was just a young child raised among the nobility.

With the death of her parents, she became the mistress of Rushden Castle. She and her treasured brother Giles, who is only a bit older than she and now Lord of Rushden, will have a "warden" appointed by the king to see to the young children's needs. But King Edward IV does not give them a kind man and so their youth is a hard one. Isabella's only solace is in her menagerie in the stables where she cares for and heals hurt animals.

The novel is divided into five "books": Against the Summer Sky, The Rose of Rapture, The Windswept Moors, Tears and Lonely Sojourn. Book one begins in 1490, then we're back to 1470, then back to 1453 as we experience the beginning of Warrick ap Tremayne, a half Welsh bastard of an English lord who grows up at his father's castle, Hawkhurst, to be a favored knight of Edward. When their first warden dies, the king makes Warrick the new warden of Rushden, and though he has no desire to marry, betroths him to Isabella, now 15. But she loves another...

This tale is rich in the history of the time, so much so that at times I had trouble holding all the names in my head as Brandyewyne weaves a complex tale of deception, intrigue, mystery and betrayal. The lives of all are influenced by the battle for the English throne that takes on the appearance of a game of musical chairs before it's done.

I'll warn you the ending is bittersweet, but it's a great love story...a well told tale of two worthy characters living in a tumultuous time. I highly recommend it.

Review: Adriana Girolami’s TEMPLAR’S REDEMPTION - Unusual Action-Packed Medieval Historical

Set in 1485 in a mythical kingdom, this is the story of Polyxena of Nemours, Duchess of Lorengard-Lorraine, who, as the story opens, is living an idyllic life with her husband, Arsenio, Duke of Lorengard-Lorraine. Into their lives comes a conniving woman, Melora, who becomes Polyxena’s lady in waiting, all the while serving her own evil purposes.

The story refers to others in the series so I recommend reading them in order. Polyxena harbors guilt from her time as a captive of the Muslim leader, Lord Zanar (in another story). And, when Zanar suddenly appears, she worries what he intends. (We do not learn for some time).

The author has a unique style that brings the story to us mostly through a narrator’s storytelling, which takes many paths. Occasionally there is an omniscient voice giving us a spot of history. The romance between Polyxena and Arsenio is not central to the story. As the story develops, we learn about one of Polyxena’s ancestors, Wilfred the Valiant, Third Duke of Nemours, and a “Templar's Treasure” he and her father were involved in protecting. The treasure, believed to be in Nemours, is now threatened by an evil sheik.

Polyxena is a perfect woman, beautiful, brave, able to hunt with the men, charge into battle and keep her handsome husband satisfied. Her only flaw seems to be her fear of her time with Zanar becoming known. It is that fear Melora plays on to get her position.

Many threads come together at the end and there is an exciting battle scene to look forward to.

The Templar Trilogy

The Mysterious Templar

The Crimson Amulet

Templar’s Redemption

Review: Bertrice Small’s A DANGEROUS LOVE – Wonderful and Unique Historical Romance… a Classic!

This was the first in the Border Chronicles series...and it's a good one. Small delivers a deep historical setting with well-developed characters whose life experiences are realistic for the time, in this case the late 15th century, and the place (the border between Scotland and England).

This first book tells of strong-willed Adair Radcliffe, the Countess of Stanton, and the "brat" (bastard daughter) of King Edward IV. When she is six, during the War of the Roses, her mother and her "adoptive" father are killed by the Lancasters, and she is taken into King Edward's household to be educated and raised in the royal nursery. At 16, she flees to her family's estate to avoid the king's plans to wed her to a Lancasterian. While she's on the run, the king marries her by proxy to a 14-year-old Tudor boy. When he shows up at her estate, Adair refuses to accept him but he is not in the picture long.

Her second marriage is to handsome neighbor Andrew Lynbridge who served Richard, Duke of Gloucester, brother to King Edward. But Andrew is killed along with the Duke, now King Richard, in a coup. The new Tudor king brands Adair a traitor for her husband's loyalty to King Richard and strips her of her title and property. Adair returns to her beloved home only to be taken into captivity by Scottish raiders and sold to border laird, Conal Bruce. Can she finally find love?

Small uses long narratives, repeated scenes told through different characters' eyes, and a well-woven tapestry of the characters’ lives to put you in the scenes. Of course, you must adjust your expectations for the hero and heroine. Not all have one love and live happily ever after. Oh, there will be a happy ending, don't get me wrong, but it won't be what you expect and maybe not with the hero you expect. But you will be swept away to the past and live an adventure!

The Border Chronicles series:

A Dangerous Love
The Border Lord's Bride
The Captive Heart
The Border Lord and the Lady
The Border Vixen
Bond of Passion

Review: Janet Lane’s CRIMSON SECRET – Love Amid the Wars of the Roses

This story is set in the 15^th century during what later came to be known as the Wars of the Roses, fought between supporters of two rival branches of the House of Plantagenet, Lancaster and York. While Lane has done considerable research for her story, I had to look up the wars to remind myself of the players.

Bridge builder Luke Penry (“Lord Penry” in the story, though he is a younger son) is on a mission for the Duke of York when he is discovered by Joya, the half-gypsy daughter of a nobleman loyal to King Henry who, because of his mental issues, is dominated by his ambitious queen, Margaret.

Joya considers Luke a traitor, but once he is taken prisoner, she repeatedly disobeys her father to see “the Yorkist”… and she keeps kissing him. (At that point, we do not have Luke’s point of view and so we do not know why he is interested in kissing her except possibly he won’t turn an anxious woman down.) She also convinces her father to allow Luke the run of a part of their castle.

I did find Luke a more compelling hero than Joya was a heroine. He is an introvert, a loner and she is a social butterfly. While he has reservations about how they suit, he still pursues an intimate relationship with her.

Lane has an unusual writing style that was very clipped at the beginning but smoothed out as the story proceeded. Along the way, she introduced numerous characters that were just names to me. (I had no feel for who they were or what they looked like.) This is the 4^th book in a series (which I did not know when I first began the story), and it may be necessary to read the others in the series first to follow all of the characters. I do recommend that.

A few modern words threw me (fiancé, meaning a betrothed person, dates from the Victorian era; smoke-screen from the 20^th century, etc.). And, regrettably, the map is too small in the Kindle version to see. But for those who love well-researched historicals that include real history, and who read the series from the beginning, this is a great find.

On Amazon

And if you want to start with book 1, Tabor's Trinket, it's HERE.

New Review: Bertrice Small’s BETRAYED – Gripping Scottish Story of Love Denied and Reclaimed

This romance is well named for it seems everyone in it is betrayed or betrays or both. It's a gripping story of love denied and reclaimed with all of the historical details and sensual scenes Small's fans have come to love. Like all her stories, this is not a typical historical romance. The hero and heroine are separated, people you come to love die...yeah, it's a Bertrice Small story.

We first met Fiona Hay at the court of James I in The Border Lord and The Lady, book 4 in the Border Chronicles series, where she appears as the beautiful mistress of Angus Gordon, a clan chieftain and friend of King James. Then suddenly the MacDonald of Nairn steals her and we hear no more. I just knew there was a story there so I tracked this book down...this is Fiona’s story.

The story begins in 1422 when then Prince James is a captive of the English throne. Fiona Hay is 15 and the eldest daughter of her parents, who are both dead. She has 5 sisters and promised her mother on her deathbed that she would see them all married. One has been wed but she has four more to see to the altar. In order to pay their dowers she has stolen cattle from the 25-year-old laird, Angus Gordon. When she is caught, Angus exacts as a price her maidenhead and takes her as his mistress. Right away I didn't like him, as she was an innocent just trying to care for her family. He could have made her his wife, as his sister urged him to do, but no. He deserved to lose her.

Two years later, James Stewart is now on the throne of Scotland and Angus visits him at court parading Fiona as his mistress before all at court. While he has fallen in love with her, he won't tell her. (Big mistake!)

When King James sees that Colin MacDonald, the laird of Nairn, is taken with Fiona, he takes advantage of the chance to plant a spy in the Highlands and sends Angus off on a mission and tells Fiona the laird of Nairn will abduct her, but that she must go with him. He also tells her that he has picked a bride for Angus and it isn't her. She is distraught but feels she has little choice.

Colin MacDonald loves Fiona enough to steal her but not apparently enough to allow her the man she loves. Thus, three men, none of whom is deserving of her, have betrayed poor Fiona. But the worst betrayal was the king's for he lied to her repeatedly for his own selfish gain, causing her much heartbreak.

Pregnant with Angus' child, Fiona finds herself in the Highlands and handfasted to Colin MacDonald, who thinks the child is his. 

It’s a gripping story of betrayal, of love lost and regained. I promise you won’t be bored. The story kept me reading late at night as few have. I had to know how this would turn out. I did think that Small left Angus and Fiona too long apart. Poor Fiona was too long with the wrong man though he turned out to be a good one. 

  Buy on Amazon