As Alyssa James, I’ve written an Amazon best-selling medieval series titled “Conquering the Heart." This series grew from my passion about medieval times and was inspired by trips to amazing castles throughout the UK and in Europe. I’ve enjoyed watching reenactments of medieval jousting tournaments and done extensive research about life and some specific battles in these times. I’ve also enjoyed learning about King Henry V and examining how he was perceived by both the English and the French. I love novels that can weave in history to make the story feel authentic, without the history dominating the romance story and character development.
I felt Julie Garwood balanced this story brilliantly with a great mix of poignancy and suspense. However, what I loved most was the witty banter between the heroine (Jamie) and the hero (Alec).
Alec Kincade is a Scott who needs to marry an English bride. Jamie was a perfect foil for his gruffness, and she was so loveable and, at times, rather quirky, and there were many times my heart broke for her as her relationship developed with Alec.
Thankfully, as a romance, Julie Garwood delivered on the understood promise of a happy-ever-after ending!
Scottish Laird Alec Kincaid chooses Jamie, daughter of Baron Jamison, as his bride. But Jamie vows never to surrender to this barbarian. Although Kincaid fires her blood, she resists him, until one moment when their clash of wills is quelled and something more dangerous threatens to conquer her.
I read this decades ago, and the emotion has stayed with me.
It was written so many decades ago; it’s a book that feminists would rail against today because Aislinn (the heroine) “belongs” to the hero Wulfgar. Yet as much as we, in the Western world, wouldn’t stand for that today, this was the reality in medieval times when women in England and Europe didn’t have the rights and freedoms enjoyed there today.
We might even say that there’s a touch of "Stockholm Syndrome" in this book, yet the emotion is so well written, it’s believable that captor and "slave" do fall for each other and that Aislinn will fall hard for this sexy warrior! Having said all that, I’m very pleased I don’t live in those times!
When the Normans invade and sweep across Saxon England in 1066, lovely Aislinn of Darkenwald watches her father murdered outside her home. Wulfgar, the Iron Wolf of Normandy, arrives to rule Darkenwald, and one look at Aislinn leads him to claim her as his own. She hates the Norman conquering forces, but Wulfgar awakens a consuming passion in her that she can't deny. As she struggles with her growing love for Wulfgar, she does what she can to aid her conquered people and her bereaved mother. But a jealous lord conspires with Wulfgar's spoiled half-sister and Aislinn's very life is…
Paris 1886. Two restless souls move toward the same horizon—unaware that their meeting will ignite a love as luminous and fleeting as the stars themselves.
Vincent van Gogh arrives in Paris with little more than paint-stained hands and an aching determination to create something worthy of the world. Across the…
Having attended jousting tournaments with my husband and children when we were travelling in the UK, I particularly liked the portrayal of the jousting tournaments.
Holly - the fairest woman in all of England - is the "prize" in a tournament, but doesn’t want her beauty to be her appeal, so she disguises herself. She’s surprised when the hero, Sir Austyn, is pleased with his "plain" bride.
Teresa Medeiras has woven a lot of trickery, lies, and deceit into this story. It builds up the action. I liked the way I was able to empathise with the characters and understand how they’ve suffered.
As a writer, I’m told - the greater the obstacles and the higher the stakes, the sweeter the attainment of the goals. Medeiras delivers!
She was rumored to be the fairest woman in all of England. But Holly de Chastel considered her beauty a curse. She had turned away scores of suitors with various ruses, both fair and foul. Now she was to be the prize in a tournament of eager knights. Holly had no intention of wedding any of them and concocted a plan to disguise her beauty. Yet she didn't reckon on Sir Austyn of Gavenmore. The darkly handsome Welshman was looking for a plain bride and Holly seemed to fit the bill. When he learned that he'd been tricked, it was…
I’ve enjoyed every Johanna Lindsey book I’ve read, so it’s unsurprising this made my list!
This novel is set in 1192, and I loved that Reina is a very strong heroine in an age where women were generally downtrodden and devoid of legal rights. Her father was forward-thinking as he’s ensured she can choose her own husband, and he’s left capable Reina in charge to defend his people and his keep, which she is serious about defending.
The hero, Ranulf, is quite an ill-mannered boor, but I loved how he changed for his sassy, strong, and independent heroine. It was hilarious that he visits the local whore for lessons in lovemaking! (That alone made this book memorable!) It’s a true love story.
The first book in the Shefford series from #1 New York Times bestselling author of historical romance, Johanna Lindsey.
Reina seethes with rage over her fate: taken captive by the knight Ranulf -- a golden giant of a man -- who has pledged to deliver her to the nuptial bed of the despised Lord Rothwell. She will never accept such bondage -- and Reina offers herself to her kidnapped instead, offering to make Ranulf a great lord...if he agrees to wed her.
But the brave knight desires much more than a marriage of convenience from this proud, headstrong lady who…
Winner Literary Titan Gold Book Award-Case and Trish Teal PI seek justice—fast-paced action and surprises everywhere. Takes place in Houston, Vegas, and rural Texas. He hunts the murders and unrelated tangles with the mob.
There is a book in a book on killing bad guys. Loved it! Top-Notch Thriller! Thought-provoking!…
No "best of" medieval romance list would be complete without a title by Kathryn Le Veque.
I’ve read and enjoyed many of her medieval titles. One of the best things about this author’s novels is that she writes series, so many of the characters reappear. I enjoy reconnecting with them.
The Wolfe is set in 1231 AD, and the Scottish heroine, Lady Jordan, saves an English knight from certain death. She’s aware that he’s English but is completely unaware that he’s the knight her kinsmen fear the most. Later, they meet again, and the romance develops.
I’ve chosen this title as not only did I enjoy the story, but the writing made me feel as though I was right there in medieval England and Scotland. The characters were also very "real."
An Amazon #1 Bestseller in Medieval Romance!Read the Epic novel that started it all....1231 A.D. - After a nasty skirmish along the England/Scotland border at Bog Wood, a badly wounded knight has crawled off to die. As women from the Clan Scott fan out across the battlefield to collect the spoils of war, one woman breaks off from the pack. She is sickened by the tradition of stealing valuables off the dead and runs off to hide. In her hiding place, however, lingers the badly wounded knight. The young woman is frightened at first but she tends the knight and…
Knight of Her Heart is an action-packed romance set in medieval England, shortly after the Battle of Agincourt. Whilst weaving historically accurate events into the story, there are also many moral questions raised because both the hero, Lord Rowan, and heroine, Lady Lisette, have made choices that go against their consciences.
This book is ideal for book club reads as it stimulates great discussion over these actions as readers put themselves into the characters' shoes and must decide whether—faced with the same situations and the same high stakes—they would make similar choices.
Winner Literary Titan Gold Book Award-Case and Trish Teal PI seek justice—fast-paced action and surprises everywhere. Takes place in Houston, Vegas, and rural Texas. He hunts the murders and unrelated tangles with the mob.
There is a book in a book on killing bad guys. Loved it! Top-Notch Thriller! Thought-provoking!…
It began with a dying husband, and it ended in a dynasty.
It took away her husband’s pain on his deathbed, kept her from losing the family farm, gave her the power to build a thriving business, but it’s illegal to grow in every state in the country in 1978.
