Berkley, Oct 2002, 7.99, 432 pp.
ISBN: 0425186857
Two years ago warrior Colin of Berkhamshire and Lady Alienore of Solgne were to marry. However, the bride decides not to wed the infamous “Butcher of Berkhamshire" instead fleeing into the night. No one has seen Alienore since she vanished. Except for his father's machinations of finding potential wives for Colin to marry and sire an heir, the Butcher is very happy to remain single. Meanwhile Ali hides in plain sight by donning knight armor and going about as Sir Henri though she worries that her malfeasance stepmother will uncover her identity and foster her on Colin.
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Ali currently escorts Colin's latest intended, but when she ends up in his garrison, he takes a liking to the disguised woman. As he starts training her in the art of warfare, she begins falling in love with her host as she finds him to be kind hearted and not the harsh Butcher she expected. Colin wonders why Ali is in every dream and thought he has since he always loved the women.
FROM THIS MOMENT ON could have been a poorly crafted homophobic tale, but Lynn Kurland insures that this medieval romance never falls into any stereotyping traps. Instead readers obtain a wonderful, often amusing historical romance starring two characters whose personalities are so complete that the Butcher shows his “feminist” side and the gentle rose shows her warrior thorns. Fans will relish Lynn Kurland's latest entry that is all a reader can ask of an author.
Harriet Klausner
The review of this Book prepared by Harriet Klausner
