 "Wonderful story!" | 2008-06-06 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3R0WPFXCAK17S |
I discovered Jo Beverley by reading a story in another book. I liked it so much that I decided to read her other medieval books. I actually read this one out of order. I have yet to read Dark Champion, still even read on it's own, without really knowing the details of what happened to other characters mentioned in this novel, is worth it.
I loved the historical detail that was in Lord Of Midnight. I can't even imagine not having a say in who I married, not to mention marrying someone who killed a family member.
I couldn't put the book down until I was finished with it. |
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| "Loved it!" | 2008-04-13 |
| - Reviewed By User: A29B8QAH01LCGN |
| Really loved this book. It shows Beverley at her best. The gist is absorbing; the characters vivid and the story develops beautifully. Beverley is really a terrific storyteller. Besides, what she relates in her novels may well have had happened. Worth every penny! |
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 "A thoroughly entertaining read - could have been better, though" | 2007-08-21 |
| - Reviewed By ceci27 |
I found this book to be an engrossing read. The story flows easily and it kept my interest, which isn't surprising, given Jo Beverley's storytelling talent. That said, once I had closed the book, I found I had a few gripes with the story.
I realize that the premise was a difficult one: could Claire love her father's killer? I could suspend disbelief long enough to accept that Claire would EVENTUALLY come to love Renald, and the story would have been perfect if the author had shown us how she came to love him and what the hero did to conquer her heart. Well, he didn't have to do much, because she fell in love almost on sight and for no discernible reason (other than his being handsome and attractive, which is one lame motive given the difficult context of the story).
We don't get much additional information from the hero, either. In fact, the story does without his thoughts and feelings completely, as it is told from Claire's point of view, leaving us readers to wonder at Renald's declaration of love for the heroine: it comes out of nowhere, much like the heroine's feelings.
In sum, I enjoyed the book, but found myself having to do increasingly strong efforts at suspending my disbelief. Jo Beverley's books usually require less work in this sense. |
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 "Started with promise; dropped the ball big time" | 2006-10-02 |
| - Reviewed By bizarro7@aol.com |
Jo Beverley was doing quite well with this historical piece until she wrote herself into a corner. Although it was quite a dramatic set-up--the hero tricking the heroine into marriage, when she doesn't know he's the man who killed her father--you can tell that the author had a problem making a convincing argument for why we and the heroine should forgive him and fall in love. Quite frankly, it didn't succeed. She sets up Renald as a liar and a sycophant of a King with dubious character, who has killed the girl's father, a man who was no warrior. He comes across as rather creepy, following her around to make certain nobody tips her off until he's got her safely wedded and bedded. At first, the heroine is resolute in her hatred of this conqueror who invades her house, even before she knows the truth. You can actually feel a heavy hand from the author, first having Claire unaccountably fall in love with him, and then unaccountably forgive him after she learns the terrible truth. It's forced, it's infuriating, and ultimately, I had to stop before finishing the book because it all became an extremely transparent "sell job" where the author was singing the hero's praises in an effort to redeem him in our eyes and justify his role as the heroine's worthy husband. I wasn't convinced.
To make matters worse, heroine Claire was an unappealing airhead who couldn't seem to make up her mind about anything. She hates the conqueror and cuts off her hair to make sure she's ugly, then worries about how she's going to look. She loves adorable baby animals, but doesn't hesitate to eat them when they are served up at her wedding feast. She wants to run away or defy the invader in her household, despite the fact that her family might be evicted into poverty or killed by an enraged Renald. She hates him, loves him, hates him, loves him, hates him...and all at the rather obvious direction of the Author. It's like watching someone trying to make two mismatched puzzle pieces fit, and just about as interesting. |
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| "Plodding Medieval With Little Romance" | 2005-09-04 |
| - Reviewed By lilybits |
Jo Beverley is certainly one of the greatest talents in romance, but it seems clear she is much stronger writing in the 18th century (the Malloren series) or in the Regency (the company of Rogues.) This Medieval is too slow, too long, and the hero and heroine have about two hot love scenes in five hundred pages.
Claire is mad at Renald because he killed her father. Naturally it takes time for her to realize that he's a good man and will make her a fine husband. I could deal with that, but all the endless stuff about her father -- first his riddles, then his missing story books, then his evil sheriff buddy running around killing people -- it got really old and tired fast. The bungled attack at the end seemed really gratuitous.
Renald was kind of an underwritten hero. He announces that he's fallen in love with Claire about one quarter of the way through, but it's really hard to see why. Hardly any of the book is told from his point of view.
The sex scenes are okay, but Jo Beverley has a couple of really bad habits, like the way the hero and heroine always use sleazy double entendres that are more groan worthy than arousing, and the way near-voyeuristic scenes are always inserted to show everyone digging the hero and heroine as bed partners.
Skip this book and read the Malloren books or the Rogue books all over again. My favorites are TEMPTING FORTUNE and FORBIDDEN. |
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 "Good knight." | 2005-07-05 |
| - Reviewed By shereads |
| I wish Beverly had written more medievals. I might be alone here, but with a few exceptions, I prefer Lord of Midnight and Lord of My Heart to those prolific Mallorens. |
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