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When a misunderstanding lands the pretty indentured servant in the stocks, Rhys becomes her unlikely savior. After the grueling ordeal, he tenderly cares for her bruised body and broken pride. But he longs to do much more– to satisfy the fire that sparks between them the moment they are alone, and to claim the woman designed by providence to be his soul mate and lover.

Joan cannot deny her perilous attraction to the handsome mason and builder, but her oath to rebuild her broken life prevents her from accepting the passion waiting for her in his arms. Rhys speaks of discovering “what might be”, but Joan dare not succumb to his seductive charm. She is hiding secrets that Rhys must never know, and carrying wounds that she believes his gentle care cannot heal.

Heroes:

He:

A mason and a builder who had three years ago helped a rebellion with a just case. The rebellion has moved vicious lord Mortimer to power. Rhys hates him self for his role in the rebellion that have helped Mortimer gain power.   He is mason who with his powerful arm he curfs man status of stones. He plays a dangerous play, mason for the king may listen to bit and bit of info as he work. He may hear information not intended for his ears.

She:

She was stuck by tragedy three years before, the rebellion took her home, security and forced her and her young brother a life of servitude. She vowed that one day she will avenge her family and take what was her again but to do so she need to live and work. So she now curfs status of clay, and sell her fairs at the market. This is where she first saw him. He bought from her one of her status and commented on her craft. When she was punished for a crime she didn’t commit, he helped her and gave her kindness and security she had lost with her family. She cannot forget her vow, and the danger that surrounds her and her brother if someone found who she really are. She will trust no one.

Will he able to gain her trust.

My Review :

The story is tangled a lot in the political scheme, the web of deceit, spy’s and rebellions takes a lot of the book.  The story line is good though the social gap between the heroes is not logical for this era of time,  time were a woman had no choice, when she was treated like a property to forge an alliance or gain a land.  The story is different from the typical medieval story, where the knight is the main hero, that draw me to the story more. The characters are will written they have strength and the confusion that make them almost real even thought is may be not for the time of the story.

Rating: 7/10

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Excerpt

Story :

Bound by the King . . .

The document, signed and sealed by King Henry himself, commanded lady Juliana of Lofts to marry Raymond, Count of Avraché.

Shattered by the Past . . .

She refused, though it was treason to defy one’s king. What man would have her once he discovered her secret?

One Knight Would Crusade for His Lady’s Heart

Yet Raymond would not be denied. And when he came for her, she’d learn that even the strongest will cannot resist the softest touch.

More details:

The king betrothed her to him but she refused to honor the betrothed and ignore his summons for a whole year.  To pay her back for the humiliation he received at the court he plan to her and abduct her in a snow storm then assume the identity of castle builder.

Raymond of Avrache is tired of waiting for Lady Juliana to come to the king’s court. Their wedding has been postponed for so long already and so he decides to go to her manor. When he arrives there, he clearly sees that Juliana is wary of men. He later learns that Juliana has been abused by her father, her husband, her cousin and her steward. To gain her trust, Raymond poses as the king’s master castle-builder who arrives to fortify the castle’s walls. He slowly gains Juliana’s trust and befriends her children and household servants. But the real master castle-builder later appears and his lies are exposed. After finding out the truth, Juliana weds Raymond and their marriage life starts.
But many people are against the marriage. Raymond’s parents try to lure him with great riches and lands in exchange for giving up the marriage. Juliana’s cousin, on the other hand, tries to ruin her marriage by forcing himself on her. Sir Joseph, the castle’s steward, resents Raymond’s authority and stirs up trouble by kidnapping Juliana’s daughter and exposing Raymond’s dark character.
As troubles build against them, Raymond and Juliana find trust and love with one another and sets to save their marriage against all odds.

Heroes:

He:

A knight returned from a slavery in the crusades, he is tormented by the events of his enslavement.   Mistreated and neglected by his parents who force him to leave without the use of their land and wealth.  He sees the marriage arranged by the king as a source of land and wealth to start a new life after his return from the crusades.

She:

Lady Juliana of Lofts has no need for men. She has survived marriage and is happy being a widow. She takes care of her own manor, her children, and her people without the interference of men. She takes a long time to trust the hero.

Review:

It a long story, i liked the story line, the humor in both characters was nice but they where both very tormented by event of past life.  I did not understand how she thinks of herself as a cowered when at every situation she always choose to face the situation ferociously.  The story was very good till nearly the end when they seems to torment each other with denying  love and arrogantly how each one saw what he sees best for the other.

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Christina Dodd

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Rating:  7 / 10

]]> http://readingheroes.wordpress.com/2008/08/11/castles-in-the-air-by-christina-dodd/feed/ 0 readingheroes http://readingheroes.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/welcome/ http://readingheroes.wordpress.com/2008/08/10/welcome/#comments Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:37:55 +0000 readingheroes http://readingheroes.wordpress.com/?p=3 ]]> Hellloooooooz.

This is my first post  on the blog. I got tired for looking about for related books and similar story lines around the web. So I will try to create a blog with books I have already read reading them to each other and  their heroes.

Hope you enjoy )))))

MAHA