Roselynde
4. Roberta Gellis, Roselynde
Lady Alinor Devaux is seemingly one of the luckiest women in the world: not only is she young, beautiful, and extremely wealthy, but she also wields a great deal of control over her life. She commands the loyalty of her vassals and runs her many estates virtually unaided. However, Alinor is such a magnificent matrimonial prize that the King has decided to place a warden over her. The warden will administer her lands and protect her from nobles who might try to seize her (or her property) by force. Alinor is strongly opposed to this plan; but when the noble (and older) Sir Simon Lemagne takes up his duties, the two of them quickly fall in love. Alinor and Simon’s romance soon encounters many obstacles, especially when Simon’s duty compels him to follow King Richard the Lionheart on Crusade. Can their love survive the cataclysmic power struggles raging throughout Europe?
I started this book somewhat reluctantly; although I’d read that Roberta Gellis is a respected name in historical romance, I feared that this novel would be nothing more than a bodice-ripper. Thankfully, I was totally wrong; this book impressed me with its attention to historical detail and its compelling description of the major figures of the time period, such as Eleanor of Aquitaine and her sons Richard and John. Much of the novel centers around King Richard’s campaigns in Cyprus and the Holy Land, which were fascinating to read about. I didn’t quite see the need for such detailed descriptions of the battle scenes, but that’s a minor complaint. Overall, I liked this novel a lot and would recommend it to fans of Sharon Kay Penman, Elizabeth Chadwick, or Anya Seton’s Katherine. There are several more books in the series, and I’m seriously considering reading them all!