From Amazon.com
Setting: Scotland and England, 1306
Sensuality: 7
Scottish rebel Juliana Lindsey and Gawain Avenel, a knight sworn to the English King, share a dangerous past. Twice their paths have crossed and each time, one saved the other's life. When Juliana is captured and paraded before the English court dressed as the legendary Swan Maiden, Gawain feels compelled to save her once again. But the King demands that Gawain marry and tame the beautiful rebel, and faced with no alternative, Gawain complies.
Trapped in a relationship neither wants, these two wary souls agree to keep the marriage platonic and work together to find an answer to their dilemma. But the longer they're together, the more deeply in love they fall. Neither can imagine a happy solution, however, for each hides dangerous secrets and if the English king learns the truth about either of them, their lives may be forfeit.
Deeply romantic, Susan King's The Swan Maiden blends a mix of creative legend, political intrigue, and high adventure with heart-stopping feats of daring bravery. King has established a sterling reputation for historical accuracy and detail, and she expertly applies both to this tale with beautiful imagery and vivid settings that make the world of 1300s Scotland come alive. For all readers who love fine historical romance, The Swan Maiden is not to be missed.--Lois Faye Dyer
From Publishers Weekly
In the second book of her "Maiden" trilogy (The Stone Maiden, etc.) King revisits medieval Scotland in the days of Robert the Bruce's rebellion against England. Scottish-born Gawain Avenel, who fled to England with his mother after his father's murder, still yearns for his homeland despite being raised by his beloved English stepfather, Sir Henry Avenel, and taking vows to be a king's knight. In contrast, the spirited Juliana Lindsay has no such divided loyalties. A beloved heroine among the rebels for her guise as the mysterious swan maiden who leads English troops astray, Juliana crosses paths with Gawain when she is captured and displayed before the king's court. While attempting to rescue the young maiden from her humiliation, Gawain finds himself commanded to marry her. On King Edward's order, the reluctant couple travels to Scotland in the company of the watchful and malicious Sir Walter de Soulis. As the rebel movement intensifies and Gawain begins to identify more closely with his Highland heritage, the bond between him and Juliana grows stronger. With its well-conceived plot, fast pacing and strong visual elements (such as wild swans, an archery contest and a castle set ablaze), this feisty historical romance will enchant even those who are wary of the well-trodden, medieval Scottish setting. (Jan.)
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