The Time of Singing by Elizabeth Chadwick

Tags

elizabeth chadwick, historical fiction, medieval

Another winner from Chadwick!

The Time of Singing retells the story of Roger Bigod, son of Hugh Bigod Earl of Norfolk, who joined the younger Henry in his revolt against his father Henry II. When the revolt fails Hugh loses the Earldom and lands and when he dies there is a bitter dispute over the right to inherit the Earldom between Roger and his step-mother and her two sons. While Roger serves Henry and bides his time to claim his Earldom young Ida de Tosney arrives in court as the King’s ward. Henry is smitten and has other plans for Ida and he makes her his mistress and she eventually bears him a son, William. Unhappy with her position as mistress to the king, Ida casts her hopes on Roger and Henry allows them to marry — although she must leave her son behind.

Henry still withholds the Earldom, but he does restore some of their lands and Ida and Roger build a life and family together and begin rebuild Framlingham Castle to greater heights than it was before. Once Richard I takes the crown at the death of Henry the Earldom is restored to Roger, and the rest of the book recounts their lives as they struggle to keep everything they hold dear as the battle lines are drawn during Richard’s absence on crusade and subsequent kidnapping threatens to bankrupt England.

A very enjoyable surprise for me was the appearance of my personal favorite hero, William Marshal – I did not expect him at all, or to feature so prominently – but it appears Bigod and Marshal were contemporaries and friends. Another big surprise was Ida’s son William – who readers of fiction set during the reigns of John and Henry III will recognize as William Longespée, and I have to admit many of my favorite moments in the book were of William and his attempts at a relationship with his mother, Roger and their children.

While I enjoyed this book very much, this is not an action packed, page turning, sit on the edge of your seat type of book, but one to sit back and savor like a fine red wine or a box of chocolates (or both!!). As always with Chadwick’s books, the way she brings the medieval period to life in such a graceful and effortless way, be it the sights, sounds, smells, food, clothes and battles is just awesome. As quoted on some of her book jackets, the next best thing to time travel. And coming very soon is the sequel, To Defy A King. Don’t miss it.

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Sands of Gold by Day Taylor

Tags

california, historical romance

  Now that is the kind of cover I’d be ashamed to take on the airplane!!

This book continues the story of the Morrison, McKay and Gentry family begun in Magnificent Dream. Gold has been discovered at Sutter’s fort and the Gentry twins take different paths towards obtaining their fortunes – Cameron wheels and deals in burgeoning San Francisco as Robin heads for the hills with dreams of a big strike. Mormon Sam Brannan continues to amass great wealth as he has his fingers in every pie in California, but he also ignites the ire of Brigham Young and the LDS church. Susannah’s embittered brother Landry finally leaves New York bent on revenge against his father and former wife, as does her step-brother Asa who is now a member of the Danite sect of the LDS church (oooh, he’s a baddie).

That’s really all I can put into words on what the story is about – I don’t write book reports. I did find this a bit of a let-down from the first book, there was an awful lot of telling instead of showing as Day recounted California’s history and at times I felt like I was on the outside looking in – even the horrors of the fires were mostly recounted second hand – I want to be there. That said, seeing a lot of California’s growth from the point of view of Sam Brannan and his involvement with the Mormons was interesting, as well as the author’s insights into the workings and mindset of the LDS Church (it appears she knows what she’s talking about).

There was a tad bit more sex in the first parts of this book than the prior one, but still quite tame compared to today’s standards. I thought the freedom Susannah and Fiona were allowed a tad bit unrealistic, especially Susannah openly living with Cameron prior to being married and no one (not even her strict Mormon papa) raised an eyebrow?? Tollie being allowed to leave Ezra’s home at will and run around to saloons with Sam Brannan?? In the end this is a good book but not a great one – and despite that very cheesy cover I doubt a mainstream romance reader would enjoy this. It really is more history than romance, plus if you have to have a picture perfect HEA this is most definitely not the book for you.

For those interested in a really well told tale of old San Francisco and the Gold Rush I highly recommend Gwen Bristow’s Calico Palace.

Claude & Camille: A Novel of Monet ~ Stephanie Cowell

Tags

france

This grand romance could use a lot more passion…

The story begins in 1857 and is interspersed with “interludes” wherein the aging Claude Monet reflects back on his early life, when he is first drawn to the lure of painting. Despite the efforts of his family and a brief stint in the military, Claude is determined to return to Paris and paint, and when he does he meets Camille Doncieux whom he asks to model for him. That relationship between the two as they attempt to build a life together as well as the struggle to become a successful painter is the basis for the book, and since not much is known about Camille, author Stephanie Cowell has ample wiggle room to put her own spin on it.

Unfortunately, despite a lot of hype and great expectations this one just didn’t quite cut it for me. I was expecting a great passionate love story and instead I got something a bit too light. I didn’t find any depth or emotions with any of the characters, just stuff like this,

‘He sought her in bed that night, parting her legs and moving into her. She clung to him. “You’re not empty at all,” he said. I shall fill you with all that I am.”

“I shall give you all that I am.”

Only love me, I am the sea.”‘

*rolls eyes*

I didn’t pick up on much chemistry between the two, and instead of feeling great love and passion between them the author had to tell me it was there. But then I found a lot more telling then showing in this – especially with all those letters. This was a light, easy read but if you’re expecting an in-depth, all-encompassing look at Monet and his relationship with Camille I suspect you’ll be disappointed. I had a lot of fun reading about some of Monet’s works and how they came about (do go and look them up on the net), and a big thumbs up on the quotes from Monet and his fellow impressionists at the beginning of each chapter. This is a good book, it is just not a great one.

***

My copy courtesy of Amazon Vine.

The Place of Stones Constance Heaven

Tags

france, historical fiction, historical romance, napoleon

A game of cat and mouse

Emma Tremayne’s ne’er do well father suddenly decides to up take her on a pleasure trip Paris – but is it just for pleasure? Napoleon rules as First Consul and plans to invade England. Emma and her father are eventually detained by the French authorities along with several other English visitors, but her father manages to escape and he disappears entirely. Emma is rescued by Lucien de Fontenay, and he brings her to his family’s estate in Provence masquerading as governess to his younger brother, but even this quiet country estate soon begins to be a hot bed of spies and counter spies and Emma finds herself in the midst of a plot to kidnap Napoleon. Who can she trust? Lucien who she’s fallen in love with? Her father who still has quite a few secrets up his sleeve?

This was an easy, enjoyable read that had me guessing at most of the mysteries until the end and I never knew for sure who were the good guys and who was on the dark side. Emma was a clever enough heroine with just the right amount of spunk without going over board, and thankfully no sign of TSTL syndrome. This novel is very similar in style to Victoria Holt’s romantic suspense novels, from the heroine in peril not knowing whom to trust, the first person narrative and even a brief stint in Cornwall. Just right for a rainy afternoon.

Behold The Dream ~ Mary K. Pershall

California, 1840 – dissatisfied with the Mexican government some Californios plot for an independent nation while others wish to join the United States. The most powerful of the Dons, Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo, finds his niece Ariana Saldivar in the thick of the revolutionary plots and sends her off to a nunnery in Mexico for her own good. Lt. Jeremy Morgan, after disgracing himself at a White House Dinner and dismissed from service, arrives in Monterey with his spoiled debutante wife Beth to start a new career, although he does have a private agenda of his own. The Morgans soon settle into life in old Monterey, but a newly pregnant Beth longs for home and the comforts of New York.

It doesn’t take long before Jeremy is caught up in the midst of plots and counter plots, as well as a growing attraction to the beautiful Ariana. Can he resist her charms? Better yet, can he keep this budding revolutionist out of political hot water? Can she accept that the old ways might die, behold the dream and accept the destiny of a new California with Jeremy? Inquiring minds want to know but I am not telling.

Despite some flaws this was a pretty entertaining read and I’d recommend it for anyone looking for more on old California. There were a lot of annoying flashbacks at first telling some background story, but thankfully those mostly disappeared around page 100 or so. While the author took pains to explain how Ariana obtained so much freedom to come and go with her revolutionary cohorts it still was just a tad too pat at times. I found myself scratching my head once or twice when the amount of time that passed didn’t jive with common sense – those letters back and forth between the states sure came and went awfully quick, let alone Beth getting pregnant right after the wedding and the long voyage to California and when they get there she’s not big as a house?

Those quibbles aside, it was fun seeing the fictional characters mixed in with real historical people – Don Vallejo, Thomas Larkin and John C. Frémont to name a few. Ariana and Jeremy really sparkled when they did get together, but there just wasn’t enough of that – politics always got in the way – and I thought this _was_ a romance. A good book, just not a great one.  There is a sequel called Forever The Dream, that continues the story into the next generation.

The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye

Tags

british raj, historical fiction, india

I can’t believe I waited 25+ years to read this again!  Oh well, the first copy I had I loaned out and never got back. I would give this 10 stars if I could, I had forgotten how good this book was. Thank you Amazon, for recommending books and Listmania — so many wonderful books I would never have found or rediscovered without you! A truly wonderful story of star-crossed lovers, treachery, intrigue, heroism, honor and bigotry. The author has a great feel and understanding of India under the British Raj. The story of Ash and Juli (Anjuli) was incredible. I could literally feel Ash’s pain while he had to sit through watching Juli be married to the evil Maharajah.

The first 2/3 of the book deal with Ash and Julie’s early lives together, culminating in the rescue of Juli from being Suttee with her sister. Those pages have to be some of the most heart stopping, page turning, sit on the edge of your seat excitement that I have ever come across in a book (and I have read a few).

The last portion of the book gets away from Ash and Juli (although they are together) and slows down to tell the story of the British incursions into Afghanistan (sp?)and the resultant disaster of setting up a British mission in Kabul. Ash is still prominent as a “spy” for the guides, in the disguise of a native of the country, but while still a good read, the story takes on a different character from the first portions of the book.

I resolve never to loan this book out again so that I won’t lose it, and to keep it on my “to be read again and again” shelf throughout the years. Highly recommended.

As a side note, if you are searching for a book for a younger teen to read, this is a good choice. The few scenes between Ash and Juli that were sexual in nature were left mostly to one’s imagination. This author is capable of building her scenes without graphic play by play bodice ripping.  It’s a door stopper, but well worth the effort.

The Winter Mantle by Elizabeth Chadwick

Tags

elizabeth chadwick, historical fiction, medieval

 

The Winter Mantle begins in 1067 after The Conquest as Waltheof of Huntingdon and several other English nobles are kept under William’s close eye in Normandy. Waltheof desires William’s haughty niece Judith and is torn between making his peace with William and pressing suit for her hand or participating in further rebellion against the Norman conquerors. After one rebellion in the north fails, William forgives Waltheof and marries him to Judith, although she is torn between pride in her Norman ancestry and desire for her husband, and this eventually leads to discord in the marriage. Waltheof allows himself to be convinced to participate in one last attempt at overthrowing William, and this time with drastic results.

The story then takes up with the second generation, Waltheof’s beloved daughter Matilda and Norman courtier Simon de Senlis who at the behest of King William Rufus comes to take charge of the lands Judith inherited from Waltheof. Furious, the ever haughty Judith refuses to cooperate and wed Simon and he turns his eye to Matilda as a younger and more appealing choice. The story then continues as Matilda and Simon raise their children, and Judith finally comes to terms with her own guilt in Waltheof’s fate and his death as a traitor, as well as the consequences to Simon and Judith’s marriage from Simon’s actions on his return from the Crusades.

Based on true people, this was a lively entertaining tale and I very much enjoyed how the author was able to take such a snotty piece of goods like Judith and humanize her in the end – it really was a love/hate relationship between she and Waltheof and in many ways those two warring emotions are very much the same. As with all of her books, Chadwick has an amazing knack of bringing the medieval period to life, be it the sights, sounds, smells, food, clothing and more. Highly recommended and a side note that the tiny baby at the very end of the book has his own story in The Falcons of Montabard.

The Scarlet Lion by Elizabeth Chadwick

Historical fiction just doesn’t get any better than this. A wonderful tale of one of the most honorable men to grace this earth, William Marshal and his true partner in all things, his wife Isabelle.  The first novel, The Greatest Knight, covered more of William Marshal’s early life as a knight and courtier. This novel covers his life with Isabel and the dangers and terrors of living in the court of the King John, and then as regent for the young Henry III. I have to admit shedding more than a few tears at the last chapter, the end of Williams life.

I have read all of this author’s works that I can get my hands on and I am amazed at how consistly she is improving (not that the earlier works were poorly written at all). Always an excellent story, a great history lesson and it’s amazing how she effortlessly brings you into the sights, smells, sounds and life of another century. As someone else said, “The next best thing to time travel”.

The Greatest Knight by Elizabeth Chadwick

Tags

elizabeth chadwick, historical fiction, medieval

 

This was a wonderful story and much different from Chadwick’s previous books, but is to be somewhat expected as Marshal’s early life was one of duty to his lord(s) and not leaving much room for romance.

A fascinating look at a true, honorable and loyal man, who in the end was well rewarded for his loyalty by marriage to a wealthy heiress who became his life’s soul mate. Much of the book is involved with the treachery and intrigue of the Plantagenet court and their lives — you won’t see as much heart stopping page turning excitement as you might have found some of the author’s previous works, but still excellent reading just the same. It was also wonderful getting a closer look at those Plantagenets, Henry II, young Henry, Eleanor, Richard I and the always evil Prince John. It’s going to be even harder now to wait for Sharon Kay Penman’s third novel in her own trilogy of this family, The Devil’s Brood.

If you enjoy this book, do check out the sequel, The Scarlet Lion and the newly released prequel, A Place Beyond Courage (special order from the UK, not available in the US). As always with Chadwick’s books, the way she brings the medieval period to life in such a graceful and effortless way, be it the sights, sounds, smells, food, clothes and battles is just awesome. As quoted on some of her book jackets, the next best thing to time travel. Five stars.

A Love Through Time by Terri Brisbin

Tags

medieval, scotland, time slip

Pleasant reading

This is bit of a take-off on the Outlander premise of a circle of “singing stones” that can transport through time, albeit these stones were removed from the circle and built into an archway of a building. Our hero and heroine meet at a clan gathering, get shoved through the archway and are transported back through time. I could never figure out what year it was, I recall Edward III being mentioned as England’s king, and King David being the son of Robert the Bruce, so my research says sometime in the 14th century.

Anyway, our hero Alex is a double for the laird’s son and heir Alesander who has been away for five years in London with the Scott king David (who was being held as a hostage by the English). So he is mistaken for the young heir, and Maggie is taken as his leman (mistress). Lots of ups and downs follow our H&H as they try to understand what’s happened, and try to find their way home without being killed for pretending to be what they’re not.

All in all very entertaining, but you do have to suspend some disbelief. I am sorry, but no man of the our times (most especially an ACCOUNTANT!!) could go back to the 14th century and pick up a sword and even have a clue to what he was doing, let alone convince his peers that he was adept at it. Also, the author wrote the story so that Alex picked up a Scottish brogue and Gaelic when they went back in time, but no one noticed Maggie’s lack of English accent, let alone that she was from New Jersey. For those and a few other discrepancies I give it 4 stars instead of 5.

Note: if you are looking for something for a younger reader, this would not be a good choice. It’s a bit of a bodice ripper, with more sexual content and descriptions than is appropriate for a young teen. I believe there is a sequel but I haven’t tried to hunt it down.