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4.0 out of 5 stars
Romance Flourishes In 12th Century England!, Oct 27 2003
Elizabeth Lowell is frequently asked why she departed from the western and contemporary romance genres, which have been so successful for her, to write the medieval trilogy "Untamed,"
"Forbidden" and "Enchanted." She and her husband are both of Scots descent. On one of their visits to Scotland they had extra time to explore off the beaten path and, by chance, discovered the ancient ruins of a castle constructed in the 12th century. The castle had once belonged to her husband's clan, the Maxwells. Ms. Lowell and her husband then traveled to a town that had a museum devoted to the Maxwells and discovered that her family clan, the Charteris and her husband's, the Maxwell's, were linked through marriage for over nine hundred years. When Ms. Lowell found this out she decided to write a series based on medieval warriors and the women they loved.Simon the Loyal and Ariane the Betrayed wed in order to bring peace to the Disputed Land, the border land between England and Scotland. Simon is attracted to Ariane, but does not believe in love. Ariane has suffered a brutal rape, a family betrayal and is deeply scarred. She cannot bear to be touched. The plot is driven by the conflict in the marriage, Simon's gentle wooing of Ariane and her refusal to tell him the truth about her past. The novel brings back characters from Ms. Lowell's previous books: Duncan the warrior and his beloved Amber the Learned, Lord Dominic le Sabre, called the Glendruid Wolf, and Lady Margaret, Lord Erik, etc., but it is not necessary to read the other books in the series to appreciate this one. All the characters, their pasts and interactions are fully explained. There is mystery here, and magic, betrayal and deception, and tremendous chemistry between Simon and Ariane. Elizabeth Lowell has written an enchanting tale of lasting love and remarkable courage. I am not a big fan of medieval romance, but I am a big Elizabeth Lowell fan - which is why I read this novel. I was intrigued by the magic lore of the Learned people included here, as well as the ring of sacred stones and the legend of the rowan tree that can be seen in bloom only by true lovers. This is one of Ms. Lowell's most sensuous stories and most entertaining reads.
JANA
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by E. Lowell
by E. Lowell
by E Lowell
by E. Lowell
by Lynn Kurland
